Chapter 39: Blissful Utopia. [Light epilouge]

"many wish to go to the paradise world... I want to go there until our kind awakens to its folly and makes this world perfect for all, not just a single type."

-Bastion Emperorwolf.

the future trio took Uron's head and left for their own time, exchanging only a short, but sad goodbye with their families.

Bastion sat at a cafe with everyone, a brochure in his paw.
Lightningblazer was next to him on the table, looking at it.
"you're serious?"
"I am, LB..."

the Xlenians listened as the wolf made an announcement.
"we're going back home. back to earth."
Benson, now a Buki once more, sat beside Lily on the tabletop, nodding "makes sense, but can't you stay for the wedding?"
"no, last flight home leaves in an hour."

the two Earth-bound friends stood and left, calling out just before exiting the cafe "we'll be in touch!"

Kevin looked at the door after the duo had left "think they'll be okay?"
Benson nodded "they're survivors."

Bailey sat at a seperate table with his friends.
he sighed, ruffling the fur of Malcom on the table. the wolfdog was sad "so I guess that's that, huh?"
Zenef fidgeted "yeah... I dunno whether I should go with 'em or not."
Ciril adjusted is glasses "you see Mr Emperorwolf as family, right?"
Virlan, who was reclining on his sibling's muzzle, scoffed "uh, hello Cir, he is related."
Velian bat at an ear and stood, walking over to the husky.
"Zen, it's okay. nobody'd blame you."

Collin stood up from the floor in his pet form "you know, we should at least see 'em off."

---

the Xlenians caught up to the wolf and the blue equine at the astroport.
Lightningblazer held a ticket, but Bastion did not.
"what's going on?" Radin asked, confused "didn't he say they were going home?"

Zenef trembled in the Cambion's grasp.
"his home's different to Mr Lightningblazer's."

Bastion nodded "Lupinhiem, an empire in another dimension... ruled by yours truly." he said proudly.
Zenef jumped from the paws over to the balcony.
Bastion hugged him close as a firey purple gateway opened up.
"don't worry," he said smiling, twirling his old crown on his finger "we'll visit."
the gate enveloped them and they were gone.
they waved goodbye to Lightningblazer and left.

back home, Carl had Syrus, albiet nervously, examine his fangs.
"yup, you're a bloodsucker."
the leopard rubbed his throat "I'm a bit thirsty..."
the otter became nervous.
Carl hugged him "Sy, don't be like that."
the otter snuggled close "okay, okay. Vampire or not, I still love you~"
"Otilrac"
Carl became homunculus size and stood on his partner's wrist.
the otter rubbed his shrunken partner's headfur and grinned "okay, but don't take too much."

Radin, who sat nearby, sighed and rolled his eyes.
(my dads, always funny)

---

Benson, Lily, Virlan, and Giki-sized Ciril sat at home, discussing the option of moving.
"I mean, it's just Ciril that needs big stuff now, and that's only when he's using his size trigger."
Ciril took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, he understood his parents' logic... but he loved being able to use his giant size whenever he wanted.
they weren't Bi-sizers like him, they'd never understand.
but... he couldn't say anything. he didn't have the guts to go against his parents.
Ciril stiffened, Virlan was looking at him with downturned ears as his tail thrashed around behind him.
he knew. he knew what he was thinking. he could see it in his brother's eyes.
(oh no, please Vir, don't make a big thing outta this...) Ciril hoped.

"dad?" Virlan spoke, getting their father's attention "I think there's something on Cir's mind."
now everyone was looking at him, and he fidgeted in their gaze.
"Ciril, did you want to say something?"
he quickly shook his head, but his ears folded and gave him away.
they kept pushing, and he still refused to potentially anger them.
he quickly stood and ran to his room.

Benson looked on with wide eyes.
"what just happened...?"
Lily shrugged "no idea."
the fox stood "I'll go talk to him.

Benson descended the ladder built into the table and headed off to Ciril and Virlan's room, where he found the glasses-wearing foxcat huddled up in the furthest corner of the room.
"Ciril, son? you alright?"

the flourescent orange foxcat hugged his legs and bowed his head.
"y... yes, dad."
Benson didn't buy it.
"Ciril, whatever it is... you can tell me."
he patted at his son's paw and was hoisted into an embrace.
Benson didn't know how to react; the motion had been so sudden and fast, but incedibly gentle. had Ciril practised it somehow?

"okay, I'm not alright. I don't want to move; I love being able to be big whenever I want..."
Benson hugged at his son's chest "oh Ciril, you're far more developed than conventional five-year olds."
he could tell his son was blushing. "I... uh, well... I know I'm outnumbered here, but do we really have to move? it's nice here... isn't it?"
Benson sighed, this was the only place Ciril had ever called home...
but that wasn't the core of it.
"you really love this size, don't you?"
Ciril nodded "yeah... like this I can keep you guys safe..."
Benson chuckled and rubbed his son's chest "I've been through worse, son. your mum has, too."
Ciril lifted him to eye level and Benson found himself upon his son's muzzle.
"dad... I'm sorry for this, please don't be mad."
"do I seem mad to you?"
Ciril hesitated "... no?"
"no, son, I'm not mad at all," he hugged his son's muzzle "in fact, I completely understand."
"so we--?!"
Benson tapped Ciril on the muzzle and silenced him painlessly.
"don't fret, Ciril, we'll work something out."

---

Malcom strained his mind, focussing, homing in on a feeling.
"there!" he exclaimed, his eyes shooting open with his hybrid trigger glow and seconds later he vanished in a puff of blue flame.
Patrick smiled happily as his son materialised on his canine nose.
"well done! I don't think even I have control THAT well over this power!"
Malcom shuffled embarrasedly "d-dad you'll give me a big head..."
Felicia giggled in the chair opposite her father in the dining room.
"not like it wouldn't be an improvement!"
Malcom rolled his eyes and sighed "oh muzzle it, sis."

Patrick gently moved his son from his nose to the tabletop and looked out the big window overlooking the garden "I do miss your mother... but whenever I think about it, you two are me and her together... so I never feel..."
Malcom purred and hugged his father's handpaw "like mum's really gone, right?"
a tear formed in Patrick's eye.
"spot-on." he sniffled.
Felicia reached across the table and held her father's paw while her brother hugged it.
"were family, we all take care of eachother."
Patrick chuckled slightly "the Kyhbers aren't always the sharpest knives in the drawer, but we make a point to protect our friends and family"
his childern laughed "knife puns!"

---

it was another round of adult drinks at his father's bar, but Bailey only felt sad.
yes, the bad guy had been stopped, but the wolfdog couldn't shake his unease.
"Master Bailerich?"
he found Collin sitting on his knee.
"cheer up, everything's okay now."
he couldn't match the little white wolf's enthusiasm.
"Collin... I dunno why... but I just feel all twisty and sick inside..."
the wolf moved to press an ear to his master's belly.
"hmm... yeah, it's gurgling."
"What do I--?"
before he could complete the question, Collin was Giki-sized and hugging him.
"shhh," he said as he soothingly stroked Bailey's head "stars twinkle in the heavens, giving light from above. all's right with the world, and the world's alright."
Bailey cuddled up into his white wolf's warm hugging, listening to the calm, steady beat of his heart; a heart that had endured being human, then a Buki, then a titan-feral, and now a multi-size-shifter.
the rhythm of his heart assuaged all of Bailey's fears.
but then...

images flashed by in his vision.
images of pain.
of warfare.
of his friends fighting eachother.

he gripped his head and gasped, to which Collin groaned and rubbed Bailey's head slowly.
"I knew it; you get sudden visions of the future."

he looked at Collin desperately.

"yeah, I know, Master. I know. but don't be scared..."
Collin hoisted him into a friendly hug and gave a small lick to the wolfdog's face.
"I can teach you to use it"

---

elsewhere, a white rabbit stepped off the train onto a shiny silver terminal.
beyond the veil and windows, he could see the tiny Gentikans miling about their buisiness.
it was of course, Xavier.
he checked through customs on a digital screen, took a deep breath, and crossed through the veil into Gentiki via homunculisation.
slipping his new AAFSE devices into his ears, he walked out onto the platform, where a beaming squirrell in a wheelchair waited for him.
"Xave! there you are! I was wondering when you'd arrive!"
Xavier smiled and hopped into the waiting auburn paws and was carried to Jeremiah's face for a better look.
"hehe, yeah... sorry... customs are a nightmare!"
"d'aww... I'm sorry to hear that," he playfully teased his friend and gently prodded his chest with a careful finger "but don't you worry! I've been taking time to practise beng very gentle, so you'd be safer at this size."
the squirrell moved his wheelchair down the hall, letting Xavier sit in his lap.
"I've arranged for you to see something epic."
Xavier looked up curiously.
they entered into a colluseum-like area of the Cypher station.
"it's new! 'the red terror VS all challengers!'," Jeremiah said gleefully "turns out he's, as you'd say; Badass at brawling matches!"

(Next Chapter: Trials of Family and Friendship's Final Chapter! - Redeem thy sins [Dark Epilouge])