Fruit Fighters: Book 1

Chapter 23: Bounty Roll Call, the Future of the Damned

The first feeling was hearing. The sounds of pitter chatter going about was the first sign Print got that he was alive. Sort of a good sign depending on whatever situation the gray-haired lad had found himself in.

The next feeling that came was smell. The smells of flowers, incense and other aromatic scents. They were calming, soothing, and very nice to the nose. Guess it was a good situation.

Touch came next. His hands felt the surface that he was currently laying on. His right hand felt a soft and cozy texture, one that was very nostalgic. Very good bedding, perhaps? His left hand however, felt a different texture. It was rugged and harsh, yet for some reason, it felt soothing. Wonder what that is.

The rest of his senses quickly followed as the first drops of sunlight pierced his slowly opening eyes. His body hurt, way too much. As much as his systems told him not to get up, Print pushed through the agony just to see the result of his actions. He had to see it through.

Groggily getting up with a massive headache, Print finally got to see the location where he had been resting. A white tent with medical equipment as well as several other people who looked worse than him. To his left, sat a horned-las with a huge smile on her face, holding his hand with her neckwarmer unzipped. To his right was Tae, who pridefully smirked at Print.

"Hey you, you're finally awake," said Endi, holding back her laughter. "You tried to cross the border, right? Walked right into that imperial ambush. Same as us, and that thief over there." She pointed at Tae who just looked confused, and so was Print, visible by his facial expression.

"Oh come on! You don't get the reference!?" Interrogated Endi, flabbergasted at such response. Print could only smile and brought Endi into a hug, one that he was really looking forward to.

"We did it?" Asked Print with a dry throat.

"Yeah, you did it," affirmed Endi while patting Print's back, making him even more happy.

"Oi, Oi, don't act like I ain't here!" complained Tae as the horned-las and gray-haired lad broke away and bashfully smiled at Tae. Speaking of, there was something off about Tae that Print had just noticed.

"Hey Tae," said Print, his throat still dry. "Why is your hair orange?"

"Huh, oh yeah, this weird shit," said Tae as she stepped back a little to show that her hair, tail, and fur, which she mainly had in her legs, were all colored orange with silver tips at the top. Like an actual fox.

"After waking up, all my fur turned orange. I don't really get it, but it happened. Even my tail became bigger and fluffier!" Sated Tae while grabbing her now giant tail. It was as big as her own body, and seemed to be incredibly fluffy. Almost as a pillow.

Then Tae realized that Print had just spoken, "OH SHIT YOU CAN TALK!!!"

"YOU JUST NOTICED!!?" exclaimed Endi and Print in utter disbelief.

"QUIET DOWN!!! THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HALF DEAD HERE!!!" Yelled a medic who came into the tent, very much pissed at the three teens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The good news is you are not dead, which some people thought you already were after not waking up for 3 days," said a different, much younger Medic with a soft smile that quickly turned into a frown. "The bad news is, everyone in town is aware that you are a human. I am just a part-time medic, the actual medics didn't want to treat you. Sorry about that..."

Print shook his head and reassuringly said, "Don't worry about it, I understand. Thanks for patching me up though." His throat felt better after the Medic gave him a cold glass of water.