Rabbit Season

The air was crisp and clean, and it carried a fresh and natural smell. It didn’t have a trace of fossil fuels or anything industrial, and Declan thanked his lucky stars that was the case. He’d had his fill of industrial and chemically touched worlds. The only word that he could describe for this planet was it smelled natural. This was the way his world would have been if they had never introduced gasoline or coal into the atmosphere. There were no chemicals or pesticides, and the air tasted completely clean. Declan found it both a refreshing and a welcome change in comparison to the last few worlds he had visited lately. Krome had nearly burnt out his olfactory bulb, of that he was sure.

He took note that the road was a made of dirt, and that the city looked more like something out of an old western than a sci-fi or post-apocalyptic flick. He liked that aspect as well. He loved westerns. John Eastwood and Clint Wayne had been his childhood heroes. The city’s buildings were all wooden, and built in basic frontier style. He saw no real signs of technology, he could pick up no trace of any sort of worldweb or Headnet. He didn’t even detect radio waves for that matter, not artificial ones anyway. This world was amazing. He saw a Buckaroo Starr’s Coffee and Show house about three streets down from the edge of town, and he began walking toward it at a crisp pace. The name had changed slightly, but there was no question that it was a place that served coffee, and provided a show apparently.

“Mother, did everything go as planned on the last world?”

Her voice was more gentle than normal, “Yes, Declan. There was a complete system failure and the planet was vaporized. Your little Electricocalypse seemed to work just fine. Excellent work, you made it clear just in time, too.”

“What about this world. What can you tell me?”

“Earth 987y43 has no advanced technology of any kind. No electricity, no computers, no internet or worldwide web. They seem to have steel making capabilities, but only do so in very small quantities. I do not believe they have invented gunpowder yet, but I may be wrong. I cannot access much information within a society such as this. I absorb knowledge via newsfeeds, wifi, radio waves, and so on. This planet has none of that. It impairs my data gathering capabilities.” He had continued walking as she’d spoken. “I will have to ascertain information via inductive reasoning as you observe the inhabitants.”

“I see,” he said. He looked the streets over, but only saw some horses tied to a post. This wasn’t a city at all. He would barely call it a town. He could hear a lot of raucous laughter coming from the saloon, uh, coffee shop he amended mentally. He straightened his tie, buttoned his jacket, and stepped inside.

The interior was not what he’d expected. Everyone inside, insofar as he could see, appeared to be a human animal hybrid of one type or another. At one table there sat three men playing cards. One looked like a young man, but was distinguished by light fox-like features. His hair on the top of his head was orange, white, and black. The tip of his nose ended in a canine set of nostrils, and his fingers ended in dog claws. His sideburns flared out, all white with black tips. He was chewing tobacco and studying the cards in his hand intently. Declan noted that his eyes were an intense green hue. The fox had dressed himself in some very nice silk fineries, with a green jacket, white dress shirt, and matching pair of green slacks. Declan assumed he wore those colors because they matched his eyes. The fox clearly had no need of footwear as he wore no shoes, and Declan could see that his toes had the same claws as his fingers.

Next to the youthful fox sat a dirty little fellow with squinty eyes, and a long thin nose. The mustache beneath his nostrils was brushy, bristly, and stuck out in all directions. He was mostly bald and like his companion wore no shoes. If he had to guess, Declan would have guessed that he was a mole hybrid, but it was really hard to tell. He was dressed in a filthy brown button up shirt, and had on blue corduroy pants that were similarly stand and bore several holes, and a good sized tear on the lower half of his right leg. The other card player was a yellow eyed man with a flat nose and leathery green scales for skin. His fingers ended in long sharp claws, and a long tail protruded from just above his red trousers and spiraled down around his chair leg. Clearly he was the result of human and lizard pairing, but Declan could not discern what type of lizard. It was probably native to this world. The players all glanced up at him from over their cards and gave him a long cold stare, but returned to their game moments later after they’d determined that he wasn’t significant enough to interrupt their game. The fox bit his lip, laid down his cards, and the other two acknowledged their loss by slamming their cards down in mild anger.

Declan ignored the shiver that ran down his spine and stepped up to the counter. He noticed an intensely suggestive figure that was turned away from him. She was wearing white silk stockings, a pair or white French style panties with a matching bra, and a bunny tail settled just above her curvaceous bottom. Her hair was a matching white to her clothes, and he noted a pair of bunny ears protruding through her long locks of hair. He had to admit that she was stunning from behind. “Excuse me, miss.,” he said as he kept his eyes lifted skyward, “I’m looking for a friend of mine. I believe she works here. Her name is Sarah Crowe.”

He fought the urge to stare at her bottom one final time before she turned around, and most admirably managed not to sneak a peek.

“That’d be me,” she said amiably, “Although, I go by Rah, not Sarah. I haven’t gone by that name in years.” She looked him up and down, “You say you know me? I admit that you look familiar, but I can’t seem to be able to place where I know you fro. . . .Clan? Holy, hell. Is that you?”

She stepped from behind the counter and came around to give him a hug. Her face, was unquestioningly that of Sarah’s, even though it bore traces of her rabbit heritage. Her nose was a little thinner, and ended in a pink cottontail nose, he cheeks were a little chubbier, and her two front teeth were a bit more pronounced, but none of that took away from her beauty. Her hair was the stunning white of a Calla lily, and her ears were pink on the interior. Her eyes, though, where an astounding brown; so deep and earthlike and so unlike his own Sarah’s green that it made them stand out even more.

“How did you get the Geneers to diversify you? Is that why you’ve been gone so long? Because they were desplicing ya?” Her voice was slightly higher, and she had a quicker cadence that Sarah Prime, but carried its own wonderful lilt that sounded like Springtime.

She sat a cup on the counter and poured him some coffee. It smelled strong, and he could practically taste it in the air. He nodded his thanks, reached down, pulled the mug to his lips, blew on it, and then took a long sip. It was the best straight coffee he’d ever had. It was so . . . pure. He didn’t care what kind of coffee came out of a cat’s ass, it would never match this pure blend.

“Rah,” he said sincerely, “That is the best coffee I’ve ever had the pleasure to put into my mouth.” She rolled her brown eyes, and he was amazed at how they glittered and sparkled in the light of the saloon. Those eyes were so wholesome and innocent that they contrasted with her choice of clothing. Normally, he would not have complained if his Sarah had dressed like that for him, but in public her carefree attitude towards her partial nudity bothered him. He couldn’t help himself, and before he realized what he was doing he inquired, “Can I ask why you are dressed like that?”

She gave him a sheepish grin, “Well, you don’t make anything just slinging coffee all day. I’m a show girl, too. Two shows a day, and then I brew java till the boys go home. It ain’t bad. I enjoy it. A lot. It’s fun and freeing at the same time,” she said with a sultry smile. “Now, you tell me how you got the Geneers to undo their handiwork, and why you would ever do such a thing to yourself.”

“Look, Rah, I don’t know how to say this, but I’m not the, erm,” he fumbled the words, “Clan that you know. I don’t know where he’s been, but I can guarantee that he hasn’t been to see the Geneers lately.” Then he added, “Whoever they are.”

He scratched behind his ear and looked for the right thing to say. “My name is ‘Clan, Declan Mason to be exact, but I’m not from around here. Most obviously I am not from here. The only reason I’m with you right now is to save your life.”

“Save me? Save me from what?” She gave a little hop as she pouted, “What’s going to happen to me?”

This was the part he hated, where he always sounded crazy. He realized that it just couldn’t be helped, but that didn’t make it sound any less crazy. “I am from another dimension. A place similar to your world, but radically different in many ways.” He paused and watched her expression, trying to see any hint of doubt or suspicion. “This world of yours is about to end. Horribly so, it will not be pretty or painless. In fact, it is not just you, but all humanoid life on this planet is going to end very shortly, and it will do so in a very messy way. I want you to come with me.”

She looked at him with big puppy dog eyes, which was difficult to pull off because of her status as a half-human half-lapine individual. “Me? Why me?” She seemed incredulous that anyone would care about her.

Declan didn’t hesitate, “Because you remind me of someone that I lost not so long ago. You remind me of my Rah, ah, Sarah,” he amended carefully, “And I have made it my mission to save every version of her that I can.” His eyes never left hers as he spoke, and he poured every ounce of emotion that he had into them. He hoped that she would come around . . . “Okay,” she said with a smile.

“Huh?”

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t go with you. I believe you. I can see that yer telling me the truth. I can smell it on you. You aren’t from here. And at no point did you lie to me. I can tell when people lie to me.” She gave a non-committal shrug, “At least I can tell when my people lie to me. Can’t see how’d you’d be no different.” She hopped on to the bar and slid across before delicately lowering herself to the floor. He noted that she wasn’t wearing shoes either, and that her feet were pretty large for her tiny frame. “How do we get there,” she asked with a grin.

“I open a portal to a place a called . . .uh, Terra Sarah,” he blushed. “There will be servants there to help you adjust to your new home until I get back. And I will be back shortly,” he promised. In his ears it almost sounded like a vow. “So, just wait for me, and I’ll let you know what is going on when I return home.” She nodded to him and then she asked him, “Can you take other people, besides me? Or am I special,” she asked with a wink and a grin.

He paused. He hadn’t expected that question. He nodded at her and said, “I suppose that you are. At least you are to me.” H swallowed hard. I’ve just been so busy lately trying to save the various versions of you that I sort of forget how very special that you all are. When you get there you will find that you have sisters that you never knew existed. Cherish them as I do.” She giggled and jiggled, in a way that made him blush and avert his eyes, “Good! Do you mind if I ask if anyone else wants to come?”

He shrugged, again he hadn’t expected that question, but didn’t see why he couldn’t accommodate her request and he told her so. She took about five minutes and explained things to the shops patrons. All in all, she had convinced ten of the animal folk to join them.

Rah bounced over to him, “Give me a minute. I want to get my mother, and I’ll ask if anyone else wants to come or stay here.” Before Declan could even respond she had hopped out the door and bounded down the street. He didn’t mind. He was on a deadline, but he could spare a few minutes, and if he could save a few people doing so, then he had no problem with that either.

As he waited he looked over to the young man who looked like a fox. He was one of the ones who said he would go with them. Declan cave him a shy wave, “Hi, I’m Declan, and you are . . . ,” he left the question hanging in the air hoping that the fellow would pick up on the cue.

“Thirsty?” The reply was not what he’d expected, and he stifled a laugh. “Ah, no,” he amended, “your name is . . . . ,” this time he hoped that the young fox man would fill in the opening that he’d left for him.

“My name is Ray, Ray Nardo, but you can just call me Ray,” he said with a slight volpine smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ray. While we’re all waiting for Rah to get back here can you answer some questions?” The fox man gave him an, I guess so shrug, and nodded for the man to sit down. Declan sat down across from him after grabbing a pot of coffee from behind the counter. He filled the young man’s cup and then poured more of the magic java his own.

“I don’t know if you can tell,” Declan began as he pointed at his face, “But I’m not from around here.”

The canine tinted lad gave him a toothy grin, “Yeah, you sorta look like a cubling before the Geneers get a hold of them.”

Declan inclined his head. “Rah mentioned the Geneers. Can you tell me about them? Who they are, what they want, and where can I find them?”

Ray snickered. “They don’t want nothing,” he took a sip of coffee and continued, “Geneers are strange little critters that are kind of like little blobs of snot. They are harmless, but they seek out us Beastions, that’s what we call ourselves by the way, when we hit puberty.” He put his cup down and started shuffling his deck of cards. Declan wondered where the other two had gone. He had been too swept up in talking to Rah to notice what strangers did, no matter how strange they were.

Ray continued, as he began playing a game similar to solitaire. “See, before puberty we all look like you do now. Y’know, no animal side at all; just bland as a blade of grass.” He flipped a card and laid it on the discard pile with a grimace. “The Geneers, well they attach themselves to us and sort of merge with us for a bit when we come of age. Sometimes it is for a few days, sometimes a week, but it’s pretty rare for it to go as long as a month. All we know is that when they are inside us they add something to our bodies, and when they are done doing whatever it is they do, we go to sleep.” He shuffled the cards in his hand and then flipped another. It went to the discard pile as well. “While we sleep we change, and when we wake up we are remade into full adult Beastions like me or Rah.”

Ray put down his cards and sipped his coffee. He licked his lips when he finished and then took another drink. “We come in all sorts of types too. None of it runs in the family either. Rah’s mom, for example, is a cat blend. My da is an eagle mix. Affleck, over there,” he pointed to a duck man, “Has a da who is a bull type, and a mum what’s a snake. Some of our smarter types seem to think that we get are melded with whatever animal the Geneer had last bonded to.”

Mother’s voice broke in over Ray’s explanation. “Declan, these people have been gene-spliced by these “Geneers”. I can see multiple places where there genetic code has been rewritten; more precisely, overwritten. I would guess that the Geneer’s life cycle starts in an animal, the DNA of which it keeps, and it cannot grow into adulthood until it merges with a pubescent human. The Geneer then rewrites the human’s DNA code in a very specific pattern using the original animal’s genetic material as well as that of the Geneer’s. I can see pieces of the original fox, as well as the Geneer itself, all over his DNA strands. It looks to me as if the genetic material that the Geneer leaves behind inhibits the parent’s ability to pass along any of the animal coding that has been changed within them. You should get a couple of the Geneers for further study. Just be careful not to touch them. Unless, that is, you want to undergo a bestial metamorphosis yourself. I do not think that I could undo what the Geneers have done here.” She paused for a moment, “It seems that they have taken on the name of Beastions for their species.”

Declan nodded to Ray, but in response to Mother’s diatribe. “Where can I find some of these Geneers?”

The teen fox crinkled his nose as he smiled. “Ya wanna make yourself nice and proper like the rest of us? Good for you! No sense in walking around numb to the world around you. You won’t believe how your senses will change once you go undergo the change.” The fox man downed his coffee. “C’mon. They’re easy to find. I’ll show you where to look.” He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. He straightened his jacket and headed for the door. Declan followed. They hadn’t taken two steps from the wooden sidewalk when the foxling bent over, and turned the leaf of a dandelion growing in the earth. Declan examined the plant and saw three very small green amorphous blobs clinging to its underside. They were almost see through, and were not moving. Either they were inactive during the day, or they didn’t move much.

The foxman, Ray, seemed to read his mind, “These’uns here are immature. In a coupla weeks they’ll get to scooting around looking for an animal to join with. They’re all over the place then. You have to watch to not step on ‘em. They live inside the animals for a while, but eventually they come back out, and at that point hey are as big as your fist.”

Inactive sounded just about perfect to Declan. As he reached down and plucked the leaf he said, “Mother, put this into my inventory,” and watched as the leaf instantly vanished from his palm. He had never used the inventory system since he had been given it and it was a little shocking to see in action. Even though he’d known what to expect he shouldn’t have done that in front of the beastion. Ray, however hadn’t noticed, as he had spied Rah and was watching her and about fifty other animal people coming up the street towards them. None of them looked panicked or scared, they all looked like they were just out for an afternoon stroll rather than getting ready to shift dimensions.

Declan stood up and looked to the fox man. “All of those people are coming just on her say? You all are some trusting folk,” Declan said.

Ray shook his head. “No, but we know when someone lies to us by the way they smell. We learn to stop prevaricating when we are youngsters. People who lie give off an odor, and their heart rates tend to speed up. Sometimes, their breathing changes, or they start moving a part of their body they normally wouldn’t move in a similar situation. Our young learn that they can’t beat a good nose or a strong set of ears, so we pretty much take people at their word.”

Rah was smiling. “I brought Ma, and some friends. I hope that you don’t mind, Clan.” He noticed that she was calling him by her friend’s appellation. He hoped it brought her some comfort. “I couldn’t bear to leave any of them behind.”

Declan scanned the crowd. Everyone had brought a handful of their belongings, and was wearing a smile. These were the friendliest people he had ever met. He opened up his Apocalypse Generator, and typed in what he needed to. This world’s destruction finally set into place, Declan had mother transport the lot of them back to Terra Sarah, and then closed the gateway.

He noted that three of the beastions had not transitioned from this world to his. They had been left behind and he had no idea as to why. He considered asking them if they had changed their minds about going, but Mother began shifting him to his next rendezvous. She hadn’t delayed. There was a mission to finish and he had little time left to see it through.

Their shocked faces told him that they had not planned on staying behind. He regretted that there was nothing he could do about it now. Their fates were sealed. He would ask Mother why that hadn’t all transported back to home when he had time to worry about the small stuff. It really bothered him that he was losing people every time he tried to save a group. He knew it had no relation to the number of people he was trying to transport. There was something far stranger going on.

Then, he felt a small tingling in his head for just a moment. It was familiar, and reminded him of when Mother was uploaded something into his head, but he felt no new information. He considered the three people left behind. One had been the mole man, the man that he’d felt was just a little bit shadey and he wondered why he cared that the beastion hadn’t transported to safety. He’d watched Rah and her people vanish through the portal, and honestly, that was all that really mattered to him. If the others opted not to go or could not go then that was on them. He smiled as he went to the next world. He wished that all apocalypses could be conducted so casually and easily.