Chapter 20 - Keep in Touch…or Not
With Wolf and Snake stuck in their own situations, Diane and Webs decided to cover the area they were in. It didn't take too long. Sort of. New targets around the slightly ruined Queen Victoria Market were left confused by the disappearances of other Eden Apples and criminals roaming around. Webs had to pull her hood over her face to hide from them.
Webs was currently holding onto Diane's shoulder, her hood threatening to fly off as the fox jumped through numerous rooftops. The added weight of the leather jacket would make it heavier for Diane to move around, but at least she was capable of taking the quicker way.
Was the small tarantula afraid? Maybe. She already had experience with holding onto Shark's shoulder. Nothing could compare against him whenever he moved or danced around too hard. Clinging onto Diane was still new since she had to hold on to not fall off. But she still enjoyed the thrills. Webs reminded herself to not look down, laughing sheepishly when she saw the deep gap below upon another jump.
"What really steered Wolfie away for this long?" asked Webs. "Usually, he never takes a pee break like this."
"I wonder if Snake knows about this," agreed Diane, briefly stopping on one rooftop to chat properly. "He made it vague about his absence. And why were they separated?"
"Wolf can have the most reckless plans," pointed out Webs. "Or they're in different worlds."
As Diane hopped to another building, they got what they were looking for.
They did hear through the earpieces that Snake was stuck in an apartment. It looked like Wolf came to his rescue. Unfortunately, that meant being surrounded by a bunch of police cops, with the only other option to run into the busy street.
Strangely, the body of Baron was with the duo alongside an older wolf similar to Wolf.
Webs swallowed hard, noticing how close the cops were to shooting their tasers at her friends. There were too many cops for the trio to handle, as evidenced by Snake whipping out a white napkin in hopes of making a truce.
A strange smell came near her. Diane sniffed before finding it akin to caffeine. It seemed to be coming to the now-faint turquoise smoke spewing from the apartment ground.
Webs' voice was hoarse when she asked the dreadful question. "Is that what really happened in Centralway Mall?"
Diane bit her lip, anxious. "Yes. Maybe without the colorful smoke."
"Looks like those guys need our help. I don't remember if they can take this many."
Back below, Gumbo was shaking his head many times in annoyance as he and a few other cops slowly marched to the trio.
Snake was still waving the white napkin, trying to make peace.
The disguised Stanley was trying to put himself in front of the two Bad Guys.
Meanwhile, Wolf decided to do what he was best at whenever he didn't have a car.
Wolf chuckled, letting in his sly, charismatic smile. "Sir, I can explain here-"
"I think you already caused enough trouble, mate," said Gumbo, twirling around a pair of handcuffs.
"On your knees!" barked one of the cops. "Now!"
"Look, we're kind of busy here," said Snake. "So how about you let us be and promise not to do anything stupid again!"
"This city isn't your barbie here," grumbled one cop.
"Cause we don't have beef in this city," muttered Wolf half-heartedly.
Gumbo crossed his arms. "You're not gonna rest, are you? How about this? You come in peacefully and tell me what's going on. The chief will be interested in helping."
That was something the two Bad Guys didn't expect. And they didn't have permission to let the police help them since this was an undercover mission. This could risk their chance of finding the Eden Apples and returning home safely!
"Wait, what?!" shouted Wolf and Snake in unison.
"Yeah, what?" joined Stanley, trying to keep the mask on. "We're not in negotiations."
"Drop that crap," said Gumbo. "I'm not that hella stupid. Whoever is leading you must be a terrible person. They might not know you like-"
He was proven wrong when Diane jumped right in. Fully in her ninja disguise with the headgear over her head. Her appearance could be passed off as a human, but the fox tail visible was one thing that confused the cops in front of her. She wasted no time by grabbing Gumbo by the jaw and swung him around at the surrounding cops.
Wolf, Snake and Stanley watched in shock as the fox tore right through the cops. And for a good reason as well. The screaming crocodile's spiked tail and thick feet slapped right into every single cop in the street. She swung so fast that it looked like a spin-top toy crashing into toy soldiers. After wiping up every cope, she threw Gumbo upwards and slammed a fist underneath his chin.
The crocodile had a much softer landing on top of the front screen of a police car, but the several punches took their toll and he was out like a light.
Stanley was breathing heavily in fear, managing to stay in front of Wolf and Snake. However, Wolf lowered his father's arm when he recognized the ninja's outfit.
Alongside the dizzy Webs on her shoulder.
Diane casually strutted towards the three men and once she could hear no groan from the unconscious cops, she peeled off her headgear.
Snake snorted, jealous. "Nice stealing the show, Foxington."
The impressed Wolf only nodded, but he was also concerned. "You know you didn't need to come in this hard."
"I heard that you did a huge number on the crocodile," pointed out Diane, stretching her arms upwards. "A lot of cardio done today…"
"Would it be alright if we can just use tranquilizer darts next time?" asked Webs, adjusting her beanie. "And some warm clothes?"
"We would need plenty," said Snake. "Aussie blood won't exactly die down by one dart."
"Hope you got the money to do so," teased Wolf.
"And who's this guy with you?" asked Diane.
Wolf and Snake stepped back to allow Stanley to be seen.
The older wolf's eyes widened upon recognizing the LA governor herself standing in front of him. It was a fever dream. He glanced at the nearby Snake, asking if it was really her. The reptile could only give a look to say, 'you would wish it was a dream'. Stanley turned back to Diane, quickly adjusting his coat jacket.
"Well…erm…Governor Foxington?" Stanley awkwardly took off the cap and mask, revealing his timid grin. "Nice to meet you?"
Diane chuckled when he crossed his arms. The same way Wolf did before he was asked for a dance. The two were quite alike! "Don't need to be too formal. This is just between me and you."
"And who may you be, big guy?" cooed Webs.
When Stanley's eyes saw the tarantula, he screamed.
"Hold on! Hold on!" barked Wolf, grabbing his trembling father's shoulders. "This is our friend as well."
"R-Right, right," stuttered Stanley, his eyes bugging out. "It's…it's just a spider. A talking spider!"
The ruffled Webs crossed her arms.
"Do we need to take out the spray?" asked Diane. "Because we cannot have a random guy looking into this."
Wolf immediately stepped forward. "Wait, Diane. Please don't do it. He's…" He hesitated. But why should he? What was he afraid of? "...he's my father. I'm not kidding you."
Much like Snake's reactions, the two girls were surprised by this reveal. They glanced back at the nervous Stanley to the sober Wolf. The facial similarities were printed on their faces. Diane was gaping at the discovery. Webs covered her mouth to hold back a gasp.
Diane's words were slow and careful. "Your father still lives here?"
"Unfortunately," said Stanley, wiggling his fingers in blase humor.
Webs didn't know what to say. "I…I thought…" She nearly wanted to say she believed Wolf's parents passed away a long time ago, but that opinion didn't feel right.
"No, it's really him," said Snake earnestly. "Webs, Diane, this is Stanley Chutney."
Stanley wasn't sure if this reveal was good or not. But from what he was feeling at the moment, his presence shouldn't be involved for too long. Who knew that he would end up seeing the other three infamous Bad Guys and a high-ranked governor? He cast a look at Diane. She looked untouchable. It scared him.
How Wolf was comfortable around Diane, even treating her like an ordinary friend, was foreign.
Stanley was completely out of place.
At the sound of a worry, his ear flicked up to try to hear it. He swore he heard it. And then, he remembered what it might be. It could be back. The older wolf noticed his vision blurring out again. He shook his head slightly before the entire world could spin. He didn't feel ready to introduce himself fully.
But he couldn't really leave his son. Would he understand?
Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat to speak clearly. "I'll…let you all do what you need to do. As…secret spies? Considering Foxington is leading you to do this…Agent P and D work?"
Technically, he wasn't wrong.
"Yeah," answered Webs, grinning a little too enthusiastically.
"Hold on there," said Diane, crossing her arms. "How can we know that you won't spill the beans?"
"He's a cop and he could have bailed me and Snake out immediately," pointed out Wolf. "But he didn't."
Snake shot a look at Wolf, freaked out. "He's actually a cop?!"
"Forget it," shot down Stanley quietly. "It's not like it'll matter anyway. And clearly, this IS a business I don't think anyone else has authorized intel on. If this is something my son really has to do, then I'll let you wrap up your business here without interfering. Your 'government' needs you to save the day, right?" His eyes were narrowed, but he did a good job of not directing a glare at Diane. "I promise."
Wolf already knew that his father wasn't lying. He remembered when he pleaded with Wolf to save Snake in the car. Stanley wanted to make it up for him. All against his code as a police cop. The younger wolf felt butterflies in his stomach, unsure how he should owe his gratitude to his father. He didn't deserve such kindness.
However, the other three were growing suspicious. Stanley could mean every word, but he could also be deceiving them. He was a cop, so he had the authority to arrest them or take them down later.
The shame was that they didn't have enough evidence.
Webs hummed, scratching her hip. She would need to do research on him soon.
And for Snake, it was guilt that led to him not defying the older wolf.
Diane sighed in reluctance, crossing her arms. "OK, Mr. Chutney. I'm game. But I can't sugarcoat that the organization I work for will retaliate on you if even a single word is leaked. If you promise not to share anything you saw, we'll repay you for your contribution."
"No, it's fine," said the humble Stanley, waving his hand. "I don't need an award. I can keep for that long…"
The not-so-humble Stanley trailed off, contemplating if it would be good to take it. He glanced at Wolf, asking for help. Despite feeling torn, Wolf offered a giddy smile to try to provoke his father.
"It's usually a large suitcase of cash," said Webs matter-of-factly.
"...can it be anything else?" asked Stanley curiously. "Like…food supplies?"
"It can be possible," said Diane. "Probably a truck of food supplies to last through winter. Like, for example?"
"Maybe a truck of coffee beans and powder?"
"Check!" said Webs, nodding.
Snake grunted. "Sure."
On the other hand, Diane thought of a worrying implication. "I'm scared to say 'yes'."
One last look and Wolf thought that Stanley looked younger suddenly. The younger wolf couldn't help chuckling, knowing this small obsession dragged on. At least that part of his father wasn't gone. This cue allowed Stanley to give in to temptation.
"Deal," he said with an eager grin.
Wolf whistled, kicking a small pebble. "So since you're going, would it be alright if I can…?"
Stanley gave a warm smile, wrapping his arm around his son's back. "I'm a hobo in the same house. Do you remember the address?"
Wolf tilted his head. "Err…it's been a long time! I thought you moved!"
"I'll just make this quick," said Stanley, pulling out a pocket pen. "Does anyone have paper or something?"
Fortunately, Wolf got a couple of paper cards in his vest. Quite a lot, actually, due to how many gadgets he placed in there. With one paper card out, Stanley scribbled down all the information his son would need to know. He sometimes looked upwards to see the unreadable stare from Diane. Yeah, he had to keep his eyes on her. What mitigated his discomfort was the adorable Webs sitting on her head, looking like a toy.
Snake even noticed Diane's black state. The kind of look of appearing intense in opposition towards an unacceptable context. Maybe not, but there was no in-between for Snake. He couldn't blame her as well since Stanley's motives were ambiguous. At least the reptile could tolerate Stanley since he had the right to go against them.
The thought was sad to Snake, responding by his body drooping. For such a short amount of time, he didn't even practice making an apology to Wolf's father.
"If you ever want to visit me," said Stanley, handing over the finished card. "You can come over to visit, son."
Wolf expected to feel sorrow for the generous offer. He thought he would be cut off from it or feel alienated to return to his old home space. However, Stanley's ears standing upwards and his growing smile indicated otherwise. There was hope. The same way when Diane gave him hope two years ago. To those he thought he would be against, they turned the other cheek instead of seeing him plainly as a monster.
Wolf didn't know what he was thinking, but he couldn't help giving his father a big hug again. Immediately, Stanley wrapped his arms around him as well. The two wolves needed this, not wanting to let each other go.
Stanley let himself feel lost in being close to his little cub again. But this cub had already grown up. Wolf remained kind and wise but grew up too fast. It excited him. It daunted him. Stanley's body was beginning to tremble.
Diane dropped the initial coldness she wore. While she had her doubts, it was wholesome to see Wolf reunited with his father. Something she considered a few times before. She got her head stuck in business, so she should let it go.
Snake looked away, feeling awkward. That was when he met Webs smiling in relief. She saw him and she offered her smile to him.
Once the two wolves released from their embrace, this gave Snake enough confidence to come forward. In his own way, it was a sorry gift he wanted to pass to the older wolf.
The reptile tried to remain serious as he pulled out a jelly snake robot from his pouch. "Consider this…as a way for saying sorry for…you know. Just take it. I don't…"
Snake was too choked up to finish the rest, but Stanley didn't notice. He was surprised about this offering…of a moving jelly snake. Snake picked it up gently in Stanley's palm. The jelly snake robot turned to him, flickering its fruity tongue.
The older wolf chuckled. It was weird, but he liked it. He didn't mind at all.
"Thank you, Mr. Snake," he said with a warm smile. "This is a nice lolly."
"Just don't eat it," said Snake. "I'm serious. DON'T."
"Don't worry. I'm on a sugar-free diet."
"You wanted coffee powder in exchange," pointed out Webs.
"That doesn't count," laughed Stanley. "I guess…I'll see you all soon."
"Take care, Dad," said Wolf, beaming. "Be safe.
"Nice meeting you, Mr. Chutney!" said Webs cheerily.
With a finishing bow, Stanley walked back to his car. It took quite a while due to needing to move some unconscious cops out of the way. He finally hopped in, checked to see a clear path and slowly drove out of the street, passing the four.
"...I already gave him that spy bot," huffed Snake. "OK, that was a dumb idea. It would give him company, but it'll keep an eye on him."
Diane chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah."
"Yeah…yeah…" muttered Wolf, staring at the car turning around the corner. "This won't be creepy at all."
Clearing her mind, Diane came close to the canine with a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You're alright, Wolf?"
Wolf was able to hide the outpour of emotions already flooding him. He was starting to miss his father. There was an ache in his chest, but it felt…a bit pleasant. It wasn't gonna kill him. It felt more easygoing. He was content.
"I…I think I will be alright," he confirmed.
"You're sure?" asked Webs with an understanding look. "Just in case you…was it hard at first when you two…?"
Wolf nearly shushed her, not wanting to provoke his worries again. For a brief moment, he nearly heard a whisper from the corner. However, it was only faint. It didn't bury the growing hope of reconnecting with his father someday.
"I-It was," he explained, sniffling. "I didn't expect to see him. But when he helped me with finding Snake, we were good. Maybe I'll also have a chance to make it up to him for what I've done."
Snake nearly felt inclined to add in what HE had done, but he decided not to ruin the moment. Instead, he wrapped his tail around Wolf's hand. The canine's fingers wrapped around his, wanting to hold onto something.
Dreary Dream University
Time seemed to have gone pretty quickly. As soon as Wolf was ready, Shadow Squad G went to find Shark and Piranha to decide where they should cover next. They were said to be currently at this university, so they took the easy way by taking the tram.
Needless to say, Snake wasn't happy when the university came into their view from the windows. The moment he saw it, his brows were furrowed in disgust.
"Oh no, no, no!" he hissed. "I thought I clarified that we'll not go further!"
"We aren't," reassured Diane. "We can call them at this distance."
Snake grunted, rolling his eyes. "That building is still in my sight."
Diane glanced at him, concerned. "Just look the other way or you and Wolf could stroll around the shops here."
Wolf, on the other hand, had a different reaction to seeing the university. Not one of disgust. One of pure curiosity. This one looked really familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on it. The window frame of the tram cut the title of the building out. Not a complete picture of what he could see until he could exit.
Webs crawled onto his shoulder, noticing his seemingly lost look.
"I'm guessing you went to this university before?" she asked.
"Never," said Wolf. "I…don't have a university degree or bachelor. Do you have yours?"
Webs shrugged. "I already completed coding and computer classes way above my grade. By the time I left high school, I dropped out like a youth leader."
"And it was around that time you fully moved in with us. Your mother wasn't really happy"
Webs chuckled. "Yeah. Though, I'm technically an adult already."
The tram came to a stop and the four were in for a surprise to see a sulking Fuchsia hopping on. She was covered in bruises and a bandage wrapped around her right eye. Piranha didn't come up, but he made sure her feet were touching inside the tram and not on the public ground.
Despite her injured state, Fuchsia still had the tenacity to protest. "Pepe. Just me at them!"
Piranha chuckled, trying hard not to smile widely. "Chica, I'm not dealing with a restraining order when you're around me."
"Not unless we run away from the crime scene!"
"Look, distract yourself with healthy distractions. I promise that someday we'll go to the university again and we'll beat those jocks until they have no more teeth. For now, there's so much to discover here!"
Piranha was clearly lying through his teeth, but eventually, Fuchsia relented. "Geez, alright."
"See ya," sassed Piranha with a grin. "Don't wanna be ya."
"...that was horrible."
"But it rhymes!"
Fuchsia rolled her eyes, not paying attention to Diane and the three Bad Guys jumping out of the tram. Piranha immediately brightened up, waving at them with a cheerful smile.
"Wait, she was with you the entire time?!" said Snake, watching over his shoulder to see the tram rolling away with the brooding Fuchsia.
"She spied on me," said Piranha, crossing his arms. "For her helicopter parents."
"Ooh, Hornet is not gonna like this," remarked Webs.
"He might be happy if her parents knew that me and her dealt with a gym filled with basketball boys."
Diane's eyes widened. This didn't happen, did it? "I'm sorry, what?"
"Oh, Fuchsia annoyed some jocks playing basketball," explained Piranha casually. "I passed by and saw her getting into a ruckus with them after being kicked out by security. According to her, if she couldn't record what I was doing, then her parents would spy on me then. Though, I think she learnt her lesson."
An annoyed Wolf knelt down on one knee, a finger underneath Piranha's chin to pull him closer. "Piranha. Did you get injured AND convince ambulances to come here?"
"Oh, no," reassured Piranha. "I only broke 32 teeth today!"
"That's like the normal number of teeth an adult usually has," snarked Snake.
"Eh, the total number of teeth lost came from the 20 men, but who's counting? Surprising thing: Fuchsia managed to wreck one guy by pushing a heavy cart. She took too long, but better than nothing. It's funny; as he was pulled out, he complained that he would miss his big performance debut tonight at this university. Well, the only cast he'll ever get to play is a full-body cast."
Piranha chuckled to himself. And then he slapped himself in the face.
"Sorry, I shouldn't be laughing."
Wolf sighed in exasperation, placing a hand over his forehead. Snake didn't look like he cared at all. Diane was just staring at where the tram was before. Where Fuchsia was last seen at. Meanwhile, Webs decided not to overthink what Fuchsia exactly did.
"Where's Shark?" asked Webs. "Is he here as well?"
"Don't worry," said Piranha. "He's alright! Last I checked, he's almost done!"
Unknown to them, Shark, Thelma and Spalding were already at the university's front entrance, their tour ending. Shark was the last of the tour group since the rest ran off for other scheduled activities. The disguised shark was waving a poster around like a fanboy, wanting to show off the special performance tonight at this university.
"I'm surprised that the drama club is free for all!" he said, still using the same high-pitched voice. "Though, I'm guessing there's no proper auditions to get backstage?"
Thelma raised her eyebrows in a way to share his surprise. "Yep. They'll allow new members or those interested to join to check up on those who will be performing. As long as they don't go on stage."
"It's still not free," reminded Spalding. "You need to pay online membership to join. And the ticket to the play."
"Oh, I'm sure I will!" said Shark, patting the two dogs on their shoulders. "The world's a stage and to enter it, you must earn it! I know that it'll be a good show! Oh, just wondering, is the drama club the cool one?"
"Not in high quality," muttered Thelma.
"Oh well. Agree to disagree!"
"Well, you won't see a couple of rotten apples or a…" Spalding trailed off when he spotted the infamous Bad Guys in the distance. "...a couple of Bad Guys?!"
Thelma took longer to process this. "...WHAT?!"
As if on cue, Shadow Squad G noticed Thelma and Spalding staring at them. Immediately, Wolf stepped behind Diane, but this didn't seem to work since he was a head taller. Snake's aloof nature slowly declined, trying not to recoil. Though, Piranha and Webs were clueless, waving casually at Shark.
Thelma's face burned. She whipped her head towards Shark and back at the Bad Guys. After imagining him without the wig, she ripped the wig, with no warning, off Shark's head.
SHRRRP!
"OUCHIE!" yelled Shark dramatically. "MY HAIR! MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR!"
Spalding's right eye twitched, outraged. "You're not Sandy Griffiths!"
Thelma sighed sadly, dropping the wig. "Talk about the world as a stage…"
The embarrassed Shark could only look down, his disguise falling apart to switch back to his purple spy suit. Knowing that he blew it, he trudged back to his squad.
"Thelma," said Spalding sternly. "I knew that this shark was bad news."
"In my defense," argued Thelma. "He looked like an actual girl."
"No, he didn't! But I didn't expect him to be a criminal, huh?"
"Y-Yeah," stuttered Thelma, her confident exterior deteriorating. "Of…of course. He…he did all that act to sneak right in, right? Right? With this acting and…"
"Clearly obvious," growled Spalding.
Thelma wanted to point out that her father didn't do anything as well, but she valued breathing over facing his wrath. She looked down at her feet as her father approached the squad.
Excluding Wolf and Snake forcibly hardening themselves, the squad wasn't sure if they weren't meant to feel scared by this. Webs crawled back onto Shark's shoulder and she saw the guilty look on his face. Considering they messed with someone who worked at this university, this undercover mission might not go as well as they thought.
The pug gave the impression that every word he would say, he meant it. He ruffled the collar of his suit, sharp with his jacket and tie. If as a child, you would see him as a force to not invoke. His eyes slowly turned from welcoming to displeasure, immediate dislike written on them. If you connected him back to his role as the university's chancellor, then you would feel you have no chance against him.
And that was what led to him standing his own ground to the fierce-looking animals. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the California criminals, the Bad Guys. Fitting name for a bunch of freeloaders. I'm surprised one of you has the nerve to come here. You want something from my ground?"
The pitch in his voice was low, gravel. Shark gulped upon hearing this. He didn't know how rough Spalding could be.
"Now, hold on a second," said Shark, holding his hands up. "If we really did a robbery, then the whole team would have been here in the first place. I was merely here for an inspection."
Spalding's response was an ignorant eye roll. "It's not like I'm hiding any illegal substances. This place is clean of any bandits. Unless you're really desperate to enroll here since none of you can barely hold a candle to being a housewife."
"You got a problem with that?" snarled Piranha, gritting his teeth.
"We didn't do anything bad today," pointed out Webs calmly.
"And you believe that?" sneered Spalding. "Who else allows you animals to run around?"
"Well, you're talking to the ringmaster, alright," said Diane monotonously.
The pug turned to the fox governor and something clicked in his head. Out of all the people engaging with these rotten brats. He was about to question, but he was already answered when he noticed the timid Wolf trying to hide behind her. And Snake nearby, failing to keep up a blank look.
He could feel the reptile's fear. It reeked. It excited Spalding.
Yeah, how does that feel, he thought bitterly.
Spalding grinned tightly, condescendingly. "Foxington, you're teaming up with the Bad Guys? I'm not the only one ravaged by savages!"
"Lay them off," defended Diane. She didn't like the pug's sudden attitude. She had no time for random attackers like this. "I've been in touch with them the second they cooperate. You have your own 'problems', I have 'mine'. I can confirm what they might have done here isn't malicious and a warrant isn't needed."
"Oh please, you already made an offense," spat Spalding, his voice dangerously close to a growl. "Isn't it a risk to entrust criminals to be ambassadors of the White House? Politicians hiring these bludgers might not be surprising in fiction, but coming in real life from YOU? Now, that is a new low. I had a thing for you, but I guess I forgot you're still a tricky fox!"
Diane huffed and her ears twitched in agitation. She was nearly used to this kind of response. She knew this from previous governors and candidates. Despite feeling riled up, she chose not to make a counterargument with this. This was coming from a person whom she just met. However, she didn't notice Wolf's stepping in front of her.
Spalding's words cut deep enough that Wolf felt he shouldn't be cowering to let Diane be cut down herself. He could feel his heavy breathing. He could still think. Mustering up all willpower, Wolf raised his voice a few steps forward.
"C'mon, Mr. Dreary," said Wolf, keeping his voice calm and evenly toned. "Right now, we know what we are exactly doing. Diane came with us because the government trusts us. We owe up to whatever trouble we might make."
Spalding immediately saw this as outrageous and he laughed loudly, hanging his head. He found this amusing to hear. Thelma, who had cut herself out from the conversation, lifted her head to give Wolf a small glare of skepticism. Wolf immediately looked away from her in shame.
"Like you're one to be trusted?" mocked Spalding in disbelief. "That's rich coming from you, Oliver."
He didn't expect an eye roll from Wolf, but he did expect a reaction from Shark, Piranha and Webs.
Shark was dumbfounded. "Wait, Oliver?"
"That's…your real name?" said Webs, tilting her head.
Spalding smirked. "Oh, the others don't know your real name, Oliver? Why? Too scared to tell?"
Wolf cringed, trying not to shrink back. He was starting to feel fine being called his real name. But coming from someone who antagonized him in the past only left a bitter taste in his mouth. He always tried another name to hide his true self.
He could only growl deeply, his yellow eyes asking if Spalding wanted to push his limits. "Not like I stayed here long enough. It's Mr. Wolf, thank you very much. And do you still go by your nickname 'Pig'?"
"At least I proved that I'm more than that," remarked Spalding before turning to Snake. "What about you, Stevie? You practiced codenaming as well to be just, I don't know, a slippery snake?"
All eyes turned to the reptile. Nearly everyone expected Snake to snark the pug off. But he wasn't there anymore. In his place was a quiet, timid, closed-off snake looking down aimlessly.
To Snake, the real weak him was here. He was trying to keep his neutral pose, but he could feel his body nearly slumping down in tiredness from spending his energy. He was growing exhausted and weak from the fear forcing him to stay tough. He wanted to look away for escape routes. He wanted to speak up, but…something caught his tongue.
Spalding smirked at Snake's quietness. To others, it would look like he was brooding. This gave him another reason why Snake was nothing more than what he was shaped as.
"Aww, what's the matter?" teased Spalding. "Too scared now that you'll die with no one wanting to know your real name?" He turned to the rest of the Bad Guys. "I'm guessing that all of you don't even know each other's names?"
"N-No! It's not like that-I…" Wolf had to take a second to clear his throat, feeling that he was in a losing battle. "Piranha, Shark and Webs did share their real names before!"
"Oh yeah? And do you remember what their real names are?"
However, he was disappointed when he saw the weirded out looks from the other three Bad Guys.
Though, Wolf had trouble talking since he was already trembling. Why couldn't he control it?
"P-Pepe…Lou a-and…Mata," he uttered
Diane tried to push aside the temptation to glance at Webs. But the little tarantula didn't see a problem with this.
"Oh…I kind of forgot to tell you that, Diane," said Webs with an innocent smile. "Sorry. I was so used to being called by my nickname that I nearly forgot what a 'Mata' is."
Spalding was dumbfounded by her casualness. "Are you serious?!"
Shark nodded with a serious look. Piranha looked embarrassed, however, by his real name.
Spalding eventually scoffed. "That checks out. There are still reasons why your two leaders aren't trustworthy."
"And you believe that trust requires knowing each other's names in a career where identity can be scarce?" snarked Webs.
"There's no harm in that," said Shark with a neutral look. "It takes a while to know one another."
But the pug wasn't listening. In fact, his hungry eyes were on someone else. "Then I guess I just do what I do best; teaching those who DON'T belong to this land!"
Snake yelped and immediately covered his head upon feeling Spalding's fist nearly touching the top of his scales. When he opened his eyes, he saw everyone staring at him. This old him the Bad Guys never seen before. And when the pug pulled his fist back in preparation to punch, Snake felt a whimper clawing at his throat.
It was unstoppable. It escaped through his lips. Spalding grinned sinisterly.
The pug grinned, pulling his fist back from the faux punch. He relished the widened eyes of the snake. The not-so deadly-looking snakes were fun to punish.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" said Diane, immediately blocking Spalding. "What's your problem?!"
"Step out of this, fox," snarled Spalding, pushing her aside.
"N-Not funny, man," mumbled Snake. His voice was pathetically a wheeze. A crack in his raspy voice that somehow made him sound more vulnerable than before. "I-I was just…we were just..looking around! That's all, ha ha…"
"I'm surprised," said Spalding, another menacing step forward. He made his step loud enough for the reptile to rattle at the stomp. "Trespassing once again with your 'friends'?"
"We already said we're doing a bit of inspection!" snarled Wolf, quickly coming to Snake's side. "He didn't do anything wrong!"
"I call to disagree," said Spalding, crossing his arms. "Perhaps he would do something wrong if there's a rake nearby?"
That comment actually got Snake to freeze, his subtle shaking gone. Despite Wolf blocking him, the palm of his hand picked up the rapid, warm, heavy breathing of his friend. The reptile only focused on Spalding coming closer. Not Wolf. The pug was coming close. He wanted to run.
"Oh, no, no, no, it's fine," said Snake, forcing a 'nice' smile on his face. "D-Don't need to. We're just on our way out."
"I request that you drop this right now," said Diane firmly, stepping closer to Spalding. "This is not funny."
Spalding only gave her look, a mocking look of making a 'pass'. "Like you can stop me? You know the safety guidelines of being around snakes and yet you're freely touching one."
Piranha clenched his teeth, shocked by the pug's mouth. "We know Snake longer than you do!"
"He even saved the charity money from Marmalade, so that's a fair score!" vocalized Shark. "You're just missing those facts."
As they argued, Snake actually tried to sneak away. He grabbed Wolf's hand, hoping that he would follow him.
However, another hand grabbed his tail.
Spalding.
He caught him.
He caught him.
And the words that followed were unmistakable when the pug dragged Snake roughly close to him, his face nearly dragging against the hard ground.
"Or YOU'RE all missing the real facts!" shouted Spalding.
All of his warning signs hit the siren point. Snake let out a loud shout by his instincts screaming at him. His heart rate skyrocketed to a dangerous level that he found it hard to breathe. Specifically, when Spalding had his meaty, crushing hand by his throat. Snake found it hard to wiggle away, but his haywire mind got his body writhe in angles that made him think he would twist his bones in the wrong places.
Snake feared for the worst to come.
This guy was going to take him away once and for-
Wolf immediately slapped Spalding's hand away and wrestled Snake out of the pug's grip. The reptile barely responded, only shivering when he felt the soft leather vest. It only felt like the cold ground that could have scraped his skin off.
The canine was growing livid, his teeth clenched in his own menacing snarl that outmatched Spalding's snarl. Seeing the distress on Snake's face was enough to make his blood boil.
"YOU DIRTY OLD MAN!" yelled Wolf. "You're lucky that-!"
"Lucky that I what?!" cackled Spalding, grabbing a fistful of Wolf's collar. "Lucky that I'm not the real problem?"
Wolf was about to talk back, but there was a look in Spalding's eyes he had never seen before. This was new. He couldn't move.
"You know that you savages were all created to start a REAL problem," said Spalding with a wide grin. "I just cannot wait for the day when you'll fix them in the way WE should. Where's proof that you're not hungry for drama? The part where you're so conveniently normal?"
Snake could hide emotions really well, but now, he was in a state that would be close to 'pitiful'. The type Spalding could describe him. He looked like he could crumble down, but his grip around Wolf's arms was tight out of protectiveness and needing protection. His eyes were shining, watery. He refused to cry, however. He won't. He couldn't give the monster the satisfaction.
Wolf's eyes were narrowed, but he was suddenly afraid. Not solely because of the words. Spalding looked insane right now, his pupils shaking in excitement. Nobody ever knew this side would appear from such a domestic dog. He looked like he could maul Snake.
But what got him to nearly fall silent was Thelma stepping in to pull him back. They were too close. Thelma appeared indifferent, but it was clear she was disgusted towards Wolf and Snake. Feeling her touch, Spalding let go of Wolf and rolled his eyes, unsatisfied.
"Not like there's a true way of not being an arse," Wolf could only mutter. "I suppose."
But those sarcastic words fell short when he heard another whisper.
"He's got a point though."
Wolf briefly looked to the side. "W-What? No." His eyes widened in terror. "No. No. He's not right."
Unfortunately, Spalding heard this. "You were saying? Guess your conscience shows how delusional you are."
Diane already took the first warning sign. "Sir, drop it right now."
Thelma noticed how vicious Diane sounded. "What?"
"W-Wolf…" whispered Snake, tightening his grip. "We should go now…"
"Hold on, let me continue," growled Spalding, oblivious to the concerned looks directed towards Wolf. "Conversely, you could be successful if you have the balls to be useful. And yet, you took the coward's way out. That's a real shame of you."
"I-I'm not trying to be 'useful'," protested Wolf. "W-Why can't you just accept that we're all different-!"
And then, his worries encouraged the whispers to try to sway him. White lines flashed in front of his eyes again. For a moment, he saw a distorted, scribbled face over Spalding in the form of his father's face crying.
Wolf's eyes turned glassy and his response was to bite the air. "SHUT UP! Just go to hell already! You're just a voice in my head!"
Spalding actually backed away when Wolf lashed out. Eyes hollowed in genuine shock.
"Excuse me?" he uttered quietly.
But all Wolf could hear were the thousands of whispers reminding him he was wrong. He couldn't see the confused Spalding nor his worried friends. All he could see were the scribbles, painting his vision red. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't feel properly. It felt like someone was strangling him by the neck already.
"Did you hear what I said?!" choked out Wolf, trying to appear intimidating. "Get out of my sight! You're the one who's disadvantaged! You're the one who's disabled!"
In the real world, Spalding thought Wolf was saying this to him. This went the same for Thelma, infuriated by what Wolf said about her father. Neither of them understood what Wolf was seeing.
"My father isn't disabled," said Thelma, narrowing her eyes.
Wolf snapped out of his visions, turning to Thelma. "I wasn't talking to you! Who invited you to be your father's little pet?! I'm guessing he needed a cane!"
"W-Wolf…" sputtered Snake.
"What?!"
Just as quick as his hallucinations, his temper died down in a short fizzle. While still steaming, Wolf began to feel his grip on reality returning. He felt like he already threw out his guts. As if he already got a lot out of his chest. But it was too late. His friends were concerned and shocked. He looked back at Spalding, who only held contempt. But his distance was significantly further away.
And as for Thelma, she was aggrieved. The dog's fists were tightened, preparing for a fight. To hear that her father was disabled…was that the way people called their parents? Spalding might be acting differently, but he was anything other than that!
Maybe Wolf saw this with his parents and for good reason.
"Oh, I see," she said with a creepy fake smile. "I seem to remember that you never gave me a clear answer of why you came back here last night! Was it for your father, Oliver?"
This question immediately shot down Wolf's motivation to speak. The canine found himself unable to answer this.
"…I did meet him," he said simply. "He knew."
"But why are you not with him?" asked Thelma, her smile becoming strained.
Wolf gulped, but his throat was beginning to run dry. The whispers were slowly getting worse, echoing Thelma's demand. He found himself grabbing Snake's tail and turning around. Right now, he wanted to put this all behind.
Snake silently agreed as well, not wanting to converse anymore. The second he turned away and slipped out from Wolf's arms, his eyes allowed the tears to form. The rest of their friends were more than happy to follow along.
But while the brooding Spalding stood there, the seething Thelma was trying to get into Wolf's face.
"Why are you running, Oliver?" she demanded, marching up to him.
When Wolf didn't answer, Thelma impatiently grabbed him by the collar.
"Why the hell are you running?!" she growled, losing her cool.
Wolf even lost his cool as well. "DON'T TOUCH ME, THELMA!"
Thelma's response was a sugary mockery of his suddenly guttural voice. She was more prepared in getting a ride in comparison to last night.
"'Oh, don't touch me, Thelma!'" she sneered, grinning ominously. "That accent really comes and goes, doesn't it? Sweet, little Oliver Twist dreaming of finding the perfect father to present his life by the stars. You have all the fancy watches in the world and you might be wanting to give one to the craggy veteran. Lying to him that you stole it. Dishonorable."
Thelma sighed. It felt nearly good to get that all out. Nearly. Stepping closer, her and Wolf's noses touched.
"Would that prove you're being the cane that he needs? After he…well." She snorted, needing a pause to stop to remember the true details. "Lost his job? A pet often lives on the streets unemployed until some stranger kicks them around. The only difference is they don't take drugs as their only supporting cane."
The whispers and scribbles intensified. The memory of his father's kind face flashed over his eyes.
"That's none of my business now. My business now is rescuing another person who cares a lot for you."
When Wolf went silent, Thelma continued. "He didn't tell you, huh? Good. Why would he after years of neglect?"
Snake flinched at the sound of Thelma growling that word.
Wolf's chest was becoming sore. It was like a brick hitting him repeatedly until his head was brutalized. His father, the only family he left behind in this city, lost his job. Not even saying goodbye when he ran away, letting his father live in the dark. Wolf didn't exactly know how his father was coping…until now.
So, all of his help and support earlier, the only thing his jobless father could do in his pathetic life. And Wolf was too slow to return his gratitude. All to make him look more special than his struggling father. Wolf had everything he needed while his father might be close to poverty.
The second a whisper returned, Wolf tried snapping back.
"You're lying," he growled.
Shark was even close to tears, shocked how cruel Thelma suddenly became. "How are you even telling the truth?"
Thelma faked a laugh, but it sounded deranged and angry. "Are you kidding?! It's a small city and Stanley Chutney is a drunk! I hope that you're…" She closed her eyes, trying not to swear. "Grr…happy for making it to the top, retard. At what cost? Your father is not the man you thought he was. And why would he ever be trusted for having a cheap troublemaker?"
Wolf was close to tears, but Thelma didn't notice them.
"That's why you have this change of heart coming back here; you don't give a crap about Stanley Chutney and everybody knows it!"
Wolf didn't hear Diane retorting back to Thelma. He was beginning to blur everything out as the whispers grew louder. He tried keeping his head up to assert himself. However, his eyes were closed to shutting away from the worst fear. With tired, glassy eyes, Wolf gave up and began walking away, his tensed body hunched up.
In the end, it was all true. He did all of this.
The shocked Snake sensed Wolf moving away, seeing his body slouching. It was a haunting sight to see from the normally snarky Wolf. Snake could feel his eyes already stinging. The blame on Wolf for his father's eventual fate was brutal. It should be Snake. Not willing to spare Thelma or Spalding one last look, he slithered away to catch up to Wolf.
"I guess I'll be seeing you soon, Oliver," Thelma said in an eerily flat tone. "Next time, you can try being a better 'pet' for your father."
That remark was enough to convince Shark to slap her over the head. The dog turned her eyes to him, but seeing his glare told her to shut up for once. Not when Shark looked like he could bite her head off. But there was no fury. The disappointed Shark shook his head before following Wolf and Snake. The drama club poster in his hand remained unwrinkled.
Thelma briefly dropped her cold stare. Even after her rant, she didn't get any catharsis. However, she told herself that her feelings right not wouldn't matter. The Bad Guys would end up in Hell like her father said.
Meanwhile, Webs remained hanging on Shark's shoulder, staring at Thelma and Spalding. To her, she had never seen Wolf and Snake THIS thoroughly quiet. Usually, the two would handle trash-talking better. But it seemed these bullies' presence completely shut them down. She felt foolish that she was slow to talk back; this was a world she should be able to combat with. Her distant look was enough to tell the two dogs what her real worry was.
Piranha was the next to walk off. He wanted to tell off Thelma further. Say something, at least. His eye was twitching, wanting to tackle those dirty dogs to the ground. But the new low point two of his friends crashed into telling him that this battle was already lost. It wasn't worth it. The little fish let out a defeated sigh before he ran after his friends.
Diane was the last, but she didn't walk away just yet. She was too angry to do so. Thelma rolled her eyes, unfazed by the fox's glare. To her, she told the truth and too tired to care if a powerful authority would bring punishment to her. Diane pointed two fingers to her eyes and then at both Thelma and Spalding. She then motioned zipping her mouth and slashing her throat.
The emotionless Spalding only nodded half-heartedly. Not like he cared about telling everyone. He would leave the media to do it. Now this was over, he had better things to do.
When Diane turned her back to follow the others, so did Thelma and Spalding, returning to the university.
Wolf couldn't help taking a quick look back at the university. When he first saw it from the tram, he thought it looked familiar. But now, far away from it, it gave him a picture-perfect view of the entire building. And it clicked in his mind of where he saw it from.
"This was the university I tried to enroll at," he thought miserably. "The university that my father didn't want me to go to. The university that was attacked by wolves like me."
AN: And you thought that the action before was intense.
This chapter is a really bittersweet one. On one hand, it's sweet since Wolf and Stanley found a few ways to patch things up. And then, on the other hand, the mood gets ruined when Wolf and Snake face their childhood bullies. While here, it demonstrates that bullies aren't taken too seriously, they are still seen and actively a threat to those hurt. This left a sour taste for the two Bad Guys. Interestingly, Spalding's and Thelma's words took inspiration from Murder Drones and the 2013 adaptation of Carrie. I had one hell of a heckling thinking of ways to make it hurt and personal.
And what would this mean for Stanley? You'll have to see soon on whether Thelma was telling the truth.
Also, originally, this chapter was gonna have a scene with Piranha and Fuchsia, but it was mostly for comic relief. There was gonna be a borrowed line from Velma to demonstrate how insufferable Fuchsia was, leading her to be the swingball for the basketball players to play with. However, I ended up not liking it, so it was removed and the chapter was changed slightly.
What do you think of this chapter? What would you say to be the highlight? Let me know in the reviews. Thank you for reading this chapter! If you enjoy this story so far, be sure to favorite or follow. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but if any flames, then it's down the drain.
Until next time, keep on rocking!