Fonda was tall, red-haired, and had deep, brown eyes. He always wore a black cap with golden shapes on it, a black jacket, and a white shirt underneath. He was incredibly skilled at hunting, he was impressive with a bow, and as a pastime, he enjoyed fishing with his father in the lake that they lived by. Yes, indeed, to the average eye, Fonda was a typical eighteen year old. But if one looked closer, they noticed some other elements of him. Such as his unnaturally sharp teeth, a pair of fox ears, and a fox tail always fluttering about behind him wherever he went. Perhaps that''s what would catch your attention after giving the boy a closer look. Actually, that might even be something that you notice first and foremost, and kind of chuck everything else aside... Either way, Fonda, even with his unusual characteristics, really enjoyed fishing.


    And Fonda was fishing with his father the day he started noticing some things.


    "...So how did this even happen?", he asked at some point, casting the rod without giving it much thought.


    With how much they did it, it was almost second nature. There was something else taking up all of his attention – His father. His sudden awareness, a fix to something he had been struggling with his entire life seemingly overnight, and that boy he let stay with them, despite having virtually no space for him to sleep and barely enough food to feed one another.


    "I don''t know."


    Even this was shocking. Will responding without having to have the question repeated to him, without taking a few seconds to once more ground himself in reality. This didn''t seem like something that could disappear overnight – And yet somehow it did. Why? How? Even his own father didn''t seem to know.


    "But you''re my son, so I''ll be honest with you here. That kid... Tom..."


    Will paused for a moment.


    "I don''t know why... when I saw him... it was like everything just... clicked. I can''t explain it."


    "So... Tom shows up and suddenly you''re okay? Just like that? Don''t you think that''s a little weird?"


    Fonda focused his eyes on the rod, seeing a fish aimlessly circling the lure. Did it know it was merely a farce? And even if it did, would it still bite? After all, it sees food. Even if it''s out of place, it sees it, and that''s what matters to it the most of all. Even though something seems suspicious, it bites. Even though it knows it''s a trap, it bites. Because it''s food, and it''s there when it wasn''t before, it bites.


    Fonda looked at his father briefly.


    The fish bites because it knows nothing else.


    "...Do you really think Tom could be bad?", Will spoke up, his voice tired and gentle.


    There was more control and focus in it than usual – But it was still weak and strained. All of this must have been so tiring for him – He had spent almost an entire morning without blacking out. And that was rare. Incredibly rare.


    "I talked to Sot.", Fonda started, watching as the fish bit, just as he predicted.


    He pulled it out from the water carefully, placing it aside into a bucket. He wished they could only fish for sport, but with how little there was on the table day to day, it was best not to waste time doing that.


    "...He told me Tom got here yesterday, and instantly, tried to steal from Georgie. And when he caught him, the kid screamed at him, picked up a bow and tried to shoot him."


    Will''s eyes widened a little, but his son talked on regardless.


    "Dissonance was furious, but Burgess convinced them to give him another chance. The only reason the kid is still here is because Burgess is way too nice..."


    "The kid was scared, Fonda!", Will said instantly, letting go of his fishing rod and looking right at his son.


    "He probably just wanted some food, or some warm clothes! He got scared when Georgie came in and panicked, he probably wanted to... I don''t know... defend himself?"


    "You don''t know that kid, dad.", Fonda reminded him.


    He, himself, did not stop looking at the lake. Another fish saw the lie. Another fish fell right for it.


    "You don''t know what he''s like. You don''t know what he was looking for. You don''t know-"


    "He''s fourteen!", Will snapped suddenly, seeing his son flinch.


    He waited for a few seconds and shook his head, grabbing onto his forehead.


    "Sorry. I didn''t... I didn''t mean to shout."


    Fonda sighed and spoke;


    "No, you''re right. He''s a kid."


    He shut his eyes.


    "How bad could he be?"


    "But I still don''t get it... Why him, of all people?", Will continued.


    "I don''t know dad, but... at least you''re here now, right?"


    ''At least you''re here''. Such a simple phrase, but in this small family of two, it carried such weight. More than once in their life Will missed out on something, whether it be Fonda''s first accurate shot with the bow, the first time he caught a fish, or anything he ever managed as a kid, but something that only passed in a short moment – A short moment Will Ash just had no way of really grasping onto. And now, with every second within his grasp, with every minute under his control, Fonda felt... disappointed. Disappointed that it wasn''t earlier that this realization came about, and that he wasn''t already practically an adult. He wished that, maybe, Tom had walked into their life with the magical cure back when it actually mattered most. For just a moment, Fonda glanced towards the fish in a bucket, long dead and having had given up on its struggle.


    You don''t always get what you want, I suppose.


    "Hello, gentlemen."


    A voice rung out from behind the two, both instantly abandoning their rods and turning around. There, they found the image that never brought along anything good. And that image was light blonde hair, a freckled face, and a black mask covering the person''s eyes. He took a few steps forward, adjusting his light-green hoodie and grinning with malice that could never bode well. He was dragging a small cart behind him, completely empty, as if asking to be filled with god knows what.


    "Dissonance...", Fonda said with hesitation, sighing.


    He rolled his eyes a little, careful enough as to not have Dissonance notice, but made sure his father saw. Clearly, between the dreams and the memories, Will had missed why the local ruler wasn''t so liked.


    "Hello there."


    "...Good morning.", the man replied with an impartial tone.


    "I''m sure you know why I''m here."


    He tapped the cart behind him lightly with his right hand as he spoke. Fonda glanced at him, his eyes widening and ears slowly moving down, resting on the top of his head aimlessly. His face dropped completely as he stammered;


    "A-already? Isn''t it too early-", Fonda tried to speak, but the sudden change in Dissonance''s expression was enough to silence him.


    No smile, grin or smirk. Just a stern grimace that could intimidate anyone. Fonda''s nose twitched slightly and stood up as he stepped back, hiding his hands in his pockets. After clearing his throat he finally spoke;Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "...Why now, Dissonance?"


    "We''re expanding the pathway. The city needs more supplies. Don''t make me take them by force.", Dissonance carried on, completely ignoring the outrage of both Fonda and his father.


    Momentarily, he looked at Will himself with that glance of pity he usually received from people.


    "Mr. Ash. How has your-"


    He started, probably expecting to have to repeat himself. He was acting as if this harassment of his son was a completely casual morning - A casual morning Will failed to remember, it looked like. Were things always like this while he was away?


    "Spare me the formalities.", he cut in coldly, causing the other to hesitate, just for a moment.


    "What is this about? What do you want from us?"


    Dissonance paused for a few seconds, gathered his thoughts, and then returned to his empty, aimless smirk.


    "...Call it taxes."


    The man shrugged.


    "This city needs its people to contribute. We''re expanding the pathway and we need wood, food and water for whoever will work and also tools. You two live in the forest. You''ve got to have some wood to spare, right?"


    And while the phrase itself was a question, Dissonance very much stated it as if it were an order.


    "...Yes, sir. I''ll get whatever I can."


    To the dismay of his father, Fonda wandered over to a small pile of freshly chopped wood the two kept around for emergencies. He helped Dissonance load it onto the cart and then returned to where he stood, watching helplessly. And since Dissonance seemed dissatisfied with the result, he was forced to reluctantly hand over the bucket with a few long dead fish in it alongside everything else. This time, the man bowed his head slightly and turned back, pushing the cart with him;


    "Thank you for your generous contribution, gentlemen.", he said as he walked away, no hint of regret over what he had just done.


    "The City of Dissonance will grow strong thanks to you!"


    "Imagine being so self-centred you name a city after yourself...", Fonda muttered under his breath, but was clearly quiet as to not have Dissonance hear him.


    Will, completely lost as to what had just happened, begun to voice his opinions;


    "Fonda? What the hell was that just now?", he asked, turning his gaze from Dissonance to his son, over and over, back and forth... he just could not comprehend at all what had just gone down.


    Why would he give up so much with so little hesitation, so little consideration for what they themselves may need? His son, however, appeared to see no issue with the whole affair.


    "That''s just how Dissonance is.", he responded, blowing some of his hair out of his face.


    "He takes whatever he thinks he''s entitled to because he owns the whole city. And even if he''s wrong, we have to comply. In the end, he''s the one keeping us safe from..."


    Momentarily, his focus turned to the woods surrounding them.


    "...Whatever is out there."


    "Has he... always been this way?"


    Will was shocked. He knew Dissonance was cold at times, but this level of greed showing itself when he knew the two barely had anything was not something he expected. Had things been like this while he was away? How did his son cope when he didn''t even know such heavy tolls were placed on them?


    "Yes. Yes, he has.", Fonda nearly snapped, anger flooding his tone.


    He wasn''t sure where it came from. Now that his father was there and listening, it were as if he just wanted to dump all of his frustration on him right there and then. He knew it was unfair, but he couldn''t control it. It came out itself. And it went something like this...


    "You''d know, if you were here.", he started quiet, but his father noticed his rage instantly.


    "You''re not blaming me for-"


    But he couldn''t even finish his sentence. Fonda had too much to say.


    "No, but that doesn''t change that you weren''t here."


    His voice was cold, alien. It wasn''t him speaking, Will knew that much. It was the pent up anger, the frustration from all of this. But it didn''t change the fact that it hurt.


    "...It doesn''t change that I''ve had to work for two people when I was just- Just a kid! It''s... it''s not fair for me, and it''s not fair to blame you, and-"


    "Fonda!", Will exclaimed, but it barely did anything.


    "-I know that but what else am I supposed to do? My whole life I''ve done all I could trying to snap you out of that trance, trying to slowly ease you back into things and- And then this random kid comes along and suddenly you''re just fine? Why couldn''t you have been fine back when Dissonance took all of our food for himself, why couldn''t you have been fine when he threatened to burn down our caravan if I didn''t help with that damn build-"


    "Fonda, listen to me!", he tried again, but it was futile.


    "-And now you think it''s so easy to just say no to Dissonance, to just turn away but you know nothing because you''ve never...like I... and..."


    Will wasn''t sure what it was, but as Fonda spoke on, angrier and angrier, with more and more venom, he slowly felt things fading, in larger and larger chunks. He knew this feeling. He knew this defensive tactic, he knew what it was triggered by and he knew what would come next. He thought it was something that was gone, but the combined rage of his son aimed at him and the guilt he felt over not being-


    -able to do anything to stop it. But he won''t try, because he knows how this works. He''s been through all of this before, he''s been through it, and he lost so much, and he lost people, but this time he''s not as afraid. This time it seems like it''s okay, this time it seems like it''s natural. This time it seems like nothing will go wrong, as foolish as that is to believe. He slowly turns around, and he finds the faces of so many different people, so many different individuals. Enemies, friends, family. And they are all there, because at this point, there''s no reason to hold on.


    "I don''t want to forget you.", he hears.


    "I know. I don''t want to forget either.", he responds.


    "But what if there''s a way-", the other questions.


    "There isn''t. But don''t be scared, okay?", he states, knowing better.


    The group is uncomfortable. Someone is crying. Someone else clears their throat.


    "Take these."


    He shoves something in his hands.


    "But I won''t remember-", the other protests.


    "Doesn''t matter. It will help us find each other.", he promises.


    "Are you sure?"


    He''s not convinced.


    "I''m... hoping.", he says, unsure himself. They hug.


    "I''ll miss you, Will."


    "It won''t be long."


    He walks away, turns around and waves. And just like that, the annoying laughter, the light blonde tuft of curly hair and the three music discs disappear. And he never-


    -saw his son shaking him, his eyes filled with tears and his hands trembling. He was squeezing onto his clothes with his sharp fingernails, his breathing was panicked, he was completely hysteric. When he noticed that Will was looking back at him he quickly pressed his face into his chest, wrapping his hands around him in a tight hug. He didn''t say anything, but his father knew exactly what had happened. He didn''t speak, for a moment. He put his hand on his son''s head, moving it through his red hair, very slowly, reassuring him he was there, reassuring him he was present. He gave Fonda some time to calm down, and then spoke;


    "I''m here.", Will whispered, as slowly and as quietly as he could.


    "...I''m sorry! I''m sorry, I thought you were back to- Because of me and I- I didn''t want to, I promise-", Fonda tried to say, but his father cut him off.


    "It''s not your fault."


    He pushed him away, as gently as possible, and looked him in the eyes. He watched as his nose twitched as he sniffled, and how his ears fell completely. The two didn''t speak for a long while, letting the wind aimlessly blow around them.


    "I guess... I guess it''s not completely gone, then?", Fonda asked after a moment.


    "...It would seem so..."


    Will looked towards where Dissonance had once stood, spite in his voice.


    "...You have a right to be angry. And so do I. What Dissonance is doing here is unfair... especially with how we''ve been until now. He exploited you when you couldn''t stand up for yourself and kept me in the dark – What kind of man does that?"


    He looked at his son once more, and found him trying to get rid of the tears dripping from his eyes. He narrowed his own eyes.


    "This isn''t right. His rule isn''t right. You can see that, can''t you?"


    To this, Fonda appeared shocked. Worried, even. He stepped forward.


    "Dad... what do you... what do you plan to do here?"


    Will thought for a moment. If he had been aware of what was going on behind his back all this time, what would he have done? Ran away, taken his son somewhere else? That would risk losing their only home, leaving them stranded in the wild. No, no. There had to be another way. Another way to stay where they were while staying safe from Dissonance''s endless influence – A way to separate themselves completely from the City of Dissonance. Some sort of way to force Dissonance to give them the power and control they needed to keep themselves alive and comfortable – But in a way where he had no way of hurting them or kicking them out. They had to play it safe – But they had to also take some bold steps. And in this very centre, in the middle of this haze, Will Ash saw only one way to find the freedom he so wanted for him and his son. A smile spread across his face, a grin of confidence almost identical to that of the very tyrant who they were discussing.


    He only said one thing, but it was enough.


    "Fonda... What are your thoughts on revolutions?"