FMH: Talbot Pack Crusaders
Chapter 2 – Part 2: The Crusaders Arise
Meanwhile
The young cubs were having a blast with their newfound strength, speed, and all around bodies. Diana leapt from tree to tree, as her form became a green and white blur with each act of pole gymnastics upon the branches. Stacie just rolled around and ran in circles like crazy, just so full of giggles as she just felt so energetic. The twins were just fooling around with each other, performing martial arts, just testing the newfound strengths like crazy, to a point that their movements became so distorted by their speed that they looked like something out of Dragonball Z with all the moves they were throwing at each other. Natalie, however, was high up on a branch, her mind lost in a sea of thoughts.
'I wonder how Zeeve's doing?' The bow blonde white werewolf thought as she absently kicked her legs, her half human face and half wolfish snout twisting into a pensive look. ' It does kind of stink that we're all here playing and discovering what we can do, and… he…' she thought as she collapsed back onto the wide branch and rested her forearm across her forehead. Taking a deep breath which made her slight B cups rise and fall within view, she stared up at the night sky. 'I wonder if I should have asked him more if he wanted to turn?'
However, her train of thought was snapped, as Stacie suddenly appeared. "HEY, NATALIE! WHAT'S UP?!"
With hardly a start Natalie tilted her now glowing yellow eyes to look at Stacie, amazed at how different the cheerful and chubby gingery furred wolf now looked so different from herself from earlier that day. Though as the ginger wolf with her bubblegum pink undercoat smile widened Natalie could not help but smile. 'Well at least physically she had radically changed.'
"Nothing really. Just wondering if we should have left Zeeve back at the plant."
If at all possible that wide cheery smile widened, and at once Stacie hand shot forward to wrap itself around Natalie's neck. The blonde werewolf watched as her now toned feminine bicep seemed to disappear into the pink furred cleavage of her friend's new chest, somewhat taken aback by the strength in Stacie's arms; as she hugged her tight. Yet the blonde werewolf smiled as her stillsilly friend pulled her close and nuzzled against her fur.
"Natalie, Zeeve is just stupid, and if he can't see how cool this is, that's his fault," she began to explain, her eyes opening once again to look up into Natalie's own with all the joy she had felt in the last several hours.
Natalie however shook her head. "Yeah, but he has a right to choose. And whileI am loving this," she stood to her clawed digitigrade feet, and spun around as she ran her hands up her impossibly thin waist and through her hair. "Some people don't like… this Stacie... I mean... Zeeve doesn't like this." Her hands hovered just in front of her chest as she stared down at herself. Natalie however felt Stacie hug her again, snuggling into her back as she purred softly as her pink and orange fur mingled with her blonde and white one. "
"You're so soft." The now taller werewolf giggled, forgetting what she had just been told.
Natalie let a small smile across her face. "Stacie, never change," she whispered.
Near the trunk of the tree the pair had been standing upon, a buzz from Natalie's bag could be heard. It did not take much for the attuned hearing of a lycan to catch, and so Natalie broke free from Stacie's boob bear hug, and leapt down. With an almighty thud Natalie was again reminded of how much heavier she likely was: despite how effortless it was to mov. Still she wasted no time to collect her phone and with a flick of her clawed hands turned it on: though not with some issues. "Darn paw hands… claws… makes it hard for a touch screen…" she lamented until, "finally," and on reflex she raised the phone to where her ear would of been, but paused before moving it to the ears at the top of her head. "Hello?" She perked up, as it was Zeeve, "Hello, Zeeve. We're having loads of fun here, and…"
But she stopped as she heard Zeeve's voice, and then cut off, leaving the girl shocked and scared. It didn't even break, as Stacie landed behind her.
"Natalie? What's wrong," she asked, slightly worried at Natalie's quick pull-away.
"It's Zeeve," Natalie answered, as she turned to Stacie, "He's in trouble!"
Meanwhile
Zeeve opened his eyes: though at first he could not quite see. A milky haze of colours and shapes filled his eyes and a fog muddled his brain. Like a jackhammer a pain at the back of his skull pounded into his brain, which seemed like it was attempting to stir him to wake: yet the world remained a collection of discoloured shapes and a milky white void.
The first thing he became aware of, was the fact he was being dragged; dragged by the ankle: through something - he paused a - something his nostrils were having a field day trying to cover up.
"Oh god," the boy gagged, as the rancid smell hit him: the sensation of tears now rolling down his cheeks as he became aware of the icky slime he was being hauled through. He had no idea where he was, but he could guess though.
It was only when his vision cleared did he get a good look at what was holding him through the darkness. It had a tail. A snake's tail. Attached to a person. A person covered in scales and wore tattered clothing, one of which looked to be a worn-out lab coat.
But it was more than that, this - figure - had to easily be seven… no eight feet tall, as the silhouette through the darkness came to fill the whole tunnel with his size. Zeeve could only make out the rough shape by the dim lights of the slimy tunnel he was down, but it was clear whatever was dragging him was large and scaly.
The figure stopped as it became aware of Zeeve's wiggling, and slowly turned as 'it' stared down at its captive. Now getting a frontal view of the creature, Zeeve pursed his lips in an attempt to not have his heart leap out through his mouth. Pale reptilian eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, gently illuminating the long wedge shaped snout of the sacred creature which loomed over him. Zeeve had always been a avid horror movie enthusiast but even he had to say what stared back at him was a true nightmare in the dark.
"Sssso, it sssseemss I didn't knock yousssss out hard enough." The creatures seemed to say, its voice low and snake like, slowly pronouncing every word in a deliberate fashion. forcing emphasis on its S's: even on ones that were not there. "But it doesssn't matter." The monster hissed again, as like with many a horror film the snake humanoid stepped out of the shadows… and revealed himself to be none other than the mutant mad scientist: Professor Python. The snake-man grinned, exposing his sharp teeth, as he hissed out an evil laugh, "I alwaysss did like it when they sssscream. Mwahahahahahahhahhahaaaa!"
"Oh a snake-were... why am I not surprised," commented Zeeve, almost unphased, even bored by the whole situation, rolling his eyes.
There was a short pause as the mutated professor stopped mid step in a split second of processing the unimpressed nature of his prey. For all the stereotypical horror that a snake man could conjure in the darkness of a slimy stinking tunnel he did look truly dumb in how his mouth hung open, as he let his tongue just spill out.
Still the momentary lapse in his senses was short lived as before Zeeve could try and scramble free, his tail shot forward and yanked his captive off his back and began to dangle him upside down by a singular leg. He glowered at the young black haired teenager who looked back at him with utter contempt; no fear; no hesitation, only an annoyed look of dejected apathy as he saw his prisoner. For Python though this irked him, more than a man of science really should. For a second he just glowered at Zeevem the boys light blue eyes staring crossly back into his terrifying yellow ones. When no ounce of fear appears he shook the boy with his tail, shaking him around before looking back into his blue eyes with an intensely sadistic smile.
"Aww I seessssss. You are in shocksssss... itssss only natural not to knowssss how to react…sss." Like a set of poorly maintained carvery knives, the needle-like teeth of Professor Python seemed to segment as with his horrific smile the badly mutated jaw widened at first, only to flash open and bite down hard a mere inch from Zeeve's face. He then darted back wanting to see the boy's reaction only to see the boy still dangling there, his arms crossed, thoroughly unimpressed with the whole thing."FEAR ME," he roared, shaking his captive by the leg as it was some unresponsive toy.
It was then Zeeve levelled a finger with his free hand. "Listen here, Kruger mouth, I have hunted werewolves... Do you really think you can play chicken with me?"
Still that comment did bring the frightening smile of Python back, as his mind began to whir. "Ahhhhhh the bravado of a childssss. So unrepentant in the face of abject perilssss... truly inspiring to seessss the fight or flightssss instincts in action."
Zeeve however raised his arm and dangling upside down gave Python the middle finger. "Come a little closer and I will show my fight or flight instincts." He shot Python a cocky grin, not really caring as the giant monster tightened its vice like grip around his ankle.
Rising to the challenge, Python did just that, pulling Zeeve higher as he edged his face until the slits on his face just scraped Zeeve's face. "Very well childsss," he teased malicously, tasting the air with his distorted forked tongue, "You may givesss me your demonstrationsss."
WHAM! Zeeve tilted his head back and brought it smack full force into the skull of the lizard like professor creating a hollow crack like a coconut as they collided. But only Zeeve let out a moan of pain.
"Foolishsss child," he laughed as he watched the upside down Zeeve rub his forehead where a trickle of blood was leaking down and over his face. "Your bodiessss is nowhere near strong enoughsss to penetrate my scaliesss," he paused as he looked away and absently inspected the back of his clawed hands. "Impressivesss is it not?"
"Grrr let me go," Zeeve cried out definitely as he tried to twist his way out of the tails grip.
"Ahh theresss is the flight response... goodsss, you have some senesssss." Python purred in his slow methodical voice.
Python's knife-like claws grabbed Zeeve by the scruff of his neck, as he let go of his leg, dropping him into an upright position. WIth his free hand he pushed back the boy's spiky hair, and then with his finger and thumb used a claw reached into the struggling teens mouth and pried it open. "Hmmm healthy skinssss, strong jaw, good teeth..." He paused as he looked his captive up and down. "You will make an excellentsss test subjectssss..."
"W-What," Zeeve said defiantly, a waver now manifesting in his voice, as the disgusting mutant's many teeth parted with his unsettling smile.
"For my new dominant sssspeciessss on the planet," Python stated, as with his tail he flipped a switch on the wall behind him.
Behind the snake-man was a small makeshift lab, with a few chemicals and animal test subjects and frogs.
All at once flood lights illuminated the room, giving Zeeve a clear idea as to where they were: and it could not be more juxtaposed. On one hand clean white tables were arrayed around the large room, with polished surfaces, large computer banks and several devices he swore would not have looked out of place in a hospital: such as the one mobile bed with green padded covers which was used to push people to the emergency room. On the other… Well Zeeve was fairly certain they were in the sewers, both by the ancient red brick work, thin layer of greasy water just below them and of course… the smell.
Python's tail then zipped back and wrapped itself around Zeeve's neck, holding him in place to allow him the free use of his hands. Heading to one of the white devices he began his work on a jar of green liquid encased inside of a cupboard, with small needles beginning to inject themselves into the substance which the label hastily written above it read. VM-369.
"You ssssee, my transformation from man to the perfect specimen of human and snake that you seeeeessss before you hassss opened my eyessss that humanssss are a flawed sssspeciesss, sssimilar to one organisssm known asss a Virussss. I intend to correct that virusss… through ssssselective genetic mutation of my own dessssign." Not looking back, Zeeve took the time to look around the makeshift 'sewer-lab' for any way out: taking stock of what he had or could reach. Still he took care to listen to Python, to at the very least make sure he was not suddenly dissected or whatever the crazy mutant wanted. "And yousss will make an excellent test subjectssss." At once Python threw his black haired captive onto a nearby table and pinning him down as he fastened the restraints. "Ifssss you do not strugglessss I will letssss you pick what animal I turn yousss into."
Zeeve tried a momentary attempt to pull free, only to note that the restraint on his right leg was somewhat loose, and he smiled. That was something. He stopped and looked up at the 'Professor' and smiled. "Can it be a humanssss," Zeeve asked mockingly, dragging out some s-es to tease the inhuman professor.
The Professor merely let out a vicious smirk, as he held up a syringe. "I wasssss thinking more of a Komodo for your sssharp tongue."
Yet before the needle could fall a noticeable chirping began to echo through the sewer lab, it was sharp, annoying and was definitely the first thing that Zeeve and his would-be captor could agree on. Before Zeeve could even react, Python had leapt off him and scurried on all fours to a computer angrily hissing. . "What isssss it now?!" As he got closer to the screen he hit a single key with his singular long claw and brought up security footage from outside. "Werewolvesss?"
And indeed on the computer screen was a full green and grey representation of several werewolves creeping through the mud, amongst them was -
"Natalie," Zeeve breathed, only to take the time to kick his leg free of a loose binding and kick the syringe in Python's hand free.
A few Minutes Earlier
Outside the Red Paint Loading Bays
A small buzzing noise could be heard from the vibrating form of a downturned phone that began to shake on the hard asphalt ground. Zeeve's phone, lost after Python jumped him, began to move in time to the calls, and it didn't take long for someone to hear it.
"Over here." The movement of black and green fur could be seen, as Wan as he scurried around the corner from the loading bay; now on all fours as he dived under a nearby garbage truck to grab the small mobile. "Looks like Leads's phone," Win deduced, as he took it in hand, making it seem comically small on his now slim muscled form. In a blur of a sea green human like paw Diana gracefully snatched it away and lifted it up to her nose. "It's him alright. Cheap paint and dirty clothes." She checked the scent against the one they had followed, yet she stopped, as she sniffed it again. "But there's another smell." She lifted the phone closer to her cute black nose and frowned, "Smells like… scales… and sewage."
It was then that Stacie cried out. "Hey Natlie over here!" And the pair turned to follow.
The pair rounded the corner to see Stacie throw something at the arriving forms of Natalie who had sprinted back from inside the factory. "What is it?" Natalie commented, as she caught the paint can Stacie had thrown at her and turned it over in her pawed palms.
"One of Zeeve's drawings looks like he was doodling." the huge blonde pink lycan said, as she pointed to the floor where a smear of black paint had been spread across the ground with smudges of yellow rising near the top and ruling down the bottom and top away in spikes, yellow defining the two and making the picture as clear as day.
"Looks like a wolf," Win said comically as he jumped from a nearby fire escape, crashing to the ground in a crouched position.
Wan gave a quick smirk at his brother's sudden athleticism, before he turned to look around the scene of the crime."We just found his phone back there. But where had he gone?" Wan then sniffed the air as he tried to get a sense of the direction Zeeve had walked… or been taken.
Diana thought on it for a moment, and then deduced, "Well, the phone smells like someone from the sewage, so..."
"So we sniff the phone and catch the smell of sewage and snakes, leading us straight to Zeeve," Natalie smiled. "Diana, you're a genius!"
Diana modestly shrugged, but could not help but flash a vain smile. "I do what I can."
Still Win gave Stacie a sideways glance. "I could have worked that out."
It didn't take the group long to pick up the trail, while most of them were still new to their powers they did have numbers on their side, and Diana seemed to be leading the charge. Her sense of smell was unparalleled, and it only took her a minute to track the source of the particular stench. As she led the five fresh werewolves to a partially open manhole cover: one which she looked on with disgust.
"Eww... found it." The white and sea green werewolf clutched her black nostril as her now glowing yellow eyes began to water.
Still blinded as she was, Wan picked out the most defining detail as he rushed up. "Man, it looks like its been clawed open..." As he pointed out the deep gashes around the hole, and the dented plate of the cover itself.
"From the inside," his brother added, bending down and running his claw along one of the many serrated gashes around its rim.
Stacie leaned down on it, feeling the marks, as she commented, "Man, these things are sharp and huge. Bigger than what even Peter has." The group all shared a nervous nod as they stared down the hole, a sickening sensation developing within their stomach. Except Diana who was still off to the side, and had her hands over her nose.
"Okay so missing friend, claw marks, and something definitely more unusual than the five of us." Wan mused as he crouched down to the hole, and stared back up at Natalie. "What do you think it is?"
The images of Zeeve being hauled off filled her mind, her body tightening as each image of the various monsters from the horror films her best friend had shown her all those years tearing him to shreds flooded into her skull and she began to shake. "I don't know. But I'm going down to save Zeeve from it." Diana opened her mouth to object, but could only close it as she was overpowered by that awful smell. Natalie meanwhile leapt from a crouch into the air and did a forward flip before diving down the manhole and disappearing from sight.
The gathered werewolves looked on in awe at the sudden dive, with Win allowing himself a dumb grun as he stared at Wan and Stacie in turn. "Is it me or was that cool or what?"
"Oh yeah," Wan replied with a smile, "so coo-"
"Eww! Eww! Eww!" Natalie's voice echoed up the pipe. "It's horrible down here!"
Everyone grimaced a sweat drop, as Diana sighed, "And that coolness went down the toilet... so to speak."
The Sewer System
Four Minutes Later
The sewer was small, a bygone relic of the late 19th century, made with brick and built to only around five feet in height. It was tiny for the almost seven foot tall werewolves who had to hunch over, their ears and heads brushing against the slime covered roof, their pawed feet sinking into a mess they couldn't possibly describe. And the smell: the smell brought water to their eyes as they covered their noses, trying to press on.
They had only really gone five minutes and quickly found themselves getting lost. The smell made it impossible for them to track Zeeve, the tunnels would often twist and turn, and only their night vision gave them any help in what would have been pitch blackness. Indeed there were no lights down here, not even for emergencies, many of these tunnels having been long since abandoned after renovation works in Everett following World War II.
Still in spite of their troubles Natalie, Stacie, Win, Wan and even Diana were now trying to make their way along whatever route they could take, hoping it would guide them to Zeeve.
However, Stacie whined as the smell was getting to her, as she gulped, "Ugh, are we there yet? This smell is starting to get to me, Natalie…!"
Wan nodded, "I gotta agree with Stacie…" and nearly keeled over as he held his muzzled mouth, "This place… the smells… I'm about to throw up here."
Diana grimaced as she was in front of Wan, as she pleaded, "Please, for my backs sake, hold it."
"I'm trying," Wan groaned, not sure if he could, as he covered his mouth but wrenched as he realised it was covered in the slime they were traipsing through. "But… you know when you go to the dentist, and you're holding your mouth open for so long it gets dry, and then the dentist puts something in your mouth to hold it open, and you suddenly gag so hard you throw up in his face…"
It was now Diana's turn to gag. "Ewwww. You did that?"
"No, I almost did," Wan confessed… and then pointed behind Win. "But he did."
Win, who was behind his brother, cried out. "Hey, we agreed we would never bring that up! That it didn't leave the office!"
"Sorry, but I can't… hold it… in."
Diana looked freaked out at Wan's statement, as she looked ahead, and pleaded, "Natalie! Are we there yet?"
"Close," Natalie stated, sniffing the air. "Zeeve's scent is getting stronger and stronger. It's like I'm right next to him."
"How can you smell him in this?" Diana cried.
"I…"
Suddenly, a hissing laughter echoed all through the tunnels. The very sound and tone of that voice would put chills to race down anyone's spine if they heard it. All five newly turned wolves nearly wet their furs at hearing it.
After a small pause, Natalie pointed in the direction of where the laugh echoed at, "I think we should go that way."
"Definitely," Diana nodded.
Meanwhile
Makeshift Underground Lab
Python laughed with glee as he watched a tube attached to a synthetic synthesiser fill with a sickening green liquid. His claws made a clickety clack with the rhythmic movement as he watched a small egg timer tick down to the zero, next to the hyper advanced machine it was set upon. Slowly he reached for the new syringe and flicked the end, smiling at his new creation, before he turned towards Zeeve, his long forked tongue extending from his mouth as his slitted eyes narrowed with almost sadistic pleasure.
His feet clicked too against the ageing red brick floor, coming to loom over his prisoner, one long clawed finger tilting his head back to force him to look into his bright reptilian eyes. "I must admit… you surprise messssss. But dossssss not worry young onesssss, you do notsssss need to be afraidsssss." He tried to whisper, only for his words to rasp more than usual, his slits narrowing as he tried to soften his expression to that of a kinder one.
It didn't work. "Whoo your breath reeks!," Zeeve swore, violently turning his head away as he pretended to gag under the smell. "You know if people like you are going to be the future of humanity. I am going to wish to go extinct before then!"
Python grabbed the boy's throat, applying powerful pressure to it, as he hissed out, "Be grateful that I am allowing you to join the New World Evolutionary Order!" He rasped, his slits widening as his gums pulled back around his needle like teeth.
"Halt, Vile Villainous Snake," a female voice boomed out.
Python eyes opened with a start as he shot up from the medical bed he had Zeeve pinned too and roared out, "Who sssaid that?!"
"I did!"
And there, high up from a storm drain which poured into the confluence of the sewer Python had established himself within he saw the silhouette of a female werewolf. Yet with the brightness of the floodlights pouring inwards all he could make out was the yellow and white of the creatures form, a colour he new all to well as he began to back away and cry. "Q-Queen?! How did youssss find me." However, the figure hopped down from the height, and landed on the ground, as she stood up. She then stepped into the light, to reveal herself to be a slightly shorter werewolf with a thinner almost lithe frame, extra long tightly furred legs, soft fur and a slight short blonde hair flicked to the right hand side.
Zeeve saw her place her hands boldly on her womanly hips, his face illuminating with joy, as Python however brown dipped into a frown of yellowish segmented teeth.
"You're not Queen. Who are you?"
Natalie raised a hand from her hips and pointed defiantly at Python: as she cried. "I am the greatest, the mightiest. I am the brilliant sister of Queen I am..."
"An annoyance." Python's tail swept out and collided with Nataie, propelling her down the storm drain she had come from with one mighty blow. With the slightest of a movement he shifted his weight and pulled his back up, straightening his posture to near eight feet tall as he loosened himself for battle. "Youssss are an annoyance," he repeated, with even further venom in his words. "Youssss seem sssssurpised, thatssss I do not know who youssss are." He started with no trace of humour at all; with another crack his tail shot out and shattered the brick work on the ground that Natalie had been thrown into. Natalie, still clutching her head, managed to dodge the blow, using her new found strength to leap from the ground up and over the tail, landing on her knees just out of reach of a third strike. "Youssss ssssee I have fought werewolvessss before," the now titanic snake man goaded as he began to turn away from Natalie and towards his machine which had begun to blink. "And I knowss how to defeat yousss! Nosssss one will sssstop me!"
Suddenly there was a flash of black and green as two blurs dived out of the darkness and slammed their weight into Python forcing him to the ground as the twins piled on. Natalie laughed as she let out a sigh of relief, covering her mouth in joy as she giggled at the sight of the two seven feet tall lycan males pin down the eight feet tall titanic snake man: giving her a second to catch her breath. "Wooo! We are super heroes!" She jumped in the air before managing to catch a glimpse of Win and Wan being seized by their throats and then hurled at her like a pair of bowling balls.
Knocked off their feet the three landed in a messy pile all struggling to untangle themselves as Python pulled himself back to his feet.
In a rage he curled his fingers around the now oozing goo of VM-369. He didn't say anything, just closed his hand around the now shattered glass, and then bent forward to unleash the mother of all roars. All around them dust and slime was shaken from the ceiling as the animalistic cry of python went through their bones. At once he charged at the pile of werewolves, his jaw wide, as he dived at Natalie's throat.
A quick kick from Diana gracefully slammed into the side of the beast's head, careening into the nearest pillar, which cracked under the impact's weight.
"Natalie, I suggest we pull back." Diana cried as she raised her hands into a boxing stance, though nervously glanced at her leader who had just got back to her feet.
"What," the blonde werewolf cried?
"Yeah?!" Win then added leaping to his feet as he pointed at their opponent. "We outnumber him thre... th- th..."
Win's words fell short as he turned to look at the professor who despite being knocked hard enough into a stone pillar to crack it, had gotten up without the slightest sign of injury. Indeed his anger seemed to have turned to white hot rage, as he slowly pivoted to face the group of invasive werewolves, his yellow eyes seemingly burning with hatred for them. But it was when he raised his fist and smashed it into the remains of said pillar, the group could only watch as it disintegrated to a pulp of dust and debris that caused all words to leave the twins.
"Tactical retreat it is" Win cried. "Come on, let's move."
Natalie however did not immediately move, as she grabbed the fleeing Diana by the hand and managed to stammer out. "What about Z-Zeve..."
"We can lure the monster away now com..." Diana shrieked as she jumped out of the way of Python who leaped at both her and Natalie, the two parting just in time. The four werewolves then dashed towards the nearest tunnels, splitting up into three groups as the wolves scattered and the enraged Python gave chase.
"Hey?! What about me?" With silence his only answer the disgruntled Zeeve muttered darkly to himself, and loosened the cuffs around his wrists just enough to reach into his pocket. After a few seconds he produced the swiss army knife he had been saving and smirked. "Well thank you Robert." He muttered, recalling his brother's gift, as he began to awkwardly slice away at the strap.
Meanwhile
The four werewolves were sprinting through the tunnels from the mad snake-man mutant, who seemed more out for bloodlust than to collect them for his experimentation. He hissed, as they jumped from the confined pipe leading up to an upper level, as he clawed his way up, "You can't esssscape me! Ssssooner or later, I shall have you all. Who knowssss? I might leave one of you alive… for vivisssection!"
Running forward through an opening into a main sewer track Professor Python was about to leap out of it when Win swung out from just above the tunnel and slammed his feet into the lizards face. Sent back down the tunnel Python roared in anger as he slid through the slime and gunk, drenching his lab coat as he was forced out and into a shallow pool of water.
Growling, the 'Professor' looked up, past a piece of filth covering one eye, with utter rage at Win who gave him an awkward smile before scampering off. Still Python failed to get up, as he felt his back force him back into the water, Stacie suddenly dropping from up high and splashing him face first into the muck.
"Hey! Don't pick on my friends," she roared, jumping free of Python who pulled his head out of the gunk, a large cockroach dangling from his face.
"Little welp I orght tosss..." The slurred speech of the reptilian man slowed as he saw the little bug as it crawled over his face. With a twisted smile he plucked it in his oversized palm and holding it up for Stacie to see. Quickly and deliberately he pulled his long clawed index finger back and pressed it through the skin of his hand releasing a trail of blood which gushed out over the tiny wretched insect.
Stacie raised both her hands with a smile as she began to box the air, "okay meanie were going down... wait. Why are you smiling?"
Python only answer was when he pulled back his hand and threw the insect at his opponent, and Stacie yelled as the bug suddenly seemed to swell in size. Its new mass forced her onto her back as a second pair of pincers with serrated burst from just bellow its eyes, that began to rise away from its heads on antenna like stalks.
Python's only answer was when he pulled back his hand and threw the insect at his opponent, and Stacie yelled as the bug suddenly seemed to swell in size. Its new mass forced her onto her back as a second pair of pincers with serrated blades burst from just bellow its eyes, that began to rise away from its heads on antenna like stalks. Its body shifted and mutated into a humanoid form, with four limbs acting as its arms, while two acted as the main legs.
Stacie freaked out, "GAAAAAAAH! I HATE ROACHES!"
The Roach pounced at her, trying to mess with her, as Python hissed, "Enjoy your new playmate, little wolf. I sssstill have isssuesss to work out with your leader." And then slithered back into the darkness, as he hissed, "Fortunately… I know thessse ssewerssss like the back of my handssss. Mwahahahahahahaha!"
Up Top
Upper Levels
Diana and Natalie had managed to bump back into each other, as they made their way through. The twins were lost, but they had to find a way back to help Zeeve. Unfortunately, they didn't know the kind of danger they had run into. It was made evident as the two had settled down, and Diana started on the argument on the subject at hand.
"Well done. Oh well done!" She spat as the two began to run through one of the smaller pipes on their hands and knees. "This is great, just great! We have been werewolves for little over two hours and already we run into stuff trying to kill us!" Her new mature voice began to ramble on, and on, the fear steadily rising within her body. "Natalie, well done and congratulations you have possibly gotten us all killed because you decided to run into a kidnappers' lair and loudly declare yourself!"
"I was just trying to be like my sister and her friends," Natalie stated.
Diana however, the intensity of her glowing eyes bursting forth with every word. "Oh just like your sister," she goaded as her own voice began to waver. "Well I am sorry Princess but your not your sister! You're you and... and... and..." tears began to form around the edges of her eyes as her lip trembled. "We have no idea what to do." Tears began to pour down Diana's furred face as she weapt covering her eyes with her hands, but then pulling them away in shock as she felt the gunk smear across her snout. "Ewww!"
Natalie's anger subsided, as she reached up, cleaning Diana's face, as she apologised, "You're right. And I'm sorry. Being a werewolf's great and all, but honestly, I didn't expect this to happen on our first night together starting out as a pack. I don't even know what my special ability is. My sister's Electrical powers and she only found out when her life was in danger. I honestly thought if I rushed in, fighting, mine would awaken and I'd figure it out. But instead, I put not just all of us, but Zeeve in danger too."
She then brought in Diana for a hug, instead being more of sisters than friends, as she nuzzled into her shoulder, apologising, "I'm really sorry, Diana."
"Awww isn't that cutessss."
Both the werewolves froze as they heard that familiar rasping voice, the clicking of claws skulking up the tunnel behind them.
"Yousss know I have worksss up quite an appatite tracking yousss down," Python said gleefully as the pair began to scamper down the hole and out into a larger sewege drain. "Nowsss don't runsss, I need youss alive so I cansss dissect yousss."
The strange cockroach creature roared at Stacie, its four mandibles biting and slicing away at her as she tried to force it up and away from her own head. She winced in fright as with another roar a thick yellow bile spilled from its mouth and covered her face. "Ewww," she screamed kicking the creature in the gut and forcing it back into the same pile of gunk that it emerged from.
The cockroach monstrosity however moaned a it seemed to writhe upon its back carapace for a second before hauling its large frame to its feet, stumberling back towards Stacie.
Stacie whined, "Why does this happen to me? I hate roaches!"
"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Suddenly, two black and green blurs pounced on the roach, grabbing it on both ends as the twins cried out, "Don't worry, Stacie! We're here to help!"
However, the Roach seemed stronger than them, as they were being thrown around like they were part of a carousel, as Wan cried, "I'm gonna lose my lunch! Again!"
"Hold it in, Wan," Win stated.
"I would, but it's too much for me, man," Wan panicked.
Win grimaced, as he closed his eyes, wishing there was a way to stop the creature's movements. Then suddenly, his legs began to shift, and the Roach suddenly stopped. Or more likely, it was being stalled, as Wan was dropped, as he blinked, "What the…?"
Stacie blinked, as she saw what she saw, "Holy jawbreakers…"
They all looked at Win, who was a bit clueless on the subject, as he blinked, "What? What is it?"
"Dude, look at your legs," Wan pointed out.
Win looked to see his legs… only to see four sets of black and green octopus tentacles sticking ot the wall or wrapping around the pipes.
Win freaked out, "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY LEGS! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LEGS!?"
"I don't know, but it's freaking me out," Wan panicked.
But then Stacie, ignoring the struggling mutant roach, deduced aloud, "Hey, I heard about this from Natalie. She said that werewolves each have a unique ability. In Queen's case, Electrokinesis, and Alpha's a Sonic Howl. Maybe this is your ability: to grow tentacles."
Win and Wan frowned at this, while in his annoyance, Wan's left arm suddenly morphed… into a gorilla's powerfully muscled arm. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"
But then Stacie and Win pointed out, "Wan, look!"
"What," Wan asked, as he looked to where they pointed. "Oh, I see. I have a gorilla arm now," Wan calmly stated, but then freaked out… "SON OF A BI…!"
The Roach however didn't seem phased in the slightest and began to descend upon Wan with its four arms, two of which wrapped their clawed fingers around his gorilla arm and tried to push the freaking werewolf down into the muck. Wan yelled in fright as he stepped back, while Win seemingly instinctively wrapped his new tentacles around the roaches legs and heaved away at them causing the beast to trip and collapse atop his brother. Roaring in fury the three now wrestled in the filth, gunk and wretched water splashing everywhere. Win and Wan screamed for a second as Stacie tried to rush into help only for a bright light to engulf her vision.
"Get off," a singular determined voice then yelled, as a green and black werewolf rose to his feet, confidently standing at eight feet high, and then with one arm wrenched it away from the cockroach, tearing the limbs grappling onto it away with them.
Howling in pain the cockroach stumbled back clasping at its now missing limbs, its pincers mashing painfully together as the new werewolf now stared down at his hands, a faint "woah," escaping his lips.
"Win... Wan," Stacie asked.
However before the werewolf could answer they were both distracted from the sudden roar of the mutated bug, as its now severed limbs began to bubble and froth. Almost instantly the shattered stumps exploded outwards in a putrid rupture of bile and white fatty flesh, three new limbs emerging, bigger, heavier than before: and one ending in a long serrated claw.
Suddenly, something awoke in Stacie, as she charged at the roach, her body doubling in size, along with muscle, and her chest growing from a C Cup to an H Cup, as she reared her fist back, and shouted, "Just Die already!"
And smashed her fist through the Roach's head, as the body finally fell to the water.
The fusion of Win and Wan blinked, as he pointed, "Whoa, Stacie. Look at you."
Stacie turned around, as she pointed, "No, look at you. You guys fused."
The fusion blinked, as he looked down at himself, and then went crazy, "What the?" But then acted in a manner similar to Wan, as he sighed, "Great, not only do we have weird freaky animal morphing powers, but we can fuse in one person." And then acted in a manner similar to Win, "And Stacie's practically a werewolf version of a She-Hulk."
"I know right," the now taller Stacie cried, jumping in the air as she cheered for joy, but remained ignorant as the oversized claw reached around her leg and painfully clamped down. "Yarrrr!"
"What the," Win's voice cried in shock.
"That thing is still alive," Stace then yelled as the headless body of the cockroach began to rise again from the muck, the flesh around its head deforming and pulsating and more arms grew out and grappled around both transformed werewolves.
"Gah, why won't this thing... this thing..." Stacie who had been holding back two of the arms of the beast blinked as she briefly tugged away at the claw around her leg, and then turned to face the merged twins. "Hey guys," she began to ask like you would ask a friend for advice.
"What is it, Stacie, we are kinda busy here," both Twins reared together as a hand pressed up against their face pinning them like Stacie to the wall.
"Is it me or is he now kinda weak?"
The expression that now dawned on the merged twins was one of picturesque surprise, as with one hand that was grappling the cockroach, he closed his palm and disintegrated the mutated flesh. "Yeah he kinda is."
Both the wolves grinned at one another as they raised their fists and went to town.
Professor Python swiped again with his claws, just missing Natalie's muzzle by inches, and leaving long serrated gashes in the wall. "You know, first I wasss going to kill youssss. But know... knowssss I am just hungry!" He laughed as he dived at her his jaw extending wide and wider as he lands but a few feet away from her.
"Stay away from her you giant reptilian... troglodyte." Diana picked up a rock and threw it at the mutated professor who glanced over her shoulder and smirked at her futile attempt.
"Oh ssssso youssss want me to sssstop?" He laughed as he began to trudge through the mucky sludge scattered across the draining pool as he just shook his head. "Ssssuch idiocy from someone - ahhhhhhh!"
"Someone who is luring you into a trap, you moron." Diana shook her head as she pulled her palm away from the emergency drainage button that had opened the hatch that Professor Python had just fallen into. She rushed to Natalie's side and helped her up. "Okay Princess," she asked in a hushed tone, "you got us into this mess... you can get us out right?"
Natalie looked at her astonished. "Princess... what do you -"
"You have a plan, right?"
Natalie's astonished look, but then nodded, as she smirked, "Okay. But I'm gonna need you to be the bait."
Moments Later
Diana was running through the pipes on all fours, while an enraged Prof. Python snapped out at her. He hissed at her, "COME BACK HERE, I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU OR YOUR FRIENDSSSS YET! GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Then come and get me," Diana shouted, as she leapt out over a vast gap between them to the other side of a pipe.
Prof. Python leapt at her, attempting to eat her… until Natalie came out from atop, and deliver a powerful double spear kick that sent her and Python falling down below. They crashed into a moat of sewage water and trash, as nobody floated up.
"Oh my god that worked," Diana cheered as she and Natalie ran towards one another and gave each other a high five.
Natalie's wolfish grin was larger than anything she could imagine as the two began to gush with joy. "I am amazed that it worked!"
"So am I." An infuriated Python roared, rising up and out of the muck like an enraged beast as he caught both girls unaware and wrapped his long clawed hands around their necks pinning them to the walls. "I don't know who you are, or even if you're related to that damned Queen," his eyes seemed to bulge in their sockets as his voice shook the very room. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!"
"So have I!"
"What the," Python growled as he turned to look at the voice behind him only for him to get a face full of dark fluorescent green paint.
In his surprise he dropped his two captive and his roar of anger now turned to a shriek of pain as he stumbled away from Zeev, who lowered his paint can with an indignent look on his face. "Get away from my freinds you dam dirty reptile!" He held up his spray can for a second time as Python moaned in agony as his ultra sensetive eyes and noes were sprayed again now in blue paint, enlaming his stining eyes even more!
"Zeeve," Natalie asked in bewilderment?
"Less questions," Zeeve replied as he raised his green can again, spraying the lizard a third time, only to hit the beast's arm. "Just slag this stupid ranting dinosaur and lets be done with him!"
But Professor Python just swiped Zeeve away, smacking him into the wall, and then shot his arm right at Natalie. It wrapped around her, pulling her in, as it slowly began to crush her. The two were about to go after her, but he shot acid spit at them, making them keep their distance from him, as he slowly began to crush Natalie.
"Enough!" he roared, his eyes peeling skin off as his way of healing, as he hissed, "One way or another… I will have a meal before thissss full moon'ssss over."
Natalie's eyes rolled in the back of her head, she almost passed out. But something in her awoke, as little strands of blue electricity danced around her eyes. Her eyes returned to normal, as she fought hard against the tightening, as she pulled her arm out, as he seethed, "No thanks… I'd…" and then grabbed Python's tongue, as her eyes glowed blue with electricity, as she screamed, "… RATHER TAKE YOU WITH ME!"
And then suddenly, a blast of blue electricity danced from Natalie's petite body right into Python's body. He twitched and shook yelling out from intense electrical pain, causing him to let go of the young werewolf girl. But he still spasmed like crazy, ubt not enough to keep him from swiping at the girl.
Diana saw this and charged right at him, and despite being shocked, she pushed Python back down, going down with him into the water, as they both crashed and sank deep into the sludgy black abyss.
Natalie stopped as she looked down, and cried out, "Diana!"
But as the water slightly calmed, it suddenly froze over into a vast block of ice. Zeeve walked over as he and Natalie saw this happen. And even stranger, Diana fazed right out of the block, as she shook herself dry, like nothing strange had happened.
Taking a step back Zeeve was at a loss for words as the now transparent bluey green werewolf seemed to glow, appearing eerily similar to a ghost. Yet as she opened her eyes she stared down at her clawed hand and then ran them up her arms and down the side of her body she immediately freaked out.
"I'm a ghost," she yelled clutching her frame, "I am a ghost! I am a... oh..." Stopping with a sudden shiver Diana closed her eyes as the colour and glow around her body began to fade and her body began to become steadily more solid than, her lycan form going back to how it once was. "I... I... what was that?"
Natalie blinked as she leapt down landing on the ice and looked down at the now frozen body of Python, who was frozen in mid grapple with Diana. "I don't know... I think it was your power."
Diana blinked as she dropped to her knees and ran her clawed hand over her icey tomb she had created. "my power," she queried? Not sure if she should smile or freeze up, "My power is freezing stuff?"
Zeeve wrapped his knuckles against the ice and grinned, keeping an eye on Python who was locked in that one moment of conflict. His wide grin would have been mistaken for a giant wall of teeth as he playfully punched Diana's leg, "well you are a total ice queen, I mean you're more cold hearted than a glacier at times."
Diana frowned but Natalie wrapped her arms around her and pulled her towards her hugging her. "Thanks Glacier," she said jovially, winking at her partner who looked almost as frozen with shock as her ice.
"Natalie what are you..."
"Its your code name," she teased winking at her, "I mean come on it fits."
"Fits? FITS! You are going ahead and giving me my codename!"
Natalie laughed, "Why don't you like it?"
Diana scoffed and flew some hair out of her face, "You know full well I do not Natalie Norwest, I prefer Glacial anyway. Its more refined less brutish than whatever you could think up!" Glacial now declared habbing her finger into Natalie's chest. "Wait you know what, not Natalie your a Princess! Princess, yes thats your name!"
Natalie thought about it for a moment… and lit up, as she smiled, "Princess? I love it!"
"YEEEEEEEEEHAAWWWW!"
Stacie landed behind the trio, with a grin on her face, looking pretty gunked up. Perched on her shoulder appeared to be a giant black and green werewolf, with bird talons for feet, and pair of bird wings and bat wings; bird wings on the shoulders, while the bat wings were on the lower back. The figure then let go, as it landed next to her, glowed bright green, until it was Win and Wan again back in their separate Lycan forms.
"If that's the case," Win started, and Wan finished, "Then call the two of us Wego!"
And Stacie bounced up and down, showcasing her D Cup breasts bouncing up and down, "And call me Sakura!"
Markerns Apartment
From there it had turned into a mad rush. Realising they would need to cal the police they managed to get Wego, who's now deeper voice was unique enough that it could not be put on the boys to call the police with the factory's ancient phone. After that the five werewolf and Zeeve were forced to make a run for it with Zeeve dangling on for dear life around Stacie's neck as they tried to find a place for the night. Filthy, dirty and covered in slime the group knew they needed to shower, and thanks to Stacie's keen memory she recalled Diana saying her parents were out.
After a quick argument with Diana, and a series of pleas from her new packmates the group had begun to leap across Everett their new forms allowing them to jump the gaps between buildings with ease. The free running display was for all of them quite exhilarating as they tried to outdo one another and race their fellow werewolves to see who could make it down a row of flat top buildings the fastest.
With this enthusiasm, and only mild complaining from a shaken up Zeeve, the troupe could see Daian's penthouse resting at the top of the multi story apartment block. They all stared at it with a sudden sense of relaxation as they knew their journey was almost over and soon they could -
"Wooo party," Win cried causing his packmates to giggle with glee and Diana to sigh with remorse.
However there was one problem, no building tall enough was near the level of Diana's penthouse, and as such they would need to find another way up.
"How about the elevator," Win suggested, getting a cold stare from Diana.
"No there will be cameras, and I don't want to explain to my parents how werewolves got into their apartment." She thought for a sec, "no the fire escape is the safest bet and its late enough people won't see us."
"But how do we get on," Natalie then queried bending down to look at the firescape she was mentioning.
"Umm we jump," Stacie declared, transforming into her new larger form and grabbing Zeeve in her arms.
"Wait hold on," the human cried, however it was too late as Sakura stepped back for a running jump and then leaped off the building. "I did not agree to this!"
The others looked at each other… and then jumped after her. They all free-fell towards the fire escape, the whole thing going into slow motion. All their faces in excited adrenaline-rushed frenzy, while Zeeve's was panicking like crazy. Then finally, they landed straight on, landing on all fours, while the fire escape just whirred from the strain but held on tight.
The five smirked at this, as they jumped, with Natalie smiling, "Oh yeah! We did it!"
Zeeve, on the other hand, looked frozen in his state, as he just slumped down off of Stacie, groaning, "Speak for yourself."
The gang all climbed up to Diana's apartment, their claws clinging against the metal ladders as they tried as cautiously as possible to ascend over ten floors to the penthouse above. As they went, they tried to be as silent as possible, their tippy toeing fading in and out in the deathly still night air. All it would take was for one person to stick their head out and their cover was blown.
Thankfully they went nine flights before anything like that happened.
"Hello is someone out there," a soft young voice asked.
Everybody froze and began to scramble desperately to try and disappear from that particular level of the fire escape, as a hand reached and pulled back the curtain around an open window.
The girl in question was small, very young, around fifteen to sixteen and had the look of pure innocence about her as she nervously shook while staring out into the night. She was a slim, peachy girl with long and straight Dark Brown hair that reached down to her mid back and was pulled back to the sides, pinned back into a non-receding hairline. She was in her long sleeved pyjamas as she went to climb out the window to look around, but stopped as she heard a voice.
"Jane what are you doing," a cool but rather whiney voice asked, causing Jane to look back into the room and say.
"I thought I heard something Jessica."
"Well get back inside, I made drinks and you can do my nails," the other girl replied, causing Jane to sigh, or she would have if she hadn't just caught a glimpse of something furry dangling a few feet away.
Intrigued Jane clambered out of the fire escape and began to cautiously cross the metal railing towards the fluffy object just dangling over the edge. She looked at it as its orange and punk textures meshed together, and it waves from side to side slowly. "Huh," Jane said as she grabbed it and gave it a quick tug.
The yell that resorted from this caused Jane to fall onto her bottom as she covered her eyes, her frightened vision catching glimpses of giant wolf like creatures suddenly rushing up the fire escape causing it to shake violently as she begged not to be seen. But then she saw it, or rather her, a blonde wolf-like girl who stared down at her with kind glowing yellow eyes.
The wolf girl said nothing as she sat there, the moon glowing behind her, illuminating her back. And Jane swore she could see the girl smile.
"Sorry," the wolf girl said with a cheery voice: and then she was gone.
to which they saw it for the first time in good view.
Minutes Later
Diana's Apartment
They had finally reached their destination, as the pack and boy made their way to the apartment penthouse of Diana's parents.
It was a large penthouse, all built onto the most uppermost floor of the apartment block. Wide spaced and looking like a modern art exhibit, its windows stretched from the floor to the roof and ran three sides of the house, stretching from the dining room, which was raised up on some steps all the way past the kitchen towards the living room at the far end, in one huge open floor plan space. three corridors could be seen leading off into the innermost parts of the apartment, separated by great modern sliding doors, fixed to the brightly coloured orange walls. One of the glass windows opened out onto a huge balcony that covered almost a third of the building, one half of that being open except a small rooftop garden tucked into one corner, and the other being taken up by a small rectangular swimming pool.
For Diana this was home, and she lazily crossed the balcony walking past the pool and reached the door, and drew from her bag a set of keys, and walked lazily in. "Don't break anything," she muttered, pointing to a series of ornate looking vases, dropping her bag on the couch and muttering to herself.
Everyone looked to each other, as Natalie asked, "The Pool first?"
Stacie and the twins nodded, "The pool."
15 Minutes Later
Fifteen minutes later the party was in full swing: snacks arranged by Diana had been laid out, Win and Wan were doing acrobatics in the pool and Zeeve was just coming out the shower with a rather large shirt on, that Diana had offered to him while his clothes were cleaned.
Natalie was waiting for him at the side, as she smiled, "Zeeve." She stood up, and walked to him, smiling, "So how was the shower?"
"It was okay, I guess," Zeeve answered, shrugging as he walked out and grabbed some snacks from a nearby table. "Still enjoying being six foot tall and covered in hair?"
Natalie smiled cutely to Zeeve as she nodded, "Yeah, Zeeve. This feels so great." She then genuinely looked to Zeeve, as she acted rather shy around him for some reason, "Say, Zeeve…"
She gently took his hand, leading him to the nearby bed, as the two sat down. But Zeeve's brain was going full blast in what was happening, 'What the…? Why is she acting so shy and cute? And why are we sitting on a bed? Oh man, don't tell me that as a werewolf her sexy potency skyrocketed… and she wants me as a Mate?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! We're both too young for this, inexperienced at best! Even with the sex, she'd infect me the second I entered her. And that's not the worst part…: HER FATHER AND SISTER WOULD KILL ME?!'
While he was freaking out on this, Natalie arched an eyebrow, as she saw the look of sweaty panic on his face, "Uh, Zeeve?"
"I THINK IT'S TOO SOON, NATALIE!" and falls on his back in a panic. But then returns to normal, as he acted cool around her, "Um, yeah? What's up, Natalie?"
Not knowing what he was talking about, she shrugged, as she sighed, "I just wanted to say thanks for everything humanly possible you did tonight." She then looked a little shy, as she blushed, "And thanks for the save back in the sewer. You never cease to amaze me most of all."
Zeeve shifted and coughed, "umm yeah sure... thanks." He began to slide away from her as he looked towards the pool where Diana and Stacie where having a row
"No, no, no, your wrong," Stacie declared as she poked Diana in the chest.
Diana however laughed in response. "Wrong! My Dear Stacie I am clearly the one with the correct assessment," she fluffed back her wet hair and giggled causing Stacie cheeks to puff out in rage.
Zeeve looked at Natalie and nervously pointed to the pair, "any idea what they are arguing over?"
"But my boobs are bigger than yours," Dtacie decreed loudly causing Win and Wan to stop mid back flip to stare in shock at the pair at the other end of the pool.
Both went deadpan on that, as Natalie sighed, "I think I have a pretty good idea on what it is now." But then turned her attention back to Zeeve, as she asked, "Hey, Zeeve."
Zeeve looked to Natalie and asked, "What's up?"
Now it was Natalie's turn to look nervous, as she pushed her two index fingers together, and asked, looking away from his eyes, "Well, I know you've already made your decision on it, and I know asking it's kind of pointless, but…" she then cast a nervous gaze at him, "Would there… ever be a time you'd want to become a werewolf?"
The disapproving blankness of Zeeve's expression answered that question for her. "Seriously Natalie... seriously?"
"What? It is a legitimate question."
Zeeve rolled his eyes and got up, "I am going to get some snacks," he added darkly as he walked off towards the table as within his mind went at a hundred miles a minute. 'Dam it! Dam it! Dam it! She asked the question... why! Why did she need to ask that question!'
"Hey, what's up," Win pointed out, nearly spooking Zeeve in the process.
"Oh, hi Do," Zeeve replied, as he gathered snacks.
"Win, please. After all, we are friends now, right," Win replied.
"Yeah, I guess," Zeeve shrugged. But then he decided to ask him, "Hey, Win? What's the deal with Natalie asking me to be turned into a werewolf? Is she that desperate to start that large of a pack?"
Win arched an eyebrow, as he asked, "Shouldn't you know why she asks you and only you?"
Zeeve looked confused and offended, as he asked, "Why would you ask me?"
"You're her only male friend, I would have thought it would have been obvious to you," Win replied, as he grabbed a bottle of carbonated Cherry Lime Water. "Why, what happened? Is she insisting you become one?"
"No," Zeeve sighed. "She kind of just asked me if I'd ever be open to becoming a werewolf one day."
"So that's why you sounded so angry," Win replied, surprising Zeeve. He pointed to his ears, "These things aren't just to give effect to the puppy dog pout, you know." He then leaned on the counter, staring down at the smaller individual, "So, have you ever wondered why she wants you to be one?"
Zeeve was about to answer, until he hung his head in shame, "No. I just… stormed off leaving her in the Guest Room."
Win closed the fridge door, as Zeeve got his snacks, "Then try talking to her. You're making her feel horrible. She may be a werewolf, but deep inside… she's still a young lady." Suddenly, the two heard surprised screaming, as the two looked outside, as Win grimaced, "Well, I might have to cut our conversation short. It seems like Wan's going crazy now."
"By crazy you mean pulling Diana and Stacie into the pool and groping them silly," Zeeve asked.
"Yeah," Win sighed, as he walked outside towards the pool.
Zeeve was heading back to the guest room, but smirked, "Look at it this way: Both Diana and Stacie were arguing who had the bigger busts, maybe your brother could help in that by comparing them."
When he got back, Natalie looked ashamed of herself, as she was curled up in the fetal position. Her arms were drawn to her pert chest and held there with her arms. Her head resting on the knees with her tail slowly shifting on the bed, acting all sad. At that point, Zeeve felt like he wanted to kick himself at this point. He sat down next to her, as the two remained silent on the matter. Zeeve looked over and saw the hurt expression on her face, and saw little water marks underneath her eyes and fur. It was evident that she was hurt from what happened.
Rolling his eyes Zeev repressed the urge to call her out and act tough and reached over to the bedside and offered Natalie some tissues.
"So-o," he began looking away awkwardly. "Why do you keep asking if I want to be a werewolf?" His tone becoming noticeably elongated as he tried to sound as tactful as possible, and failing miserably.
Natalie sighed, as she honestly stated, "Because I don't want you to be left behind, that's all."
Zeeve arched an eyebrow, as he asked, "What? No, I'm not being left…"
"I feel like I'm the one leaving you behind like this," Natalie sighed. "Becoming a werewolf has been the greatest thing in my life tonight. But when you were caught… when I thought that you wouldn't make it, much less get mutated by that crazy snake scientist mutant, that's when all these bad thoughts kept going through my mind."
Zeeve now looked a little concerned, as he asked, "What thoughts were that?"
"That while I'm a werewolf, I'll age slower, while you'll age at a normal pace," she stated, looking at him broken-hearted. "What if by the time I'm twenty, you'll be eighty-eight, dying in your bed? And what if one day you end up in a car accident? You might lose your legs, or have shrapnel pierce your heart and eyes…"
"Natalie, I'm sixteen. I don't think I have to worry about any of that," Zeeve stated, seemingly nervous about Natalie's breakdown. But it got even weirder, as she glomped on him, pinning him to the bed, as she held onto him, burying her face in his chest, as she cried. "Uh… Natalie?"
"You're the first male friend I've ever had. And after that whole Fang Alert thing, things started to get better between us," Natalie's muffled voice spoke up. "I thought that once my sister turned me, I could do the same for you. You'd be protected and safe. And that we could build this pack together. But… but if you don't want this, it's fine. I only ask because… I don't want to leave one of my best friends behind while everyone else and I go forward on this."
Zeeve's mouth hung open slightly as he tried to form words and failed. He stammered nervously as he looked down at Natalie who was pinning him to the bed. "Umm... N-Natalie, that's nice and all b-but," he froze up as he poked her in the belly and shook his head, his usual brick tone returning. "C-can you please get off!"
Natalie giggled and rolled off him, causing Zeeve to rub his eyes. "You okay," she asked, looking down at him and pushing his long black hair out of his face.
"What... yeah," Zeeve mumbled as he pushed the hair back instinctively, "it's just that's a lot to think about and..." he looked at her and sighed. "Natalie, I could have gotten away from that snake guy before you even turned up," he declared cockily putting his hands behind his head.
"Wait what?"
"Yeah, I mean I had my pocket knife, my paint, I was just waiting for him to wander off or something," Zeeve muttered simply. "And if in doubt I would just spray his face with paint when he would have tried to give me the formula. I would have been fine."
Natalie's eyes narrowed as she poked him in the shoulder. "Zeeve, I know when you're lying," she stated with a voice full of venom.
"Ah well," Zeeve said, shrugging, "I tried."
Natalie just sighed, as she shrugged, "I'm only asking because when the day comes when you do say yes… " She then blushed underneath her fur, as she smiled, "I want to be the one that does it. After all.." She then leaned in, reaching to his face, and licked his nose, as she smiled, "… A princess has the honour to christen her Knight."
Zeeve was blushing from the action she had just done, but she leaned back, as she stretched and yawned, "Man, everything that's happened today… all I wanna do is take a nap." And then collapsed on the bed, curling up like a cute little puppy in front of a blushing Zeeve.
'Okay what the fuck,' Zeeve thought aloud to himself as he stared down at the now sleeping Natalie, as he tried to figure out what the actual hell was going on. 'What does she mean I will say yes, and she gets to do it.' A cold rage built up inside Zeeve's head as his face dropped into a scowl, 'no one tells me what I will do. No one.' Stepping off the bed he stormed out the room and left the sleeping Natalie to her dreams, 'She can be a Lycan,' he continued to think, 'but only I get to decide who I am!'
Grumberling loudly Zeeve stormed out into the front room: he needed to get more snacks when he saw the most peculiar display. There was Stacie in her new giant bod flexing against WeDo who was in his own fused form, posing right back at her.
"No way my muscles are bigger," WeDo declared, as Diana jumped onto his back and ran her hand across his chest,
"I have to agree with them," Diana said seriously with a twinkle in her eye, which Zeeve had only seen her get around the mention of that werewolf Sage.
'What the heck is going on?'
Zeeve walked up, as he looked to the trio, and asked, "What the heck are you three doing?"
Stacie turned around, and smirked, "Oh, we're just doing a body building standoff here. When these two fused, they make a powerhouse. And I just wanted to compare the two before…" Stacie suddenly yawned, as she shrank back to her usual Lycan form, "Ah, forget it. I'm tuckered out after today." She walked back inside, and then crashed on the couch, "Night, everybody."
Zeeve blinked at the sudden crash, as suddenly, the twins changed back too, and started to yawn, as Win nodded, "Yeah, I'm starting to get sleepy too."
Wan looked to Diana, and asked, "Hey, is there a place for us to crash, Diana?"
Diana nodded and pointed to the floor, "Oh yes there are some rather comfy spots on the rugs if you would like," she said with a devilish smile. Still the twins reaction caused her to laugh even louder as she waved for them to follow. "Come on there are a few guest rooms for you all to share," she said hapily before turning back to Zeeve and asking. "Hey, are you coming?"
Zeeve frowned and shook is head plopping down on the couch, "I will be fine here for tonight," he said grumberling as he looked up and through a skylight. "I like watching the stars."
Diana arched an eyebrow as she asked, "So what happened between you and Natalie?" A silence blew over the two, as the twins wandered in to find their guest rooms, leaving Stacie plopped on the couch sprawled face first on it, looking rather unlady-like. However, Diana crossed her arms, as she stated, "You know, you're not a very good liar, Zeeve." And half-smirked, "Which I guess is one of the things why Natalie likes you so much."
Zeeve rolled his eyes, "she likes me because I am honest unlike some people," he said cooly, giving Diana a dark stare. "And I hope your not going to try and talk to me about how great it is to be a werewolf?"
Diana smirked, "No, I'm not the enthusiastic saleswoman stating you'll be stronger, leaner, and sexier. That's Natalie's department but strictly to sell you on so she won't lose you. If you do get turned it's only because it will be your decision and that it'll put Natalie at ease knowing you won't rush in head first into danger."
Zeeve grumbled, as he looked away, "I get that."
"Do you get that she cares about you a lot," Diana asked, not getting a reply from him. "Yeah, I didn't think so. Dope." Diana yawned, as she stretched out, "Boy, did I get tired all of a sudden."
"Well, you guys were running around, jumping up and down all over the place, roof-hopping, and then fought against a snake-man mutant mad scientist," Zeeve listed out all the reasons for the exhaustion. "It's any wonder you guys aren't half dead already."
Diana walked over to him, "Well, I'm hitting the sack then. My Pomeranian's probably freaking out about all this since she's been locked in my room for some time." She then lightly patted Zeeve on the head, "Good night, oh Knight of our sweet Princess." But then grabbed him by the cuff of his shirt, lifting him up to her eye level as she gave him a warning, "But if I find you hurt Natalie with your old werewolf hunting ways… I'll spay and neuter you to make sure you stay a virgin."
Zeeve however blank expression as he raised a paint can to Diana's eye level said it all. "Diana, put me, the fuck, down," he said slowly.
Dropping Zeeve Diana grumbled as she went off to bed. "Oh you can't take a joke!"
Diana just shrugged away, but then stopped, as she stated, "But I do mean it: Don't hurt Natalie. You'll only hurt her and yourself."
"And what does that mean," Zeeve spat out.
Diana merely turned to look at him, and smirked, "You know for a guy with your rep… you're pretty dumb when it's obvious a girl cares for you so much." And then proceeded to head to her room to go to sleep, leaving the boy half-confused as to what she meant.
Next Chapter: A New Dawn and a New Life
Sorry for the long wait, the-PBG and I were kinda going through a lot of work and personal stuff. Well, mostly work was kinda getting thrown, so it took a while to get this finished. Enjoy and Happy October.