"What exactly happened here…?"
Typhon and Kruger walked through the remains of the mewman village. They had come here after yet another of the so called Queens subjects tried to make a settlement. They always offered one warning for them to leave, and it had already been given. Now it was time to wipe it out, along with any who weren't wise enough to take the warning to heart.
Strangely enough though, someone had seemed to beat them to it. The entire place had been laid to waste. Buildings torn apart, market stands broken down… corpses spread about. Whoever had gotten here before then had been rather thorough in their destruction. They could sense not a single survivor here.
Kruger grunted. "I don't understand. We hadn't given the order yet. Do you think one of the other tribes got impatient and lashed out?" he asked.
Typhon crossed his arms and he kept looking around. "I don't think so. I don't smell but a single monster here. And I think… a titan?" he questioned. It was odd. He was pretty sure he kept track of where all of their kind were in mewni, and he hadn't heard of any around here. "This side of the border is where those incidents were right?"
Kruger looked confused for a moment, but then remembered something. There had been talk about mewman villages on the other side of their borders being attacked in droves. They had thought it was just the Queen and her lot spreading rumors to stir more of her people against them. "Yes, it is. You think this is the work of the so-called monster they've been on about?" he asked.
"Possibly. I'm picking up a faint scent. Very faint. And between the smoke, corpses, and everything else, it's a bit hard to pin down," Typhon said before smiling. He was more than a little curious to see just who was behind all this. He was a little disappointed that he hadn't got the chance to uproot this village as planned, but whoever this person was might give him the fight he was looking for.
Kruger kept looking around, getting the feeling that they were being watched. Whoever did this was likely still here judging by the killing intent that was oozing off of them. "He's there!" Kruger unsheathed his sword just as a blur came rushing towards them. He swung, intending to slash the figure across the chest.
He didn't want to kill them, just wound. They wanted answers after all.
But right before his sword could cut into his target, they seemed to vanish. The demon's eyes went wide, but he didn't have much time to think about what had just happened. He could sense the figure coming from another direction, and turned around, flicking his sword at it once more.
The figure twisted it's body, dodging the blade and sending a foot towards Kruger's face. As he did, the swordsman got a closer look at who it was attacking him. It was… a boy. Just a toddler from the looks of it. He moved his head back, moving away and then sheathing his sword again. "Wait, hold on a sec-" The boy sped towards him again, a feral look in his eyes as he traded his scorpion-like tail to strike.
"He's fast!"
Kruger dodged the barrage of attack the boy sent his way. He was more than a little surprised at how fast he was moving. But he was, unsurprisingly, sloppy. He was lashing out like he was an animal. "Wait, calm down! We're not here to hurt you!" he yelled, trying to calm the boy down.
If he could hear or even understand him, he didn't show it. He just kept on swinging at him. And he was going for the kill each and every time. He leapt away from him, trying to get some distance. "I don't think he's listening," Typhon said, clearly amused by what was going on. His chuckles seemed to get the attention of the boy, who suddenly turned his attention towards him.
Typhon smirked as he rushed at him. "Well, aren't you a rambunctious one." He didn't bother dodging, and the boy slammed into his head first. Typhon was surprised that he actually felt the attack. The boy winced, feeling as if he had run into a steel wall. But he recovered quickly, rushing around him and attacking for all directions.
The king of monsters looked around him. The boy looked like a blur as he moved about at a blinding speed, and Typhon was once again intrigued by the fact that he could feel the blows. They didn't hurt him all that much. Not compared to the rest of the Ten, or even other titans he'd battled with. But the fact that he was just a child made it shocking he could feel them at all.
And with the speed he was laying them on… given a few more years to grow stronger, this boy could be a true threat. "I think that's enough. Settle down, boy." Typhon let loose the King's Call, and suddenly the boy gasped. He stopped in mid air, reaching up and grabbing his head.
The moment he stopped, Typhon whipped his tail around and struck him, sending him flying and crashing into one of the ruined buildings nearby. Kruger winced at the sight. "A little harsh, don't you think? He's just a child," the demon said. A tough little one to be sure, but still. He didn't like going all out against women and children.
"He's fine," Typhon said simply. "Even if he is a child, a titan can't be injured so easily."
Kruger hummed. "Oh, so he's a titan is he?" He supposed that made sense. The child was incredibly strong, though he had mostly assumed that was because he seemed to be an insectoid, who were known for even their young being strong. But this kid really was something else. He himself wasn't an actual titan, so he couldn't pick up on it like Typhon could. He didn't doubt that he knew what he was talking about though.
Typhon knocked some of the rubble of the building away and then reached down and grabbed the now unconscious boy. "I wonder how this little one ended up here," he said curiously. Judging by the bloodlust and stench of blood itself on him, there was no doubt that he'd been the one to finish their job of destroying the village for them.
He was going to bring this one back with them. Having a reckless young titan running about on his own was dangerous, and he was just curious about him in general.
"Ah!"
The boy gasped as his eyes shot open. He quickly jumped up to his feet, his tail raised and ready to strike at anything nearby threat. He quickly looked around to see where he was at. The last thing he remembered was attacking those guys who had showed up at the village. He figured it was more of the people they'd been sending to try and stop him.
They had been different from what he usually dealt with though. Usually he managed to take them down before they could even notice him. But those guys… he grunted as he tried to remember. The one with the three eyes. He had dodged him. And then the bigger one with the tough body…
His head whipped to the side as he heard the door open, and Typhon made his way inside. "Finally up little one. I see we-" The boy sped forward, trying to rush past the elder titan and find a way back outside. Typhon's arm shot out, grabbing him by the leg and stopping him dead in his tracks. "Whoa there, already so lively."
The boy yelled and tried to pull himself free, his tail jabbing at his arm and stinging him to try and get him to leg go. "Get off! Get off! Get off!" he shouted angrily. He moved his body just enough to bite down on him. Typhon smirked and turned around, bringing the boy along with him and ignoring his struggle.
"You seem rather desperate to get out of here. But you should know if I wanted you dead I could have easily killed you," Typhon said simply. The boy once again seemed to be ignoring him, so he shook him around a bit until he calmed down. "Settle down boy, I'm trying to talk to you."
"I'll kill you!" the boy shouted back angrily. "I'll kill you, and the three eyed one, and everyone else here! And then I'll eat you!"
Typhon hummed, seeming more amused by the threat than anything. "Well, you do look like you could use a bite to eat. You're clearly malnourished," he said, poking him in the stomach. He snapped at him, but Typhon pulled his hand back. "But you're setting your sights a bit too high. Why don't you start with a proper meal first."
They went into another much larger room, and the boy froze when he saw the other figures standing around. The one that was holding him was dangerous. He could just sense it somehow. But so were all these other ones too. There was no way he was gonna be able to fight them all. Even getting away was a stretch.
"So, this is the little one you came across," Echidna said looking down at him.
Branch was curious. "Did someone so young really slaughter so many people…" he muttered. He got the sense of so many emotions coming from him. Dread, desperation, fear. What had he been through that left him in such a state?
"An insectoid! You don't see many of those around," Matrona said laughing. They tended to keep to themselves, and even their assistance in the war effort was done through as little contact as possible.
"The poor thing. He looks terrified," Kyu said, looking sympathetic.
Python grunted. "Strange. Where are his parents? How has he managed to survive so long on his own…?" Titans didn't just… leave their children. In his experience it was against their very nature to do so. A young one surviving on his own wasn't impossible, but it was still a longshot. With territorial some other monster could be, along with how desperately the Commission tried to thin their numbers, it was a shock he was alive.
The boy looked around at all of them with a glare. If he could get loose, he might be able to get through one of the windows and… wait, what was that smell? He sniffed in the air, and then turned his head towards the table. There was a large plate of cooked meat sitting in the middle of it. It was the most delicious scent he'd ever smelled before. His eyes were locked onto the meal, and it looked like he was almost hypnotized.
"Are you hungry?" Typhon asked, smirking. The boy had a bit of drool dripping from his mouth, and his stomach growled. Typhon laughed and then let him go, letting him drop to the floor. He managed to land on his feet, and Typhon gestured towards the table. "Go on. I assume you're very hungry."
The boy snapped out of his daze, looking back and forth between Typhon and the plate of food. He looked more than a little weary. "It's not a trick. You can eat," Typhon said.
He still looked worried, but then suddenly zipped over towards the table and began stuffing his face. His tail was raised to watch his back, knowing they could attack him with his guard down. He didn't like turning his back to them at all. It left him vulnerable. But hunger overrode that thought right now.
He hadn't had a proper meal in… well, ever.
"Well, that didn't take much prodding," Kruger said.
"He's wolfing it down so fast. Does he ever slow down?" Branch asked.
The boy continued to cram the meal into his mouth, wanting to hurry up to finish so he could get back to escaping this place. But he found himself steadily slowing down as the flavor of the food spread across his tongue. The only meals he was able to get before were molded bread and rotten leftovers from the mewman villages. And later on… well, mewmans themselves. Which were better, but not even close to as good as this.
The others watched as he kept going. Some with amusement, and others with sympathy. "It's good…" he said, tearing off another bite. "It's really good…" Everyone's expressions seemed to change as the intense look in his eyes had started to fade away, and his face softened.
"Oh my…" Kyu muttered.
Typhon walked over towards him, a frown now on his face. As soon as the boy noticed him, he pulled the plate away and glared. He wasn't done eating yet, and he wasn't planning on sharing either. "I'm not going to take your food. Wipe your face," Typhon said, crossing his arms. He looked confused, but then reached up and touched his face. Why were his cheeks wet? Did he get water on his face? "What's your name boy?"
The boy looked back up at him confused. "Name…?"
"What do people call you?" Kruger clarified.
He looked like he was in thought for a moment. "Little shit…" he answered, causing everyone to go wide eyed. "And pest. And sometimes worm."
"What in the hell…?" Python said, looking more than a little annoyed. He couldn't be talking about his parents, could he? Surely they weren't treating him so poorly. "Who are your parents? Where are they?"
"I don't got none," the boy said bluntly.
Echidna let out a low hiss, her anger very apparent. The others looked just as irritated. It was clear what had happened. The boy had somehow been orphaned, and was living among the mewmans. The cause of his current state, anger, and desperation was now crystal clear.
"I assume that village you destroyed was where you were born then?" He had probably finally snapped and began lashing out. Child or not, he was a titan. There was only so much abuse he could have taken before his instincts just took over.
The boy shook his head. "Nope… I just saw it." He said, smiling. "It had a bunch of bad people in it. Just like the ones in my village. So I destroyed it. I'm gonna destroy them all, until all the bad people are gone forever." They could feel a malevolent aura coming off of him as he flashed a sadistic smile.
Branch hummed in displeasure. To see so much hate and malice coming from someone so young was just… saddening. Kruger seemed to share the same sentiment. While the others looked somewhat impressed. His circumstances were definitely unfavorable, and it angered them all. But hardship had seemed to forge something lethal in his personality.
Typhon knelt down slightly so he could meet the boy's eyes. "Little one… it's good you're trying to fight back against the bad people. We are as well. How would you like to help us do that?" he asked.
He looked at him suspiciously. "I don't know… I'm already strong. Really strong. Nobody can catch me." It had taken him a while to realize just how much faster he was than the rest of the village. One second he was being chased, and the next he was miles away from the village.
When it had finally set it, he decided to go back and get his revenge. And then he'd gone to the next village, and the next. Everyone in every place he'd gone was mean and nasty, and eventually he didn't even bother checking before he started getting rid of the people there. What was the point?
Typhon chuckled. "You are quite fast. But I did catch you. And if I did, others might too," he explained. "But if you worked with us? Well, we're also pretty strong. I think if you stayed with us you'd have a much easier time. And you wouldn't have to worry about going hungry either."
The boy looked at him curiously. He could tell they were really strong, and they having them around would make dealing with the bad people easier than them. "If I stay, can I eat as much as I want?" he asked.
Typhon let out a boisterous laugh. "If you stay, I promise you'll never go hungry again," he said, patting him on the head. "In fact, I think a feast is in order right now."
"What's a feast…?"
"You have a lot to learn, little one. But we'll get there. In the meantime, we really should come up with a name," Typhon said rubbing his chin. They couldn't just go around calling him boy or child. He knew of a couple of insectoid names. Ravana was the first that came to mind. A name given to those destined to become great warriors.
Then there was Kabuto. One used for a notable swordsman. Or Arancnic… no, that was used more for spider-like ones. "Oh, I have a perfect one," he said, snapping his fingers. "How about Gadfly?"
Python raised an eyebrow. "Really brother?"
"What's a gadfly?" the boy asked confused.
Typhon smirked down at him. "It's an insect those cowardly gods used on earth whenever they were too afraid to confront or deal with something themselves. They're small and very fast, but they pack quite a bite. I think it suits someone like you. You're young and small, but powerful. You'll only grow more so with time I think."
The boy looked down confused. "Gadfly…. Gadfly, gadfly, gadfly…" He muttered the name a few more times under his breath, thinking both about how it sounded, and what Typhon had just told him about it. "I think I like that. I think that sounds awesome."
"Alright then. Welcome to our ranks little Gadfly," Typhon said before turning towards the door. "I'll go grab a few more plates so we can begin the feasts. We have to celebrate our newest recruit arriving. And I'm sure you-"
The moment he opened the door, Orthrus came rushing inside. He barked as he made a beeline towards Gadfly, jumping up on the table to confirm the new scent and face. He sniffed at him curiously, and Gadfly hissed and raised his tail up threateningly. Only to be caught off guard and knocked over when one of his heads licked him.
"Bah! Hey!"
Orthrus stood over him, sniffing and nuzzling the boy happily. "Get off me! Stop it! T-that tickles! Stop! Ha! Ah-ha-ha! Quite it!"
Everyone watched the two with smiles on their faces, and Echidna made her way over towards Typhon. "Well, you seemed rather forgetful of your stance on children. Perhaps seeing him has softened you up a bit," she stated.
Typhon looked slightly caught off guard by accusation. "That's not it at all. This is a different case entirely. He's a titan, and lost. It would be irresponsible for me as king not to allow him into our ranks," he said bluntly. "Besides, it's not as if we're actually raising him. He's clearly strong enough to survive on his own. We're just helping a bit."
The queen of monsters didn't look at all convinced. "Of course we are. You have a very bad habit of picking up strays, you know that don't you?"
"I can't help if people are drawn to my charms."
A/N: The story of how Gadfly was brought into the ranks of the Ten! One of the request I got were some for the Ten and I thought this one would be a pretty cool one to go into detail with. I'm probably going to do a few others for them in between the main story chapters. I got a couple of other requests I thought were pretty cool too. Hope you guys enjoyed!