804/Foot Mutt

Foot Mutt
Date of Scene:	27 March 2020
Location:	A Foot Clan Building
Synopsis:	Background Story between Alopex and the mutant who become known as Kainashi, leading up to the Fairbanks Incident.
Cast of Characters:	Kainashi, Alopex

---

Kainashi has posed:
    2017. Alopex has known about the dog for a few months now, the other Foot Mutant. Digging a little has found that the dog was created after her, an attempt to copy their wild sucsess with Alopex.

    It was not to be. She was used as heavy lifting labor in places that equipment would draw too much attention, fed garbage, and then locked up. Any question of if she can talk is met with either cruel laughter, or one sad statement of 'she can parrot speech, but she's just an animal. Not like you. They killed the scientist that failed.'

    And now there was a gauntlet. A number of foot soldiers had been training, and Alopex had to watch as the dog was dragged out into the circle, muzzled, and the fighter instructed to attack.

    It's just an animal.

    It can't think. Not like us.

    No wonder the dog had such horrendous scarring and wounds.

    But later that night, in the dark of the basement, huddled up with the blanket over her shoulders and head, still muzzled and unable to eat for it, The Dog was whipering in pain.

Alopex has posed:
    It made -zero- sense. She knew that this creature had incredible strength. She knew that it could absolutley speak, seeing as they held some semblance of a conversation when the fox discovered her. Honestly, it had been a while, and the fox hadn't managed to get down the stairs a lot, so now, with a slow, late evening, the fox's new training allowed her to get out of the building, get a very large, very meaty pizza, and then without a sound she opened the stairway and slipped down, closing the door behind her.

    "Hey, are you--" she starts, but stutters. She knew that sound, remembered it from another life. Rather then step down those creaky stairs, the fox simply hops them, avoiding their noises, landing silently, before her tone grows with concern. The pizza is set aside and her pack is brought around, like last time, "Hey, are you alright? I saw what they had him to do you... how bad is it..?"

Kainashi has posed:
    The other mutant stays in the shadow, not even the dim light reaching the back of its cage -- but the smell of pizza certainly does. There's a snuffing noise, and the ears prick forwards -- and slowly, that dirty blanket covering her shoulders and head, the dog slips forwards.

    "Hurts." she replies in a scared voice, then gives a breath out, difficult to speak in the muzzle.

    "Much hurts""

Alopex has posed:
    The fox just grumbles at the sight before her. The muzzle, the injuries: all of it was upsetting to no end. Wasn't the Foot supposed to help and defend people? What was this..? This went against everything she had been told.

    Moving closer to the cage, hoping trust would win out over instinct, the fox reaches, hoping to unbind the muzzle on the canine, "Here, come closer, I can help.."

Kainashi has posed:
    The canine moves cloer, and bows her head for Alopex to remove the heavy muzzle. The cruel contraption has spikes against her ears to keep them in place.

    And the dog sits down at the edge of the cage, close to Alopex as she regards the white fox with a mixed expression.

    "Good food?"

Alopex has posed:
    The muzzle comes undone quickly, and is carefully set aside. As much as the fox would love to destroy it, she knows that both of them would probably end up punished as a result. The canine for letting someone remove it, and Pex because, well, no one else in the Clan probably feels the way she does.

    With the muzzle dealt with, the fox pulls the large pizza box back over, "Very good food. It's not what we had before, but I was able to get a lot more of it, so I figure it would be nice.." she explains before opening the box. This is a meat lovers pizza on steroids. Philly steak, grilled chicken, sausage, pulled pork, italian sausage, this is the -works-. All held together by a 3 cheese blend on top. "I hope you like it."

Kainashi has posed:
A
    The dog's noe sniffs, wriggles, and she accepts some of the pizza, caaaaarefully pulling it away from its other slices, her tail beginning to wag-- and then as she takes a gnomf of it, it wags *harder*.

    "Pizza!" she states with a little grin. "Remember. Pizza."

Alopex has posed:
    And thus it is proven, to Alopex, that this dog can indeed speak. She didn't use that word once, and yet it has been said. It's heartwarming in a way that the canine may not even realize. "Ah, you've had it before," she muses, almost feeling sad that such a memory exists. Her previous life, perhaps? "I'm glad you like it," she follows with before pulling free a slice of her own. "I lean a little more toward a meaty pizza, I figured we could both appreciate it."

Kainashi has posed:
    "Mmmmm. Pizza." the dog comments again, and he sits a little closer to Alopex.

    "Alopex... free?"

Alopex has posed:
    That ... is a sudden question. Before she met this pup she would have said yes without a moment's hesitation. Now? "I'm not sure. I used to think so, but I'm starting to wonder if what I've been told is true.." she muses, staring at her half eaten slice. The pup can take as much as she wants. It is a Very Big Pizza.

    "You aren't... and I want to fix that. I'm just not sure how. I know I can ask one person but.. I don't have the rank yet. I'm working toward it but.. it may be a while," she mutters. She doesn't want it to take a while. The way she's being treated is unacceptable. It doesn't need to go -longer-.

Kainashi has posed:
    Another slice is nabbed, and the pup chews carefully with her sore jaw.

    "Alopex... lead the Foot?"

Alopex has posed:
     If only she did. "I do not. That is another man, the one I am hoping to train under. When I do.. then I may be able to change things."

Kainashi has posed:
    The dog chews in silence for a little bit, before leaning against the bars slightly, relaxing

    "Good blanket?" she asks, ears rising up. "When Alopex lead Foot Dog get good blanket?"

Alopex has posed:
    That... almost draws a tear. There's so much innocence here. How could they treat this dog like this?! AUGH. "Y-yes. You'd get that and much more," she explains. "I just.. I can't do it yet."

Kainashi has posed:
    The dog gives a nod, and reaches out and sort of just... pats Alopex's head. Very, very gently.

    "Alopex good." she decides, and her tail wags. "Dog wait."

Alopex has posed:
    The fox actually stuffs the rest of the slice into her mouth otherwise there'd be more than tears. The nomfing gives her time to collect herself from that. Though, its in that moment of thought that she decides something, "You need a name, and not the one they gave you, and not 'Dog'," she insists, finally looking over.

    "Did.. you have a name before..? Do you remember much of it? It .. kind of comes and goes for me sometimes."

Kainashi has posed:
    The dog recoils slightly, and she shakes her head. "Get name when useful. Like Alopex. Strong. Someday. They see, good dog. Good dog does all told. Follow rule. Good dog, wags tail, no barking." she states quietly. "No remember name. No name." she scratches at an ear, and winces. "Fleas bad."

Alopex has posed:
    Bleh. "I .. just don't like calling you 'Dog' or worse. You deserve better, I think. But.. if you insist," she resigns, grabbing another slice, nudging the box to make sure the other knows they're welcome to as much as they'd like.

    "I'll train hard, I want you out of here as soon as possible. I'm glad you're willing to wait, I just wish you didn't need to." Blink. Fleas? Oh right, she did bring other things. The slice is set down in the box as she rummages in her bag. "These should help.." a box of some sort of pills, and more of the ointment she provided last time for the injury they had. "Just keep them hidden somewhere.

Kainashi has posed:
    "But... Dog?" the dog states, her ears shifting uncertainly before pills and ointment are produced! She gives a great big grin, a goofy, tongue-hanging-out-the-side smile, and accepts the gifts.

    "Hidden." she states quietly, and gives the pillbox a rattle, before she hurriedly applies the ointment.

    "Alopex good. Alopex friend. Dog guard Alopex when Alopex lead Foot. Dog good dog."

Alopex has posed:
    Yep. She'd have to let the name thing go, at least for now. "Yes, yes you are," Alopex affirms as she scoops her slice up again. A glance at her watch. Still late, not early. Good. "You'll have your place along side me, I can promise you that."

Kainashi has posed:
    "... Dog guard Alopex. Alopex friend dog." the dog gives a nod quietly, and shifts about, grabbing another slice of pizza.

    "Alopex remembers before?"

Alopex has posed:
    "...Sometimes. Little flashes, more often in dreams. Rough dreams," she admits, trusting this canine enough to admit to it. "Nightmares about ... being changed. About life before. About this ... gigantic bear.." more rummaging in her bag produces a bottle of water for both of them. One that Alopex quickly drinks from. "That bear was a menace."

Kainashi has posed:
    "Bear?" the dog considers a moment. "Big bear?" she asks, her ears pricking up as Alopex peaks. She is innately curious about the other mutant -- the only one who bothered to talk to her.

Alopex has posed:
    "Mmhmm... what pieces I've put together, I remember being my family's hunter. I was really good at it but.. we all feared that bear. There were times we couldn't go out for weeks just because he was around. No one could stand up to him, least of all me."

Kainashi has posed:
    "... don't... want to remember." Dog replies quietly. "Hurts." she states, and then she bings her hand up to her chest, and taps against her heart. "Here."

Alopex has posed:
    "I know that pain, I really do," she points out, reaching over to pat the pup on the head, if so allowed. "I had a family, I lost it, then I found a new one here, in the Foot. A family I hope to help, to improve, to lead by example. That's why I will train harder now than ever. For both of us, so you aren't left out of the family you should absolutley be a part of."

Kainashi has posed:
    "... Foot... Family?" Dog questions, and turns, looking back to the bucket of greasy gray meat-slop... and her nose wrinkles.

    "Do not want family meal."

Alopex has posed:
    That gets the fox to shake her head, "Not all of them understand. That's why I have to prove myself. Why I have to climb. It's why I need to be at -his- side. He'll listen, and then.." she frowns at the bucket, but nudges the pizza closer, "This is a family meal. Not that slop."

Kainashi has posed:
    "... Alopex family?" Dog asks quietly, turning back, those dark brown eyes settling on Alopex.

Alopex has posed:
    At that, the fox just smiles, holding out the unopened water bottle for the pup. "We're having dinner together, aren't we?"

Kainashi has posed:
***

2019: Before Fairbanks

    She was dubbed Kainashi. The cruel name was tattooed into her ear. She was 'allowed' to wear some gear, but still rarely spoke to anyone except Alopex. Most people didn't think she could talk.

    Alopex had been giving her support. Teaching, and Kai was eager to take on everything she would teach, an astoundingly quick study under a *competant* teacher.

    But this was a special day.

    Alopex was told she was going to be dispatched on a mission, after becoming an elite Assassin for the Foot, but there was some sort of display first.

    Alopex was permitted to choose anything she wanted to take into the pit with her. Anything she felt she might need to face the challenges ahead. Above, in a shadowy box, Someone Important sat.

Alopex has posed:
    The fox wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. She had been preparing for the mission yet to come, but the 'display' was odd. Combat? Nothing, then. She'd wear her typical garb, but she would prove the time she has spent training with the Foot Clan was well spent, and not any kind of waste of time.

    As such, when the time came, she walked out. Rank had been rising, respect had been grudgingly earned, especially those that looked down on what she was. Most knew what -he- wanted of her. To promote, to send out, to set upon those they saw as enemies. First? First a few things had to be done.

        Step one...

Kainashi has posed:
    Step one was a trio of other Foot Ninja, but not assassins. Dispatched quickly, no hits on the fox. Step two was a pair of assassins, but not Elite Assassins. No hits on the fox.

    The Trainer appears, wearing his formal black gi, stepping out to the roar of applause and jeers, and stands, looking at Alopex... and then gives a great and evil grin.

Alopex has posed:
    There's a roll of her shoulders, a pop of the neck, and a glare that could kill if he was an inch closer. In all honesty, with her training having gone so well, with what few words she had managed to instill into her new Master, she had hoped things would start going in the right direction very soon. Just .. today's business. The business afteward, and then she could -finally- make things right. Just a few steps more. "What do you want?"

Kainashi has posed:
    "A display." he states, and he turns. "Some of you know that we have housed two creatures here in this facility. One, brilliant, charming, the ultimate student and the so-called Pride of the Foot Clan." he states, "The other twisted. Deformed. Scarred and stupid, but gifted. What a sight to see these two meet --" he motions up to the shadowy box above "For the Glory of calling our leader 'Master'."

    And then, Kainashi is produced. She was stripped of her normal gear, replaced with heavy leather straps and metal armor, spiked dully. She was snarling, her ears back, whale-eyed. Her scarred shoulders and face were just barely healing and deep ruts of scar tissue that were hard to see by night were plain in the lights of this makeshift arena. Viscous, foaming fluid clings to her jaws, and in terror she snaps at the handlers dragging her in by leashes.

    There is something wrong with her. Her pupils are too dialated. The pink of her ears are red and irritated.

    "Make this creature kneel, if you can, Alopex." The Trainer states, and hits Alopex with a cloth ball.

    It leaves a yellowish stain. And stinks.

     -- a scent marker.

Alopex has posed:
    On a regular day, she would have dodged the ball on reflex. This no normal day. When Kainashi is presented to the pit, a roar of crowd noise along with her apearence, it stuns the fox into silence. That, and only that, is why the ball thumps into her chest, bounces, and falls to the floor.

        Someday, that trainer would be a dead man.

    Not today. Now, the fox has to deal with her friend who has been, at the very least, drugged. In her current state, Alopex wagers that no amount of words or attempts to bring her to heel would help. She is, at the very least, aware of her strength, but also of wounds. She was an -assassin- now. And yet she has to do .. this. He must be jealous, it was the only thing that made sense to her. "Fine."

Kainashi has posed:
    There's cheering going up around them. Two freaks in a can -- the scent marker makes the dog's nose twitch, old training coming back. Something that hadn't been used for years, and she growls,

    And there's a gutteral snarl as the creature runs forward, blindly, foam trailing behind as her jaws part, and in terror she goes in for a bite against Alopex's stomach!

Alopex has posed:
    At least Alopex was well aware of how this fight should go. The scent noticed, the charge, but most important was to make sure that strength couldn't be used. She had to keep distance. Strike and retreat, repeat until either the pup was aware of her surroundings, or do something to put her out. It was one or the other.

    When the charge comes, the fox lunges upward, looking down, keeping a close eye on the currently feral form. When she lands she goes for the legs with a sweep, darting back regardless of success.

Kainashi has posed:
    Kainashi is not in control of herself. She stumbles, legs robbed out from under her as she hits dirt. She skids a little bit, then draws up, her head shaking the dirt off, her nose twitching -- follow the smell. She snarls, siddling up towards the smell, zeroing in, drooling uncontrolably foaming as she gives a warning bark, showing all those teeth inside her mouth, and she goes for Alopex again!

Alopex has posed:
    As was normal for her, Alopex was in rather little. The tattered hoodie, the wraps, her bracers, but no weapons. Going into the pit, she left her bag behind, not thinking it was needed. ... This would have been a good time for it. With what she DOES have, she forms an idea while the canine starts to rise. Come at her again, yes, that's it, don't mind the fact the tattered garb is lifted and held, twirled and twisted.

    When she comes again, the fox's hop isn't as high. With the leap, and a twist, she's meaning to come down on her back. With her top in hand, she means to blind first, then tighten at the neck. This is risky, it puts her close, but if she can just knock her out, and possibly remove the scent if she can't knock her out, this may work a lot faster. "Please, stop, please..." she calls, quiet, not above the roar of the crowd but certainly enough the canine may hear. "This needs to end sooner rather than later.."

Kainashi has posed:
    The canine with the scarred face rushes the fox, and doen't seem peturbed -- or really to notice -- when there's more weight on her. First she turn to the left, and then turn to the right, sniffing. Blinding her didn't seem to change that. She was drooling up a mess -- but she did feel the hand on her at last, and the crush against her neck. She snarls out, clawing at Alopex's arms, scratching against the bracers when she turns, and tries a different manuver. She RIPS out a chunk of the concrete wall tha tthe pit is made of, causing people in the audience to scatter, and attempts to dislodge Alopex with a hunk of concrete to her own back!

    There is, however, water for cleaning out the pit running through here. A twisted pipe ticks up a little bit, swelling and threatening to burst.

Alopex has posed:
    It was worth a try! The fox is glad the bracers hold up, but when the concrete is torn free from its place in the wall, Alopex is made aware that its time to get distance again. Rather than going straight up, the fox pushes back off of the canine's back, with a corner of the concrete block leaving a thin crimson trail along the side of one leg. Blast it. The scent marker was clear but now? Now she had something that wasn't so easily hidden, not with her top still around Kai's head.

    A pipe? That would be handy if she had her kama, or maybe that sword she was planning to steal for the Foot. Neither of those were present but... maybe... Well, it was her only other option at the moment. With one eye on her feral opponent, the fox strafes, circling around until she was standing in front of the pipe. From there, she waits, much to the dislike of the crowd. She didn't care what they thought. She would not hurt -any- member of her family if she could help it.

    Except the Trainer. He would never understand.

Kainashi has posed:
    There was blood now.

    And the Dog knew Alopex's blood. It carried the scent strongly, and for a moment she was confused, thinking that Alopex had jumped in to rescue her from her assailiant --

    But she was now hurt!

    "Leave..." the powerful pooch pulls up the chunk of concrete -- wouldn't weigh more than a couple of tons, it's all good.

    "Alopex--" he begins in a snarl-- and then she LAUNCHES that boulder of manufactured rock at the scent markers, thinking she is saving Alopex!

    Good thing -- pup has aim.

    Ba thing: There is now a two ton hunk of concrete hurling at Alopex -- and that water pipe!

Alopex has posed:
    They -blinded- her too?! What was WRONG with this Trainer?! What sadistic pleasure did he get out of causing pain to these two?! Rage was going to build, but it would have to wait. The concrete block was flying toward her, the pipe, and that was what she had hoped for. She dives to the side, ears pricking at her name. Did she not hear her earlier? Did they render all her senses null except for smell?!

Kainashi has posed:
    No wonder she was terrified! All those people, and one target smell.

    Pippi growls, trying to locate the smell, or follow Alopex's scent -- meanwhile the pipe had burst, showing the entire arena in water, making the dir floor slick and muddy.

Alopex has posed:
    But it also allowed the fox to get a bit of water for herself, clean off the scent marker, and then approach with naught but her injury to guide the canine forward. Once close, with a single arm held out, she whispers again, hoping she hears, hoping she senses, hoping training has worked. "If you can hear me, please, so we can end this, just kneel. Please."

Kainashi has posed:
    "Alopex?" the canine whimpers, and collapses down, feeling the arm brush her shoulder, collapsing to her knees. "Cant see, cant hear, cant taste Pex." she drool, still foaming, whimpering "Scared, so scared. You're hurt, you need medicine."

    And the crowd goes wild, Kainashi's words partially lost under the roar that Alopex made the monster calm and kneel. There is movement from the shadowy box above, and a young woman comes down, and states something to the trainer.

    Then she turns to Alopex.

    "You outrank him now. By several ranks. Make sure he addresses you properly, Alopex." she states -- and that wa all. She returned back to the crowd, a large Foot Clan symbol on the back of her vest.

Alopex has posed:
    Oh. Those words. Those words held so much to her that it was like a spoonful of honey in her muzzle. That of her new rank, not those of the canine behind her. She had something to -say-.

    With a single hand raised the crowd is brought to silence. "You are expecting more blood? You won't have it. Mine has been spilled, and that will be enough, and for a singular reason. This clan is a family. Family may deliver hard lessons, but it does not hate those within it. I have a new family in this clan, in all of you, and every single member. There is nothing useless here. There is nothing worthless here. Everything has its use, and I will stand for transgressions against family -no longer-. A house divided cannot stand, and anyone that disagrees will have me to answer to. That being said.." she trails, beckoning the man in the black gi. Her glare is back.. but now? Now he has nothing. He has no rank to lord over her with.

        "Undo what you have done."

Kainashi has posed:
    "As you wish, Alopex." the trainer states, and she would get the pleasure of walking him walk over, scruff the poor mutant, and remove plugs from her ears -- discoloration due to burning of hot wax --

    An then Kainashi throws up all over his boot. There's some half-digeted herbs in there -- the source of the foaming and maybe even the blindness.

    "Go to your cage." he growls -- and the dog's tail curls, and she scurries back -- knowing that this too was failure.

    Alopex now hd to decide -- continue on the journey that her Master decides, or dishonor her new rank and stay to ensure Kainashi is taken care of?

Alopex has posed:
    She was only a step away. She knew. Even as the Trainer undid what was done, she knew that she only had to endure a little longer. As the crowd starts to murmur at the fox's words, she uses that noise to cover her words to Kai before she retreats, "Only a little longer, I promise."

    Back to the trainer. Back to her Master, and then she kneels. "I am ready for what you would have me do next." She had heard rumors about something in Fairbanks. She knew that name since it was a name on her very own file. If that was to come next, or something else, she'd soon find out.

Kainashi has posed:
    And overhead, as her Master stood, there was only the glint of the arena lights against the blades of his helmet as he looked down on Alopex with an intensity that would only ever be his.