Chapter 4: Learning the ropes

The next month and a half was weird. I'd never seen animals grow as quickly as the odd pets I had recently received. Engineer and occasionally his partner in crime Sniper came to help me every so often, as did Medic who scolded me on health and hygiene. What was someone supposed to do when they have to take care of not only two kids, but two kids that could kill?

Sometimes I would take them out of the room to play and meet the others, especially Heavy and Pyro, and of course the ones they already knew. Pyro would bring string and borrow Scout's baseball to play with them, Scout wasn't very happy about that. Miss Pauling came by a week ago to bring in the new shipment, I had made dinner every so often, things like BBQ Chicken, Pork chops, and Mac n Cheese with the choice of fish sticks or sausage slices. I had been bottle feeding the pup and kit for a while, but after a week of having them they had already opened their eyes and grown to be about what I would expect to be about a month old and by the time miss Pauling came they looked to be about three months old so I only bottle fed them for about two weeks before I gave up struggling with them and let them eat finely chopped pieces of raw meat.

Miss Pauling took me aside like she did when she talked to the others and asked me if I had noticed anything unusual about the animals and I told her about their extreme growth, she informed me that was to be expected as they were genetically enhanced and would stop growing about now. I was appauled and impressed," but how will they be able to fight?" I asked, obviously implying that a three month old animal could do almost nothing. She then took out two vials from her pocket and handed them to me "These vials contain a serum that will cause the animals to grow to their best form which should be an adult version, but if they die the effect will have to be re administered to them as they will respawn as how they are now, the effect will also go away when the battle ends and of course you will have to do it again before the next fight." She explained as I examined the small bottles. "So what about respawn..? Will I have to take them to medic or..?" " you will have to get medic to put the object that heals on their heart like he did to you and also implant a chip, like he did to you," I didn't remember him implanting a chip. "When is our first battle?" I asked as we started to head back to the others. "In two weeks" she replied. "That should give you enough time to train and set up and what not" she waved her hand around in the air as she held a pen. I then realized, she was wearing purple. I was about to ask why since she was supposed to be working for us but then I was interrupted by the sound of squealing and hurried in to break up the play fight I knew was going on between the kit and pup. Completely forgetting about Miss Pauling as I went and smacked them both lightly on the head a couple of times with the rolled up magazein meant for war mongrels. Suddenly they started swatting back and I glared at them and they backed down, realizing the leader of the pack wasn't playing.

Two weeks had gone by and I had now been here for two months, I was remembering the time after Miss Pauling left till now as I was getting ready for battle. I had come out of my room a lot more, took showers and remembered why I loved them, so warm and I could think without stress, I had to threaten spy with reporting him if he didn't stop spying on me, which he didn't and after the third time I did report him for sexual harassment, but nothing happened. I threw a soap bar at him once and he grunted and I threatened to pour shampoo in his eyes which made him finally leave me alone. But he always stared at me before leaving the room if I came in the kitchen. What a creeper. Sniper was becoming friendlier, even going as far as letting me use his knife while we practiced together after I lost my own. When the team practices, it's basically a free for all, the first time I practiced with the guys I was sneaking around even though I was doing it horribly and got caught by the engineer who had put his hand on my shoulder. "You're not a spy" he said as he squeezed my shoulder as if to make sure" stop trying to act like one. Give yer animals some direction." I nodded and smiled softly and was about to say something when he punched me in the face hard and was blacking out on the ground before I heard another thump and engineer leaned over me. I tried to kick him away from me, screaming in anger and pain at him before he helped me sit up and I saw the body of spy lying dead on the ground, blood was spewing from my nose but it soon stopped since Engie set up a dispenser, instantly I was feeling better but my pride was hurt and I was suddenly afraid of going through respawn.

I sat and talked with the real engineer for a few minutes as he comforted me and reassured me that I wouldn't die and that respawn isn't that scary. I felt around my face as pain receded from when I was punched, it felt like nothing had even happened. "When I signed up for this job I never realized it would be so…. Complicated. I knew what I had to do but not all this other stuff "I explained. "And by other stuff yah mean..?" the engineer asked. "Well, like looking out for spies and not wandering into dangerous territory, I figured I could sit back mostly, I guess kind of how you do things with your machines but now I realize.. Animals are different, and I knew that but not to such an extreme. I dunno, I guess I thought it would be easier than this." I looked out of the door we were beside to see the animals I had to take care of walking around aimlessly and I sighed. They had no direction without me. "Look at the battle field in every way possible, where are the snipers, the lone medics, the medic charged Heavy's. Strategize." Engie told me. I thought about it, snipers would have to be in a high place, medics would probably be coming out of respawn if not with heavy's, not to say they don't heal others, they just tend to over heal heavy. Heavy would probably be rushing to let the rest of the team in after he has mowed the other team down. Easiest would be sniper in this case, stationary but hidden, just a matter of being found. I looked up and around, a few towers and vantage points, the one with the best view however seemed the most logical for a sniper to be in. I made a distinct low whistle to get the attention of the lynx. It looked at me and stopped in its tracks. I made a pointing motion to the tower I thought sniper would be in and it immediately head for it. It began to climb the wooden structure like it was nothing, its muscles bunching out of its fur with power as it climbed. Suddenly I saw something retreat from a window that I hadn't noticed before, it was also in one of the windows I sent the lynx to. But I saw nothing else. Sniper was going to give me the kill. The lynx made it to the window and effortlessly clawed the boards from it before slinking inside and a few seconds later it was indicated that sniper had been killed by my lynx. I raised my brows in astonishment and looked at the engineer who was smiling toothily again, it wasn't as creepy as it was when we first meet, but still kind of creepy. I smiled back and hugged him "thanks engie" he chuckled "ahh it aint nuthin.. now comeon' yah can't stay here." I nodded and got up with him, saying thanks again when sniper walked over and gave me a high-five "good job mate" he said to me. "Thanks, sorry." I smiled and so did he "no worries".

I had practiced again but this that time without my animals, instead I tried out my new melee weapon which were apparently… claws. I seeked out the engineer, going up peacefully but with thoughts of betrayal. I found him sitting on a mechanical chair sipping what appeared to be beer of some sort. He waved at me and I waved back, noting the sentry close by. "How goes it engie?" I asked in a friendly way to deceive him. "Can't complain' " he replied. I nodded and walked over to his sentry, softly running my claws along it, it beeped happily at me and I smiled softly and looked back at engie who stared at me with a face that said he was no longer pleased to see me, still he sat reclined with a hand behind his head and the other holding the drink. I smiled softly at him "sorry..." I whispered softly but loud enough so he could hear me. I turned sharply and drove my claws into the sentry which instantly began to spark. Ripping out a chunk of the sentry as I retracted my hand, I looked back at him. He was very displeased with what I had done, but at the same time… happy for me. Slowly he lowered the drink so it sat beside him, then slowly began to get up. I backed away slightly from him as I watched. "ya'll shouldn't have done that.." he said with a mixture of playful and menacing. "whatcha' gonna do about it?" I teased and grinned. " ah' might have to teach you about what happens when yah' mess with mah' stuff." He threatened teasingly back. I smirked "that seems boring.. You'll have to catch me." I said before turning to bolt but instead crashed into something soft yet hard, and invisible. I gasped as spy suddenly appeared and grabbed hold of my shoulders, I squeaked and lashed out at him, cutting him across the chest, shredding his suit and dirtying it with his blood. He grunted and sneered at me. "Spy!" I shrieked. And backed away from him when he left go of me to clutch his chest. He growled before cloaking again and before anything could happen I bolted once more.

A few more times I went through training with the guys, setting up and covering bear traps and poison dart traps , caught spy a few times making him pretty frustrated. And with my gun, which was a pistol, and if I could find it during the match, a second one to duel wield, I usually stayed back with engie and looked out for him while he did his thing. I thought over these things as I finished getting ready. It was about eleven o'clock in the morning and we were about to begin a game of attack and defend. I was told that blu wins if they capture all the points on the map, and we won if we kept them from doing so. I hope we would win but then again, I hope we would win every game, and that probably wouldn't happen.

I had finished administering the serum from the vials to the animals and I turned around to dispose of the vials and grab a few more so I wouldn't have to keep coming back here when I needed to get more, I put them in my cargo pants pocket and clasped the button over them, I was wearing a red shirt with a black collar, short cargo pants, a black belt, and a tan cape to match said pants. The symbol of the class that I would now go by was being proudly worn on my arm under my shoulder. A red paw print with a soft yellow background. I had some sneakers on that were black and had white laces. I looked up at the engineer who gave me a thumbs up before he left for respawn, I grabbed a bunch of vials and put them in a box to keep nice and tidy for the respawn cabinet so I could go there instead of in the locker room behind the respawn. I walked into respawn with my animals behind me, everyone was still baffled about how they grew exponentially just from a bit of liquid. I set the box in the reload/ medicine cabinet that was placed in respawn, and made sure I had the maximum amount of ammo I could carry with me, checking my pistol as well. I put on the gloves that had my claws on them and holstered the gun. I looked at my animals who both wore red collars, the battle was about to begin.

I am so so so so so so SO sorry everyone for the late update! my uncle died recently and.. even though i didnt know him that well it still hurt. my sister is only giving us a month to plan her stupid wedding and i have two weeks of school left before i do two more weeks of graduation stuff. bleh. there are a few other things like me getting even more grounded for no reason, and some other stupid things but.. its no excuse and i appologise to you all, i love you all! tell me what you like, dislike, want more or less of! please, seriously, please. i only have like, one comment on my story and they told me to keep it up, which i am and im greatful for the comment, but comeon guys, i need more than that! even if you think it isnt that important or you think someone else will say it, i dont care! tell me anyway! i need the fedback. anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!