Kolerin Book!

Okay, so here is the first chapter... read it and critique it like crazy people before I put it on DA... XD It's far from perfect, and this takes up pages 4-21 on the document I've got. o3o So it's kinda long. I kind of hastily added Richard and Anna in the ending, so let me know if it comes off as sloppy... ^^'

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Chapter One
Date September 3rd, Year 3117
Location: Outside Redwillow, Capital City of Pantheon



    Rain drummed on the rooftop, the droplets streaming down the shingles and pouring forth from the gutter on the side of the house, flooding the grass growing alongside the small wooden porch. The sound of the rain drowned out everything else, just like the water drowned any insects too slow to find shelter from the early-autumn storm. The leaves on the trees hadn’t even changed yet, only showing small tinges of yellow against the bold green, but already the rains had come. The sky was dark with clouds and the pending night, as dusk slowly choked the light out.

    Most of the house’s windows were dark, though a few glowed with a warm yellow light... Beyond a pane of glass was a small study, furnished with a desk, two chairs, and some bookshelves. Sitting in one of the chairs, pulled up to the desk, was a young man in his early twenties. He was a Chiropterian, or to put it simply, a bat. His fur was a very dark grey color, nearly black, and his hair significantly fairer, being a warm, plain shade of light brown, and relatively long at that; it was pulled back into a sloppy braid at the nape of his neck, drooping over his narrow shoulders as he stooped over his desk. His deep brown eyes stared intently at the paper in front of him as he scribbled lines in pen, his handwriting messy but looped and whorled, like a swiftly written cursive. 

    The light in the room was coming from a lamp settled on the desk beside the young man, lending him just enough light to see what he was doing but casting a majority of the room in shadow. A clock hung on the wall adjacent to the window, and it declared the time to be 9:44 p.m. 

    Still, the brown-eyed bat kept with his scrawled handwriting, flipping the page of his journal so he could continue. He lifted his free hand, burying his fingers in his hair and bracing his elbow on the desk, feeling the need to hold his head up, his forehead against his palm... He was tired. He had been at it for hours, and it was late... 

    The bat heaved a sigh, dropping his pen and letting it clatter noisily onto the desk. Then he rubbed at his face with both hands, sitting up and leaning back against his chair, needing to stretch. He groaned, “Damn paperwork...”

    There was the sound of the doorknob turning, and the study’s door creaked open a little. A woman peered in, her wary gaze consisting of two different colors; one eye was green, and the other blue. She was a marten, a member of the Mustelidae race, along with ferrets, minks, and otters. She was small, standing at only a little over five and a half feet tall, with a lean build and very modest curves. Her fur was a light tawny, though it steadily darkened to an earthy brown at her extremities, including her muzzle and tail. Her hair was the same rich brown color, long and fluffy with a widow’s peak hairline. One hand reached up to grip the edge of the door as she peered in at the man; a wedding ring glimmered on one finger.

    Hearing the arrival of the woman, the bat looked up, his tired brown eyes settling on the marten as she stood quietly in the doorway. He, too, was quiet for a moment, before he pushed his chair back from the desk and sighed, “I’m know it’s late, Laura... I’ve finished for the night.” 

    “Good...” Laura smiled a little, releasing the door and walking over to him, her bare feet treading softly on the ornamental rug laid neatly over the wooden floor. She reached out to clasp his hand as he rose to his feet, and used her other to turn off the lamp on the desk. “It’s time for bed. You’ve been overworking yourself so much lately, you need your rest...”

    “I know, but the war isn’t going to stop for a few hours so I can have a nap,” the man sighed, walking with her out of the room. 

    The hallway beyond the study’s door was narrow and covered by a striped green wallpaper, faded with age. Framed photographs hung on the wall; a wedding photo featuring the couple, an image of an older bat couple resembling the young man, one of a fluffy-furred feline grinning and leaning against what appeared to be a hovercraft, and many more... Laura led him past the line of photos, to the last room on the left of the hallway, which was the bedroom. It was modestly furnished, apparently like the rest of the house was, featuring a bed covered by a lilac-colored quilt, a large wooden dresser, a closet, a nightstand for either side of the bed, and a wicker laundry basket.

    The bat tiredly pulled his sweater over his head, and Laura took it before he dropped it onto the floor, so she could put it into the laundry basket. She did the same for his t-shirt, and his jeans, then pulled back the covers on the bed while he pulled on his nightclothes.
    Laura slid up onto the bed, making herself comfortable while waiting for her husband. She watched him as he pulled a plain white t-shirt on and straightened it out, then sighed, “Roy...” 

    Her hands fiddled with the quilt, clutching fistfuls of it and then firmly smoothing it again as she tried to tell her husband what she was feeling, “This is getting frustrating... not just because you’re tired and away so much, but...” She looked away, then turned her two-toned gaze up at him again, “We keep trying, and... I still can’t tell if we are really ready or not...” The disappointment in her tone was bitter, and her triangular ears drooped as she hung her head.

    Roy stood next to the bed and watched his wife as she struggled with her words, and remained silent for a moment when she was done. Then he, too, heaved a sigh, pulling the elastic band out of his hair so he could undo his braid by raking his fingers through the messy brown locks. He tossed the little band onto his nightstand, then plopped heavily onto the bed and turned to Laura. His tired brown eyes were gentle as he reached over to clasp one of her smaller hands in one of his, while his other tilted the marten’s head up so she would look at him again as he told her, “I know it’s hard right now, but it will get better... I will always find time for you, and our future children. We’ll keep trying, and eventually we will be parents, but let’s just take everything in stride for now and go where life takes us, alright? We’re young yet, Laura, there’s no rush...”

    “I-I understand...” Laura gave a tiny nod, but it was a little hard to remain hopeful as time went on. Already, many of the young couple’s friends had their first child, or were at least expecting, and they were still without. It increased the loneliness the marten felt when her husband was away or busy with his work.

    Pulling Laura close, Roy pressed his nose against the top of her head and murmured, “I’m sorry... I know it’s hard on you, but it’s not your fault we don’t have any children yet. Besides, for all you know, the next time we try, we’ll succeed...” He gently rubbed at her back, though he was also feeling a little downcast about their failure to start a family of their own.

    Laura leaned away from him, looking up at him with conflicted eyes... She wanted to ask, and yet she didn’t, knowing he was already tired and needed whatever sleep he could get right now. In the end she decided to just wait for another night, and stretched up to give him a little kiss before telling him, “Let’s just get some sleep... Maybe if you start having more time away from work, we can try again... I’m just not really in the mood tonight...” She shifted away and laid down, pulling the covers up over herself  and wrapping her tail around her bare feet.

    Roy didn’t argue, honestly feeling the same. Their failures just made it hard to be hopeful anymore, and it didn’t help that he was so overworked on top of that. He sighed yet again, then turned off the lamp on his nightstand and laid down, pressing close to Laura and draping an arm around her as he laid his head down on his pillow.

    He laid awake for a while, staring off into the darkness as Laura slowly fell asleep in his arms. His grip tightened on her as she slipped into a deep sleep, holding her closer as though he feared something that lurked out in the darkness... the bat had struggled with nightmares for years, ever since he first joined the rebellion’s council when the war began... He had only been barely twenty at the time. The war was horrific on the front lines... people getting shot down and dying all around him, their blood spattering onto the concrete, seeping into the cracks in the sidewalks... He shivered at the mere memory of it, burying his face in Laura’s hair as he tried to push the dark thoughts away.

    After several more long moments of laying there in the dark, Roy began to fall into an uneasy sleep, his dreams haunted by images of what happened a few years ago...

    The mass of rioters threw themselves at the gate, climbing up the chain-link fence as a hail of bullets came down upon them, trying to stop them. Still, there were just too many of them, and after a few supernaturals came along, the fence was demolished, and the crowd surged towards the institution. They were more than a riot, a small army... 

    Roy was there among them, a young man caught in the heat of anger and rebellion. He held a crowbar in his hands, swinging it at any Sect soldier who dared to near him; the moment the metal made contact with their bodies, there was a snapping sound as bones broke. His heart was pounding in his narrow chest, and his eyes narrowed but pupils shrunken with terror as he maneuvered through the mass of angry, shouting people. He paused for a moment to look around for his twin sister and several friends, who had come with him to attack the institution. 

    Frightened when he couldn’t find any of the others, he called over the noise of the crowd, “Rachel?! Rachel!”

    Suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind; ropey, muscled arms wound around his chest, and he was yanked back against the other person, who ducked against a wall as a small explosion sounded from deep inside the institution. The earth trembled, and cracks opened up in the concrete, the remains of the chain-link fence rattling with the force of the brief quake. 

    Roy was going to panic, but then he heard a familiar voice in his ear, “Don’t you dare break my arm, kid! I need it!”

    “Lucas?” the bat looked up at the chinchilla who held onto him, suddenly grateful rather than frightened. He didn’t fight against the older man’s grip, instead shuffling to press close to the wall as well, taking cover as he asked nervously, “Have you seen my sister?”

    “Yeah, she was just with me while I planted the explosives. I left her with Chase once we got out, though. Listen, everyone needs to get away from here! The whole place is gonna go, so we need to help the others get away without getting shot, blown up, or crushed by the building when it falls!” Lucas instructed, bracing himself as the earth shook with another small explosion.

    His young companion nodded, his large, sensitive ears flattened to his head. Then he slipped away from Lucas, running off through the mayhem, shouting, “Move! Get outta here before the whole thing goes down!” He looked around for his twin sister, calling her name again, “Rachel! Dammit! Rachel, Chase!”

    Lucas suddenly bolted past him, startling him, but then the chinchilla vanished behind a mass of fighting bodies. Roy knew he could handle himself, and let him go, hoping he knew what he was doing. 

    Suddenly there was another explosion, this one much bigger than the first two. A huge gap opened up in one of the walls of the institution, chunks of brick and cement flying everywhere. People screamed as they were launched back by the force of the blast or struck by the flying rubble, the jagged pieces of building material bludgeoning over a dozen people in one shot. Bodies struck the pavement, bones smashed and blood streaming, while yet others clutched at their heads as their eardrums burst from the force of the explosion.

    At first, Roy was frozen, his mind drawing a total blank as he stared at the aftermath. Then he heard a familiar voice and snapped out of it, running towards the rubble and calling, “Rachel!”

    He finally saw his twin sister, but it wasn’t exactly how he wanted to see her. She was holding a smaller figure in her arms, looking terrified as she tried to stop the bleeding on her friend’s head. It was young sixteen-year-old Celeste Dering in her arms... the younger sister of Roy’s girlfriend, Laura.

    Roy rushed over to join her, skidding and dropping onto his knees in the dust. He stared down at Celeste, who stared right back up at him with wide, pale blue eyes. The blood was coming from her ears, and from a multitude of cuts likely caused by the debris when the wall exploded. Trying to keep calm, Roy reached over and took Celeste from his twin, “Rachel, we’ve gotta get away from here! I’ll carry her!”

    They clumsily got to their feet and started running, hearing the shouts of the Sect soldiers as they tried to locate the remaining explosives, but it was too late... The building was coming down. Roy and Rachel stumbled as the earth shook again, more fissures opening up in the concrete beneath their feet. Celeste trembled in Roy’s arms, her gaze blank as she stared around herself, blood still oozing from her soft, triangular ears...

    Then the building collapsed. A horrible booming sound came from deep inside as the last supports went out, and the Sect research institution was crushed under its own weight, crumpling like a paper bag. It caved in upon itself, reduced to a mound of rubble in a matter of seconds. The force of the entire building coming down caused one last earthquake, strong enough that it would have knocked the twins down had they not had wings-- their velvety bat wings opened up and raised them just a few inches off the trembling ground, while Roy still clutched helpless little Celeste to his chest. As the rumbling and screaming threatened to deafen him, Roy looked back over his shoulder, watching as the rebels killed off the remaining Sect soldiers who had not been killed in the collapse...

    Lucas showed himself as the shaking stopped, climbing to the top of the mound of rubble with a scientist held in his grasp. He stopped, looking down at his gathered army and the dead bodies scattered everywhere... then he promptly slipped a knife into the scientist’s chest, killing him instantly as he shouted, “For Pantheon!”

    Pantheon... a word meaning a temple erected to honor the dead...

    There were dead all around him, the bodies of people he knew, people he hurt and killed... Guilt and horror built up in Roy, and he found himself falling just as the building had, while Celeste cried softly as they dropped onto the ground. He could hear Rachel trying to talk to him, but he just stared at the destruction around him with wide eyes, stricken by what this war really meant... He had joined the council, but he hadn’t understood what that meant at first... This was what it means...

    Roy’s eyes opened. He found himself staring into the darkness again, his arms still wound around his little wife, who continued sleeping on, unaware that he had just relived the traumatic day that began his political career. Despite how horrified Roy had been by what happened that day, he knew he needed to keep fighting for those who had fallen, and those who still lived and depended on Pantheon’s success. Thus, he and many others continued the rebellion, electing Lucas as their leader, and the first President of Pantheon. Naturally it would be the chinchilla, who had a fire in his heart when it came to combat, but a calm decisiveness all the same.

    Sighing, Roy shifted away from Laura and sat up. He rubbed at his face, then brushed his long brown hair out of his eyes and stared at the wall again. His heartbeat was finally slowing down, the pounding in his chest easing into a slightly nervous thumping, while his small burst of adrenaline faded. 

    As the cobwebs of his nightmare crumbled away, he slipped out of bed, being as quiet as possible so he wouldn’t wake his wife. He slipped his feet into a pair of worn, pale blue slippers, then quietly padded out of the room and headed down the little hallway with the faded green wallpaper, then down a staircase to the first floor of his house. He didn’t worry about being as cautious downstairs, and flicked on a light as he entered the kitchen. Yawning, he walked over to a cabinet and withdrew a coffee mug, then plucked a tea packet out of a ceramic jar on the countertop. He clicked on the stove, putting some water in a kettle and then putting it on the burner to heat up so he could make his tea.

    Outside, crickets were chirping. Soon, they would be silent as the cold weather set in, but for now they still kept up their song every night.

    The kettle began rattling with the force of the steam building inside, and Roy turned off the stove. He poured a little bit of the water into his cup, and plopped in the tea packet. Then he set the kettle aside and lifted his mug, heaving another sigh as he leaned against the counter, once again finding himself just staring off into space.

    How long will this go on...? Roy thought quietly to himself, lowering his gaze down to the slowly darkening liquid in his mug. Am I really going to be able to take care of my wife and a child, if I can’t even sleep through the night? I can barely work anymore... but these dreams keep coming back... what am I supposed to do?

    Even his thoughts fell silent as he stared down at his tea. He had no idea how long he stood there, but eventually he noticed his drink beginning to cool in his hands, and took a sip of it while it was still relatively warm. 

    As he stood there, he was surprised by a knock at the front door. Quizzical, he turned to look over at the door, which opened up into the room adjacent to the little kitchen. He set his mug down, slowly, contemplating whether he should be concerned. Who would possibly be at his door this early in the morning, and for what reason? He cautiously walked over, pulling the little curtain aside to look through the small window set in the door. He was surprised to see familiar faces outside, all lined up on his porch.

    The young married man opened the door, his ears tilting back as he questioned the group outside, “It’s like three in the morning... What are you all doing here? Did something happen?”

    Standing there were several other young men, all of which Roy knew and held dear... well, most of which he held dear. There was Chase Saunders, a man who was about five years his senior and like an elder brother to him ever since he was a teenager. He was an immense canine standing at around 6’4” in height, his fur a rich tawny color and long pale blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, similarly to how Roy wore his. 

    With him was the black panther Aaron Versailles, a trusted military man but not exactly his best friend; the two never really saw eye-to-eye on anything, and Aaron’s prickly personality didn’t help. However, the panther was married to his wife’s best friend, sweet Naomi the ocelot, who was currently pregnant with her first child. Thus, Roy had to deal with his temperamental comrade more than he would have liked, but at least it meant he was used to it.

    Standing just behind those two was another soldier, and a woman Roy knew well. The soldier was young Nicholas Rivera, who had a glistening metal prosthetic instead of a left hand. 

    Next to him was Flare Samuels, one of the last tribal people of the region who had married out of her tribe, now living in a more modern environment, but she adapted well to it. Half of her face was covered in horrific scars, which she kept covered her long hair, not that her husband ever seemed to see them. She also just so happened to be the cousin of Roy’s soon-to-be brother-in-law, the small black-and-white cat named Elliot Wycliff, Jr., or EJ for short. He had been dating Roy’s twin sister for years, ever since they were mere teenagers, and their wedding was due to take place in the coming spring, postponed for well over a year after EJ suffered massive injuries when his airship crashed during a supply run. It had left him in a coma for days, and bedridden for weeks after. Flare had been there for him during his long recovery, and because of that incident, Roy was able to feel a little closer to the fierce tribal woman.

    All three of the men were dressed in their military uniforms, while Flare was wearing an ordinary outfit; a loose-fitting sweater and a knee-length pencil skirt. The sweater was probably more to conceal her baby-weight rather than keep her warm, as she had recently delivered her second child only about three weeks ago. That just made it all the more surprising to Roy that she was there, and his stomach began tying itself in knots as his nervousness increased.

    It was Flare herself who spoke first, seeming the calmest out of all of them... Chase, Aaron, and Nicholas were all stiff in their attempt to keep straight faces. “Yes, something happened,” she told him, her single yellow eye fixed on his startled face.

    Her three simple words seemed to be enough to stir the men into action, and Chase was the next to speak, “We’re taking you to the Capital...” He looked down at Roy with saddened green eyes as he raised his hand in a salute, the other three mimicking the gesture as the large canine continued, “Sir. President Lucas Shaw passed away tonight in an accident, and as his VP you have inherited the presidency. We are here to escort you and the first lady to the Capital in Redwillow.”

    Roy stood frozen in the doorway, just staring at the four soldiers who stood on his porch... It was still drizzling with a slight rain, chilling the air, but that wasn’t why a cold feeling was creeping up the bat’s spine. He suddenly felt like it was hard to breathe, and his face went pale as his legs shook.

    “Catch him,” Flare said calmly, a mere second before Roy’s knees suddenly buckled, causing him to fall towards the floor.

    Chase and Aaron quickly stepped forward, catching him before he hit his head, and lifted him up to half-carry him back inside the house. He was so stricken with the news he didn’t respond as the other two set him in a chair at his kitchen table, while Aaron commanded Nicholas to go upstairs and fetch Laura.

    This can’t be happening... No... no... Lucas isn’t dead... he can’t be... Roy was trembling, unable to believe this. It just couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be the president of Pantheon, not yet. I’m not ready... I can’t... Lucas has to still be here... he can’t be gone...

    “Roy,” Chase’s voice was firm as he grabbed the bat’s shoulders, staring him in the eye with enough severity to pull him out of his panicked daze, “You need to calm down. I know this is a lot to ask from anyone, even you, but you need to remember that you aren’t just Roy Brodeur anymore. We need you to keep your head, alright? You’re coming to Redwillow with us, and you’re going to stay in the Capital House from now on. We’ll have people come and fetch your belongings tomorrow, but for now we need to worry about you and your wife.”

    Speaking of his wife... The sound of her startled voice came from upstairs as she was woken by a strange soldier, “Roy?! Where is my husband? What’s going on? Why are you in my house?! Roy!”

    The frightened voice of his wife was enough to really snap Roy out of it, and he suddenly jumped to his feet, his chair skidding out behind him and falling onto the floor. He pushed Chase away, not having a problem with the bigger man because of his supernatural strength, and called, “Laura! I’m down here. Come down the stairs.”

    He heard footsteps in the hall, and little Laura came scurrying down the stairs with flustered Nicholas behind her, apparently rather embarrassed to have woken the first lady up and see her in her little nightgown. The marten woman had pulled on her tattered old dark purple shawl, but her little paws were bare as she hurried across the wooden floors of her home, beelining right to her husband’s arms.

    Roy caught Laura in his arms, holding her head against his chest with one hand, feeling a little steadier with her there with him. He might have been unsure about the idea of taking care of an entire nation, but taking care of his wife was familiar, and gave him a little bit of strength. He let out a shaky breath, telling her, “We’re going to the Capital House, Laura... It will be alright...” He looked up at the other four, who were standing stiffly around him, clearly impatient to get going. However, he had more questions before he went with them, “What happened to Lucas?”

    “He was in an accident. A five-car one, to be precise,” Aaron was the one who replied, his tone quick and impatient, “We have suspicion that the entire thing was set up, which is why we need to get you to the Capital House as soon as possible, in case you are targeted as well. The military police will conduct a thorough investigation, but our first priority is now you, President Brodeur.”

    “Wait, we’re--?” Laura started, her eyes widening.

    Flare interrupted her, “Yes, ma’am. You are now the first lady of this country, and that is why we came here. Now can we please go? Don’t worry about packing anything, for all of your belongings will be fetched for you tomorrow, and there will be plenty of supplies waiting for you at the Capital House.” She opened the front door, while Chase and Nicholas quickly went outside to prepare the car. 

    “R-roy!” Laura couldn’t seem to comprehend what was happening, becoming more terrified by the moment as the soldiers talked about assassinations and the presidency being handed down to none other than her own husband. She clutched at Roy’s t-shirt, unwilling to let go of him, “Th-this... we can’t be...”

    “Come on,” Aaron gave in to his impatience and reached over to wrench Laura away from her husband, wrapping an arm around the little woman’s middle and quickly carrying her from the house as she flew into hysterics.

    Flare was a lot gentler in her approach, but she did reach over to grab Roy’s arm and pull him forcefully from the house, “We can’t afford to wait around any longer, President Brodeur. We need to get you safely to the Capital House and prepare you for your inauguration.” She pulled the new President across his yard, the man still in his pajamas and slippers, while Aaron pushed his terrified wife into the back of a hovercraft. Chase was in the driver’s seat already, while Nicholas sat in the front with his weapon ready, watching a scanner on the dashboard for any sign of approaching vehicles that could pose a threat to the new President.

    Roy decided he didn’t want to be shoved into the car like Laura, so he got in on his own. He slid across the seat to wrap his arms around his terrified wife again, his own nervousness starting to come back as he thought about what lie in wait for him; the expectations of the military and all the people of Pantheon, needing to lead the Council, his inauguration, his own jeopardized future with his wife, and possibly some S.R. assassins who wanted him dead. He tightened his grasp on Laura, his brown eyes wide with fear as he stared around the inside of the hovercraft. 

    Aaron and Flare had shoved themselves in on either side of the now very important couple, while Chase started driving off with Nicholas in the front passenger seat. The hovercraft mowed down the little dirt road, heading for Redwillow.

    “You need your seatbelts,” Flare said, reaching over to buckle the seatbelts around the other two, while Aaron moodily glared around, his hand on the holster of his weapon.
    Both he and Flare were supernaturals, but he still carried a weapon because his ability was not as direction harmful as the tribal woman’s. He could create illusions, while she could spontaneously create flames from seemingly nothing, and wield them as weapons. There was a chance that Aaron was creating an illusion right now, perhaps making it appear to anyone outside the hovercraft that there were more cars with them, to help hide the real President and first lady. Roy honestly didn’t know.

    “The Council is being summoned,” Flare explained, catching Roy’s attention again, “They will be here this morning to help prepare for your inauguration. We will allow you and your wife to get a little more rest until morning, but be aware that we must get things settled as soon as possible. You will need to choose a new Vice President from the council, and a new council member will be assigned to replace the VP’s former spot. We cannot allow our government to have a single gap.”

    Suddenly, a voice crackled over the radio on the hovercraft. Roy couldn’t understand what they were saying, but Chase certainly seemed to hear. The big canine pushed down on the gas pedal, and the hovercraft began increasing speed.

    Nicholas turned around in his seat to explain, “The officer over the radio said they sighted some S.R. assassins in the area, apparently accomplices to the suicide drivers who took out Lucas this morning. We have to be on high alert now.”

    Roy panicked at the idea of more assassins coming after him and his wife, still holding onto Laura as he asked, “Wh-what are we going to do?”
    “We’re still taking you to the Capital House. You’ll be safe there,” Flare responded, starting to unbuckle her seatbelt, “However, once we hit the edge of Redwillow we will likely be met by some assassins, so prepare for a firefight.” 

    “Wh-what are you doing?!” Roy asked, while Flare rolled down the window on her door and promptly began to climb halfway out of it.

    “Handling the assassins,” she responded curtly, while one her fists suddenly lit on fire. She stared ahead as the hovercraft swiftly neared the capital city, and sure enough there was someone at the end of the road, ready to meet them. They started shooting at the hovercraft, and Laura screamed, but then Flare acted. She sent a blast of flames at the traitors who stupidly thought they were safe if they hid within their own vehicles.

    Bullets buried themselves in the bulletproof glass windows, and Roy could have sworn his heart stopped for a moment. How the hell did all of these killers even get into the capital city?! His first act as President would likely be seriously upping the security, because this was absolutely terrifying. Lucas had always been independent and believed he could defend himself with only a few guards to help him, but that clearly wasn’t the case if he was dead... and Roy did not want to make that same mistake, not with his wife’s life hanging in the balance as well.

    Nicholas opened up a hatch in the roof of the hovercraft and started shooting, while Flare kept launching fiery projectiles from her hands. Sure enough, the managed to damage the enemy’s hovercraft enough that it exploded; the two ducked down inside as shrapnel chipped at their own vehicle.

    Laura didn’t scream this time, so terrified she was silent and didn’t even seem to be breathing. She was clutching onto her husband’s arm so tightly she was starting to cut off his circulation, her different-colored eyes wide and blank with terror.

    The remaining enemy vehicle gave up, turning and hovering off into the woodland, vanishing from sight. Flare growled, but didn’t climb out her window again, instead closing it. She then turned to Roy, “It might have been a good thing you poked around so much before letting us take you, I think they were taken a little off guard. It also helps that we had an illusion...”

    “Still, they saw through it after a moment,” Aaron grumbled, “I gotta work on illusions that move with me.” If he was standing still, it was easier to focus. He glared over at Roy, “It’d help if your wife wasn’t screeching the whole time.”

    Indignant, Roy recovered a bit from his fear as he snapped, “Your wife would be scared if she was being shot at and things were blowing up around her!” 

    “Oh shut up!” Flare snapped.

    Chase suddenly barked from the front seat, “All of you shut up! Keep in mind that we are still in the middle of a crisis!” His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white, “The roads have been blocked off, so we have a straight path to the Capital House, but you we have a few minutes to go yet so I need to focus on driving this damn thing!”

    The four in the backseat fell quiet, aside from Laura’s soft sobbing as she clung to her husband. She was normally more composed, but everything had just happened so fast, and it was so much to deal with... just a few hours ago, she had been talking to Roy about their attempts to have children, and now here they were, their lives at stake as they were suddenly thrust into the presidency with no warning. She had no idea how to deal with this situation, even though she knew very well that Roy was the next in line for the presidency should something happen to Lucas... it just seemed unreal, like it would never actually happen, until it abruptly did. The marten hid her face against her husband and tried to quiet her frightened crying.

    Aaron cast the first lady a glance, apparently starting to feel bad for insulting her, judging by the slightly guilty look in his blue gaze. He shifted around in his seat, eager to just get to their destination and be done.

    The hovercraft finally reached the gates of the Capital House, and they were met by a mass of military officers. The gates swung open, letting them in, and before the vehicle had even come to a complete stop, the doors were being yanked open. Aaron and Flare leaped out, while Roy and Laura were practically pulled out.

    Roy found himself being pushed along by a crowd of soldiers, and lost one of his slippers in the hasty run to the doors of the massive building that was now his house. He turned his head around to find Laura, and saw two soldiers holding onto her, her paws dangling an inch above the ground as they just carried her after him, apparently too impatient to let the startled woman stumble her way after her husband. She seemed to have stopped crying, but she still had a blank, stricken look on her face, as though she was going to faint at any given moment.

    “I-I think my wife is in shock,” he tried to tell one of the soldiers that surrounded him, “She needs a doctor.” 

    “We’ll take care of your wife, sir,” the soldier assured him, “A medic is being summoned to look after you both right now.”

    Suddenly the rush was over, and Roy found himself standing in a large, grandly furnished room. He was plunked down onto a couch, and Laura dropped next to him. Once again, the married couple held onto one another for reassurance, though Laura was only partially responsive; she was definitely in shock.

    The room began to quiet down, though. Most of the soldiers left, with only a few staying with the President and his first lady. As the quiet finally came, Roy was able to really breathe for a moment, feeling as though he had been suffocated in the car. He shuddered and drew in heaving breaths, starting to be able to think straight again. Okay. You’re here, at the Capital House, and you’re the President. But you and Laura are safe now, and it’s going to be okay. You’ll figure this out. It’ll be okay.

    The medic arrived after another moment, and she wasn’t alone; Roy’s parents were with her, apparently having been notified about what happened to their son. 

    Anna Brodeur rushed over to the couch, practically throwing herself at her son and daughter-in-law, her arms wrapping around them, “Oh my god... you’re okay...”

    It just so happened that the medic who had been called in was an old family friend, Ruth Ibrahim the mouse. The little woman was in her forties, and had been in the Brodeur twins’ lives since they were preteens. She and Roy’s father, Richard, walked over to join Anna by the couch, looking down at the paralyzed young couple who were suddenly at the head of the nation. 

    Roy let go of Laura with one arm to return his mother’s embrace, relieved to see her there, as childish as it was, “Y-yes... we’re okay, for the most part...”

    “I’ll be the judge of that,” Ruth argued, nudging Anna aside so she could get closer to Laura, who seemed to be the worse off of the two. She spoke calmly to the marten in a soft voice, while checking over her vitals and giving her an injection to help with the shock she was experiencing.

    Anna sat on the couch next to Roy, holding onto him again, “M-my son, my poor son... I-I’m so sorry that this is happening...”

    “I’m not,” Richard spoke up, and his wife and boy looked up at him in a startled manner as he continued, “Roy, you were chosen to be the next in line for a reason. Yes, this is frightening, and yes, sudden, but it was what Lucas wanted. He is the victim here, and he expected you to take charge in his absence. He trusted you, Roy, and I’m sure that you don’t want to let him down.”

    Roy was quiet for a moment, taking in what his father said, and then bowed his head as he felt a strange calm come over him. He let out a breath, “You’re right... I won’t let him down, Papa... He was my friend, not just my leader. I’ll bear this responsibility in his honor...”
    Richard nodded, giving a tiny smile of pride, “That’s my boy...”

    Overcome with her emotions again, Anna gave a choked sob and pulled Roy closer, petting his hair and crooning soothing words, but Roy didn’t really need it anymore. He was already thinking about what he was going to be doing tomorrow, when he was inaugurated as the President of Pantheon...

    Lucas, wherever you are, I want you to know that I won’t let you down... I will finish what you started, my friend. I promise... He grasped his mother’s hand and pushed her away, giving her a weak smile as he told her, “Everything is going to be alright now..."

    “You should let him go, Anna,” Ruth spoke up, then explained, “He needs what rest he can get before tomorrow. The mouse stepped away from Laura, who was much calmer now, though she looked tired. “I treated Laura’s shock, but Roy seems fine. They both just need a bit of quiet... they’re not going to get enough of that in the weeks to come.”

    “A-alright...” Anna agreed reluctantly, taking her husband’s hand and rising to her feet. She gazed down at Roy, promising, “We’ll always be here for you, even if you are our President as well as our son... Your sister won’t abandon you, either.” She smiled shakily, “You won’t ever stand alone, Roy, even at the top... We’ll find a way to climb up with you.”

    Roy smiled back at her, his voice a mere whisper, “Thank you, Mama...”

    The older Brodeur couple then left, perhaps to be escorted to Rachel’s house to talk to her about what happened... the assassination had to be all over the news by now, so the entire world would soon be aware that Roy was now the President of Pantheon.

    Meanwhile, Roy rose to his feet, then lifted his wife up into his arms, carrying her as a soldier escorted them to the master bedchamber. He paused in the doorway, a little intimidated by the grandness that was now his bedroom, but then stepped inside and carried his little wife over to the enormous bed. He climbed up onto the bed, laying down with Laura curled against his chest, and he kicked off his single little slipper. Then he smiled a little at Laura as she gazed blearily up at him, and he whispered, “We’ll make this place feel like home, just like our little house... Everything will be fine... I promise...” 

    Perhaps he found his strength through necessity, or maybe he had it all along and just didn’t know. What he did know was that he couldn’t act like a frightened child. He had some promises to keep.

Welp, that happened. o3o' And Roy's an insomniac. Great. XD 

Roy: .... 

Anna: ;A; 

And Celeste lost her hearing from the explosion... I see what you did there. :p 

Honestly, I think it's really good! o7o And Lucas is finally a good guy! Yaaaay! *flails* And I love how Roy just works in jeans and a sweater. XD

Hey, he was at home doing paperwork. XD As President he needs to dress nicer.

Celeste will have partial hearing in one of her ears, thanks to a hearing aid. o3o The other is completely deaf.

Okay, case in point. But Roy being an insomniac isn't good at all. But thankfully he was awake and Chase, Aaron, Nick, and Flare didn't need to go to drastic measures. XD 

Roy: ....

He doesn't know what to think of all that. ouo' Sorry dude.

The next chapter will have a decent time-skip, to when he's been president for a little while and is starting to get the hang of it. o3o

EJ: I'm in an airship crash...? o.o'

Yeup. And you almost diiiieeeee... But you live. ouo And your wedding will be part of the book. Because. XD

Okay. ouo Who will he pick for VP? Chase? 

Oh yeah. And then there's that, too. XD 

Rachel: ;A;....? 

Oh God.... Her mental state is probably a lot worse in this book than in RP, especially that crash. But at least she gets married! 8D

I'm actually not sure yet. XD That is one detail I have not yet decided upon... It might be Chase, though. He kinda seems the most likely, but then I thought it'd be cool if I used a wildcard character like Flare, who will of course be developed slightly differently in the book than she is in the RP, because of her different backstory. She's not suicidal, for one thing... o3o'

Yeah, EJ's crash comes in later when it comes to his occupation. o3o Rachel forbids him from flying in airships anymore, so he focuses more on his research and stuff from then on out. That's an important part of the book there. XD Plus it's just interesting development with them as a couple. o3o

I'm just excited for babies. >7<

Hmmm.... Maybe Flare could work. Thank God she's not suicidal, and scares poor Jayden half to death sometimes. ouo' I was thinking Chase more, as Roy likes and trusts him more. *shrug* Go nuts, though.

Well, good, then. Thank God he's not doing that again. XD And what about Tina?

Rachel: ;A;

Dun worry, you get babies and the frickle frackle. eue And I still see Rachel being an architect for some weird reason.

Rachel: ;////;'

EJ: D-don't cry! It's okay! oAo *holds her*
Well, EJ opens a badass company of engineers. While he is the owner, Tina is sort of a co-owner, and she is one of the bosses of the place. She primarily runs the shop when it comes to building and repairing hovercrafts, and eventually also takes over prosthetics when EJ begins studying supernatural genetics. Of course she has lots of minions though. XD

But... babies. eue

Babiesssssss... <3

Rachel: ;A; 

Okay. I see. She's gonna be a freaking badass now. XD At least EJ won't be doing prosthetic work anymore, which is a relief. 

Tina: ono....? 

She's pulling a Roy. XD Which isn't exactly good. But Tina! You're gonna help people and be awesome!  

....Is Roy going to lose his wing, or something else? eue? 

Roy: Please no... 

Well, it's too late for you in RP. I don't see why it cant happen in the book. ouo' Babies will make it better, though. o7o 

Roy: Steel.... No....

ROY. BABIESSSS--! *totally can't focus on anything else* HEHEHE! *shoves pregnant Laura at him*

Laura: Whoa, I'm fat! oAo'

I'm so excited. >w< Laura is gonna be the funniest mom-to-be when she's pregnant. Seriously. XD She'll be all excited and buying baby supplies constantly, and it doesn't help that she and Roy will have plenty of money around as the President and first lady. XD One fact that I'm going to mention here in the book is that the area has a lot of silver deposits and mines, because it was mostly untouched for such a long time. That's how Pantheon gets its wealth and supplies. o3o So even though they're fighting a war, their economy doesn't crash and burn.

Tina, your job is gonna be fun. ouo You are the boss of lots of little employees who work for you, and you get to build badass things. You'll enjoy it, don't worry. X3

I'm not sure. o3o I guess I forgot to mention it in this chapter, so maybe he'll still have both wings... I remembered Nick's prosthetic though! o7o

Roy: *holds Laura* U-um.... o////o' 

At least the frickle frackle finally worked. XD And I imagine her buying so many clothes and stuff for Jacques.... She would drive Roy crazy. Not that he would mind much, I think. 

And that's cool! Silver mines would be awesome, and thankfully good for the economy. I'm also guessing that the Sect also has access to these mines as well? 

Tina: But.... Meep.... ono' 

Roy: I know ze feeleeng.... 

You two need to calm down! You two will do fine! 

Honestly, it doesn't matter to me. ^^' It's okay. But I think he should lose at least one thing. It doesn't have to be his wing. :p

Flare being VP would be so cool :3

Flare: Good thing not much has changed about me. YES I AM PREGGERS!

Pippa: Um......

Malt: ouo?

Ronnie: O_O'

Duel: Uhhhhh....

I'm sorry, but I just remembered this again.... Why, in the blazing hell, would you have a kid in the middle of war? Especially, using Roy as an example, that you would be a main suspect and target? 

Roy: ... 

Uh huh? You already know it. But I still want babies, so I can deal with it. XD

Jayden: o////o....? 

Also, Chirp, you might want to change Jayden's powers in this... Him being an alchemist was kind of my inspiration from Fullmetal Alchemist. ouo" 

Nick: I'm so sorry! oAo 

Aaaaand Nick still won't shut up about waking up Laura. XD Sorry bro. 

Roy: I 'ate you so much for zat.... 

Nick: S-sorry, President.... ono" 

Roy: Don't call me zat. Please.

Flare: e3e

Well, think about it; the United States is involved in like half a dozen conflicts right now, but people are still popping out kids. The entire world isn't just going to cease to function. o3o Pantheon is a large country now, and though they are involved in a war, they aren't in as seemingly hopeless a situation as the Devas are in the RP. So it's a safer environment, and they can lead relatively normal lives. Soldiers still have families and kids, in the real world too.

And yeah, Jayden might not have any powers... he doesn't really use them in RP, so I tend to forget he even has them... XD

No, Flare, you're not preggers. But you were. XD You recently had your second child and still have a bit of chubbiness left over from being preggers. You has two children at home. ouo

Okay, case in point. You got me. ^^" And now that I think of it, they are in a much better position than the DevaShrouds.... Huh.... Well, you guys can continue the frickle frackle, then. eue 

And that's fine. ^^" Honestly, I don't know how to use alchemy, so him not having powers is fine with me.

Yay I actually said something logical! XD *flails*

Frickle frackle... where did you even get that? XD It took me a little while to understand what you meant by it because I've never heard it before.

Yaaaaay! 8D *flails* 

Oh, sorry... Would you prefer me to use 'fucking'? XD But anyway, I got it from Tumblr. Long story. ^^"

No, no, I understand it now! XDDDDDD I was just all confused when you started using the term the other day, but I eventually picked up on it... *is kinda dense sometimes* o7o"

Oh, okay. I use it with my friends a lot, but they're on Tumblr, so they get it. But yeah. Don't worry. I'm as dense as a brick sometime. XD