Young Ethan was just about finished with his comic when it happened. He had just got to the part where Ned revealed to Peter Parker that Mysterio had died in prison a year before, when the bell to the entrance rang. Seeing that his father had left to fetch lunch less than 10 minutes before, he assumed it was him. It wouldn’t be the first time he forgot his wallet on some shelf while busy dealing with the back inventory.
“What, did you leave your wallet in the back…” he started to snidely comment before he looked up and saw what really made the bell ring.
He was tall and broad shouldered, with his features darkened by long exposure in the sun. He looked roughed up with his patchy hairline and his unshaven stubble. His clothing was thick like it was set for winter, yet torn at the edges probably due to moths and rodents. Overall, he looked homeless, vagrant, and crazed.
But Ethan disregarded all of that in an instant and instead was focused more on the dull and roughed out revolver in his hand. The man pulled back the hammer and lifted it at the ready as he then demanded the teen to empty the cash register.
[}0{]
The sun rose up as schedule over Clutter Coulee. However this time, there were a few more faces rising up as the light peered through the window of one of its shoddy cabins. They were no bigger than sheds really, but it seemed they were sturdy enough to be considered acceptable shelter’s from the environment’s scuffles. Yet, one of them had a green scaled dragoness, curled up outside its door, as if to keep watch from potential threats. She perked up as she heard footsteps inside, followed by a jingling of the knob.
“Did you sleep well, Master?” Tsavorite was already up and about by that time the door opened. Like a good subordinate, she stood outside the door at the ready.
“Fine enough, Tsavorite.” Mysterio murmured as he stretched his joints and muscles. The suit he wore may have had its ways of being comfortable to adorn, but did not act as a proper substitute for pajamas. Another thing he still needed to look into getting on a growing mental checklist. Another thing that he needed get done was to get his draconic accomplice to understand she could tone down the lengths of her subservience. Despite Mysterio’s request that she could sleep in her own room, she insisted on keeping watch outside. “It seems no Diamond Dogs, or Unicorns saw fit to assault me as I slept. An excellent job of keeping me safe!”
Tsavorite smiled at the praise, although seemed to keep a suspicious eye at the other cabins nearby. Specifically, at the one next to theirs in which a certain blue mare should be still lying asleep.
“Perhaps we should make our departure soon. It would be better to leave before the sun gets too high.” ‘And that mare to get out of bed.’
-Rumble!-
She held a claw to her belly, while blushing at the attention it was drawing to her. “Of course, it would probably be best to ensure we are fed and resupplied for the journey ahead. It would be a terrible thing to find ourselves unprepared for such a trip!”
“Hmmph! I’m sure that’s the only reason to not rush!” Trixie smirked as she trotted past them. She was already dressed in her work outfit for today. Only, it seemed to be a much cleaner, and prettier one based on how the shirt was floral print with violets, and…was that eye shadow she was wearing? “Still, it seems rather rude for a servant to rush her master along without so much as a goodbye to their hosts. You’d think you’d know better!”
Tsavorite flared a bit of smoke from her nostrils at that.
“Oh, I am sure that she only wants us to avoid that glaring sun at its highest point. She is my wonderful chauffeur and method of traversing the desert after all.” Mysterio chided as he strolled to the table they all gathered at last night.
Tsavorite, ceased her ire at that comment. That seemed to brighten up the dragon’s mood from the mare’s observation as hers seemed to sour. Yet, she still made sure to blow a big smoke ring at Trixie’s face as she walked by for it, leaving the blue unicorn as a coughing mess despite her efforts to get up earlier to be more presentable today.
Point to the dragoness.
Still, Mysterio was ignorant to this little squabble behind him as he faced toward the two Diamond dogs. Already, he could recall a conversation that took place last night as he offered Bo a position in his potential organization.
[}0{]
As the others had gone to sleep, Mysterio felt he should try one more time to ask Bo for her agreement to a partnership. For despite his willingness to earn it, she declined the proposition and offer for her allegiance. She didn’t give much of a reason why, but Mysterio did not how she seemed to keep a good on his interactions with Tsavorite and kept Norah a bit closer to her as she seemed to widen at the thing on Tsavorite’s back.
“So there is nothing I can do to make you change your mind?” Mysterio asked now that they were alone. The two sat across from one another at the table. Bo gathered up the dishes and set them aside into a pile to wash later, as she looked up at the now seated sorcerer.
“Nothing. Not even the Heart Stone, because I knows that promise is about as empty as a dried vein of shinnies.” She answered with no hesitation. “And don’t think you can have another bought and have me bet on it either.”
Mysterio crossed his arms at that idea being tossed aside. “I seem to recall we fought and I won.”
“You means you cheated.” Bo huffed out. “I don’t know hows you did it, but I knows that for a minute you disappeared despite my nose telling me you were there.”
Well, that was an interesting tidbit to put aside for later. He knew he lucked out, but he didn’t realize just how close he snuck victory out from the female.
“Besides, you saids all you wanted was your pick of the scraps and permission to use my tools.” She shrugged. “Aint nothing about becoming your slave while you’re at it.”
He took offense to that accusation. “But I am not trying to make you a slave-”
“Tell that shit pile to your dragon ‘friend’!” Bo barked, before quickly calming herself due to the night air willing to wake her sister up with her echoes. “I don’t knows how you gots her eager to please you and do what you says. Maybe a favor, or maybe that weird magic of yours, but you can’t hide something like that mark on her back and not know what it implies.”
“Well, I can assure you that it is a magical seal to assist her with an unusual affliction. When I asked how it should look, she asked for my mark. I never really wanted to give it to her, but she insisted on having it.” Ah, so now he was getting an idea of why she was not as accepting to the idea. “Maybe we are at a cultural impasse, but what do you think it means?”
Bo stared down the round headed sorcerer, and seeing that she was getting no reaction, she instead desired to go for a more direct approach. She reached her paws to unhook her overalls’ straps from the front. Then after pulling it down for a bit, she reached for her shirt and started to lift it up near the bottom of her breasts.
Mysterio immediately drew his cloak to block his range of view as he stuttered in surprise at the Diamond Dog’s forwardness. “Miss Bo! Please! Keep some decorum-!”
“I ain’t flashin’ ya my teats like a bitch in heat, you idjit!” She barked out over her armful of chest-flesh. “Look closer!”
Hesitantly, he lowered his cloak to examine what she wanted him to see. What he found was something he would not forget.
It was clear that Bo had been in a series of fights based on the scars and marks in her fur. also, despite her girthy appearance, it was clear that she was of a more muscular body type because he could still glimpse her ab muscles on her torso. Yet the thing that stood out was the mark that was a contrast to her fur and skin below her breasts.
It seemed to be some sort of reddish mark that was etched with shapes like wings, or perhaps a furry crest of fur. It did look like it had a face it was trying to hide. It all seemed overshadowed by the dominant part of it. The most obvious aspect of it was the golden paw print in the center. Had he raised his palm to it, Ethan would have found the paw print to be bigger than his own hand.
“I didn’t get this here mark ‘cause it looked badass! I got this when I earned my place at my master’s side. The things I did to get it are a life I woulds rather leave lying down.” She explained as she set her clothing back in order. “I won’t say them much, but there were times whens I was a beast, an attack mutt, and others whens I was a pet. Slowly I worked to become a full clan sister. When I was at that point, I was able to takes what I could and gets as far away from there as possibly. And yet I was one of the lucky ones in this way of life.”
He hadn’t much to say to refute that. “So you won’t be taking my offer then?”
“Woulds you? Knowing whose you are and your own history?”
“I suppose you have a point.” He started to get up. “Still, I hope that we can still be considered acquaintances and not foes.”
“I don’t know.” Bo mumurred, as she also recalled how the sorcerer looked as he took off that helmet to eat. He was certainly no Dog, that was for certain. “You do has that strange face.”
“Always the face!” He muttered annoyingly. At least it was ‘stange’ and not ‘silly-looking’ like Norah laughed at.
“Take the unicorn!” Bo barked out before he stepped out of earshot.
That stopped his train of thought. “Say again?”
“The unicorn. She ain’t nothing much but a complainer, but she works hard and I’m sure a magic hyooman like you will find a use for her.” She then gave a canine grin as she added. “Maybe she can serve ya drinks, cause she can’t cook for shit! Think about it!”
It didn’t take long for the human to realize that the undertones were saying much more than what her words were affirming.
“I’ll think about it!” He nodded in agreement. “Goodnight, Bo!”
[}0{]
So here they all were gathered around a decent breakfast of hash browns and scramble eggs. Mysterio was certainly looking forward to eating it once he took his helmet off. But first, he found there was a matter of business that needed to be addressed.
“So, Miss Lulamoon.” He began, drawing the eyes of everyone at the table.
“Yes?” She quickly lowered her fork and tried to straighten up her appearance a bit.
“Well, last night, I was discussing certain matters with Miss Bo here and she suggested that you are…not as happy working here as an employee.”
“It could be said. Maybe not quite the way Trixie would put it.” She nervously answered seeing Bo raise an eyebrow and Norah give a pout.
“Well, in any case, I considered it and thought that perhaps I could offer-”
“But she can’t leaves! She still owes us!” Norah interrupted.
“Norah-” Bo started to reprimand.
“No! She has to stay to pay off her stuff she owed us!” The pup yelled out as she held out a little box that had a flip of some sort on it. “Otherwise, she gets punished!”
Mysterio and Tsavorite had no idea what the device was, but Bo seemed to recognize it immediately.
“Norah!” Her eyes widened at the device as she looked at the collar Trixie was wearing. “You didn’t-?”
But that question was interrupted by the sudden explosion that burst through the front gates. Everyone at the table flinched as they turned their attention to the smoke rising where the gates once stood.
“Now what was that?” Mysterio asked as he readied himself.
“RAIDERS!” Bo bellowed as she hopped to her feet and grabbed Norah. Norah dropped the device as she was picked up with a speed that bellied someone of her sister’s size. “Find a place to hide!”
‘Hide? There is nowhere to hide!’ Mysterio started tapping at one of his wrists as he withdrew a couple of holo-cubes. ‘We’re boxed in here and they know we have nowhere to go!’
“Master, look out!” Tsavorite shouted as something flew in his direction.
Mysterio hastened to fire off an energy blast from his palm, as he took not at what flew at him: a long rusted spear.
He gazed at the figures that were starting to rush into the grounds. They were wild, and had mangy fur. Some had deep scars, while others seemed bulkier and more muscle toned. They were dressed up for a desert lifestyle, but not in a way that would hinder their speed. Rather, they wore simple clothes that were enough to keep them covered, but clearly identified them as thieves. Bo called them Raiders. Mysterio saw them for what they were: a pack of Coyote descended Diamond Dogs that undoubtedly had foul intentions for them based on how well armed they were.
As soon as they saw the sorcerer and his draconic companion, they began to growl and ready their collection of spears, axes, and chains.
It was not the first time Ethan stared down a weapon.
Hopefully it wouldn’t be the last!
[TO BE CONTINUED…]
{OMAKE}
“Now everyone, what I am about to show you may perhaps be enough to drive you into insanity.” Mysterio stated as he readied his hands to his helmet. “I ask that you try your best not to scream, and remember that I am not a predator to be feared.”
“Maybe you should-” Bo started to question, before her he little sister interrupted with a paw over her mouth.
“Not now, Big Sis! This is going to be good!”
The sound of something unlocking occurred as Mysterio reached for the part of his head that connected with his shoulders. A great hissing gave out a cloud of steam as he lifted up the globe and lowered it around his arms to hold it.
The eyes of the Diamond Dogs and the unicorn widened at the sight of Mysterio without his helmet.
“It’s…!”
“Yes?”
“IT’s…!” Trixie seemed more wide eyed.
“Yes!?”
“It’s so lame!” Norah yelled out.
“What!?” Ethan yelled.
“I thought you said it was going to be scary, and gives us nightmares forevers.”Norah pouted with a huff. “Instead, your real face turns out to be so super silly!!”
“Oh come on!” Ethan threw his helmet on the ground as he had enough of this. “I risk a lot to bear my soul like this, and you treat it like a joke? Fine. Whatever. I’m just going to go eat now.”
He sat back down and started to eat the chili. It was a few bites in that he noticed Norah was sitting attentively next to him, staring like the puppy she was.
“Can I help you?” Ethan asked.
“How can you hear with your ears on the side of your head?” Norah asked.
“Errgh.” Ethan slumped his head to the table, as he knew the pup was about to begin a series of questions.
“What happeneds to all your fur? You stuck your face in a river and washed it away?”
As that was going on, the other two females were asking their own questions to Tsavorite.
“So he really has no fur on his body? Beyond his mane?” Bo asked as she continued to eat.
“He claims that he could choose to grow fur on his face, but I haven’t seen so much as a whisker sprout in the time that I’ve known him.”
“That’s really weird.” Trixie commented as she looked at the sorcerer’s features. She supposed he was handsome in a way, but certainly no stallion with his pointed nose and comparatively flatter face.
“It aint natural, is what it is!” Bo took a sip from a mug she had in hand. “How does he keep warm without much fur?”
“It seems his species is more reliant on clothing. Of course, that is just a theory.” Tsavorite answered as she ate her meal in large spoonfuls.
“Wonder what he would look like without his armor.” Trixie muttered.
Tsavorite slammed her spoon to the table as she reared her wings up in a more aggressive manner. “As if you would get the opportunity!”
Trixie narrowed her eyes as she met the dragoness’ gaze. “And what does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?”
Bo just watched this argument develop with an amused glint in her eye. IT reminded her of how some of her pack sisters would argue over males that stroked their fancy. ’Y’know, those two don’t even knows if they are comparable with hyoomans to be fighting like that!’
She then turned her attention to notice how her little sister was still continuing her onslaught of questions despite Mysterio trying to ignore her. Yet every once and awhile would answer her questions. ‘As for you, to be willing to go this far for some scrap, what are you really after?’
It was a question that would be answered another time.