~Author's Note~
Gods, I apologize to the lateness of this one. However, as you can see, it's a lot longer than the previous chapters by a significant amount. Even still, one or two parts seemed rushed. They're almost arbitrary, so I'm going to leave them alone. Regardless, here it is, at a whopping... well, by professional writing standards, thirty-some pages. Onto the important part.

This is, as you know, the last planned installment of Jolteon 5. I've been working on it for a year, and as it stands, it's the size of a small novel. Haha. If it weren't for you guys, I'd be published by now. But I'm kidding. I loved doing this, and if I had the time, I'd write another six episodes. Actually, I have another series planned, far more serious than this one was in conception. I also have some one-shot lemons I plan to write, so hopefully you'll see some of them in the future. I'd like to commit myself to more 'professional' writing, but I can never give this up entirely. It's possible, too, that I may write a sequel episode or two... or three of Jolteon 5. Who knows. 

I want to send special thanks to all my fans, who for some reason, enjoy reading this crap. I also would like to send very special thanks to Jewelwriter, the world's most beautiful ninetales, for offering me love, support, snuggles, and all sorts of wonderful things while I struggled through a month or so of horrible depression. I'm still looking for a permanent move-in-with mate, yes, and I shall reveal my true form, someday. ... okay it's a blue-furred Raichu, that's out of the bag. I'll update my profile when I'm not lazy.

God, there are hundreds of people to thank. Cubone was a great motivation, back when I first learned of lemons at the original AGNPH at a budding illegal teen age. (Hey, I'm nineteen now, so no whining.) I also harbor a great appreciation for everyone running the archive... everyone maintaining the site... all of you uber-awesome artists who I never comment on because I feel like I'm just fanboying... maybe I'll get the guts and go on the IRC channel someday.

Yes, this rant is really long. Why? Because I'm not saying anything once the credits roll. This isn't really goodbye, per sey, just a sad little message at the end of a journey. It's been one hell of an experience, lemme tell you, and damned if I'll ever leave AGNPH as long as it's here. Well, enough prattling, right? You're here for da story, and anyone who I haven't thanked yet, I do so now. I'm grateful for everyone present at this site in some way shape or form.

You've all heard the rumors about it... and, finally, I'd like to give you the last chapter of my pet project. For better or for worse, tragic or happy ending... it's to be found out by reading. Thank you all once more. Enjoy.

~Sorai

Jolteon 5
Episode VI

A young zigzagoon male in his late teens wandered back into the lobby of the hotel which he and his companion would be staying for the night. He groaned under the weight of the two large silver cases that he carried, his feet dragging as he made his way to the elevator. Just a few more steps, and he could finally let the lift do some of the work. As he arrived on the platform, though, a loud alarm buzzed in his ears. They flattened, and he turned to the Flaafy woman who followed him. 

"Did we have to stay in one of these 'classic theme' hotels?" Salt whimpered, but she just shook her head and pulled him by the shoulders out of the elevator. 

"It's just for the night," she said soothingly, helping him to the stairs, although she would not offer to carry the odd cases. "Besides, we needed something inconspicuous... this is perfect. And they're bound not to have any security cameras, if this is authentic."


Salt almost dropped the cases, if not from the strain on his arms dragging them up the stairwell, then from his surprise at that statement of hers. "W-... why would you want that kind of privacy?"

The flaafy glanced around, seeing that no one was in the stairwell, before giving Salt a firm smack on the posterior (to which he squeaked) and beckoning him onward. "Because with the kind of trouble we're in, we need to stay as far out of the public eye as possible. That's why the Captain and Cel' headed off to that seedy place. We can't let the federation know that we're here until we're gone."

"O-oh." Salt said, glad the redness in his cheeks was concealed by the enormous strain of his baggage. One step at a time he staggered forward, beneath Becca's appraising and amused gaze.

"Why would you think I would want to be completely alone with you?" She teased, watching the zigzagoon's startled expression.

"I ah, I'm not sure, I...."

The ewe sucked at the tip of her index finger before running it down his cheek. "Because you'd like to sleep with me?"

Salt's eyes widened. He almost fell back down the stairs, but Becca pushed him onward, onto the next case. 

"N-no..." he began, and then reproached himself, unsure how to respond. "I mean, y- I mean, not that I wouldn't want to, but not that I.. um... the thought hasn't..."

Becca smirked and continued to push him onward, making sure that her paws were charged enough to give a firm tingling sensation to his posterior. She loved teasing the younger crew, but no one had ever been able to replace Celeste as her playmate, even if she had to force it out of him. But things had changed. Serah had gotten him under her leash, fair and square, and even she wouldn't force someone to be unfaithful, once the deal had been sealed.

Could she, with Salt...? The boy was something of a pushover, more-so than Celeste, but he was sincere, and affectionate, and his reactions... they sent shivers through her spine. Even now he looked up at her, growing nervous and uncertain beneath her evaluating gaze. Was she being too serious? A little smile spread over her features as she helped him out onto the second floor.

The flaafy had ridden others of the crew, almost randomly, just to quench her thirst for passion. None as young as Salt, but he was still considered adult crew, and was at good breeding age. She nodded decisively and licked her lips. If for just a night, the shy raccoon boy would be hers.

"Thank goodness we're only on the second floor..." Salt panted to regain his breath, and continued onward, simply dragging the cargo across the carpet and to their room. Becca nodded to him, and smiled to herself. Yes, she wanted him tired... but not so tired that he wouldn't respond. 

Their room was small and quaint, modeled after those often found on Earth in the twentieth century. A single room with a closed bathroom, several chairs, a desk, an old color TV... all of the typical amneties. And of course, a huge bed that took up most of the room.

Salt set the cases against the wall, and then crawled up onto the bed with a whimper. She watched him for a moment as she walked across the room, closing the curtains as well as she could. 

"For Privacy," she said, before the raccoon could get too nervous, and then added with a faint twinge of mischeviousness. "Get comfortable."

"Uh, sure," Salt replied with some ackwardness, already quite relaxed. His ears twitched and he whimpered slightly at the click of the deadbolt sliding into place.

"On your back," she clarified as she stalked towards the bed, the almost-scared zigzagoon reflecting in her eyes. "We don't leave until morning. I doubt you're going to be... bored."

The soft cotton sheets met his back as he turned over, and eeped. Becca pulled down the front of her uniform just enough to expose the upper-curves of her plush breasts. "Good," she said, smiling, and reached out to touch his leg. "Now, off with the uniform top."

Shaking, he blinked a couple times. "W-what are you..."

She glowered at him once, enough to make him startle, and he quickly threw the garment aside. Good, she thought. He's obeying. Then... I'll have to show him a little more about himself.

"W-what..." he attempted again as she came closer. She smirked, leaning over him like cornered prey, rubbing her fingers up and down his thigh. One more thing to tell if she would break him for the night, or if he'd be her little pet whenever she deigned. 

"You know what you want..." she cooed, and promptly slid her hand into his pants. A grin covered her face. Success. Her palm wrapped around his shaft, which was already hard and pre-smeared. Judging from the amount of lubrication, she must have started getting to him at the stairs. He was unsure. Afraid, maybe. And completely aroused by the way she pushed him about. 

Salt squirmed and kicked his paws, arching and pushing into her soft palm... a slight whimper of pleasure escaping him. He couldn't find the words to express how he felt... he didn't know. He was lost, wandering, and she was pulling him in.

"Take your clothes off," she commanded, removing her paw, and he was soon in not but the fur, red, slightly curved shaft, and fuzzy tawny balls settled between his legs. She smirked and licked her lips again. "Now mine."

"B-becca..." he said, a hint of question in his voice as he pulled the top off, freeing her wooly mane and the breasts that peeked out.

"Have you never touched a girl before?" She asked as she pushed his palms against her breasts, getting him to squeak again. "And call me mistress, boy." It was so cliche, she thought. Cheesy, even. But hearing him say it...

"N-no, I haven't..." he murmured, then added, as if he'd just been shocked. "Mistress!"

Jitters ran down her tail, through her body... between her legs. She hadn't heard that, truth be told, since she'd first 'encountered' Celeste. The raichu was different, though. He was genuinely scared. And so she couldn't steal his innocence. The proof of Salt's acceptance, though, was the thick rod of zigzagoon standing proudly between his legs. He was different. And she would take it, this time.

But not right away, though. No, she'd make him earn it.

"The rest, Salt."

He obeyed so deliciously well, although his nervousness did take well ahold of him. Before he could toss them away as he did the other clothing, she stopped him. Instead, she set them right next to them with a faint smile and took his paws. No requests, no commands, she would simply force his hands wherever she delighted...

Up her stomach, through her wool, and cupped against her breasts.... she moaned faintly at the sensations. Salt's paws were so soft, so delicate, and oh-so-pliable.... around herself she wrapped them, and then forced him to move them down, about her rump. A shiver. His fur was warm, thick, if a little disheveled, but well-groomed boys got messy quick anyway, and were a pain to clean... and they never stayed clean, either. She continued the tour of her body, and even brought his fingertips over the slick lips of her entrance. THAT caused him to tremble a bit. 

"We're going to take this in a little different direction..." she cooed, and then thrust him back, with quite a bit of force, against the pillows. 

"Don't move," she commanded him, and he obeyed. Fishing through the pockets of her uniform brought a gleeful giggle to her. Sure, she didn't have all of her equipment, but there were a few handy items she never left home without.

First, the black ropes. They were small, thin, and soft as silk... but as strong as any material, and surprisingly tight for their size. She bound his wrists to either side of the headboard, keeping his body propped upright on the pillows. Then she took his ankles and bound them, so that his legs were quite widely spread, attatched to either edge of the bed. He was starting to smile, now, in anticipation.

"I-I want... you to cum...." He whimpered a bit, and she smiled up at him, giving him a little pat on the balls.

"Of course," she murmured, going through her pants again. The second item, a tube of lube that looked like it was big enough to be for toothpaste. "Of course, my good boy.... but not first. There's a little something I'd like to do first..."

Before he could inquire again, she dipped her muzzle onto his cock and began to suckle. The boy moaned like tomorrow would never come, and it was music to her ears. He tasted sweet... but he didn't blow his load right away, and as promising as that was, it was also kind of disappointing. She worked at him for several minutes, tongue swirling this way and that over the tip, coaxing out plenty of pre-lubrication...

As she sucked him off, she squeezed the tube and began to spread the cold, thick liquid over his tailhole. Her delight continued. Salt didn't question, didn't ask, didn't even beg unless told... but he was responsive. The feminine squeal as she plunged two of her fingers into his pucker soaked through her. She knew he wanted to cum, felt it, but he was holding back for her... waiting for permission... and that made it all the more sweeter.

The last item from her pants came. A small, at least for its type, cylindrical tube with a single wire and a smooth hub at the opposite end worked its way into her paws. Without looking up from the male's stomach, she inserted it into his rear and squeezed her paw on the other end. Electrity surged. The device began to vibrate, pushing against his inner muscles... he cried louder. Little tears of ecstasy poured down his face. 

She ran it faster, harder, letting it jar is body with its surprising strength as her lips wrapped around the base of his shaft. It wasn't long, not long enough to hit her throat, but it was thick enough to travel with her tongue without getting bored... it tensed, swelled, and she drove him to the breaking point. All of her electricity forced into the device, so much that she worried it might short out, but his whole body seemed to vibrate from the force, and so she continued. 

Salt lost it, finally, and moaned long and loud, one last final time before he erupted. Becca purred to herself as she downed gob after gob of hot, sticky zigzagoon cum. And when she had her fill, she'd pull back to let the excess splatter on her face. While she removed the vibrator from him, she licked her lips and smiled coyly. 

"How was that?" she whispered, waiting for his response. It came through sharp, labored breaths, the zigzagoon squirming in his bonds. 

"I... it was... am... amaz...ing... mistress..."

Becca laughed and stretched her arms high, showing off her figure. The night had just begun... it was going to be long, and quite memorable.

#

Some hours had passed. The bedroom was a total mess, amounts of liquids spilled all over the sheets. Becca was impressed at just how much 'punishment' that Salt could take... she'd sucked him off, brought him by paw, several times, and even improvised a strap-on to ride him till he begged her to stop, and that took as much effort as she could muster. He admitted to playing with boys, and so she let him take her in the ass, just for fun... but she hadn't had hers yet. And she wasn't going to let him touch her dripping, aching cunt... not until he was ready, not until she was ready, and the first embrace of her slippery flesh would be his shaft buried firmly inside of her. 

It was torture to her, too, to wait so long... but it was just as rewarding to relieve him of his inexperience in such a way... and wet as she was, it was going to be delightfully easy. 

Several hours since their intial pairing, the moment had finally come. She rode him wildly, hips not leaving his since the moment she forced him to penetrate her. The zigzagoon was a complete and total mess, and a little drool rolled down his chin. He was adorable, and she was fucking him senseless.

Salt was sensitive in his inexperience, and torturing him had driven her to the point of breaking, so their climax was quick, abrupt, and powerful. As their juices mingled in the peak of passion, they heard a faint beeping from their uniforms. Becca pulled away, sooner than she'd have liked, and answered her communicator. 

"Becca here," she said harshly, her ears against her skull. "You know you're only supposed to call during an emergency."

"This is an emergency," Black replied, unphased by her reaction. "Neither Kai nor Cel has reported in as they were supposed to. We tried to get ahold of them, but there was no response... and the federation is swarming the forest, so we can't break cover. I can patch through communications without risk, but that's it. You'll have to go check on them yourselves. To make things worse... no, nevermind, just go get them. Let us know what you find as soon as possible."

Becca felt her stomach sink. They'd been on the run all the way until they'd touched down, and now things were starting to fall apart at the seams. She quickly untied Salt and bid him to dress.

"I heard," he said, dropping their game of pet and prey for the time being. "It will take us twenty minutes by vehicle."

"Steal a damned hovercar if you have to," Becca scowled beneath the uniform as she slid it on. "This concerns the safety of our crew. No one else matters, now."

#

Celeste woke with a start, unable to move. Although the poison had worn off, something seemed to have locked him from control of his body. As if his very mind had betrayed him. Slowly he gathered his surroundings, that he was on his knees, naked. Before him stood a protrusion of stone slab, and on either side of his muzzle, creamy pink thighs. Before he could so much as think, his head started to move upwards.

"Good morning, my little sunshine," a beautiful voice cooed. "My, you're up sooner than I would have liked. I was beginning to enjoy myself, too..."

A deeper tone of pink met him as his nose rushed past the mew's cleft, and then her toned stomach, sizable breasts... until his gaze met hers. It was deep, kind, unbridled... and yet at the same time, twisted. He could tell from the very grip she had on his mind that she was utterly crazy. 

"Aren't you going to greet us?" She continued, gesturing across the room in front of her, although Celeste could not turn to look. All he could do was watch as she projected to him the image of the narrow corridor, her on her throne, and their audience. Grim, the female arbok, and his sister all watched in silence as their mistress played with her new toy.

Celeste couldn't respond, whether he would beg or curse her, for she had locked his tongue down. Regardless, she frowned and glowered down at him.

"How dare you not answer me? Perhaps a little friendly reminder of who you are dealing with shall make you more eager..."

For a moment, he went cold with fear, wondering what horrific things would come of him. Instead, he sensed the female raichu moving over him. Normally dressed as she was, she carried a long leather whip, tipped at the end with a small barb. She lashed once, with expert precision. Celeste screamed as the small point tore a tiny crimson line down his back.

Again and again it fell. Sometimes the bulk of the braids would strike him between the shoulders, leaving him with a dull ache and breathlessness. Others he was not so lucky as one small cut after another spread across him. Sharp squeaks, yelps, and whimpers fled from him as he tried in desperation to answer, but couldn't. The small group laughed coldly at his plight, and his suffering soon turned to anger. Deeper lashes turned that into helplessness, until he was mentally begging for mercy, and let out along, pathetic 'raiiiii...' 

"I suppose that will have to suffice," the mew finally said, and snapped her fingers. Celeste's sister moved away as coldly as she had taken to torturing her sibling, and he slumped down on the cold slab before the insane feline.

"Now, I officially welcome you into my company... you may simply call me mistress."

Celeste refused to say anything, despite his torture. Then she lifted his body up, tilting it this way and that before settling it in her arms. She leaned down and planted a small kiss on his forehead.

"If you love me," she said, smiling sweetly. "I will love you... I will show you kindness and wonders unparalleled in the universe." As she spun him this way and that, he stared back, dumbstruck at her proposal. 

"Take me as a mate," she continued. "Bring me the technologies you carry, and we could rule the entire universe together..."

At that time, Celeste was grateful he didn't know the secrets of the ship on which he resided, lest she pry them from him right then. Still, the offer made him feel sick. How could she exude such warmth and serenity when she had such a twisted vision? She could see into his mind, sense his thoughts, sense his resolve, so there was no use trying to hide it. Here, he would have to show his true intent.

"I would rather die first," he said sharply, and would have spat if she'd allowed him. "To think that you would turn me against my loved ones and try to steal me... it will only be achieved in your dreams."

There was a collective cringe in the room, and Celeste expected to feel his skull implode on itself. Despite the sinking feeling, she simply shrugged and lowered him between her thighs once more, body slouched forward.

"I just wanted to hear it from your lips," she crooned and stroked his hair. "That's why I want you, after all. Unerring loyalty. Resourcefulness. Courage in the face of complete and utter hopelessness."

Celeste felt her control on his body release entirely, and he slumped forward between her legs, where an invisible telekinetic cushion caught him.

"That's why I want you to do it of your own volition," she purred, shoving her crotch towards his face. "I know you'll refuse. But you have a fiancé and child waiting... and I will break you unless you make me cum."

The raichu's heart sank. Once more being faced with the rank duty of being a slave... something he promised to leave behind. And yet, as he felt her mind against his like gentle fingers, he knew that she could simply rip him apart at the slightest desire. 

Whimpering he put his muzzle against her warm mons and began to lap at her labia, spread by the power of her mind. That power also caressed him, made him swim in a field of ecstacy and pleasure, but he could not fight off the immense guilt. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he buried his nose into her slit.

She moaned and writhed in pleasure. Celeste's efforts were too strong, wanting to bring her off the same moment, but she reveled in how easily she bent him to her will. Musk and honey coated his muzzle, mingling with the salt of his tears as he pushed firmer, deeper. Any depth he could strain to, any bit he could stand to suckle or nibble, he would.

For a time, he tried to visualize Serah... the deep fur of her crotch tickling and cushioning his face as he tasted her sweet confines. The mew, too busy with her own crazy pleasures and worried about breaking her pet so soon could not sense his thoughts, and so he lost himself in those images. In his heart, he was going down on the one he loved. For a time, he almost enjoyed it, teeth softly brushing at her clit, lips caressing those of her sex... for that, he was willing to submit, and she was too consumed to acknowledge it. 

A sudden dash of moisture to his face and the pleasurable spasms of the mew's body brought stark reality back to him. And with it, a strong guilt, but his job had been done. She simply lolled back in her makeshift throne and allowed him to fall to the cold hard floor.

"Ooh... I can't take anymore. Leave my chambers, all of you... I need some time to recover."

Celeste felt his body moving once more, floating through the air until he settled down into Grim's arms, the persian's claws just grazing his fur.

"Take him to his holding," she commanded airily. "Torture him how you will, but do not damage him, or I will do far worse things to you. And, Grim, honey, take some notes from him if you will. If you could move your tongue the way he does his, you would be unparalleled."

The persian simply grunted and hefted Celeste, tramping off after the others down the dark corridor. As Celeste learned upon his arrival, you did not speak unless asked to, and you held your thoughts as secretly as possible. And although Grim seemed to sigh a small bit of relief as they exited into a long, dim hallway, his sister said nothing. Simply vanished into one of the doors.

"What's... up with her?" Celeste asked hesitantly, and Grim shot him a glare, as if willing him not to speak. However, he still answered.

"The mistress can control one person completely," he explained, voice quiet and calm. "Though all of us here fear her, she cannot extend her grip to so many people without losing control of her own mind. So she simply keeps one to do her bidding, and... coaxes the rest of us, as I'm sure you've become familiar with."

Celeste opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. They turned another corner as he sighed to himself. So his sister didn't hate him, but rather, had lost herself completely to this mad woman's control. That in itself welled up in him, and he wanted to cry again. Cry? No, he wanted to do something, anything to free her...

"It can't be helped," Grim continued, as if sensing his thoughts. "She will release her when she has no use for her. Although she is violent... she does not waste her energy unnecessarily." He turned his eyes down to Celeste once, as if trying to offer some solace. "When she is done with your sister, she will be released, her mind in the same condition that it was taken, if with a few... sour memories."

Why is he trying to comfort me? Celeste thought, sighing. It's strange... as if he doesn't even want to... well, I can't fathom that anyone would voluntarily help such a monster, short of being lost to some twisted fetish.

At the end of the final hallway, just as featureless and mind-searingly identical as the last, Grim opened the last door in the line and carried him into a dimly lit dungeon. Quickly, he closed and locked the door. Although the raichu could not escape, he did not release him until he placed him on the only piece of accommodation in the room: an inclined table with metal cuffs for the arms and legs.

The cat bound him there with an almost delicateness, looking him over appraisingly.

"You can speak as you want to here," he professed, voice a little lighter than before. "All of the walls in this place are made so that those inside are undetectable... mostly to prevent prisoners from contacting the outside world, and to prevent the outside world from finding our 'lady.' But it does work against her in some ways."

Celeste stared up at him, dumbstruck. Just whose side was the Persian really on? Cold metal caressed his body, sending shivers through him as he watched the enormous feline tug his pants down, flashing back to the first time that he'd been taken forcefully. All of those, he didn't think were too unpleasant. But there was no medical attention here, and no one to rescue him.

"You're not going to..." Celeste swallowed as the large, spined shaft started to push out, and Grim rubbed it slowly over the raichu's belly fur.

"No," he purred, long and low, winking. "This is supposed to be torture. Giving you what you want... would certainly not fit the bill."

Forcing a laugh from his lips, Celeste breathed a sigh of relief to himself. He even giggled a little as the nearly foot-long monster smeared the pads of his paws in precum, slickening the space between his toes. Grim moaned as he stroaked himself off, slowly, the silky fur of the raichu's feet brushed across the underside.

"So why are you here?" he asked, surprisingly casual for the manner in which Grim was treating him. For torture, it was certainly amusing, if enjoyable. "Shouldn't you be..."

"There are enough marks on you, physically and mentally, so much that that bitch could not tell the difference." Grim groaned as he pushed up against Celeste, just teasing the fur of his posterior. "But I should smear you in my scent, just to make the point. As for your question..."

At full arousal, the kitty's shaft felt more like a small club than a sexual organ. Still, Celeste reveled in the warm, musky dick as it traced over his fur, occasionally poking at his cheeks, evoking another giggle from the raichu. At last he settled at the large golden and brown paws and rubbed the length of his shaft in full strokes over one.

"I was young, homeless, and hated the world. I wanted revenge. My family was a local crime organization on this planet, kicked me out because I was a little too... direct. Too ruthless. Miss bitch queen here, though, thought I'd make a good addition to her little collection. Being the fool I was, consumed with anger, in awe of her power, joined willingly. I suppose I owe my sanity to that.

"But I've learned a lot about the universe... and the last thing I want is that crazy sadist running it."

"Then why are you helping her?" Celeste asked, curling his paws to catch the head of Grim's shaft, caressing it with the pads of his feet. "You don't seem the type to..."

"She can break anyone in half with a single thought," Grim grunted, then glowered at him. "Could this wait? I'm kind of trying to..."

A bit of a grin came over the raichu, and he nodded, letting the feline do as he willed with his paws. He worked the slick spots against his glans, pushing and circling within his bonds. Once, he attempted a spark, and, finding that his imprisonment did not insulate it, he applied a bit of current to the enormous shaft. Already weak from traveling clear to his paws, the electricity was well fit for stimulation.

Grim twisted to the left, and the right. The voltage that embraced his shaft worked its way through his body, like thousands of little fingers stroking, vibrating, each warm stroke but a brief moment until the next one followed. He thrust up against Celeste's paw, even bruising them on occasion until he finally lost it. 

The feline hissed and purred as his orgasm hit. The first shot coated Celeste's paw, and then he moved to unload spray after spray of hot semen across his body. White splotched upon white, and gold, and brown as Celeste gathered a nice coating, and the rest settled on his face with a warm splash. As Grim recovered from the moment, Celeste licked what he could off of his face.

"Now..." Celeste purred, trying to ignore his own arousal at this point. "Why not join us? You don't like it here, and although you've done some awful things in the past, I don't think it's by your will..."

Grim looked as if he'd just been stuck with a hot poker. "I... I couldn't comperehend trying to go up against her, you know that. 

"Of course." Celeste shrugged as best as he could. "But you know that my crew will be here to rescue me in just a matter of time. They may be incompetent at times, but they're loyal to no end, and just as skilled when they put their hearts into it."

"Yes, I recall your... daring little crew." Grim rolled his eyes. "No doubt they will find you, and then what? How will they overcome her, especially since they have no idea what to expect?"

Celeste shuddered. If they came to rescue him, and didn't know of the Mew's power, they'd be broken almost instantly. But they did have one advantage...

"If you can get in contact with my ship, and let them know what awaits, Kai will have a plan. We have the upper-hand if the ship is on standby."

"And if your crazy plan doesn't work?"

With a sigh, Celeste tried his best to look threatening. "Would you rather spend the rest of your life bending over for some psychopath!? If this goes... if I lose them..." His courage seemed to melt away and was replaced with pleading. "I... couldn't go on. I'd egg that bitch into killing me... or have you... or..."

A sharp growl cut him off. "Don't. Talk. Like. That." Grim slapped his cheek lightly- or what he deemed lightly, as the heft of his paw still stung. "My pride has not died, and I won't let you give up like a little bitch. Ruthless as your captor is, she's over-confident and delusional. Doesn't monitor any of the goings on. I'll get your message sent, but then it's all out of my hands. Don't fuck up."

Celeste smiled gratefully, then sighed to himself. That was the prayer that he would be murmuring again and again to Kai. One wrong move...

Grim flinched as if he'd been stung, and then glanced to Celeste.

"I believe my time here is up," he said dryly. Celeste froze, but he shook his head. "No, she isn't engaging me telepathically, I just realize that I've stayed too long. Your secret is safe."

"Thank goodness..." Celeste phewed. "And... what about me?"

Again the persian shook his head. "You're to remain here for the night. If anyone should come to check on you, don't say anything. They can't hurt you without our mistress' permission, and my scent should erase any doubts they may have." He smirked. "It's a pity, but I probably won't get a chance to torture you again."

"Such a pity," Celeste echoed nonchalantly. "Are you at least going to-"

"No, you'll have to stay in those," Grim chuckled. "I'm sure you'll get used to a life in chains, here or there."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing at all, chu boy." Grim pulled his pants up and waved as he turned and left the room. 

Before the raichu could reply, the door slammed shut. Darkness settled upon him, and he couldn't see but an inch in front of him. In abyss he, he swam, tugging at his bonds weakly. How would he sleep, held upright and nude against the cold steel? His sneeze echoed in the dark chamber. Only exhaustion would see him to slumber.


#

A sudden flash of light brought Celeste straight from sleep. He tried to cover his eyes, but could only tug at the bonds that held his wrists, and so he had to shut them for a moment before he could see just who loomed over him next. As the blurs faded away, he gawked at the doorway. There, leaning against its frame, was Serah, his furret mate... but something was different.

Instead of the nice, girlish look that she usually carried about her, she seemed incredibly smug about her presence. She'd shed her modest clothing for a tight leather corset that barely covered her sizable breasts, and cut off just below her hips, after following the slight curve of her tummy. Celeste didn't know whether to yell in shock or joy, but the very sight of her made him drool.

"S... Serah?" He whispered, hoping that she was truly here, and then shook his head. "I thought you were to wait on the ship!"

She glowered at him and stepped down into the cell, sliding the door shut once more. The dim light flicked on. As she stalked over, she put one hand on her hip and peered down at him.

"I was, until you went and got yourself into trouble, dear. You think I would just leave you?"

"N-no, but... it's not safe..." he stammered.

"Obviously."

"That's not really the issue, right now. How did you find me?"

Serah smiled coyly and reached down to seize the base of his tail, rubbing it firmly between a thumb and finger.

"I'd put a molecular tracer on you," she explained, grinning as he squeaked beneath her grip. As she continued, she rolled her thumb against his sensitive tailhole, pressing just so that it would not push in. "This little hell hole blocked the signals, but it was easy to tell where you were, from where you were last detected. And here I am."

Celeste moaned, and then recollected himself, his ears folding against his skull. "So you came alone?"

"I wasn't going to just leave you here while they fixed Kai up," she retorted, moving a paw up to seize his balls. "Grim let them know where we are, and is... keeping that psychotic mew occupied."

A sense of dread and guilt overtook him at the mention, and he looked up at her piteously. "How... much do you know?"

"I'm not blaming you for what happened," she said almost immediately, her touch turning gently to his chest. "It's such a horrible thing, how often it is that one abuses you... it looks like they put quite a number on you, too."

For the first time since he'd been put into bonds, he looked down at himself, thoughtfully. Both his back and front side stung to remind him of the punishment his sister had dealt. His fur was cut and marred in several places, turned rough in others, and red stains still tainted his form. It was also then that he noticed that, in spite of all of his worry and grief, his pink chu-cock was standing firm and full against his stomach. Serah's gaze followed his, her expression returning sly once more.

"Although I have to admit I rather admire their sense of aesthetics..." she purred as she wrapped her silky fingers around his shaft and gave a gentle squeeze. Celeste moaned and gawked, unable to believe his ears. "We've some time. It would be a pity not to take advantage of this..."

He stared up at her as she licked her lips. "Serah...?"

"Oh, you know I've always wanted to tie you down like this," she purred, pushing the wet tip of his member against his stomach. "Remember back at the academy, when we were kids...?"

Celeste's eyes couldn't get any wider. "We were playing house."

"We were playing cops and robbers," she corrected coaxingly, leaning down to kiss the sweet pre off of his tip. He let another shuddering moan. "And I would have fucked you senseless then, if the teachers hadn't caught us. But I was still your first woman, so it was better late than never..."

"I... I can't believe you're saying this... at a time like this... in such a place..."

"Can't you?" Serah laughed, then began to feel about the metal table upon which he was stuck. "Now, let's see... if my intuition about this bitch's torture methods are right..."

Celeste heard a click, and feared the worst. Beneath him, he could feel the frame of the 'bed' wheeling out, and his vision slowly directed towards the ceiling. A little more flexible than he expected it was, too, because by the time she'd finished adjusting it, his body was arched upward until it hurt. Then he heard the sound of leather upon leather, and he strained to peer up. At that angle, his cock hindered his vision of her, but he did recognize the crack of a whip, and shuddered.

"Doesn't it excite you?" She purred down at him. "We've a few minutes yet, until the rest get here... and I think you'd enjoy a little more torture until then."

"W-wait... please..." Celeste whimpered as he heard the first lash cut the air, and bit his tongue as it left a welt beneath the fur of his chest. She lashed again and loomed over, one hand on her hip.

"Oh, come on, dear... you know you like it. Consider it repayment for what all happened here, and for leaving me behind. Now... whose bitch are you?"

"Y... yours!" Celeste cried out as the hot stings landed on him once and again. "I'm your bitch, Serah... do with me whatever you please..."

"Mm. You would make me ask?" She chided, and the leather struck his thighs, dangerously close to his balls. "Do I need permission?"

"N-no! I'm just saying so..."

Another lash. "Mm... do you want me to abuse you?"

Celeste's eyes watered, between the whipping and the strain of steel against the curve of his back. But it was Serah, there with him. She loved him, trusted him, and he felt the same with her... and each stroke of leather left him feeling joy paired with that pain. For reasons he could not explain, he enjoyed it. It was as if each painful strike was an affirmation of their love, and he whimpered for more. "Yes! Yes, Serah... beat me raw if you want, just don't ever leave me!"

He flinched again, expecting another lash, but it didn't come. Some moments passed where he tried to look up, but couldn't hear a thing. Instead, she heaved a sigh, tossed the whip aside, and threw her arms around him.

"Though you and I both may enjoy inflicting wounds on that beautiful body of yours, I would never want to do you any lasting harm. I would hate myself for it."

Celeste stared up at her. He would have embraced her were it not for his bonds, nor that the space between the rack and his spine was increased rather painfully by her paws. But he took solace in nuzzling at her form, if weakly, and she placed kisses all about him.

"I know you would... and so I could never do such a thing to you," he murmured around her muzzle. "These things heal... I love you far too much to leave any lasting damage to your heart. I fear I already have..."

"I worried so much when you were lost..." She said as she finally lay against him. The leather dug into his stomach, but he didn't complain. "And yet... being here with you takes away any wound, any pain that arose since... even from that witch raping you..."

"I feel the same way..."

Serah nodded and kissed him one more time, her paws wandering his form. "Mm. You look so beautiful, beaten and trapped like this... maybe you wouldn't mind running the occasional simulation, sometime. That way I could get away with a lot more without marring your precious body..."

"C... certainly."

"So precious," she cooed, administering an affectionate nibble to his neck. "Best not to... waste this time."

"Are you sure?" Celeste squeaked, nuzzling at her ears. "Oughtn't we get to-"

A long, piercing 'CHYA!' cut off his words as he whimpered pitifully. Serah had bitten into his neck harder, this time- enough to draw blood. He whimpered, and couldn't help some elation as she preened his neck clean.

"No, my lovely little chu..." she murmured, leaving the two little red spots on his neck as she kissed up to his muzzle again. "You've been suffering a lot for this, and you really need release..."

Celeste groaned as her soft paw descended over his shaft, squeezing it gently. After a day long of torture and no release, he was quite pent up. It could have been worse, he knew, but he was helplessly pushing up towards Serah's paw.

"And besides..." She cooed and undid a couple clips on the leather suit. He could hear her drop part to the floor, and soon the warm embrace of her lush pubic fur fell upon his shaft. "This is too exciting of an opportunity to waste..."

The furretess bore down upon her mate, nuzzling his cheek one affirming time before she pulled herself taut. Her paws clasped his hips as she straddled him, and one spared a moment to angle the curve of his cock neatly up against her entrance, deep in her soft, silky fur.

"What's nice about here..." she cooed, just stirring her folds with the tip. "Is that you can scream my name as loud as you'd like, and only I will hear you..."

At that, Celeste could only stare. She held him helpless, towering over him... he could only watch her lustful face as she slowly lowered herself onto him. He moaned, and did not indulge her then but for the immense joy that consumed him when she coupled with him at last. Hot, silky, slippery flesh wrapped around his and fur twined with fur for a long moment as she rested with him hilted inside of her. The moment seemed to wash away all of the world.

Then she gripped him and raised again, expertly holding but the tip within her labia before she pushed down again, driving him much firmer this time. She squeezed his hips together, extending and straining the length of his shaft as she rode it against her cervix. Gasps and moans escaped her as she squeezed down upon him, working his crotch into a wet mess. And as she gained her balance, her paws trailed... up his side, up onto his chest, where she propped herself for a few loving moments.

The fear, the excitement, the rejoicing all bore into Celeste, bringing to him new energy as he forced his body's limits in returning thrusts into his mate. Still she beckoned him in, riding him with one forceful thrust a time, pinning him between soft fur, hard leather, and cold steel. With a thumb and finger she caressed the ridge of his ear, and grinned in delight as she could already feel the effects, his swollen cock producing quite an increased amount of pre. 

"You know I've all sorts of amazing little toys that we could play with when we get back..." she cooed, continuing to rub at his ear. He blushed and moaned... he had to escape. Had to. No matter what, though, he'd be with her. 

Lewd slurps echoed her thrusts, each moment of pent up longing working their way through him... she stared down at him commandingly and grinded against his hips harder, rubbing his ear more firmly. The furret's tunnel wrapped around his swelling member as it pushed in and out, never quite leaving it.

"Serah..." He purred up at her, answering her silent request in each exhale, each moment that he pounded into her. Again and again as the tension welled in his body and pleasure shook him, and she teased that spot on his ear that only she knew so well. 

"SERAH!" 

His cry was accentuated by that she pierced the tender folds of his ear with a claw, sending a sudden shock through him that caused him to climax in an instant. She purred loudly and echoed his calls as his dick suddenly swelled and erupted, and his seed started to fill her before slowly trickling down. On each pulse of his orgasm, the electricity he discharged vanished into his bonds. Her body convulsed and clenched beyond her control as her own honey splashed and dripped out onto him. And finally she slumped against him, holding him tightly.

"Sorry about that," She professed, nuzzling his cheek. "But I suppose you'd look cute with an earring or something..."

"Maybe..." he breathed, still in shock, and licked at her fur. "Do you think thatnow we should go?"

Serah nodded and felt about on the side of the machine... with a single click, all of the bonds released and he fell limp to her arms. She moved from the table, then, and held him delicately. For a moment, she sat him down to recover what she'd lost of her outfit.

"My clothes..." He looked about nervously, but she shook her head.

"Locked up somewhere with everything else. You'll have to go it nude."

Celeste rolled his eyes and blushed. Despite how happy Serah seemed of the notion, he hardly was enthusiastic of trying to make their daring escape in the nude. Sighing, he huddled against her. With a surprising amount of strength, she scooped him up and made her way towards the door.

"We're... we're going to be okay, right?" Celeste peered up at her. "Kai is coming, and..."

"Of course, sweetie," Serah crooned and pried the dungeon door open. "This whole nightmare will be over soon enough."

#


The two of them exited the dungeon just in time to see Kai barreling down the halls. He met Grim at the intersection, and before the feline could get a word in, he struck him in the face. A spurt of blood flew as his nose cracked, and Kai leapt upon him, tearing and beating and shocking.

"I've finally got ahold of you, you son of a bitch!" He screamed as he grabbed Grim's arm and twisted. There was a fierce crack as it broke, and the persian groaned out in pain, unable to move, both from paralysis and sudden assault. "I'll never forgive you for what you did to Celeste!"

"Kai!" The raichu jumped from Serah's arms and ran to him, pulling him away from beating Grim into a bloody pulp. "For the love of God, he's the one that saved me! He's the reason any of us can get out of here now! Stop it!"

"It's alright..." Grim chuckled, spitting up blood. "I've had worse things happen working for this bitch..."

Kai looked between the two of them, still fuming, but his worry for Celeste overtook him. All of the wounds they'd inflicted left him horribly scarred. Seizing him up into a hug, he sighed. "I can't believe they did this to you. Come on, let's get out of here."

"Grim is coming, too," Celeste protested. "He's on our side now. I owe him my life..."

For a moment Kai hesitated, glaring at Grim, but finally sighed. "Fine. I wouldn't trust the fucker one bit, but you've always been a better judge of character. Now come on. Let's go."

Serah leaned over to pick up Grim, who was barely able to move. Despite his size, she had little trouble hefting him down the hall. Before they reached the long stairway that led back to the surface, though, they encountered the mew. Smiling coyly at them, she held Celeste's sister close at her side.

"You really feel that way, Grim?" She murred. "A pity... daring rescue, folks. Certainly amusing. But now you're my toys... not much you can do about that, is there?"

Kai blinked a couple times, and just grinned up at her. She looked at him, long and hard, and then gasped in horror. Celeste blinked a couple times, and looked between them, as if he'd missed something. What had caused her to become so fearful?

"You... you wouldn't," she breathed and stumbled back. As she hesitated, Celeste made a run for his sister, but she deflected him with a simple push. Kai grinned and leaned his head back.

"Damn right I would, sister. If it weren't for Cel's sake, I'd have blown the lot of you right of the planet with the very technology you seek. Now give back the girl, whoever she is to Celeste, and get out of my sight. You may be able to break us with a thought, but if a single thing goes wrong, you're obliterated with the rest of this place."

The mew looked back and forth, panickedly, and then grabbed the female raichu to herself. "This isn't over, you fleabag! Next time we meet, it is I who will have the upper hand!" She dashed towards the stairs in a great panic, and, once she'd reached a certain point, vanished. Kai picked up Celeste and bid him to follow.

"There's one thing in the entire universe she fears, and that's what she's trying so hard to get for herself," Kai grinned, hoisting Celeste up as he started up the stairs. "And damned if I wouldn't use it against her. Let's get home."

"I have to admit, quillfox, I'm rather impressed," Grim laughed. "Not many can stare a crazy woman in the face like that and live to tell the tale."

"Y'seen Celeste on a bad Sunday morning?" Kai laughed, and the rest of them echoed, save for Celeste, who simply glared up at him.

"So where exactly did they hide this place, anyways?" Celeste murmured, dismissing the subject. As they reached the top of the stairs, they peered out into what looked like a shoddy restaurant smoking room. And as they pushed out of there, Celeste discovered, much to his deadpanning, that they were in the middle of an abandoned Denny's restaurant.

"... somehow, I'm not surprised," he droned. Kai reached for his communicator and sighed.

"Mission successful. How do things look there?"

"Not good," May said, sounding frantic. "I'm going to beam everyone aboard now."

Kai scowled. "Doing something that obvious will alert the federation to our presence right away. Could you-"

"Too late for that. Hold on, everyone."

Without warning, the transportation seized them. Each and every one of them dissolved into light, and vanished from the restaurant.

#

Everyone appeared on the bridge in an instant. Celeste huddled up into a ball until Grim tossed the raichu his trench-coat with his remaining good arm, and he donned it appreciatively. Kai took to the captain's chair and growled. Even as they spoke, the computers chattered with alarms. Their shields were slowly being penetrated by ground disruptor fire.

"Thanks to that whole episode, the federation knows exactly where we are. Somebody must have tipped them off."

"But who?" Celeste said as he slid into his own seat, glad to be back to it. "No one of the mew's associates would want to get anywhere near them."

"Doesn't matter," Kai grunted. "Serah, get us out of here and pull us into orbit. We're only going to get boarded if we stick around on the ground any longer. We'll figure something out when we get free of the atmosphere."

"Aye aye, captain," Serah replied. In a matter of moments, the ship was off of the ground and careening into space. They breeched the atmosphere without hindrance or obstacle along the way. However, when the view-screen displayed the space around them, everyone held their breath. An entire fleet waited for them, blockading any direction of escape. Celeste froze as he stared up at the display.

Kai rubbed his eyes. "Oh shit. That's the admiral's flag ship..."

"They're hailing," Umi said, peering up from her console. "Should I..."

"Looks like we've been caught red pawed," Kai sighed heavily and squeezed the arms of his chair. "We're gonna have a hell of a time getting out of this one. Put them through."

A few moments later, the view of space was replaced with the bridge of the commanding ship. Another raichu sat at the front of the bridge, paws wrapped so tightly against the armrests that it looked like his well toned frame was about to burst. He looked about twenty years older than Celeste, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"Greetings, Admiral," Kai exhaled, and then winced. He could almost swear he felt spit coming through the screen and onto his face as the raichu raged.

"How dare you to even think to address me after what you've done, you idiot! There are no exchanges to be had, no negotiations to be made. You're going to surrender and then hand over that prototype Starwave and my son, immediately!"

"It's mine, and it's the S.S. Junk Heap, Admiral," Kai replied dryly.

The raichu practically snapped his seat from the bridge as he stood up. "It is NOT yours! That technology belongs to the federation, and my son belongs by my side! If you do it now, I'll make sure that you're only spending a single lifetime in prison!"

Celeste flung himself from his seat, sparks flying from his cheeks. He swung out at the view-screen as if to threaten his father. "Shut the hell up, dad! I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"How..." the older raichu stared, unable to believe what he has heard. "How could you be taken with such a ruffian? How could you go along with such a scheme to steal from your own people? He's done nothing but lead you along... this isn't a game, Celeste!"

"He's my best friend, more than you've ever been," Celeste growled. "You're nothing more than a lapdog for the federation. You never took care of mother, or myself, or my sister! It's always orders, orders, orders... you don't even realize what the federation plans to do with this technology! It was my idea to steal the ship, and the crew agreed."

"Except for the few dozen that refused, and you had their memories wiped," his father retorted. "I don't care what addle brained schemes he's put in your head, I-"

"You just don't get it, do you?" Celeste hissed. "The federation wants to build an empire, using this prototype technology! Do you know how hard it was to remove any trace of its existence from the databases? If you take us back now, the whole universe will belong to the iron grip of the federation!"

"They're trying to make peace!"

"It's domination!"

The two of them seethed for a moment, until the admiral looked away with a disconnected look and gestured to one of the crew. A terminal began beeping frantically. Kuro looked up and said plainly,

"They've locked onto us. They're aiming for the engines." The ship shook as beams of energy threatened to cut through the field surrounding it. "Shields will only last a few minutes under what they're packing. What do you suggest we do?"

"Throw up the prototype shields," Kai replied promptly. "We have no idea if they'll work, but it's the one chance in hell we've got. And we're sure as hell not handing it over. Not with... Celeste?"

Celeste was looking at the floor, smiling to himself. "You know, dad... if you manage to shut this ship down, I'll blow it up."

Both crews seem to hang in disbelief at his words. The admiral shook his head.

"That's fucking idotic. As soon as the shields are down, I'm beaming you off..."

"It's already set," Celeste shook his head, growling to himself. "I won't hand it over. Set one paw in this ship, and there'll be nothing left of you but stardust. The federation can't have it. Give it up."

"... I'd think you'd learned better, by now. Continue firing, captain."

There was a bright flash, and then a shudder like an ancient pickup trying to come to life. Then, all about the ship, a semi-translucent blue field emerged. All of the shaking stopped, and the alarms ceased to sound. Celeste looked upwards.

"... they worked," he sighed in relief. Meanwhile, his father slumped down in his chair, fuming.

"You can't stay there forever, son," he growled. "I'll keep this fleet here until we develop the technology to break through, if we have to. I'm not letting you go!"

Celeste didn't say anything. Instead, he walked back to the terminal and shut it off. Soon, there was a volley of attacks. All varieties of energies struck the shields, but they would not collapse. Celeste beckoned Serah over, and they shared a seat as they all sat in thought.

"... even if we replicate enough energy and resources, we can't just sit here forever," the raichu finally admitted. "They'll break through eventually. What's to keep us from running?"

"We may have more advanced technology, but the flagship will outrun us," Kai peered over. "We just barely adapted the prototypal energy creation for the shields. Using it for propulsion will likely just get us killed."

"Maybe we can take out their engines?" Celeste shrugged. "We could make a run for it then."

"With what? We'd have to lower the shield."

"Won't the creation cannons or whatever pierce it?"

Kai looked up thoughtfully, swiveled to a nearby console, and began running a few analysis. "I... suppose. In theory, the shield would patch itself the moment the beam stopped. Yes, it could work...! No, damnit. Even if we shut down everything but life support, we'll come up short."

Grinding his teeth, Celeste reluctantly separated from Serah and moved back. He gently moved Umi and May away from the console, and then opened the panel beneath it. 

"What are you doing?" Serah rushed after him, worriedly, but he beckoned her away.

"This is tied up to the main system converter. If I pump it with enough energy, we'll be able to get at least a shot off, won't we?"

Kai grimaced and stood as well, heading for the back of the bridge to join them. "It could work, but it's too risky. You shouldn't..." he looked at Serah, but Celeste shook his head insistently.

"This is my thing. What's the worst that happens? Conduit overloads, I get a joy buzz, maybe knocked across the room, we're SOL. Do you have any better ideas?"

"No..." the jolteon shrugged bitterly. "But there are others who could..."

"I have to do this. This is my fault, my father, and I'm not putting anyone else on the line. Please, give the order to switch over systems and prepare to fire."

With a heavy sigh, Kai threw his hands up. "Fine, kid, but if anything happens to you, I'm giving you hell for it. Umi, switch over all auxiliary systems. Kuro, prepare the quill for firing. Hang on, everyone. This might be our last shot at freedom."

The lights dimmed and the ship seemed awfully quiet for a minute. Celeste nodded to Kuro, who began flicking through the console quickly. With a resigned sigh, the raichu removed a maintenance cover from one of the main lines and grasped it with both paws. The sensation was awful. The lights flickered and his body felt like it was being sucked into the ship in its entirety. No pleasing sensation was every last drop of his electricity rushing into the ship, and when there was none left, he heard a faint beep from the nearby console.

"Now, Kuro!" Kaishi roared. "Fire the quill!"

Several things happened at once. Celeste flew back from the open station from the ensuing release of energy. Serah braced his fall as all hell broke loose. The ship trembled and creaked, and finally a heavy beam pierced forward, through the shield protecting the ship. It flew through space, towards the flagship, and there was an explosion. Everyone held their breath until Kuro sighed despairingly.

"Missed. Damnit, we missed! Our guidance system got muddled by the sudden power surge... wait, what the hell? They're moving away. They're moving quickly. ... they're hailing again, but audio only. Should we ignore them?"

Kai shook his head and ran to the front of the bridge. "No, this is too odd. They're not... damn! Put them through."

Only a second later, Celeste's father was patched through, almost foaming at the mouth by the sound of it. "You... you... do you see what you've done!?"

"Missed your sorry ass, apparently," Kai droned.

"Your idiotic quips aside, use your eyes, damnit! You tore open a spatial anomaly that's threatening to suck everything in! Our engines can pull us out of it, but.... Goddamnit Kai, lower your shields, now. I'm beaming my son out of there."

Moments of dead silence, then Celeste lifted his head and swallowed. "You mean... we opened a so-called worm hole."

"Yes! There's no time! If you go in there, you'll be torn to shreds! Just have that idiot lower the shields so I can-"

"Listen," Celeste interrupted, his tone low. "I'm... staying, father. The shields might hold us through it, and there are those I'm not going to abandon."

"What..."

"This is my crew, dad. I may be second in command, but I still feel responsible for all of them. In addition to that, I... dad, I'm getting married. You remember Serah? We have a kid on the way. And nothing you or anyone says will make me abandon them."

"... so you finally... nevermind, we'll talk later... fine, I'll bring her, too, just-"

"You don't get it, do you?" Celeste said, smiling in spite of their situation. He could already feel the ship being pulled towards the rip in space. "It's not just them. Everyone here, I don't want to abandon. They're my family just as much as you are, and you are perfectly fine."

"... you know, you've really grown to be a lot more than I've expected of you. Theoretically, that wormhole will dump you somewhere if those shields hold together..."

"I wish things could have turned out some other way. Look, I don't have much time. My sis... er, your daughter is in danger. She's being held captive by some crazy mew... I'm sure the federation has files on her somewhere. She seemed bent on getting this ship... just like..."

"That's enough. We'll do everything in our power to rescue her. Look, there's no time left... you... if you ever... *Fzskt* ... Celeste... sorry..."

"Just don't do anything stupid, dad. I love you. Look, take care of yourself... there's no time left."

"Ce... ou too... there's still..."

"Turn it off," Celeste sighed, and wrapped his arms around Serah. The bridge silenced, and they all stared at the screen. Quickly they approached the breech, which only showed as a huge distortion... a funnel of light with a black center and no end to it. Even with the shielding, the ship shook some as they neared it.

"Looks like this is it," Kai grinned and called over the communication system. "Guess what, crew. We'll be the first in the federation, maybe the universe, to survive going through one of these things. Convert all available power to the shielding. I'll see you on the other side." And finally, he turned back to Celeste. "We'll all make it through this, hold on."


Celeste nodded, and then huddled up to Serah. The two of them held one another as the ship shook more and more, and they finally entered the edge with a violent shudder.

"No matter what..." Serah murmured and brushed back his headfur. "I'm not leaving you. I love you, Celeste."

"I love you too, Ser-"

Everything went black, and Celeste heard something akin to an explosion. He felt as if he'd been thrown across the bridge, had his body split into a billion pieces, and then there was nothing for a long, brief moment.

#

When the bridge faded back into view, Celeste wanted to throw up. It was if he'd been torn from his body and had to watch helplessly as the whole universe spiraled down to a single point. Then once more everything was still, and quiet. Kai was the first to pull himself from the floor, sliding back into his seat. He had more energy than the rest of the crew, which could barely pull themselves up to their consoles.

Celeste's attention turned to the main screen display. Nothing but a field of stars, as far as he could see. With his paws braced on the side of the captain's chair, he stared at the jolteon. Although Kai grinned, the two of them looked weary. A simple three seconds of inter-dimensional travel had all but killed them. Finally, swallowed and gathered his courage.

"What's the damage?"

Kai looked to Celeste, and then up to May, who began to run through the diagnostic as quickly as possible.

"The ship is in one piece," she responded, much to Celeste's relief. "All systems are functional... that's unusual. There's a thirty percent decrease in ship mass... that shouldn't even be possible. And... oh god. Oh god..."

"What?" Celeste leapt from Kai's side and dashed up to May with a burst of energy. Were it not for Umi, he may have knocked her over. As he struggled against Umi's paws, he frantically repeated. "What happened?"

"We've lost..." she spoke as if her throat were dry. "Half of the crew vanished right after the jump. Simply... disappeared."

Celeste's eyes went wide, and he shuddered. "Lost? Ejected?"

"No... at the same time the rest disappeared. They weren't displaced. Simply... vanished."

A collective silence hung over the bridge. Celeste stared at the monitor, a list of names quickly scrolling by. He couldn't make out any of the names through the tears that blurred his eyes. As an officer of the ship, the loss already hit him... it was staggering. But something more cried out to him. Not everyone on the bridge was accounted for.

"Serah..." he whimpered. "Is she..."

Before any could respond, he reached for the communicator and began to call through every one of the sections. Some didn't even answer. Always the same question: "Is Serah there?" No time for formalities, no time for titles, just a repeated, desperate command for answers that went unbidden.

The tears broke from his face and began cascading down the mark of his cheeks. "It's a mistake. She's here somewhere, probably just ended up across the ship or something. I'll go find her myself."

"Celeste, wait!" Kai leapt from his chair, but was only halfway across the bridge before the Raichu vanished from the bridge. "Keep track of him," he commanded to no one in particular. May followed his progress as he bolted from one section to the other, systematically, tirelessly.

#

Kai made his way slowly through the corridors, alone. Celeste had stopped his search, and hadn't made a move for at least an hour. Just outside of Serah's room, the jolteon stopped and gently rapped on the door. No response whatsoever. The door's automatic lock had been overridden.

"Computer, open the door. Thundertail."

Accepting his odd command, the metal doors swooshed open briefly. He entered the chamber, and then let the doors lock behind him. It looked the same as it had the moment that Serah left it. Her suitcase had been half-opened and spilled out across the bed, revealing a collection of colorful outfits and other personal items. 

Celeste lay half-curled up on the floor with the bedsheets wrapped around himself. He huddled one of the dresses close, his arms wrapped around himself. As Kai went to touch him, he recoiled. The sheet slipped down, revealing the thin black leather collar about his neck. A small silver tag shone from the end, reading simply, "Serah's."

"I'm sorry..." he started, but Celeste recoiled once more and buried himself in her garments.

"This scent of her... it's all that remains, isn't it?" He said, voice soft and broken. "We were going to get married. Have a child. Start a family... but she's gone. They're both gone..."

Once more Kai tried to reach him, but this time Celeste pushed him back and uttered simply:

"Leave me alone."

The very words seemed to sting into him. His ears drooped, and he turned about to stare at Celeste. Certainly the Raichu was not the only one who had lost something, but it did not make the pain any less. The federation had been set back in their plans, but at what cost? And how long until that crazy mew bitch would find them?

No, Kai thought and clenched a fist. Fuck the universe. My crew comes first. And I couldn't bear to...

The jolteon sighed heavily and stopped at the doorway. Without looking back, he spoke. "Serah's still out there, somewhere. As is the rest of our crew. We're not moving this ship anywhere until we found out what happened, and then we're getting back every last fucking person we lost. Especially Serah. So... please hold on, Celeste."

His only response came in a sob. Kaisoku looked back once to his distraught companion and shook his head. "We're doing everything we can. Don't give up hope. And if there's anything I can do..."

Celeste just trembled. His body convulsed beyond any control he had, and the tears would simply not stop. Every last drop of warmth and life seemed to be devoid from him, and his chest felt as if someone had broken it in with a sledgehammer. With what shred of himself that remained, he beckoned Kai away. He couldn't bear to let his captain- no, companion for life- witness the pieces to which he fell.

When the doors slid shut, he slumped to the floor and bawled. In him the ship's second commanding officer had died. No more was he than an empty husk, soaking his lover's few worldly remains with his tears. Long, screaming 'rai's and 'chu's echoed through the abandoned corridor, a testament in his primal tongue of what had been lost.

He screamed until he could no longer draw breath, and shed his sorrows away until there remained not a tear in him. With paws and tail he squirmed and lashed out at the empty vastness of space that had so forsaken him, and then stopped. What seemed like endless, empty sleep would claim him. Unconsciousness, until he would awake to another day, empty and lost.

#

"Celeste...wake up, Celeste."

The words fell empty on his ears, kind as they were, but they persisted.

"Come on, you sleepy chu. Wake."

A familiar, sweet voice flitted through him as warm lips caressed the end of one of his ears. Long, chestnut paws circled his waist and embraced him. It had to be a dream, he thought. A cruel dream to perpetuate the nightmare that his life had become. But the numbness in him stirred. Even if it was a dream, he had to dare to open his eyes. A part of his heart, that which she had touched so deeply, began to burn.

He willed the room to come into vision. There, in the dim lights of the chamber, right before him, was Serah. Smiling at him as kindly as she always did. Holding him tightly, lending her presence and pulse to his own.

The warmth that she lent flooded through his body. Tears flowed fresh from his reddened eyes, and he sobbed in her shoulder, perpetuated by happy laughter and chus. He wanted to ask. How she came back. What had happened. But nothing truly mattered. She was alive, and he could sense that their child had made it as well. A fire consumed his spirit, and he was born again.

Serah cradled him close and surrounded him in her warm fur, not letting him slip away for a moment. Her muzzle brushed the velvety fur of his ear as she lifted the tag at his neck and whispered:

"Please forgive me for wandering... I'm home, now."

~Jolteon 5... concludes. Roll credits.~