Venturing: Visionary Reeds

I was running through a path. The wind blowing hard against my face as my claw gripped the pistol inside my pocket, drawing it out. My eyes were kept upon our enemy. A deer named Dox Collax proclaimed proudly that Ling had died in her hooves. And now she was panicking across the roads of the mall, ditching and abandoning one after the other in hopes of getting rid of me. But I smirked and nearly laughed, knowing that I was like a shadow to her figure. Torturing her to no end until she makes a mistake. But for so far, that had never happened just yet. We turned the corner and exchanged the road we were on for another which was heading deep in the left toward a dark horizon that I may not know. The lights were flickered, some were turned off on their own whereas sparks that came from dead light bulbs fell to the grounds. Never catching on fire. Towards the sides of us were caged stores. From dragonet.com to dragshoes and winggalory. We bypassed them all, neither of us stopping to look within the stores we passed since they were blurred only to us.

We kept moving, speeding down the current road we knew. Up ahead of us was a white fence which the deer jumped over, entering into the indoor playground. My eyes narrowed with determination as I gave my wings a flap to readjust myself on my path through the halls. And once I had reached the fence, I mimicked the doe and entered as well. But as my feet touch the grounds, I realized that the deer was gone. I grunted in annoyance but said nothing in response afterward as I lowered my claw towards my walkie; snatching it from the pocket, and rose it to my mouth. Clicking onto the black button on the side, I reported. “She got away. Not too far I predicted." Then released the button and the walkie allowing it to safely return to my pocket as I exhaled before landing my eyes towards my surroundings. A playground was where I was at. A combination clash of red and yellow colors was painted upon a short slide that connected the grounds towards the red swiss cheese at the top. Adjacent to the slide was a swing. There were three sets of them, all stationary and frozen as if the snow had frozen over them. I laughed mentally at the thought of it.

Turning my attention towards the white fence behind me, I noticed quickly how low were those fences. At least five inches, maybe six or four from the grounds below. And speaking of the flooring, it was cleaned and sparkly as if someone had cleaned it beforehand. The white fence around the playground, me and Doe, was a small square and perhaps easily jumpable. Southward and beyond the fence was another close store named Dears which I had no idea where it was parodying from. Adjacent to the store was another path towards another horizon. Dark was the beyond. I turned my attention to what was close to me. Arming myself with a pistol, I walked slowly towards the slide. My eyes rose and fell upon the slide and its side, examining where the sly deer might be. But she was not hiding anywhere where I thought she was hiding in and straightening my back, I exhaled again before hearing my walkie spring to life. “Roger that Yang. The rest of us will resume pursuit if she comes across." “Keep an eye onto that sly deer, we cannot let him escape," Zander reported. I rolled my eyes at his threat before returning myself to the small square around me.

In the quiet of the atmosphere surrounding us, I stood still and stretched my ears out from my head. Closing my eyes, I ignored the surroundings and kept a focus on the sounds. About a short second later, my ears were filled by a steady slow series of movement sounds which I precede as someone walking about. Jolting myself awake, I faced the source of it and turned to the deer with a white chair over her head. A cast of shadows was covering our shadows as I glared at him and she responded with a sly mark. She then cast the chair downward onto me but I sidestepped it and allowed it to crash upon the ground, shattered perhaps into thousands of small pieces. I tackled the doe quickly and went for the neck. But before I could fully paralyze her, she slipped from me like a sponge and escaped. She jumped the fence and ran off as I picked myself up from the grounds and jumped over the fence before slowing myself down for a walk. And as I do, I smirked with confidence knowing full well my officers have gotten her. No matter what she does.

I had decided to allow fate to judge her. Deeming her worthy of running and successfully escaping or captured by a mob of angry officers. I had full confidence that fate would allow her capture. Unless otherwise, we might have to extend this arc. Upon that thought, I blinked momentarily and shook my head while my eyes narrowed once more. Ignoring a second follow-up thought after the first, I ran forth and followed where the deer was heading in hopes of capturing her sooner than later when she escapes. I ran down the path and gaze my attention upon a particular store. It has red letters blinking and flickering about as maybe a few of them were shut off. The letters were small, making it harder to read them, and often find myself squinting just to read. As my walkie went off with a conversation between Kyro and Zander, I lowered my eyes and gaze upon the entrance for a few seconds. Pushing myself forward towards it, I entered in without hesitation. Having found the light in my eyes turning to darkness. I did not know what else to expect from now on.

The store was big perhaps bigger than what I had expected. Clothes of every size and color were scattered around me and laid upon the grounds covering the brownish floor below. Everywhere I see was covered with the same clothes as my eyes lit up and rose to the horizon. There were clothes for miles. Not once did I see anything else other than it. As I groaned and rolled my eyes, I drew up my pistol from my pockets and armed myself again while I moved on. Shifting my eyes left and right even looking up ahead for anything, I allowed the ringing to accompany me momentarily while I advance and listened to the silence surrounding me. I approached the intersection, my walkie became active and familiar voices were coming out from it. I ignored it and kept on going, training my pistol aim towards the horizon of which I was facing. Turning left then right upon the intersection, I realized that both ways were empty and nothing but clothes were about. However, I noticed the ringing was gone from my ears having been replaced by the sounds of rapid running. Perking up, I rose my eyes and scanned the horizon before spotting a glimmer of familiar scales of color. A black and red pair of dragons were running northwestward towards somewhere. I presumed that the doe was heading there too. A smile reappeared upon my face as I turned around and flee towards the exit of the store. Afterward, I turned towards the other path and ran down it with my heart pounding fast against my chest. With thoughts running across my brain, I reached the end of the path and turned quickly the corner. Thus sprinting off once again with the gust of cold winds blowing against me.

I had reached the end of the new area around me as I stopped, heavily panted, and looked upon my left towards the same store. But saw no one coming out. I frowned and pondered, recalling the earlier memory before I sprinted off into hot pursuit, ignoring logic and the sprain burning in my thighs as I came down from the heated exciting chase. I had known they were heading Northwest towards the exit. Judging by the distance between me and Zander and Kyro, I knew they were closer to the deer and they were almost to the exit. It would make sense because I only saw a glimmer of their scales. I frowned having realized it and pondered if I was a second or two late. Panicking, I scrambled for my walkie and pressed the button before calling out towards my fellow officers. “Zander? Kyro? Come in, both of you. Where are you both now?" A dead silence came to my answer. My eyes widened with fear attached as my brain popped out thoughts and conclusions that clashed against one another mimicking explosions and fine visual direction while my head rose to the ceiling above me and frowned. Going back onto the memory again, I knew and can confirm they were heading Northwest towards the exit. By the time I reached the other entrance I came into behind me and circled halfway around for an intercept, all three of them were already out of the store which is why I was a second or two late. 'It makes sense.' I thought to myself nodding in satisfaction before returning myself to my thoughts again.

'So judging by that second or two later and knowing that we have not crossed on another by the other pathway parallel to the store...' I blinked my eyes and slowly came to reality as my eyes widened before I smirked in confidence. They had started moving east, which was north for me from where I was standing. Then, from the straightaway path, they had moved to an unknown direction. It would be impossible to know what path they had taken from that point on. Luckily, however, I was saved from a tense headache by my walkie coming back to life. “Yang?" “I am here, Zander," I responded after pressing the button again releasing it afterward. “Where are you?" “First floor, adjacent to Deers." “In deers? We are already up on the second floor. The deer has a slowly increase lead against us. We fear that she might escape through the doors and out where we cannot find her anymore." “How much time left, Zander?" I questioned which gave me a second answer of silence before Zander started again answering me with “What? I do not comprehend the question at all." “'How much time is left.'" I repeated a growl through my fangs impacted greatly my question as I felt a winced and a slow chuckle from Kyro as Zander responded, “Not much. After she gained more time, she will flee towards the door." “Luckily you got that right, Zander," Kyro remarked which was shut down by Zander snapping at him. I smiled only faintly before it vanished as I replaced it with a hard scowl, I growled at him “Keep pursuing her. And Kyro, become unpredictable. It's time we show the deer what we are made of." “Guess you have a plan huh?" Kyro interrupted us as I responded, “Yes we do. Now go!" Our conversation stops there.

With the following silence, I stopped the mid-run and halfway through the hallway. An idea had popped into my mind and I smirked with confidence before pulling out the walkie from the pocket and pressed the button. I had decided to call Ling's unit and asked for their help in catching the enemy since of course, Doe had supposedly killed Ling already by now. As my lips parted from one another and holding the walkie to my mouth, I called Lutica. “Officer Lutica?" I questioned with no hesitation at all. She responded immediately afterward and I grinned following it up with, “I am going to need your help for this operation, Lutica." “What is the problem?" Lutica asked quickly and I replied again, “Doe Collax is almost at the end and I am far from her. My officers, Zander and Kyro are already in hot pursuit against the deer and are slowly losing ground against her." “Ok." She acknowledged, “So what do you need me to do." “Pinpoint the exact location of the deer and predict her paths." 'This will perhaps draw the deer away from the exit doors and loop around one of the squares or stores if this plan worked out.' I thought to myself as I explained to her., a slight silence before another acknowledgment. “Oh and speak out to Kyro and Zander. Since they are the ones following her, I am not." “Acknowledged." She responded in kind before releasing the button afterward.

Which left me silent as I remained standing upon the flooring tile underneath me, a hidden smile planted upon my face. My eyes narrowed and rose towards the horizon as I thought of the second part of the strategy. Upon hearing Lutica's single words that perhaps helped out the two male dragons of my unit, I stretched my ears outward and listened to the fainted footsteps at a distance. “Left. Left. Right. Straight ahead. Left…" Knowing full well that the deer would hear Lutica, I predicted that she would try to change up her style and go in the opposite way of what Lutica was saying. It was an attempt to throw them off, no doubt as my mind worked overtime in my head. Constantly getting a headache as time went on while the radio continued to spark and crackle at the sounds of Lutica's voice. The strategy was going perfect, but I frowned suddenly. Knowing that the officers have a limit when it comes to chasing criminals, I would need a backup strategy or some other piece that would fit well with the strategy I had work in progress. My heart pounded in my chest as I huffed, growling quietly to myself. My fangs grounded against itself while my legs pulled off into a sprint down the remaining road of the hallway where I reached the end afterward. And from here was where I turned my attention towards my surroundings. A staircase was before me, a green bright rail was between me and the stairs. The stairs were white and solid-looking almost like snow from a certain distance.

Towards my left and right sides was a whole line of closed stores. The light bulbs above me flickered, some of them were already dead as darkness had covered up their visions of light. The lights from the letters of the stores also grew dark that it was impossible to see what they were. Disregarding both sides, I turned to the staircase, running my eyes up the stairs and reaching the second floor, I quickly flee eastward with the hope of finding the deer and two officers running. But upon reaching the corner brown wall of some abandoned store, I realized I saw no one there. The hallway was empty and yet quiet. Only the sounds of ringing echoed in my ears. On that note, I found myself shivering as if a cold breeze washed over me before raising my eyes to the second floor again. The sounds of the walkie kept going, blurting out the predicted path that the doe had used to escape from us. I frowned, my wings were spread in the realization that I cannot do it alone. For I rose my walkie and called out the remaining officers of Ling's unit each of them collectively questioned or greeted me in kind as I explained to them what we would be doing. And after I talked, silence followed. I grew worried and anxious, pondering to myself if the strategy I relayed to them would be a bit complicated. As I waited for an answer, Zander suddenly bursts through the walkie. “Doe had figured out the plan! We lost her." “You what?" I exclaimed in surprise, shocked and disbelief was washed over my face with my eyes widened in surprise.

“Retrace your steps! Find her before she gets to the exit." I demanded growling at Zander while Kyro replied, “Yang, I think she is deading towards Lutica's position wherever that may be." “Had she found her yet?" I questioned with a bit of anger stuck in my tongue. A pause before he replied, “Perhaps." I growled suddenly, clenching my claw tightly around the walkie while my eyes narrowed yet I frowned with worry. With my heart pounding in my chest, I allowed my mind to race thought after thought into my brain. Piecing together words into sentences as I started pondering a secondary backup plan. However in the meanwhile… I pressed the button and ordered, “Zander and Kyro continue the pursuit. Doax and Quichie, please protect Lutica. I fear she may be in danger thanks to her commitment towards the chase we had." “You got it, Yang!" Quichie remarked excitedly as an exhale of a sigh came from Doax. I rolled my eyes in disbelief and flapped my wings before folding them afterward with my heart beating fast. I nearly panicked, I could feel it in my scales. As my pupils darted around my eyes with my wings flapping and tail stuck between my legs, my face darkened and my brain was overwhelmed by thoughts that a resulting headache came back to haunt me. I tried my best to come up with a backup planned knowing that Lutica was already in danger. 'But what could we do?' I pondered, muttering the words as it left my lips.

Doing an ambush upon Lutica's position may draw her towards death by the hooves of the deer and I knew Ling would not like that. Drawing out Doe will result in her escape if we were to keep Lutica quiet alongside Doax and Quichie. We would even get the same result of Doe escaping if we withdraw Ling's unit too and keep them at a distance. No doubt, Doe wanted us to follow in her footsteps and trick us into pondering that she would kill them. I smiled coldly at the thought. We were driven to a corner by the hooves of the deer, she was smart no doubt about it. Its no wonder she was taken as the founder of the CEO company that she worked at. But disregarding that thought in my brain, I continued my thoughts hoping to find something that was unpredictable. And as I continued to ponder, my walkie woke up and I was pelted by a conversation by Doax Quichie Zander and Kyro. “Keep Lutica quiet. Set your walkies towards your station network, then separate from one another. Then afterward, relay the information to me. This way, we can keep the deer on her toes and allow us to close the distance for a capture." “Genus!" Doax praised while Zander responded, “Yeah. I know right? But this is not the time to congratulate me, we need this strategy to work. Now do it!" A pause of silence followed while I allowed myself to smile faintly, my heart and brain eased up and slowed down with my eyes closing and opening again, raising towards the ceiling above as I exhaled. 'Thank you, Zander.' I thought to myself, pondering if he would like to lead his own set of units. Same with Kyro.

I nearly chuckled to myself as I spread my wings and lifted myself from the ground. Flying towards the second flooring, I landed upon the grounds and grabbed my walkie setting it to Ling's unit frequency. I listened carefully to the conversation between Doax, Lutica, and Quichie as I pitched in afterward when the silence had gaped between the talking. At first, all of them were shocked to hear me as I explained to them why I am joining their frequency. They seemed convinced except for Doax's tone of hesitation towards me and I frowned questioning him, “I am your chief, Doax. Did you forget?" “Right right…" Doax remarked after a short pause, I could tell that he was hesitating in his answer towards me. “Sorry Yang, we get so intense about some foreign officer listening overhead upon our conversation. That we were unable to tell if you are friendly or foe." “You guys can trust me," I called as another pause of silence came. I rolled my eyes and said nothing while setting my walkie back onto the pocket. Leaning onto the white wall behind me, I waited until I heard Lutica spoke again. “Why is the chief doing in our server? Should she chasing down the deer alongside her teammates?" “Do you guys not want me here?" I asked after reaching for my walkie and pressed the button. “In addition to," Lutica resumed, “It seems that Zander and Kyro are currently looking for you Yang. Best you join your server now." “Alright." I started, giving an exhale before adjusting the frequency.

Upon hearing Zander calling out towards me, I answered the call and heard heavy breathing along with some anger. “Yang? Chief! What the heck man. I tried calling you down a couple of times. What took you?" “I thought you guys did not need any help." I answered, “So that is why you turned to Ling's frequency then?" “Yeah…" I trailed finishing the conversation while Kyro barked, “Zander, Yang. This is not the time to bicker. Doe has gotten a solid lead on us and we need Lutica's information now!" “Sorry!" Both me and Zander responded as silence fell again. There is no time for small talk as I agree with Kyro there. Quickly releasing the button from my walkie and listening to Doax's and Quichie's instructions, we were on the road towards capturing Doe once again.

Once again, we were trailing by a few steps behind her. However, we are on her tail once again. It took a quick second or two to get your bearing upon the instructions of Ling's two officers. As we trailed behind the doe, I kept focus upon the horizon and continued the chase as all three of us were panting heavily and hard from all this running. “And the jumpcut." Kyro joked forcing both me and Zander to look at him momentarily before focusing again. Around us was the food court, it was abandoned of course. White tables scattered around the area as chairs were on top of the tables with their legs pointing upward. A garden or two or three were also scattered around the area and were a bit harder to find than the tables of course. Towards our right were the food stores; ranging from papa scales towards five dragmons. I never knew what 'dragmons' is about. Is it from a popular television series from the early twenties? We neared our target, but the doe was also close towards the doors. We were out of options and bullets as our pistols were empty and we never brought any magazines either. Regardless, we were indeed on our own.

As we ran closer towards the door, I reached out with my claw and stretched it towards its limit. Hampering my breath and veins as I grunted growling painfully, realizing that this hurts, I tried to grab the doe's fuzzy small tail in hopes of capturing him. But it proves no good. It was twenty seconds before the door and Zander was nearly panicking. Upon the fifteenth second counting down, Kyro tried to lounge himself at the doe in an attempt for a tackle. The doe was crafty and dodged the red dragon with ease by twisting herself and threw a hoove directly at his face stopping him. As Kyro's face planted upon the ground, I and Zander continued running. It was now ten seconds before the doors and we were running out of time. In the last few seconds, we all stopped. The doe had reached the door and planted her hooves upon the surface, exclaiming with glee and excitement upon her face. Boasting about her escape and how we would never see Ling ever again, she pushed against the doors. But they remained intact. Doe collax blinked momentarily, grunting and growling while she continued to push against the doors. Both me and Zander looked at one another bewildered at the scenario we are seeing right now. Yet our smiles could not be contained any longer as we watched with amusement while the doe continued to push-pull against the doors before taking a step back and examine the door. At that time, we stepped up and detained her.

“Did you forget that the mall was close after hours?" Zander taunted which the doe glanced at us with her eyes widened in surprise. “What? No that cannot be. Wha… what time is it?" “About nine twenty-four at night bud," I replied stealing a glance at my walkie with an amused smile upon my face, Zander mirrored me as we took her in. “You have not heard the rest of me, officers! I Doe Collax, the coworker of Gyan's company shall arise and be back for all your heads. You hear me. I will be-" But the conversation was cut short when Zander hit her on the side of her head knocking her unconscious while I swipe the keys. Both I and Kyro stared at one another in surprise at the mention of Gyan. As thoughts emerged upon our minds, we pondered about the company and where it originated from.