It was almost eerie when Angel awoke two days after. No different than any other morning. The buzz of the array above her, sunlight crested the horizon and the smell of powder ever present. The air, however, was… lighter. The lights on her monitor switched from orange to green and chirped when Axel walked in. A pep in his step that Angel might have imagined but when he picked her up, she could tell he wanted to purr.
Each day it was getting harder to suppress the childish side of herself that wanted to snuggle her into his chest. It was especially surreal being changed without crying. “Sleep well princess?”
“Pretty well actually. It’s strange to see you without my paddle.” When had it become her paddle? “God, if I said I’d be afraid of a smack on the ah- rear three months ago I’d have myself locked in the brig. How about you?”
Axel chuckled “As well as ever. Mae said something similar when she stopped misbehaving. Dress warmly today. It'll only get into the upper negatives.” A long skirt, heated leggings and shirt, with a cardigan to finish the outfit. “It's odd seeing someone who tries to be so independent still dresses more like a girl than the tomboy she acts like. It's different from the other girls I've cared for but it suits you beautifully.” Angel felt like she should feel offended but she couldn't.
“And the smile looks good on you.” Dressed and clean Angel nuzzled herself into his lap so she could push herself under his chin. Stone faced neutrality greeted her most mornings. She knew hurting her was his job but when it happened it was still hard to not resent him. When she thought about it, she realized he never smiled when he punished her. Maybe that made it worse, not being able to see him as some kind of horrible person who enjoyed seeing her in pain.
Only when they danced or he played with her did he advertise his smile to the world without shame. A father proud of the little girl he got to care for. No matter how hard she got it he was always waiting with open arms too. After that second week she found out that there was no harm in letting herself be loved on. Warm, soft and held tightly she told her adult brain to shut it.
She yelped out of her thoughts at the feeling of something rough and wet running between her horns. “P-papa, what the hell?!!” She squirmed in his grasp but he held her tight. He’d never LICKED her before.
A chuckle escaped his lips. “Sorry hun, force of habit. Mae hates it too but it’s instinct.” It was gross but his laughter was pulling up her mood. At least until she realized what she said and she wilted.
“S-sorry.” She said as a towel came to her head. Fresh from the warmer it chased a bit of the frost on her scales. A chill that crept deeper when it pulled away to show that stony face returned. “I-I’ll get my paddle.” She tried to crawl from his lap only to be tugged firmly against his chest.
“No tears this morning Angel. I got caught up in the moment. Mae hates it too so I should have known better.” Axel comforted. It was somber but there was still a bit of cheer behind his words. ”Besides I’ve already got you so I’m going to give my daughter the love she won’t give herself.” She felt offended but it warmed her heart.
For a time, they simply cuddled until the smell wafting from downstairs made her a bit restless. Axel, as if sensing it, set her down and they both made their way down to the kitchen. Ceras was smiling from ear to ear in front of the table.
“In the spirit of her ‘mental health day I’ve prepared a spread of pancakes, mixed berry compote, bacon, over easy eggs and toast. Enjoy.” Everyone was in high spirits today. Once seated Angel looked at it all with wide eyes as though it would vanish. “Tuck in. I already asked lady Mae for restrictions.” A very grateful prayer later and she ripped into it. Tart, sweet, salty and savory all mixed together in an explosion of flavor. She would have thought it too sweet as an adult but being a hatchling had its benefits.
Just as she was about to get up, she saw Axel’s ears perk up. He pressed a finger to his communication badge. He listened for a few minutes in silence. “Understood Sorte in fifteen minutes.” He gave a gentle rub between her horns. “Well looks like your momma will be taking you to lessons; be good. Ceras, would you mind calling Mae for me?” Ceras nodded and Angel collected the plates. Even on a mental health day she had chores. Repetitive motion made quick work and she went to wait in the library. But what was in the foyer made her freeze.
It was Axel but gone was his formal attire. Thick black armor plates covered his torso, shoulder and outer thighs. Three thick bands around his neck and a helmet in the crook of his arm. She could just barely see the HUD inside. A type one phaser rested on his hip, but it was the weapon in a back holster that froze the blood in her veins. A high caliber revolver, personally carved, etched, and freshly oiled in a way that said it had been used. A weapon of a bygone age meant only for killing. A knife sat on his right thigh, overshadowed by twin crossing blades on his back. Gone was her lovable puffball of a father, replaced with a behemoth that looked more horrific than the reaper. Even the fur on his body looked wilder, like he was about to hunt simply for the joys of it. The family video phone floated in front of him with Mae’s face. “Love you too, I’ll be back in time to tuck her in with you tonight.” The phone floated back to its mount and he turned. The black armor down his arms ended in such a way that it accented his claws, they looked sharp as razors. Six extra clips of ammo for the projectile weapon rested on his chest and what looked like interlocking black metal scales trailed down his legs.
“Sorry you had to see this princess. I’ll see you tonight. Be good for momma.” As the door closed, she could just catch the sight of a hovercraft covered in reactive armor and shimmering with hardlight. It closed and she shuddered out of her shock. What warranted armaments like that? Earth was such a peaceful planet. Weapons like that weren’t meant to incapacitate. Where did he even keep armor like that? She’d searched the entire mansion and not once had she- Ceras’s hand came to rest on her shoulder.
“I feel bad for the enemy. It was certainly a shock the first time I saw it.” He coaxed her towards the library. Unlike her parents he didn’t call out to the fireplace, instead his hands played across the display at the front door and it sprung to life. He sat and picked up one of her tinker toy connectors. “You’re very lucky. Normally penny toys are so simple. Even a puzzle would be a treat.” Her mind was already in a dark place and she tried to rein it in but nightmares came flooding. What was he going to do? Ceras always seemed to be nice but she hadn’t really interacted with him. Sshe could see her connector bending between his fingers. It was too much pressure! She’d broken a few herself and replacements were never given! He placed it gently with the rest. ”A good thing for an active mind if I’m honest. You can’t exactly play outside all the time and with Canaan in school…” As if she needed to be reminded she was helpless. “I seem to recall you and Canaan talking about Earth mythos at one time. What was that about?” Finally, something she could use to occupy her mind.
“Well, dracons tend to enjoy volcanic environments and crystallized minerals. We eat them but I could see some noble from yesteryear seeing it as hoarding. We also get very territorial during puberty and we definitely breathe a kind of fire. Phixins, meanwhile, prefer to keep dry so they’d sleep in cooled ash pits. There are more than a few stories of their resilience too so that might explain where phoenixes come from. You’d have to ask Canaan for more info but the Osirus and surrounding quadrants are home to a lot of species similar to mythology. Wonder how many in the past visited you all.” She looked up at him just as he burst out laughing. She didn’t get it.
“Ha! Imma thinkin of ya lasses outside settin fire to somethin fer a nap!” His accent was odd, like a cross between a southern drawl and Scottish. “Ifen I woulda told the blokes in school that gryphons were aliens slapped me in irons id’ be!” Chuckles continued for a few moments... “Glad ta see ya got Canaan though. Even if ya can’t go over to their place seeing as Kara doesn’t have a penny license.” He was speaking as if...
“Wait, you have one?” He smirked and quickly rummaged in his pockets. A white polymer square came from his wallet. She’d never seen one herself but the seal was clear as day.
“Been a spell since I had ma laddy Charles. Existence turned around for im even if ah had ta beat it into im.” A laminated photo of a redheaded human boy joined the license.
“I love your accent.” She blurted out. He looked down at her in surprise. “It makes me see you more as a person. It’s good to see people relax around me too.”
“That’s what I keep telling him, but it’s always just ‘Lady’ or ‘Master’ with him.” Mae said, stepping into the library and taking the chair at the head of the table.
“Oh, hush it young lady. Or Should I call you a garden lizard?” He asked and Mae went beet red. “I had these two for their third cycle together and it’s how I came into their employ.” His accent was suppressed again and Angel tilted her head.
“He caught us in the act.” She looked away with a pout.
He laughed heartily. “In the bushes no less! It took me an hour to get the leaves out of Axel’s ruffled tail!” He laughed and Angel found herself giggling at the thought. Axel as a kitten really would be a living plush toy.
“Yeah yeah it’s funny, come on sweetie Canaan’s waiting in the car. “Angel rushed out the door like a bullet without waiting for her mother. She froze just outside the doorway but all she got was a light pat on her back before she was lifted.
“Have fun milady.” Ceras called as the front door closed and she was situated in a car seat. Sure enough a car seat next to her was occupied by her friend. It wasn’t fair. Angel didn’t get any plush toys and Canaan was snuggling one.
“Heya Angel, how’s the week been?” She asked while Mae strapped Angel in, making her cringe. She placed the toy in the seat next to her. Sweet Canaan, always so thoughtful.
“Well for starters….” Angel pointed to the bag Mae loaded next to her, a diaper bag. “I got banned from wearing pull ups.”
“Too many puddles? It happened a few times.” Canaan admitted, not much for teasing when her friend was suffering.
“Nah, mine was mandated with another unearned spanking three times a week.” She spat. Still for some reason Canaan’s excitement was infectious and she felt her mood being pulled up just from her being there. “At least you get to go to school. I’m stuck at home with my thoughts.” Canaan laughed.
“Yeah, if you like seeing others get paddled and having it loom over your head. Got a nasty one for calling a black P a certain less than kind word yesterday. First time mom had to do the same when I got home too.” She looked a bit down and Angel felt kind of bad. “Oh well! What’s in the past, right? Excited? The instructor is a dracon like you.” Now that made a smile spread across Angel’s face.
“Really what’s their name?” She couldn’t help a gleam of joy from showing.
“Mister Hammer he calls himself. He’s only been on the planet for about a month but he’s a great instructor. He has white scales and a broken horn.” Angel had known a dracon like that but It couldn’t be him.
“Great, I look forward to meeting him.” She let her mind wander and stared out the window like she always did on trips like this. The town faded quickly into the distance and she’d think the sheer amount of green would be beautiful if not for her thoughts
“Worried about Axel honey?” Leave it to Mae to give them a voice. “Don’t, there’s a reason he has all that armor and weapons.”
Canaan’s feathers ruffled. “Wait, weapons? Aren’t those banned in penny households?” Was it really that strange?
“Normally yes but Axel is a special case.” Mae sighed and pressed a couple of buttons that brought up screens in the back so she could talk to the girls face to face. “Axel is a commander of the Emergency Response Fleet. I can’t go into much detail but most of Starfleet is for peace and exploration. Axel’s designation is prosperity at all costs. He has weapons in places no one but him can access. Even if Angel found them, they’d fry her.” Angel shuddered. “You think a phaser is bad, think about that pain overloading every nerve in your body at once. I had it happen a few times. It isn’t fun and she’d be unable to move until her body ‘rebooted’. It takes about a week for a human so with you it’d be about one and a half. Fully grown Canaan might stand a chance of getting up after a day.” Angel was scared before but now? She figured those weapons were under lock and key but the defenses even hurt his wife? What else was there?
“W-we don’t have to worry about that though, right?” Canaan asked. “I mean it’s not like we’re going to go after them.” Angel wanted to tell her to shut up. She didn’t want to escalate this. Axel was a lovable kitty and she didn’t want to think of him like that.
“I told Angel I wouldn’t keep secrets and I meant it. Axel does what he needs to do. He’s a lovable cat but…” Mae looked hurt. “She’s already heard about what they did to us. We may not have deserved it then but people with happy lives don’t get into the ERF. All I’m saying is he’ll be fine.” She smiled at the camera and for the first time it put Angel’s heart at ease. “I’ve got to switch to manual for the magnetic fields ahead so be good, okay?” The feed went dark but she was right there while Angel watched the steering wheel slip out of the front console
Canaan tapped her arms and she leaned over. “What the hell happened this morning? What does she mean by weapons?” She whispered harshly. Angel only shook her head.
“See how upset the usurpers prostrate.” Angel whispered, to Mae it would only sound like a poem but Canaan shut her beak firmly. Smugglers' code was hard enough to string together on the fly. She didn’t need to add more fuel to the fire. A tense silence brought the car ride to a halt a moment later. She caught a look at their instructor as they landed. It was a face she knew well. She hid her emotions under a mask of anxiety and quickly scribbled a note she hid in her car seat. She was grateful that Mae had to help her out of the car. Her hands trembled and she was sure he’d notice.
Two large Kyyreni stood at his sides. A wolf-like species with the coloration of lions. Digitigrade legs like her own and blond manes on their chests that denoted them male. The dracon, however, was the one that worried her. Scales so white they hurt to look at Two large horns on either side of his head. The right one broken and jagged rested over smaller ones that traveled down his back. Angel hated the business suit he wore. It blocked the crossed scars and deformed scales that he’d earned. It took everything she had to hide her panic. “Welcome back Canaan. Who’s your friend?” As if he didn’t know one of his former bosses.
“This is Angel, she’ll be joining us today!” Angel wished she could get lost in her friend’s enthusiasm.
“Glad to hear it.” He turned around and she could see her reflection in his collar. The final nail in the coffin. A bounty hunter never looked away from a target. “We’ll start out with the harnesses. This is a zipline course to train your wings and get you used to the feeling of wind in your wings. These two will provide ‘encouragement’ as needed.” He explained, and the two Kyyreni showed the paddles hanging at their hips. Angel knew they were a fake out this time. “Would you mind putting your daughter in this madam?” He handed Mae a harness and she noticed the leash and thin metal mesh that went through it.
Mae brought it over her shoulders and up against her thighs. “Sorry princess, it's to make sure you don’t run or try to fly away. Try not to make them use the stun, okay?” Angel knew what she meant but she wanted to tell her to take Canaan and run. That dracon only left his system for one thing. Finally, she felt the mesh touch her skin and the three lights on the front come online. It cycled from red to yellow before settling on green.
“I know what it looks like but you’ll need the stun vest as a penny. We actually had to have it custom made to be this small.” It boiled the blood in Angel’s ‘little’ veins. She had no way of knowing just how much power could go through this thing. “Unfortunately, we’ll have to have your mother stay down here. You can see the course right there so you’ll be able to see her fly. Give her a hug, would ya squirt? You look like you’ve seen a phantom.” He said, stepping away but still watching her through that infernal collar. Still, she hugged her mother tightly, maybe a bit too tightly.
“If you’re scared, we can still call it off Angel, I’ll be right here.” Angel sniffled a bit, letting just a bit of emotion come through. If she didn’t go up there, she knew what awaited everyone here. She could barely see the active camo in the bushes.
“I’m fine momma. I may try out doubles...” She said and pulled away. The courses were split into firsts, doubles, triples, and assisted flight. She just hoped she got the message. A leash clicked to her harness. Inside another dracon, a Phixin and a second Kyyreni waited for them. As one they were ushered into a grav-lift. Above large mesh cages surrounded massive platforms. Attached to each were metal cables that branched in several directions.
“Alright you three are with Josh here while Angel and I start on the beginner course. We’ll meet up with you in ten minutes.” Her blood went cold and she made three quick motions with her tail, ones along the ground so he couldn’t see it. This time Canaan was looking dead at her but if she was going to do anything she wasn’t going to say it. “As always, we’ll provide you with lunch here and if you need to contact your parents on the ground there are vid-phones at each intersection. Now line up, come on Angel.” She felt the leash release, replaced with the first line. A short little trail with cords of light blue and purple to get her wings used to the feeling of gliding.
“So how long are you going to keep this up Phantom?” She asked while he set her up on the platform to jump.
“Oh? I’m honored the Splinter’s Point remembers someone as lowly as me.” That voice was slimy to her ears. He tugged the line to test it. “Jump when ready. You know what to do.” She pushed off the platform and spread her wings. Normally the wind would have made her smile, flooded with joy to do something so ingrained in her instincts. Instead, she opened the vents on her neck and flooded them with extra air. It’d been a long time since she’d hunted but some things were never forgotten. Heat signatures, the scent of their fur or skin, the subtle hum of reactive camo. They disrupted the flow of air with their bodies. Stinking of pheromones produced when a predator was closing in on their prey. It was hopeless. They were surrounded. Only a few moments later she touched down onto the platform and the Phantom came flying in behind her, touching down with barely a sound but a powerful wave of wind. “Now that you know what’s here I trust you’ll come quietly?” He asked and she sighed.
“What about them?” She indicated to the others as they took the lines through the rest of the course. She wanted to indicate to her mother too, but she didn’t want to give away her hand just yet. They’d be approaching the first platform soon anyway.
“Still so worried about others.” He lifted the remote from his belt. “Don’t worry. You know I don’t like collateral damage.” He fiddled with the remote in his hands. He was taunting Angel, trying to get her to attack. “I finally get to knock you down a peg.”. He pressed a button on the remote and her vest awoke. Electricity arched across her body in an agonizing symphony she couldn’t even scream to. She just caught her vest switching from yellow to red before she passed out.
