Manifold


Chapter 1




        Russet continued to rub his belly against the back of Erakir's head, delighting in the latter's discomfort as the polecat's fingers traced along the moogle's cheeks. The muddy texture of Russet's skin would have admittedly been kind of relaxing, had it not been for what was sure to follow.
        “That was quite the trick you pulled,” Russet grinned down at the moogle, arching his neck so that his upside-down head could gaze into the eyes of his victim. Erakir was finding it difficult to not laugh as his pom's position lined up with Russet's nose, making it appear that the latter had a fluffy blue nose.
        “It's not like I wasn't under the same conditions, kupo,” Erakir replied as the polecat's form began to slightly ooze over the back of his head. “It's a standard Chocobo Carnival Game. You win, you get to ride a Chocobo. The loser becomes the Chocobo.”
        Russet's fingers crept up behind the moogle, attempting to remove his jacket. “That's fine, but rigging the game so that you always win isn't fair,” Russet reminded him. “I'm only replacing the skunk I lost. You understand, don't you?”
        Erakir smiled. “Oh~ I do, kupo!” he cheered, pulling out a small battery-like capsule. “And I trust you'll understand when I do this~” The moogle reached back and pressed the capsule against Russet's body, causing it to sink inward. A powerful shock began to emanate from within the polecat's body, solidifying his tar-colored goo.
        “Oh wow, kupo! It worked!” Erakir clapped. “I was worried for a moment, kupo.”
        “Wh-What did you... do?” Russet wheezed as his body tingled. His body felt strange, foreign to even him. His breathing was ragged as if his lungs were being squeezed. He held out his right hand and gripped the air, trying to loosen it up. Every time he tried to melt down into his gooey form, another shock pulled it all back together and sapped more of his strength. Even moving was a difficult endeavor.
        Though he had the situation under control, Erakir grabbed some rope and tied Russet's arms against his sides. He picked up the polecat, wobbling as he tried to retain his balance. It wasn't the easiest task given the moogle's size.
        “Well, you tried to do something to me, didn't you? I don't suppose you wouldn't mind helping me out, would you, kupo?” Erakir giggled. His pom bounced as he carried Russet away, nearly stumbling more than once as the polecat squirmed every now and then the littlest bit he could.
        The fairgrounds were closed at this hour, so Erakir decided to take his prize home with him. He thrust the polecat on the back of a red-feathered Chocobo, using rope to ensure that Russet was securely fastened and would not be able to get away. Erakir hopped onto the mount's back, the Chocobo whining out a “Kweh!” as the moogle ushered it along by its reins. The bird took off, running in the direction that Erakir directed it.




Aira lounged atop a tree branch deep in his forest, enjoying the gentle breeze that was carried through the trees throughout the canopy, the scent of nature with it. Though he wasn't asleep, his eyes were closed. At this time of year there was rarely any visitors and the fox often found himself bored. That wasn't to say he didn't enjoy the time to relax. Plus, these days he had an apprentice around, allowing him to spend more time away from the forest on his own terms. He never had to worry about anything happening in his absence anymore, although there were mechanisms in place that it wasn't a problem to leave every now and then anyway.
        His eyes opened as his ears picked up an “Aira!” coming his way. He glanced down to spot a rather marked-up hare. Quinten was covered in less tattoos than usual, though at least three of limbs were displaying them proudly. He was mostly naked at the moment, only wearing his blue tank-top, thus suggesting that Quin had been in the middle of something before he came for the fox.
        “Hmm. What is it, Quin?” the fox queried, hopping down from the branch. His feet dug into the damp dirt as he landed. He noticed a bit of sweat above the hare's brow. He had been running. “What's wrong?”
        “It's... Nahcost,” replied the hare. “He's coming this way!”
        “Nahcost?” the fox blinked. “That's odd. Tsochan is one thing, but I don't think Nahcost himself has ever come here. Wonder what he wants...”
        “I don't know. I only saw him off in the distance,” Quin hummed. “Although judging by his speed, he should have been here by now.”
        “Unlike that demon, Nahcost probably has some form of respect for this place,” answered Aira. The fox tugged at his the pink dress shirt he most often wore and straightened it out. “I'll see what he wants. If he has the decency to not trespass, then he deserves that I at least confront him. You stay here.” Aira ruffled Quin's leafy hair. “Even if neither of us need to be here, it's good to have someone stay behind.”
        Quinten nodded his head and smiled. He bounced back through the trees while Aira saw to Nahcost.
        The vulpine found the angelic ferret awaiting his arrival on the forest's edge. As Aira had surmised, Nahcost had stopped just out the border where the treeline was at its thinnest. Aira observed that his normally white fur was less illuminating than the last time he met the ferret. Although Aira had only met Nahcost a couple times before, he definitely recalled the brightness not being so diluted. His blond hair was drooped forward, and his feathered wings a bit lackluster.
        “Nahcost?” the fox greeted. “This is an unexpected visit. Come to warn me about Tsochan again?”
        “It's Russet...” answered Nahcost. The fox noticed a strange roughness to his voice, as if the ferret was struggling to breathe. “I can't... He...”
        “Whoa! Calm down,” Aira replied. Just speaking was giving Nahcost pain. He did not appear to be injured or battle-worn, but Nahcost was speaking as if had just ran a marathon while dehydrated. “Just take deep breaths. Now what is this about Russet? Is he in trouble?”
        Nahcost did not answer, mainly because he was unsure about Russet's condition himself. He took a moment to figure out what he wanted to say.
        “He went missing,” the ferret finally explained. “This isn't like usual. Normally if something were to happen to him, Tsochan and I, and Garn... we know somewhat where he is and can at least determine whether or not he needs our help.” He continued looking down the ground. “I am ashamed to admit it, but we lost track of him. It is almost as if his connection to the Mind Home has been severed, yet we can still sense the faintest presence that he is still there.”
        “I see...” Aira responded. “I am sorry to say, but he is not here. Plus, even if I had done something to him, you would have been able to find him. The location of this place isn't easy to access, but it's not like I can stop that link of yours. I know better than to try and mess with Russet himself like that. He's gotten out of the few traps I played with him with before.”
        “That is not why I am here,” Nahcost announced, receiving a perplexed look from Aira in return. “I want you... to help us find him.”
        “Me?” It was not as if the fox was planning on refusing to help, but he was he surprised that Nahcost would seek him out to help him with such a thing. Nahcost stood up straight and showed-off that part of his body seemed to be melting into what looked like black goo. Aira blinked.
        “I don't know what happened to him, but it affecting us... ALL of us.” The angelic ferret looked away. “Even Tsochan is no more. Garn and Rufellen are currently tracking him, but I do not know how much time they have. Please, Aira! What happens to me is of no concern. I can be restored. But I need you to help us find Russet.”
        Aira had no reason to refuse the ferret's request. Though they had their playful spats, and although Tsochan and his minions had on more than one occasion threatened him and his home, Russet was his friend. He agreed to help.
        
        
Erakir sat in the lab part of the compound, a fairly high-tech setup covering the walls. It was strange to find such sophisticated technology owned by someone like him. It was clear from the start that the computer equipment did not originally belong to him. Russet could only assume where it came from and how the moogle got his hands on it. The polecat was trapped inside a large container of gel that resembled a giant lava lamp. Russet's form was mostly solidified at the moment, but this had served as a precaution among other things. Russet was still tied up inside the gentle with a helmet and a visor stuck to his head. It was the only thing keeping his body from sinking to the floor of the container.
        The moogle tapped on the glass.
        “I extracted a lot of information from my new Chocobo,” he giggled. “It is amazing what a few bags of Gysah Greens will get a soon-to-be Chocobo to say~” The computer program was already running on the nearby monitors. Russet's body twitched as he felt several tiny pricks picking at his brain. “He told me all about you and this Home Mind thing, kupo! It's like one big computer, right? If I control you, I will get a lot of new Chocobos! Way more than the once-a-year carnival game brings in.”
        Erakir went back to the monitor check how things were proceeding. He knew a few things about them, but he was not the most adept when it came to computer and lab equipment. He looked out a one-way window to a pasture where several different-colored Chocobos were grazing. One of them had a rather unusual pair of glass strapped to its head. The moogle giggled and thought about how great it was he got the man to expand the bet further to include this lab. He learned all about the lab before he worked his moogle magic to turn the unfortunate soul and all his colleagues into Chocobos. A deal was a deal, after all!
        Another Chocobo crossed the window with a moogle holding the reins. “All my friends just love Chocobos, kupo! They come to play from time to time.” He paced back to the chamber housing the polecat and grinned.




Nahcost had taken Aira as far as he could go. Unfortunately, the ferret's body just could not hold out any longer and had dissolved entirely into goo. Aira had been to Rufellen's laboratory before, so he knew the way. The blue-furred squirrel was seen wearing a suit of black armor when Aira arrived. It reminded the fox of a certain comic book superhero with how snugly it fit his body and the overall intricate design of it. Rufellen was panting, but compared to the ferret he seemed far healthier in nature.
        “Aira?” the squirrel inquired aloud. “I see. So that was the help Nahcost said he was getting. Makes sense. You were probably the closest.” He showed little emotion as he kept himself focused on his own monitor. “I am guessing Nahcost did not make it back. I told him he should have waited until I finished preparing these suits. Then again, he was not exactly looking to be in the best shape when he left to begin with.”
        “So what exactly is going here, Rufe?” questioned Aira. There was little time to go with traditional greetings. “Nahcost explained to me the best he could, but--”
        “To put it in simple words, somebody is trying to hack into the Mind Home,” Rufe explained. Aira knew enough about it that Rufellen did not have to bother going into extreme detail. “It's not quite that, but the readings I'm getting indicate that somebody is trying to access us. You cannot possibly access this place without one of us, so I can only guess they are using Russet. It explains why I could not locate him until now.”
        “So you found him?”
        “I did! Garn is on his way there now!”
        “Does that mean you don't need me?” It was not as if Aira was trying to get out of helping the squirrel, despite having a few beefs with him for past encounters, but that he was aware of the otter's strength. Garn was a very capable warrior.
        “On the contrary,” admitted Rufellen. “We need your help now more than ever.” His teeth started to grin against one another as he realized his own incompetence in this situation. “Whatever it being done to Russet is affecting all of us. It is... deleting us. We can be backed-up and restored, but because of how long it took me to figure out what was going on here, we don't have the luxury of twiddling our thumbs. These suits are only able to hold us together for so long, and I am not confident that I can fully kick this intruder into our systems out before it fails.”
        The squirrel looked to Aira. “If we had the time, Garn could easily rescue Russet and defeat almost anyone. But depending on how many enemies stand in our way, Garn might not be able to make it back with Russet in time. That is why we need you to help him.”
        “All right,” announced Aira. “Tell me where to go and I will go and help Garn.”
        “Thanks for agreeing,” Rufe smiled. He grabbed Aira and threw him onto a platform a couple meters away. Aira was taken off guard as several robotic arms rose from the platform and began affixing iron bindings to his right leg that felt almost like plastic. His left leg followed while more arms lowered from the ceiling and placed them cold along his back. Aira felt an intense static shock to his spinal cord as a metal plating was affixed to both his front and back. There was no screwing or bolting going on, but the various pieces stuck together as if they had ben welded into place. He was completely covered from his shoulders to his feet, with a thin line traveling down his tail.
        The whole process took maybe 30 seconds to complete, but to Aira it felt as if up to 10 minutes had gone by. He could feel his fur standing up underneath the suit, though it didn't exactly have the space to do that. The plastic-feeling metal was pressed right up against his skin. Aira shot Rufe a penetrating deathglare.
        “Relax, Aira!” Rufe exclaimed with both arms held out in front of him. “I swear I mean you no harm.” Truthfully he was a little scared of Aira at the moment, and that was rare for him. When Aira was pissed, it was not a wise idea to mess with him. “Listen, Aira, the last time I was in your forest, I took a few... samples. Truthfully, this will benefit you far more than me, since by doing so I was able to infuse that armor you are wearing with similar properties. You get weaker the farther you are from a forest, right?”
        Aira did not immediately respond. He just continued to glare at Rufe as he spoke. Rufellen did just that. “By wearing that suit, your power should not diminish no matter how far you are from a forest. You could be in a desert or under the ocean and still be just as powerful! Trust me on this!”
        The vulpine flicked his wrist and manifested a small teardrop-shaped leaf. Even though the suit, Aira could feel the life energy from the leaf, as if the foliage was still connected to a tree. Rufellen wasn't lying. Rufe pressed a button a small set of earmuffs lowered onto his head. It snapped to the shape of his head and produced a clear screen visor.
        “That is connected to your suit,” the squirrel informed the fox. “With that, you should be able to see a detailed map of any structure and even the lifestream of various plants in order to draw out the most magical energy from them. Consider this a gift from helping us.”
        Rufe placed his hand to chest as his heart gave off an erratically out-of-sync series of beats. He was reminded of the fact that time was not on his side. The squirrel picks up a similar visor and placed it around his own ears. Immediately a series of screens appeared across both of them.
        “With this I can communicate with you,” he said. Aira could hear his voice coming from two sources now. “I've transferred the location of where you should be able to find Russet. You should also be able to communicate with Garn as well. Now go!”
        The fox understood that time was quickly disappearing for Rufe and Garn followed the directions on the visor to where he needed to go. Every step he took was surprisingly light despite the added weight of the armor. He really was moving with the strength and speed he had when he was in his own forest. He almost felt bad for wanting to punish Rufellen for taking samples of his forest without his permission. Almost. Well, though Rufe deserved, the fox probably wouldn't have persecuted the squirrel for I anyway.




Garn held his trusty sword in front of him and knocked away an incoming fireball. The grey moogle that shot the ball of superheated magical energy meeped and bounced backward. He had agreed to help protect the lab and Chocobos from intruders that might show up, but he had not expected somebody like Garn to come barging onto the scene. Garn quickly closed the gap between them and slashed at the moogle's side. At first, he gasped and held his wound, but upon closer inspection the moogle noticed that there was no blood coming from the injury.
        The otter held his sword to his side and barely glanced at the moogle before turning his attention toward a blue-furred moogle chanting some sort of spell. The grey moogle caught a glimpse of Garn's dreadlocks flowing behind them as he turned his head before the image just paused. The whole world around the grey moogle suddenly stood still all around him. His mind raced into a panic as an itch that he couldn’t seem to reach crept up his body from the point where the otter's sword made impact. He tried to reach down to the wound, but his arms were locked in place as if he was hit by some sort of paralysis. The poor moogle would forever remain in this state as his fur became sandy and granite-like. He was already standing as a statue in the grassy field just outside the laboratory and pens.
        Garn sliced through large column of ice that came flying toward. His sword began to glow as he summoned what power he could from both Nahcost and Tsochan. The two halves of the ice sheet both melted and burst into light respectively as they fell behind Garn. Garn did not stop moving and continued pushing forward, attacking the moogle with another slash before it could finish chanting another spell. The otter had just barely nicked the moogle's wing as it attempted to move out of the way, but it was enough to cause another dose of petrifying magic to spread up the moogle's body. The stone casing quickly engulfed the creature's body until it fell onto its side.
        Garn liked moogles, but he did not have the luxury of trying to wait things out and get answers from them. For now he disabled them in the most painless way he could that also ensured they would not get up to oppose him again. Russet was in trouble and he needed to hurry. The otter placed a finger to his ear.
        “No, hold off your attack, Aira!” he announced seemingly to the air, but it was obviously directed at the fox over the communication line. “I have this area covered. You should head inside and locate Russet while I have these guys distracted.”
        He flinched as a muscle spasm rang through his body. It felt like his body would tear itself apart if his suit wasn't holding it together. Though he was confident the fox could handle the moogles at their level, he did not want to risk anything. He turned to see a much smaller moogle wielding a sword and shield charging for him. It was riding a yellow-feathered Chocobo that had been outfitted with a knight-like barding. The moogle was certainly trying to look the part. Garn effortlessly parried the blade and swept the bird with his muscular tail. The moogle's face plummeted into the ground, pulling up mud.
        The sky began to darken with a reddish glow as a rather large, flaming boulder filled Garn's vision. “You're kidding me...” he muttered to himself as his eyes fell upon two robed moogles in the distance. One of them was chanting the meteor spell, while the other was casting a spell of its own to buff the first one. The moogle that had been tripped quickly took out a small stone a gripped it tightly. In an instant, its body disappeared, but the Chocobo it had been riding was left behind. Garn could easily dodge it with how slowly it was moving, but he could not leave an innocent victim behind to take the brint of the attack,
        “Nahcost... Tsochan... Whatever power you two have left, give it to me,” he whispered to his blade and leapt toward the falling rock. His blade glowing with the full power of the Nostor, or Russet, Nahcost, and Tsochan, he slashed at the meteor. The slab of rock began to protrude with a series of cracks from where Garn had stuck it, until it exploded in a flurry of light and flames. Thanks to him, only a few pebbles rained down on those beneath him.
        “The moogles looked around as Garn disappeared amidst the exploding meteor. The otter was nowhere to be scene. The one that channeled the spell smugly nodded in satisfaction before a sharp thwack struck its back. An exasperated gasp painted its face as its body became clad in stone, falling forward and landing next to the feet of its fellow, who managed to remain standing as their body was petrified.
        Garn surveyed his surroundings. At least outside the large structure, there were three moogles remaining ready to try and ambush him. A fourth lifeform briefly flickered on his visor before disappearing inside. He closed his eyes and smiled, placing a hand to his side. As he relaxed the grip of his sword a bid, a gooey substance kept the sword from falling from his clutches.
        “Seems I'm nearly at my limit,” he told himself. He was surviving purely based on the power his armor was lending him, but he had just about drained it of all its reserves. “The least I can do is making sure Aira doesn't have any interruptions.”
        Oblivious to what was going on outside of the laboratory, or perhaps aware but uncaring, Erakir once again padded his way over to the monitor. A large grin was plastered across his face as the computer showed that the program was nearing its completion. Russet floated lazily inside of the tube, his eyes a bit glazed over and almost colorless as his body remained still apart from the occasional twitch. The polecat did not really feel like fighting anymore. He could feel his connection to the others waving. The moogle stepped over to the chamber.
        “Well, kupo,” he chimed, “it appears that we are just about finished here. In a few more minutes, I’ll turn you into a Chocobo like I did that skunky. And then all your friends will become my obedient Chocobo companions as well! Won't that be fun, kupo?”
        His pom bounced happily in front of him as he clapped his hands together. “Oh, this computer sucked out a lot of information from you! This... Mind Home, or whatever you call it... It sounds like the perfect place for me and all my friends. It's big! Spacious! And hard to get to! And there are so many places it has access to, kupo~ And I will ride you around it as you show me everything.”
        Erakir blinked as he turned his attention toward the door. A blue-furred moogle with a pink pom was approaching him. It wasn't one that Erakir recognized, much less did he recall any of them wearing a suit of armor and visor over their eyes.
        “Hey!” he called out. “Who are you, kupo? Are you a friend of one of my friends? You aren't supposed to be in here.”
        A fox tail slid into view from behind the moogle. Erakir tilted his head before the new moogle charged at him, pinning him against the chamber Russet was contained in. Russet's eyes opened a bit as a teardrop-shaped leaf slid off of the blue moogle's forehead. Their appearance shifted, revealing Aira from behind the façade. He held Erakir in place.
        “Who are you, kupo? How did you get in here?” Erakir wondered.
        “I figured you had to have some booby traps or something in here,” smiled Aira. “Though it was possible you didn't. I saw some moogles walking around the hallways without any problems, so after knocking them out, I took on the appearance of one and made my way here.”
        Aira's leaves were able to project a temporary form of transformation magic upon his body. He could get most details correct, but his tail was almost always left showing with the exception of a few species. Erakir was rather curious as to how fox got inside and around, but he could worry about that later.
        “Let me guess! You came here to be a Chocobo too?” he giggled. His pom started to glow a bit. Aira quickly reacted by slashing at Erakir's cheek with a magic-infused leaf, leaving the thinnest of paper cuts. There was a small line of red, but nothing that could be described as concerning. However, the effort was enough to distract Erakir from what form of moogle magic he was trying to conjure. Long enough that Aira was able to create a second leaf and plop it onto Erakir's forehead. Erakir went cross-eyed for a moment as his attention shifted toward the leaf.
        “What's th...” His words trailed off rather quickly as the fox's own magic went to work. A relaxing wave of energy rippled from the leaf's surface all the way to the moogle's toes. Whatever his train of thought was didn't seem to matter anymore. He just felt so at ease; everything was so peaceful. Just thinking about things seemed like a waste of his time.
        “There we go,” sighed Aira. He placed a hand against Erakir's head. The moogle found his body subconsciously nuzzling into it, not that he would have minded either way. Out of all of Aira's unique skills, this was by far his most potent. By planting a leaf infused with his energy on the forehead of his victim, the subject became completely entranced. They would feel relaxed and just find themselves wanting to do whatever the fox asked of them, no matter what it was. No matter their own power, as long as Aira was within a forest, he could control anyone. Though Aira did not need to worry about using it on someone like Erakir, the armor he was wearing ensured that the fox's magic would not meet with resistance. Nevertheless, the fox was still limited to 24 hours, give or take a few hours, of usable time when using this ability. It was true that Aira did have ways to get around the time limit, but he never really used them; whatever the reason for this was something nobody knew or thought about. For all they were aware, it was possible there was a side-effect to using it beyond the limit repeatedly. Aira didn't even need 24 hours for this, though.
        “Rufe, you there?” Aira called over the communication line. “I've found Russet.”
        “Good...” came the squirrel's response. His voice sounded soft and weak, as if there wasn't much breath behind it. It was evident that Rufellen had reached his limit as well. “I... was able to back-up everyone...” he revealed weakly. “But... Never mind... Aira, your suit should allow you to find out what is wrong with Russet. If you do that... your armor should be able... to revive... him.”
        Aira decided to act and turned toward the moogle. “Open the chamber now, please. Let Russet out.”
        “Yes, sir,” Erakir answered respectfully. He didn't sound like he was in a trance, but the emotion behind the statement did not sound entirely genuine either. Erakir pressed a button on the control panel and the chamber door formed a cracked. It lifted outward and the liquid inside splashed onto the floor toward a drain. There was a panel that open at the bottom of the chamber to help drain the liquid, but it did not help very much if somebody opened the door before everything was removed from it.
        Russet's body was left dangling by the helmet that kept him aloft in the first place, though without the added buoyancy the liquid provided, it wasn't long before Russet felt to his feet. His body tripped forward. The polecat stared forward with barely a glance in any direction. Aira reached down to touch him, though he was not actually certain about what it was he was supposed to do.
        As if responding to Aira's question, the suit sent out an electrical discharge into the polecat's body. Russet did not react to it, but his back began ripple outward. The battery-like capsule that had kept his body somewhat solidified shot into air and landed next to him. Almost immediately Russet felt better, but his mind was heavily damaged and quite a blur.
        “A-Air...a...?” he asked as he tried to put Aira's name with his face. Russet slowly stood up, though he felt like he would fall over again at any second. The fox reached over and moved to help steady him, though his actions were not entirely necessary. As soon as body made contact with polecat, Russet's whole body began to ripple like before. There was a squelching sound similar to what one heard when pressing their finger into a vat of putty. Piece of metal began to emerge from his body, though it was much more flexible than anything Aira was familiar with. His armos, leg, back, and chest all had had the cold surface shoving its way forth. As it manifested itself completely, Aira noticed that it was actually armor nearly identical to what Rufellen had outfitted him with, only more malleable. Russet's strength returned to him.
        “Ah. Ahhh. Aaaaaaahhhh...” he sighed as his body began to relax from having been so tensed-up.
        “Russet?” called Aira.
        “Thanks, fox-f-- Aira!” Russet caught himself and managed to himself from saying his usual nickname for Aira. Since the fox had helped him, it didn't seem right to do that. A visor similar to what Aira was wearing popped out of his head and around his eyes, allowing him to get a good readout of the situation. “I see... Everyone?”
        Aira nodded silently. Russet had figured as much. Yet, despite everything that Erakir had put him through, the polecat didn't hold any resentment toward the moogle. Sure he was a little annoyed, but it wasn't as if the damage couldn't be rectified.
        “So what are you gonna do with him?” Aira wondered aloud as Russet rested his chin on his fist. The polecat was looking over the moogle's body.
        “You mean Erakir?” Russet replied. He knew Erakir's name, but up until now the information had been unknown to the fox. “He is a sneaky moogle, but useful too. If he hadn't just scrambled my being with his ignorance when it came to programming, I would just play a game with him to make up for everything.”
        The fox was surprised as well as confused. He didn't understand what Russet was talking about when it came to the moogle, though he had a basic understanding of his “my being” statement. From what he had learned before, the Mind Home wasn't just a technological space that housed Russet and the others. Rather, it was more like it was Russet's true self and the polecat before him was just a physical manifestation of it; like an avatar. He, Nahcost, Rufe, and Garn... They were all parts of a whole with Russet at the center.
        “So you're not mad?” questioned the vulpine.
        “Mad isn't the word I would use,” Russet answered, patting Erakir on the head. He was careful not to disturb the leaf, even if only the person who placed the leaf or an extremely powerful kitsune could remove it. Erakir leaned into the pats and smiled. “Rufe sent that suit you are wearing a lot of information--it looks good by the way!” He had noticed the armor Aira was wearing earlier, but only addressed it now. He went right back to speaking what was on his mind, as if he had never been sidetracked by the compliment he gave Aira. “I don't know if you can understand any of it, but Rufe had to divert a lot of power in order to keep everyone's mind intact. Erakir's little stunt here caused their physical forms to be deleted instead of simply transforming them as he intended to do.”
        “I'm sorry about that, kupo sir,” Erakir giggled lightly and innocently.
        “Don't worry,” he assured the moogle. “You're going to fix everyone, aren't you?”
        Russet glanced over to Aira as if asking “May I?” but said no words. Aira only nodded. After everything Russet had been through, he saw no reason to deny him Erakir's servitude.
        “Of course, kupo!” answered Erakir after receiving the wordless command from Aira to obey the polecat. His nod had been enough, though it may have been due to the enhanced power Aira received from the armor he was wearing. “As you said, kupo, I am not very smart when it comes to programming. I only knew how to do what the man I turned into a Chocobo showed me how to do. Kupo! I'm not sure how I could fix it, but I will try my very best!”
        “That won't be necessary,” Russet told him with a grin. “I just need you to stand still.” He then looked to the fox. “Aira, could you remove the leaf for me?”
        It wasn't like Erakir would be able to do anything against the two of them, so he saw no harm in it. Aira snapped his fingers and the leaf he had stuck to Erakir like glue just fell off with the gentlest of breezes. Anyone else would have had to remove it physically, but in this case Aira could remove it as such. Erakir's eyes began to rapidly blink as he came to. He couldn't remember anything that had just happened since Aira pressed him against the container, and even the moments right before that were a blur.
        “What was I...?” he asked himself before Russet's upside-down face peered over his head. He was reminded of this exact scene before he captured Russet, only this time Russet had a different kind of idea in mind.
        Suit and all, Russet's body oozed its way over Erakir's form, coating every last centimeter in a dark, tar-like goop. It tingled a bit to the touch, but Erakir didn't immediately notice anything wrong with him. This seemed far less sinister than what Erakir imagined would happen. Considering that Russet had practically slimed his body, Erakir was sort of expecting to be melted down or something. Russet only grinned.
        The polecat crossed his arms with his body still goo from the waist down and observed alongside Aira. Though the goop was as much a liquid as ever, Erakir could not move. He felt like he was covered in quick-drying cement, though it was not drying at all. The ooze infiltrated his ears and nostrils, making it hard to breathe. Though his tongue coated and mouth was forced open, Erakir could still breathe through it. It began covering his brain in a thin layer. At first Erakir thought he was sweating when it became strangely hot, but soon he felt something else. His mind was bombarded by an incessant laughter that rang throughout his head. The sweating turned to a brief, yet sharp pain. The goo was bouncing around inside his head, but every time it banged against the top of his skull, put outward a bit. Erakir moaned out as it did.
        The tarry substance receded around him, slinking away from the ground and clinging to his form. It kept his shape, but to those observing from the sidelines Erakir appeared to be covered in mud. The laughter became louder and louder.
        Erakir imagined himself a room, his memories scattered about like furniture. A strange, near-featureless ferret-like shape stood over him, taller than he was. The mysterious figure grabbed a lamp and Erakir recalled a day in his childhood when he broke a vase. “I remember this,” the voice laughed again and Erakir found himself struggling to remember the scene. It had been painted so vividly before him moments ago, but although the memory was still there, he could not picture himself in it. No, he was there. Or was he? No, the ferret was there! Wait! Was the ferret supposed to be him? What ws going on here? Erakir cried out a question to demand an answer, but instead of his voice coming out, the maniacal laughter did instead.
        “Let's continue~” the voice cooed.
        One by one, Erakir's memories became a jumbled mess. Some of them he outright forgot, but in other ones, his form was once again replaced with that of the ferret. His first kiss, his favorite toy, that time he got lost in the woods... All of his memories were replaced or erased. Erakir covered his eyes, not wanting to see anymore. He suddenly pulled them away as the tiny moogle paws that covered them were now longer, yet skinnier. These hands... These weren't his hands!
        The moogle crossed his eyes toward his fluffy pom dangling in front of him. He tried to use his magic to find a way out of this, but the try as he might nothing seemed to happen. Just then it started to glow. It became brighter, and brighter, until it burst into a flaming fireball. the fire quickly dimmed and the pom fell to the ground in front of him, burnt to a crisp. Erakir started to sniffle when his wings suddenly forced their way into his back, uprighting his posture. Erakir felt a snap as the weight shifted to his lower body. His spine jumped out from behind him, elongating his tail into something longer and a bit fluffier.
        “Stop! What are you doing to me?!” he demanded to know.
        “You mean what am I doing to me!” the voice responded.
         A chalkboard appeared before him, his name written on the board not in chalk, but fire. Each letter was underlined, and what looked a game of hangman was displaying the picture of a moogle on the left of it. Though there were six letters in his name, there were seven underlined spaces.
        “What are you talking about? I'm me!” Erakir shouted.
        “And who are you?” the voice asked him. As Erakir opened his mouth to answer, the last two letters of his name disappeared from the chalkboard. The moogle drawing's wings and pom disappeared with them.
        “I am...” Erakir's lips paused. He didn't remember his own name. He had a vague recollection of it, but not the full thing. “Erak?”
        “Erak? Are you sure?” inquired the voice further, erasing two more letters from the board. This time the moogle's arms and legs disappeared as well.
        “I uh...?” Erakir was at loss for words. “I am...” As he was about to speak further, the second letter of his name disappeared, leaving behind only one. The body disappeared from the picture. “Who...?” he asked before the last letter suddenly disappeared. “What...?”
        He couldn't remember. His own name was lost, his identity. Who was he? What was he? Where was he? He looked up as new letters began to appear on the board. He read them out loud, but for every letter, his voice changed until it was completely identical to that of the laughter.
        “T-S-O-C-H-A-N.” He read the name all together. “Tsochan.”
        Back in reality, Erakir's muck-covered form began to laugh. It was a laughter Aira recognized anywhere. “I should've known,” Aira mumbled to himself as laughter began to ease up. The goo was drawn into the moogle's body, darkening his pristine white fur into something more like a murky grey. His wings and pom were a fiery red, with two ram-like horns sticking out above his ears.
        “You're in good spirits, Tsochan,” Russet grinned.
        “Thanks to you,” the demon replied, “and I guess Aira too. To think he'd be the one to save me.”
        Aira held back a snicker, though only just. Tsochan still caught it and wondered what it was that the fox found so funny. Was it just the fact that he owed him one now? His answer came when what was once Erakir's pom bounced before his eyes. Tsochan looked over his hands. “Gah!”
        The shirt and scarf he could understand, but Tsochan could not figure out why he still looked like a moogle. He forced his new body to melt into a pile of goo and quick reform itself, but no matter how much he tried, he still had Erakir's moogle shape.
        “Why am I still a moogle?”
        “It's because I am not strong enough to completely restore you yet,” Russet informed him. “In order to give you life, I had to use Erakir as mass. Unfortunately, it'll be a bit before you can restore your shape.”
        “I... guess that makes sense,” Tsochan grumbled reluctantly. He liked moogles, but if he was going to be one, he wanted to be one on his own terms. This was just humiliating, though he figured he deserved it for letting Russet get into trouble.
        “Vikris should find this funny. Wonder what he'll say?” Aira mused.
        “Aira!” Tsochan scowled.
        “And shouldn't you be saying that thing moogles always say? You know the word!” Aira continued to jest.
        “Just because I'm weaker now and a moogle, don't think I--!” He stopped himself as he felt Russet's gaze upon him. Tsochan sighed. He would let Aira have his fun. He owed Aira pretty big, and until he found a way to repay his debt, he would not do anything to the fox.
        “I guess I'll have some fun with the former owner of this body's friends,” Tsochan announced. He glanced back at Russet before taking off.
        Russet allowed Tsochan to do as he pleased as he turned his attention back to Aira. Russet just smiled at him.
        “Thanks a lot, Aira! Nahcost did the right thing by asking you for help,” he commented.
        “I didn't do that much,” Aira admitted. “Garn and Rufe did most of the work.”
        “Oh, but Nahcost came to you for good reason!” Russet exclaimed excitedly. Aira was perplexed. “It's not just because you were the closest. Nahcost assumed the worst would happen and that I would need someone strong to help me. You have plenty of weaknesses, but you are really strong.”
        Aira was not sure if Russet was complimenting or insulting him with that last line. Russet just kept talking as if he hadn't said anything of the sort.
        “As things are now, it is going to take a bit for me to restore the others. My strength is all but depleted,” Russet explained. “I need their help to fully repair everything, but like with Tsochan, I'll some volunteers to serve as their new bodies.”
        “I like being me,” responded Aira, having a hunch where this was going.
        “Nonono,” Russet smiled. “I wouldn't dare ask you for that. I mean, your body is hot! But I don't want to do that to you after everything you did for me. You're my friend! I practically consider you as close as I do my other selves already.” He hugged the vulpine's arm. “I want you to help me find some volunteers! And in exchange, I promise you not that Tsochan will never bother you again, but that I will make it up to you a thousand-fold! Pleeeeeeeease?”
        The polecat gave the closest equivalent of puppy-dog eyes that he could. Aira sighed. He admitted to himself that he'd feel if he let something happen to Russet, and having Tsochan off his back for eternity would make it pretty worth it.
        “All right,” he agreed. “I will help you!”
        “Yay!” Russet cheered and held his hand over Aira's head. A helmet that he normally wore with his armor was produced from his gooey arm and slapped over Aira's head. Aira felt a small prick against his scalp as something penetrated his skull from inside the helmet. Aira gasped out in pain, though it wasn't a scream or yell.
        “It's okay, Aira,” said Russet to him in his usually friendly demeanor. “Sorry if it stings a bit, but this won't take long. I just need to synchronize you with the Mind Home. You're not a part of me, so I have to do this.”
        In his mind, Aira could see the wide halls of the Mind Home. It was so messy that Aira thought it had been struck by a mixture of a tornado and an earthquake. he damage was superficial on the surface, but the extent of the damage that had been done to Russet was now clear. Russet's grin widened.
        “We have a lot of work to do, my new guardian!”