Summary: M-21 goes for a run.

New Mission

By Dark Ice Dragon

Run

M-21 pawed the button to open the garden door, huffing at the scents wafting in. Tail wagging, he left, closing it behind him. He needed to relieve himself, and then he would go for a run.

He twisted an ear around when he heard a light tapping behind him. It was Tao, paws braced on the door, watching him; M-21 could just hear his muffled meows through it.

M-21 went up to the door and nudged the area where Tao was. He wouldn't be gone for long.

He couldn't take Tao with him, not when Tao would want to explore and there were so many places Tao could hide in compared to the house. It was hard enough to keep track of Tao there ─ it would be impossible outside.

Tao kept meowing as he turned around. He would be back soon.

[-]

M-21 landed in Frankenstein's garden and pawed at the button next to the garden door to let him in. It clicked open and he squeezed himself in, tugging on the rope attached to handle to close it again.

He'd done his business and went for a run; there hadn't been any disturbances and he hadn't scented any Union agents nearby. They should have sent someone after him though; it was just a matter of time until someone arrived.

M-21 looked around, but didn't see any movement in the living room. Hm. Tao was usually playing with one of his toys by now...

He paused, seeing the living room door was open. Oh no. Had he checked that before he'd left? He couldn't remember — he'd been too intent on leaving. If Tao had gotten hurt again because he'd been careless-!

He dashed through the door, ears pricked. But if Tao had already been hurt (and died!) he wouldn't make any noises for him to hear.

Whining, he charged up the stairs towards the computer room.

The door was closed, and when he tried the handle, it was locked. Tao couldn't have gone inside. Then where was he?

"Mrow...?"

M-21 froze, his ears flicking left and right, trying to find the source. Tao was alive, but the sound had been muffled - he was somewhere in the house, through a door somewhere. He wouldn't be able to find out where though unless Tao made another sound!

All the doors were closed and he paced the corridor, listening. The computer room had been closed as well, but he knew he hadn't heard Tao from there.

"Raow?"

There! M-21 targeted the door -it was the room Frankenstein kept all his towels and linen in- and opened it.

Tao was sitting at the door and walked up to him, purring as he twined around M-21's leg.

He was okay? M-21 licked and nosed at him, making sure. Tao purred while M-21 checked him over. No cries. No blood.

Good.

But Tao had gotten trapped because he'd left the house - if he hadn't, Tao wouldn't have gone through that.

He would stay inside to make sure Tao was safe. He'd been trained in the Union to stay inside for long periods of time; it would be fine.

[-]

M-21 paced the living room, eyes going to the garden door. He was restless, wanting to run and to relieve himself.

No.

He had to look after Tao. That was his mission, and Tao could get hurt while he was away, even if he only went to the garden. He could hold it in for a little longer; Frankenstein and Master would be home soon.

M-21 checked the living room door ─ it was still closed. Tao was chasing a toy across the floor, and didn't seem interested in exploring close to it.

M-21 heard the front door click open and he snapped his head towards it.

He trotted over to Tao and picked him up, taking him to the front door.

As soon as he saw Master, he put Tao into his waiting hands.

"Eh? M-21, what's wrong?"

M-21 waited for Master to get the information from his mind, his paws dancing on the floor. Could he go now?

Master nodded, petting Tao. "You can go."

M-21 dashed out through the gap in the door, already revelling in the cool breeze that greeted him.

[-]

M-21 approached the garden door slowly. He had needed to leave, and Master had given his permission, but had he been too hasty? He should have waited until Master had told Frankenstein. He needed to be punished for leaving Tao locked in a cupboard - or was this his only free time before he was punished?

He stared at the entry button before pressing it.

"Raow!"

He closed the door, hearing Tao land on the floor and running towards him.

Tao pressed up against his legs, purring. M-21 nosed at him.

"M-21."

His ears flattened at the Master's voice. He ducked his head and approached, sitting in front of him. Tao continued to try to play with him and M-21 distracted him with his tail.

He stilled when Master patted him, scratching him behind the ears. "You did not need to force yourself to stay inside."

But Tao-!

"Will find trouble whether you are here or not," Master said, fondness in his voice. "He is very curious." Master continued rubbing his ears. "Tao did not stay in there for long, and Frankenstein is installing locks on all the doors to make sure it does not happen again."

Oh. That was good. M-21 drooped, exhaling.

"Though Frankenstein seems to be planning something else," Master mused. "He did not tell me, but he is excited about it."

It had to be important if Frankenstein didn't tell Master. Though, once Frankenstein was caught up in a project, he would sometimes forget everything else, his entire focus on what he was working on.

He couldn't guess what Frankenstein would make, so until he revealed it, M-21 would wait.

[-]

"What do you think?" Frankenstein said, holding the jacket out to M-21.

M-21 sniffed it, looking it over. It seemed similar to the one Frankenstein had made him to protect him from the cold, but there were two large pockets on the side. There was also a large metal hoop, which had a leash attached to it? M-21 followed the strip and hm. It didn't end in one loop, but multiple. What was it for?

"He is unsure what its purpose is," Master said, sipping his tea.

Tao had come over as well to investigate, playing with the hoops, patting and rolling over them.

"Well..." Frankenstein scooped Tao up and threaded the hoops over his body, securing it in place with a magnetic clip.

Ah. It was a harness.

Tao rolled over again when Frankenstein let go of him, wriggling his back of the floor.

"Raaaow!"

As much as Tao moved and scratched at the harness, it didn't come off. Was Tao being punished for getting trapped?

"Frankenstein?"

"Once he becomes acclimatised to it, M-21 can carry him in one of the pockets when he goes for a run, and the harness will make sure Tao doesn't wander too far."

M-21 eyed the pockets again: they were big ─ big enough to carry Tao, even as he grew. That sounded like it could work?

"Raow!"

Tao didn't seem like he would get used to it though...

"And M-21 would be able to drag him away from trouble."

M-21 nodded. That would be helpful.

"Raa-" Tao stopped yelling when Frankenstein held out a treat to him. He gobbled it up and then looked up at Frankenstein, pawing at his fingers. Frankenstein continued giving treats and patting him until he calmed down.

Once Tao had stopped rolling around, Frankenstein took the harness off, and gave Tao more treats. As Tao finished them off, Frankenstein offered some treats to M-21.

He glanced at them in confusion, not coming forward just yet. He hadn't done anything to earn them?

"You were worried about Tao," Frankenstein said, keeping his hand out. "And want to keep him safe."

Oh. That was his mission? It was Frankenstein's decision to give him treats though, so M-21 took them from his fingers.

Tao was patting at the harness again, tail flicking.

"Tao," Master said, and Tao's ears flicked in his direction, "if you keep the harness on without trying to take it off, you will be able to leave the house with M-21 when he goes outside while wearing it."

Tao froze.

Frankenstein sighed as he straightened up, Tao leaping at the harness with a yowl. "Master, couldn't you have told him later? He'll be constantly trying to get it now."

"He was curious," Master said, sipping his tea again.

"Master..."

[-]

M-21 could feel Tao wriggling in the pocket, but Tao stayed inside, his head and paws poking out over the side.

"Mrow?" Tao said, staring at the garden door.

M-21 turned his head to lick his head and then headed for it.

Master had told Tao a few lessons about staying inside the pocket while M-21 was moving, and Tao seemed to have taken it in. This was the first time Tao would go on a run with M-21 though, so M-21 wasn't sure if Tao would remember once they were outside.

Tao continued wriggling when they were in the garden, but he stayed in the pocket. Good.

M-21 gave Tao one more lick and then started his trot around the block. Until he knew Tao wouldn't jump out of the pocket, he wouldn't go faster than that, and he wouldn't go rooftop hopping either.

[-]

"Mrow?" Tao said, patting M-21's back. M-21 lay down fully and Tao hopped off with a 'prrt!'

As soon as he touched down, Tao started exploring Frankenstein's garden, keeping close enough the harness stayed slack.

The run had gone well, Tao staying in his pocket the entire time. They could try a faster pace next time.

[-]

"Rah!"

M-21 looked over at Tao's call. That one usually meant Tao wanted him to do something.

M-21 tilted his head when he realised he was looking towards the garden door, not the living room door or kitchen like he was expecting. And where was Tao?

Movement caught his eye and he saw Tao was nestled in the pocket of his jacket, the harness leading in with him.

It wasn't the same as when Tao was playing or hiding, and M-21 went over to investigate.

Tao pawed at him when he was close, but didn't jump out. Hm. M-21 grasped the harness and lifted it.

Tao came along with it, everything in place.

Did he...? M-21 let go and Tao scrambled back into the pocket.

"Raah!"

Huffing, M-21 went to put the jacket on, his tail wagging slowly.

It was around the time he went for a run anyway.