Cade Warner (Character Info)

[Silver Pandorica]

This WAS a tryout form for kalon 1200, make your own design, but I didn’t win and Cade is now just a regular canine character c:


by Piqeon
Kalon #1200
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My intention never was to be a hero.
I had never dreamed of it,
never wanted it,
never wished to be known.

Edits;
-Legendary power (wing markings turn into wings)
-Legendary wings
-Legendary gene splicing (antennae)
-Rare glow
-Rare goop (secretes from mouth and front paw pads)
-Uncommon ears
-Uncommon tongue
-Common fur
-Common hair
-Common tail
-Standard shine
-Nr skinny

Cade Warner, male

Playlist
-Take Me Or Leave Me, Rent
-Whatever It Takes, Imagine Dragons
-How Far I’ll Go: Minor Key, Chase Holfelder

Moodboard

[Silver Pandorica]

(by me)

My intention never was to be a hero. I had never dreamed of it, never wanted it, never wished to be known. My parents had always told me to dream small. That was safer. Living with low expectations would save me from a lot of letdowns.

So I listened. But probably not in the way they had planned.

With my dreams crushed and my hopes lowered, I turned to a darker and more dangerous side of life. I stole my first item when I was twelve. It was a potato at the market. The thought crossed my mind as mother and I passed the cart. It was so simple and so straightforward that before I knew it, I had reached up and grabbed it. No one saw, not even mother. A strange feeling of satisfaction came over me in that moment. There was a trickle of guilt, of course, but mostly pride. I had accomplished something. I had actually taken the potato and not a single person saw. It felt...amazing.

The guilt would be something that faded over time. Morality has little place in a life of crime, although, I do have some morals. Everyone has to. If you don't, you ain't human. Or whatever species you are.

Both my parents worked around the clock in order to support our family, so they never really took the time to teach me about, well, life. All I knew was what I saw, and what a child sees can vary widely from what an adult does. Through my eyes, the world was a terrifying place. My dad repaired broken down ships and transportation vehicles, and the job was highly unpredictable. Working on things as large and as touchy as he did was dangerous. My mother worked hard in her bakery, as well. The old business had been in our family for generations, and when my dad wasn't working at his job, he'd go help mom. I spent so many hours during my childhood at that bakery...

Nevertheless, my parents slaving away was not the only thing I picked up. The people I grew up around all had the same resounding mindset: everyone is responsible for their own selves, and if they cannot provide, they must suffer. Obviously, the people of my village were not the most selfless creatures. So provide I did. After successfully stealing for the first time, I began to snag bigger things. At first, it was just food. Then it turned into sneaking people's bags and money off the streets. I turned over all my earnings to my family, telling them I'd gotten a job at a small shop a few blocks over. Giving everything I stole to them almost made the guilt go away. Whenever I took something, I told myself it was all for them. The two people who always worked so hard to provide for me.

Fast forward a year. I'm getting pretty good at this thing, right? I managed to just meet a monthly earning of 200 Parvels (the currency used on my home planet). It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep my family going. I kept a secret stash of extra money under my mattress in my room, just in case. My parents never suspected a thing.

Well, until they did.

On one of my father's days off (which were quite rare), he said he wanted to see me work. It made him so proud that I was keeping a steady income.

"I dunno," I said. Come on. Just think of an excuse already. "My boss doesn't really like people hanging around and watching."

"Oh, I'll only be there a minute," he said, beaming. "I just want to see where my little son works so hard." He pulled me closer and slung an arm over my shoulder, giving me a noogie.

I swallowed. Hard. "Okay." Okay? Seriously, Cade? Why would you agree to this? There was no job for you to take him to. He was gonna find out. Today was gonna be the day. I could feel it. Nevertheless, we got ready and left the house, walking steadily down the street. Father was practically radiating excitement, looking every which way and wondering which shop we would stop at. I kept walking, growing more nervous by the second. I had to think of something, quick. Squeezing my eyes shut, I ducked into the next shop, dad trailing behind. Breathing in, I let out a sigh of relief. A bookstore. And the best part? No one was here.

Father's eyes lit up. "How wonderful! What a great way to learn." He patted me on the head. "Not only are you working, but you read too, I'm sure." I nodded vigorously. Actually, I couldn't read. Neither mom nor dad were very good readers or writers, so they couldn't teach me. Huh? School? Yeah, we didn't have any of those on my planet. Not in the area I lived in, anyway. It was all about class and experience there.

"Well, you saw it. You should go," I said quickly, motioning toward the door.

He laughed. "I want to see you in action!"

"I just organize the shelves, dad," I muttered. "It's nothing exciting."

"Hey!" He wasn't listening. In fact, he was waving down a worker. Oh crud. "You know my son, yeah?" Crud, crud, crud.

The worker looked confused. "I don't believe so, sir."

Father's face contorted. "You must see him around often." I had to get out of here, or I'd be in huge trouble. Where's the nearest escape route? If I slip around dad, I could probably make it to the door in about four seconds. "He works here after all."

"I...he doesn't work here." He frowned at me.

Dad's smile faded. "There...must be some mistake." The worker shook his head. My eyes bulged and I set my plan in action. Barrelling towards the door, I was just about to shove it open when he grabbed me by the tail. I let out a shriek as I slipped and fell to the ground, knocking my chin on the wood. Dad winced. It looked like he was battling over helping me up and asking me if I was okay, and pounding me further into the ground. Of course, he managed to find a third option. Snatching my paw, he pulled me up and gave me a stern look. "Home. Now."

The walk home was a long and silent one. When we arrived, he sat me down on my bed and we stared at each other for five minutes and thirty-two seconds. I counted in order to calm myself down. "Why did you lie to me?" He broke the silence. His tone wasn't angry, exactly. More like disappointed. Hurt, even. I fixed my gaze on my oozing paw pads, a strange defect I'd had since I was born. "Okay. Where did you get the money, then?" Still, I gave no response. I couldn't. I couldn't tell him the truth. "Cade."

"I..." My eyes looked everywhere except for him. "I can't...I don't know."

He raised his eyebrows. "You don't know?" I nodded. "Hm. So, you don't know where all the money you gave us came from?" Another nod. Okay, so maybe he wasn't buying it. "Do you work somewhere else? That's okay, there is no need to be ashamed of whatever it is."

I shook my head. I'd just let him figure it out himself. I just couldn't bring myself to say those words.

"Have you been trading for it? Perhaps doing favors in return for money?" He studied me carefully. I looked away again. Suddenly, his expression darkened. "Cade, get up."

Now I met his eyes. "W-what? Why?"

"Stand up. Now." I gulped and got up, walking away from the bed. It hit me that I used to hide things under my bed when I was little. Usually dinner that I didn't want to eat. My mom always said that was a pain to clean up. Father knelt and peeked under my bed, scanning the shadows for any sign to prove his prediction. When he couldn't find anything, he stood up again. I almost thought I was in the clear. Then he tore the sheets and pillows off my bed and lifted the mattress with his paws. His eyes widened. In that moment, I knew I had made a mistake. I had hurt him, betrayed him. He pushed the mattress onto the floor and gazed down at the array of objects, speechless. That stash of "extra" money? Well...it wasn't just money. Wallets and handbags littered the mount of cash and coins. I held my breath in the corner and watched him. Watched his eyes water and the tears fall. Watched him fall to his knees and just stare. Stare at what I'd done.

"Cade," he whispered, almost so quiet I didn't hear him. "What have you done?"

When my mother came home that night, they had one of their "private talks." Of course, our house was so small I could hear them in their room. At first it was just inaudible whispers, hushed tones. Then they started yelling. Arguing. I heard mom burst into tears at one point. I wasn't sure if it was because of me or because dad was angry. Then he started crying. After an hour or so, they fell silent. I remember crying myself to sleep that night. Part of it was because I was terrified of what they thought of me. But the other part of it was because I didn't feel guilty. I didn't feel bad about anything I'd stole, not a single cent.

And that was what scared me.

(by me)

Wind tore at my fur as I went against it, the rain pelting me with everything it had. It was like the storm had a personal grudge against me. Sirens sounded in the distance, barely audible above the howling wind. They were after me. Everyone was after me. The police, the neighbors, every store I'd ever robbed, even the gang on 34th Street was out to get me. There was only one place I could think of, but first, I had to get there.

The wind pushed and pulled as I went around the back of the small house. Even after years, they still lived here. I checked up on them every now and then to make sure they were okay. Without their knowledge, of course. I opened the window to my bedroom, which I had always kept unlocked as a kid just in case my imaginary friends came to visit, and dove inside. Quickly, I slammed it shut and flicked the lock. My heavy breathing pierced the silence as a puddle of water formed around me. My back began to sting and ache and I let out a gasp. As I dug my claws into the floor in an attempt to stop the pain, my wings finally molded themselves back into my body. When they had, I let myself collapse on the floor. Every bone in my body screamed with pain. I'd been running against the storm for who knows how many miles, and those darn wings had decided to pop out about halfway through.

Still had no idea how to control those things. It hurt like hell every time they formed.

A light flickered in the corner of my eye and I froze. There was no way the power was up and running with that crazy thing blasting outside. Irrational fears flickered through my head at a hundred miles per hour. Had they tracked me here? How come I didn't hear them come inside? There was no way they could have seen me hide here. Maybe it was the grim reaper, coming to take me away to face my final judgement. All those thoughts dissipated as soon as I heard his voice. "What are you doing here?" Bitterness laced my father's tone. The light was coming from a candle he was holding. It cast a soft glow over the room, brightest at his face. His expression looked just as bitter as his voice sounded.

With a grunt, I pushed myself off the ground and faced him. "Sorry to burst in." I wasn't sorry at all, actually, thanks. "Kind of in a rush. Hope you don't mind." The sarcasm dripped from my voice in the same way the shimmery goop constantly oozed from my mouth. He said nothing as I brushed past him into the living room and plopped myself down onto the couch with a wet squish. "I see you've redecorated. Cleaned up the cobwebs." I gazed around the dark room. "That's nice. Where's mom?"

"Asleep." Dad said nothing else as he crossed the room and sat himself down on the sofa across from me. I leaned back into the cushions and put my feet up on the table, just to bother him even more. He hated feet on the furniture. Always had. "I'm not going to repeat myself, Cade. What are you doing here?"

"Not even a hello?" His expression was motionless. I let out an exaggerated sigh. "Alright. I'm hiding here just for a bit."

I was unfazed by his stern gaze. Nothing had been the same after he'd caught me that first time so many years ago. The morning after he'd talked it over with mom, we had a nice long chat about stealing. How it was wrong and could lead to dangerous consequences. Unfortunately, I shoved down any guilty feelings I'd had on the subject deep down into the depths of my soul. The only thing that kept me from continuing on my pick-pocketing spree was my parents. I hated seeing them sad, especially if I was the cause of it. I wanted them to be happy. They deserved it. So I stopped.

But only temporarily.

A year or so later, I picked up my old habits again. I was thirteen, nearly fourteen, and was currently working at my parents' bakery. I spent my free time swiping and shoplifting. I kept it under wraps for a while before I again started to fork over the money to my parents. They needed it, desperately. We were going to lose our property to the government if we couldn't pay it off, and there was barely enough money for any basic necessities. This kept up for a few months or so before they started to realize what was going on. By then, however, I was too far gone. I was in a "rebellious phase" as my parents put it. Except unlike a phase, it never stopped. They kicked me out of the house as soon as I hit eighteen, and I'd been stealing ever since.

Usually, I worked alone. Joining up with others was much too risky. Betrayals and whatnot. You know, all the horrible gang stuff you hear about in the paper, except it actually happens. At one point I was in a gang, but I stole a huge portion of their profits and fled. Yeah, I stay away from that part of town now. Sometimes people will hire me for their dirty work, but those jobs are few and far between. Like I said, I almost always work alone, and only for myself. Especially since my parents refused any money from me.

"You think I'm just going to let you stay?" Dad's voice broke my train of thought. You can only guess how horribly ruined our relationship was. Mom seemed to have some sympathy for me, but I'm sure dad hated me with the burning passion of a thousand suns.

I shrugged. "What are you gonna do if I don't leave?"

"I could call the police."

"Phone's out."

Dad's eyes flashed. "You do understand what you're wanted for." I frowned and leaned forward a bit, my heart rate picking up. He'd heard? Of course he had. Who hadn't? That's why I was running. That's why I was here, of all places. Before I could begin to explain, the word rolled off his tongue. That horrible, ugly word. "Murder."

Of course, I was completely innocent, but no one believed me. And I doubted dad would be the first. "It wasn't me," I said anyway.

"You were there!" His voice had suddenly risen. I flinched. Yes, I was there. That doesn't make me the damn culprit.

"Yeah, I was. So?" I tried to remain as nonchalant as possible, partially to bother him. Mostly to keep myself calm.

Dad was seething. "Never in all my life would I have thought my child would be capable of such a thing. Yet here we are, talking about the very subject!" He leaned in. The candle wavered. "Why'd you do it, hm? Money? Did someone hire you?" He was just inches from my face now. "Or were you settling a score with someone who had wronged you."

I grit my teeth. Stay calm. Freaking out does nothing. "I already told you. I didn't do it."

Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears. I was not expecting that. "How am I supposed to believe you?" His voice broke, and for a split second, I thought I saw the father I once knew. The one who had always held me and told me everything would be okay, told me I was a hard worker. That I was smart. The father who had loved me and cared for me. And then...he was gone. Replaced by this broken man before me. "After everything you've done. How can I believe you?"

There was a knock at the door and he snapped his gaze up. They were here. They were coming for me. I sprang off the couch and towards the far wall, where my bedroom was. He watched me with some mixture of pain and sadness. "You'll just have to trust me," I said before turning and running towards my room's window. I heard my dad open the door. Say I was "just in the other room." But before they could catch me, I was gone.

That was the last time I ever saw my dad.

[Silver Pandorica]

by me

A knock sounded at the door and I looked up with a frown. I had just gotten to my room. What else could they possibly want? Heaving a sigh, I padded toward the door, my bandaged front paws barely making a sound on the scratchy floorboards. Upon opening the door, all my preparation to go off on the staff dissipated. There was no one at the door. Instead, a small slip of paper lie on the ground. Peering down at it, I read the message.

Gregson's Pub, 9:00

The handwriting was neat and precise, as if it had been written with extreme care. There was no signature. I looked up and down the hallway once more, but there was not a single soul in sight. A small sigh escapes my lips and I plucked the note off the ground, turning back inside. There were a few possibilities as to who this person could be. One, a potential client who wanted a dirty job done, but not by their own hands. Two, they wanted something. Information, maybe. Number three? The police force from my home planet had tracked me all the way to the Ducalean Galaxy. And now, they were finally going to take me in.

Whatever I decided to do, the note had to be destroyed. I didn't want any trace of it when I left in the morning. I was only here for one night, after all.

The blaster clicked as I loaded it and slid it into the holster on my leg. The wall clock read 8:21, and I had to get going if I was gonna meet this person. At first, I wasn't going to go. The risk was too great, and I couldn't risk getting caught. But my curiosity had gotten the best of me. How did this person know who I am and where to find me? More importantly, what did they want? Hm...what is it those earthlings say...curiosity killed the cat?

Good thing I'm not a cat.

Unlike cats, I have a high-powered (totally not stolen) laser gun that people back at home would kill to have. The thing was extremely powerful and had amazing accuracy. If anything goes wrong in that bar, I'd be prepared. I took my coat, cloak, whatever ya want to call it, and put it on. Inconspicuous. And, well, I had to hide the gun. People would probably get pretty suspicious if they saw me carrying that thing around. Not to mention my stupid wings. Who knows if they'll be provoked to pop out while I'm in there. That would draw even more of a crowd then the gun, and that would definitely not be good.

I slipped out of my room and locked the door. After a few steps down the hall, I heaved a sigh and turned back, double-checking that I had, indeed, locked it. I also made sure that my gun was not on safety mode and then checked the door again. This usually stresses me out even more than I have to be, but if I don't check everything twice, it'll bother me enormously. Eventually, I did make it away from my door and out of the motel. The streets were busy this time of night, which flooded me with a very strange mix of anxiety and exhilaration. So long as I didn't get caught, this should be a great deal of fun.

Or maybe I'll be caught and locked behind bars for the rest of my life. Who knows?

I wonder what they fed people in prison. Could you die of starvation in there? What if you get sick? Would they just let you whither away and die a slow and lonely death? Maybe they bury you underneath the prison. There could be a collection of bodies down there and no one would ever know it. I shook my head. Stupid thoughts, always getting carried away. There was absolutely nothing for me to worry about. If something goes wrong, I can find a way out. Just like I always do.

Before I knew it, I'd come across the pub. The building itself was rather plain, but my ears twitched at the loud music, screams, and laughter coming from inside. My heart was pounding. Oh please, don't tell me you're nervous Cade. You're Cade Warner. You aren't supposed to get nervous. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A few, actually. I am not a wimp. I am a skilled survivalist of life and all it's challenges. Be the person they want to capture. Be that heartless criminal they all believe you are. Act tough on the outside, become tough on the inside.

Can't believe I half to give myself that talk before every damn thing I do.

Opening my eyes, I padded towards the bar, more confident than when I'd first approached. A tipsy man standing by the door beamed at me before stumbling down the stairs. I rolled my eyes and stepped inside. The noise immediately increased tenfold. A row of people on stools were roaring with laughter while the bartender frantically ran up and down the line, pouring drinks as fast as he could. A big, round table hosted a ferocious card game. People were yelling and throwing money on the pile probably out of pure desperation to take home a win. The dark wood floor had patches of sticky substances, which I didn't mind so much. Thanks, weird oozing paw pads. I will always love you.

My eyes scanned the scene from underneath the hood. Time for the power of deduction. In my line of work, you have to pay attention to the details and make the best inferences you can. I'm not one big on reading, but I did read those alien books on some detective. Sherlock Holmes, I think? It was about this strange world, occupied my anthropomorphic creatures, and a man who had the wonderful powers of deductive reasoning. He can pick apart crimes that most would think hopeless, and know someone's whereabouts or occupations in a snap. I've read all the books, I'm proud to say, even if it was rather difficult. I practically studied the man, researched how his genius mind works. It's actually very simple. All it takes is practice, a lot of it. It's more a lifestyle than a single skill.

None of the people at the counter were my guy, that much was easy to tell. If someone was smart enough to track me down and call a meeting, there was no way he'd drink before I arrived. He wasn't one of the gamblers either. I assumed he would be sitting alone, in a set apart area of the space. Hidden in plain sight. I made my way to the back of the bar, ignoring the intoxicated stragglers stumbling about. When I reached the back, I swept my gaze over the booths. Among the chaos, a lone man sat in the second to last booth, watching me. As soon as I caught his gaze, he looked back down at something on the table and began stirring his drink. Water. Ha, I knew he wouldn't drink.

Gathering my nerves, I padded over and slid into the seat across from him. At first, there was silence. But I rolled over an opening statement in my head and took on a casual tone. Fake it till you make it, mm? "Gonna order me one o' those? Or am I gonna have to do that myself?"

The young man looked up at me, his flashy hair falling over his eyes. He brushed it away. "I wasn't aware you were a drinker, Warner," he commented.

I watched him intently from underneath my hood. "Here and there." I flagged down a server and ordered a drink. He nodded and hurried away, glancing nervously at the gamblers across the room. "So you found me. Named me. Your turn."

"Of course." The man set his drink down on the table and cleared his throat. "Rory Henson, of the Cirlcim Sector." Oh great. I slumped back against the booth with a huff. This should be good. "I know this is quite unusual, but we need your assistance. It is of the upmost importance to the survival of millions."

Raising my eyebrows, I looked at him questioningly. "We?" Gosh, it was stuffy in here. I pushed back my hood and let it hang limp from the cloak.

Rory paused at my actions before regaining a hold of himself and looking me in the eye. "The Benefactors. A small organization of people who just want all this nonsense with the war to come to a halt. For the good of the people." The server returned and set the drink down in front of me. As I went to grab it, I couldn't help but notice his hand was shaky. In fact, upon glancing at him, I found the poor kid to be near quaking in his boots. He couldn't quite meet my eyes. Definitely nervous.

"Thanks," I said, cutting Rory off in his rambling. The server mustered a nod and rushed away. An unsettling feeling crept into my heart, but I pushed it away. Everything was fine. I turned my attention back to Rory and interrupted him mid-sentence. "Look, I don't work to make the world a better place, I work to make a living. If you want my help, you better be prepared to pay." I took a long swig out of the mug, the drink mixing with the liquid that constantly secreted from my mouth. It made for an odd texture when it slid down.

He swallowed. "Of course. The Benefactors are more than happy to pay for your services." Rory plucked a napkin from the table and a pen from his inner pocket. Without saying anything, he scribbled something down and slid it towards me.

Preparing myself for negotiations, I leaned over and skimmed the number. My eyes nearly popped out of my head before I remembered to stay neutral. Reading it over again, just to be sure, I glanced up at him. "How can I be sure you can pay up?"

"We are very well-funded, Mr. Warren."

"Cade."

"Cade. Our organization is better off than you may think, and we put in every penny towards our cause." He leaned forward. "So?"

I studied him. There were no signs of any lies. Guess I'd be working for a moral cause this time around. "We've got a deal," I said, plastering on a smile and holding out a paw. Rory gazed at the ooze dripping from my pads before he reluctantly shook.

While Rory attempted to discreetly wipe his paw on a napkin, I frowned. A shadow loomed over the table. "Did you want something?" I asked, casually looking to my left. A huge, furry, mammoth of a man was grinning down at me. I recognized him from the gamblers' table on the other side of the pub. There was an odd glint in his eye.

"You're coming with us, pal," he breathed.

I crinkled up my nose. "Most people don't appreciate bad breath, friend. Would you like a mint?"

He growled. "No funny business." Shoving his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper. My smug smile faded as he unfolded it and practically shoved it in my face. Staring right back at me was...me. Huh. They'd jacked up the price. I was worth more than all of the West Side Gang's members combined.

My eyes flicked back up to his. I could sense Rory getting uneasy. "Sorry, but you've got the wrong planet. You won't be able to get anything out of me here."

A loud chuckle escaped his fat lips. "That's why you'll be taking us back to your home planet, buddy." A cruel smile crossed his face. "Or else the kid gets it." Stepping aside, he revealed the table he'd been playing at. Several of his comrades were holding the server that had looked extremely nervous earlier. Now, he was struggling as much as he could.

"I told you all I knew!" He yelped. "I did what you asked! Let me go!"

Don't show any sign of surprise or emotion. "What makes you think I give a flying fish about him?" I rolled my gaze back to the man.

Doubt flickered in his face. "You wouldn't let an innocent die."

"Not if it means sacrificing myself," I replied flatly. Gazing back at the kid, I kept my expression as void as possible. Very, very slowly, my paw began to inch down toward my leg, where my blaster was snugly strapped. The big man turned around and glared at the struggling server. That was my chance. Snatching my gun, I immediately pointed it at his head. He turned around and nearly cried out in surprise.

Then his expression hardened. "You wouldn't shoot me." He waved a hand and one of his buddies held a gun to the kid's head. An IJ-32. Fairly small, typically used for self defense. Still, a shot to the brains would kill you for sure.

"That," I began slowly. "Is where you are wrong." In a split second, I lowered the gun to his shoulder and pulled the trigger. Not a lethal hit, but it would immobilize him for the time being. Not wasting any time, I sprang out of the booth and shot again, first at the man holding the weapon. He cried out and crashed to the ground, gripping his arm. The blaster flew to the floor.

I heard Rory gasp behind me. "W-what are you doing?"

"Getting is out of here," I spat, taking aim at another guy. The kid seemed almost as startled as Rory, frozen in place. "Get under the table!" I yelled. He hesitated, then did as I asked. I drew closer to the remaining members. I shot one guy in the leg and kicked him back before someone hit me clean across the jaw. Before I could take another hit, I walked him upside the head and he crumpled to the ground.

Three left.

How many shots had I taken already? Seven, I think. Yes. That meant I was nearly out. Two people were almost upon me. I punched one across the cheek and again in the stomach. The other one suddenly lept upon my back and wrapped his arms around my neck. My eyes bulged and I whirled around in circles, trying to get him off. The first man recovered from the blows and I quickly shot at him before he could get any closer. The air was being sucked out of my lungs and I couldn't shake this guy. I was about to grab at his arms again when he was suddenly yanked off my back. I gasped in gulps of air and turned around in surprise. The young waiter had grabbed the man and threw several punches, knocking him out cold. I stared at him in awe, trying not to let it show.

He looked pleased with himself as well as slightly relieved. Then, his eyes widened. "B-behind you!"

Whirling around, I let out my final bullet and hit the final man clean in the hip. He let out a wail and crashed to the ground. I released a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "Not bad, kid," I breathed, nodding in his direction. Everyone else in the bar had already returned to their own business, no one making to move the unconscious bodies. Now, unless I missed, none of them should be dead. All of them would be up and walking soon enough. A few had already regained consciousness and started to moan in pain.

Rory was looking around in horror. "What have you done?"

I snorted. "Do you want me to go to prison?" I made my way over to the first man and pulled the wanted poster from his paw. "We should go. Now."

My hirer gave a shaky nod and picked his way around the bodies, nearly yelling when one rolled over. What a wimp. Although I had to admit, my own nervousness was growing. I wasn't even on my home planet and there were people out to get me. That was bad. This place wasn't a good place to stay. We made to leave when someone lightly tapped my shoulder. The server looked up at me hopefully. "Hey, uh...that was pretty cool."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you want, a tip?"

His eyes went wide. "N-no! O-of course n-not!" He tapped his paw anxiously. Either this dude was extremely nervous or had a terrible stutter. "I-I was just w-wondering if I could c-c-come with y-you."

Seriously? "I don't pick up strays, sorry kid." I definitely didn't need help, that was for sure.

"B-but I know my-y way a-a-around the st-streets and..." he glanced at the men. "I c-can't stay h-here."

My expression stayed flat. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm sure you can take care of yourself." With that, I turned around and walked side by side Rory as we left the building.

[Silver Pandorica]

by bumblinn

The streets roared to life as soon as we stepped outside. Rory, looking rather nervous, adjusted his hat before setting off. Little clouds of red dust were kicked up from the ground as we went, and I looked down at my paws with a sigh. They were caked in the colorful dirt, the stuff sticking especially to my paw pads. “Where are we going?” I asked gruffly, trying not to let my disgust at my own feet show through.

Rory hurriedly ushered me to the other side of the path in order to avoid a street fight taking place. I gazed at it, unfazed. They weren’t uncommon in this part of Tralius. Or any part of Tralius. The planet was practically a breeding ground for criminal activity. For people like me. The law had no place in these people’s hearts, which is why I’d come. Unless someone had it out for my neck for that reward, the police wouldn’t bother tracking me here. “You’ll see,” Rory replied, keeping a watchful eye on the fight.

I rolled my eyes and glanced around. I’d only been here for a few days, but I had visited many times before. The place didn’t worry me more than any other planet. Of course, I still worried no matter where I was, about a lot of things. My family, my well-being, my future...was I really going to do this my whole life? Did I really want to be on the run for…forever? I sighed. It’s not like I had much of a choice. It’s either this, or rot in prison until I die. The latter didn’t seem very appealing.

Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. Rory continued for a few paces before he realized I was no longer following him. “Cade?” He frowned. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

My antennae twitched beneath my hood. “I think…” my voice dropped to a whisper. “I think we’re being followed.” His face fell, but I nodded at him to keep going. I wanted to lure the person out, not scare them away. Standing around like this would raise suspicions. I brushed past Rory. “Are we going or not?”

He opened his mouth, but seemed to change his mind and shut it again, bustling ahead. Everything was fine for the time being. After another ten minutes or so of walking through dirt and people, Rory turned down an alley. Not the most creative place for a hideout. Looking all ‘round to make sure nobody was there, he padded over to a dumpster and hopped over the edge.

I frowned. “Now’s not really the time to go dumpster diving,” I said flatly.

“Heavens no.” He peeked his head above the edge. “This is our way in.” I gazed distastefully at the trash bin.

“The only way in?”

“Yep.”

My nose wriggled back and forth and I hopped into the dump. What I would give to be back in my hotel room right now. Letting out a groan, I suddenly remembered that I had left all my stuff back at the room. Except for what I had on me, my weapons, rest of my money, and clothes were still there. Rory was too preoccupied to notice my predicament, but both of us snapped to attention when someone else hopped into the dumpster right between us.

Rory let out a yelp as the blue blur appeared in front of him, and I quickly drew my blaster, pointing it right at the person’s head. Their eyes widened in fear. Wait a second...this dude was no stalker. It was the kid from the bar. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I muttered, slipping my gun back into my belt.

“I’m s-so sorry! I didn’t-t mean t-to scare you!” He continued to apologize, stumbling over his own words, while Rory recovered from the scare. “Really, I just-t wanted to c-come with you. I know you s-said I couldn’t-t, but-“

“What’s your name, kid?” I interrupted.

Confusion crossed his face. “P-P-Patton.”

“Alright, Patton.” I jerked my head to the side. “Go home. Don’t you have a life?”

“Not-t really.”

“Well, at least he’s honest,” Rory cut in with a chuckle. I glared at him. “Um...yes. We can’t have anyone tagging along, sorry kiddo.”

Patton dug his claws into the trash and sat his butt down on top of a box. “I’m not-t leaving.” He turned his eyes to Rory, a sudden clever flash crossing them. “Don’t y-you guys need a-all the help-p you c-can get? W-with the w-w-war?”

All the color seemed to drain out of my employer’s face. “How on earth do you-“

“I d-do my fair sh-share of reasearch,” he stuttered. “I w-won’t tell anyone i-if you let me c-come w-with.”

I stared at the kid. He was smart, I’d give him that. I nodded at Rory, who sighed helplessly. “Alright. But you can’t breath a word of this to another living soul.” Patton nodded eagerly, and Rory reached inside his coat, revealing a necklace. It was a smooth, bronze, round circle with some sort of symbol engraved on the surface. Opening the tiny, thin compartment from the other side, he pressed a claw into the charm and a loud clanking sounded in the dumpster. Trash began draining into some sort of hole beneath.

Taking us along with it.

My butt landed on the hard ground as we slid into a bright room, trash crumpling all around us. . It was such a sudden change from the dark, dank dump that it took a few blinks before I managed to push myself up and look around. I heard a thump behind me and saw Patton slide into the room. “W-woah,” he said in awe, gazing around with wide eyes. Rory came in last, clearly used to the slide, as he landed straight on his feet.

“Come along,” he said briskly. “We’re already ten minutes behind.”

Rolling my eyes, I followed him, Patton tripping after us. The room was bustling with people of all sorts of different people and species. Most of them looked at our group strangely, and I didn’t blame them. A stiff businessman, a really short and bumbling teenager, and a weird dude with glowing antennae. Yeah, my hood had slipped off on our way down, and by the glares I got, I’m pretty sure at least half of them knew exactly who I was. I can make an educated guess that they were probably thinking something along the lines of, “What the hell is this killer doing in our sacred base?”

“Rory!” A voice boomed out over the buzz and everyone immediately went back to work. A tough-looking woman, who could probably rip me to shreds without breaking a sweat, stood on the other side of the room. She was tapping her paw impatiently and continued to do so even after we approached her.

“I’m terribly sorry, mam,” he said hurriedly. “We had a bit of a holdup, and…” with a gulp, he trailed off.

“Don’t you forget, the world is at stake here.” Rory bobbed his head up and down, and the woman turned to me. “Mr. Warner. Pleasure to finally meet you. Gaea Little, founder of this organization.” She stuck out a paw and we firmly shook.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” I replied smoothly, bringing out my best charming expression. Although, I don’t think it worked on her. “Too bad your employees don’t seem to feel the same.”

Gaea snorted. “Even down here you’re pretty well known.” I stifled a sigh. There was no point in telling her I’d been framed for that murder. I’d given up trying a long time ago. Besides, she might call the deal off if I mentioned it wasn’t me. Then, I’d just be like any other common thief. “What you’ve done in the past has no place here,” she said, motioning for us to follow. We exited the room and began down a long, cold corridor. “We’re not the police. We’re just trying to stop a war.”

Well, that was a relief. Besides the whole universal war thing. I dropped the charm act and decided to go serious. “Who’s this war against, anyway?”

She gave me a sideways glance. “Cyborgs, and the rest of the universe.”

Cyborgs. Never thought I’d have to deal with them again. I’d had a run-in with one once. Sort of. I saw it while I was fleeing from a crime scene. The police were so preoccupied with it, that they didn’t even notice me running the other way. I only caught a glimpse of it, but from what I did see, it looked absolutely revolting. Why you would want to replace your body parts with machines, I have no idea. I enjoy being flesh and bone, thanks. But cyborgs…technological advancement was their life. From what I’d been taught, they are hoping to eventually replace all living life forms with their own tech. Everyone, everything, would be a mindless drone. That’s a world I don’t want to live in.

I bet that’s what this war was all about. They were finally making their move.

“Warren,” Gaea echoed from the other end of the table. “You got it?” I nodded.

The cyborgs were making their most recent target a planet called earth. I’d only been there once, and it hadn’t been a very pleasant experience. However, that didn’t necessarily mean I wanted it to get brutally destroyed. Besides, there was no way I was backing out now with such a huge sum of money involved. What did they want me to do? Infiltrate the cyborgs’ main ship and take out their leader. The Benefactors think that if the leader is gone, they’ll all retreat.

We’d set out tonight and arrive at the planet just a few hours afterwards. While the rest of the team dove into the fight, I would head straight for the leader.

[Silver Pandorica]

By xmemmax

My breath was shaky as I stared back at my reflection. A small cloud of my breath had begun to form on the mirror. Gosh, I felt like I was gonna puke. Why had I agreed to do this? This wasn’t my war. I had nothing to do with it. Others should be fighting, people who care.

I leaned over the sink and let my insecurities fly in a mass of my lunch from earlier. Yeah, I definitely should not have eaten, especially right before going on a shaky ship. The last time I’d been sick like this was when I’d escaped a gang with all their loot in hand. My wings had popped out that night and I was already in a mass of pain from that. All the horrible ideas of what they would do to me made me dizzy and sick to the stomach. At one point, I just couldn’t take it anymore.

“C-Cade?” My eyes burst open wide, but I quickly shut them again at the sight of my mess in the sink. Looking at it would just make me sick all over again. “A-are you ok-k-kay?”

I forced myself to straighten up and immediately regretted it. My stomach swayed and my head felt like it was being unscrewed from my neck. “I’m fine,” I managed. “What are you doing here? You should be back at the base.”

“Looking-g for you,” Patton stuttered, nodding in my direction. “And-d I wanted t-to h-help.” Worry clouded his expression and I blinked. He couldn’t see me like this. Some big intimidating asset to the war I was, puking in the bathroom before the fight. What was wrong with me?

“Get back out there. I’ll be out in a min-“ Suddenly, I was cut off by my own voice, a strange strangled moan. Pain coursed down my spine, a horrible, throbbing pain. No. No no no no no. Not here, not now. Stupid wings. Why the heck would you decide to come now? This definitely ruined the plan. Even after all these years, I still couldn’t control the damn things, and they certainly weren’t any good in a fight.

Patton started towards me. “W-w-what’s wrong? Are y-you okay-y?”

With another spike of pain, my wings began to unfold themselves from my back. Tears formed in my eyes and I tried my best to blink them away. It always hurt more when I was stressed out. That meant that currently, the pain was nearly unbearable. “Does it look like I’m okay?” I snapped through gritted teeth. Patton stared in horror, and I realized I hadn’t ever told him about my wings.

I must look like some horrible freak.

Falling to my knees, I dug my claws into the ground, howling in agony. You think I’m making a big deal out of this, huh? Well, have you ever experienced wings molding out of your back? No, I didn’t think so. Sweat dripped down my forehead. I stared at the drop as it slipped to the ground. Focus on something still and pure. My cries turned into whimpers, which soon turned to silence. My wings draped across my back and onto the floor, and for a moment, I just sat there and hid beneath them. I didn’t want to come out. To see the disgusted look on Patton’s face. I didn’t want to try to explain or make excuses.

“Cade.” The gentle voice broke the tension. I didn’t move. “It’s-s alright.” I felt a paw rest on my aching shoulder. Still, my face remained buried in my paws.

“Leave me alone,” I muttered. Why didn’t he just go without me? I shouldn’t be fighting in a war anyway. Forget the money, I’d just screw everything up. Probably die before even getting close.

“N-no.” That’s when I looked up. Patton’s kind face was firm. “G-get u-up.”

My brow furrowed. “What?”

“Get-t up.” His expression hardened. “Y-you’re better than th-this. I k-know you can d-do it.” Grabbing my paws, he (tried) to heave me up. It didn’t work, of course, but he still kept trying. Kept trying to get me up and out there. While he kept trying, all I’ve ever done I’d run away. From my problems, from my crimes, even from my family. Another wave of tears swelled in my eyes and I pushed myself up with a grunt, blinking them back. My entire body throbbed in pain, but as I looked into Patton’s trusting eyes, it started to ease. “B-by the w-way,” he stammered. “That is-s s-super c-cool.”

I snorted. “Not really. But thanks for not thinking I’m some sort of freak.”

Patton cocked his head. “W-why would I th-ink that? I like-e y-you, Cade.” My hardened expression softened ever so slightly. I wanted so badly to push this kid away, to ignore him, but I just couldn’t anymore. He was too sweet, too kind, too much like my mother. Except I was like twice his age.

Suddenly, he pulled me into a hug. I stood there awkwardly, letting it happen, until my arms slowly curled around his body. I can’t remember the last time I’d had a hug. It must have been years. The ship shook even harder before going still. The noise outside the door picked up. We’d arrived on Earth. “N-now go get ‘em-m,” Patton said with a grin.

Alright, kid. But only for you.

[Silver Pandorica]

Earth was not how I remembered it. The noise was amplified about ten times the last time I’d been here, courtesy of the terrified screams and blasting weapons. Everyone on the ship immediately charged into the fray with the burning passion of a thousand suns while I...while I struggled to get to a balanced run. Stupid wings. Gosh, I hate them. I’d always considered them one of my greatest weaknesses, but I think it went deeper than just a physical disadvantage. And yet, I’d never taken the time to teach myself how to use them. Only to avoid them.

Lasers zipped around me, but not at the rate I’d expected. The team was covering me. I was tempted to pull out my new weapons, given to me by the Benefactors, but I knew I had to wait. They were for the leader, and the leader alone.

The distance to their ship wasn’t the problem. It was where it was located. And what I had to go through to get to it. It was planted atop a huge building that towered above all the others. I had to figure out a way to get up there.

A stab of pain coursed through my body. A projectile had hit me directly in the thigh. It began to bleed, but I pushed forward. Adrenaline seared through me, the only thing keeping me going at my current speed. Another hit me in the tail, and my eyes began to water. Just keep going. There was no other chance to stop this invasion. You’re better than this, Cade.

I dove behind a bench just as another volley of lasers went straight for me. I’d never make it at this rate. I’d be killed before I even got to the building. There had to be another way. As I tore off a strip of cloth from my cloak and tied it tight around my wounds, it hit me. There was another way. An impossible way. The only way.

I would have to fly.

No. No. There was no freaking way that could ever work. I could barely run with them. I’d never even tried flying. The thought hadn’t ever crossed my mind. I’d only seen them as a curse. Patton’s wager face crossed my mind. He would want me to try. In fact, he would have no doubt that I’d be able to. I had to try.

Shrugging off the tattered cloak, I glared up at the ship. I spread my wings, a painful endeavor in itself. It couldn’t be that hard. Birds did it all the time. One. I squinted at my target. Two. I bent down, getting ready for takeoff.

Three.

Pushing myself up off the ground in a strange sort of hop, I flapped my wings as hard as I could. My breath caught in my chest. We had liftoff. About three feet off the ground and wavering. Harder. The pain increased. Harder. Faster. Stronger. For Earth, for the galaxies, for Patton. With each thought, I shakily rose in the air. After a minute or so, I managed to start beating them in a sort of rhythm. I rose faster, started to actually soar. I even glided on the air. A huge smile broke out upon my face. I was actually doing it!

Shots flew through the air at me, and I narrowly avoided them. One grazed my shoulder. I was nearing the ship. Time to land. My wings began to grow shaky and I started to tilt and spin. The concrete roof grew closer, and closer, and then-

Starry salvation, that hurt! The guards started after me, but now I was in my comfort zone. With a lopsided smile, I grabbed my guns and started shooting. One in the leg, the other in the shoulder, and another grazed a guy’s ear. Never a killing shot. I’m not a killer. But I guess I would be soon. After finishing off the guards, I darted inside the ship.

The air was freezing in here, and eerily still. And, you bet, everything was made of metal and glowy thingies. Not a single life form in sight. Not even a decorative flower. A great vibrating came from ahead. Raising my blaster in front of me, I steadied my breathing and crept forward. Whatever it was, it was just around the corner. Taking one last deep breath, I jumped out into the open and nearly dropped my weapon.

What...the hell...was that?

An enourmous machine lay before me, tubes and wires sticking out all over the place. A screen was on every side of the cubic structure, sending out code so fast I couldn’t even read it. That must be what’s giving all the orders. There was no way it could be this easy. Glancing around, I jogged to it and began searching for...something. A giant “off” switch, perhaps? That would be very helpful, yes.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I swear my heart skipped a couple beats. My head whirled around in every direction, but I saw no one.

“Who’s there?” I demanded, my voice echoing around the lifeless space.

“Over here. Walk left.” Holding my gun up again, I slowly walked in the direction. “Now turn around.” Furrowing my brow, I did so. My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

Right in front of me, on one of the sides of the machine, was a screen. On the screen was a computer generated pixel face. But that wasn’t what startled me. Right above the screen, inside a protective dome, was a brain. Yeah, you heard me right. A brain.

No way.

The computer answered my question before I could even ask. “Yes,” The montone voice said. “I was once like you. Vulnerable, unprotected, disgusting. But now look at me. I can live forever.”

I snorted. “You’re not alive. You’re just a brain in a box.”

Did a computer just laugh at me? “Silly creature. Soon, the entire universe will be immortalized. No one will ever have to experience death, we can live forever and gain knowledge we never would have learned in fleshy bodies.”

Now it was my turn to laugh. However, it wasn’t my usual condescending chuckle. It was a deep, disgusted, sarcastic sound. What kind of horrible person would do this? “I’d rather die than become like you.”

“And that’s the problem,” it continued. “Emotions always get in the way of our full potential. I know you have a history, Cade Warren.” The screen pulled up a picture of me. Of my record. “Join me, and you can be rich and powerful beyond your wildest dream. Start over in renewed life.”

“You disgust me,” I spat. “Now please excuse while I destroy you.”

The computer laughed. Gosh, a technologically-generated laugh was creepy. I wanted it gone. “Destroy me, go ahead. I have saved backups upon backups. Someone else will take my place.”

“I doubt it. Why would anyone want to be like you? You’ve failed. Deal with it.” There was no off switch, and I certainly couldn’t hack. I could pull out random wires, but that could end in me getting electrocuted. I glanced at the disgusting brain floating in the tank. My heart sank. I had to destroy it. I had to destroy this person.

Was he even a person anymore? After all he’d done to himself, to everyone? “You won’t do it, Cade Warren,” the voice sneered. “I’m still alive, just like you. And from what I’ve heard, you don’t kill.” Another file popped up on the computer. The case of the murder of been charged with. “With one exception. Of course, you didn’t do it, did you?”

I looked up. “How did you know?”

“I’m smarter than I look.”

“That’s hard to believe.” Walking up, I tapped the glass. It was at least an inch thick. No way was my blaster getting through that.

“Think of it. You could have unlimited knowledge, Cade Warner. All the authority in the world. You could live for eternity.”

My heart pounded faster and faster. I took a step back. Suddenly, my face darkened. “That’s not living.” Whipping out a grenade I’d been given along with my other weapons, I threw it at the tank as hard as I could. It seemed to fly through the air in slow motion.

A few things crossed my mind during these last few moments. One, the screen had now returned to its default pixel face. It was screaming, and so was the computer. It was very loud. Two, I was going to die. The blast radius was just too wide, I’d never get out in time. Three, I’d just saved the flipping world. This dude would never get to anyone ever again. Earth was as safe, the galaxies were safe, Patton was safe. Patton. I’d never see him again. As I planted my feet firmly on the ground, I stared at the grenade. It touched the glass, the glass shattered. A great explosion began to form. Brain guys. Fire. Red, orange, white...everything went black. Right before I gave in to the shadows of death, I saw someone. Not Patton, but...my mother. She was smiling.

I think she was proud of me.

“Cade.” A voice suddenly pierced the darkness. I’d been staring into a bright light. Was that God? I didn’t know God exsisted.

“God? Is that you?” Crap. I’d better start apologizing for literally everything I’d ever done.

A chuckle. Did He just laugh? “N-no, silly. It’s P-Patton.”

“Patton...” I felt my eyes widen. “You’re God?” As soon as those words left my mouth, I realized how absolutely ridiculous they sounded. Wait, if Patton isn’t God, and he isn’t dead, then did that mean that I was alive? “Am I-“

“You’re d-doing g-great.” Finally, my vision started to clear. But everything was still super blurry. “They s-say you’ll b-be okay.”

“You saved us all, kid.” Was that Gaea? I tried to sit up, but the pain was too much. “Hold it, soldier. You just got out of surgery.” Surgery? Damn, how much damage did that blast do?

A feeling of terror began to take root in the pit of my stomach. “What happened?”

Gaea took a deep breath. She sounded nervous, and I didn’t like the idea of a woman as tough as her being nervous. “All the cyborgs stopped fighting at once. It was like they regained control of their own minds. That’s when you destroyed their leader. You released them.” A pause. “We found you on the ship, unconscious and close to death. Burns all over your body, half dead. We got you here as soon as we could, but...”

“But...” I urged, biting back the pain. I still couldn’t see her. Everything was blurry.

“We almost lost you. Actually, you died for about two minutes before we were able to bring you back. We thought...you were gone.” A sharp intake of breath. “And here you are, all patched up and breathing. Although, there will be some lasting effects.” I waited for her to continue. There was a long silence. “Your vision...it was severely damaged during the blast. We can do surgery on them, with your permission, but if not we’re more than willing to get you some glasses. Nothing wrong with those. Or contacts.”

Okay, glasses were not an option. I think I might consider that surgery. “What else?”

“You've got a few broken ribs, a broken leg, the burns...it’ll be weeks, months before they heal. The femur bone in your left leg was completely shattered. There’s no way to repair it, unless...unless it’s rebuilt.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “Rebuilt?”

“People have it done all the time. If a bone is broken beyond natural repair, it can be replaced with metal. None of it shows, it’s only on the inside, to help it heal. It happened to my high school English teacher. It’s just a simple surgery.”

I gulped. After my encounter with that brainy computer creep, I didn’t want a single piece of metal in or on my person, even such a common surgery as such. “Any other options?”

“You have to decide soon. It’s surgery or never walk again, my friend.” Gaea sighed. “The damage will only worsen until there is no way to fix it. Now it never.”

My throat suddenly felt very dry. “A...alright.”

And so it went. The surgery went well, both of them. All of them. My eyesight was restored, although I did keep a pair of glasses with me for reading. My leg was returned to normal. The limp even went away after a few months. I was just glad I didn’t have to have it amputated. All they did was cut into my leg (while I was asleep, of course) and fix it. I guess. I dunno, that’s how I imagine it.

The money was given to me as soon as I’d healed, no charge for the hospitalization. They even offered me a permanent position in the organization. As appealing as that sounded, I refused. I just wasn’t cut out to be a hero. Although, I did put in a good word for Patton. The kid was tougher than he looked. And don’t worry, we keep in touch. He doesn’t necessarily approve of my occupation, which I returned to as soon as I was physically able, but we are still friends. And I don’t think that’ll ever change. He’s even been helping me with my flight. Mostly positive reinforcement, but he’s done a lot of research in aerodynamics in order to help me.

So...yeah. That’s my life story! Up to this point, anyway. It isn’t over yet.

Not even close.

[Silver Pandorica]

Medical Report
By Silver Pandorica

Name: Cade J. Warner
Gender: Male
Sexuality: not sure He's not interested.
Birthday: The month of Onnelium, 2274B
Personality in 7 Words: Anxious, smart, lonesome,
tired, longing, strong, withdrawn
Personality Described by Others in 7 Words: Charming,
reserved, dry, sarcastic, criminal, confident, cunning
Best quote to describe him: "Being alone has a power
that very few people can handle." ~Steven Aitchison
His personal favorite quote: "Don't believe every
worried thought you have. Worried thoughts are notoriously
inaccurate." ~Renee Jain

What are you looking at? This information is absolutely
necessary to collect when giving someone their annual
checkup! Don't glare at me. I know exactly what I'm doing,
and I am perfectly qualified to give a professional opinion.

"So what's up with them wings?"
A Doctor's Diagnosis

According to Cade, they pop up randomly at the very worst of times. However, if you were paying attention, there is a deeper reason than that. And he knows it, way down in the bottom of his heart. Cade is a rather anxious man with the amazing ability to hide it extremely well. And his body knows this. In certain situations, when he just can't handle the stress and the thoughts and the horrible things pounding him from the outside, that's when they reveal themselves. So in a way, he's half right. They do come at the worst of times, but certainly not at random.

Now, as a professional doctor, I do believe there is a way to control their appearances. He just has to get ahold of his emotions instead of letting them get ahold of him. But he cannot do it alone. Being alone is one of the worst positions a person with anxiety can be in, and yet they put themselves in it all the time. Cade needs someone who will always be there for him, who will never leave his side. Now whether that is romantic-

"No."

What on earth? Excuse me for a moment. "What...what are you doing in my report?"

"I'm not interested in a partner, doc, thanks."

"Get out of my report, Cade!"

"Calm your cheese curls, I'm going. Geez."

Goodness. Okay, now as I was saying, it could be a romantic relationship, but it could also be a really loyal friend. Just...if you decide to be that friend, don't try to play Cupid. I don't think he would appreciate it very much.