The 701 group stumbled and staggered through the door to their room. Today's PT had been grueling. The Gammas had noted how the canines and the hyaenidae had been steadily improving over the past few months. In turn, they had decided to implement a lap requirement for each student. Not thinking it too difficult, almost all of them made the minimum. All of them, except for Miguno. He had fallen behind his usual pace early on and wasn't able to catch up by the end of the thirty minutes. By the time he made it back to the starting point, the whole combined group was down in a push-up position, staring at their hands in the dewy grass. Damon then told the hyena to do another two laps, and that as soon as he was done everyone could drop.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to pick up my pencil today." Durham said as he massaged his triceps. He, Jack, and Legosi were the only ones who held out long enough for Miguno to come back around. Collot and Voss, however, were unable to endure and dropped about the same time. Damon told everyone besides his brother and Ana to drop when Miguno got back, then spoke to the group again. "As a team, we win together, we lose together. Everyone take thirty seconds then get back into position. You've got another two laps, Miguno."

This started a painful cycle of attempts and failures that lasted the entirety of the second half-hour. Durham started dropping about fifteen minutes in, followed by Legosi at twenty. The only one who never dropped without being told to do so was Jack, much to the surprise of everyone. His arms were now trembling as he started to undress, but he had a proud smile on his face.

"I'm sorry guys. I should have been faster." Miguno said as he splayed out on the floor, his legs were completely spent.

"It's okay. We should have held out longer." Collot replied as he started rolling his shoulders.

Voss spoke up in a rather soft voice. "I don't even know why I'm going. It's not like it matters how strong or fast I am."

"It's like Damon said, we're a team. We do better together." Legosi assured the fennec who appeared far more passive than usual.

"Damn. Hello Jack." Durham said before letting out a wolf whistle. The rest of the dorm turned their attention to the labrador and all shared looks of varying astonishment. The dog typically changed in the bathroom, only stripping down in the early Summer when everyone had to shed their Winter coats. Now he was changing in the open like Durham, showing off a whole new physique that had been developing. His soft chest and pudgy stomach were now gone, replaced by well-defined pectorals and a solid six-pack. While his arms weren't much bigger, they mimicked Legosi's in their definition. The same went for his legs, which had helped him to pass his lap requirement by two.

The sudden shifting of eyes to him immediately made Jack self-conscious. He started to clutch his fresh uniform tighter to his body to block their view. "What? What is it?"

"The fuck you mean, 'What is it?' Have you looked in the mirror lately? You're getting ripped!" Voss exclaimed, having snapped out of his downtrodden spell. He dropped his voice and inched his head in. "Are you meat doping?"

The labrador's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Of course not! I'd never even think of doing something like that!"

"Voss is right though, man. When did this even happen? We've been working out a bit, sure, but you look like you've been at it for a year or more." Though Collot wasn't exactly a health expert, he had a few buddies in the city who did body-building competitions. From what he knew, this kind of progress shouldn't be possible.

"Are you feeling any different? Like finding yourself doing things you usually wouldn't?" Legosi chimed in.

"No. Not really." Jack was looking for an out and found one in the clock hanging up on the wall. "We all need to get ready, guys. We're not going to have enough time to eat and get to class otherwise." He then beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom.

The rest of the dorm looked at each other. Still unsure of the sudden change in the dog.

Nomad crunched down on some cereal. He was enjoying the sweetness of the milk until he saw a Holstein Fresian cow walk past the table. The Spartan proceeded to swallow hard and let his spoon sink into the breakfast soup.

"What? Something wrong with the dairy here?" Damon asked in English with a snarky smile. He was enjoying a warm bean stuffed pastry, his usual selection when it was available.

Not wanting to show his nerve, Nomad naturally flipped into unhinged mode. "Oh no, I was just thinking about getting up and asking her if I could get some from the tap."

The medic shook his head. "You are one sick bastard."

"If I'm a bastard…" He replied, nodding his head back to his brother.

"So what do you guys say when you switch to your language?" Durham asked outright. Much of the table had been listening in but were not able to understand anything.

"Most of the time it's jokes at your expense." Nomad answered, not hesitating. He then quit his straight faced expression and smiled. "No, but really, it's nothing important. If it is, then you'll probably figure it out without us saying anything."

"That's not concerning at all." Voss said from his mini table.

"Eh, hope for the best and plan for the worst." The Spartan shrugged and looked over his shoulder to where the last Gamma element was.

Ana sat at another table amongst a few large female carnivores, one being Sheila who she sat across from. It had been almost a month since break ended and she had joined this new group for meals. Bethany, a snow leopard, a third year, and one of Sheila's roommates, sat next to the cheetah. She always appeared a bit bulky, though it was more because of her thick spotted fur than anything else. Her voice purred with a tone that rode the line between soothing and sultry, and her gaze was always smooth when she looked about. It came as no surprise to the group when she talked about playing young men for expensive first dates and never bothering to call them back. At the end of the feline's side was Aurelia, a first-year mountain lion who shared the same short fur as Sheila, albeit with no pattern and a much more filled out build. She stayed silent most of the time, unless it was to throw in a snarky comment on Bethany's lifestyle. Being her younger adopted sister, the cougar didn't have much to fear in the form of retaliation besides a witty comeback. They reminded Ana of the twins, though she kept that to herself. As for the two animals on her side of the table, the Spartan was already vaguely familiar with them. The wolf that sat next to her let herself be drawn in by Bethany's tales, her tail swishing back and forth in intrigue. Inevitably after their meals, Sheila would tell her juniors in the Drama Club that they shouldn't treat relationships with such frivolousness. This still didn't stop Juno from wanting to know everything about boys and what makes them tick. The dog on the end, Jill, couldn't care less about the exploits she heard all the time. Instead, she put earbuds in and tried to sleep on her folded up forearms.

"What about you, tall, strong, and beautiful? You wrestle down any boys during your stay here?" Bethany said, leaning her head towards Ana. "Or perhaps you like to stick with your species." Her eyes cleanly swept over the Spartan's shoulder. "One of them is looking this way now."

Nomad watched in shock as the entirety of the female table, minus Jill, locked onto him. He maintained contact just long enough to get a clear view of Juno, and then both of them immediately spun their heads forward again.

"Has anyone ever told you you're smooth with the ladies?" Voss asked. "Cause you're not."

"Bite me, pipsqueak. I doubt you've even gone on a date." Nomad replied, a hand raised to cover his forehead.

"Actually. I have." The fennec announced with pride.

"The sandbag with arms doesn't count, Voss." Collot countered, receiving a few stray laughs from those not currently eating, except for Nomad who clearly had more on his mind.

Back at the girl's table, all attention had moved to Juno who was staring down at her clasped hands. Her tail was going haywire behind her, swiping about quickly before stopping again. Her cheeks were red and Ana wasn't sure if she was breathing or not until a long exhale came out.

"Everything okay, Juno?" Sheila asked with concern.

"You don't know? She and Nomad went to see Winter Safari Tournament together, though they haven't talked much afterward." The lack of a correction from the canine only served to confirm Ana's claim.

"Really? Is it like a hair preference thing? There's a really preppy Jonangi in my class. Probably be a safer choice." The cougar suggested, tapping her spoon to her lip as she thought about the hairless dog.

"I don't think it's about physical preference, Ari. I think it's something a little deeper." Bethany reached forward and slipped a claw under Juno's chin. She turned it sideways to make sure the claw's blunt side was the portion making contact, and slowly tilted the wolf's head upwards. "First time in love, huh?"

Juno jerked her head back. "What!? How could you even know something like that?"

"Trust me, I have a knack for these things." Bethany answered with confidence.

Ana shook her head, already agreeing with the snow leopard's assessment. "Still don't know what you see in that oddball. Damon, maybe. He's at least got half a brain cell."

"That's a pretty cruel descriptor for your own kind." Aurelia pointed out.

"Trust me, you'd be pretty cruel too if you had to live in the dirt with them for days on end. Learning land navigation was the worst." Ana looked over to the still squirming canine. "The dolt you're thinking about now couldn't chart his way out of an open field if you gave him a map. Always make sure you're leading if you go on another date."

"I… I'll…" Juno wanted to combat the advice. This wasn't the way her life was supposed to go. She is supposed to meet another gray wolf. One who is strong and handsome, but docile enough for her to do as she pleased to meet her goals. It was all for the sake of constructing her perfect image as a carnivore, but she had hit a bump in the road somewhere last Fall. Ever since she had held his offered hand, her dreams for the future have been hijacked by the foreign warrior. He was nothing like the boys she had on the posters in her room. While he was kind to her and her friend, she knew from talks with Ana and others that he could be assertive and arrogant at times. She had seen it for herself during the home games that the baseball team had; the wolf having yet to miss one. When the Spartan would hit a home run, he'd blow a kiss to the stands. She knew it was just for show, a way to win the crowd, but a rogue desire wished the gesture was for her. "I'll keep that in mind."

Ana groaned as she stretched her back out, arching enough to get the afternoon sun in her eyes. "What a waste of time. I said I'd go with you from now on, but I'm not sure how much more I can stand with these losers." She said as she walked in step with the Bengal Tiger next to her.

"Seriously. I'd rather swim with concrete shoes than sit through another one of those pity parties." Bill added on. He stopped and thumbed across the street to a fast food place. "Want to grab something to eat before heading back?"

The two were returning from another of the big cat's anger management sessions. Having finished off her treatment for the time being, Ana figured she could kill two birds with one stone, in a manner of speaking. She could make sure that relations between her and Bill remained steadfast through an act of solidarity, and she could show that she was still improving herself for the sake of the club. While she was indeed achieving the goals, it was coming at the price of her patience. Ana and Bill felt very out of place in the group as a whole. Most were males of all sizes who were court ordered to attend the meetings. Domestic abusers, battery and assault convicts on parole, and road ragers were typical attendees. All of them seemed to blame someone or something else for their actions. Despite not even being adults, both the Spartan and the Tiger knew that what had happened between them was entirely their fault.

"Sure. Beats having to rearrange the lights again because, 'The audience needs to have perfect focus. Anything that brings them out of the scene is unacceptable.'" She mocked, putting on her best Louis impression, getting a little chuckle out of Bill as they marched along the crosswalk. "Like I don't already know that. Not to mention it's impossible not to be taken out of the scene because your character is somehow supposed to be beating three different large carnivores? With a sword? Give me a break." She opened the door letting Bill go in first.

The eyes of the establishment turned to the unlikely duo as per usual. However, it was refreshing to see some people turn back to their meals and conversations sooner rather than later. The Spartans were a spectacle everywhere they went, but being on the news and seen around town so much had dimmed the mystery around them. Now it was more likely that they'd get requests to take pictures than any sort of harsh glares or whispers. Of course, they always were declined where Ana was concerned.

Bill just shrugged as he got in line to give his order. "Yeah, but that's the appeal of Adler. Everyone loves an underdog."

Ana huffed at his statement. "Well, underdogs usually get their asses kicked in the real world."

After ordering and receiving their meals, they sat down at a square table up against a wall. Around halfway through a veggie patty burger, Ana stopped to speak. "Have you noticed Legosi acting weird recently?"

The big cat did not even stop chewing to answer. "Well yeah, it's Legosi. That guy is always weird."

"No, I mean like more than usual. While we've been working on costumes or adjusting lights, he is always repositioning to get further away. He's also stopped our training."

He chuckled in a wicked way. "Poor pup is probably scared. You did nearly knock his teeth out."

"Don't remind me." She put two fingers to her temple and leaned on them, looking at her food. It was now even less appetizing than when she had read it on the menu board.

"And I don't think you get to be bummed about it, Miss Commando. Neither of us have the breathing room to not be our best. I'm sure he'll come around. Just don't put too much pressure on him."

The Spartan immediately straightened up. She was actually caught off guard by Bill's advice. It was not often she considered his words to have much use. "You're right. Just got to keep our heads down and keep working." Despite agreeing with the big cat, Ana still wished she was on good terms with Legosi. Can't have everything you want all at once.

Bill obnoxiously slurped the last remnants of his soda before pointing to the Spartan's plate. "You gonna finish that?"

She waved a dismissive hand over her food. "Be my guest."

He eagerly grabbed the edges of her plastic tray and brought it over to his side. Before long he had finished her meal as well and the two left to make their way back to school.

While most of the animals left their biology hour appearing relaxed and recharged, the Gammas exited the human room looking worn but still ecstatic. Sweat made their white shirts and baggy red windbreaker pants cling to their bodies.

The inside of the room had been completely redone by the trio of students. The flooring had been ripped away and replaced with black padding to cushion the falling of weights. The walls were now lined with acoustic panels, letting the three blast music at a level that would have disturbed their neighbors otherwise. Finally, a multitude of machines had been broken down and reassembled inside, allowing them to do full body weighted workouts at their leisure. They still preferred to do the exercises as a unit, naturally preferring the feeling of struggling together rather than alone.

The medic waved goodbye to the group as he pulled ahead to get out quicker. They had hit the rooms during their peak hours because of Damon's schedule, and many of the other species were now on their way out as well. He spotted a particular alpaca as he flowed out from one of the side halls, and moved forward with a smirk.

"Hey Tem, she's right behind you." The Spartan patted the herbivore on the back before jogging past, a look of confusion on the animal's face. Damon looked over his shoulder again as he saw Ana close in on the dumbstruck Tem. The medic just faced forward again as he went up the stairs, sure that he'd hear how it played out tomorrow morning.

Damon clocked out for the night, having pulled a full shift because of how many animals were down with a bug that was going around. It had left only him and the old Komodo dragon. The two had become a rather solid duo. Despite having to push themselves to get the latest delivery unloaded, they were in good spirits. Both had a strong work ethic that the boss sincerely appreciated. The bonobo even insisted on making tonight's hours time-and-a-half for how much slack they were picking up.

Once Gosha had clocked his ticket, he took a few longer strides to catch up to the blacked out beast. Damon noticed the dragon's efforts and turned to address him. "Something I can do for you, sir?"

"Nothing really, I was just seeing if you had a moment to chat." Even with the darkness of the night, Damon could make out the lizard's ever reassuring smile. He had done some more research on reptile species since he started working nearly a month ago. The prospect of the old man storing the natural equivalent of hydrochloric acid in his mouth made him respect the restraint and self-discipline he must have to keep those around him safe.

The shadowy figure pulled out his phone to check the time, the light of the screen bouncing off his glasses. "It's rather late, but I can make some time."

"It won't take but a few minutes. Promise." Just as Gosha stopped speaking, dual bright beams appeared from the construction area. Both turned to see the foreman's truck and they stepped aside to let him pass. Now truly alone, the dragon flicked his tongue and nodded with his eyes closed. His smile dipped, his expression now appearing disappointed. "I know you're not a hybrid."

The Spartan lightly lifted his foot and brought it back, his stance now staggered. "What does it matter to you?"

Gosha noticed the movement but did not react just yet. "I volunteer at a daycare for mixed species children. I have memorized a lot of their scents just so that I could track them down if they were ever in trouble. While you have a hint of primate in your sweat, your scent is entirely unique."

Damon felt like making a run for it. For all his strength, the old man wouldn't beat him in a dead sprint. He wasn't sure what the lizard was alluding to, but the odds of the confrontation leading into a conflict seemed to be rising every second. "Listen, old man, I don't have a problem with you or anyone. If you don't want me coming around anymore, fine, I won't. I don't want to fight you."

The lizard's face went blank for a moment, but he quickly shook out of it in a concerned jolt. "Oh no no no! I'm so sorry. I think I was coming off wrong." He had raised his hands up trying to disarm the situation. "It's just… I think I know who you are. Does the name Jack ring a bell?"

The medic was now doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out how the young school-going labrador knew a blue collar Komodo dragon who was getting up in his years. "I don't know who you're talking about." Even though he tried denying it, the split-second hesitation was enough for Gosha to pick up on it.

The reptile continued his explanation, either not believing or just flat out ignoring Damon's response. "He keeps me updated on what goes on in his dorm, and lets me know that my grandson is doing okay."

What are the fucking odds? Damon sighed and straightened up from his slightly crouched position, his body recognizing that there'd be no showdown today. "Alright. You got me. Now what?"

Gosha brought his hands together, trying to hide his claws. "Well, I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me how Legosi is doing." Some scattered pieces of the greater puzzle were coming together for the medic. Everyone else in the 701 dorm had left for Winter Break, all except for the labrador and the wolf, but he knew that Jack had a family as he'd talked about gifts he'd been sent for the holidays. Then there was the physical resemblance. The way that the lizard hunched over was a one-for-one of how Legosi looked in the mornings. Not to mention the eyes which were uncanny copies. "I know I said Jack updates me, but he doesn't give a whole lot of details. He said it's not his place and I respect that, but you're the one who leads the physical training in the morning, right?"

"How did you figure that one out?" The Spartan was slightly perturbed with just how much the lizard was able to clue in on. It was hard for any outsider to tell the identical twins apart.

The dragon let out a hearty laugh. "It's in the way you carry yourself. I watch the Cherryton Baseball Team games and have seen your brother. You have a certain… rigidity to your movements, whereas he is a bit more animated."

He's got a keen eye. Was he some sort of detective? Hell, I don't think Ana has ever brought that up before.

While Damon tried to decide what to do, Gosha moved his hands to his arms, rubbing them up and down as he tried to warm up. "I hope you don't mind, but might we be able to talk more at my apartment? The chill gets into these old bones easily when I stand still for too long. It isn't far."

"Sure." The massive black shape followed the lizard, his curiosity overriding his want to return to the dorms. He had found he could go around two days before needing a four hour rest to be at his best again, not that he particularly enjoyed it.

On the way the two passively talked about nothing of importance. Just as he'd said, the apartment was not far, a mere three blocks away, and it still put the medic closer to the metro than he had been.

They came to the entrance of the apartment complex. It was a square shaped two story structure with apartments whose fronts faced inwards. In the center of the square was a courtyard that sported a marble fountain flanked by benches. Inside the fountain were several statues of small mammals, both carnivores and herbivores, that held hands in a circle. Must be a more inclusive community here.

Gosha put a scaled finger in front of his maw and Damon nodded in response. They skirted the inner walls of the complex until they made it to the stairs. The two quietly rose up the steps and continued until the lizard stopped at one of the doors. He reached into his pocket to pull out a ring of keys. It took the older carnivore a moment to find the right one before he inserted it in the lock and opened the way. Once inside, the dragon slipped off his work boots and the Spartan did the same.

Gosha gestured to the couch that seemed relatively unused. "Please have a seat. Care for some tea? I have a few different kinds."

Damon sat as he peered about, not fully leaning back into the furniture. "I'll have whatever you're having, sir."

The lizard nodded. "Black tea it is then." He then moved to the kitchenette where he retrieved a teapot and filled it with water.

The young man made a careful sweep over his surroundings, eventually spotting a cabinet with a glass of water, rice, and two pictures of female wolves dividing them, along with one more picture of a wee wolf. The tea was soon ready and the dragon poured him a glass.

Damon pulled off his shades and mask, figuring there wasn't much of a need for it. He then nodded to the cabinet. "Family?"

The old man's smile widened, but his eyes carried an ever mourning sadness. "Yes. My wife, Toki, our daughter, Leano, and her son whom you've met, Legosi."

The medic didn't make any more assumptions. The lizard was speaking without a hushed voice, and he didn't see any sign of any other people living here.

Gosha went ahead and removed any ambiguity on the matter, pouring his own cup and sitting in a plush chair next to the couch. "Legosi is the only blood that I have left, but I've made it a point to stay out of his life for his sake. He's been through a lot, and my presence would only be another burden."

"From what I know about you sir, I can't say I fully understand your reasoning. In fact, I'd say he could use some guidance from someone with experience." Damon picked up his cup and took a sip. When Gosha didn't respond right away, the Spartan could feel the tension start to build. He had definitely made the air awkward. He rubbed the porcelain container with his thumb. "I apologize if that's overstepping."

The old man had fallen into a deep thought at the idea of Legosi going through these past few years without him. If he had wanted me in his life he would have called, right? Did I do wrong? Should I have tried to keep close? His smile was completely gone now as he stared down at his carpet floors.

Damon tried to bend down and get within Gosha's line of sight. "Uh, sir?"

The view of the human brought the dragon back to reality. When he moved to speak, an oily green substance started to run down his maw. Only a few drops managed to drop off his chin, but they were enough. A sizzling sound began emanating from the floor. The Spartan watched as the liquid ate through the carpet, burning a hole through the material and revealing a plastic underlay.

"Huh." Was all the human said.

As Gosha got around to getting his condition under control, he brought his hands together and bowed his head slightly. "I am very sorry about that. It is very difficult for me to control my venom glands where my family is concerned. I am very… passionate." He stood up from his seat, still looking down at the hole in the material below him. "I need to clean this up." He then moved to the cabinet to retrieve some cleaning solution along with towels.

"It's okay, sir. I'm sorry about bringing the subject up. Do you need any help?" Damon was about to stand from the couch when Gosha locked onto him.

"NO! Please." The firm tone of voice set the Spartan back. "Thank you. It is best if you don't even get near the area." The old man got down on his knees to spitz the solution on the floor and begin soaking it up with the towels. "And do not worry about what you said. There was nothing wrong about it. I just believed it was better for him to socialize with his fellow canines and other animals his age, like Jack. He has been a good friend to him, and from what I hear, you Spartans have been keeping the whole dorm busy." Like that, the calm kindness of the lizard returned to him.

Damon's brain immediately shot to the instance of running into the wolf in the hall. His bloodied maw, wild eyes, and terrified movement. The Spartan's conclusion had led to Legosi being further harassed upon his arrival at his own room. There was also the incident of Nomad beating better morale into the labrador, an act which had produced surprisingly decent results.

He swallowed another sip of the tea hard. "We're beings of action. We do our best to prepare, and react when we're needed."

The lizard chuckled, placing the used towels into a plastic bag. On the side of the bag, it had what equated to a biohazard symbol. "Sounds like the story of my life." He tossed the bag into a secondary trash can that sat adjacent to one meant for normal disposables before finally sitting back down.

Damon sat back a little further, letting himself relax. "Not sure if Jack has written about this, but Legosi is very athletic, even when compared to other wolves." He laughed as he thought of a proposal Nomad and the Coyote tried to make. "My brother and Durham tried to recruit him to the baseball team here recently. They were convinced the coach would make an exception since he's never tried out before, but your grandson is fully dedicated to the Drama Club."

Gosha nodded, satisfied with the decision. "I tried to teach him to stick with prior commitments for as long as possible. Only break away when something of greater importance comes along."

Damon agreed with the statement and the two continued to talk for a long while. When the Spartan finished his tea and noted the now excessively late hour, he said goodbye to the old man. After redonning his obscuring accessories, he stepped back outside and quietly slipped out of the apartment complex. Crossing back over the threshold of the entrance, he stopped in his tracks when the feeling of something watching him struck once more. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the lights of a car as it turned into a parking lot. With the beams passing over the sidewalk, he spotted what he was dreading. For just a moment there was an out of place shimmer in the air, like refraction waves off of pavement in the summertime before it faded away. He sighed and looked towards it, making a summoning motion with his hand.

The young man didn't hear anything until a gravelly voice spoke from right beside him. "Good morning, Ensign. Mind if we have a talk?"