I have a DeviantART page. If you're interested, then you can find it by searching on Vildtiger. I draw scenes to my stories and even take suggestions from my readers if you wish to see a scene be visualized.
now to the story
'Riiiiinnnng- click' barely awake, Nathan turns off his alarm clock and does have in mind rolling over and resume sleep, but not having any wish of running late after yesterday's screwup, he sits up grumbling, which made the rabbit-shaped Nalini fall off his chest. Doubts she even noticed it; unlike him, she is fast asleep. He leaves the bed and has to carry the still asleep rabbit daemon along with him to the bathroom since apparently that part of him refuses to wake up. He does get a bit out of his drowsiness when splashed water on his face. Nalini wakes, but as he wanted to in bed, she rolls over and goes back to sleep in the bathtub. Too tired to be bothered by his daemon's laziness, Nathan resumes the morning routine of washing the last sleep dust out from his eyes and prepare himself for today's work.
"Ey, Nate! Move your ass out!" One of his older brother's shouts. Nathan is not awake enough to figure out who it is by mere voice. Does show when Bernard shows at the door, his dark red hair messier than usual and maybe it's just him, but guy looks like he could use a shave. Something Nathan didn't deal with. "I need the bathroom more than you!" Bernard sneers.
Nathan barely reacts, all of his brothers are assholes, and polite talk has never been on their mother's priority list when raising them. Bernard is the worst though, guy always got one hell of a temperament, which shows his daemon's form settled into. If more awake, Nathan would've made a snarky comment, but he has just gotten up from bed and brain yet not fully function, so all he can say; "You get it when I'm done." He grumbles to his least liked older brother and reaches out for the brush but forgets all about that small task of brushing his messy hair when he feels pain—
as if he got a giant needle pieced right into his thigh.
Nalini probably felt it way worse, for it was her who got stung by his jerk brother's wasp daemon. She jumps a half meter up in the air, turns into a calico colored cat and whacks the wasp right the same time Nathan spins to Bernard, enraged, "What the hell man?!"
The wasp daemon easily dodges Nalini's claws and lands on her human's shoulder, letting him do the talk. "I told you to move it small-fry," Bernard remarks coldly, now mocking him by leaning up against the door frame in such an obnoxious smug manner. His older brother smirks deviously. "or Keelea's next hit will hurt a lot more."
Nathan knows that Bernard's threats are rarely just that, like a wasp, he will strike from little provocation. He might be the third youngest, but Bernard is the most aggressive and one of the stronger members of this gang of brothers. Nathan knows that he never would win in a fistfight with Bernard; he'd tried and always got his ass beaten. Still, that does not mean Nathan is going to take this crap from his brother. "I was here first! If you want it, get up earlier!" Nalini jumps onto his shoulder, hissing at Keelea that looks ready to strike again.
"And you should be a little faster changeling!"
"Stop calling me that, asshole!" Nathan snaps. He hates getting reminded that he is not like anyone else. For some reason, his daemon has never gone through Settling, and Bernard just loves to remind him about this anomaly. To remind him why no one wishes to be near him...
Settling has always been a part of growing up; they got told their daemon will stop changing shape just as their bodies will go through puberty. It will happen whatever one wants it or not. But for Nathan, well... he's now nineteen– an adult, and still waiting for his daemon to get a permanent form.
"Then get a move on!" Bernard snaps back, stepping inside and looks ready to force Nathan outside. Of course, Nathan will put up one hell of a fight, as he refuses to be the weakest link of his brothers.
Before this can escalate into a fistfight, John, the oldest brother still living in the house appears and steps between the two. "Cut it out Bernard or I'll promise you I will step on Keelea!" John threatens the third youngest of the brothers. Nathan is sort of glad it was John who came to split them up. John is the one stuck in the middle, being both a younger and older brother at the same time. The experience he gained throughout childhood and the many street fights alongside the three oldest has earned John a reputation of getting what he wants one way or another. John might not be physically strong, but he is very cunning and Nathan is honestly surprised that John's daemon hadn't turned into a snake from this trait. John's full attention is on Bernard, clearly aware it was him who started the fight. "Last I checked, you don't have work before an hour— oh wait." A faint smile appears on John's lips. that confused Nathan, as it seems the oldest of the house knew something he didn't.
Bernard snorts and stomps back to his room, slamming his door with a loud bang, which made Dean's daemon bark and her human shout from the room: "Someone trying to fucking sleep here!" Understandably pissed since Dean is working the night shift, but it's not like the third youngest of this pack cared as he yelled back: "Then what about you make Rachel stop yapping!" said daemon barked at him again, and soon the two were in a shouting match.
John rolls his eyes at this, and turning Nathan. "Do me a favor and ignore him." Taking off his glasses and begins to clean them in his shirt. "Bernard's pissy he got written up at his job." Oh, so that's what John was on about.
Easy for him to say. It is hard to ignore someone who took a jab at a sour spot, and Nathan does not care that Bernard is lashing out because of something he most likely deserves. "You wouldn't have tolerated it if someone insulted Adonis's shape." He throws back, unlike most people here in New France, John's daemon took the shape of a more exotic animal; a basilisk lizard.
John eyes him that he got that one right, but like so many other times, the oldest of the brothers in the house does not speak what his expression says. Instead; "Don't start any fights you cannot win." with his daemon shifting position on his shoulders, his long tail makes a quick flick but otherwise stays calm.
Rolling his eyes, Nathan heads downstairs, "Take your fortune cookies somewhere else, John." His older brother snorts in response if out of annoyance or amusement, Nathan does not know. He does find some glee that John has decided to lecture the crap out of Bernard. He hears Dean yell again: "Someone is trying to sleep here! Take your shit-talk somewhere else!" Much to the amusement of Nathan.
Downstairs, he finds his mother, already busy cooking for them all. It surprises him that ma hadn't gone upstairs and torn them all a new asshole by fighting this early in the morning. Their mother is a strong-willed and taking-no-crap-from-anyone kind of woman and they all learned at an early age that they better not piss off their mother as she could be devious in her punishments. "Morning ma." He greets her, takes a seat and grabs a nearby bowl for his cereal. Not really in the mood for food, but Nathan knows that he will regret it if he does not eat. The work Dell has for him requires a lot of energy and the day will be hellish if he does not get any sort of breakfast.
Ma puts a toasted bread with butter on, right beside his bowl. "Isn't it a bit early getting into a fight?" She asks, displeased but fortunately not yet angry enough to tear into them all.
"Bernard's the one who started it..." Nathan grumbles. His mother does not look convinced, but this time he wasn't the one who started the fight. "Honest, I just wanted the bathroom."
"I believe him." There's first there that Nathan notices that Ken is downstairs; he's sitting inside the living room, eating his cereal on the couch as if he got a vacation and not soon has to get to work. Swallowing his food, Ken points his spoon up where they all can hear John and Bernard still arguing. "Bernard's been extra pissy since yesterday, been picking fights with me all night." and he is the only one who would be this chill about it. Ken is only a year younger than Nathan but he is by far the most laidback of all the brothers.
Their mother sighs, something she often does, she resumes work on making breakfast. "I take that's why your other brothers are yelling?"
Taking a big bite from the bread, and swallowing. "Dean only yells because he won't get any sleep." Nathan points out. and does sympathize slightly with him. Get woken up all the time when one just want to sleep; it must suck. "John is lecturing Bernard because asshole called me a changeling."
"Auch, that's low." Ken remarks from his spot.
Mother looks appalled at him that Bernard really said that, everyone in the house knows how much Nathan hates to be reminded of how different he is compared to others. Her expression darkens into calm anger, "Seems like I have to speak with your brother later today."
Nathan exchanges a look with Ken and both know that their older brother will be torn to shreds by their mother. Both wish they would be around to see that firework, but alas, they got work to focus on.
It pleases him in knowing that he will get payback for that horrid nickname, but... deep down, Nathan knows he is a changeling, a freak among people. "He got a point." He muses and asks mother something he has asked himself so many times. "Ma, why am I so different? Why haven't Nalini settled?"
He notices Ken shift on his spot at the couch. It annoys him but can't stop his brother from listening in on this conversation. Then again, Nathan much rather wants Ken to hear this; one who is too laidback to care about gossip than some of his other brothers.
She puts two new pieces of bread into the toasters. Nathan figures it's fort John and Bernard– when they are done having a shouting match. "I honestly don't know." Ma admits to him. It disappoints Nathan she does not have an answer, but he's sort of used to that. Most of his childhood is a mystery; like how he got this distingue cut on his left cheek, or better yet, why his father left in the first place. Ma steps over to him, and brushes her fingers gently through his still messy hair. "but whatever she settles or not; I will always love you."
Nathan nods slowly, watching his daemon getting nuzzled by his mother's which has the form of a cat that looks a bit like a lion, which suits him since ma can be as fierce as a lion. It's nice to know ma will love him no matter what, but Nathan has the feeling that's just how mother's are. It does not really ease his gloomy thoughts and now he's on this train of thoughts, Nathan can't help but think; 'Is this why father left? Because he knew I was a freak?' His mother rarely talks about his father, which has giving him plenty of room to come with ideas as to why his father left. Most of them are bad. Why else would a husband leave his family? But in all honesty, he doesn't really care. Nathan has bigger things to deal with than ponder about a man that hasn't been around most of his life. "I'm getting late for work." He brushes ma off and with the toasted bread in his mouth, Nathan heads out.
He almost runs into John on the way, and just by his dumb luck; "One thing you got in common with your dad." His older brother remarks, Nathan shoots him a glare for that remark, but can't defend his father as he can barely remember the guy. What he can say though; "yeah, looks like all our dad's got that in common." John frowns at that, and Nathan feels some satisfaction he got a jap in.
The talk about their fathers has always been a soft spot for all of them, but Nathan guesses that's what happens when only a few of them share the same father.
Today is for once dry, there is a fine layer of clouds but none of them looks to have any rain in them. For once Nathan wouldn't mind; rain would fit his current mood.
He arrives at the workshop, grunts a hello to Dell and heads straight to work. Not really in the mood for his usual morning chat.
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The lack of talking from his assistance indicates Dell straight away that something is bothering the young man, but decides to leave him for a while. He might come over and complain about it when cooled a bit down through work. They work for about an hour and when Naira remarks; "Kid still got a dark cloud over him." Dell decides it's time to figure out what is bothering the young man. "Alright, what is wrong?" He asks Nathan and leans up against one of the huge frames to the soon to be Zeppelin. It can wait though, Nathan's well being matters more.
"Nothing." the young man brushes his question off, continuing the work on sorting the parts for the other Zeppelin.
Not only does the lack of talking but his daemon's shape points that's is a wagon load of bull. "Boy, you haven't been your usual chatty self." Dell remarks and Naria adds with eyes on the gloomy rat lying beside Nathan. "And Nalini looks like roadkill." Said rat shoots her a glare for that remark, but apparently in enough bad mood not even to attempt throwing random insults at her.
yup, something is definitely bothering him. "Nathan, you can talk to me." Dell tells the young man softly, he has always tried to be approachable, especially to Nathan, who got enough crap to deal with. "Whatever it is."
"Can't solve a problem if not addressed first." Naira remarks.
That seems to do the trick, letting out a sight, Nathan puts down the box with parts and his daemon takes the shape of that terrier mix she likes so much. "It's about Nalini," Nathan speaks after a moment of silince, "why she hasn't settled."
Dell blinks, a bit confused that this is what has been troubling the young man. A few times, they've come into the subject about their daemon's and Dell had shared that his settled awfully early, but it has never occurred to him that this young man was bothered by his little quirk. More that people shun him away because of it while Nathan is proud to have a daemon still able to change form. But it could've been all an act, to pretend that's he's fine when really not. It's sad and yet kinda amusing. Here he thought someone in his family has died. Dell can't help but chuckle, "That's what has been bothering you?" he leaves the frame and over to where the confused Nathan is standing. "Shucks. There's nothing wrong with your daemon, that's just how she is."
"What do you mean?" Nathan asks, nodding to Nalini who in turn looks up to him, doing a small wag with her tail as if hoping to cheer him up. "A daemon settles after puberty, everybody knows that." The young man muses and crosses his arms.
Yeah, looks like it has been something that has been bothering him for quite do time. Only now something in his life broke the camel's back.
'Looks like we all have that moment; his is way softer than mine.' Dell muses to himself, but like him, Nathan got friends to help him out from this identity crisis. "Almost every daemon." He corrects him. "It is incredibly rare but there does exist people whose daemon keeps the ability to change form." Dell remembers his grandfather spoke about people such as Nathan, and how the Church wiped them all out. Nathan does not know it, but he is part of these unique people and if the Magisterium ever discovers this trait... well, Dell dreads even to think what those people will do to him. "You're one of those, be proud of who you are, but you have to be careful as well."
Nathan snorts, "Yeah, you don't have to tell me twice." he grumbles, clearly talking from experience, and Dell feels sorry for this kid. Been ostracized for something he cannot help, the propaganda keeps saying the Church is benevolent but that's a load of bull. Everyone different will either be "converted" back to their views or purged, and Dell wants either of those happen to Nathan. "But how can I be proud of who I am?" Nathan asks, frustration apparent in his voice, but he also sounds upset "When no one wants to be around me. Everyone who knows about Nalini, when they look at me, they only see a freak!" He kicks one of the crates, causing the parts to fly all over the area.
He's not really bothered by the mess Nathan made. Neither is Naria and she got hit by some of the parts. "Do you think I see you as a freak, Nathan?" Dell asks the young man.
Nathan turns to him, still upset but the question did put a lit on the anger he feels. "...No." Yet still not enough to clear up the air. "But you're the only one."
"What about your family?" Dell asks.
"Ma will love any of us whatever we do, but..." Nathan starts shifting away from him. "My brothers see me as a freak. They only tolerate me because we're family." and before Dell can attempt to counter these negative thoughts towards his family, the young man sighs and waves dismissively at him. "Forget about it. It's not like you can understand what's it's like to be different."
That's true, Dell has been the opposite of being abnormal. "True, but do you really want to become like me?" That made the young man look confused at him, Dell is not proud of saying this but he feels it's the only way for Nathan to accept himself. "I was molded my whole life to be an engineer, and my family succeed." He gestures down to Naria, "She turned into that form the moment puberty sat in for me. There was no other choice for me than to follow the family tradition."
"Is that's what you want, boy?" His daemon asks and Nathan looks away, but at least he got the message.
"... how can you live like that?" Nathan asks him quietly, his daemon learns up against his leg, whimpering at how this very idea must freak out the young man.
"There's a reason why I don't like to be called my last name." Dell hesitates but goes back to work, "If people hear the name Conagher, they instantly think about the accomplishments my grandfather and father have done. And when they look at me." He puts on his welding googles, and while trying to lit the welder. "They see a great inventor, nothing more." He eyes the young man behind the googles, "Now, let's get back to work." Nathan nods and starts cleaning the mess his outburst caused.
At the lunch break, Nathan asks him. "Doesn't it bother you?" He eyes the young man and Nathan continues his thoughts. "Why not try and change it? I mean, if it had been me; I wouldn't like it if people saw my father instead of me– not that I know what the hell he's doing, but still."
Can't help but chuckle at that, which understandably made Nathan blink in confusion. too bad he promised to keep his lips sealed about that topic, but Dell rather not deal with Nathan's old man. He can be obnoxiously petty when he wants to. So instead: "When I was at your age, I was proud to be seen as a Conagher. Happy in knowing what my life would entail but after— let's say an eye-opening experience, I left the family business behind." Dell takes a bite of his sandwich and with it down, he continues. "Came here and started my own business. It's not much, but I built this life on my own." He eyes Naria, his smile widened ever so slightly. "And Naira has changed. After I'd left the family business, her fur started to change from brown to what you see now."
"You mean she changed color?"
Dell nods, it was a slow progress, but change she did. "Nowhere near what your daemon can do, but what changed in Naria was good enough for me." with his daemon adding smugly. "I do stand out like this, don't I?"
Nathan laughs awkwardly at that remark.
Finishing his small laugh, the young man eyes his own daemon, currently in the form of a rabbit and smiles. "Thanks, I feel much better now."
Dell feels mighty victorious about this. "Happy to help, string-bean."
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After Dell has closed up the shop for today, Nathan decides not to head home straight away. He might feel better about himself after the chat with his awesome boss but does not feel like getting into a fight with Bernard again. That shit can the rest deal with. Besides, it's perfect weather for a run, and that's excakly what Nathan does. Boston's streets are his playground, and Nathan has been going through this area so many times that it's practically impossible for him to get lost. He knows it like the back of his hand, where to go if needing a quick escape or a good shortcut. This place is his domain and as long his family lives here, then they rule these streets.
He runs down to the docks, easily avoiding the people working here, Nalini takes shape as a pony but only after five seconds has to take a smaller form; a big animal such as a horse drains him too quickly. So she chooses the form of a swallow and flies around her running human. Nathan watches her fly gracefully around, thinking of what Dell told him today, and he's happy to have that man as a friend; otherwise, he might still feel depressed about having a daemon that hasn't settled. Now with a more positive attitude again, Nathan once again finds himself disliking the very idea of Nalini only having a single form. There are so many of her forms he likes and doubts he can settle with only one form. So yeah, he can see what Dell meant he should be proud of having a daemon that hasn't settled. Better than being stuck with a daemon that only shows part of his personality.
'I wonder what daemon my father got?' Nathan wonders, would it be something ordinary like a dog, small feline or some sort of bird? Or would it be a more exotic animal like John got? Nathan sort of hopes it will be the latter, but which kind? That he has no idea.
He heads out to the inlet and on a route close to the waters Nalini uses this opportunity to change into a salmon, following her human in the water; occasionally leaping above the surface. Nathan has a lot of fun watching her. She does switch back to a dog when he leaves the route. Going back to the industry area, which is a hotspot for the other gangs but Nathan isn't worried. He knows he can outrun them all, besides, it's the quickest way home. Nalini suddenly stops, her ears pointed to something he cannot hear. "A gang is nearby." She speaks and looking a bit worried up to him, "And it sounds like they caught someone."
Nathan decides to check it out, if that someone turns out to be another gang member, then that person is on their own, but if it turns into an innocent bystander, then he might consider getting them out from that gang's clutches. Approaching a known spot for gangs to gather, a old shop with a pair that sells some questionable items and do not ask questions as long one got the cash. Nathan rarely buys anything in there, but his three oldest brothers shopped there a lot and thus the shop has become part of their territory, though loosen a lot up over the years since he and his remaining brothers got a life outside of gang cleaning.
It has emboldened the other gangs and it seems one of them has decided to make a meeting there. Approaching the spot, Nathan notices this group of people belong to Lokk, a man around his oldest brother; Leon's age, and what he lacks in brain he makes up in brawn.
Knowing this, Nathan is way more careful in his approach. This group of people is infamous for their violence and Lokk especially likes to beat innocent people. To get his powertrip and that makes that gang leader a dangerous foe.
"We better leave." Nalini says, landing on his shoulder as a falcon. "If they catches us, we're dead." She got a point, Lokk's people will beat him to a pulp if they spot him without any of his brothers. His brothers and that gang got quite the rivalry, but instead of being the reasonable guy and listen to his daemon, Nathan walks closer as he is curious about what amuses these morons that much.
"Back off, I'm warning you!" A female and a familiar voice cries out among the gang members.
Nathan is startled to hear her again. 'What is she doing here in this part of town?'Rich people never come to this area, so why is she here? Now with no sense of his own safety, Nathan moves closer, determent to save the angel he saw at that rich man's house. Nalini turns into a calico cat, like him, ready for a fight.
The gang laughs at their victim's misery and the leader, Lokk: a roguish man with a mangy fox as his daemon steps out from the circle, grinning. "Ohh the little pup knows how to show some teeth." He taunts the young woman, who surprisingly has some nerve by not cowering in fear, but standing ready and even her daemon is growling and biting out after the other daemons. Lokk is not bothered though. "We can back off, but that depends on how much money you have underneath that fancy dress of yours, toots." He grabs her arm with relative ease, forcing the angel closer to him as if Lookk wants a kiss from her. The purple dressed young woman stares back at him in defiant but her gaze is waning, probably aware she cannot fight them all off on her own.
Nathan feels enraged by how that asshat is treating her; em'How dare he treat such a fine thing as her like this?!'/em and now wanting to teach these fuckers a lesson, he yells to the group: "Hey, what about you pick someone your own size moron!?"
The gang turns around, most of them recognize him as the youngest of the ruling gang of this area. Lokk does too, but unlike when he's around his brothers, this brute clearly does not feel intimidated by his appearance. "And who would that be?" The gang leader asks, still holding the beautiful young woman. "All I see is a pipsqueak and his freakish daemon!"
The gang laughs at his taunt but Nathan puts a quick stop to it, he picks up a stone and hits Lokk square in the face. It hurt the guy enough for him to let go off the angel and drop in pain to the ground.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Nathan asks, grinning to the down leader, he is not afraid of this guy; especially not now when he can save a girl. "Couldn't hear you from how much you suck!" and he laughs mockingly at the fuming gang leader.
Not for long though, Lokk quickly gets back on his feet "Get him!" he command and the whole gang are after him.
"Oh crap!" Nathan takes the run for it, however, he cannot run too far away since he still needs to get the rich girl out from this.
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Not far away, in the darkness of an alleyway, a white wolf takes a seat beside a man obscured by the shadows. This white wolf daemon looks up to her human "Should we give him a hand?" she asks calmly. Her human makes a small handwave and with that, the wolf resume in merely watching this gang of people chases one very important to both of them. The speedy young man is not only staying one step ahead of his pursuers but also able to get a few hits in by throwing whatever rock he manages to pick up, dodging the other people fairly easily. "Sure got the footwork."
He nods in agreement and taking a drag of the cigarette, lighting slightly up his face, watching Nathan dodge some of these grunts. "Indeed and someone has been teaching him how to use his brain." He replies his daemon, noting himself that this is something the boy didn't have the last time he was in town. Back then, Nathan was more prone to do whatever came to mind, which often led to a trip to the hospital and something that really took a toll on his mother's budget. "I wonder who that could be?" He ponders, sure hopes it's not the man he has in mind. Already owe that toy-maker enough as it is.
"Wouldn't surprise me if it was Dell." the wolf speaks calmly, "He does like to help people." That he does, but sometimes he wishes his friend would stay out of his business.
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With enough distance from these morons, Nathan speeds up and runs between the not at all coordinated gang, making a few of them run into one another and right back to the stunned girl. "Let's go!" He grabs her arm and pulls her away from the fast approaching gang. She follows, much to his relief. However, just as they reach one of the shortcuts, a mangy fox appears and before Nalini can turn into a bird and fly away, the fox catches her by the neck, forcing the rabbit onto the ground. But the fox does not just pin her. No, she's biting her around the throat, something Nathan felt very clearly. He gasps at the sensation of something trying to block his windpipe and topples to the ground, struggling for air. The young woman and her daemon stop, but he does not want her to see what will happen next now that they caught him. "Go!" He gasps, waving her off. "G-Get out from here!"
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He tenses up from what has just happened and does not even bother by the miss taking the run for it. His entire focus is on the now trapped Nathan. He is hesitant to help, for if he does, then his cover will be blown. The wolf growls, ready to tear that fox off Nalini, then she stops, getting the scent of someone familiar. "The others are near." She tells him. Perfect timing. "Call them." he responds and she lets out a howl.
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He heard the howl, but is way busier trying to get back up and attempt to fight off Lokk, but with the intense sensation of getting strangled, it's hard to even get through the first point. "Cheap shot...!" He wheezes at the gang leader. Paralyzing someone by daemon is really low in his eyes.
The gang leader kicks him in the stomach, sneering. "You should've stayed out from this, freak!" Another kick. "But no, you just had to play the hero!" Lokk goes for a second but is interrupted by a punch to the face, followed by some loud barking and the mangy fox yelps.
The strangling sensation disappears.
"Hey, Lokk!" Dean's voice, Nathan looks up and sees it was his brother's coondog daemon who got the fox off Nalini and Bernard, who got Lokk off him, the former steps beside him, working as a sort of shield against the other gang leader. "Have you forgotten what happened the last time you dared to pick on any of us?!" Rachel steps closer to the sneering fox, but it's clear she's afraid of the much bigger coondog, which growl is much deeper and louder.
Nathan gets on his feet right as Bernard yells; "Fight one of us, and you fight us all!"
Ken appears from the alleyway, and one of the rare times looks pissed, "Only we are allowed to pick on our little brother." He speaks, though the words is only meant for this pack's ears. Nathan sends him a quick death stare but will give his brothers some slack; they did just save his ass.
Lokk backs away, he might be slow, but even he got enough brain to know that fighting all of them at once will be a ticket to the hospital.
Now ready for round two, Nathan picks up a piece of wood that can work as a makeshift weapon and Nalini change into her cat form, hissing at the fox. Ken steps up beside the coondog's human, the bag on his side, which holds his spotted turtle daemon swings lightly at his sudden stop.
Bernard is more than ready to engage into a brawl, he cracks his fits, grinning devilishly and his wasp daemon flicks her wings in the same eagerness of a fight. "What it's going to be Lokk, the easy or the fun way." He calls to the redhead, and Nathan can easily see what Bernard wants. To be fair, Nathan wants to kick that guy's ass too.
The other gang leader hesitates, clearly mad enough at Nathan's rescue mission to decide and stick around for a fight, well fine by him! The rest of Lokk's gang gathers around, which made their leader smirk—thinking that a few cheerleaders will give him the edge. "This is my turf now. You're nothing without your three founders!" He cries out, and to his gang; "Get them!"
Bernard and Dean quickly retaliate by charging in and giving two of Lokk's people a punch they won't forget. Nathan dodges the one that came at him, but right as he's about to knock his teeth out with his weapon. Someone grabs the wood and before Nathan knows it, he's in a chokehold by Lokk: "Now where was I?"
But Nathan and his daemon did not have in mind being the weakling that needs yet another saving from his older brothers.
The fox jumps at her, but this time Nalini got a stronger shape and she jumps with claws out at the fox, plunging her claws deep into the neck while biting her face. The fox cries out in pain from being mauled by a hissing mad cat. Lokk yelps from the assault his daemon dealt with, which gives Nathan the opening he had hoped for. He kicks Lokk right over the leg, it did the trick. Getting out from Lokk's grip is easy enough and that guy can be the first to get a load of his makeshift weapon. Nathan hits him over the back with it, knocking Lokk to the ground. Before he can go for a second hit, one of his gang members gets up Nathan's face, forcing him to retreat. Before Lokk can grab him again, Ken got that moron away from him, and goes to deal with the gang leader, but right as Nathan does; another member punches him right over the head, almost knocking him out. Stunned and very much in pain, Nathan does not have the time to recover and get away from the upcoming kick. Didn't have to, for Bernard tackles that guy down and punches this tattoo filled guy hard in the stomach.
Not willing to sit this one out and looking to draw as much blood as the rest of his brothers, Nathan gets back up and joins his brothers fighting the opposite gang. Like Lokk's group, the brothers do not have much unity or tactic other than punch or kick everything not on their side.
Nathan runs over to one of the other gang's boys and tackles him, stunning the one long enough for Dean to punch him in the head, knocking that person to the ground. One by one, the gang of Lokk has gotten enough and flees the area.
"And stay the hell away from our area!" Bernard shouts at them, and with the other gang gone, dries away the blood from the split lip he received during the brawl. "Fuckers."
"You said—" His words rudely interrupted by Ken, who decided to whack him hard over the head. That fricking hurt! "What the hell man?!" Nathan demands, caress the now thumping from the hit back of his head. Why did he deserve that hit? Last Nathan checked, he did as much ass-kicking like the rest.
Ken crosses his arms, his usual laidback attitude has been replaced with a mild annoyance. "That's for making mom worry, you little shit." Ken explains and nodding to their former battlefield, "You be happy one of Lokk's member's wolf daemon started howling. Otherwise you would've been deadmeat."
Bernard nods in agreement. "Ma would've called the police if John hadn't stopped her— oh and she's making us babysit your ass when she sees your pathetic condition."
Nathan freezes at that, then smiles embarrassingly for this is a fucking embarrassment, more so if their mother is making bodyguards out of his brothers. Sometimes it's fricking hard to be the youngest... "How long have I been gone?" Nathan asks them, adding to Dean "and why couldn't Rachel track me?"
"Have you ever tried to track someone in a city? It's not that easy." Dean points out unamused. He lets out a groan and while brushing a hand through his short blond hair. "Next time, try not to be gone for five fricking hours— oh, and ma is not heating up your dinner." Nathan groans but that's what he gets being out this long.
"What the hell kept you this long?" Bernard asks annoyed, apparently the the fight with Look hasn't helped on his pent-up anger.
Before Nathan can reply, Ken steps over and starts touching the skin around the eye where he got punched. He steps away from him and snaps back at Bernard. "None of your business." To then glare at Ken as he really does not take a hint! "Cut it out!" Nathan slaps his brother's hand away. "I'm fine." but Ken does not look convinced. "It's just a bruise—" Right there, Ken pokes the spot and a sharp pain flashes over the skin. "Argh that hurts!" Nathan cries loudly and leaps away from the others, all staring at him amused.
"Yeah it does, so next time;" Ken slaps him a few times on the sore eye, sending several jolts of pain over Nathan's face. "You let me take the hit."
Yeah, yeah, Nathan knows Ken prides himself on being the tank of the group. 'No wonder why he got a turtle for a daemon.'
Nathan grumbles to himself and shoots his brothers a death glare for laughing at his pain. "Shut up... I had it under control."
"Sure you did." Dean ruffles up his hair to annoy him further, "And while you're at it; be a little more stupid the next time you pick a fight with other gangs." Rachel looks disappointed at the cat-shaped Nalini, and she responses by hissing defiantly at the much bigger daemon.
Bernard and Ken grin at his torment, Nathan hates it when they gang up on him.
Bernard nudges Ken in the side. "Yeah, Lokk might pack a mean punch, but he slower than you in the morning."
Ken pushes him away for that remark, completely chill about the others laugher. Every one of them knows that if they do not get to the bathroom before Ken, they might as well give up as Ken can spend a full hour in the bathroom and will not speed up for anyone. Nathan and the others long learned that trying to force Ken to hurry up is out of the question. He might only be a year younger than him, but Ken can tank a lot of punches and return just as many.
Nathan, however has not learned to brush off insults as his closer in age brother. "His gang had caught a girl, alright." He retorts with crossed arms at the constant teasing, does not make it any better when they consider his anger amusing, but ignoring that in exchange for the reason he even dared to pick a fight alone. "Who knows what that bastard would've done if I haven't stepped in."
Two of his older brothers exchange a look with one another; what Bernard and Dean are thinking, Nathan has no idea. Dean turns to him, his expression soften, "I know we got an untold rule to fight for the helpless, but you shouldn't have done it." taking a step over to him. "you aren't strong like Leon."
That statement pisses Nathan off, especially when Leon always had been so cool towards him, cared about his feelings, and Nathan looked up to the oldest of all his brothers. It sucked when he left home, made Nathan feel quite alone. "Oh yeah? Well, I think he would've been proud of what I did!" He retorts back and likes to remind his older brother. "I ain't a coward and I don't follow the leader like you do, Dean!"
Dean opens his mouth but instead waves his hand dismissively at him and walks slightly away with; "Whatever makes you feel better, runt."
"Was she pretty?"
Turning to Bernard, he's leaning against the nearby wall with a goofy smile and his daemon for once calm. Nathan grins. "Yeah, the prettiest thing I've ever laid my eyes on."
"So how did she thank you? A little one-on-one?" Bernard winks, his grin widens when Ken starts laughing loudly. Dean rolls his eyes at the hint, and his coonhound daemon hides her face with a paw.
Didn't take Nathan long to know what Bernard asked about, "N-No! I told her to run when Lokk caught me." Angry but mostly embarrassed that Bernard thought he only did this to get in her pants— dress, whatever. Nathan does admit that he does fancy her, but being laid was the last thing on his mind when he went to help her. And the chance of seeing her again is very small, so no, Nathan doubts he got anything out from this other than knowing that she didn't get hurt by Lokk. As John often would say; 'you can't win them all.'
"You might see her again." Bernard "assures" him, but those words do not convince Nathan. Leaving the wall, his older brother claps him on the shoulder. "But there are easier ways to get laid."
"I know that!" Nathan retorts, wishing his face didn't feel like it's burning.
The others laugh and the burning sense increases, but right as he's about to throw insults at them. Dean cuts him off, "We better get home." he puts a hand on his head, in a manner that reminds Nathan he's the smallest of the group. "Before Ma throws a fit that her little baby hasn't gotten home."
That's it! He hits Dean on the side. "Shut up! I'm not a baby!" Nathan retorts angrily, but all that got him is getting pushed over to the other wall.
"Sure acting like it." Ken grinningly retorts and he goes at him, and Ken blocks his fist aimed at his head.
"A little baby throwing a temper tantrum." Bernard laughs.
Now really wanting to show them, Nathan grabs a piece of wood and, thanks to his speed, gets Bernard right over the arm. Bernard let out a swear, proof that hit hurt. now his turn grinning. "Give me a bat and I would've broken your arm. Now, who's the baby?"
Bernard makes a move to hit him but is stopped by Dean, definitely saving him from a solid beating. His third older brother snorts, "You still hit like a girl." and starts taking the lead.
Ha! he got a sweet combat for that. "You tell that to cousin!" He calls back and for once, the two others are on his side and laughing at Bernard's winch of the reminder their cousin has one mean throwing arm.
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The group of brothers pass the alleyway where he's standing but all too busy throwing insults at one another to take notice of him.
He trashes his cigarette, not bothering to turn around and face her. "You were lucky."
She does not answer, can't hear anything of her being in a state of shock.
Turning around, she does not show her state of mind; even her daemon is sitting calmly beside her. Not a surprise, people like her were trained to stay calm and collective even in the most stressful scenarios. "Did you get whatever you were searching for?" He asks, well aware she won't reveal what mission the big guys gave her.
"Yes," She replies, casting a single glance to the street where the group of brothers disappeared through before she focuses back on him. "That gang that caught me is working for the General Oblation Board." That takes him by surprise, the Church isn't known to hire low-class people. "They were the cause of the children disappearance here in Boston."
That is troubling, but not something he can investigate, got his own mission. One that might save what's left of them. "Unfortunately, I have a more pressing mission." He tells the young woman and begins to leave. Time is short and he has already wasted enough time.
"I know, oh, before you go." He stops and glances back to her. This time her daemon shows signs of uncertainty. The young woman is calm like any good infiltrator "Do you have any information about that young man? The one with the unusual daemon."
"It depends." He replies calmly while his mind is racing of what the big guys might think if they knew about Nathan's quirk.
This chapter changed a lot from how I first wrote it, but I think getting a wider look into Nathan's life and sharing the story with Dell did turn out for the better. Still I would like to hear if you like this rewritten chapter or prefer the old one.
You can find the old version of this chapter on my DeviantART page.