"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Izac's voice shrilled on the other side of 01's communicator.
Aradia held by a growl and said, "There's a young girl with them, about their age. She looks to be the scientist's experiment, with the ears and a tail," She hated repeating herself and it made her scales rattle with annoyance when the communicator was silent.
"Get those two now..." his voice came through, dripping with so much anger, Aradia felt fear curl in her stomach. The thing went dead and she scowled.
"Thanks you explaining..." She muttered as the chest in 01's light went back to it's pulsing beat.
"He will explain in due time...or not at all. Orders are orders though," 01 watched the three through the rain, Aradia almost hearing the upgrades in his brain whirring. "We'll need help. The two of us stand no chance. Security measures are covering the place ranging from security bots to homing darts that could knockout an elephant," he growled softly and his metal claws dug up the dirt as he thought, "Do you have communication with the others?"
"Just Todd and Danny," Aradia responded, her scowl deepening at the thought of asking for backup. "We don't need them. We've gone though worse."
01 howled softly in amusement, his laugh making her fangs drip slightly, "We'd be caught before we reach the front door, we don't stand a chance. Call them." His tone made arguing useless, so Aradia pulled out her communicator begrudgingly and turned it on.
A clicking noise greeted her and she easily translated it to, "Need something?"
"Don't get prissy with me right now Todd, just get over here. Follow 01's beacon." She gestured to the German Shepard, who extended an antenna from his front paw and sent out a radio signal.
Todd's clicking responded, "Be there soon." She put the communicator away without responding and waited. No later than five minutes later, a familiar sight greeted the two of them.
A man turned into a monster came running over. He had an extra pair of arms sticking out of his torso, giving him the extra speed as he used them to propel himself across the ground. His face was nonexistent, the only thing present on it was a large mouth running down it. As he came skidding to a halt before them, his three fingered hands covered in mud, clicks came out of his throat once more in a scramble sentence, "Problem? What's up?" His clicking was a bit frantic and Aradia understood why. She only really called for backup when she was in deep deep trouble, so the others just expected the worst when she used the communicator.
"There's no danger...yet," Danny said as she floated up. The young girl was dead, a ghost from the other side brought here by a machine fueled by magic. That machine no longer existed. The thing exploding after draining the magic out of 5 elves, all of whom died in the process, and Izac has seen no need to build another one. He had gotten what he wanted. He had brought back one of his other creations, another young girl who he had given telepathic abilities to. Of course, Tafa, which stood for telepathic apparition field agent, wasn't too keen on being back here.
"What's up?" Danny asked, her black eyes weeping as she planted as intense stare on Aradia. Even thought the rain didn't effect her, the hand prints on her blue dress still bled black, a reminder of what had happened to her before she died. The bruise on her neck was evidence of how she was strangled.
"We have to get Subjects 30 and 42," Aradia explained, pointed out toward the house, "but there are a bunch of security measures that we can't trigger apparently."
"You need a ghost?" Danny asked and Todd screeched in protest. Even though he was made a monster, he still had the heart of a man.
"She can't go in there alone!" he hissed, his teeth gleaming.
"She just has to get us in," 01 said, wary of the creature, "After that, we work together."
Todd snapped his teeth, clearly not happy with the arrangement, but didn't click anything else. Aradia sighed in relief. She was made to assassinate, stealth and speed her weapons, while Todd was made to massacre. His size hid a strength that could take down a whole army if he wanted to and they didn't need him to use it... yet.
"Quickly, we can't keep Izac waiting for too long," Aradia said, her patience wearing thin.
Ruby could have sworn she had heard something outside, but Sheela dismissed it as the rain. Drako was not so easily fooled and he was on high alert, his ears quivering with the strain of listening. His heat rolled over her in waves, a comfort and a nuisance.
"You're going to overheat the room," Sheela said, her tail twitching in annoyance, "Even if there's something out there, it won't be able to get through the security bots." She returned to her work with a huff, trying to work through the equations Artemis had created for them.
"Are you sure?" Ruby asked, looking out of the window in an attempt to find the mysterious intruder, "There are some pretty stealthy creatures in the forest."
"Things rarely leave the forest," Sheela said roughly, not taking her eyes off her equations, "and if they do, we have security measures against dangerous creatures." She waved her hand impatiently, "Now get to work or I'll make you brush my tail." Drako chuckled softly at her threat but began his own work, the heat dying down a bit. Ruby tried to do the same, but her mind couldn't quite focus on the work before her. She stood with a sigh and headed for the kitchen upstairs. Maybe some water will clear her head... As she entered the place, giving RC-19 a wave, a chill ran up and down her body. She wrapped her arms around her and glanced at a screen displaying the temperature.
"Jeez...46 degrees in here," she muttered and turned up the heat on the screen. She pulled out a glass, frowning when she failed to feel the warmth of the heater as she stood under the vent, and stopped. She felt something, but it was on her neck. Steady bursts of air, cold as it brushed against her skin. She swallowed as fear crawled up her throat. The faint sound of something dripping on the floor behind her reached her cold ears.
"Subject 42...time to come home..." a voice breathed into her ear, one that made her give a strangled cry. She whirled around and threw the glass. It shattered on the wall, spraying glass everywhere. Danny smiled at her, her eyes looked at her in delight at her fear. A laugh came bubbling out of her throat, the bruise looking more purple than ever, "That's no way to greet an old friend." Ruby couldn't speak as she stared at the girl floating before her. Not her, not here...they couldn't have found them. If she was here...then the other one wasn't far behind. Her magic surged with her fear and she didn't have the time to scream before everything went dark.
Something was wrong. Drako had heard the glass shatter and could sense Ruby's magic fizzing. She was scared and he was beginning to worry. "Ruby, are you okay?!" he called out and the empty silence made his concern double. That's when he sensed her magic settled in an instance and his senses narrowed, centering in on that one moment. Magic doesn't settled that quickly...unless forced to. He was on his feet in the next few seconds and rushing to the stairs.
"What's wrong?!" Sheela called after him, but he wasn't listening. He hoped that she had just passed out or something. He hoped nothing was wrong. That hope was short lived when he entered the kitchen and saw Danny looming over the unconscious Ruby, a familiar device in her hand.
"Silencer..." Drako breathed, the device making his skin crawl. That thing could shut off someones magic instantly, blocking it off and rendering it useless. Enough push and it could knock out a magical being. The sight of it made his magic spike and the heat rolling off him made the temperature to sky rocket. However, before Drako could even attempt to do anything, the silencer was pointed at him and his magic withered. The dramatic change made him dizzy and he fell to his knees as he fought off the black that bled into his vision.
"Quickly, before the security comes back on..." a hiss said, making his skin crawl.
"He's fighting." Danny shot back and he winced when the device was turned up. He clung onto what little consciousness he had left with what little strength he had, which was fading quickly.
The scrape of metal paws against tile told Drako exactly who was talking, "Not too high or else you'll damage him."
"Hey, are you alright in there?" Sheela's voice came through his struggle and he couldn't help but scowl. Right now was not a good time to come investigating.
"We've got to get rid of her, quickly," the snake said and his head shot up. They were going to kill Sheela! He was seized by a sudden anxiety at watching another one of his friends die. The device's power increased once more and he couldn't stop a groan.
"Oh my gosh, how did you-" Sheela's statement was cut off by a strangled noise and a wave of fury crashed into Drako. No, this was not going to happen again. His magic flared and pushed away the effects of the silencer. Pain that traveled through his body told him that he was on the verge of a transformation, but he couldn't do it in here. Not with Ruby unconscious and Artemis upstairs. He looked up to see Aradia's tentacle wrapped around Sheela's neck. Drako quickly lunged, sinking his sharpened teeth into the lumpy flesh. The reptile shrieked as blood filled his mouth. He clamped down harder and the soft tissue bled freely as it was torn right off. Sheela fell to the tile below, gasping for air, while Aradia held the bleeding lump where the flesh that now writhed on the floor used to be. The blood tasted disgusting and he spit it at the intruders. Heat that threatened to burst into flames cracked inside the kitchen, his eyesight becoming sharper and sharper the longer he kept this up. He fought the beast that wanted so desperately to come out and destroy them. Not now, not now, not now.
"At least grab Subject 42," 01 barked and Todd, who Drako had scented from the shadows of a nearby doorway, picked up Ruby and crashed through the window. The others followed him, Aradia giving him a nasty glare before jumping out into the rain. His inner beast had had enough of this and was bursting to get out. Drako snapped his teeth and followed swiftly, his skin already hardening into scales. Waves of pain traveled up and down his body, his magic going berserk as he began his transformation. He grew to the size of a large van, his green scales shining in the steam that radiated off him from the rain hitting his warm body. Horns grew from his head, sharp and ready to pierce through flesh. His wings extended, blocking the intruder's escape, while his tail twitched madly. His bright eyes stared at them with a fury that could melt stone. A growl issued deep from his throat, extremely sharp teeth exposed in a toothy scowl.
He could sense their fear and it made his scowl into a smirk. They should be afraid...he was going to tear them apart. Todd was stupid enough to charge, leaving Ruby lying in the wet grass. Drako easily grabbed him in his teeth and threw him, not liking how he tasted, far away. He roared, fire building in his throat as a warning. 01 whined and he ran off with Aradia right behind him, looking a bit peeved at having to retreat. Danny had disappeared already, probably off looking for Todd.
A groan drew Drako's attention and he looked down to see Ruby sitting up in the mud, "Wha...why am I..." She spotted Drako and her mouth went slack. Her shock was obvious. Drako laid his head down, allowing her to run a hand along his scales. She was shaking...and not just from the cold. Her fear was evident enough of how shaken she was. He snorted, causing her hair to fly out of her face. Ruby smiled slightly and pushed his snout gently. His magic settled and he slowly transformed back into the small boy he was. His legs felt weak as he shrank and Ruby was there to catch him before he fell face first into the mud.
"Are you...okay?" he asked, his bright eyes searching her for any injuries while his body ached.
"I'm fine, but you're not. That transformation must have been ugly..." Ruby responded, her voice shaky. She lift a trembling hand and checked his forehead. Her worry wasn't hard to miss as she felt what he was sure was a high temperature. Anger didn't mix well with dragon blood.
"I'll be fine once I get inside..." Drako said, gently pushing her away. He stood and regretted it instantly. Spots danced in his vision and he would have landed back in the mud if Ruby hadn't caught him.
"You stupid reptile..." she grumbled, "You went too far this time. You need to work on that anger of yours."
"Anger wasn't the only thing I was feeling Ruby..." Drako mumbled, trying to lighten her concern. He hated seeing her worry and hated being coddled like this, but he wasn't sure he could make it back inside without passing out. The rain grew a bit heavier and thunder rumbled inside the grey clouds. "Calm down...really, I'll be fine once I get inside."
Ruby didn't respond, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She was ignoring him, she was angry with him. He didn't blame her. What he had done was reckless and stupid and completely idiotic-but it was worth it.
"I know dragons are extremely sensitive with emotion and all...but you're not exactly a normal one. Your a Beast, which means you have more control," Ruby said as they slipped back inside, steam still simmering off them. She looked at him and he swallowed at how concerned she looked. The rain drops still sitting on her cheeks made her eyes look brighter. The room suddenly grew hot and he looked away from her, hoping his face wasn't red. "Promise me you'll learn control...please..." she pleaded and Drako risked looking back at her. She had inched a bit closer, her breath brushing his cheek. Words wouldn't come to his mouth as he stared at her, but he managed to nod. A smile flashed onto her face and she tightened her hold on him, "Now, let's get you upstairs. You need to clean up and get some rest,"
Drako looked down at his mud splatter clothes and then at hers, "Look who's talking..." Ruby clicked her tongue and poked him in the side, sending aches across him. He hissed softly and Ruby chuckled. He sighed as they made their way upstairs. At least she was still here...and smiling.
"Are you two okay?!" Sheela exclaimed in a raspy voice as she met them at the top of stairs. Her neck was red and Drako was sure it would bruise.
"Yes, we're fine," Drako said, receiving another poke in the side that made him wince. He glared at Ruby, who glared back.
"Drako's going to get some rest," she said and he fought against his urge to refuse her help. He wasn't sure how well he would fair on his own at the moment. His strength was slowly dwindling, he could feel it in the way his legs were shaking slightly.
"I'm not getting into bed until I shower," Drako said and Ruby grunted in acknowledgment.
"How can you two be so..." Sheela wheezed, rubbing her bruising neck, "You were just attacked!"
Drako shrugged, "I was trained to do this sort of thing," On the other hand, Ruby wasn't. Her trembling had not ceased yet. She was still freaking out. The only thing keeping her composed was his exhausted state. Ruby seemed to agree because she just snorted softly and gently inspected her neck, probing the red skin with her thumb. Sheela hissed as she touch it and backed away from her touch.
"I'm guessing Aradia did that to you..." she said quietly and Sheela shuddered at the mention of the assassin.
"Her limb is in the kitchen," Drako said and shook away the dizziness that suddenly passed over him, "Now...can I go clean up?"
Ruby blinked away what he was sure was unpleasant memories and nodded, "Right...right..." Her distant tone didn't go unnoticed and Drako bit back a growl. They couldn't go a day without relieving those years of being lab rats. When he saw Izac, which he was sure would happen eventually, he would burn him into a pile of ash. The emotion sent tremors through his body.
"Really Drako..." Ruby sighed softly as she took the extra weigh as he leaned heavily on her, "Do you mind helping me Sheela?" Sheela took his other side and the two girls helped him to his room. His bed looked inviting and he almost wanted to collapse into it, but the mud would make it a bit uncomfortable. Sheela left them at this point, saying she was going to go tell Artemis what had happened. Ruby took him as far as the bathroom door before her cool hands left him; however, she seemed hesitant to leave him.
"You know you can't be in here when I'm getting rid of this mud," he teased, exhaustion forcing him to lean against the counter. The heat that came off her cheeks was easy to feel and he chuckled as he looked at her.
"I-I know that," she stuttered, her face bright red and her arms crossed. "I...uh...I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to fall or anything!" She avoided his gaze and Drako smiled. He loved teasing her, making her forget about the things that haunted them both.
"Don't wait for me, go shower yourself. You look like you tried wrestling with a Muddler," Drako said, his eyes straying to the mud already dry on her skin. Ruby's nose wrinkled at the mention of the creatures that lived in the mud inside the Great Forest. They looked like over-sized crabs, but were bulkier, had shells that could withstand bullets, and possessed incredible strength that was used to drag its victims under the surface of the mud.
"You have a point there," Ruby said, the heat gone, and she headed out to her room. She stopped at the door and turned back to look at him, "Thanks Drako...for saving me." Again. The word could be read in the slight incline of her lips.
"I'll always be here..." Drako answered, hoping it was true. That same hope reflected back to him in her eyes along with a fear of what could have happened. He shook his head slightly, vanishing the very thought and gave her a small smile, "I'll talk to you later..." Ruby took a moment before she nodded and she left, the door closing softly. He sighed as he closed his own bathroom door. The metal of the door knob creaked until his grip. He despised that look, a sadness that was forever etched onto Ruby's features. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw the same thing. A sorrow that forever would taint him. It was there in the slight downward curve at the corner of his lips and wrinkle in his brow. He bared his teeth at himself, hating himself for that sad look. He couldn't let it stay there because he had to be there for Ruby. He had to be strong, be the Beast that he was born to be. He shuddered as the anger riled up his weak magic and he leaned heavily on the counter.
"Stupid..." he muttered and turned on the shower.