The Speed of Sound

Introduction of You

        Your eyes are closed as you feel the warm torrent of wind whip through your fur. Giving a silent sigh of relaxation, you allow your eyes to open. With a glance to each side of yourself, you take in the endless, blurry green lines. They seem to be surrounding you, but you don't care. In fact you enjoy the sight. Lifting a nose to the wind you smell the crisp and clean air of a forest. In the far distance you spot a little blue tint within all the green. Ah, a pond! I think I'll stop there.

        Within moments you are already coming to a screeching halt. It looks as if you haven't got your timing right, however. You trip over your own feet and land with your wrists in water. A light spray of crystal clear liquid hits your face, causing you to flinch away. It could have been worse, you decide. With your quick(ish) reflexes you were able to avoid a full-body dive. Only your hands have touched the pond.

        Gazing down into the water you see a very clear image of the sky and the sun. You admire nature for the creation of such a wonderful view, even through the reflection of a pond. Your face has a quizzical expression as you notice the image of a strange (y/c) (y/a) with (e/c) eyes staring right back at you, with the same exact expression played on its features. Oh, it's just me. You give the image of the (y/a) a shy glance and look away, almost in disgust. You aren't used to seeing yourself; you've never really enjoyed the way that you look. Your fur always seems to be too dull or too messy. You believe your eyes are very plain compared to those around you; not at all unique or pretty to look at.

        Giving a quiet sigh you pull your soaked hands from the pond and sit on your haunches as you wipe the wetness onto the lime-green grass. Your eyes squint as you stare into the green, bleached to its light color from the midday sun. It's beginning to give you an eye-ache and you would much rather enjoy the cool green of the forest. In one quick motion you rise to your feet and wipe the remaining water from your palms onto your own fur. You take in the view of the sky's beautiful reflection on the crystal clear pond, before deciding that you would like to continue your forest run. With a last glance your eyes flick up as you notice a moving shape within the tree line on the other side of the pond. The shape emerges into the sunlight to approach the sparkling water.

        From the distance you see that the newcomer is blue—very blue—with a tan underside. You watch as it drops to one knee at the water's edge and takes a sip with two white-gloved hands. You are frozen still, frightful of being spotted. However, the blue creature suddenly snaps its head up and looks straight at you. It had felt you watching. It stands to its feet and gives a large, welcoming wave. Flinching at this sudden friendly sign, you do not return the wave, and you flee into the forest from where you had come.

        You are now racing through the forest wide-eyed and ears flat against your head. When that blue creature waved at you, it had sent a jolt of anxiety through your heart. It had been a very long time since you had seen someone other than a wild animal roaming through your forest. It made you afraid to think that since you have now been discovered civilization will enter the quiet forest, looking for a young, frightened, (y/c) (y/a). At least you can run. With a grim smile you realize that nobody else could outrun the fastest creature on Mobius. You will never be taken back to society.

        Dirty, noisy, corrupt society. Your eyebrows furrow slightly in anger as you remember the reason why you had left in the first place.

[Flashback]

       It is four months before the present day. You are padding your way home after a long day of school, traveling the tan sidewalks of your home, Aldenwise City. Your only friend is walking beside you. You two have always hung out at school; during class, in the cafeteria...however, even though the two of you have been friends since your last year of middle school, you always have some niggling doubt that it isn't a true friendship. She's my friend just because we live on the same street, you sadly think. With a glance at your depressed posture, your friend knows that something is up. She attempts to enlighten your mood.

        "Hey droopy poo! Why you bein' a downer? Does the little (y/a) need a hug?" The girl then turns to you and gives out an enormous embrace. With a sliver of fear in your eyes you put your arms up to shield yourself from the bear hug.

        "Nooo..." you quietly protest, but your friend will not have it! She squeezes you in her arms, not allowing any chance of escape until the two of you reach home.

        Home seemed to be quite the distance away when you are having the breath squished out of your lungs by on overzealous teenage girl. Eventually, the two of you finally turn the corner to your street. The sight that lies before you causes your friend to gasp, and you are then dropped onto the rough sidewalk. Looking up you feel your eyes begin to water.

        There is a fire. It engulfs one of the houses on your street. It...it can't be true...! You are running toward the rising flames.

        "(Y/n)! Come back!" A girl's voice is heard screeching from behind as you rapidly approach nearer to the fire.

        From above there is a sharp buzzing noise and look up to see a round, silver machine fleeing the scene. As it flies further away you can hear a scratchy voice from it saying, "Get back here you speedy menace!" Ignoring the machine as it disappears deeper into Aldenwise City, you stop at the edge of a lawn. In front of you, showering the area with glowing embers...

        Your home.

        Tears fall to the sidewalk, sizzling on contact from the scorching heat. You can't move, no matter how hot it is. The soles on your (f/c) shoes are melting, combining with the pavement, and you can only stand and stare as the neighbors around you briskly leave the area, heads down with shame as they leave you behind. You turn one of your ears to the side, listening for the footsteps of your friend, for any sound of your friend, even breathing. There is none. You are clenching your fists in anguish and grief, causing them to shake uncontrollably. If there was anybody left in the neighborhood, they would have heard the last shrieks of (Y/n), before she disappeared from civilization.