Original - With Wrath, the Fall

Kalvin - Chapter 7: The Golden One

We stopped outside of the bar. Yes, you may be thinking that the bar is only for adults. Which it is but the adults, law-enforcers, and teachers sign an agreement stating various things that allow for "exceptions". Pretty much it means that no law enforcement is allowed to get involved with campus issues except for the enforcing units of the campus itself.

"I'm telling ya go home. I swear on m' family's name I won't tussle." Keagan had been urging me to leave since I had caught up with him.

"Who says I'm here for that? As far as you know I'm here for other reasons." I figured he wasn't going to get into a fight, I just wanted to let loose after today.

"Well if I can't get ya to leave, I s'pose you'll stick around. Let's establish some ground rules." He stopped. Turning to me he held out a hand with a finger up. "One, don't be yourself."

"I can't promise that."

"Alright. Alright. Then be yourself but don't be a smartass. Keep your wits about yourself but don't be too sharp with that tongue of your's. I can't have the ladies wooed away by ya."

"Seems fair but no wooing my ladies either."

"Yeah. Yeah. Two," he extended another finger out, "we're gonna do this thing. Lane and I call it 'Snagging Your Fancies'. That means the attractive ones."

"I gathered that."

"I betcha. You get as many of 'em as you can, keep count. The goal is to get the most. You don't gotta sleep with 'em, not even a beast can keep with too many gals. You just gotta hook then release. You got that?"

As much as I disagreed with "hooking and releasing" I nodded.

"Good. Three, you gotta pick the golden one. It's the hardest to get. No matter when ya get that one you win."

"Okay. It's seems to be like a game of chess."

"Mhm. Let's go. We have some fun to be had."

Keagan opened the door. Instantly music and colorful lights illuminated the entrance to the bar. Much like the entrance to a heaven can be imagined just that this wasn't a heaven. In fact, it was far from that.

"After you lad."

"You know... for such a tough cat you seem rather kind all of a sudden."

He gave a sort of half-smile, "All I can say is that you've grown on me. Now get moving!"

Seems like such a short time for a child of Leo to accept someone but 'eh.

I stepped through the door. The bar was really not a bar. In fact it seemed more like a night club. There were men, women, and beasts dancing together, intermingling on a dance floor with a strobe. The people seemed upbeat, happy, and very much drunk.

I felt a paw on my shoulder. Keagan leaned so I could hear him better. "You spot your golden one yet?"

There were a great many attractive foxes but none had caught my eye, particularly. "None yet. You?"

He gave a nod. "I spotted my golden one a long time ago. I didn't expect to see 'em here though. Let's see if I can get them."

"Which is it?"

"That's one of the rules. I can't tell until they've been hooked. I can hint at 'em though. They're quite the looker."

"Really great hint my friend." He humored me. It was like he was a different cat entirely, not the bitter proud buffoon.

Is this the real Keagan?

"I'ma hit the bar. Do you want something?" I asked him.

"Nah. I'll get my own. I'll see you later. Don't forget the game." He walked away stopping only to give me a click of the tongue, snap, and point. "Good luck pal."