1 The End To All We Know

Chapter 1

July, 2 xxxx

Neptune Lake

⬪19:00⬪

I sat alone in my dark one-bedroom apartment, reading my favorite book in my reading chair when I heard my phone ring from across the room. I sat for a couple of seconds before I got up and answered the phone.

" Hello?"

" Hey Bullet," my best friend's voice escapes the phone.

" Oh it's you Mirri," I say this a little surprised she called me.

" Yeah, you wanna meet up at the bar later."

" Sure, why not?"

"And don't just wear your uniform, wear something nice alright, and don't get into another fight like last time," she says in her normal nagging manner.

" Alright, alright, I'll do as you ask just please stop nagging," I say this slightly begging.

" See you at 2100."

"See you then," as I hang up the phone I hear a laugh coming from the apartment next to mine; "That must be the new neighbor my landlady told me about, I'll go greet them later," I say this to myself as I go find something 'nice' to wear. I end up finding a barely worn red button-up and some jeans," this should be nice enough" I mutter as I get dressed.

⬪20:30⬪

"I should get going," I sigh as I quit the game I was playing, the gods know Mirri would throw a full-blown tantrum if I was late, I shiver at the thought. I fix my tail and horns before I grab the keys to my motorcycle, and head out. The freeway was a little crowded, but with the motorcycle, it was no problem to weave back and forth between cars. I got to the bar with twelve seconds to spare. Mirri was sitting there with her wife talking, not ordering anything.

"Waiting for me?," I ask as I sit down.

"Mirri? Mirri? Mirri..." no response, not even a whisper.

"Cleo?" Cleo looks over at me but doesn't say anything for a while.

"Your late Bullet," she says as I sit defensively in response.

"I was playing a game, and I got here on time with twelve seconds to spare to be exact," I said with a prideful smile. "Come on Mirri."

"Sorry I'm not feeling that great."

"Now you speak to me," I say teasingly as I order a round of vodka.

"I said sorry."

"I know Mirri."

"Then why, oh, you were teasing me" She started to hit me as she realized my tease. I laughed as she did so, "you jerk".

"Hey," I say, not able to stop laughing. She pouted just like she was a little kid again. I finally was able to stop laughing. "So why did you want to meet up?"

"Oh we have something important to talk about later," she said smiling but her smile quickly turned to concern as she looked at the door behind me.

"What is it?" I ask not wanting to turn around.

"A woman just brought two children into the bar," she said this still staring in concern.

"What?" I say this as I turn to look, surprised. A woman with long white hair, gray and blue eyes, nine tails, and fox ears, dressed in a waiter outfit taking two kids to the back. Unable to stop myself from thinking she was hot.

"Could she not find a babysitter? She shouldn't bring kids here, it's not safe even for most adults that come here." She says this with more concern than before.

"True but maybe she couldn't afford one, and besides she took them to the back they'll be safe back there," I say this as I order another thing of vodka.

"True," she says this, her concern turning into sympathy. We sat in silence for a while until I broke it.

"So are you gonna tell me why you wanted to talk to me," I say as I order a vodka mix with a shot of jack daniels.

"I'm pregnant," she says this and her eyes light up with joy.

"What, did you use…" I couldn't even finish before she cut me off.

"Cloe is trans," she says this in a defensive tone.

"Ohhh, okay that makes sense why you're not the dominant one, congrats Mirri," I say with a wide smile "this means no more competition in the shooting rinks, for now, yay," I say this almost laughing.

"Hey!, who even said I wasn't gonna shoot anymore," she said with a smug look on her face.

"Damn," I say this laughing a bit but then I revert back into silence, and we don't speak for a while.

⬪21:15⬪

"Hey Mirri," I say somewhat ticked.

"No, bullet, you're not allowed to hit him, he has done nothing to harm her other than flirt with that girl," She says this with little emotion

"Damn it Mirri," I say, turning back to my drink swirling it around. "You know I don't deal with rude people, Mirri" I mumble this as I sit starting to think about whether I should play video games or read a book when I get home to take my mind off of the situation behind me. I finally decided on just watching TV and going to bed when I hear a yip come from across the room. My whole body felt like fire, my blood was boiling, 'I want to hurt them'.

"Bullet no don't do it, I know what you're thinking-" she says this concerned but I cut her off

"What do you want me to do, sit here and watch, Hell No!" I say this and then drink the last of my drink and slam it on the table not enough to break it but enough for it to be heard from across the room. As I walk over I realize it was the same girl from earlier.

"Please let go of my tail," the girl says this and looks to be on the verge of collapsing, but the man didn't let go of her tail.

"She asked you to let go," I say in a firm voice as I hold back my anger.

"Stay out of it buddy," he said as he started to rub one of her tails. " It's none of your business".

"Just let her tail go, Buddy," I say, unable to close the lid on my anger fast enough.

"Fine" as the man says this he practically throws her to the ground by her tail. I can't hold my anger anymore to treat someone like that drunk or not it's unacceptable.

"You should know better: drunk or not everybody knows demi's tails are sensitive, and not to mention what you just did was illegal," I say this standing at full height showing well-kept hostility. "Unless you have permission or are married to her. Are you?"

"No, but what do you mean illegal," he says this as though confused obviously playing dumb."

'Law number 5, case 123 by the Animaliasapien Race better known as demi-humans 'No man shall touch the tail or ears of a demi without permission or marriage.''

"Therefore you broke the law and you can go to jail for that and I might just take you there myself".

"Who do you think you are," he says this as he takes a swing at me.

"Too slow," I say this as I dodge as if he is moving in slow motion. I then grabbed his arm, twisting it and throwing him out of the closest window I could find. After I throw him out of the window I go and check on the girl.

"It seems she passed out" whispering to myself as I pick her up and start to carry her to the back. I lay her down on the couch and wait for her to wake up as I read my book.

⬪20:15⬪

Pluto Maze

"Come on Snow, Frost, into the house we go," I say this to my kids as I open the door to our brand new apartment, "Oh, thank the Gods it comes with furniture" I sigh in relief as I close the door behind me and my kids, " we can finally relax, boys go play," I say this as I sit down on the couch and unpack the few items we have, after that I decided to go check on my boys. When I look into the room, I can't help but laugh at them "fighting", taking into account what Nova taught them. I then remembered that I needed to call someone to watch the boys so I grabbed my phone " maybe Nova can, no it's her anniversary with her fiance today I can't bother her what about mom yeah she should be free" I say this as I dial my mom's number, but all the phone does is ring repeatedly. " I can't be late to work, I guess I have to take them with me this once." I mumble this to myself as I get into my work uniform " I wish they had a longer skirt or pants for me to wear, but they did say that they had to order more." feeling self-conscious I pull the skirt down as far as I can which ends up being mid-thigh, I sigh and gather Snow and Frost getting them ready to leave. I grab my keys to the truck and head out.

"Damn it!" I say this in frustration." The freeway is too crowded I can't get through"

"Mommy are you okay," Frost says as he lets Snow lay his head on his shoulder.

"Yes, I'm okay" as I say this I see a motorcycle a little way in front of me weaving between cars. 'must be so easy. "Boys when we get there you need to be on your best behavior and stay where I tell you,"

"Okay," both boys say this in unison

"I'm hungry Momma," Snow says as he holds his stomach.

"I know baby I'll fix you boys something when we get there, I promise," I say this as the cars start to clear up. I drive in a hurry getting there two minutes late.

"Frost, Snow, let's go in and get you something to eat," I say this as I open my door and take them out of the car.

"Can we have pizza mommy?" Frost says this as he looks at me with begging eyes.

"I'll see what I can do," I said with a sigh.

"Or anything works mommy, we don't mind what we have," Snow says this as he turns to correct his brother, " We are not picky are we brother?" he says to his brother a little agitated.

"Right," Frost says in response. I opened the door to the bar, and take my boys to the back to order a pizza with the last of my money. I fix my presentation and go to talk to the manager.

"Hey, Richy sorry I'm late, I couldn't find a babysitter in time," I say semi-distressed.

"Hey It's ok you are just two minutes late, not a big deal," he says this as he starts to pack up. "Christina is your buddy today," he says this and then leaves. After a while, I started serving drinks that had been made. I felt like I was being watched but I ignored it.

"Pluto, we have another round on five," Christina says this as she keeps making the drinks.

"Be right there," I yell back while cleaning a table off.

"Hey, sexy," I hear someone say this from my left as I was walking to get the drinks Christina just prepared, but I ignored it thinking someone was talking to someone else. I grab the drinks for table five and head over to them. As I sat the drinks down, I heard the same people making the same comments every round 'hey come over here sweetheart' and 'Hey sexy' I kept ignoring them as best as I could, now knowing that they were talking to me. There were a couple of times someone said something to them to make them stop for a while. In the time they stopped I was able to get the pizza I ordered my boys and get them a movie started. My time was too short with them before I had to head back up to work the tables. The guys were finally quiet for now and I could finally think in peace.

⬪21:20⬪

I start cleaning a table off and the person that helped me before started to speak to me.

"Hey are you gonna be alright," the lady said this to me concerned as she stood up.

"Yes I'll be okay thanks to you earlier," I say this with gratitude "Please come back anytime," I say this with a smile.

"Have a good rest of your day young lady," she says this with a smile as she heads out.

"I'll do my best to do so, Thank you come, again," I say this now cleaning her table.

After she left I did the rest of my rounds, there was only one table left to take drinks to. I walked over to the men that harassed me earlier, putting that thought aside. I take them their drinks trying to forget what happened a while ago.

"Here's your drinks gentlemen we hope to see you tomorrow," I say this in an angered tone that I couldn't help but let slip, but I still try to walk away like nothing happened.

"Hey, where are you going," the guy that was harassing me earlier asked as I started to walk away.

"Home, my shift is over, now if you don't excuse me," I go to turn away when I feel a hand pull me back then let go of what I was holding "what do you want," I say this as I hear a glass hit the table from across the room.

"Come home with me tonight, I'm sure you'd love it," he says this with a drunken smile.

"No I can't, I need to get my twins home," I say this turning to walk away "and besides, you're not my type." I start to walk away with a smirk, but I'm stopped dead in my tracks as I feltl something touch my tail. 'He's touching my tail' my face goes red, a small 'yip escapes my lips.

"See I knew you would like it," he says this as he rubs my tail.

"Please let go of my tail," I say this in a tone of distressed but pleasured way. As my mind started to go blurry I faintly hear someone slam a glass down on a table then heavy footsteps getting closer.

"She asked you to let go" a man's voice sounded like an echo in my head.

"Stay out of it buddy," the guy said, still rubbing my tail enough that I was almost about to collapse "It's none of your business."

"Just let her tail go, buddy," the man's voice is aggressive but protective like.

"Fine," the guy says this hatefully and lets go of my tail, I finally collapse in relief gathering myself as I scoot away quickly.

"You should know better drunk or not..." I heard the man say this but it all started to fade to black. I could barely see, my memory was only in flashes, and I couldn't seem to catch my breath and darkness soon enveloped my senses as I started to drift off.

⬪23:20⬪

I wake up to find that I'm on a couch. I look over to see a man sitting in a chair beside me reading a book. 'Could this be the man who helped me' I sit up and look at the man.

"You're finally awake, your boys came up a while ago to look for you," he said this as he closed his book "but they fell asleep watching youtube." He points to the sleeping kids on the floor.

"Thank you," I said as I looked at the pizza box, "Did they bother you at all?"

"Not in the slightest," he says slyly as I picked up and ate the last piece of pizza .

"They must have done something," I say this as I look at my phone 'It's 2340' 'SHIT!'. I almost drop the pizza in my hand.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"It's past closing time and I need to get my boys to their uncle," I say this standing up too fast, I start to get light-headed and stumble over. The man quickly caught me as I fell.

"Hold on, don't move too fast, especially right after what just happened," he says with a hint of concern as he sits me back down.

"Thanks," I say this with gratitude, "but my kids need to be home, my brother is coming over to get them in an hour," I say this standing up again but this time slower than the last, "What's your name?".

"Neptune, Neptune Lake," he says this as he holds out his hand. I take it, "and yours?"

"I'm Pluto Maze, and the boys over there are Frost and Snow, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, do you need me to drive you home," he says this as we stand.

"No, we just moved into an apartment close by, I can drive us home," I say this as I walk over and pick up both boys and walk towards the Exit. "Thanks again," I say this with a smile as I walk out the exit door. My brother came and got the boys not too long after.

⬪00:00⬪

"Ugh," I groaned as I rolled around in my bed, "I wish the boys were here, I miss them," I say this as I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. I reached for my remote so I could watch TV, but I couldn't reach it. Slowly approaching the side of my bed, I reached even further and touched the remote, but I fell off the bed before I could grab it. I fell with a big thud that radiated throughout the entire apartment. I didn't want to get up but I decided I would anyway, so I crawled to my side table and pulled myself up. "So stupid," I say this to myself as I stood and walk over to my dresser to pick out an outfit for the day. I heard a rustling from the apartment next to mine as I grabbed a long-sleeve camo dress with a pair of combat boots and a leather jacket out of my closet. I take my outfit to the bathroom. " Maybe a hot shower will ease my mind," I say this as I turn on the hot water and wait for it to heat up. While the water was heating up I walked over to my nightstand and grabbed my phone. After I picked my phone up I turned back to the bathroom while finding the music app on my phone. After I started playing music on my phone, I got undressed and hopped into the shower.

I get out of the shower at 1:30. After I got out of the shower and before I could get dressed I heard an anxious knocking on my door. Forgetting to even grab a towel I rush to the door to see who's there and since I had no Peek-Hole in my door, I open the door. There was Neptune Lake, at my apartment door, at 1:30 am.

"Why are you here," I say this as I stand there for a while in the wide-open doorway.

"Um, uhh, Plu-lu-to, uh, your, um please cover yourself," He turned, looking away from the doorway and covered his bright red face with his hand. I look down still confused, finally realizing I didn't grab a towel. quickly cracking my door, with my head slightly popping out of the door.

"Oh My Gods, I'm so sorry," I say this now bright red myself, "come on in," I say this as I run to the bathroom to finish getting dressed. After I finished getting dressed I walked out of my room and talked now appropriately dressed.

"Would you like some coffee, tea, whiskey, vodka, I think I'm gonna get myself some vodka after that incident," I say this with an awkward smile as I grab some Green Apple Vodka and pour a glass.

"No thanks, Not right now, thank you though," He said this with only now a slightly blushing face. " You sure?" I ask this as I put the bottle up.

"Maybe some water," He says this as he starts to relax a bit.

"Water? Alles Klar, Alles Klar," I say this as I get him a glass of water.

"Speak German do we, fun fun," he said as I gave him his water.

"Was, Ich bin verwirrt," I say unknowingly speaking German.

"What do you mean what you're speaking German right now," he said this confused.

"Sorry," I say this going back to English realizing I wasn't in the first place.

"You're very forgetful aren't you," he says this with a smile.

"Yeah," I reply while looking at my feet.

"It's okay," he says this like swiping the idea from his brain.

Neptune Lake

♦️23:20♦️

I watched as Pluto leaves with her kids through the exit. I suddenly started to feel lonely. I never thought I'd feel lonely watching someone leave. I went back to reading my book for a little while longer. It started to get late so I grabbed about two bottles of Vodka, paid for them and started on my way home. There ended up not being much traffic, so I got home a bit earlier than I expected. I unlocked my door and put up my alcohol. After I did that I went and turned on my Xbox 1 and started to play Rainbow Six Siege Part 5. I was lucky to even get it this early, I got a good deal on the pre-release of the game.

♦️00:25♦️

I was zoned out in my game when something brought me out of it. It sounded like someone had fallen. For a few short minutes, I kept to my game finally realizing what it was that I heard. I don't even bother to pause my game as I stand up and race to where the sound had originated from. It was from my new neighbors' apartment. I knock on the door and impatiently wait after a while I got ready to kick the door down when it suddenly swings open just a crack. 'Pluto'

"Neptune, why are you here?" she asked me as her door opened, even more, revealing her delicate body. Her slender figure still wet from what looks like she had just gotten out of the bath.

"Pl...plu..plu..pluto", I can't seem to get the words out of my mouth, I stop and take a deep breath "Um, uhh, Plu-lu-to, uh, your, um please cover yourself," I say this blushing furiously as I look away and cover my face.

"Oh My Gods!, I'm so sorry," she said frantically as she turned bright red and ran back into the house. "Come on in," she says this from farther into the house. After she got dressed she offered me a drink and I thought I'd take her up on it. I am handed the drink and we sit and talk for a while we finish our drinks. I finished my drink, said my goodbyes, and headed off to my room. When I got to my apartment I shut off my still going game and right as I was about to continue my book I got a call.

"Neptune, I'm pulling you in. We need you out here, we're up to our necks in problems, you need to fly out tomorrow morning.", the captain has never sounded more urgent.

"Yes, Sir," I say this, hang up and rush to pack my bags. I hear laughter from next door. 'The boys must be home, I guess I'll say bye if I have the time'. I think this to myself and get into my uniform. After an hour I have everything and am ready to go. I leave not saying goodbye even though I had the time. 'It's better this way' I think this to convince myself but It didn't help.

♦️13:00♦️

"What's been going on?" I say this as I finally get to my station, putting on my gas mask.

"There was a medical experiment failure and it's become deadly, airborne, and spreading fast. Let the gods save us all." My comrade explained this to me as we got in line to be told where to go.

I was told to go to where it all started, the first place to be contaminated, they think that if they find out what caused it, they could stop it before it hit the Cities of Ambornum. I started to keep a diary or Memory Journal after a month but grew a bit too busy to keep up.

Dear Whomever,

Today is November 15th and we have still found nothing. Lately, people have been disappearing one by one in the area, even my good friend and comrade Cooper. I wonder how people are at home. I hope they are safe and ok. I often think about how I left without saying goodbye, it kills me but I can't seem to change it. I started writing to Pluto and the boys but it seems they don't want to talk or they are too busy for one or whatever. I wish I could go back to my home but they've ended up quarantining us since people kept taking it back to their hometowns. I wish I could go back home and hear the children laughing again as they play or just to see Pluto's face again. They found out what went wrong in the lab, but can't find out where it was tested, how long ago it was or how to fix a cure or how many people it's affected. We are not even allowed to take off our masks when we sleep, people have been going crazy after doing so, but the doctors just say it's just the stress of not being able to contact home anymore. I don't believe them one bit. Well got to go.

Signing off,

Neptune Lake

♦️07:00♦️

September, 24 xxxx

Pluto Maze

I wake up to my alarm going off blaring Blondie's Heart of Glass in my ear. I stretch to wake myself up. 'today's my boys' birthday. I can't wait to wake them'. I hop out of bed feeling a bit sick but I get over it. I hurry up and get ready for the day and go to both of my son's rooms. I open the door and go to wake up Snow.

"Snow baby, it's time to wake up, "I say this like always but he wouldn't budge. I felt a sudden urge to check his breathing, and when I did my heart dropped. 'He's not breathing' my mind raced in a panic, but my actions were calm. I called 911 and told them what happened after that I walked over to Frost's bed with a stinging numbness running through my skin.

"Frost?" I say this checking his breathing, it was shallow but still there yet he wouldn't wake. I pick him up and carry him to the living room. 'The ambulance is here' I slowly think of things I think I could have done to prevent it. I hand the paramedics both of my children and slowly break down.

They said that Frost was in a coma and they can't find out why he is or not. One month later Frost had died.

Dear Reader,

I don't really know what to write. The date is October 13, I have lost my boys to this weird weird sickness that seems to be going around, I'm in a lot of pain and I'm all alone, not even my friends are here. I don't know what I should do, my boys were the ones who cheered me up, other than the guy I love. He's off saving the world so it's ok 'even his friends aren't here though. That's it, I'm alone. I used to be a dreamer but now my days as a dreamer are over, it died with my boys.

Goodbye,

Pluto Maze

'Nothing will ever be the same again. I think this as I leave the note in between Frost and Snow's grave and walk home, while my eyes fill with melancholy tears. After I got home I packed to move back to my home in Dearborn, Michigan. I was on my way to the train station when the shrill of the old alarm went off, people yelling take cover and people ushering people into houses and buildings. "Stop no what are you doing," a few people and I found that what people were doing wasn't right, but unsafe. "Please come with us, it's not going to be safe in there, please," I say this almost collapsing in tears as I usher families to come with me as they refuse to follow. I feel someone tug at my sleeve and leaving the families behind I run to a bunker and quickly get in. right as I got in and the door was secured I felt the rumble of the ground and heard a sharp ringing in my ears. After it's over I cry for all the families I couldn't save.