Short Story: Alone in Heaven

 I was so enraptured by the theme created for BLFC 2017  I wrote this little story for the conbook. It was an experiment but I thought I'd share anyways. It's set in a floating city far detached from the chaos between juggernauts and flying suit  DAVIDs on the world below... Also this is how I imagine Beast in that particular world, as if he grew up there, I wouldn't say this version is "cannon" if there is such a thing for fursonas.

“Ennui” Beast moaned with a sigh. He leaned against the cool glass elevator quickly ascending to the top of the crystal skyscraper. “That’s French for ‘I’m deep,’” he said to the muscle-bound gorilla in a black suit with an enameled Hushpuppies pin on the lapel. Turning to the similarly clad rhino on his other side he added, “Actually, it means, ‘sad, listless boredom, I think?’” The rhino also did not respond. Beast bit his lower lip and lifted the shades of his personal guards, revealing gazes that were both hyper-alert and yet fully entranced. He let out another slow breath and said in a low soothing voice, “Very good. You’re responding well to the training. Each and every day you become even better guards, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” the two guards responded dutifully.

“There is nothing you want to more than to be good at your job and protect me, isn’t that right? Beast added. If not for the bright light of the elevator they might have been able to see his mane glow slightly as he gave the hypnotic command.

“Yes, sir”

“Good boys,” Beast said. The light in the elevator dimmed as they reached the higher floors and the lights of the floating city Sanctuary sparkled in the expanding vista. Just beyond the ridge of the floating city, tiny buildings on the ground below exploded like fireworks so far in the distance they didn't make any noise. “Oh, are we in the middle of an evacuation? I’ll have to update the light cycle when we get home. Wouldn’t want to get too jetlagged.” The elevator continued to whirr in the continuing silence. “What do you think about this outfit? Is it too much? My stylist said bright colors and Juggernaut pearls are in this week.” Beast tapped the plastic half domes attached to the shoulder pads in his evening jacket. The hypnotized guards said nothing.

The elevator opened to a lavishly decorated lounge on the top floor of the skyscraper and Beast reflexively pulled his lion maw into a big toothy grin. As he entered his bodyguards pulled back to join the other bodyguards lining the walls. A real socialite would take their time to say hello to everyone and project loving kindness to all they meet as they fluttered from clique to clique. But Beast simply made a beeline to the bar and ordered a strong yet fruity drink. At a private table in the corner he slowly sipped the drink while giving anyone that dared approach him the evil eye. These sort of functions always sapped him of all his energy yet he always felt oddly compelled to attend at least one or two a month if only for the vague sense of belonging they provided.

Beast also liked to people-watch. From a distance, people were interesting. Watching them get into little tizzies about minor things, swarm and buzz around fads, make mountains out of anthills--it was all very amusing. For example, the drama as relationships end and start anew is always entertaining. Watching exes try to avoid each other in the same room and jump through hoops to not make eye contact--all very amusing.

At least, that’s what Beast was thinking when he happened to catch the eyes of a certain handsome young wolf named Omar. Jumping up from his table Beast grabbed his glass and walked up to the wolf. Immediately Omar straightened up and puffed out his chest. Beast grinned warmly.

“Good evening, sir,” Omar said, “I did not know you would be attending this reception.”

Beast chuckled. “At ease,” Beast said, “You don’t have to call me ‘sir.’ We’re just friends now, right Omar?” Being near the former guard he had spent so much time with felt relaxing and warm.

“If you say so, sir,” Omar replied only slightly less stiffly. Beast took a long sip of his drink.

“I’ve been following your career since you left. You’re really moving up in the world, aren’t you? What, are you eying commissioner of the Sanctuary Hushpuppies already? ”

“Sir provides excellent training. My mind and body have achieved heights they wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

“I told you, you don’t have to call me, ‘sir,’” Beast said. He turned to a young fox in a shimmering nightdress gracefully approaching them. “Oh, who’s this?” he asked.

The gorgeous fox slipped her arm around the wolf’s and playfully yet possessively leaned her head on his shoulder. “This is my wife, Miranda,”  Omar  said.

“Oh, how do you do? I’m Beast.”

“Oh,” she said as her gloved arm entwined further around her husband’s muscular arm, “You’re The Hypnotic Beast.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“The Beast,” she said, her eyes narrowing as if she had just met her husband’s former lover.

“Yup, that's-a-me” Beast replied before taking a nervous sip of his already empty drink.

“My husband’s told me so much about you.” The fox gave a tight, thin-lipped grin.

“Well, only good things, I hope,” Beast said, “ Um, I’m going to go mingle. It was lovely meeting you and I wish you both lots of happiness.” Beast took in a deep breath and tried to imagine channeling all the love in the world to these two. He took another deep breath and nodded.  His smile dropped as he turned to walk away. As he whipped past he placed his hand on the wolf’s shoulder and quietly whispered, “Forget me, protect her.”

As soon as the lion returned to his private table with a fresh drink waiting for him his hand-held buzzed. He sighed and placed it on the table. A holographic avatar of a cheerful mouse, his agent Chuck, floated above the table. Beast grunted with embarrassment and quickly pulled the privacy curtain around his booth. Sitting back down he rubbed his face wearily.  

“What do you want Chuck? I’m at a function. I’m supposed to be socializing,” Beast grumbled. He swatted at the tiny mouse hologram as if he was crushing the rodent with a giant paw. 

“Spare me the melodrama. You’re about as social as a turnip,” the rodent countered. “Look, your Cultural Loss Assessment Synopsis Score is slipping again. Either raise your CLASS or I can’t guarantee your application to live in Sanctuary will be granted for another year .”

“Well, what do you want me to do?” Beast grumbled. He moaned and plopped his head on the table and repeatedly “squashed” the hologram under his thick paw.

“Well, for starters you should post a video of the Montalvo Restoration Fundraiser.”

“Cool, when’s that?”

“You’re there now.”

“Oh.”

“And word’s starting to spread in certain circles about your ‘training.’ Your former guards are actually highly sought after. Even by the bureaucrats that run the CLASS system.”

“Oh, I see where this is going. You want me to give up my only friends so I can stay in this ivory tower another year.”

“Yeah, pretty much. And produce more content on a regular basis.”

“One day, I’m going to find out where you live and hypnotize you so hard your brains will explode.”

“Ah, but that ruin my wonderful plans for you. Be good now, my pet.”

“Urgh, I’ll behave, oh 4-D chess master,” Beast said. Chuck ended the call and disappeared.

Looking around Beast found a good spot to frame his presence at the fundraiser: an ice sculpture in front of dance floor filled with colorful socialites. Glowing blue from lights beneath it the ice sculpture resembled a Lance and was surrounded by designer mini cupcakes. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and visualized sending the world all his love. He assumed the selfie pose with a smile and started broadcasting.  “Hello World, Hypnobeast here at the fundraiser for the reconstruction of Montalvo~! I hope I can count on you to help rebuild Montalvo after the last Juggernaut attack! Also, please remember to visit me at hypnobeast.com for some peace during these stressful times.”

Beast put his handheld back in his pocket and turned to the many, many mini cupcakes. He patted his belly as the scent of frosting and pastry filled his nostrils. All his official promos had him with CGI  six-pack abs so his stylist forced him to wear something like a futuristic male corset underneath his clothes. But something had to fill the void. “You will be my friends, tiny cupcakes,” he said, “and I will devour you because you are into that sort of thing and I am a good friend.”

“They’re so tiny!” said a flamingo standing next to the lion. Beast grunted agreement but didn’t dare make eye contact for fear of being locked into a conversation. “I want to eat them all,” the flamingo said wistfully.

“You can’t,” Beast said in a low voice scooping up a half dozen designer mini cupcakes, “These are my friends and they are going home with me.” When he started acting too forward Beast knew his social batteries were starting to run out. He had stayed the prerequisite hour and decided it was time to return to his lair. Without making eye contact he turned to go.

“Aren’t you Hypnobeast?” the flamingo asked. Beast sighed and looked up. The dreamy-eyed flamingo wore a dazzling iridescent headdress of rainbow feathers... or they somehow dyed their own feathers? Beast couldn’t tell. He closed his eyes and imagined waves of love from every child in the world flowing from him to this new person and smiled gently. “Why yes, I am The Hypnotic Beast, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The flamingo gasped. “Hah, you’re doing the mind exercise from The Charisma Complex, aren’t you?” they asked. Beast blinked, slightly stunned. 

“Yeah, how did you know? Is it working?” Beast asked.

“Mmmm, a little bit. Man, that book is such BS!” the flamingo said with a laugh.

“I know, right? ‘How to have charisma?’ Pretend you love everyone--who knew?!”

The flamingo spread their arms and wafted an imaginary aether toward Beast and said, “I’m sending you all the love from all the fat, little-winged burbs in the world.”

Beast took his free hand and pressed it to his forehead dramatically and replied, “I’m channeling the peace of all the schleppy little kitties just awakening up from naps.” The two laughed.

“I’m Iris, by the way,” the flamingo said. Beast nodded blankly. “You don’t know who I am, do you? I had that hit single last summer, ‘You Shattered My Heart like a Pearl?’” Beast nodded blankly again. “Oh, you,” Iris teased.

“I only know cartoons, video games, and associated media,” Beast muttered as he popped a mini cupcake in his mouth. “Mmm, Guava flavor.”

“So you would know the cover I did of ‘Port Arthur Peril?””

“Oh, for the new World of Titans release! That was a cover?” Beast gasped as a thought came to him. “Do you know the developers?”

“The deal was done through my agent.”

“Man, I hate agents!” Beast grumbled, grabbing more cupcakes. The pair continued to chat for awhile and Beast slowly forgot about leaving.

But, inevitably, Iris asked the question that ended most conversations with Hypnobeast, “I bet you couldn’t hypnotize me.”

Beast sighed. “I don’t want to hypnotize you. I’m not going to force myself on random people. If you want me to hypnotize you, just ask nicely.”

“But you can’t hypnotize me,”  Iris said. Beast frowned and looked at the door. “Okay, fine, please hypnotize me,” Iris asked.. 

“Just relax and let all else fade away,” Beast said. His mane glowed softly as he spoke. “There is no need to do anything but listen to the sound of my voice and go deep into trance.” The flamingo rocked from side to side like a sideswiped bowling pin before finally falling into Hypnobeast’s arms. The Hypnotic Beast laid them gently on a chair and painted a landscape of relaxing imagery in Irises’ mind. Some random socialite cast video of Beast whispering in Iris’ ear. He almost shooed them away but remembered he needed to raise his CLASS. “Think of what you like the most,” Beast directed the tranced flamingo.

The image of a friend appeared in Iris’ mind: a large brown bear who worked at a cafe in their skyscraper. “Mocha” Iris whispered, remembering the unusual name of their friend.

“I’m more of a tea person, myself” Beast muttered. “Think of the person you love the most,” Beast directed in a smooth low voice.

Iris imagined pulling Mocha close and burying their face in her soft fur. Such a wonderful bear, that Mocha. “I love you,” Iris whispered as they pulled Beast close and nuzzled his chest. 

Beast shook his head and moaned. “You don’t even know me” he mumbled.  When Iris came out of trance ten minutes later, the lion and his bodyguards were already gone.

Back in his condo Beast dismissed his bodyguards who quickly left once out of the trance. He hypnotized the waiting night guard, a gray wolf named Robert who was still in training at the academy. With the proper suggestions, Robert had gained fifty pounds of muscle at the gym since he started working for Beast and had moved to the top of his class. 

Now Robert stood vigilant half in a trance while Beast dove into the new VR export of  World of Titans. His character, Sovereign Gaze, had reached level three and Beast had maxed out the “mind control” skill for kicks. It was fun to watch the little NPCs all bow down and worship him as the massive behemoth lion fulfilled the game objectives. Plus, as an added rush he could sometimes take over the enemies and make the pretty blue streaks of light dance in the sky and crash into their own buildings. In this world, he didn’t have to pretend to be adept at anything but destruction. In this world, he could just break infrastructure and not hearts.

The small crowd of tinies cheered as he completed each objective, gleefully applauding the destruction of their own city. Beast paused a moment and towered over them, raising a massive footpaw above them as he heard them cheer their oncoming oblivion. But Beast considered himself a benevolent sovereign and knew he would need his people to rebuild the land in his image after his wave of destruction and decided not to squish his loyal subjects. The doorbell rang and with an annoyed grunt Beast took off his virtual reality visor. “Go see who it is,” Beast told Robert. But Beast already knew who it was. “What do you want?” Beast inevitably asked the Flamingo on his doorstep.

Iris stood nervously at the door  with their handheld still flashing “Arrived at Destination.”  “I just wanted to thank you,” she said, “I asked my friend Mocha out after the fundraiser and she said ‘yes.’”

“Oh. Oh! Ohh. You have a friend named ‘Mocha,’ whom you… love?” 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Iris said, their cheeks turning red. The flamingo paused to collect their thoughts. “Although I think I might have said that in trance,” they muttered. The flamingo gnawed anxiously on a feather. “Can I come in? I stole a bunch of cupcakes.”

“Sure,” said Beast with a grin. “But they better be guava-flavored.”

“I am sending you the deliciousness of all the guava cupcakes in the world!” Iris said, bouncing one off Beast’s head. The two started talking again and for a little while everything else faded away.