Neko-laus 2 : Toy Tiger

Faded

I faded. I thought it was strange to see Latent Sarah overlap her physical self with her spiritual self but the reality of the situation was worse. I was there but then again I wasn’t and while I knew what the hell to do to get myself back, I had no way of telling the Mages and they wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it anyways.

Needless to say we all survived the crash. Wendy had a broken arm and I fucked up his mechanical eye when I zapped him. It worked but it had dropped to gray scale. It was playing havoc on perception and at the beginning of our flight to freedom we needed to move so he ended up slipping a patch over his eye. Apparently he had been carrying it around with him since he lost his original eye. There were stories to pry out of him for that but at the moment I wasn’t in any position to do a damn thing about it.

Mags had a spectacular black eye but that was the one I had gave him. He had survived the crash without a scratch. When I first woke up after frying the chip inside my head, I knew something was wrong. I was plastered against Mag’s back with my arms hanging loose over his shoulders and around his neck. My head rested on my bicep against the side of his head. He was carrying me piggyback through the rich greenery that I missed so much. My ankle was throbbing with each jarring step but it wasn’t the pain of a broken bone.

“...mags...” It felt like I was screaming but my voice came out in a whisper.

“Grant!” Mags quit moving as Wendy came back to us and gently swept my hair back from my face. I met Wendy’s eyes evenly but whatever I was trying to show him wasn’t getting through. “...Grant...please...he’s...”

“He’s faded, Arthur. It doesn’t look that bad.”

“It doesn’t look that bad...he wasn’t like this before.”

“Some might call it an improvement.”

“Not funny.”

“You always said my sense of humor...well you said I never had a sense of humor.”

“Don’t develop it at Nicky’s expense.”

“There’s a cave up ahead. Let’s camp there. We’ve been hiking non-stop. You need to rest and Neko needs a good going over. He’s a Latent but he’s nothing like anything I’ve very known so maybe he’ll come out of it on his own.”
“Nicky?”

“...mags...” I sounded so weak even to my own ears.

“Lead the way, Grant.”

Every joint in my body ached and each step jarred. Every little noise I made only seemed to agitate Mags and the ride got bumpier. Laying across his back, I felt his warmth and the smell of his body as he did more physical labor than I have ever seen him do in the entire time I knew him. I found it funny. I probably would have been laughing up a storm because this meant that we were alive. I brought down a space ship and we three managed to get out of the clutches of the Empire if a little worse for wear. Trying to talk just took too much energy so I ended up grunting or moaning or pointing to get my point across.

The cave Wendy found was a good spot but we still too close to the crash site. While I was grateful that Mags pulled us free and both of them salvaged provisions and medical gear before blowing up the ship and all remaining crew, I couldn’t help but regret not being there to help them. The murder of their fellow soldiers was the ultimate symbol of treason and treachery. I knew without a doubt that if I wasn’t mixed in the equation both Tigers would have walked their final steps as scripted by Central Command.

I woke when Mags dumped me on my ass. The panicked expression on his face as he turned around told me that he didn’t mean to do it on purpose. He looked worn out.

“...mmm...”

“Don’t try and talk, Nicky. You all right? My hands slipped when I tried to lower you.”

The jarring motion set off my ankle but I wasn’t about to tell him that. I nodded then leaned back against the side of the cave. My eyes closed of their own accord. I was exhausted and I hadn’t done a damned thing. The sounds of the forest were calming and awakened a part of my soul that had been laying dormant for the past six years. Mags’s hand speared my hair and then caressed the side of my face. I felt his heat as me moved closer and hugged me to him. I felt the corners of my mouth quirk in a smile then drifted off again.

I heard voices in my sleep as clear as day.

“So do we have a plan?” Wendy’s voice was subdued.

“We have freedom, Grant. Isn’t that enough?”

“We took all the supplies we could carry but it isn’t enough to live off indefinitely.”

“Answer me, Grant.”

“What do we do with freedom, Arthur? What do we do? Any soldier sent off to this part of the world is never seen again and I can tell you that it isn’t because they have suddenly gone native and embraced the natural way of life.”

“We live how we want to.”

“Arthur you have never lived on your own. As King Tiger, you were catered to but I saw all the restrictions placed on you. If we had made our escape on a colonized planet, I could see us surviving but here...we are lost and I am really not seeing the bright side. Why this place? You had the option of choosing your final destination and you chose this place. Why? Tell me why?”

“Grant...”

“Tell me why!”

“This is where Nicky comes from.”

“That’s it?”

“Part of it. The other part is that Nicky said there are Mages out here – old mages, one eyed mages. If we can find them maybe we can learn techniques to control our power.”

Wendy let loose a tired laugh.

“You said it yourself, Grant. Soldiers go into the Wild and then don’t come back. Nicky uses blades. Even when he was running that gang back in the outer zone, he never used firearms. If his people aren’t using technology to kill the soldiers what are they using? Why the hell do you think Military Intelligence had Nicky stuck in their research lab? The Empire has found a people that are resisting them. Why haven’t they just come in and bomb them out of existence completely? Why didn’t they gather all the King Tigers and send them in?”

“You’re saying their mages are King Tigers?” There was a note of disbelief in Wendy’s voice.

“I don’t know. The only thing I suspect is that the Empire wants what is out here. They found Nicky by accident. Even with a punishment collar on Nicky, they couldn’t make him bow. What could they do with a child? Look at what they did to us, Grant and we were considered citizens. They could have a slave corp serving the Mage Division.”

“Slavery is forbidden in the Empire.”

I opened my eyes. “...not Empire...”

Wendy turned his good eye towards me. “What?”

“The people in the Wild are not Citizens.” Mags shifted and propped himself beside me. “This is a backwater world, Grant. What reason would there be to keep raiding this region? There isn’t even any mineral deposits that would warrant this amount of attention.”

“Then wasn’t it a little short sighted to crash here? There is no way in hell the Mage Division would want two of their undesirables getting in good with the natives.”

“Which is why for all intents and purposes we are dead. I thought I had planned everything out but I had forgotten about the Citizen Chips. If Nicky didn’t short us out, those rescue pods would have zeroed in on us already. He’s like this because he did that for us.”

Wendy looked over at me. He pointed to his patch. “You do this?”

“...sorry...”

“It works, it just takes a bit of effort to get used to it. If you didn’t, our little escapade would be done and over with by now. Right now we are still too close to the crash sight. Darkness is coming. I’ll take first watch. Both of you get some sleep.”

I expected to stay awake a little longer mainly because I had done nothing but cling to Mags back but as soon as he wrapped a shiny silver blanket around us, I was out again. The dreams and nightmares that usually plagued my sleep seem to have been cut off by the Fade. Morning came leaving me just as tired or maybe even more so. My limbs were working but the effort to lift a tasteless oat-like bar and chew it was ridiculous. No wonder Latents had Grooms from day one. I was pissed off as well as embarrassed that Mags had to help me water a tree. I got enough gumption up to shrug him off and try to do my pants back up but my fingers were clumsy and…

An oof was squeezed out of me as Mags caught me from behind and wrapped his arms around me. His hands engulfed mine and we stood there in the unique heat and scent of the forest. I could fee his chest press up against my back with each breath. I frowned, it seemed I got motor control but the sensitivity of my body increased. Mags shifted his head and rested it against mine. With each exhale his breath caressed my ear and trailed down my skin to my neck. I could feel myself starting to get hard.

“I didn’t expect you to do something so crazy or so stupid. Where was this looking out for number one ideology?”

“Mmmmmm.”

Mags voice trailed off at my low moan. I felt his hand slip down my chest to my stomach. My hips arched up to meet his touch as he cupped my crotch. “Nicky...we can’t do anything about this.”

I turned into a faded slut. My ass pressed back hard against his groin as my chest bucked up to his touch. I pressed my head up against his and then began to rub my hair against his. His scent was strong. As long as I’ve known him he’s had a shower a day, so the way he smelled now he would consider it reeking. I inhaled and let his unique scent fill my nostrils and go to my head.

“Mmmmmmm.”

“Neko...” Mags splayed his hand over my lower stomach as he pulled me back against him. He was as hard as a rock.

My tattoo began to tingle and warm. I tried to return the favour but didn’t feel anything reflect back from him. Hot kisses trailed my ear and neck. My voice made weird noises of desire and frustration. I stretched my neck to the side to give him easier access. The light licking kisses turned to deep sucking in those special sensitive spots that only my King Tiger knew. My nipples budded to the point of sensitive pain. Mags seemed to know and shifted his forearm up across them pressing them back onto my chest.

“Oh, yeah...purr for me Neko that is the sexiest sound I have ever heard you make.”

Apparently being faded meant that all my defences were down. It wasn’t like Mags was taking anything; I was giving it to him --all my bottled feelings. I caught him by the back of the neck and urged his head forward until I could turn mine and our lips could nibble at each other. His tongue darted into my mouth then retreated making me arc up into him to get more.

Nnngggh.

Mags hand closed around my hard cock. When the hell did he get my pants open? His tongue slipped deeper sliding along mine. That mage of mine knew how to kiss. I never had any complaints about that. My other hand dropped down to his forearm and rode out of the stroking motion. I was wet with excitement already. His thumb swept over the head then flicked back to press down on the weeping eye. My knees got weak.

Nnnnnnngggghhhhh.

The natural noises of the forest faded into the background as my focus centered on my groin and my chest. The tattoo warmed even more sending my body into frenzy. I wanted to come. I didn’t want it to end. I wanted Mags buried deep inside me. I wanted him to stop. I...just...wanted...

“My purring Neko, come for me. Let me feel you.”

I embarrassed the hell out of myself. I have never come so fast, with just a few strokes, or so hard, my world went dark, before in my life. I actually passed out physically exhausted and emotionally drained.

Awareness trickled back like a small creek filling a basin, shallowness slowly being deepened, filling out to a wider expanse. Opening my eyes I was flat on my back staring up at the thick forest canopy. My body felt like it was encased in lead. Heavy but sated. My throat was raw which meant I made a hell of a lot of noise. I was back to being fully dressed. Wait. My blades were missing. All my blades were missing. No doubt Mags took them off when he realized I was Faded. Probably more to keep me from cutting myself than any other reason. It took more effort than I was willing to admit to sit up. Mags was no where around but the evidence of his tender care was all around me. I was laying on a shiny blanket and there was a medic kit, water and rations off to my side. My stomach rumbled. I pulled out another of those nasty survival bars but found myself growling in frustration when I couldn’t tear off the foil. I didn’t have the strength.

At that moment there were a crashing off to my left. My fingertips scraped down my arm to where a blade should have been. Wendy emerged from the underbrush carrying a metal pot that had steam rising from it.

“Feeling better?”

I frowned.

“Arthur told me you felt faint and dropped after you did your business.”
He did? Why the hell would Mags tell Wendy we were out here getting our rocks off?

“It’s only natural. Not that I’ve ever had the privilege of being paired with a Latent, but I’ve been around enough to see some drop into the Fade. The first couple of weeks are hard but then they adjust.” Wendy knelt and began to pull out a smaller cup that he dipped into the pot. “Cooking was my hobby and my stress relief. I never thought I’d be doing it out here in such primitive surroundings still we have to use this bit up because it will rot on us. Might has well eat good now.”

He turned and held out of cup of soup to me. I reached for it then felt my face flush red as my whole arm began to shiver and shake from the effort.

“It looks like you haven’t gotten your strength back yet.” I was mortified when Wendy came and knelt behind me easing my body back against him. Carefully he set the cup against my mouth to feed me. “Little sips, it’s still hot.”

I scalded my taste buds with the first sip. Wendy set the cup down and picked up the energy bar and snapped the foil off easily. He broke a small chunk off and shoved in my mouth. His attempt at being a Groom lacked finesse. I chewed the dry bar and scraped my tongue with my teeth to try and get some feeling back.

“...mags...”

“There have been a couple of patrols that have passed overhead. Arthur has gone out on patrol. We’re going to move at night. We’re safe under the canopy so the thermal imagers can’t get a lock on us but up head there is a wide clearing. The further we can get away from the crash site the better.”

I stiffened and turned almost in a panic towards Wendy. “...no...ash...”

“Arthur promised not to use any magic, Neko. He even brought a supply of his meds that should last him a couple of months. I can only assume there are the ones he was prescribed and never took. I can’t image him heading down to Medical and asking for three months worth of his suppressants when he’s supposed to be going off on his final mission.”

Wendy was a running dialogue as he fed me like a orphaned chick. The heaviness dissipated as I ate until I could finally think a little more rationally. When my limbs stopped trembling I took over feeding myself. I scarfed down the soup. I chewed on the dry oaty bar and I downed everything with large swigs of water. I watched as Wendy packed everything away and cleaned up.

He left me sitting on the blanket promising to be back in two shakes. Two shakes? What the hell does that mean? As I sat slumped there I was aware of the scent of ground, the creak of the trees, the mingled aromas carried on the wind and the cries of the wildlife. The sun broke through the canopy and I ended sitting in a shaft of warm sunlight. After all these years I was back home. I was home.

I was useless like this.

I’d have to do something about that.

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