Kyle looked down at his watch quietly. 16 o'clock. He was waiting there for more than ten minutes. Not because his host was late, but because of his typical earlyness. "It's always better to be early than to be late", he thought. "Especially when dealing with the boss."
His train of thought was taken off the tracks by the sound of loud steps and desperate panting coming from the corridor's other end. He already knew who was coming, but he turned his head to see him anyway. Messy white "hair", pink nose, stretched muzzle, black-and-white striped fur, with that huge fluffy tail right behind... "Hmph. Late as always.", he thought.
- Kyle? You're here too?!
- I ask the same to you, Zillion. Late as always, huh?
Zillion finally reached the massive dual-handed black door and stood next to Kyle, breathing deeply and bending his back and legs to rest.
- Well, I was finishing the daily inspection back at the factory. Y'know, to check if everything is nice 'n dirty.
- Inspection? You don't fool me, Zillion. Never fooled me. You were probably sleeping, being the lazy vagabond you are...
- Hey! Don't blame me for being naturally nocturnal! Don't forget that YOU are a skunk too!
- First off, only FERALS are CREPUSCULAR - not nocturnal! And I'm hog-nosed, while you are striped! We are from completely different species!
- Oh yeah? But did you know that striped skunks smell the worst!?
- If you're so sure of it, why don't you prove it?
- AHEM!
The two skunks, with their tails and fists raised, were surprised by their boss' sudden appearance. His tall, white-and-black, snappily-dressed form stood proud among the two other mephits, imposing an atmosphere of dominance over his factory workers.
- Tsk, tsk. Fighting for no reason again, eh?
- No reason? Mr. Stenich, he came to meet you at the last possible moment...
- Pfft! And you stood here for half an hour, just waiting for him to show up! Coming late is MUCH better than this!
- Now, now! Stop your foolish discussion, you two! Kyle, your act was very admirable and it has once again shown your undying loyalty to me...
- Thank you, sir.
- ...And now for you, Zillion. I am actually surprised that you managed to come here on time, as you tend to be two minutes late for all of your duties here at Stenich Co..
- Heh! Y'could say I'm getting better all the time!
- Most importantly, you two didn't need to start a discussion over scent, as both of you know very well that I smell the worst among our biological family!
Samuel Stenich walked around the two other skunks, brushing his reeking white tail on their noses in order to show them his much-worse-than-usual stench. Zillion loved it, but Kyle found it to be absolutely disgusting, even though he could smell just as bad occasionally.
- So... Why did you call us, boss? - Kyle said, trying to change the subject.
- Well, I have a very important subject to share with you two and nobody else.
- Why is that? Is it because we're your friends or sumthin'?
- Friends? Pah, of course not. Friendship interferes in business! It's just that you are my best polluter, Zillion, while Kyle is my most dedicated factory worker. Come on in, please.
Samuel closed the office door, sitting behind his desk while his "friends" sat on the two chairs at the front, facing their boss. Kyle was visibly nervous and worried, as any worker from a big company would be when directly facing it's owner and CEO, while Zillion was relaxed as usual. "He doesn't care about anything related to work, that lazy bastard!", Kyle thought, glancing at Zillion.
- As you must know, I'm in the proccess of expanding Stenich Co.'s to the ancient land of Egypt. - the millionaire skunk said, expanding a map over his workspace. - It's going great, much like all of my business decisions so far, with a very noticeable increase in income and, most importantly, in pollution. The desert's skies are black with smog, and the world-famous Nile is now deeply intoxicated with industrial waste!
- That's quite an achievment, Mr. Stenich, considering how the country is poor when it comes to resources for industrial manufacturing.
- Of course it is! Since it's urban orient is already part of my economical empire's territory, Stenich Co. is currently focused on settling factories to the west of Cairo - that is, the desert.
- So this means you're messin' with the pyramids, heh? Better watch out for the Pharaoh's Curse, boss! Hahahahaha!
- I know, Zillion, I know. *ahem* Anyway, reports indicate that the excavators I hired to prepare the terrain and underground wastepipe system have found an uncharted tomb at the digging site, and inside this tomb yet another discovery was made...
Samuel spun his chair 90 degrees to the right, bending over to get something from inside a crate that was by his side. After some fussing and digging, he put an average-sized black garbage bag on the desk, confusing his two workers.
- Uhhh... Mr. Stenich, such "discovery" is a garbage bag...
- Yeah, just like the ones spread everywhere around the world. I thought you were already familiar with them by this point, boss!
- Indeed it is a seemingly common bag of detritus, my friends, but it's former resting place wasn't common at all, as it was found standing on some kind of altar deep inside the aftermentioned tomb. You don't find garbage laying around ancient altars, do you?
- Ehhhh... I dunno, maybe it's a leftover from a raid or something like that.
- I hate to agree with him, Mr. Stenich, but Zillion has a point. Nowadays, it's common knowledge that Egypt is crowded with thieves and criminals of all kinds, including raiders. Maybe one of the latter stole whatever artifact that altar guarded and put the trash produced during it's journey in it's place.
- But wouldn't that make the tomb mapped, Kyle?
Right as the hog-nosed skunk was going to try to answer such tricky question, the big grandfather clock to the west of the room rang, signaling the end of Zillion and Kyle's turn. Samuel took notice, sighing.
- My, my. Is it five o' clock already?
- It does seem so, mister.
- Oh, it sure is! Buh-bye, folks! See ya monday!
Zillion got his backpack and started to walk to the door, with Kyle following soon after.
- Wait! Zillion! Kyle! Our conversation isn't over yet!
- But our work is, boss.
- Zillion once again is right, Mr. Stenich. We, as factory workers, have the right to leave your so-called "domain" when our turn is over...
- No! You have! Stay here, I demand!...
Before the bossy businessman could finish his sentence, his two subordinates already left his office, slamming the door behind him. Only the garbage bag from Egypt stayed with Samuel.
Samuel and the garbage bag, the garbage bag and Samuel.
The white skunk always has had a strange passion for any kind of pollution, but this bag of filth... This one was different. It attracted him, but not in the way any other does. He somehow felt that that specific pack of pollutants was very special, very powerful... A key for his plan's success. Eager to discover the secrets it held, he used all the tricks under his sleeve - scissors, swiss army knifes, even his own rarely-used claws - to try to rip it apart, with no success. The mephit attempted to attain it's power numerous times, and eventually his loyal butler James Rodeham took notice of the noise coming from upstairs.
- Master Stenich? - James asked, slowly coming into his boss' office. The old rat has served the Stenich bloodline for generations, and thus was used to his young master's powerful stench. - Don't you think it's time for you to stop working for today?
- Why should I, James? It's still five o'clock!
- I don't think so, young sir. Take a look outside.
Samuel turned around to face his office's massive glass window, noticing the sky was dark and the moon was up high. It was past midnight already! Stenich suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to sleep, yawning loudly.
- It's time for you to rest, dear sir. - James said, taking off his boss' suit and fitting him with a robe. - The factories open early tommorrow.
- Indeed, James, indeed... It's just that I was trying to open this plastic bag for some time, as I feel that...
- It's nothing but a regular garbage bag, sir, and thus belongs to the same place as it's brethren...
James patted Samuel's back and guided him to his bedroom, throwing the bag in the pile of garbage outside soon thereafter. "Good night, Master Stenich", he said, turning the lights off and closing the door. One thing was certain: this was going to be a very good night for Samuel.
Smog, garbage, sludge - what we view as pollution he views as food. The place had plenty of it, more than enough to fully power him up. At last, it was time for him to re-awaken.
Bursting out of the garbage bag, the living pool of toxins completely covered the thrash heap it was residing on, assimilating all of it's content into the shape of a tall, sinister striped skunk. The creature took a deep breath, filling it's insides with smog. After spending thousands of years imprisioned, He walks on Earth again, ready to completely cover the globe with filth as he always wanted to... But what's that? A deliciously putrid scent fills his toxic nostrils, grabbing his attention like no other stench ever did before. Using it's heightened senses, the immortal being found it's source: the powerful (in mortal means) young skunk known as Samuel Stenich. Assuming the form of a vile serpent, the supernatural mephit crawled through his mansion's marble walls, reaching his target while leaving a thick trail of sludge behind. He was a selfish, ruthless being from a higher plane of existence, but even he understood that mortals needed rest. Instead of waking the white polluter as his impulses demanded him to, he instead decided to sleep with him, absorbing his utter reek in order to get stronger and stronger.
Samuel Stenich woke up with what he likes the most in this world - pollution. His room's atmosphere was brimming with smog and the rancid stench of sludge and garbage, and everything was OK except for the other skunk sleeping alongside him.
- Egad! - Stenich shouted, spraying and jumping from his bed. - W-who are you, and how you've got here? It's impossible to penetrate my domains without my authorization, especially at night...
- Hehehe... I didn't need to penetrate thessssse domainssss...
The intruder, who awakened with Samuel's musk showering his body, rose up from bed with astounding flexibility and walked over to the classy skunk, who was trembling with fear yet apprecciating the putrid scent he emanated.
- ...Which happen to be mine by right...
- Yours by right?! This industrial complex has been a property of the Stenich family for generations, and I, being Samuel STENICH Moufette II, am it's rightful heir, you... you...
Before finishing that sentence, Samuel carefully analyzed the foul-smelling creature upon him. It's stature was similar to his own, and while he had the typical black-and-white striped "fur" of a skunk, glowing tribal tattoos somewhat resembling smokestacks and industrial waste pipes were spread through his body. His snake-like eyes and tongue were of a sickly green color, as if they were made from raw toxic sludge. He grinned at the albino skunk's utter confusion, at the same time noticing his interest on him.
- You don't havvvvvve any idea offfff who I am, issssssn't it, mortal?
- I most certainly don't, and I have no interest on knowing your identity as long as you don't interfere with my business!
- I certainly won't, mortal, asssssss long asssss you keep feeding me...
- Feeding you? But I'm not even involved in the food industry! Well, not yet, as I am planning to...
Samuel turned around to see his unexpected guest joyfully gulping down the contents of his bedroom's thrash bin, letting off a loud burp afterwards. So that's how he "fed" him! He ate garbage - and possibly more!
- J-just who - or WHAT - are you?!
- I, mortal, am Mephisssssto Nedbamet, Egyptian God Of Pollution...
God Of Pollution? Samuel knew that garbage bag held some secrets, but he didn't expect it to carry a living being - especially one as powerful as a god...
- ...I wasssss the mosssssst powerful god in the whole empire, but the other godsssss... Isssissssss, Anubisss and all the othersssss... Upssssstaged a rebellion againsssst me with the help of the humanssss... They hated and ffffeared me, refusssssing to admit I wassss the sssssuperior god...
- And then they sealed you in that plastic bag, I suppose?
- Yesss... I wasssss sealed on a ssssssacred jar, and due to my attemptssss to esssscape through the centuriesssss it eventually metamorphed into a bag offff filthhh...
- What an interesting transformation. - Samuel said, suiting up for yet another day of pollutive work. - I guess your powers as the God Of Pollution influenced it?
- Yesss, and eventually they helped my esssscape too... The abundance of fffffilth in your domainssss gave me enough power to break through my seal'ssss myssssstical barrierssss... I am thankful to you, mortal...
Stenich finished putting his clothes on, grinning as Mephisto said his last words. He thought of himself as a honest businessman, but he knew the benefits the of manipulation very well.
- Then I guess you could do a favor or two for me, eh?
- Yessss, mortal. Assss long asssss it'sssss in my powersssss...
- Oh, it sure is, Mephisto. I think we share some similarities.
- How dare you compare yourself to me, mortal?!
- Calm down, mister. Please accompany me, then sit down and listen...
Samuel patted Mephisto's back and guided him to his office, noticing that the God's whole body was composed by a foul mixture of all of the world's liquid, solid and gas pollutants. The factories weren't open yet, so nobody noticed Mr. Stenich's and his strange new "associate" walk around the estate.
- Well then, my dear god... - the white skunk said, sitting on his chair and offering one for Mephisto to sit in. - We both are powerful mephits hated by the populace who wish to cover the entire globe in filth...
- Ssssssso you're sssssaying that you producccce all thhhissss delicioussss ssssmog, sssludge and garbage... on purposssse?
- I quite do, mister. My grand-grand-grandfather founded Stenich Corporations in 2013 with the objective of setting a new standard for large-scale factories - a 100% green, ecological standard. He took the smog filters used in industrial smokestacks of the time and, using his mechanical and chemical know-how, perfected them in order to leave absolutely 00.0% fumes unfiltered. Many factories around the world adopted it in less than a year after the commercial release of the first batch, thus making Mr. Maximilian Stenich, which was obviously a skunk, the world's first developed-animal millionaire... I guess you were never exposed to skunks before?
- Indeed... It'sssssss thhhe firsssssst time I ssssee sssssomeone like you, ssssso ssssssimilar to me...
- Well, it just happens that our species - both feral and developed - is one of the world's most hated and discriminated, even before the Animal Revolution Of 2015. In the eyes of the general populace, we are destetable vermin who do nothing but reek of the foulest pollutants... But what it doesn't see is that our stench is actually an incredibly useful tool - a tool for pollution!
- You are ssssstarting to peak my interesssst, mortal...
Samuel grinned evily. His plans were working - as they always did.
- Think with me, Mephisto. Our species' musk is often described as a natural defense system, like the sharp claws and fangs many other animals have, even though nowadays we have much more efficient weapons like firearms, blades and martial arts in our disposal. Respectable human biologist Charles Darwin once said that all living beings eventually lose some of their traits as they adapt to the envrionment, and as you can see - Stenich said, showing Mephisto a photo of a feral skunk he had in his desk - these sayings proved to be true...
- Ssssso you are ssssssaying our kin ssssshouldn't reek nowadaysssss?
- Exactly! But we still do, don't we? Even after decades of evolution, we skunks are cursed with this horrid putrescence, as if it's eternally bound to us, even though we don't "need" it anymore!
- But why sssssshould one wissssh not to possssssessss sssssuch potent polluting powersssss?
- Aha! That's my point, Mephisto! Most skunks tend to see our special ability as a curse, but in fact it's a blessing - and a very powerful one, at that! According to my studies, our scent is highly pollutive, being capable of intoxicating air, water and ground when sprayed properly - and that is the key to my plans! If we skunks successfully spread pollution of any kind all around the world, it'll reek! And if it reeks, nobody will notice our stench anymore! Hahahaha!
Samuel let off a massive spray of excitement with his last words, musking up all his office. And Mephisto loved it, of course - his "co-worker"'s scent was much, much stronger than any other skunk's, fully feeding him within seconds of exposure.
- So, Mephisto... What do you say we make a deal? - Stenich said, extending his hand to the God. - You use your filthy powers to collaborate with my plans of skunk domination, while I use my factories and my scent to pollute even more and subsequently feed you... It's a win-win situation, after all.
- Yesssss, of courssssse it issssss, mortal. I acsssssept your deal...
- Yes! YES! Together, we'll be unstoppable! To the glory of our kin!
- To the glory of our kin!
Without thinking twice, Samuel and Mephisto shook hands with one another. An alliance was made - an alliance that will completely intoxicate the world!
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário