A gush of flame sprayed past the muscular snow leopard, his movement to avoid the attack coming smoothly and with practiced ease. Bond was smiling smugly, flicking his long, voluminous tail out behind him to complete the motion, while already shifting his weight to avoid an oncoming gold-plated horn.
The rhino charged on past. His whole head lustrous and appearing to be made of the precious metal. As he wheeled about, white and gold cape fluttering outward from hidden weights in the hem, his regular countenance was revealed, the gold effect receding in a wave from the intended point of impact.
"I'm afraid I just don't get your point." The feline chuckled, before pushing himself off the ground. In a deft twirl he leapt over the next oncoming gout of flame, landing on one foot like a figure skater, facing the other hero.
The chinchilla bared his rodentine teeth, both fists enwreathed in fire. His tail was smoldering as well, clearly preparing to add another limb to his options for launching attacks.
Bond was about to quip again, something about being hot-headed, but his eyes widened behind his mask.
Timber ran through the door, grinning. The pup was wearing a costume made up of some of the play gear the supervillain had gotten for him. His face was protected with what had to be his old Aptimber domino mask, but he'd somehow dyed the material purple, matching the highlights on Bond's suit. A smooth black collar adorned his throat, the only other thing he was wearing above the belt. A pair of snug shorts clung to his curvy hips, and his feet were protected by a pair of knee-high boots.
The snow leopard stood upright, mouth open and brow knit firmly enough for his expression to be easily readable through his mask. He wasn't too distracted to notice the next set of oncoming attacks, however. He held out a hand at each hero, pressing his thumb and middle finger together. "Time Out." Snap.
The chinchilla bound forward, preparing to flip forward as their tail burst into flame. In midair, their orange and yellow sequined leotard suddenly warped, strands of the metamaterial reaching out to meld with strands on his arms and legs. Instead of the dramatic tail-slam he had planned, the hero was stuck in his balled up position, thudding to the floor hard. The flames went out as he was knocked unconscious.
The rhino's cape was his downfall, tangling around his legs and arms mid-run and causing him to slam to the floor jaw-first. The cement cracked beneath his fortified metallic chin, before the effect rippled away.
Bond wasn't paying attention, instead closing the distance to Timber. "Darling, we've talked about this..." He stroked over the pup's cheek with one thumb as his large paw cradled the side of the smaller male's head.
Timber pressed to the touch, his mask shifting with his eyebrows arching together and upward. "But... I really should help..."
On the floor, the still conscious hero focused. Everywhere his hide was visible in his suit became golden. His muscles appeared to swell as he strained against his own repurposed cape. Then the fabric gave way.
Bond rolled his eyes as he heard the tear. "Hold that thought, dear." He said tenderly, before pivoting at the waist, hand out stretched. "I said Time Out!" He clenched his fist and an I-beam tore out of the ceiling directly above the rhinoceros.
The gold-plated bruiser looked up as the beam slammed down, curling around his arms to hold them to his sides as either end buried into the concrete floor. He panted and squirmed. With the shattering of the concrete it should be easy to take the bar back out...
Turning back to the pup, the snow leopard's voice softened again. "I really mean it when I say that having you waiting for me at home helps me more than you know..."
Timber whined and was about to object, when he saw the larger male's expression shift.
It wasn't anger or his supervillain look... he was staring past the pup, to the door he came through. "Darling... how did you get here...? I didn't deactivate any of the security systems on my way in."
Looking back that way as well, Timber tilted his head. "I didn't see anything but some security cameras..."
Bond stared. There were snares, cages, barred gates, shock traps... It had been far more challenging than dealing with the two heroes was. But if they were just no longer active once he had passed... and he hadn't deactivated them...
The snow leopard slowly looked up at the ceiling. What had seemed like pores in the surface were now clearly holes. And through some of the holes were gun barrels, pointed right at him.
Bond sprang into action, one powerful arm scooping around Timber as he lunged to one side. He heard the loud reports of the charges behind him, and the whistling whip of hypodermic darts just passing him in his movements. He felt some of the fluffy fur on his tail get tugged at by a passing needle as he let his momentum bring the dog into a bridal carry. By the time the next volley was being fired he was sprinting full-speed, carrying his precious pup away.
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Ty didn't stop running until he was sure that they weren't being followed. He paused, bringing his tail around to check if the dart had gotten stuck in his fur, only to find some hairs had been torn out, but nothing else. The snow leopard clutched Timber to his broad chest protectively as he began to make his way to the nearest secure entry point to his lair.
"How did you know something was up...?" The dog asked softly, now that the danger had passed.
The muscular male nuzzled into his pup's neck just above the collar tenderly. "The fact that you just... walked in after I had worked so hard through all those traps... the security systems were a show. They were meant to make me think that once I was past them there would be no more, because why would there be traps in the room we're fighting in, right?" Ty sighed. "So once I was out of those zones, no need to leave those running..."
Timber's face slowly brightened as the larger male spoke, his tail starting to wag rapidly. "So I DID help!"
Ty groaned at the insufferable grin on his precious pup's face. What would it take to get Timber to just stay home...?
TimberPuppers
