The Worst Birthday (Short Story)

[Mr Writer]

The late snow had fallen on the grounds of Bonbon, its glistening blanket over the world adding to the brightness of the winters dawn. The tendrils of light snaked accross the land so slowly, as to sneak open the eyelids of the early risers. The warmth of her rays made the sun more magnificent on this beautiful December morn, where various pockets of life still holding back winters wrath sang songs of morning dew to come int he next season. The windows opened, and smoke would rise from chimneys around the town. Morning had come, and a bright morning it was!

Today was a grand day, for no particular reason what so ever. Days such as this were rare, but came often enough to be appreiated. House maids would smile at thier masters and mistresses and put that little extra effort into thier work. The land lords would tip thier hats to thier tenants as they walked by, pushing back an envelope of rent as a
present. The carriage drivers would take that extra special time, to ensure the smoothe ride of his coach. All for no reason save that it was a beautifuly bright morning.

Yet for all those gathered around the town, wearing smiles, there was one beast who only lay in bed. His face was plain, his fur matted and smelling of spirits, his entire aura seemed to drain the light that poured such goodness into everyone she touched, all but him. Alexi leaned up in bed, letting the cold winter air run through the fur on his back. He said nothing, only placing a paw on his brow.

His routine was usual for this day, as it was for several years now. He rinsed and washed what he felt was necessary and looked at himself in his vanity. He took his barbers knift and trimmed his mustash and beard neatly, clipping away any unsightly hair. He had to look his best today, for it was December twentith, the most important day of the year for Alexi.

After carefuly giving his image a twice over, Alexi grabbed his long sleeve black shirt and black winters coat. His head stung a bit, but not from the cold. His drinking at Delights Castle the night prior was still lingering with him.

~Night Prior~
Alexi did his usual for his sunday, but even the bartendress knew that something was off about this particular day. His presence is usualy known imediatly to everyone around him, as a Huskey that large was hard to miss. Yet, to the bartender's suprise, and to any of the others should they ever notice, he was sitting quietly, tails of his wintercoat hanging below him as he sat on the stool. His head was slightly downcast and seemed to smile off any introductions tossed his way. It was something strange indeed, as even his laugh was timid, and seemingly shaken. It was almost as if someone had snuffed out his raging bonfire personality.

The bartender poured Alexi his usual of vodka and lime with sodawater, but much to her suprise, he only took the bottle from her.

"A glass please." he said near stoicly.

She diddnt know how to react, but only comply. She took a
polished crystal wiskey glass from the rack above her and placed it in front of him. He poured himself glass after glass but never said a word between, only staring into the glass as if it would reveal the words secrets if he looked hard enough.

"You ok Alexi? You dont seem yourself today?"

Alexi hardly gave her but a slight glance in aknowledgement, then turned his attention back to his glass.

"Tomorrow is a special day for me..." his somber attitude almost palpable.

He turned the glass a bit and sat, drinking from the same bottle. Never drinking too fast, but one glance at the face could tell a story of its own.

"A special day huh? If its so special, then why the long face?"

Alexi growled slightly under his breath as he shot the bartendress a look. He diddnt answer, but just went back to staring at the glass again, taking a long drink, and pouring the last of the vodka into the glass.

The girl stopped cleaning glasses and adjusted her revealing aprin, making sure her seductive nipples were showing, as was her uniform. She scratched her chin for a moment, trying to ponderwhat it was exactly that was so special, yet so disturbing to Alexi that would cause him to show such distraught. He never growled, at anyone. He never even showed so much as less than a smile to those around him, yet it was this time of year, every year on the same day. She paused for a moment.

Every year, on the same day...

She remembered what Miss Brown had said once when she was in the market about a week ago.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "Happy birthday Alexi!"

Several others who had been here longer than her, stopped, as if some horrable word was muttered into the crowd to silence everyone.The young mouse stopped herself, holding her breath and feeling quite uncomfortable at the lack of movement.

Alexi put the bottle down, a bit forceful than usual, sending a small fount of vodka spilling from the mouth onto the bar. Not saying a word, but gritting his teeth as if her words had just stabbed him in the heart. His eyes were clenched shut and Alexi only sighed heavily, bringing his paw to his face to rub his clenched brow. He gripped the bottle tightly for a moment when he shoved the barstool from underneath him, turned and started walking towards the door. She couldetn tell from the shock of his reaction, but she swore that some of the liquid that fell onto the bar was not vodka.

------------------

Alexi walked into the toy store, passing the previous

nights expirence into the back of his mind. She was innocent, and he felt terrable about acting the way he had, but she couldent understand. There are few in the world would could truly understand the wieght of his birthday, the only one who truly knew the story, and fully understood was his good friend Nichols.

There were many toys to be had, especialy at this time of year. Most of the choice ones were taken already, mostly by the rich and famous of Bonbon, but Alexi was not looking for diamond encrusted dolls, or goldent animal statuetts, but a simple wooden soldier.
This particular make only made a handful each year, simple wooden toy soldiers but made with the love of one who considered his passion an art and not a labor. He walked the isles, of the store until he found the perfect one, a

wooden toy soldier, painted expertly that wore an old hand sewn soviet uniform, the tell tail hammer and sicle on his breast. He held it in his

paw for a long time, just staring at its craftsmanship. Even the smell returned to him, the day he once wore the same uniform and returned from the warfront. Two days before his birthday.

-----

"Sergeant Alexi!" A young huskey, much smaller than the bulky and super muscular soldier that stood before him in an olive drab officers uniform and rimmed officers hat, clean but well worn.

"I have recieved word from my family! The letter carrier is here and has our letters from the past month. I think he said he had a letter for you."

Alexi broke his folded arm stance, his polished boots shifting excitedly in the muddy snow.

"Did he say who it was from?" Alexi's eyes nearly bursting from his canine skull at word of the glorious news. It was the best thing he had heard since returning from the war front a week ago.

"No, but he is still at the mess tent. You should see him soon Sergeant, as he was moving rather quickly to reach the officers quarters."

Alexi grabbed the privates shoulders and shook them slightly, looking over his shoulders. It was a fair distance from the training camp to the mess camp, but such distance was of no matter to the young Alexi. After all he was the fastest runner and second strongest fighter in his battalion.

"Thank you comrad, thank you!"

Alexi took off, letting his officers hat fall into the snow behind him. His rifle was bouncing against his back furiously, as his pace was that of a piston on one of the german's weird four wheeled carriages. He approached the camp with the speed and impact of a meteor, stopping for no one and nothing. It had been four months since he had recieved his last letter from his wife and son. Such time apart was not common, as his wife only recently learned how to read and write a month before he deployed tot he frontlines. That was around two years prior.

He crashed into the mess tent clap, sending the cloth flying and nearly sending a fellow soldier flying. He stopped and strightened himself when he approached the mail carrior, dressed in the same uniform.

"Alexi? Sergeant Alexi Mosanawicz?" The mailhandler held out a plane white envelope with the seal of the hammer and sickle. Obviously not the letter he was expecting but his military training changed his attitude into a more serious tone. Was his platoon given new orders from HQ?

Alexi opened up the letter as his soldiers saw the seal as well and gathered around. His eyes scanned the official letter and he murmered some of what it said. His eyes traile off when he was done, his letter falling to the side with his paws.

"We're going home..."

There was a moment of silence, then a giant grin infected his face, making the other soldiers of his platoon smile with him.

"WE'RE GOING HOOOOOMMMMEEE!!!"

Alexi and the soldiers all cheered, and some even danced around the cooking fire. After nearly four years of war, he and his soldiers were given the letter of award of service and discharged from military duty with honors.
There was talk all around the fire that night of what the soldiers were going to do when they came home. Alexi had joined in, smileing and congradulationg his men on a job well done, while holding a toast to the fallen soldiers of his command. Each drank and was merry for the first time in a long time. Alexi was a bit brighter than the rest, as he was the only one with a child waiting for him when he returned.

-------------

Alexi gripped the doll a bit and brought it to the counter to be paid for. He only set a bag of florins down, far more than the asking price but he never returned to accept the change. The toy maker nodded and only took out the coins for the toy. He poured the rest of the small coinpurse into a glass jar, a collections jar for the orphins of the area.

Alice, the bartendress from Delights castle was outside, hiding inside Alexi's coach. After the previous night, and the towns near sworn secrecy about his past, she felt she had to find out the truth for herself. She subtley entered the cabin of the coach and hid under several trapped furs and pelts. other than a basket of durable foods and a dozen red roses, there was not much she could hide under, save a large beast fur blanket. She felt the jolt of the carriage and away they went, felling the bumps of the cart. He was moving at a fast speed, a full gallop of the mustang horses which he borrowed form the local carriage driver in town. After a while, the comfort and warmth of the blanket, and the sweet smell fo the red roses against the winters cold air, Alice drifted off to sleep.

It may have only been a few hours later, or it could have

been days, Alice couldent tell, only that she woke up to the coach stopped in the middle of a large open field,

beautifuly covered in snow reflecting the setting sun. Peeking out the window, she saw Alexi walking towards a ruined stone hut far off in the distance. She made sure her winter coat was firmly fastoned to her body and exited, trying to catch up with him. her curious rivaled that of a felines, as she tiptoed in her black snow boots towards the distant figure of Alexi in the distance. She was going to find out one way or another why he hated this day in particular.


((this is it so far. i'll write more this weekend and finish up the story but for now, this will do. I understand most of this isnt edited but ill clean it up later, but know i wont have time to do it before December 20th))
_________________
Mr Writers Fursona (Updated)
http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8285

And yes, I do wear a bag on my head. Why do you ask?

[Mr Writer]

~The first law of Bonbon, is your past is your own affair.~


Alice walked into the open door when she finally reached the house. She cursed wearing her heels in the snow, as the house seemed much closer in the distance that it actualy was. She looked around a bit, suprised to see a fire started with an iron kettle suspended over it. Steam rose from the mouth, and the scent of russian incense and tea filled her nose, sending a feeling of home to her mind.

"You are curious girl to have followed me so far." Alexi said from the larder, startling the young mouse.

Alice heaved a sigh, placing her hand on her chest as if to still her beating heart.

"Forgive me sir, I did not mean to be so rude as to follow."

Alexi moved over to the worn chair near the fireplace, blowing gently on the incense.

"Yet here you are. You know, only Nichols was curious enough to make the journey here once."

Alexi notioned for the girl to sit in the chair adjactent to his next to the fire. As she sat, warming her tail with the heat of the flames, she noticed the roses on the mantle, sitting next to the toy soldier. She was amazed that this house, though ruined from the outside was in good repair on the inside.

"Is this your home?" she inquired, ever so curious. "I thought you lived in Bonbon, above the gelato bar?"

Alexi only sat staring at the fire, his expression unrelenting in its depression. He nodded, closing his eyes as to affirm some memory he had here.

"This was home, a long time ago. I make a trip here every year in order to make repairs to masonry, thatch holes in the roof and such."

Alexi grabbed a warmer from the shoudy table that lie between them and pulled the kettle off the fire to rest on the stone holder in the center. He pulled out two tea cups from his bag and offered one to her.

Alice nodded and grabbed the cup and saucer, letting Alexi pour her the sweet smelling drink.

"Serbian grey leaf with honey. Served hot, is perfect for warming the body on harsh winter night."

Alexi set the kettle down and lifted his glass to his mouth, letting the scalding liquid sip against his lips but for a moment. The nearly peppered taste of the grey leaves mixed with the honey gave an almost pepermint taste, yet hearty and not too thin. The warm tea seemed to coat him from the inside, reinforcing his warmth.

Alice also took a sip, and licked her lips kindly. The honey taste was a bit thick her her cup.

"Sir, i wish to ask about this day. I know our common law, but you are such a cheery and happy person, a pillar of joy even in the darkest times in our town. I found it strange that on this day of the year, you seem so devoid of anything in your character."

Alexi sighed and looked at Alice, his wet and large eyes conveying a saddness that nearly brought Alice to tears herself.

"You were right, young mooshka, today is my birthday, and it is a great deal many other days as well." Alexi looked back towards the fire, taking another sip of tea. "Am I so mysterious?"

Alice nodded. "You are good sir. On such a happy day, what would cause one so joyful to wear a sad face?"

Alexi sighed. "It was this day, many years ago, when i returned from war..."


--------------------------

The carriage stopped in the town of Fursoningrad, a few short miles away from his destination. Alexi grabbed his bag, and flipped a coin to the carriage driver, who was bundled up far more than usual.

"You stay warm, comrad!" Alexi said with a smile, tipping his officers hat.

The carriage drive cought the coin and smiled, returning the gesture by tipping his own hat, then wisked the reigns of the carriage.

"Alexi set his bag down in the muddy snow and looked around. He breathed in deep and extended his arms out lazily, as if to welcome the embrace of his hometown. He laughed as he picked up his bag and walked into the local florist shop.

The shop was rather large, and the glass windows that adorned the roof of the long building kept the inside warm. Alexi diddnt understand how in such a cold winter as this, that the store could be so warm without a fire. The old hound woman that ran this store called it the 'green house effect', and idea no doubtidly cooked up by her grandaughter who attended the university during the spring and summer months. Alexi placed his bag at the door and looked down the row of potted plants and flowers at the old hound.

"Old Lady Kandis?" he shouted.

A folded floppy ear perked up, and an old hound with droopy fur and wrinkles stood to her feet with the help of a wooden cane. She aggressivly, yet much mroe showing her age, hobbled over to the counter, her eyes a squint.

"Oh my! Alexi? Is that you pup?" Kandis inquired, trying to adjust her bifocals.

Alexi grabbed the old dog's hand and held it fondly.

"Yes Kandis. I have come home from the war."

It was hard to tell from the old bloodhounds droopy face but even that diddnt stop her from breaking out into a large smile.

"Meru! Meru come quick!" she howled. "Our Alexi has come home from the great war!"

Two perky ears poked out from the bushes, followed by the head of a young huskey woman. She stood to her paws, and ghasped in dirty overalls with gardening gloves. She lept over the bushes and potted plants and made a mad dash stright for Alexi, glomping him to the ground.

"You came back!" Meru said between sobs. "Oh god how we have missed you!"

Alexi stood up, Meru's feet dangling as he was much taller than her. He wrapped his arms around her body and hugged the woman back.

"I have missed you all too." he said pulling away. "I have come to buy a rose, if you have any in bloom."

Kandis perked up for a moment and hobbled behind the counter, gently placing her walking stick on the top, and adjusting her bifocals to look on the shelf of potted flowers.

"Ah!" She stated, pulling a pot from the shelf. As much as it was his request, what she presented him was indeed red, but no rose. The hound licked her near toothless mouth and held a pair of garden sheers, ready to cut the flower at the stem when Meru stopped her.

"Ah..sorry about that. Grandmama Kandis is nearly blind after this past year. Its a wonder that she can still walk without bumping into everything."

The old houd took a switch from under the counter and smacked the woman accross the back of her head, leaving Meru with a lump. The hound shook the switch angrily at the woman.

"I can still see plenty good to switch a disrespectful pup!" she claimed.

Meru rubbed her head as she motioned Alexi back to the line of potted plants and bushes.

"Yes grandmama, and your eyesight is matched only by your beauty." she snickered scarcasticaly.

The old woman grumbled as she put the pot back back on the shelf and started to hobble back to pruning her plants.

"Smart snouted little beast...you should respect your elders! Confounded pup..."

Alexi and Meru both shared a smile, as she lead him to a bush tucked back in the shop. Many roses adorned the the bush, and in the center of all the red, a blue rose in bloom stood out, as if in a different class of beauty than the rest.

"Here, i have been caring for this flower for some time now, but i think it is special enough for my sister, no?"

Alexi took the freshly cut blue rose and put it to his snout, taking a deep breath. The scent was as perfume, the same that his dear wife adorned herself with.

"This will do nicely." he said, handing over several rubels as payment.

"Now you go to her," Meru stated, "before i steal you away for myself."

Alexi gave Meru another hug and left he store, walking down the snow covered road out of town to his farm. He held the rose ever so gently in his paw, keeping safe his home comming gifts for his wife and pup.

---------------------------------

Alexi cleared his throat, motioning towards Alice's empty tea cup. She snapped out of her trance from the story, and held out the saucer, letting Alexi fill it again.

"So you were in the great war?"

Alexi topped off his own cup and took another sip.

"Yes, i was but a young dog myself then, comming home to a wife and a pup."

"So the rumors are true. No one would speak of it, least of all Nichols, who actualy threw me out of his gym for asking." Alice seemed to turn a shade of red at the mention of her transgression.

Alexi put a paw on the kettle and saw that the tea was starting to get cold, and so placed it back ont he iron hanging over the fire. He used a metal poke to stur the flames and the blaze responded by sending more heat to the patrons. It was a comfortable fire, so simple yet as simple as such things in life are the ones that bring us the most peace.

"So you came home to a loving family? I am sure they were happy to see thier wardog return."

Alexi took another sip of the tea and cleared his throat, turning his gaze upon the toy soldier sitting next to the roses on the mantle.

"Loving, yes, but not living."

--------------------------------------------

Alexi had walked for hours, an unexpected winter storm slowing his path but not so much as to detour his path. He paused for a moment when he saw the farm house. He did his best to strighten his fur, his military coat and hat, he wanted to look presentable to his family. He dropped his bag at the cobble steps, holding the rose in one hand, and the toy soldier he picked up in germany in the other. It would be his first time seeing his son, other than the photograph he had recieved in a letter from Anna. Such contraptions were rare at the time, reserved mostly for the rich and noble. Alexi's family was fortunate to have been in good relations with the traveling merchants, offering only a few trap furs in exchange for the photo.

Anna was a trapper for the town, taking after her family of hunters from the far old days. She was an unusual woman, a voracious appitite, and an arm that could stand to wrestle and man in the village, yet a delicate flower of a woman when cought outside of her hunts. For as tomboysh as she was, she held the same passion for dresses and femenin things. It was a pecular thing, but none denied thier love or compatibality.

Alexi stilled his nervouse breaths and entered the farmhouse, and to his suprise, found it dimly lit and offering no more warmth than a break from the cold winters wind. His thoughts swam with horror as he entered the bedroom, to find a bundled up huskey in the rocking chair, cradeling a very well dead pup. Alexi couldent speak, words escaped him as he looked on the sickly woman.

"I was waiting for you..." she near whispered weakly. "Welcome home my love."

Alexi could naught but kneel before her, placing one paw on her nose, as cold and dry as frostbitten iron.

"You are sick, we need to get you to the doctor."

Alexi stook but a thin paw oonly gently pushed his arm, staying him in his place.

"Nicholas took ill about two weeks ago. He passed on from the fever, to be with God." Anna looked at the stiff face if her beautiful, yet horrable pup. Her grin was ghastly, and sent a chill rivaling tht of the russian winter up Alexi's spine.

"Have you not moved since then? Please i beg you wife..." he started to sob. "I have spent years dreaming of comming home to my family. I beg you, come with me to the town!"

Alexi was nearly frantic, in shock from the death of his son which he never knew, and in the back of his mind, floating in dispair from knowing that there was nothing he could do to save his wife.

"I wont survive standing up, my love, much less traveling in the snow. I have lost myself to a broken heart, and i only wanted to tell you before i join our son."

Alexi couldent do much but cry at this point. He held Anna's head in both paws, touching his nose to hers.

"Nicholas loved you, as i have. Bury your past and find new love. Give them the same love that you had for us, and be happy."

Alexi had compleatly broken down when he saw Anna close her eyes, a faint smile accross her face and her last breath entering into Alexi's chest.

"Anna...sweet flower?" Alexi shook the lifeless head of his now late wife, his tears falling to her fur coat and leaving white stains as it froze nearly on the spot. He had returned home a hero, and had lost his family in exchange.

He spent the rest of the night with his head burried in the lap of his late wife and child. His cries echoed in the empty house only sending its comfort back to him. He was robbed of his right to be a father and his past as a husband. Alexi's only thoughts turned to the God who protected him, whos faith he had so relied on in the darkest of war trenches. He went from begging, to cursing his name. Never stopping until he had finally fallen asleep in the lap of his beloved.

-------------------------------------

Alice was near in tears herself after hearing such a tragic story. She blew her mouse nose into a token that she carried around with her. She folded the cloth a few times and blew her nose again.

"That...hic...is so sad.."

Alexi only smiled and finished up his cup of tea. Alice took notice of this and changed her posture. Her makeup and eyeliner running on her fine white fur, she gave Alexi a look of confusion and shock.

"I diddnt realize then, but she was releasing me. I could have spent years cursing and distrought, but i found new life."

Alexi rose from his seat, and poured the rest of the tea on the fire, sending a sizzling smoke into the air. He gathered the cups and other mentionables to pack, and offered his hand to the tear eyed mouse.

"I am happy, because it was my late wife and child's dying wish. But you can not blame an old wardog's right to be sad once in a while."

Alice smiled as she wiped the tears from her eyes, letting the dark eyeliner smear even more.

"Come now," Alexi said in much the tone Alice was used to. "Your face look horrable, crying does disaster for beautiful mooshka."

Alice smiled herself, finding the meaning in the story. She now knew why Nichols was so defencive before when she asked.

"I am sorry for <hic> prying into your past." Alice sobbed.

Alexi took the girl under his arm and let her cry into his chest as they left the farm house.

"Oh it is no problem." Alexi snickered.

As the two made thier way to the carriage, Alexi opened the door to the cabin to let the saddened girl enter. Much to his suprise, she gave him a kiss.

"Happy birthday Alexi." Alice said as shy as she could. "Its a long road back to Bonbon, do you care to warm up before you drive?"

Alexi rose an eyebrow and grinned as he saw the mouse sudictivly remove her fur coat, revealing her erotic dress underneath. He looked back at the farmhouse for a moment and smiled.

I will be happy, I promis... he thought, as he entered the carriage.


((Phew, done. Rewrote the ending a few times before i found something i was remotly happy with. So here is the insight into Alexi's past for those curious as to why he is so happy and joyful all the time. hope you enjoyed it and ill be looking to do others soon. The storyline of Bonbon has rekindled my writing muse and i can feel many more fanfictions comming down the line.))
_________________
Mr Writers Fursona (Updated)
http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8285

And yes, I do wear a bag on my head. Why do you ask?