Sage:
Watching an exhausted Arty chat with our family pleased me, our mismatched family proving to be the only way to describe us. We found each other when we needed it, our surrogate family proving to be better than our real families. Her piece of cake remained untouched, the twins not allowing her to eat. Her polite smile told me that her limit was getting reached, my hands clapping. Mouse stood with authority next to me, they all dispersed. Sitting down next to her, I picked up the fork. Feeding her bite after bite,a bit of color returned to her face. Thank god her health seemed to be returning.
"Wolfston is going to examine you tomorrow morning. We need to get you some meat on your bones. It scares me that I can see your ribs." I confessed with a groggy yawn, concern flashing in her eyes. "I can't lose you to your sickness. I want you to lay low for a couple of months. Can you do that for me?" Tears welled up in her eyes, every emotion burst from her eyes. An anxiety attack was seconds from starting, my arms scooping up the twins. Sensing her increasing heart rate, her hands crossed.
"What if I fail and do what my mother did?" She cried out, her fingernails scratching at the top of her hands. "I can't fail. I simply can't fail." Laying her head on the table, Mouse rubbed her back. All of the trauma of her horrible parents bubbled to the surface, her unstable hormones not quite aiding her healing process. Popping her head up, she leapt to her feet before crashing to the floor. Wiping her tears away, lightning crackled around her skin. Wincing in agony, black smoke curled off of her skin.
"I think I could use that checkup today. I am afraid I went a little past my limits yesterday." She choked out with silent tears streaming down her cheeks. "I am sure you remember this happening a couple of times during our missions. More importantly, I need the needle filled with the green liquid. That should stop the overload of power. Although it will knock me out for a couple of days. After that I should be as good as new. Fuck this. That won't work, I have to feed them." Passing out, she collapsed into a heap. The lightning died down, Dr. Wolfston skidded in her usual sweater and skirt combo. A worn leather bag rested on her shoulders, she tugged her wild hair into a ponytail. Shifting through her bag, homemade pills scattered across the floor. Picking up a bright green pill, she held it in between her fingers. Popping it into Arty's mouth, our eyes watched the pill slide down her throat. Picking up the pills and putting them in her right containers, her eyes fell on me.
"That will only knock her out for the rest of the day. I streamlined the effect. Well, meaning I had to fix the original formula. There are no chips in these, I made them all over the last couple of days. Arty taught me so much about making medicine. I have to thank her for everything she has done." She commented serenely, packing her bag. "I will be by in the morning with a natural headache reliever. I really should organize my bag better but I am almost certain that Arty will hear me somehow and bring me a new bag. I love her like a sister." Closing up her bag, she tossed Arty over her shoulder. Carrying to our bed, she tucked her in. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she began to put a creamy ointment over her visible burns.
"Did I ever tell you that Arty inspired me to become the doctor I am today?" She queried softly as to not wake Arty up, my ears popped up. "I was one of the children she fed and put to bed because my mother was a lady of the night. One day she asked me what I wanted to be and I said I wanted to be a doctor. I also admitted to her that my mother laughed in my face. She took my hands and refused to let go. She told me to go for it. I worked as a lady of the night to pay for school and got my degrees. Every night I looked forward to seeing her. In fact, I always carry this with me. Shifting around her pocket, a stuffed black wolf rested in her palm. Pulling out a torn medical journal, the page creaked open. Tracing Arty's handwriting, the message was simple.
"Here's the beginning of your adventure to becoming Dr. Wolfston." She continued with tears of joy in her eyes, her lips curling into her real smile. "Not only that, she would drop off the latest science magazine and supplies. She did that sort of thing for all of us. She would be the one to teach us math and English. We all grew up okay because of her. I missed her so much when she got arrested, we all did. Tatty's mother stepped up after her though. That is why I love her with all of my heart. She inspired me to take care of the poor for free. I did everything I could until I got arrested. They forced me to run all sorts of experiments. It wasn't fun when they made me do it. I even brought Blizzard with me a couple of times and he loved her too. I don't think he will ever admit as much. Half the city's citizens my age owe it to her for noticing us little guys. I guess this is my way of thanking her." Her tail wagged with each passing second, my heart melting at her confession. Laying the slumbering twins down in their cribs, the bed groaned as I sat across from her.
"Maybe you two should tell her that when she wakes up. She has been having a rough time recently and I am sure it would help. She probably recognizes you but won't admit anything to avoid any awkwardness." I suggested lightly, helping her put on the ointment. "She would always make our birthday a big deal while not being mad about us not celebrating us. Money was tight between the three of us. Sometimes food was too but she always made sure to feed us first. Arty is that special person that gives her all until she has nothing left herself. Clearly, that is how this happened. I have her from here. Go and see St-" Steph skidded in, Wolfston catching her before she fell. Her hair grazed the floor, scarlet coloring her cheeks. A giant sweatshirt tickled her knees, a chipper eagerness glittered in her eyes.
"What's her favorite meal?" She asked with her palms pressed together, Wolfston gazing lovingly in her direction. "I want to prepare only her favorite foods until she recovers." Tapping my chin, Wolfston placed her fingers to her lips. She didn't want Steph to know about our conversation. Understanding her concern, I grinned crookedly in their direction.
"She loves vegetable ramen. I always took them out for ramen on her birthday. That was all she would allow us to do." I answered simply, taking her limp hand. "I think she would like that. How about you make that for dinner and I will keep her distracted?" Winking in my direction, Wolfston dragged her out. Laying down on my back, exhaustion weighed on my eyelids. Sweet slumber soon stole me away.
My shrill alarm echoed in my ear, her side of the bed was empty. Running over to the crib, sheer panic came over me. Sprinting to Mouse's room, the two of them were playing with the twins. Color returned to her skin, my connection proved me able to sense that her powers were back to normal. A cookie hung out of Arty's mouth, her genuine smile brightening her face. The robes still swallowed her gaunt form, Blizzard popping up next to me. Beat up boxing gloves hung over his shoulder, Arty leaping to her feet. Dropping her robes, A sports bra held her aching breasts up, the booty shorts hugged her round ass. Fighting back my desire to take her, the next few weeks were going to be rough. Brushing past me, Mouse motioned for me to go after her.
"I have them for an hour. She wants to build her muscle back up again." She promised earnestly, the hesitation showed in my face. "You can't blame her. She wants to be as strong as you." Mouthing thank you, my empty footfall echoed down the hall to the workout room. The sheer force of her punches knocked the bag around, her kicks impressing me. Blizzard did his best to hold the bag, the level of her rage took me aback. Lightning bounced off her skin, her real smile stealing my heart. Gripping the wall, her left fist met Blizzard's cheeks. Smashing him into the wall, her bare feet pounded towards a dizzy Blizzard. Apologizing profusely, a nasty bruise painted his cheeks.
"I am going to get some ice." He stammered nervously, rushing past her. "Nice punch. I see why people are scared of you." Shame dimmed her eyes, her beautiful face falling on me. Walking over to her with my hands in my pocket, dirt crunched as she steadied herself. Standing behind the bag, confusion dawned on her face. Chuckling warmly to myself, she twisted her foot in a coy manner.
"What are you doing?" She questioned shyly, pressing her body against mine. "We haven't worked out like this together in a long time." Running my hands down to her hips, her ribs were a little less visible. Her tail wagged happily in response to my touch, her arms wrapping around my neck. Shrugging my shoulders, her fangs chewed on her lips. Her flirtatious manner threw me off, her fangs brushing the nape of my neck. Goosebumps popped up, her fangs sinking into my neck. Gulping down my blood, my heart skipped a beat. A satisfied sigh echoed in my ear, inky blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. Licking my wound, I shivered with pleasure. Spinning on her heels, she hung by the bag. Stepping behind the bag, every hit rattled my body. Clammy sweat drenched her skin, her real smile never leaving her face. Dodging every miss, the hour was soon up. Peeling off her workout clothes, she stepped into the shower. Watching the water cascade over her curves turned me on, her wet hair clung to her face. Washing up real quick, she turned the water off. Drying off, water droplets soaked me with every shake. Tugging on a fresh set of clothes, her skirt fitting perfectly. Zipping up the sweatshirt, she pecked me on the cheek before leaving. Something seemed with the way she was acting, the glue holding herself was melting away. Chasing after her, a trembling Arty sat in front of video footage of random families. Pressing her lips into a thin line, her fingernails scratched at the top of her hands. Teardrops hit the keyboard, her bangs hid her eyes.
"I killed them and left their families with a sense of loss. Even if the white guard didn't have families like this but this is their mothers and fathers. These are their brothers and sisters. I am a monster." She cried softly, blood pooling at the top of her hands. Still scratching away, she had to know that they would have been executed for their failure. They asked me to join them after she was arrested but I knew that if you failed they would execute you publicly. That was the sole reason they always fought with disregard.
"They would have died anyway." I pointed out sincerely, her wet eyes meeting mine. "I was asked to join them and the number one rule was that you have to either kill yourself if you fail or get publicly executed. You are forced to follow orders knowing that you will die." Not moving, confusion dawned in her eyes. Rising to her feet, drops of her blood stained the concrete underneath her. Pinning me to the wall, the corner of her lips trembled.
"Why didn't I know about them? Who is in charge of them! If it isn't the police chief, then who is!" She demanded brokenly, her fingers gripping my sweatshirt. "I want to kill whoever sent them to certain death either way. None of this is okay!" Sobs wracked her body, the heartbreak of the information broke her dam. Every ounce of hatred and trauma that she experienced during her job bubbled to the surface. Arty saw more than us, the mass starvation and slaughtering of children. She saw through the disdain of a mother whoring herself to feed her children and let them keep doing it while keeping the brothel owners in check. Imagine the terror of standing in that jail with her wrists out while Mouse ran off the bunker, the trembling smile that she gave anybody when she was hurting haunting her face. She knew full well what would happen to her, the high level of danger frightening her to her core.
"The president is in charge of them." I answered with tears in my own eyes. "Let it out. You have been holding it this whole time. The answer isn't getting yourself killed to fuel your revenge." Everyone gathered at the door, her sobbing growing louder. Wolfston stepped forward with Blizzard leaning on her shoulder.
"I want you to know that I love you like a big sister. I still remember the way you would put me to bed and feed my brother and I while mother was working the streets. I still have the book you gave me and the stuffed animal. I remember the story you would read to me. Once upon a time a sad fox ruled the land and took care of all the other animals. Day and night she would toil away to ensure that peace would bath the land." Wolfston blurted out awkwardly, Arty standing straight up. "My question is did anybody ask the fox how she was doing in all of that? We took and took from you as the daily grind wore you down." Smiling softly to herself, she shook her head. Horror rounded Wolfston's eyes at the sight of her hands. Hiding her hands behind her back, she let out a nervous laugh.
"I only did what anybody would do." She choked out, Wolfston grabbing her hands. "Don't worry about that. It's just a nervous tick." Pulling gauze out of her pocket, Arty refused to look at her while she wrapped her hands. Pinning it in place, Wolfston cupped her face. Arty couldn't look away.
"I need you to take care of your mental health. Scratching the top of your hands until they are raw isn't normal. Take a couple of days to decompress with something that relaxes you. I will keep your hands wrapped up until that nervous tick stops. All you ever do is scratch the top of your hands, so try to find another way to work through it." Spinning on her heels, Arty pinned Wolfston to the wall.
"Don't you think I would have if I could. I am a bag of fraying nerves and I feel like a whole city is relying on my dangerously sick ass. Everyday I have to think of what I need to do next. You don't know the pressure that is resting on my shoulders." Wolfston trembled underneath her grip, her fist aiming for Arty's stomach. Catching it mid punch, fright rounded her eyes. Stepping back, shame mixed with frustration. Bowing in Wolfston's direction, she pressed her palms together.
"I am very sorry. I am going to go cook dinner now. I forgot it's Steph's turn." She apologized earnestly, her quivering hand wiping away her tears. "I am going to g-" Shock rounded her eyes, Wolfston pulled her into a warm embrace. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, her knees giving out on her. Holding her up, Wolfston's tail wagged. Of course she was in a good mood from this all.
"You told me that I was a part of your pack years ago, so I guess it is my turn." She promised sweetly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "It is my turn to take care of you. Come along, my dear alpha." Tossing her over her shoulder, Arty chose not to protest. Blood dripped from her nose, Wolfston passed her a tissue. Pressing it to her nose, a sly grin danced across Wolfston's lips.
"You look so adorable like that." She teased playfully, Arty narrowing her eyes in her direction. "I bet I could torture you right now." Arty's brow twitched in response, the corner of her lip curling into a half smirk.
"You're lucky that I can't walk right now." She growled through gritted teeth, the bleeding slowing to a stop. "You're also lucky I love your brother and you like a big sister." Crimson colored their cheeks, Blizzard hiding behind a wall while Wolfston's grin grew wider. Scooping up the twins, I followed after. Their love language was sarcasm which was perfectly fine, a small fit of laughter escaping my lips at the way Arty let her carry her voluntarily this time. Following her to our bedroom, Arty was already in bed. A solemn look fell on Arty's face, an inky stain painted her gauze. Wolfston whispered something in her ear, a deep red painted Arty's cheeks. Changing her wrappings with ease, her heels clicked out of the room. Arty laid stunned in our bed, the mattress groaning as I laid down next to her.
"She said that I don't need to feel guilty. She has killed dozens of men for her brother in the gang wars. Having your family around is more important." She stuttered brokenly, her heart shattering by the second. "For years she struggled to feed her brother after she had to kill her parents after she found her mother attempting to sell her brother to a sex trafficking ring. It all makes sense now. She was the masked informant I always met to take down those damn criminals. I can't believe how much of an amazing person she grew up to be. She feels guilty as well. She wouldn't have had to kill her parents or all of those men if I could have done my job better. How can I protect my own family?" Sobs wracked her body, turning away from me. Laying Lapine and Renard between us, I rolled her over. An empty gaze met mine, silent tears stained her cheeks. Tilting her head towards our twins, a glimmer of hope entered her eyes. Alarm widened her eyes, her fading form crashing out of the room. Whistling for Mouse to watch the twins, my boots pounded after Arty. The last thing I saw was Arty's tail, the rungs groaning underneath my feet. Shutting the door behind me, a cloud of dust obscured Arty's sprint into total darkness. Calling out to her, lightning lit up the sky. Alas, it wasn't her lightning. The violet lightning informed me that it was somebody else, the two of them rolled to my feet. A younger boy that looked suspiciously like Arty lay unconscious at my toes, a bruised up Arty trembled in her spot. Crawling over to the younger boy, she examined his left violet eyes and then his inky right eye. Lifting up his arm cautiously, her fingers played with the violet fox ears and tails. Feeling his puffy white hair, her fingers traced his black lips. Taking a deep whiff, horror widened her eyes.
"He smells like my brother." She cried out, feeling around for a chip. "He died in the w-. She lied to me. She must have sold his embryo to the scientists." Setting her staff to the side, her fingers wrapped around his worn dagger. Cutting a small slit in his neck, her finger fished around for a chip. The wet noises nauseated me, her lightning scrabbling the signal before the chip fried. Smacking his face with the back of her hand, his eyes fluttered open.
"Who the hell are you!" He demanded venomously, fussing with his ragged clothing. "I will k-" Leaping on top of him, her strength far surpassed his. Struggling underneath her, his sharp eyes flitted between the two of us. Could this be her brother!
"Where did you wake up? More importantly, what is your name?" She asked at a blazing speed, barely able to contain her excitement. "I am so happy you are alive." Confusion dawned on his face, his lips pressing into a thin line. Clearing his throat, his scarred hand reached for the water hanging off of her hip. Ripping it off her belt, she dangled it over him. Flipping her underneath him, a triumphant grin brightened his face. Snatching the water from her, he gulped the whole thing down.
"I am Experiment Four Hundred and Eight and I was born yesterday in a tube." He introduced himself with a similar smile to Arty. "I escaped yesterday and decided that I didn't want to live in that damn lab. You can't contain a fox. We are sly motherfuckers." Stifling a laugh, tears of joy flooded from her eyes. Pulling him in for a warm embrace, both of their tails began to wag. Wicked grins danced across their lips, their ears pinning back. Pinching his skin, she examined him for any gears or anything.
"You are completely organic?" She pondered out loud, his brow cocking in response. "I can't even smell a damn gear in your body. This is real skin." Low growls rumbled in his throat, Arty flipping him under. Kicking her off of him, she landed on the nearest branch. Hanging upside down by her knees, my breath hitched at the warmth in her real smile.
"I am not a robot. I may have a fucking name but I am completely organic." He returned sarcastically, climbing the tree. "What the hell are you doing, weirdo?" Hanging by his knees, his age must have been about sixteen. Marching up to the two of them, his ears pinned back at the sight of me. A tender blush rose to Arty's cheeks, her hands cupping my face. Kissing my lips passionately, my heart skipped a beat. Releasing me from her spell, her attention turned to her tube grown brother.
"Can I name you Morado after the color of your ears and tail?" She suggested serenely, flipping herself into my arms. "Do you want to stay with me?" Waiting with bated breath, her fingers snapped. Her staff flew into her eager palms, her staff shrinking back down. Hopping down from the branch, he stuck out his tongue. Jumping out of my arms, her hand hovered in front of his face. Accepting it with apprehension, she dragged him back towards the bunker. Walking behind them slowly, my heart fluttered at her pure joy at her odd reunion with her brother. Chatting his ear off, he flashed me a help me look, her hands cupping his shoulder.
"You don't ever shut up, do you?" He teased lightly, rubbing the back of his head. "I will accept the name Morado and your offer of a shelter." Jumping up and down, she spun him around. Setting him down, she leaned forward with her hands behind her back.
"You are going to have so much fun." She promised lovingly, opening up the hatchet. "Let's get you settled in. It should almost be dinner. You can h-" Putting my finger up in the air, my silence has allowed them to have their moment but now it was my turn to step up. Flashing him my brightest smile, his expression softened.
"You can have my proportion." I offered kindly, a grateful expression dawning on his face. "I can go a night without dinner. We should probably get to the table before they eat it all." Scrambling down the ladder, we followed after. Locking it behind us, everyone was already at the table. Dragging her shy brother in, she presented him like a prize.
"This is my brother Morado. So let's welcome him." She announced proudly, sitting him down next to Mouse and Sunny. "Thank you for the meal, Steph." Placing my bowl in front of him, she motioned for me to sit down. Passing me a pair of chopsticks, her genuine smile melted my heart. Basking in the moment, my palms pressed together. Arty fed me a bite, scarlet coloring my cheeks. My eyes fell on the twins rolling around the playpen, Arty set her chopsticks down. Scooping up the twins, Morado's face lighting up at the sight of them. Leaning over his bowl, he stuck out his tongue. Lapine stuck hers out in return, everyone's laughter jingling in the air. Enjoying the moment, life could only get better from here.