40XX

New Dawn, New Day.

Okka awoke in a hammock, apparently in a house. He sat up quickly before he remembered, he was in his new friend's house. Lukas. That's right! He got out of bed and searched for something to cook to thank Lukas for his gift, but before he could find a stove, let alone food, his host had entered the main room.

"Okka? What are you doing in the main room?" He asked, cracking his neck.

"Sorry, Lukas, I was going to make you breakfast." Okka said, bowing.

"Woah woah... Stop that. Don't bow to me, that's weird. And you don't need to make me breakfast. It's already made. Follow me." Lukas grabbed his mask and reattached it, sliding it on and walking towards the front exit.

They walked to a larger hut with holes in the roof with smoke and an amazing smell wafting out of them. There were people walking in and out, both families and loners, Animorphs and Humans, just people. They entered and got a table, many people approaching and trying to talk to Lukas, though he seemed to be to preoccupied with ordering a meal. Okka followed suit, trying to hide from the many people asking about him. Eventually, the chaos died down and a waiter approached them. There orders were taken, a purely rare meat dish for Okka and a balanced meal for Lukas. Okka removed his mask and lit up a joint taking a few hits before saying something.

"So how's this for a date?" Lukas chuckled out, leaning forward.

Okka tilted his head in confusion, his ears moving down wards.

"A what?"

"A date. I thought you and I could... You know... Try dating. I just have this feeling that we're meant to be." Lukas leaned closer to Okka, a childish smile on his face.

Okka stared in shock, his eyes wide.

"Date? You want to date me? But you're a hu-" Okka said, getting cut off by Lukas.

"Stop that. Here we're equal and can be together. We can-"

Before they could continue talking an alarm was sounded in the town.

"A threat. Get down! Everybody! Hide!" Lukas began calling to everyone in the diner.

Okka hid under the table, peeking through the painted bark that protected him from whatever threat was there. He waited. Watching. Looking for the threat.

"There." Lukas whispered, pointing at a man walking through the center of the town.

He wore all black, mostly military grade riot and ballistics gear. He had no writing in these things, however, and didn't look like a cop. He pulled a hand gun from it's holster on his hip and began approaching one of the buildings. Luckily he checked an empty building. He passed by it, his guard up, looking in a small house. He reached inside and grabbed a roughly 30 year old bull Animorph and a 30 year old human woman and threw them from the house. The bull fell onto the dirt and caught his wife, holding her close to him. He began speaking, though it wasn't close enough for Okka to hear them. The threat then raised his gun and hit the bull in the head making him collapse. His wife screamed and turned to look at him and check if he was okay, before the threat put a bullet through both of their heads.

Okka began to scream but Lukas covered his mouth making a 'hush' motion with his finger. He looked pissed, his hands shaking and his eyes focused. He wasn't going to forget this. He stood and slid on his mask, approaching with his hands in the air.

"My name is Lukas! I am the leader here! Who are you and what is you reason for being here?" He asked, anger and hated in his voice.

"So you stole all these... Creatures... And gave them a city to breed with humans in? Disgusting." The man aimed his gun Lukas mask.

"If you shoot, you won't leave here. Turn back and do not return." Lukas said calmly, his hands no longer in the air.

"Yeah, right." He cocked his gun and fired, Okka screaming as Lukas dropped to the floor.

The man heard this and approached the dining hut. Okka hid and closed his eyes. The footsteps got closer and closer and closer until, bang! And he was down. Okka peeked up around the wall, tears welling in his eyes as he saw Lukas punching and wailing on the stranger's head. He wasn't himself anymore, but a demon, stronger than any human. He stood when he was done which allowed Okka to see his faint bloodstained smile from under his mask. He enjoyed that.

An all clear bell rang and Lukas stood with his blood stained fist high in the air in a fist to show who won.

"We will not hide anymore! We will free the millions in captivity and give then the rights they deserve! No more hiding!" Lukas called to the town, before stopping when he saw Okka standing in the door way of the building, his eyes scared and confused. Lukas called Okka to him, the cat obeying and running to him and hugging him.

"I will date you. I don't know how to but I'll try!" Okka so bed into his shoulder.

"It's fine! I don't know how either!" Lukas chuckled, a smile on his face.

Okka sobbed into Lukas shoulder, holding onto him. It was too close. He was almost alone again. He couldn't do that.

"Hey... Don't cry! It's a good thing this happened, now we have a reason to attack. It's a new dawn. It's a new day. Let's let it be a good one." He smiled and dried Okka's tears.

Life really had changed for Okka.