Chapter 34

"Not quite John Wick"

With darkness wrapping everything, it became harder to see the woods around him, settling himself into a tree he could safely be hidden in while he observed the operations on the ship. Keeping a close eye on the comings and goings of the people aboard it. The lighting made it easy to even more easily confirm that there was assuredly hell-hounds on the ship. Something that gave him pause, was the sudden the wind shift and his smell be carried towards them. They were using one as a obvious guard dog, though as he waited for the hell-hound to shift forms, to his surprise, they never did.

Then again He'd only timed Alarice's form maintenance and was significantly bigger than this individual, her time very likely did not match that of other hell-hounds.

Things began to lull, and he took that time to briefly come down from the tree, and correct that 'aizawa-smell' issue. Settling back into his look out position, hating that he was taking such a slow approach when his kids where in trouble. Even so, he couldn't possibly take on this group by himself, the best he could do is perhaps infiltrate, and that required an opportunity. He noted that many hell-hounds were pacing on some of the other decks, as both dog and human.

At some point, probably around 4 or 5 am, Aizawa forced himself to lightly sleep, secured to his spot and confident that he was not easily reachable or find able. He needed to rest himself at least a little, which was all he was able to manage. It was extremely early in the morning, the sky just starting to lighten, when he picked up on motion. He recognized this one coming out of the ship, another pair coming out with her and setting up some sort of 'play pen'. Parasus, who let the other two do the work, settling next to the Hell-hound who perked up as she offered it something.

Whatever it was she was feeding this hell-hound, there was a level of softness Eraserhead wasn't prepared for. She was.. kind to this one. Kind like you would to a cherished family dog but kind all the same. Moving herself and the Hell-hound to guard this 'play pen' that was now set up. He was further not prepared for what he saw next: a Hoard, no a pack of children, emerged behind a woman, wearing a simple outfit. To his continued surprise, the kids deposited their clothes, and shifted into hell-hounds. Tiny, puppy sized hell-hounds, two smaller ones bowling themselves over in excitement.

That wasn't the only sight that surprised him.

000

Shinso was followed out by Kaminari, both a little tired, hungry, and still a little frustrated by the situation. Compulsions laid on by heck-hound meant that while they were still cuffed they were 'helping out' and escaping was not likely. Shinso pushing the ice chest with some confusion out onto the secured docks.

"oh my god." Kaminari said, eyes locking onto the site before them. "Their so much more adorable than I thought."

"What?" Shinso looked at him with a combination of confusion and a touch of disgust. Did he forget that these were children? Or was Kaminari that soft-hearted of an individual? A small hell-hound closest to them let out a little grumble growl, and proceeded to trip over her own front feet in her rush to get over to them.

"Puppies!" Kaminari couldn't stop himself, they were just so adorable. There was a sudden stern look from Miss 4, "you can play with them." She mumbled. Before she herself also stripped down, to the two teenage boys blushing reaction, and shifted herself into a hell-hound. If a hell-hound could look like a graceful deer, she did. The dyed hair carried over to her hell-hound form as well, giving her a interesting appearance over all. She waded into the group of puppies without issue even as several tried to playfully bite her.

The variations of hell-hound before them were numerous despite the lack of obviousness to what their 'puppy powers' were.

Shinso made note that the two oldest kids were likely the two larger hell-hound puppies, their juvenile forms were dead give aways. He couldn't tell gender at all however, though. One was a slick, almost steel like scaled hound, even the skull-face had a metallic sheen. The other was difficult to discern. Some of them had the weird little fists that Alarice had on her tail. A few others had obvious tellings that they would get larger. Others had more scales, some had more furr, some had ridiculously sized ears.

All of them, however were puppies, and Kaminari had no issue playing with them. "Hey guys! You wanna play?"

They needed no words as he was charged by them as a pack. A few grabbing, even tearing at the ends of his pant legs. Kaminari took care to not hurt any as he leaned down to play with the smaller ones who were trying so hard to be 'scary' but clearly weren't. He was immediately pounced on by one of the slightly bigger kids, almost knocking him to the ground completely. "Hah! Come on guys I'm handcuffed! Take it easy on me!" His tone did not suggest he actually cared.

Shinso watched Kaminari get literally dog piled by a bunch of excitable dog-children, tails wagging excitedly. "Do you need me to save you?" He asked, squatting down near Kaminari's still visible head. One of them grabbed some of Kaminari's blond hair, and was giving a few tugs before they stopped.

"Nah. I'm good man." Was the blondes response, as he rolled, knocking puppies off, and continued to roll as they chased after him yipping, chirping, whining. Pretty much any and all noises they could manage.

~hey~ Came a tiny voice in Shinso's head, before a pair of jaws closed on his arm, albeit gently, and tried to 'tug on him.' ~hey play with me purple puppy~

He opened his mouth to speak instead being cut off in his own mind ~no! I'll show you! I'll get in trouble if they know I'm using my puppy power!~ They let go of his sleeve, and bounded over and swiped what was definitely a dog toy, and bounded back over with it, slinging it at him. It hit him in knees. thankfully, it was made of rope. Sighing, Shinso settled all the way to the ground, lazily playing tug of war with the kid. ~Thank you! Everyone else plays to rough!~

Before he could clearly think about a question she was already answering it. ~ I'm small for my age but, I'll get big soon!~ He sighed and thought about her 'puppy power'. ~ we're not supposed to use them, unless told otherwise. That's all. Also this one is secret! My actual one is really cool!~ He didn't even need to ask before she continued ~ I can turn invisible! But I can only whisper when im lookin at some one!~

Shinso let her win a few times, keeping his thoughts focused on the puppy rather than letting them dangerously wander. Though his attention was forced to shift again, as a dominating shape took form. The colorful , glittering bronze mane made this hound look regal like a lion... She was also terrifyingly gigantic, with a dark black, scorpion style stinger on her tail.

That had to be Parasus. Was.. was that how big Alarice would one day be? She dwarfed all the other adult hell-hounds, who were completely unphased by this. She settled herself at other end of the dock, where it met land. As if to guard these puppies, and two hostages. She Yawned and it was like seeing an alligator's maw... To big. Especially with a size comparison to an adult man, walking right up next to her. She could bite him in half and not even notice. He didn't seem bothered as he walked up and stuck one hand into her mane.

The puppies, of course, didn't seem to care at all. A few stopped and looked, but thoose few were soon back at play.

Playtime went on for a little bit longer, Miss. 4 Getting up, her long legs easily carrying her over the kids without issue again. Before she transitioned to a human again, non-chalantly putting her clothes back on. "Alright pups, get your clothes back on, it's time to cook breakfast."

The kids around them were quick to hop off of their new favorite playmates, and run over to their outfits. Some being good puppies, and transforming back into kids and putting their clothes on obediently. Others were grabbing their clothes and throwing them around instead.

A few moments of herding, and even a growl or five, and most of the kids where back into their clothes. "Skillet do you mind?" asked the young boy who had opened the ice chest. The steel colored hell-hound was clearly skillet, she nodded and remained laying on the ground.

"YAY! Skillet's gonna do the thing!" One of the kids cried, the older boy pulling out a carton of eggs to Kaminari and Shinso's confusion as they watched. Some of the kids were chanting 'Skillet!' others were continuing to pull things out of the chest. Apple juice, plates...

"Shinso... are they gonna cook eggs? On.. that one?" Kaminari leaned over to Shinso, as they watched the boy with the egg carton, as he put it down, and grabbed a cloth. Gave the other one a quick' wipe' with the wet cloth. Which was immediately steaming and rivulets boiling off.

"Looks like it." Shinso watched the older one, literally crack an egg, and drop it on the other hell hound, where it immediately started to cook. The Kids all around watching with awed amusement, a few others making joyous noises. Each egg drop met with ooooos and awwws..

A mix of horror and amusement on the teens faces as indeed, breakfast was cooked on the side of another hell-hound, who for amusement when they were done, allowed a egg cracked on her face, which she then ate as soon as it was cooked.

Surprisingly, the eggs did taste good.

000

Well, there was his kids, two of them any way. Shinso and Kaminari were both alive, and they looked like they were at least fed. From where he was at he couldn't see any signs of abuse or harm. Kaminari seemed to be handling being kidnapped particularly well compared to Shinso.

Then there was Parasus, There and absolutely gigantic. There was no way he could safely retrieve his own two students, not with 4 adult hell-hounds. Though it was a relief to know that two of t hem were alive and well. Though the handcuffs they both were wearing were a reminder despite the sight, of the situation they were in.

Tension built up in his back, It was terrible, seeing them, and not being able to save them yet.

At least he could confirm that two of his students were alive still.

As he watched though, it clear something was wrong. There was a sudden alertness an alarm, the pups, children, taken inside quickly, including his own students. Considerably rougher than when they had been lead out.

He quietly dropped from his location, to get a better idea on what had them in a sudden tizzy. As dangerous as getting closer was, the info was far more valuable. Low, and practically invisible to them, he could hear the vague voices become more clear, and finally what they were saying.

"She got loose, We can't find her!"

"She has to be near by some where, check the whole ship, turn out every hole and hideaway on it, she's sneaky."

Parasus had to be the latter voice. Her heated voice and anger made her very obvious amongst the more panicky tones of thoose around her. The person they were talking about was likely Alarice. The only rational assumption he could make any way was that it was Alarice.

A conflict rose in his mind, go after the possible missing student? Or maintain vigil? There was a still a reasonable amount of doubt that it was Alarice, it could be some one else they were keeping hostage. They seemed to have quite a lot of thoose. He settled into keeping watch. Parasus staying human as she put on her clothes, patting that one hell-hound who never seemed to change on the head. His tail actually wagging as she did so.

"You two, Do a run around the Island." Parasus barked out two young women, who immediately changed, one a long, graceful looking hell-hound, and the other more bulky. They took off at a decent run. "You, Inform the Tenshi clan" Some one else nodded and shifted into a were-hound themselves, before leaping off in a opposite direction. He could hear Parasus cursing, before stomping her way inside.

Whoever had escaped, Alarice or not, had potentially given him an opportunity, and bought the rescue team some time to get here.