Chapter 3- The Iron Tailed Man.

It had been three days since Johan had given his consent to Torn and the Underground to call him up if needed. The second day in, Jak returned to Johan and handed him a communicator with a direct frequency to Torn and the other members, he took it, but with slight grief overwhelming him. He knew what it meant; no more free time, and if he should so get said 'free time' he'd have to make the absolute most of it. So much for only working alongside the Underground. He should have known that Torn would do his damnedest to milk him for all that he had. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled lightly at the thought. Right now, it was late and he actually had some free time; likely the last of the free time he'd have for quite a while and he decided he'd spend it at the Hip-Hog. He needed a break from Brutter's powerful brew.

"Well, It's kind of what I wanted," Johan sighed as he took a drink from the glass of whisky he was working on. Tess handed it to him on the house. "I'll get more information this way." With that, he downed the last of the spirit and set the glass down quietly.

The bar was decently calm tonight. It was quiet, serene and some light background music was playing alongside the nearly silent mumbling of the small amount of people present. There were only a few patrons and they were quietly seated in the booths making small conversation over their drinks. Johan sighed again and laid his head down on the counter. It was all a little depressing, but he knew that in the end, it would all be worth it and this brought a smile to his face. Tess saw him in his state and quietly set another drink in front of him. She smiled sympathetically.

"You make it seem so terrible." She spoke quietly.

"Nah," Johan replied, "I'm just not used to it. I'm a free spirit and if it wasn't obvious, I have some serious problems with authority. It's gonna take a little bit of time."

"If it helps any, a lot of us are happy you decided to help us."

"Don't be too excited. I'm doing this partly for my own reasons as well."

"We all have our own reasons." Tess stated softly. Johan gave a quiet chuckle.

He sat up with a little smile on his lips. Tess may have portrayed herself as a ditzy blonde often, but the girl did have a few words of wisdom to offer time and again. He knew about the chemistry between Daxter and herself. He envied the little rodent slightly; being cute, small and fuzzy certainly did have its perks in this case.

It was then that the doors almost seemed to slam open. They didn't really; it was just that the bar was so quiet that the sudden noise seemed closer to an explosion compared to the normal flow at that moment. Johan turned slightly on his barstool to get a little glimpse of the individual that had just walked in. He was a fairly tall and thin man. His heavy black boots pounded on the floor unintentionally as he walked and his long black trench coat swept the floor behind him. He eyed everyone in the room as he continued to walk forward toward the counter. Some of the people seemed unnerved and Tess watched him carefully before turning to tend to some glasses in need of cleaning. The man sat down right next to Johan, completely ignoring him and just sitting there with a stern look upon his face. Johan snorted a little as he glanced over at him, noting the bright red colour of his hair.

"A ginger…" He muttered under his breath as he went to lift his glass.

The other man took one glance over at Johan, narrowing his blue eyes as Johan reached for his drink. Johan caught this and stalled only for a moment before turning his attention back to his prior engagement, but before he could even grasp it, it was swiped, right before his eyes. Johan blinked a few times before trying to figure out what could have possibly happened, he didn't even see what took it. He quirked an eyebrow and looked up over at Tess, she was still busy tending to the glasses, then he looked over to the side, at the redhead. He was nonchalantly sipping at a drink that Johan didn't remember him having before. Something here wasn't right and he decided to test it.

"Hey, uh, Tess?" Johan called out.

"Yeah?" She glanced behind herself for a brief second.

"Think I could maybe, possibly, get another drink, please?"

"No problem." She put some ice cubes in a glass and poured the whisky over it. By the time she had it to Johan, the redhead had finally finished the drink, which Johan was sure wasn't his.

This time, Johan tapped into his senses and watched the drink carefully. He took precautions to make sure it wasn't evident that he was watching. He glanced at the redhead for a moment again, they made eye contact this time; both of them glaring. It was then that it happened. He watched it happen in almost a slow motion before him. From round the man's waist, uncoiled a long metallic tail. It shot out, hidden just enough by the coat. It coiled around Johan's drink and tried to take off, but Johan wasn't going to let it happen this time. He reached out with his right hand and grabbed the tail. The drink, miraculously, slipped from the grip of the tail and fell to the counter flat, spilling only a few drops. The entire bar silenced at the sight, the redhead was baffled. This was evident by the wide eyes staring almost frightened at the hand grasping what was, in fact, his tail. Johan was even surprised. It was actually attached to him; he tugged it a few times.

"Didn't your mum ever tell you it's wrong to steal?" Johan raised an eyebrow.

Those were the last words he said before he was flung across the bar and into the opposite wall. The tail wrapped around Johan's arm, lifted him and threw him. Johan sat up and shook his head to knock the sense back into himself. As he finally refocused, he saw the redheaded man bolt out the doors of the bar. Johan quickly stood up and bolted out the doors after him at top speed. He stopped directly in front of the man's path and the redhead ran right into him. Almost terrified, the redhead turned and tried the opposite direction. Johan quickly stopped him again. The redhead became frustrated and stepped back a few paces, glaring daggers at Johan.

"Who are you?" Johan asked, raising his eyebrow with the question.

The redhead stood up straight and grinned suddenly. Johan had to quickly jump out of the way for the man let fly the tail. It flew out from behind him, extended and smashed into the ground to his left making it quite evident that there was a slight bladed edge to the tip of it. Before Johan could regain himself, he received a quick blow to the face from a fist. Johan, however, did not go down. The next swing came his way and he blocked it with his right arm, following it up by swiftly sending a kick to the opposing man's face. The man was forced back a few paces, but he flew back in with another attack. He jabbed at Johan with the pointed end of his tail. Johan dodged as best as he could, but one took him off guard and lacerated the skin of his left shoulder. He immediately grabbed at the wound with his left hand.

"Enough of this." Johan growled, "You want to fight dirty, let's go."

He took on a serious fighting stance now, and waited. The redheaded man also took on a solid stance. They both grinned as they took note of each other's positions. This was going to be a fairly decent match.

"Hey! It's the Eco Freak!" A voice called out, breaking both of the men's concentration.

"He's with the Hybrid. Shoot to kill! Shoot to kill!"

The voices were the ones of Krimzon Guards; a full patrol of them. Johan's eyes widened and he jumped back as shots began to fire. The redhead was nearly hit and took a few paces back before getting the wise idea of barreling straight at the patrol. The look of determination and rage in his eyes actually scared a few guards to a pause before he barreled past them, straight into the crowd of guards. Johan reached out, as if to make some feeble attempt to stop him.

"No!" He shouted as the man disappeared into the patrol, "You fucking dumbass!"

Johan bolted after him through the Guards at a blinding speed. He had to catch the bastard, although he was still unsure as to whether he wanted to slaughter him or simply ask him who and what the hell he was. He caught up to him and slowed to his pace, running exactly alongside him. The redhead looked to the side and nearly jumped clear out of his skin. Johan just gave a glare, the redhead was evidently too scared to even try to look tough.

After a while of running through the industrial section of the city, the two finally found themselves gasping for some sort of breath. The guard's voices were so long off now; it was imminent that they would give up looking for them within at least five minutes. They leaned against a random wall under one of the many walkways overhead. The redhead fell to the ground, sitting and wheezing. Johan continued to lean up against the wall to catch his breath. It was a good run, worked out some of the stress of what was currently hitting him. The adrenaline rush was nice too, in fact, it was so nice, it made him happy… perhaps a little too happy. He let a wide grin spread across his face and he threw his head back suddenly and began absolutely erupting with laughter. He began to laugh so hard, his face started to turn red and tears began to leak from his eyes. This frightened the redhead as it began and he stood up to take a few steps back. All he did was stare, mouth agape and eyes wide. He couldn't say anything. Johan slouched to the ground now as his abdominal muscles gave out and he lost his posture. He continued to laugh at the ordeal. He opened his eyes slightly as he began to calm down and focused on the redhead. Then, there was silence.

"What the HELL is wrong with you?" The redhead demanded. Johan replied only now by pointing and laughing at him.

"What the hell is so damn funny?" The redhead was now frantic. Johan still continued to laugh.

It was at this point; the redhead took a good look at Johan. He watched as this grown man sat on the dirty ground, face red and wrinkled with some sort of non-existent hilarity, and finally he too began to laugh. He sat down beside Johan, who grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him in only to laugh even harder. You would expect the man to be taken aback by this, but no. He tuned in and began to laugh alongside Johan. It was quite a sight. They looked pathetically and unmistakably, drunk. A citizen walked by as this went on and nearly tripped over themselves, watching the bizarre scene. It went on for a full twenty minutes before dying down due to complaints of a lack of breathe, facial cramps and in the redhead's terms 'too much happy.'

XxX

"Hey, I just wanted to apologize for what I did earlier." The redhead spoke suddenly over his drink.

"Meh, accepted. I get stuff like that a lot." Johan replied, downing a mug of ale.

"Yeah. I've just gotten so used to the way this city works, it was so much instinct."

"I've seen it all before." Johan raised an eyebrow as he looked over across the table in the booth they sat in. They had earlier walked back to the Hip-Hog almost 'buddy-buddy' as it were.

The redheaded man looked almost distant, as if reminiscing in memories of some kind, and judging by the amount of distance in his eyes, they were not good memories. Johan raised an eyebrow and stared long at the redhead as he continues to delve into his thoughts. Johan knew that feeling all too well; he turned back to his now empty mug on the counter and thought about what to say.

"So," Johan began, "What's your name anyway?"

"I haven't been called by my real name in so long." The redhead replied, "I don't really think I would want to."

"Then, what should I call you at the very least?"

"I read an interesting name in a book once. It referred to a fox-like demon. I remember that I really liked it at the time."

"I see, a reader are you?"

"I used to be."

"So, what was the name?"
"Kitsune."

"Sounds kind of odd…" Johan mused, "Odd name for an odd man. I like it."

"Heh… And yourself?"

"Johan."

Tess listened silently to the conversation between the two men and served another round of drinks. She found it almost intriguing how quickly things could turn in the course of one night. Things were silent again as Kitsune, as he dubbed himself, stared off again into deep thoughts. Johan shook his head, wanting to bring his new acquaintance out of this depressive state, but he could think of nothing. Kitsune's tail came up, only to wrap around the glass set in front of him. He rested his clean-shaven chin on his hands as his tail let him sip at the spirit. Johan watched it gleam in the dim light, it held a beautiful metallic sheen in this atmosphere; much like the artifact welded to his arm. He couldn't help but stare in wonder.

"If it's not too painful to answer," Said Johan, breaking Kitsune from his thoughts, "Could you tell me how it was you received that tail of yours?"

Kitsune's expression sunk as he forced himself to delve deeper into his memories. Johan could tell they were deep and unwelcome memories, but he just had to know. Kitsune looked over at him, sighed and nodded before turning to face him completely. Johan turned as well to place full attention on the redheaded man as he began to tell the story of his life.

XxX

The heavily armored feet of the Krimzon Guards pounded upon the steel floor as they grew closer and closer to the single cell, to the far end of the prison. It was dark and isolated from the rest, but a being still resided within its dank and rusted dwelling. Within moments, the rusty old door was commanded open by an intricate code. It slid, metal on metal, screeching as it went and releasing a few sparks. It finished its dreadful and eerie cycle with a loud 'clank' and a hiss of relaxing hydraulics. The single, yet bright light was switched on and a man, no more than nineteen was ripped from his sleep as the sheets were ripped from his body. Before the man could even swear or curse, the Guards yanked him from the cot and dragged kicking, but not screaming, out onto the dimly lit floors of the prison. He could hear orders being barked, crackling of electricity and screaming from other cells, but he was more concerned for himself… and for good reason.

"Strap him down." The tall man commanded with a loud and gruff voice, "We shall see what this one has in him."

"Do you really think he could possibly bear this treatment? He's scrawny and pathetic." The shorter and smaller man, a guard commander, asked.

"Do you dare to question my choices, my intellect and my rule?" The taller man barked, iron half of his face turned.

"No, Baron Praxis."

"It's a good thing, Erol. It's how you keep your head."

Erol sneered behind his leaders back as the Baron moved himself over to the console on the other side of the operating table. The red-haired man from the prison cell was currently being strapped down, though it was proving to be a perilous task as he put up one hell of a fight. Every time a guard would force his hand down, he'd find a way to free the other and punch the guard in the face. It took five men and close to twenty minutes of constant order barking from The Baron for the man to finally be restrained. Erol grinned as the man helplessly tugged at his binds, desperately trying to free himself at any cost. It was as if he knew exactly what was to come. He walked over, a slight bounce in his step as he took his place by the man's head and places his hands on either side, snapping it in place and holding it still. The man grimaced at the sudden, aggressive motion.

"Don't worry. This will only hurt a little." Erol whispered mockingly into the redhead's ear. His eyes widened at this small statement.

Suddenly, the humming sounds of electricity filled his ears. The Baron was pressing buttons on the console beside the operating table now, a slow grin spreading across his half iron face. The man's eyes darted back up to Erol's only to see an even more sinister grin playing upon his lips. He was about to shout something when a new sound caught his attention. The sound of sleek, sharp metal unraveling against itself fired up by advanced circuitry and careful control. He looked slowly to his right, terrified of what horrors may away him.

A long, thin metal rod unfolded and extended next to him. On the end opened a base in the mocking shape of a flower, as it seemed, a deadly bladed one. It moved itself closer to him and he shivered. A clear, plastic tube fell and attached itself to the device now hovering dangerously close to his person. It quickly filled up with a dark, black fluid and the man was near on the verge of tears. When he thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, the device quickly sprouted and a long, thin and sharp needle; and he nearly screamed. He choked on his own breath as the countdown sequence began, counting backwards from ten.

"Although, the coming after…" Erol began, "Much more so…"

"This is the DNA serum, am I correct?" The Baron growled.

"Yes, my Baron. The Metalhead essence has been stabilized in this fluid. I was given a warning to give to you though, sir."

"And what is that, Erol?" The Baron narrowed his eyes at his follower.

"It required a few cc's of dark eco in order to keep active."

"Wh-what are you going to do to me. What is this?" The red headed man screamed out.

"You're going to help us." Erol replied with a grin as he patted the man's face.

The Countdown sequence ended all too quickly and the needle quickly plunged into the man's jugular and began to pump the serum into him. His joints locked and his muscles tensed, his mouth opened in a silent gasp as the burn began to flow through him. It felt so foreign; so unnatural and he felt almost, for lack of better words, violated. The same stupid smirk was still plastered on Erol's face as his evil, amber eyes still laughed at him in his misery. He couldn't see The Baron; he couldn't move anything. He could only hear the fading hysterical laughter he emitted and the cries of success evident in his bio readings. He was no longer and never would be the same man ever again.

No more than three weeks later had they come for him again, strapping him down to the same table. As if dealing with the changes of the genetic alteration alone weren't enough. Within a short few days, his bones began to reposition and harden; his eye colour changed and his thoughts were jumbled. It just wasn't enough in their minds. They had constructed a Metalhead tail out of treated metal and actual Metalhead parts and organs. They attached the piece to his spinal column and performed the surgery without anesthetic. He remembered nearly passing out from the pain at many points, but was always awakened by the sound of his own screaming.

He was left in his cell to rot only a few days later as the new body part began to show early signs of rejection. He found new hope in escape as the power to the prison was put to blackout for only a few moments. It was in the process of his running that he made the realization, that the tail was not rejecting, it was programming itself to his own structure… and he used it to fight.

XxX

Kitsune was in tears as he went through these memories. Johan had no idea was to make of it really. He was a strong man, and to see someone like him suffer like this nearly killed him, mostly with fear. If this city could do this to someone like Kitsune, what things could it do to others? Tess looked over for a moment because she heard some noises coming from their direction, she was slightly taken aback by the scene before her. Johan was hugging a sobbing Kitsune, in a bar, drunk as a skunk. She half giggled and half sighed and smiled.

"Johan likes to think he's selfish…" She whispered to herself, "But he's just lying to himself." She walked off to tend to a few other customers, leaving the two to speak.

"All of the people I've killed… All of the things they've done and not just to me, but to others. So many people, so many screams, so much death." Kitsune babbled, "I feel like a fucking wimp like this."

"Hah…" Johan laughed, "I don't know many who can go through what you have and even have the will to live."

Kitsune laughed slightly.

"What I mean to say is, man, you've got a lot going for you. You actually give a shit and something is burning in you and keeping you going, keeping you alive and fighting." Johan thought for a second, "Now that I think about it. How much would you like to have a hand in bringing this to a close?"

"More than you could possibly know." Kitsune growled.

"Good," Johan grinned, "I guess that means I can tell Torn I've found him someone else to order around."

Kitsune looked confused, "What?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"There's this group. They call themselves The Underground and they're fighting this, fighting to bring that bastard in that stupid palace down." Johan stated, emphasizing by slamming his fist into his palm, "And I'm just thinking… you might be interested."

Kitsune sat back and thought. Johan leaned in and raised his eyebrows awaiting the answer, in suspense. Kitsune's face changed, his frown quickly switched to that of a mischievous grin. Johan quickly got the message.

"Fuck it…" Kitsune began, "I'm in. Where do I sign up?"
"I'll take you there tonight and we'll wake up Torn and piss him off." Johan mused.

"Sounds good!" Kitsune shouted as he took another drink from his glass. He felt triumphant now.

"Yeah, there we go, look at you!" Johan laughed.

"I feel empowered."

"And you should my friend." Johan took another drink from his glass.

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

They were both standing now and shouting random things at each other. What began to sudden encouragement and empowerment quickly changed into a yelling match. Tess was just about to cut in when Kitsune took a drunken swing at a drunken Johan, and said 'drunken Johan' hit the ground out cold. Kitsune's hands quickly shot up to his mouth as he gasped slightly.

"Uh… Oops?" He muttered, to which Tess slapped her palm into forehead.

"Men… Fucking drunken men…" She swore as she walked away.