Alex Reynard
The Library
Alex Reynard's Online Books
--Chapter Fifteen--
"Oh SHIT!"
Cody's first response was to scamper behind Vera for cover. None of his three 'friends' looked very pleased to see him. Even worse, Gilda The Enormous was standing just behind the trio, looking down at Cody with a smile that said he looked awfully tasty.
The chipmunk peeked out from behind the fox. "Um, hi guys." He looked up at Vera and hissed, "...What are they doing here? This is the surprise!?"
Vera gave him a smirk that scored a perfect ten on the mischievousness scale. "You said earlier that you deserved to be punished, and I said I didn't see the point in it. Instead of you flogging yourself, I thought a more productive solution would be for you to start repairing the damage you've done." She tapped his chest with her pointer finger. "You're going to be doing an awful lot of apologizing tonight and tomorrow, so I thought I'd help by getting three of your most personal ones out of the way now."
Cody blushed considerably. He kind of hated her and loved her at the same time for this idea. It was embarrassing as all hell, but undeniably less so than apologizing in the middle of class, or simply shying away in shame around everyone else for the remainder of the week.
Vera gave the reluctant boy a gentle push in the direction of his bunkmates. "Thanks for bringing them, Gilda," she said to her colleague.
"My pleasure," replied the malamute.
Cody had ducked behind Vera so fast that he had only glanced in the direction of the others. On second look, it wasn't Walter after all. It was just some bunny who had similar fur. Who was he? Cody didn't remember hurting him. Was he the one in the bunkbed whose leg got broken? No, he thought he remembered that Cameron was a mouse. 'Wow, that apology is gonna suck too,' he thought. He looked the bunny up and down, trying to figure out who the fuck-
His eyes suddenly bulged.
"WALTER!?"
The bunny crossed his arms and chuckled.
Cody actually stumbled back a little. "Sweet shit on a plate!! You actually did it!?"
Walter's grin was consummate satisfaction. "I'm amazed you figured it out."
"Well, you still do have your spots."
The former feline looked up and down his arms. "Yeah, one of the few things I liked about my old self. Plus, how cool is a bobcat-patterned bunny?"
"It looks... pretty badass," Cody had to admit.
"Why thank you," Walter replied. "Now, I think Miss Vera said something about you apologizing to me?" he added with a sudden menacing firmness in his tone.
Cody swallowed hard. He was not good at apologies. He usually preferred burning bridges to building them. "You're right, you deserve one," he said seriously. He pushed past humiliation and took solace in his sense of honor. He'd caused pain, and he knew he deserved to feel it. If that meant standing here with his cheeks candy-apple red, he was getting off easy.
Cody looked Walter over and remembered strangling him just a few days ago. It was hard to believe now that he'd let himself go so far down the hellhole. "I'm sorry," he started. "I really am, genuinely. I feel... disgusted when I think of what I did to you. And there's no explanation for it. I just saw you being happy and it pissed me off." He shrugged. "It's inexcusable. I can't believe that was actually me holding you down, trying to choke you. I can't believe you can even look at me after that."
Walter, arms still crossed, just 'hmmph'ed. "Cody, you're so arrogant."
The chipmunk's head popped up and he felt a brief flash of anger at the bunny's smug tone, but he suppressed it.
Walter walked a step closer to poke Cody not too delicately in the breastbone. "I didn't curl up in a ball and cry all night after what you did. They carried me to the Rejuvenator, I called you an asshole, and then I went back to the bunkhouse and forgot about it."
Cody was a bit stunned. "How?"
"I'm not anyone's victim anymore," Walter said with a sneer. "I've been through worse than you could ever imagine doing to me. I've been openly transgenus since I was SIX, Cody. Can you comprehend how much shit I've had to wade through because of that? You're not the first furson to have me on the floor in a chokehold. Imagine your own father doing that, then maybe you'll get an idea of why you're nothing more than a mosquito to me."
Cody felt like he'd just been gut-punched, and the fist had gone straight through the other side. Partly it was from Walter saying 'imagine YOUR father'. The mental image had come to him of looking up into Dad's face, twisted with rage, as the furson he loved most in the world tried to murder him. Cody couldn't imagine that. At least, not for more than a second without having to push the horrible thought away. He knew he had no hope of comprehending the horror of actually having lived through that.
Walter saw in the chipmunk's eyes that his words had gotten through crystal clear. The bunny was a bit surprised actually. He'd expected Cody to puff himself up and get all pissy and defensive. "What'd you do to him?" he asked Miss Vera approvingly.
"Why don't you show him, Cody?" the vixen suggested.
Cody nodded, then turned around in a circle, revealing the little bandage on the back of his head.
"NO FUCKING WAY!!!" Kenny shouted.
Cody suppressed a chuckle at his friend's wide-eyed expression of sheer disbelief. But he looked away quickly, and felt ashamed for thinking of Kenny as his 'friend'. Cody didn't deserve the honor of calling him that anymore.
Walter started giggling. "The irony's too much. You let them give you a Newbrain!?"
Cody mumbled an affirmative.
Vera patted the chipmunk on the shoulder. "Don't tease him too much, Walter. I know he's hurt you, all of you, but he's been in a lot of pain himself this past week. We talked for a long time today, and he really impressed me with how much he's already worked to face his behavior and begin changing it."
Walter arched an eyebrow. "That true?" he asked Cody.
Cody looked up at his former enemy, eye to eye, and nodded. "Yes."
Walter's paw popped up for a shake. "Then congratulations! Maybe you won't die alone and empty after all!"
Awed that he'd allow it, Cody took the offered hand. "I hope not. And thank you for forgiving me."
Walter made an 'ah ah ah' sound. "Not just yet. This is just me showing you I'm willing to forgive. You prove I don't have to keep my guard up around you and then I will. I like having less people who hate me, but I've been backstabbed more than you can imagine."
"I'll bet," Cody said. "And I promise, I'll leave you alone if you want me to."
"No more deals," the bunny said. "Just don't be a dick anymore."
He chuckled. "Fair enough."
Well, that had gone better than expected! Now for apology number two. Cody turned to face Frank.
The zebragirl stood with her body relaxed, yet her expression was closed off like a fortress. Her eyes stared through him with a passive contempt so total it practically sucked his soul out.
Cody withered a bit under that cold, effortlessly debilitating stare. Looking at Frank now, he didn't have to go back down the dark hallway in his mind to see how pathetically in denial he'd been about her. He had a crush on her, plain and simple. Always had. Jealousy had led him by his nose, letting him believe this whole time that his anger had grown from a noble distrust of the Preds. In reality, he hated that maned wolf guy because he'd stolen Cody's imaginary girlfriend. 'Well, you've dynamited your chances with her to smithereens, genius,' he thought, drilling all the shame he deserved into himself like a corkscrew in his gut.
Making eye contact with Frank was impossible. Cody got as close as he dared to those orbs. She looked like she could shoot out lasers and disintegrate him with as little effort as yawning. "What I did to you... I can't tell you how ashamed and stupid I feel for that. If you want to haul off and slap me for-"
POW!!!
Cody was on one knee on the ground, feeling like an entire hive's worth of hornets had all divebombed his left cheek in the same instant.
"Miss Tanondo!!" Vera shouted, shocked.
Frank gave her a 'what are you upset about?' look. "He said I could!"
Cody slowly rose to his feet, feeling around in his mouth to make sure he still had all his teeth. "No... No, Vera. She's right. I did say she could." He rubbed his cheek. "Holy FUCK did that hurt!!"
Frank was unable to hold back a very small giggle.
Cody looked at her with all the sincerity his throbbing cheek allowed. "What you just did couldn't have hurt more than what I said to you, and I apologize. I was jealous of you and that wolf guy. Not just because the idea of Pred and Prey couples still weirds me out a little, but also because..." He flinched in anticipation of another slap. "...I've always liked you."
Her eyebrows went up.
Cody put a hand over his eyes. He couldn't watch her reaction. "Not like in a creepy stalker way. I just liked how I saw you act. That first day in The Box, how you stood up and told Mrs. Buchanon to her face that she was wrong, and you wouldn't back down; I really admired that. I like your sense of honor. And now that I think back on it, minus all the petty, whiny envy I was feeling at the time, you were amazing during that soccer game. I wish I could see you play more often."
He dared to look. The glare was still there, but it had softened a tiny bit.
"I'm never going to be your girlfriend," she said flatly.
"One hundred percent completely understood," he replied.
Frank nodded, glad he was accepting of that fact and wasn't going to try to 'win her over' like in some retarded romantic comedy. Vomit. "And you're right. What you said to me hurt. More than you can imagine."
She sighed. "But..."
Cody was surprised. "But what? I was a cockhole: end of story."
"No," Frank said, surprisingly firmly. She appreciated what he'd said about admiring her honor. And because of that, she had to adhere to it. "The truth is, you were right. At least halfway. You were right in The Most Jerkish Way Possible..." she snarled out.
He flinched.
"...but you were right that me asking Ethan over to the bunkhouse in the middle of the damn night was a stupid idea. If it hadn't been you who'd spotted us, it might've been someone else. Someone might have panicked. Someone might've punched Ethan's lights out. It was a dumb idea, and I wasn't thinking. Because I'd found somebody I really liked and I just couldn't wait to be with him some more."
Cody's cheeks burned. Jealousy poked him in the ribs a few times, but the Newbrain made it easier to shoo the little bastard away. "I hope I didn't ruin that," Cody said.
"You almost did," Frank said menacingly. "But I chased Ethan down afterwards and we talked it out and we're fine now." The zebra pointed a finger in the chipmunk's face. "Though if I'd lost him for good, I would have never forgiven you," she said, and clearly meant it.
Cody nodded. And, respecting Frank's honor, he mirrored it. "I'm glad that didn't happen then. I hope you guys're happy together. I'll apologize to him too if he wants me to."
Frank smiled a little, happy to see that this little runt had grown up a bit. "He might. And I also gotta say that I realize I shouldn't have laughed at you. I know that set you off. If you'd been wondering, yes, I laughed, and yes, it was at you, and I realize that I kind of brought your wrath on myself. I should have known that if you pull the pin on a hand grenade, it explodes."
"Thank you," Cody said, a bit awed she'd concede that. He put out his hand and she shook it.
Then she pointed at the remaining rabbit in the room. "Plus, your friend Kenny talked to me the next day and tried to explain things from your side. I probably wouldn't have acknowledged you were right about jack shit if he hadn't."
Cody blinked, more than a little stunned. He turned to look at Kenny.
The rabbit smiled shyly.
Tears almost came to Cody's eyes. After all the shit he'd put Kenny through... all the mood swings and bitching and insults and cold shoulders... his friend had done that for him too.
In a very soft voice, Cody asked, "Why were you ever my friend?"
His tone conveyed a deeper layer: 'How could such an amazingly loyal furson as you put up with a sack of shit like me?'
Kenny shrugged. "I dunno. I like you."
Cody walked towards him and hugged him. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I hit you like that. I'm so sorry. You don't have to forgive me, I don't deserve it."
Kenny patted him on the back. "Don't worry too much about it. I saw your eyes this morning: you were fucking gone. Tycho's not mad at you either. We both just wondered what the hell got into you to make you lose your lid like that."
"Fear," Cody replied. "Stupid fear. A lot of it."
Kenny nodded. "You looked scared, man. I've never seen anyone else panic that much before. You pee your pants?"
Cody chuckled. "No. By a miracle, I did not."
And just like that they were friends again. Cody was humbled by how easy it was. It almost seemed too easy. 'Then again, maybe this is normal. Maybe normal people usually forgive this easily when you just ask them.' Whether or not that was true, he thought he wanted to be like that from now on.
Cody looked up, noticing Gilda was still in the room and that she'd been standing by quietly the whole time. "Um, I don't remember if I ever did anything specifically jerkish to you, but if I did, I apologize also."
She giggled. "No worries, little Prey."
He blushed at that.
Vera sensed that things had come to a satisfying conclusion. She walked over to Cody to pat him on the head. "That went well, wouldn't you say?"
"I was just thinking that."
The grey fox addressed the others in the room. "I have to go get Cody Rejuvenated now, but he's free afterwards if any of you want to talk more."
"Allright," Kenny said. He gave Cody a poke. "There's supposed to be a Tengu Squares tournament in the game room after dinner. You wanna join in?"
He'd never played before, but just being invited felt wonderful. "Yeah, absolutely."
"I'll be there," Frank said. "I'll bring Ethan."
'Eek. More apologies,' Cody thought. He knew he had a truckload more to get through ('ESPECIALLY RICK!!!' his conscience yelled), and he figured not all of them would go well, but the idea didn't make him cringe as much now.
Walter piped up. "I have a painting that needs finishing up in the art room, so I won't be joining you for that. But I'll be around elsewhere."
"You paint?" Cody asked.
"Wanna see it?" Walter offered.
The chipmunk grinned. "Yes, I would."
"If you're just saying that so you can get close enough to smash it, I'll hotglue your nostrils shut."
Cody laughed his ass off.
*****
Outside the classroom building, the sun was starting to roll back in the sky, leaving the first traces of pink and purple among the clouds. With her hand on his shoulder, Vera led Cody out and towards the medical building.
"What's the Rejuvenator feel like?" he asked.
"Tingly," she replied. "Most people really enjoy it. It leaves your fur all fluffed up."
Suddenly, from behind them both, came an ear-splitting, "HEY!"
That VOICE!!!
Cody whirled around and saw Petra Penmark just starting to hoist herself up from where she'd been sitting in the grass beside the building.
Vera looked surprised too. "How did you know Cody would be here?"
The foxette snorted. "It's all anybody's talking about." She grinned at Cody. "You're famous. Everywhere I go, people are talking about your insane rampage of fiery destruction. Word got out that you were caught and taken here, and people've been betting on what kinda tortures they've been giving you."
'Oh, great,' Cody thought. Apologizing just got a lot more complicated. Now he undoubtedly had a reputation as a crazed lunatic.
The fox smiled at him in an oddly affectionate way. She tapped her forehead. "The pod people got you too, huh?"
He chuckled. "Yeah. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be."
Vera let them talk, but gave Cody's sleeve a tug so they could continue on towards the medical building.
Petra followed along. "Same here. I was flat-out climbing-the-walls terrified at first."
A thought occurred. "Wait... did you get yours before you ran into me this morning?" Cody asked, a bit of anger creeping into his voice. "Is that why you turned me in?"
"No, actually," she reassured. "I... I asked for one right afterwards."
He raised an eyebrow. In the quiet, he could hear the gravel crunch beneath their footsteps.
Petra looked at him with an uncomfortable pleading in her eyes. "Don't get mad at me for this, but... you kinda inspired me. You scared the shit out of me, Cody. Especially with that knife. I'd been horrified by the idea of Newbrains before that, but then suddenly I found myself thinking, 'Is this what a normal brain can do to someone? Make them this crazy?'"
He couldn't really blame her for having that reaction. He'd almost forgotten all about the knife. He had actually been waving it around in her face. 'One more thing to add to the pile of things to feel awful about.'
"I talked it over with Mrs. Lyubov for a long time," the foxgirl continued. "I'd already been doing a hell of a lot of thinking after watching you die last night. The relief when I woke up today was..." She gestured to show there simply wasn't words. Then she grinned with a trace of her previous devilishness. "Implanted memories... You moron!" she playfully swatted his arm.
Cody laughed. "Yeah, yeah. That was ridiculous, I know."
Petra got serious again. "Seeing you go apeshit made me realize; that's where I was heading. And I didn't wanna go there. I had a chance to turn in a different direction. So, in a way, thank you," she told him with a little smile.
Cody stopped walking and turned to her. He looked into her eyes and realized how calm they appeared compared to yesterday. She'd changed as much as he had, and seemed just as happy. He remembered her screaming, throwing chairs, spewing hatred like it was radioactive waste. He remembered them beating the everliving hell out of each other.
"I'm sorry," he told her.
"I'm sorry too," she replied.
Vera turned around just in time to see the fox and chipmunk hug one another.
Her warmth added to his. Her arms squeezed him like she didn't want to let go. Cody felt a wave of emotion pass through him so intense it made him shake. There was sadness and grief for how much of his life he'd wasted, but also hopeful optimism and joy too. Everything in his life had turned around so fast. "Yesterday... I never could have imagined the two of us doing this," he said.
She nodded. She felt Cody's cheekfur rustle against her own. "...And now it feels like the only right thing to do."
"Exactly," he said, and closed his eyes, simply enjoying how much better it felt this way.
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