Chapter Text
-Prologue
"Reporting here live at the White House, where we supposedly will be hearing a statement on the recent out-of-the-blue, worldwide raids on the largest industrial megacorp on the planet, Anytech, a scant two weeks after the murder of its CEO, the suspect still at large."
The president soon walks onto stage, and the crowd of reporters quiet down. He takes a deep breath, and begins to speak.
"The United States of America was made with one core prospect at the center of its foundation, freedom, and the president is sworn in with the expectation of upholding and uplifting that freedom. Although in our first few centuries as a country, it was a mockery of freedom, with institutional slavery, the genocide of Native Americans, then later on segregation, cultural wars and identity suppression, but it was my belief that we have been closer to true freedom in the twenty-fifth century than any other."
In a rare moment of vulnerability, the president sighs and runs his hand over his face.
"But It is my regret to inform you that I have failed my duty, and America's freedom still has not reached us all."
"The corporation Anytech," the President spat the name with an uncharacteristically large amount of vitriol for the usually soft-spoken man, "has been secretly engaging in unethical scientific testing on bio-engineered sapient beings called Sawians for the past sixty two years. They worked on a scale only seen during the world wars of old, with over 30 million recorded Sawians…and only around a million victims still alive today."
There was a moment of silence, one where nobody could really connect what had been said to the reality they had thought been living in, before an upending roar of exclaims, questions and concerns were levied at one of the most stressed presidents of the century. The president raises his hand for silence, and his audience obeys.
"As of now, Anytech is now defunct. All assets owned by the company have been claimed by the World's Alliance, with no exceptions, Non-complicit employees of the company will continue working in the manner they did, now under the World's Alliance, but are recommended to seek other means of employment, as all Anytech assets will be put through processes to be liquidated and put into a fund to support the Sawians in the aftermath of their imprisonment, torture, and slaughter."
The president sighs, the public persona he adopted at all hours of the day cracking for a moment as he fully puts his head in his hands on the podium, "God knows they deserve it after what they've been through."
1.1
Tomo tries to ignore the stares upon his back as he gets off the plane. tries to ignore the way it feels when the entire small city airport quiets upon his arrival, and tries to ignore the many hushed conversations that start up with him as the topic as he passes by. In a sense, it was understandable. Sawians have not yet ventured outside our towns and villages much at all, usually only doing so to ensure a shipment of specific parts that we need would be delivered. Tomo's psychology books said it was only natural people would notice someone with such a deviant and unseen appearance.
So he endures the stares and the whispers, managing to get his sparse amount of luggage and leave the airport without incident, and in that moment, breathing in the crisp air of a winter night, Tomo was struck with awe of the sight of the city. The snow falling, lights wrapped around some trees as decorations, and the wonderous open sky he still could barely believe he was under. It was simply… beautiful. He shook himself out his trance, he could admire the scenery later. He took a few deep, calming breaths, preparing to call for a taxi.
"Welcome to Jenkin's Taxis, this is Conner speaking."
"H-hi, um, I need to get to 3392 Parkins Street."
"Parkins Street…that's in Limecreek right?"
"Yeah, I-I think so."
"Alright, and where are you at?"
"Oh, I'm at the airport."
"Alright, I'll be there soon, what's your name and appearance?"
"I'm Tomo, and…y-you'll know when you see me."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I-I'm a Sawian…"
"A Sawian? Like…those lab grown furries on the news awhile back?"
"Um, y-yeah."
"...Well, that explains the unfamiliar accent. I'll see you in around twenty minutes."
"A-alright."
True to their word, a taxi pulled up to him twenty minutes later, and he entered, tucking his tail into his lap as he sat down and buckled himself in. For a few minutes they drove in silence, before the driver, Conner, he reminded himself, broke the silence.
"So, what brings you here to our quaint little city? Not to be rude, but I thought you were all a reclusive bunch."
"Most of us stay away from humans because…w-well never mind them, I just wanted to explore the world."
Most of us stay away from humans because we've been so powerless at the hands of them for so long, most would never take the risk of surrounding themselves by humans, but I know not everyone can be bad. Good humans do exist.
"Yeah, I would too if I were cooped up all my life, but I was mainly wondering why this particular city in the middle of bumfuck nowhere?"
"My therapist says that it's always pretty loud in the bigger cities, and I wasn't too sure if I'd be able to deal with that very well. I also don't do well in the heat with all my fur."
"Ha!" The taxi driver let out a booming laugh, unknowingly making Tomo flinch as the driver kept his eyes on the road, "Those are the exact same reasons I moved back here almost immediately after I left."
"What made you move in the first place?" the question slipped out of his lips before he could think, and he internally tried to calm his nerves. He's not a coat or a guard, he won't hurt me for a simple question.
"Oh, nothing much, just wanted to see what it was like down south. I didn't like it enough to withstand the heat and noise, so I came back here."
After a few more minutes of surprisingly pleasant chatting, they pulled up to the house Tomo had bought. "Here we are, it was nice meeting you, Tomo"
"Um, you too, Connor." He awkwardly waves goodbye, and enters what would be his new home.
Going to the grocery store for the first time was quite stressful. The process of getting the groceries wasn't difficult, but checking out was a more difficult experience, a customer in the line just couldn't stop asking questions Tomo really didn't want to answer. Alas, the most stressful part came as he was leaving the store.
"Mr. Fluffy!" "Linda, no!"
Two sudden shouts were all the warning he got before he got tackled by what seemed to be a young girl. The impact was negligible, but as he stood there, he found himself paralyzed as the girl hugged his leg, "I thought you were gone! But you're here!"
He was confused about what was going on and completely unsure of what to do to get the girl off him without risking her parents' anger. Luckily, the girl's father quickly caught up and pried the girl away, not without much protest from her.
"Linda, that's not Mr. Fluffy."
"But then why does he look like Mr. Fluffy?"
"It's…complicated. I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie."
The man then turned to Tomo, "I am so, so sorry for my daughter,"
"I-it's fine."
"Still, I'm sorry. She lost her favorite plushie a few days ago," What does a plushie have to do with- "one of the Sawian models we got her for when she was born, before anyone knew you were real-"
"They…they made plushies of us?!"
"Y-yeah. They sold them to kids all over the world, really fucked up, but I suppose I don't need to tell you that."
"Those-Those bastards…" Tomo snarled, but the look on the girl's face shifting to fear, snapped him out of it, and he forced himself to take a deep breath, "Excuse me, I think I need some time to myself."
Tomo stormed off, barely containing his anger as he rode his bike back to his house. When he arrived, he slowly put away the groceries, before heading for his bed. He laid there for minutes on end as he stared at the ceiling, and then, it all came loose.
He could not help but scream into a pillow for minutes on end. But as his anger dulled, all that was left was gut wrenching hurt, deep within his soul; he curled up in his bed, shedding tears, the wounds inflicted upon his mind ran deep and were yet to heal; the bleeding had barely been stopped even after five years. Tomo cried for the injustice, the friends he lost, and through the memories of pain.
Yet, even through the misery of memories, a part of him was still filled to the brim with hope, for he had his freedom, and the future looked bright.
If only you were here to see it with me, Kara…