Tim and Faan

This was always his favorite part. Time always seemed to slow down as the ground seemed to reach up for him. It was calculated chaos that had always kept him alive to this point, and it was this calculated chaos he was counting on now.

As his eyes quickly scanned the air under him, looking for his next landing spot, Tim had the time to throw his thoughts into a locked corner of his brain. The corner that was pushed to the side not allowed to talk him out of jumping. The side that was now marveling at how fast he was falling towards his death.

Then just like that, he locked eyes onto the scaffold that would save his life. Focusing he managed to pull his weight in that direction. Shifting the particles of air around him he landed, a bit harder than he would have liked, with one-foot in front of the other, swaying to gather his balance.

Looking back up over his shoulder he whistled and saw Faan leaping from scaffold to beam on her way down to him. Her tongue hanging out of her mouth, launching with the power only a timber wolf could have, she bounded her way back to him. Catching his breath as he waited for her, he crouched to a knee and felt into his boot making sure his bounty was safe and secure still.

Feeling a shift of weight on the scaffolding, he quickly looked up and saw Faan walking on the beam towards him. Without a care to the world, she seemed to enjoy the chase as much as he. Smiling, he stood up and put his hand on the top of her head and smooshed her ears down and ruffled the fur on top of her head.

“We did good girl, lets go home”

Their silhouettes black against the multi colored city skyline. They jumped in synchrony into the building through a hole in a window. Silent as a feather they landed and started their journey home. For tonight, their luck had not run out. The chaos he counted on had continued and they weren’t followed. As they reached ground level and walked out of the door, Tim paused and looked up through multi levels of power chords, the neon flashing lights and lasers all the way up through the levels of the skyline.

The cargo in his boot seemed to throb and shoot heat through his body as his eyes traced the levels up to the very top. He could hardly believe it, but he had been up over 400 stories to the very top of the city today. The bounty had come from the top floor of the tallest building and his relationship with chaos had allowed him to escape the guards who could only watch in horror as he jumped out of the top floor. Into the air, the mist, and hope his gut knew what was happening.

With a shake of his head, he pulled his head from the events of the last 15 minutes, and glanced down at Faan, following faithfully. She had it easier than he did. She was faster and able to come and go at will throughout the city at this point. All wolves were welcome at all levels. They were regarded almost as royalty at this point. How he had become so lucky to find her as a pup and gain her trust, he will never know. It was just another part of life that he gave over to the chaos. Pulling his hood up over his head he continued out of the terrace and into the city life.

As the chain doors closed behind him, he was slammed with the noise of the city at ground level. Flashing lights of every color seemed to pull him in every direction at once. His cybortic-lenses behind his ears were overloaded with ads promising a future that only they could give him, in exchange for only for a few minutes of his time. Tightening his hood over his head a little more, he shook his head as he reacclimatized to this level's way of living.

Before the great awakening, the difference between the wealthy and middle class had grown. After the great awakening, it had become astronomically different. Ads and promises provided cheap hope to those left behind, while those in the upper levels could afford to silence the onslaught of technology. Being a gifted climber and an agent of chaos, he was afforded stolen glimpses into the other way of living, but could never truly create a life at that level. It was rare to have both talents present in one individual he had been told. Climbers could always climb up but couldn’t escape back down when caught, and as such, were typically hauled off to jail. Agents of chaos normally just trusted their luck at the lower levels and grew into a life of luck without pushing too hard against what was accepted.

Meandering through the streets on his way back to his Uncle, his mind drifted back to his childhood. When he realized he could climb and how that brought him too Faan. Tucked away in one of the ruins from the before time and without a mom. He was able to bring her home and nurse her back to health. She was the blessing that brought him in touch with chaos. He was always one of the loser kids, a bit small for his age, and gangly. At this level in the city, it was always survival of the fittest and he didn’t bring anything to the table. So Faan grew to be his only friend and the fact he could climb meant he could keep up with her as she tore through the city and the multiple levels.

One day as they were playing chase, they found their way on level 20. The level where guards started to check security passes. Tim wasn’t paying attention and Faan blew by 3 guards, and him being a young teen, tore after her. The guards, quick to attack, pulled the guns out to chase them down. Faan just leaped out of the window, and landed softly in the next building and looked back almost daring Tim to follow. Without much thought or time, Tim leaped after her, and in that instant, he became more aware of his surroundings and understandings how to pull and direct his energy. He panicked and pulled his way to the level Faan was on and gasped as his body jolted in the air and threw himself on the level Faan had landed on. A gun shot didn’t give him much time to think about it, but later when they arrived home, he told his uncle about what happened. That was when he first learned of Chaos, learned he was considered a climber, and was also the first time he learned about the locket that was now tucked away in his boot.

Arriving home, he opened the door and felt Faan brush by him running over to her water bowl. Stripping out of his hoodie he placed the backpack on the chair and knelt down on the floor to reach into his boot.

"Uncle! Come out here. I have something to show you” Tim yelled as he pulled the locket out and palmed it into his hand as he stood up and faced the doorway.

“What is it boy? What sort of crazy rock darn mischief did you get into today?” Uncle Owen mumbled as he shuffled into the room.

“Well, you remember how you told me the legend of the Locket right? Told me how it was the key to unravel the levels of power and shift the entire worlds balance? How it was lost during the great awakening and how a thread on “The Reddit” warned it would be stolen to keep the illusion even before the awakening happening?” Tim said rocking on the balls of his feet.

“Of course, I remember telling you that. That was the last thing I read from that blasted site before everything changed. The only thing missing from that thread was what to do with it if it ever showed up. Or where it needed to go. But it’s a legend. Nothing like that is real. “ Owen said as he shifted his weight and sat down at the table.

“You also taught me that all legends are based on truth. In one way or another. So, would it surprise you if I told you that I found where the locket was located? “ Tim said barely holding back his excitement.

“Boy, you’re stepping on thin ground. I don’t know how you would come across such information, but we don’t want to mess with the powers to be. For that matter, we don’t want them looking in on us.” Owen mumbled as he looked hard at Tim. “But I have a feeling it’s too late for that, judging by your face. Tell me boy, what did you do. Please tell me it won't come barging through that door demanding I give you up...”

“Nothing of the sort. I just found where the locket was, and just so happened that Faan and I found our way up there. And inside of the building, and well. I guess I can show you.” Tim said smirking as he pulled his hand out of his pocket.

Stepping forward and turning his hand up and he opened his fist, there in his hand laid the heart shape locket that Owen had described for him many years ago. Leaning forward, his whole demeanor changed, Owen looked down at the locket and trembled as he reached out to touch it. His finger tracing along the edges of the heart, feeling the rough metal all around till resting at the top where the button was to open it.

“The last line I remember reading from that thread, was that whatever was inside of the locket was a sign of who was to shift the power back to a more even level. I’m scared to open it...” Owen murmured to himself.

“Do it Unc! You’re the one who told me about it” Tim said turning his hand over and handing it to Owen.

With that, Owen pushed down on the button and the front of the heart faded from the middle to both sides slipping into the back of the locket. With a big sigh Owen just muttered “And it means nothing. It’s empty...” his disappointment clear in his voice. “I guess it was too much to hope for, but it was exciting as it lasted, maybe we can sell it for something.” he said as he handed it back to Tim.

“Uhm... is that a joke Uncle O? I can see who’s here... and he looks familiar...” Tim said looking down at it as it was handed back to him.

As Tim’s hand touched the locket, the locket shifted views in front of Owens eyes and he saw the image of a man appear on the locket. A man who looked 90% like a man he knew years before. A man who had married his sister and they had together had Tim. A man who was only 5 years older than Tim is now at the time of that photo.

“Thats not just any man Tim. That’s, you...”