[Vfw-times] Story: Because

[Jason]

I've been debating weather to post this story or not, and finally made up my
mind. I'd really like feedback on it, as I don't tend to get much, and I
find it very helpful.

Wyldesyde

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Because...

The young fox sat on a hill overlooking the city, crying.

"Why? Why did this happen," he softly sobbed.

The attack had decimated a 2-kilometer square area of the city. The plane
had been hijacked just after it took off from the city's main airport. There
was nothing anyone could do, but watch in horror as the fully loaded
intercontinental flight plunged down into a pair of residential high rises.
And had destroyed the young foxes home, along with his fiancé, their wedding
day only weeks away.

"Why?" was all the young fox could say.

"Because."

Turning, the young fox looked around to see who had spoken. He'd chosen this
hill because it was deserted, with no other furs in the area.

Stepping out of the shadows around the trees, the voice's owner came into
the light. A skunk, perhaps around 20 years old, wearing a trench coat and
some type of steel boots, walked towards the fox, stopping beside him, and
sitting down.

The fox looked him over, stunned by the fact that the skunk was wearing
boots. Only the bears wore boots outside of winter, and even then, he had
never seen boots made out of interlocking pieces of metal.

The skunk looked over at him before continuing, "Because there are those who
hate and fear. Because there are those who mistrust what they do not
understand. Because of many reasons."

"Who are you?" was all the young fox could think of asking.

The skunk smiled wearily, meeting the fox's gaze with his crystal blue eyes,
eyes that had seen death, destruction, and loss, but had never given up
their hope.

"I'm someone who's trying to help, in his own small way. There's not much I
can do now, but if I had gotten here only a little sooner..." The skunk
trailed off, looking out over the city, at the still burning rubble.

"How? How could your presence have prevented this? How could you have
helped? No one knew anything about this," the fox asked, not really
understanding, but knowing, somehow, that this skunk wasn't telling him the
whole truth.

"I can't tell you that. Besides, you'd never believe me. But, as for
helping, I could've stopped it from happening in the first place. Now,
however, there's only one way I can help."

"Michael? Is that you?" The call, somewhat frightened, came from behind him.

Turning, not saying anything, not even breathing, he looked, and froze.

"Sarah? But, but, the plane, the apartment, how?" he started to ramble,
before the young female vixen tackled him, silencing his futile attempts at
understanding what had happened, and reassuring him that she was, in fact,
quite real.

"Oh, Michael." Sarah softly sobbed, holding her fiancé tightly.

"How?" was all Michael could say.

"That skunk. This morning, after you left for work, he just walked into the
kitchen and grabbed me. The next thing I know, its night, and I'm out here
in the woods. I heard your voice, and came this way."

Michael looked back, about to ask the skunk for his version, and stopped.
The skunk was standing, looking out over the city, and talking to himself,
it seemed.

"System, activate quantum rift generator. Alter pathway for temporal shift t
minus 12 hours, and open rift."

Suddenly, a rippling blue portal appeared in front of the skunk. Michael and
Sarah watched as the skunk turned to face them.

"You asked how I was going to help. Well, this is how. Your fiancé wasn't
the first fur I rescued, nor will she be the last. As long as I'm able to, I
plan on rescuing as many as possible."

The skunk turned, and stepped through the portal, leaving Michael and Sarah
alone on the hilltop.

The next day, the newspapers and television channels were abuzz with a story
that seemed impossible. Michael was watching the morning news coverage of
the accident at his parent's house while Sarah was getting herself a glass
of orange juice. As the reporter started on the next story, Michael sat,
stunned, watching the screen, and didn't notice when Sarah came in.

"Ever since yesterday at about noon," the reporter was saying, "there have
been reports of furs, including the entire student population of the
elementary and high schools within the crash zone, being rescued from the
area of the crash by a stranger. What makes this story seem unreal is the
fact that this stranger, according to various reports, seems to have been in
several places simultaneously. The stranger is described as being a male
skunk, approximately 185 centimeters tall, with crystal blue eyes and black
headfur, except for a white lock that was above his right eye. He was
wearing a long, black trench coat, and, from all reports, had on boots made
of some unidentifiable metal. When asked for his name, he asked that he be
called Wyldesyde (is that right?). If anyone has information as to his
whereabouts, they are asked to inform this station, as the mayor has
declared him a hero. Whoever you are, and wherever you may be, this city
owes you a debt of gratitude."

The only sound in the house was that of Sarah's glass crashing to the floor
as she raced to the couch and embraced Michael, both of them finally
realizing the gift this stranger had bestowed on them. Seeing a flicker of
light in the corner of his eye, Michael looked into the kitchen. Leaning
against the counter was the very same skunk that had rescued Sarah.

"Thank you," whispered Michael, somehow knowing that the skunk heard him.

The skunk nodded, and turned away, speaking softly to himself.

"System, activate quantum rift generator, adjust path for dimensional warp,
and open rift. Its time to try and find home."

Michael and Sarah watched as the skunk stepped through the rift, holding
each other, and silently thanking this skunk, who, in their minds at least,
was a guardian angel.