Fast Food Furries Book 1

Chapter 13b: The Aether

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Dorothy

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Luckily, we had flashlights. We had found a large, open chamber to get everyone settled. I don't think it was Sewer Town, as it was almost totally empty aside from some long-forgotten crates and some equipment that might've once been used for track maintenance. We hadn't travelled far from our entry point, so we had to post guards at each entrance. It probably wouldn't be long before Big City Mouse sniffed us out.

One of the guards shouted something, drawing our attention. A group of people were coming down the hallway. Ramona, Arlo, and I went to investigate. "Judas!" I cried in relief.

"Your full name is Judas?" Combine asked quietly. I was glad to see that you were still with him, and that Judas had successfully retrieved you both. There was a bird perched on his shoulder that drew the guard's attention.

"My, my," he said, leaning forward to get a better look. He was a comically stout, anthropomorphic, yellow cat lab-creature, and had to stand on his tippy-toes to get a good eyeful. "What a peculiar and unique size. It's bigger or smaller than everything else in the world, but never the same size."

"I thought so too," said Combine. "But then I realized— balloons!"

The cat gasped. "As one inflates, there has to be a point where it's the same size as a large pigeon!"

"Exactly," said Combine. "Balloons and large pigeons—unmeasurable. What's with that?"

"I've learned that there are many mysteries of the universe today," I said. "The proportions of balloons and birds as they compare to other objects is not one of them."

"I wouldn't be so dismissive," the cat insisted. "Have some whimsy, General!"

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Binky Cat," the creature said, throwing up a salute, "reporting for duty!"

I looked down at him. I want to reiterate, this guy was small. Maybe three feet tall even in his combat boots. "At ease, soldier," I said, put off by the bizarre nature of his existence.

"Oh," Judas said, "vital update. We're about to be invaded."

"We figured," I said.

"By the Americans," Judas clarified.

"Oh great Mike," I groaned. "Let's meet with the other leaders."

"General," Combine said, drawing me away as we went back toward the main group. "I'm uhh... I'm sorry. What I did was reckless and I endangered a lot of people."

I still wasn't particularly impressed, but I wanted to put it behind me. "You're here now. That's what matters. Besides," I tried to lighten the tone, "that large pigeon seems to like you."

"Oh him?" said Combine. He cradled the bird in one hand and tossed it to flutter up into the open chamber. It should've been surprising when it shapeshifted into a large, white dragon, but I had seen and heard enough that day to frankly be relieved.

"Sirrat!" I called out.

Combine nodded. "Good, you're acquainted."

"I take it you know about Harambe, then?" I asked Combine as Sirrat swooped down beside us.

"I had not told him yet," said Sirrat.

"Okay," I said, loud enough to get the attention of the others. "I think we all need to convene and go over everything we know. Sirrat, you have some explaining to do."