So here it is. Dash and Catt talk a few things out and Cyber Sunset does his thing on the town.

Among other things. Enjoy.

 
Warning: Mature subjects in the early parts of this one; slight cursing

Dash felt buzzed and tired simultaneously, so he opted to sit on a bench outside as Aleena checked the two in. Similarly, his vision was both sharp and blurred. Dash stepped outside, hoping to clear the air.

He suddenly felt a sense of danger, glancing over he saw Cattaras. But the big tiger wasn't threatening.. perplexed maybe. "Um.. What in the hell are we going to do, Dash?"

"Told Sunset we'd rest," Dash said, slumping against the wall. "He'll get the information we need. You look like you could use someone to tend to some of your worse wounds."

Cattaras nodded. "I know.. but the one I know that can do it, I can't have getting to close to me, If you know what I mean?" He tried to smile.

"We've got good hospitals in the city," Dash offered. "Want me to set you up with one?"

Cattaras looked at Dash a long moment then came out with something totally unexpected. "You love her, don't you?"

Dash didn't answer; the question clearly took him back.

Cattaras sat next to him. "We have a problem then."

Dash smiled weakly. "Yeah.. getting you away from under Catrina's grip so you can start doing some good in this world."

Cattaras growled. "The Feline Empire isn't evil! It is.... " He then stopped and glanced down, then chuckled. "No.. Perhaps it's time, Sebastian Dash, that we were open with each other. The Empire isn't evil... but I have begun to wonder about some within it."

Dash nodded. "At this point- and I'm not saying this to rub it in, I'm really not- but at this point, I've probably still spent a lot more time with Catrina than you have, despite her.." Dash paused, and let the next word go unsaid. "But I hardly recognize her when I see her. I mean, she looks the same, she talks the same.. She almost thinks the same, but something's off. Something is really wrong, and at some point.." Dash looked Cattaras into the eyes. "I realized it wasn't you or Daisuke who did it."

The sounds of the busy city seemed to drift into the background, under the sparse rays of sun that broke through the clouds hanging over the city like overgrown weeds.

Cattaras was silent a moment then shook his head. "No.. no neither of us is responsible for this. And I have known Catrina since birth- literally. We are littermates. And I have never seen her like this so focused.. so... "

"Evil?" Dash said. "Obsessed? Insane?"

Cattaras bared fang as Dash said it, but did not growl; he was having a staring contest with the street- and winning. "Obsessed..."

"She saved you that one time, you know?" Dash said, his mind drifting back months ago to that wonderful, other lifetime before everything went insane. "I was all set to finish you off, but she stopped me. Back in the incident with.." Dash sighed. "No, sorry but I'm not going to sugarcoat it. When I saved her life after you, or Daisuke, or both of you abused and probably raped her. Remember that?"

Dash's eyes flashed with justified anger, which quickly passed into regret and remorse.

Surprisingly in response to this Cattaras smirked. "I believe that question shows why I find myself more comfortable with Aleena's current advances than you do. Although I would bow to your desire to be alone with her if she would let me. In all that we had done, the harshest thing that we did, and I am not saying that our forcing ourselves on her was not harsh- but harshest of all will be seen the fact that we denied her of her choice of mate." He looked directly at Dash. "For this... I must today apologize, for I know more about you now- and you would have been an honorable choice despite the fact you were not Feline. But to deny a female her choice in mating.... I was afraid of Daisuke then... I did not want to incur his wrath. But we have both seen the change."

Dash frowned. "Just following orders, huh? I don't know.. and I don't wanna start a fight, but you were so.. eager to take me down back then. You seem.." Dash paused. "Different. So I'll accept the apology. I know it's kinda.." Another telling pause. Dash wasn't comfortable with this conversation, but it was the kind of thing that had to be taken care of now rather than later. "I might be a hypocrite for saying this.. I know we nearly fought to the death a few times.. but you don't deserve to be abused anymore than she did, just because someone doesn't like your answers."

Dash's eyes got distant. "No one does."

Cattaras nodded. "Perhaps.. but my answers in general were not the problem. It was one action specifically that got me mauled by my own sister- the act of saving you."

Dash's frown deepened. He looked into Cattaras's eyes, wondering if the big cat really believed that. "Don't. Don't justify what she did to you. There's no excuse."

Cattaras shrugged. "But there are explanations. This should not be, I know this. Daisuke does as well but...well he is only interested in having her back so he is happy to look aside. But I know... I am trying to figure what happened. When I do I will let you know."

Dash nodded. "Okay. I'm not sure if I should be saying this before I can trust you fully but.." Dash sighed. "If you need protection from us, I can set it up. Don't take that as an attack on your pride, either, but it's there if you need or want it, understood?"

Cattaras chuckled. "The only one I need protection from today- is Aleena."

Dash looked at him odd. "You know.. I always wondered what happened to you after Catrina was captured. I don't remember her mentioning you much during her enslavement."

Cattaras shrugged. "House muscle for some fat ass noble. You know the drill. Keep the estate secure, be there to fulfill any of m'lady's needs when they arose. That sort of thing."

"And you escaped when Catrina did?"

"No, after. I didn't get free of my House until after I'd met Daisuke. And that was after he escaped from the fire Catrina set." He smirked. "And I don't think I would have left so quickly if the Lord of the manor hadn't found out what duties the Lady had me performing."

"Ahh," Dash said, not sure if he should push the topic further. " So that's how you two met?"

Cattaras looked a little hesitant. "Yeah, that's when I became his bitch."

Dash smiled a bit. "Maybe it's time we change that."

Cattaras shrugged. "Oh I'm no longer his bitch now that Cat-" He quit talking.

"Oh," Dash answered, not sure what to make of it. He shifted in his chair, equally uncomfortable with the topic. "Right."

Cattaras chuckled, seeing his rival squirm. "Hey, don't worry man. Only way I'm ever screwing you is on the battlefield."

"To answer your question," Dash said. "I don't know if I love her. I'm not convinced anyone in my position is destined to end up with someone they love."

As strange as it was for Dash to share his thoughts with someone he'd had such a violent history with, talking to Cattaras felt easy, and natural. Something had definitely changed with the 'big cat' since Dash first met him.

Again that chuckling purr. "Goddess, I hope you are wrong about that."

"Me, too," Dash said frowning. "But after my ex-wife, then your sister.." Dash signed. "We should probably focus on finding Kadlin and our mystery rag-tags, though."

"Yes.. but we have another challenge in our path, you and I." He smirked.

"Aleena?" Dash asked.

"Yes. I believe she is serious about wanting us both."

"I'm sure she'll mind herself," Dash answered.

"That is not really an answer- but I guess it will do."

The two were interrupted from their reverie when Aleena draped her arms around each man's shoulders, pulling them closer to each other. She had snuck up behind them and had caught some of their words. "It depends... if you can accept who I am."

"Love ya just the way you are, Aleena," Dash said, smiling at her.

"I am willing to accept someone who is beautiful beyond belief." Cattaras growled with a smile. "Why do you think we would not?"

"Because," Aleena began, squeezing both of her companions. "My kind are long-lived. I will remain while your bones have long since turned to dust. I... I can't feel myself growing as attached to you as you might feel towards me. And yet, I do wish to enjoy my time with you."

"Maybe that's all you can ask for under the circumstances," Dash said. "We'll help you get back to where you belong someday. I promise."

Cattaras nodded and purred. "Then enjoy every day you have to give to us- and every one we have to share. That is the Feline way. We know we will die, perhaps not today but someday. And so we live out life as if it were to be enjoyed. My Father and Mother, wherever they may be, still found time to play even at their age."

The elf smiled and moved to stand in front of the two, petting the chests of the each; one delicately slid across an orange-furred chest, and one slipped inside the human's shirt to feel those warrior muscles. "I love you both, and do enjoy your closeness."

Cattaras' paw found itself going to Aleena's shapely ass. "Then enjoy us. Both of us. For I swear as long as I can I will be more than willing to enjoy this." He squeezed her rump.

"Yeah, I love being around you, but..." Dash sighed, the weight of responsibility kicking in. "There's still the matter of Kadlin, though."

Cattaras looked a bit... disappointed? "Indeed, however all trails for her must be cold by now. Any chance of finding her must rely on more primitive methods."

"Aye. I owe Konall that much- to look into this." Aleena withdrew slightly, but not so far as to dislodge Cattaras' exploring paw. She delighted in the intimate touch.

"I know Konall's upset about her choices, but would he go as far as to kidnap her? Why?" Dash paused. "And why now, away from home? Something isn't adding up here."

"I don't think Konall would kidnap his own sister," Aleena answered. "Someone else, maybe. Didn't we leave Konall on another continent?"

It was Cattaras who answered. "I can only go by what I know from Fumblies and Fahari- both of which have stated that it was he who was here. And Fahari named him by scent."

"We're not going to get our answers sitting around," Dash said after a lengthy pause. "Aleena, you must have had to do some tracking before, right? Probably interplanetary?"

Cattaras growled. "If a Feline nose cannot find a track what good is a human one- or a space elf for that matter?"

Meanwhile...

Cyber Sunset punched the goon lightly, hearing the electrical snap from his gauntlets. It was a new addition, and couldn't be used more than a handful of times, but there was no reason the suspect needed to know that as he yelped from the painful discharge and tried to scoot away as far as the chair he was bound in allowed him to.

"I won't say it again," Sunset lied, "I know you left Winstrom House that day. Electronic Nose: it's better than a blood hound."

Cyber Sunset waved the "nose", a strange rod with a glowing metal tip that looked dangerously hot, under the suspect's eyes for effect. Sunset noted that his eyes grew wide, apparently terrified of the strange, albeit harmless, contraption.

"If you're a regular at Winstom House, Charley, you're a member of the Change Street Gang, and we all know their business. So did you, or did you not, attack anyone en masse on the day in question?"

"No, no we didn't-"

Cyber Sunset activated the electronic nose which began grinding noisily as it powered up. A box on the side lit up to explain what Charley smelled like, though Charley didn't notice this.

"WE DIDN'T! WE DIDN'T!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Well this has been a waste of time, then," lied Cyber Sunset, mentally scratching the Change Street Gang off of the list of possible matches and slicing through Charley's ropes with a sword. "You're free to go. Keep your nose clean. Oh, and the third to last step is loose on the way out; be careful."

A bewildered but terrified Charley fell out of the chair and scrambled for the exit of the "interrogation apartment" that Cyber kept in the abandoned building. Cyber Sunset ignored his departure, though, focusing on the task at hand.

"Alrighty, that's five gangs down, twenty-seven to go...back to work, girl."

The electronic nose chirped as if in understanding as it finished its activation sequence.

Meanwhile, back outside the hotel...

"It's a lot easier to find starships than individuals lost in the crowds of a city or hidden away in a basement," answered Aleena in response to Dash's comment.

Cattaras nodded. "Back in Aldara there are those among us called Bloodhounds. They could track a scent days old- but alas I do not have the skill."

"Don't worry," Dash said with a slight nod. "I'm sure we can find something useful in this city. It's full of all kinds of heroes. I could try to get in touch with some old contacts."

The big tiger chuckled. "I have begun to wonder if the problems of an area only increase as the number of heroes does." His paw slipped in under the elf's ass as the three continued to embrace. It was, unsurprisingly, Dash, who broke the embrace, eager to get back into action in the town after his extended downtime.

Not too far away...

"That's all you have to go on? Lots of muggings happen in this city. It doesn't even make the news anymore."

Cyber Sunset sighed. "Yes, I'm sorry, Judy, I am. I was on your side of this conversation this morning."

"So let me get this straight," said the newswoman, pulling a pencil out from behind the press pass in her hat and a notebook from within her purse. "Some friends of yours were attacked on the day in question...an event long enough ago that the trail is, without a doubt, cold by now...and they can't provide you with even a single one of their attackers descriptions, or recall a name they may have been given, or anything of that nature?"

"Exactly!" said Cyber Sunset with a smile. "Now you're on the right track. Come on, I've had just a few hours and I've already scratched five possible gangs off of my list of suspects. I'm just...eliminating the impossible, as it were."

"So you think I'll do a better job at finding whatever remains, however improbable?" she said with a smile.

"You're the best at digging up the truth in town," said Cyber Sunset. "If anyone can, it's you."

"How about Demesne?" Judy asked. "Her connections with the Dusk Society ought to be worth something."

"She's already on it," said Sunset, leaning against the wall. In the distance a gunshot went off, followed by the scream of 'Halt!' and someone surrendering. Neither the cowboy nor the reporter reacted to it. "She says it'll take time, though. The most violent thing done to Dash on that day wasn't even done by the group in question, so there are fewer ways to magically track it."

"By the way, may I ask what's up with you and Demesne?"

Cyber's head tilted and were it not for the darkened glasses and obfuscating nature of the fedora, someone might have seen an eyebrow raise. Judy knew it was there, though, and knew that the eyes had moved to her notebook and pencil..

"Off the record," said Judy, closing the notebook. "I don't do gossip columns anymore. Especially not where Mystery Men are concerned."

"Good," said Cyber Sunset. "Safer for everyone's identities that way. She's being friendly these days, which is more than I deserve. But that's a topic for another day. I need to check on my friends. Let me know if you find anything the usual way."

Cyber Sunset turned from the ace reporter and began the walk back to the hotel, wondering if this act of violence would ultimately wind up in the unsolvable cases file. There was no giving up yet, though, especially since Dash would want in on some of the fun. But for now, Cyber Sunset was contemplating something more relaxing.

Shortly afterward...

Cyber Sunset knocked on Dash's door at the hotel. "Hello? You there?"

"Over here," came a voice down the hallway. It was Sebastian, just returning to the room from outside. "Any luck?"

Cyber Sunset turned to see Dash. "Ahh, there you are. No really good luck, though I've made some progress. I figured out a few people who it couldn't have possibly been, and then I've set a few friends and associates of mine onto doing some digging. Thought that I should swing by and check up on you guys."

"I had a thought while I was heading up," Dash said. "I figured to give these two some privacy, so I could come up and try to remember the attack a little more clearly. Some of the attackers looked like members of other groups in the city."

"I see," Cyber Sunset said. "Which groups, out of curiosity?"

Dash shook his head. "Some of them seemed like the Triangle of Barbs.. are they still active? Or did we finally shuffle them back to whatever dimension they came from?"

"Short answer is that we probably haven't seen the last of them, and there are always splinter groups forming. I wouldn't be surprised. Anyone else?"

"Military groups," Dash said. "Though I can't recall offhand which.. I'll think on it. At least half of them, I didn't recognize. It seemed like a mix of groups and individuals.. magic and technology. Do we still have any ragtag teamed groups? The only one I remember, we took care of; the Medvedev/ Romeo / Contessa Grey Coalition codenamed Ragtag.. that one might have been before your time, actually."

"Before my time? No, I think I was in town when that happened. But yes, there are a number of military groups that try to keep ahead of the game with both magic and technology. Fall behind with one, and you leave yourself a vulnerability in this area."

"Any luck on the other angle?" Dash asked. "Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. We could forget the gang, and focus on the kidnapping. Should be easier to get a find on Kingdom Vikings than a group we can't exactly identify."

Cyber Sunset blinked. "Kidnapping?"

Dash stepped into his room, then invited Sunset in. Better than standing in the hallway, anyway. "I figured you knew that part by now. Do you want the full story or just the quick version?"

"Whichever's more informative. We probably have the time."

"Konall Bearsmasher's a good man," Dash said. "Like scrapperlock on goofballs, but that's fairly common for a Kingdom Viking. Like a lot of his people, though, he's got a serious problem with magic. I don't recall you being too familiar with the Kingdom's inner workings. Correct?" Dash asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Correct," said Cyber Sunset through the now closed door.

"Magic is seriously not popular among them," Dash said. "At best, you get a grudging acceptance. Power, however? That's lusted after.. so long as it isn't magic."

"Which means what for us?" asked Cyber Sunset, reopening the door and stepping into the room with Dash.

"Getting to it," Dash answered. "There's a sword I need to tell you about first."

"Then by all means, explain away," said Cyber Sunset.

"Konall found this sword which made him unbelievably powerful but from the start, it began warping him almost beyond recognition," Dash said in a properly dramatic voice. "He later buries it, but it comes back later in the story. The next part is when his sister Kadlin returns."

Cyber Sunset said nothing, waiting for the next part.

"She was a practicing mage. It made for a little tension between the two," Dash said. "But overall, things were going fairly well until she suddenly dug up the old sword of his, after joining the Feline Empire. You know.. the bad guys in the story."

Cyber Sunset nodded. "Right. I've heard of them."

"So from what we've been able to gather, she arrived in town with Fumblies, whom we really need to get in touch with to get the whole story here. At some point, Konall arrived. The two engaged in a battle which included the gang we were ambushed by. And according to witnesses, he kidnapped her. Which doesn't make sense, despite what I said. It isn't his style.. at least.. I didn't think it was."

"Wait," said Sunset, "There are witnesses linking the same group to a different crime? That could be helpful."

Dash nodded. "Good point. I've been out of the city too long. That should have been my first thought during the attack."

Cyber Sunset nodded. "Yes...yes, I should mention that to Judy on the way to the club."

"So what's our next step?"

"The next step," said Cyber Sunset, "is getting you somewhere that you don't need to worry about the mission. You're still not fully recovered, and I think a few hours of the nightlife would do you good. What do you say?"

Dash shrugged. "If the leads are cold, maybe. I have a few things I want to do before I relax, though."

Cyber Sunset smiled. "Oh? And what would those be?"

Dash looked around the room as he answered. It was quite a nice setup, actually, with all the modern goodies you'd expect from Honorburg. Complimentary newspapers (three major league papers, and a flavor-oriented paper for tourists), large, well kept leather couches and chairs of exceptional quality, and of course, a writing desk, stocked with a half dozen random books, writing utensils and snacks. "I'd like to talk to some old contacts before I relax, and make sure the authorities are updated on the situation. Not just the alleged kidnapping, but our guests in town. After all, we've a ship full of adventurers, most of whom have never been here before, many of which have exceptional abilities, and a few of which are .. less than trustworthy. That shouldn't take too long. Be nice to check in on Katlana, too."

Cyber Sunset's eyes rolled. "Fine, fine. Go work. I've been working on it for the last fourteen hours, though, it's time for me to take a break. Come find me when you're done, when and if that happens. And be sure to let Aleena and Cattaras know so that they can relax while you're working." The hero produced a small matchbook that said "Corner Pocket", along with a phone number and an address. After handing the matchbook to Dash, Cyber Sunset jovially saluted, opened the door and departed.

Dash nodded, smiling to himself. "I always worked best alone too, Sunset," he said to himself in a low, quiet voice.

And with that, he flipped the matchbook midair, caught it, and went to update Cattaras and Aleena on the plans.

I really love rereading this one! It's a downtime for the most part but it covers so much characterization and interaction between the four player characters and NPC contact in it!

I really hope AiL continues to see more pieces of this quality and style. Sometimes, you need more than just action. In fact, more of it is up next. Don't worry though, there's still plenty of action left in this one.