FUNCTION DISORDER :: VOLUME ONE

23

>~8PM~<

"Really. We're bringing humans in here now?", asked Matt to 50, watching Kota accompanying the two fennec siblings into the facility.

Kota was wearing his soft black DJ RAiN hoodie with rainbow hearts with his shiny black BDSM harness over the top. He wore his comfy pink pup hood too, but it failed to disguise the fact that he was indeed a human and dozens of beastly eyes scrutinised him. Aly was only wearing a set of red and black stockings and arm warmers. Her cute, pointy, comically huge ears stood alert.

"Rain invited him.", said 50. "I understand your concern that one of the guests might reveal the location of the Wayward Star. We must remember that we are still under the full force of Ascher's protection.

"Sure, whatever, just as long as the guy doesn't break anything." Matt shrugged and handed a virulently purple, aggressively fizzing glass of concentrated Magenta to a pale blue-furred, warm-eyed, teenage cat Beastkind. "Here you go, Kiya."

Axel gave a shy little rawrrr and wrapped a fuzzy paw around the glass. The liquid within was dark, nearly opaque, resembling blood in appearance, but it smelled far more delicious. "Uhmmm, thanks hahah uwu, I changed my name to AXEL_BLOODLUST now actuallyyy."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Nobody's going to call you that."

50 placed a spotless golden paw on Matt's left shoulder. "Do not antagonise him, Matt. We need him."

Kiya/Axel/whoever gave a silly little smile, grabbed his drink and retreated to somewhere next to the sofa, where blankets and such had been set out on the floor.

Kota felt the urge to cover his eyes and hide behind his owner. The inside of the Wayward Star was full of way too many shining blue party lights, haphazardly attached in strips to cement pillars, shitty old walls and the flimsy office tile ceiling. It was uncomfortably spacious, unfinished, with a lot of empty undecorated area, and the parts that were decorated had a clear sort of chaotic Beastkind flair.

Milo slumped over the arm of Zeo's sofa, fur decorated with edgy dark purple stripes. "I see my loser brother was too much of a fuckin' coward to show up." He peered up at Halley, who had dyed his fur green just for this party, although his shiny black front fur remained black. "Did Rain scare him off?"

Halley shrugged. "He just didn't wanna come I guess, he didn't even know Rain was gonna be running this." He then giggled and began to mimic Jace's voice. "He was like, 'I'm not interested in being the only human at a gathering of unstable degenerates', and like, I told him Kota was gonna be here, but he didn't care hahah."

Milo laughed softly and reached over to pat Halley's head, then huffed and growled at nobody in particular. "I don't get why he can't just be reasonable. It's not fair! I'm already top 10 at speedrunning Enmity 4 and he'll still barely even speak to me. Fuck my life."

"If I was a normie loser...", Halley began thoughtfully, staring into Milo's pretty dark brown eyes. "...I'd say that maybe some stuff can never be fixed, or something lame like that, hahah."

"Yeah, I guess. Maybe it's time to move on. Forget about Jace. Live my own life.", Milo pondered.

"I know my parents would never accept me being a sexy fluffy dog boy.", Halley agreed. "And I don't give a fuck. There is soooo much cool stuff to do out there that doesn't involve Jace. You see him over there?"

Milo craned his neck. Halley was gesturing towards where Soren sat on a simple aluminium bench – the kind one might see in a public park or a primary school – eating toaster-cakes with Kiya, chatting cheerfully, looking more relaxed than Milo had ever seen him. Fierce and handsome. "Yeah?", Milo mumbled, resting his angular muzzle on his soft front paws. "I know him, he's here a lot. What about him?"