Stray Dogs Don't Talk Back

by BatBracelets

Summary:

Congratulations Mutt, You've trained your whole life to be the Administrator's personal GuardDog and assassin. You were hand picked and surgically modified for this. However, RED team has been having a rough time picking up the slack ever since BLU got their Spy back. So now you get to go help. All for the Administrator's entertainment, of course. The only problems are you barely talk, you have to wear a muzzle or you will bite people, you eat what you kill, and you have very little social training. You're going from Lone Wolf to working with nine other people... Good Luck!

Notes:

Apologies if my English is bad! It's my first language I just suck at it. I've Never really written gore before, or really any violent anything, but it's been interesting so far! This is My first Fic that I am posting Publicly. My Friend reads this to look for Plot holes, but neither of us can spell well, so it's like I have no Beta Reader :P. Mutt is an OC of mine, and a cannibal. Like mentioned, My Verb tense (past, present, future) changes a lot as I write, side effect of spicy brain, so if that bothers you I warn you in advance. Enjoy!

WARNINGS: This chapter contains depictions of violence and cannibalism. Please continue at your own pace, you have been warned.

Chapter 1: Change of Ownership

The room is dim. The only light comes from the dozens of TV monitors, all aimed at the Old Woman. This means that the corners of the room are dark. Perfect to sit and observe. The air reeks of that Hag's perfume. Makes it difficult to monitor by scent alone. So unfortunately, I actually have to keep my eyes open.

I lean on the wall, watching the Old Woman. She finds some sort of sick entertainment in watching the every move of the two groups of nearly identical men. Doesn't really matter to me. I do my job, I get fed. As I breathe out, I wince a little. The hard leather and metal of that obnoxious face plate "muzzle" presses against the bridge of my nose. It's sore. I want it off.

The familiar clicking of heels in the hallway draws my attention to the door. The Hag doesn't even pry her eyes away from the TVs.

"Come in, Pauling" The Old Woman barks.

A young woman with crooked glasses, dark frazzled hair in a bun, and a pencil skirt enters the room. She's holding a clipboard and checking her watch. I actually quite like Pauling. She's not too loud, and she smells like the outside world. I stare at the small leaf stuck in her hair. She speaks.

"Administrator, as you know, RED team hasn't been winning any battles. Not Since BLU got their Spy back." She fixes her glasses, and the Old Woman signals for her to continue.

"They've been asking if I can hire someone else for them to work with. Said that they're tired of losing."

The Old Woman finally drags her eyes away from the screens for a split second, glancing at me. I know I'm not allowed to move while Pauling is over. I don't think she knows I even exist. The Hag goes back to her screens.

"Yes, go ahead and look into getting a new hire for them. It would certainly make things more interesting on my end."

Pauling nods, writes something on her clipboard, and checks her watch again.

"Great! I'll let the guys know I'm looking into it. Thanks, Administrator!"

And with that, Pauling leaves. I sigh as her heels click back down the hall and out of the bunker. The Old Woman scoffs.

"She had no idea you were even there, Mutt. Be a good dog and get me something to drink. I have the feeling I'm going to be saying 'no' to a lot of job applications."

I stand up straight and walk to the small, mostly empty kitchenette. The one good wine glass is already out. I take it and a new bottle of wine to the Hag, nose scrunching as I get close. She really uses too much perfume.

As I set down the glass and bottle, a chill runs up my spine. A familiar sensation. My eyes narrow as I look around the room, listening and smelling as I go.

There it is. The quiet shuffle of an expensive leather shoe sneaking into the room alerts me to his location. With one smooth motion I strike. My hand shoots out to grab around his neck. As the butterfly knife clatters to the ground, the Spy's grey pinstripe suit materializes under my grip. He practically claws at my grasp, a sad choking sound escapes his lips as he pleads for mercy. The low, involuntary growl that comes from my throat solidifies his fate.

The Old Woman finally looks over from her wine and screens. She pulls a small key from the chain around her neck.

"Get over here, I'll unlock the muzzle so you can eat. Just don't make a mess. This place is filthy enough..."

I oblige, leaning uncomfortably close to the Hag. She swiftly unlocks the covering, and I leave the room, dragging the grey Spy with me. He's barely alive. Good

Just how I like them.

I drag him to my room. Well, I claim the room as mine. I sleep there, the plain mattress in the corner, on the floor, with a single pillow and thin blanket. The window blacked out with curtains, making the room dim and cave like. Many a Spy have died in this room. The faint smell of blood lingers, oozing from the walls and floor. The much stronger, sharp smell of hydrogen peroxide concentrate stings my nose slightly.

I swiftly bite, ripping the throat of the Spy out. He was almost asphyxiated anyway. The little gurgle that bubbles out is the last breath he will ever take.

As I sit in the corner of my room, careful to not get blood on my mattress, I take the first bite. It's a bit too bitter. Ugh. I think, Too much cologne.

While I eat, I can hear the Hag call someone in the other room. I can't hear who is on the other and, other than a vague gruff and deeper voice.

"Yes, I think it's time... The blast proof one, obviously... Finger print scanner? really? They're practically clones. It won't work. Use your brilliant mind... Yes, keypad is fine... Okay... Yes install ASAP... alright... Bye. I'll warn the beast"

The Old Woman's voice almost echos in my head. What is she planning now?... Last time there was a call like that my jaw was sore and shut for weeks...

"Mutt!" The Hag practically barks at me. "When you're done eating and cleaned up, come talk to me." I huff in response, letting her know I heard. Almost down with the best parts anyway.

The Old Woman picks up her phone again. She dials a number, and this time I know who she's talking to. Because she addresses them.

"Pauling. Just kidding on the 'New hire' thing. There has been a slight change of plan... No you'll still get a new mercenary, you just don't have to hire them or do any extra paperwork... Yes... Just come back. I'll have your newbie ready... Yes, I'm sure... Goodbye Pauling."

As she hangs up, I'm done with what I want to eat. Still too much cologne. I dump the rest into the incinerator chute in the hallway, and go to the small dingy bathroom to clean up. After I wash my arms and face, I walk back to the Old Woman. She tosses a red tank top at me. As far as I could tell, she hadn't moved. I don't know where she got it from.

"Change into that, out of your bloody clothes. You'll be working for Pauling as of today. Well, Pauling and Saxton. Technically. But I'm not telling him. I'll still have you do things for me, but that will be occasionally."

My heart flutters and starts to soar. Oh my god, I'm going to leave this hell hole for more than one job! This is the best! Sunshine! Outdoors! I can't wait-! My thoughts race and a small, awkward smile crawls across my face. My expression drops, however, when the Hag lifts the muzzle up for it to be replaced on my head. I sigh, leaning over for the device to be locked to my head again.

"Also, Mr. Conagher is coming over. He's installing a new door. So you won't have to be here all the time."

I freeze, staring down the Old Woman. She seems unbothered.

"Don't kill him when he walks in, GuardDog. Don't even touch him. While he's here you'll be in your little 'area' until Pauling comes to get you."

I simply nod. Now that the muzzle has been replaced, I take the tank top and go change. I also fold any clean, not shredded clothes I have. It's not a lot. Mostly some socks, a few pairs of pants, and one set of soft pajamas that I've never gotten to use. Have to always be ready to help the Old Woman. I set everything aside in a box, and wait for the demanding old Hag to call me again. I can almost taste the freedom and fresh air of the outside world.

After a little while, I can hear the metallic clanking of that horrible 'Conagher' man. His metal legs trudging forward. I hate that man. Hate him with every fiber of my being.

He made me like this. Physical changes anyway. He stole my fingers, giving me metal claws instead. I know he changed my jaw, making it easier to rip and shred through tissue. I rub the scars on my chest with my palm. He did that too. That horrible man made me look like a monster. I'll get him back. I can feel it.

The Conagher man waddles into the Old Woman's TV room. He's carrying a large box and a tool kit. He glances towards my room, and I growl a low warning as we make eye contact. He quickly turns to speak with the Hag.

"Got the door you wanted. Blast proof, bullet proof, and the keypad for it. Give me a code and I'll set it up. No more unwanted guests sneaking up on you and the beast in here, no Ma'am!"

He's trying to be overly cheerful. I can smell the fear dripping off him from here. The Old Woman hands him a small paper, and he gets to work. The sounds of drills and mallets echos around the bunker and my brain. I can't stand it. It's too loud. I didn't even hear Pauling walk down the hallway. Too busy holding my ears in a feeble attempt to get the sound to stop. I do spot her as she walks to the Hag. They chat. I wish I could hear it. The Old Woman raises a hand, and the sounds stop. I sigh in relief.

That relief is short lived, as the Hag then beckons for me. I huff, stand, and head over to the Old Woman's side. I'll have to get my box later.

Poor Pauling looks absolutely terrified. Her jaw drops, along with her clipboard. Her eyes widen in fear and surprise. She smells like fear too. But also like outside. My mind starts to wander. She smells like sunshine and wind, sand and cactus, apples and pears, and the lightest gentle perfume... she wasn't wearing it earlier... she wanted to impress me! The thought flickers across my mind before I snap back to the present. The Hag is handing Pauling that curs-ed little remote. I crouch to grab the dropped clipboard, and hand it back to Pauling. She gasps when I move.

"This is Mutt. It is my personal GuardDog. and Assassin. and Mercenary. You may borrow it, Pauling. It means we don't have to hire anyone new, and maybe RED team will get their asses into gear and win. They're not getting paid to lose." The Old Woman sneers to Pauling, gesturing loosely to me.

"Will they um... follow my instructions?" Pauling stammers out, eyeing me warily. She's cute. I'd rather guard her than the Hag.

"It will" The Old Woman assures her. "Saxton has the list of trained commands. I'll tell him to bring you a copy. And a spare key to it's muzzle"

Pauling gulps and nods. She rocks on her heels, glancing towards the doorway. The new fancy door is almost on. The Conagher man just has to program and install the keypad.

"Are you ready to go then, Mutt?" Pauling looks back to me as she asks. I rock my head sideways a few times.

"Not yet? What... What do you need?" She tilts her head sideways a little bit.

"It doesn't talk much Pauling. Don't expect a response." The Hag jeers, not looking away from her precious screens.

I roll my eyes, and swiftly walk to my room. I grab my box of clothes under one arm, and walk back to the lady in her pencil skirt. She glances into the box.

"Oh! Clothes! That makes sense. You'll have most of that provided at the base, But if you have favorites that makes sense."

Pauling rationalizes to herself before looking at her watch. She clicks her tongue and looks frustrated.

"Behind schedule now... Let's go then, Mutt. Van is waiting outside." She turns to leave. I follow her. The Conagher man is nowhere to be seen as we leave. Pity. He's hiding like a coward. We reach the door to the outside world. Pauling pushes it open. I blink in the bright light, trying to adjust  from the cave like darkness of the bunker.

It might be bright, but the smells are really what get to me. I didn't realize how musty that bunker was until the fresh air practically slapped me in the nose. It was wonderful. All of it. The heat, blinding brightness, even the smell of the worn out old van sitting in front of us. Pauling opens the back door, gesturing. I hop in and sit on the floor, under a shelf. My box is placed next to me. I look at Pauling. She looks back, confused.

"I thought you were going to put your box here, and come sit up front..." She states, only a little bit worried.

I nod, and sheepishly get back up and out of the van. I leave my box where it is on the floor of the van, and make my way to the side of the vehicle. Pauling gets into the seat behind the wheel, and I climb into the other one. She starts the van, and we leave, driving into the desert.

Chapter 2: In for a Shock

Summary:

You meet some of the Mercs! And Saxton! He's an asshole! Good luck!!

Notes:

I know the tags say "Slow to update" but when the hyperfixation hyperfixates, it just goes BRRRR and I have to get it out of my head. I had a good time microwaving this in my brain, hope ya have a good one reading it lol.

WARNING: This Chapter Contains Violence, strong language, and mild harm to the reader. Enjoy!!

The first 45 minutes are quiet. The only sounds are the hum of wheels and the roar of the engine. Then, after gathering her courage, Pauling starts to talk to me.

"Okay so... Your job here. You will be working with 9 other guys. Most of them just go by their Class name. They'll also probably call you by yours too. Hope you don't mind too much, hehe..."

She laughs nervously. Pauling looks at her watch again.

"They'll probably call you GuardDog, Unless you want them to call you Mutt. Even then, names are really only used once you're close..."

She pauses again, this time to focus on her driving as the road hits a rough patch.

"Actual work wise... Well you'll be joining in on the fights. Kill people, steal intelligence, defend against a lot of things... Just try not to kill your teammates and coworkers, they don't like it. Apparently respawn is a hassle and painful. I can imagine it is."

I nod, paying half attention. I've been looking out the window at the desert flying by. I love the red sands and blue skies. I stare at a cactus that seems strange. It almost looks fake. Pauling slows the van immediately after she passes the suspicious succulent, and turns towards the rocks. I continue to stare as she drives the van through a curtain, and on the other side the base reveals itself.

The sprawling building, with a few towers and a sniper perch, looms over the dusty landscape below. It looks like it could have been part of an oasis at one time, with gnarled old trees and scrub brushes littering and dotting the ground. A fort, hidden in the rocks.

Pauling pulls the van into a garage, turns off the vehicle, and hops out. With a tired smile, she motions for me to join her.

"You can get your stuff later. For now, you should meet your coworkers. I think it's dinner time..."

Pauling waits for me by the door as I glance around the garage. A camper is also parked inside, rough looking, but otherwise in decent shape. There are boxes of various items, from mechanical parts to ammunition, stacked up against the wall. The air smells... good. Most of the scent is whatever was cooked for dinner, with hints of gasoline and oil from the cars slowly creeping into the undertones.

I follow Pauling down the hallways to just outside the kitchen. A male voice with a southern accent calls out of the room.

"Pauling?? Is that you? Ya late! I had to keep Soldier from eatin your servi-!..." He pokes his head out of the door. He stares at me, goggles on his hard hat. He glances towards Pauling.

"I uh... didn't think the newbie would be here today... there ain't any more food left..." As the sentence falls out of his mouth, the dining area behind him silences.

Pauling shifts uncomfortably, gently tapping on her clipboard. She sucks some air through her teeth.

"Yeah well um... Administrator kind of... straight armed and... forced this choice... Anyway!"

She straightens her back, rights her glasses, and fixes her posture.

"This is the GuardDog. They're here to help win fights,"

"is that why they have a uh... muzzle? On their face?..."

Pauling nods. She looks a little bit awkward.

"Yeah... Administrator said that they bite. Hard... They uh... Used to be the Administrators personal guard."

The man nods. He looks back into the room, and says something. He pops back out with a small smile.

"I'll uh... make you a grilled cheese real quick. There ain't enough chili for both you and Miss Pauling."

I stare at him, incredibly confused. I haven't ever heard of either of his "foods" he mentioned. I decide to actually voice my confusion. My voice is corse and scratchy from a lack of use. I speak quietly.

"... the fuck is a grilled cheese?"

The man in the hard hat once again stares at me. He blinks a few times. "That's... really sad... I'll make you one. It's a sandwich." He steps away from the door. I look to Pauling for help.. I don't know what a 'Sandwich' is either.

Before Pauling can explain what the hell a 'sandwich' is, loud footfalls of a large person in hiking boots approach rapidly. I quickly pull Pauling behind me, fully ready to keep her safe. A large burly man wearing only shorts, socks, hiking boots, and an Australian outback hat steps through the door.

"Hello Mercenaries! And Pauling! I am here with the... stuff that old woman wanted me to deliver. I don't know why!"

He looks around and finally spots me. I growl at this strange man, but Pauling grabs my arm. She waves at the man. I back off a little, wary.

"Saxton! Good that you're here! I'll um, take the stuff... I guess!"

As this 'Saxton' man comes closer, I pull Pauling back more. I don't trust him. He looks at me, up and down, before chuckling.

"Oh I recognize you, You're the Old Lady's pet! Pauling, why do you get to play with it? I'm the one she gave the spare key and commands to..." He sounds... disappointed. I already don't like him. He's loud, cocky, and Australian. Pauling slips around me to collect the items, shrugging.

"I don't know why. She just wanted RED to win I guess. Something about keeping things interesting?"

I continue to warily eye this 'Saxton' Man. I almost don't notice the subtle smell of cologne pop up next to me. Almost. It's masked mostly by the smell of cooked food, but I know that smell anywhere. While the large man rambles to Pauling about... something, I don't know I'm not paying attention to him anymore, I try to focus on the smell. I narrow my eyes, hackles raised, and I growl low. This gets Pauling's attention. I listen... There. The quiet step of an expensive leather shoe. I lash out, grabbing the invisible man by the neck.

His eyes are wide, panicked, as he quickly reappears. He's grabbing at my hand. Choking. It's a predictable song and dance at this point. I stare coldly at him, and his red pinstripe suit. As I slowly crush his windpipe, my mind wanders. I've never killed a RED spy before. Usually they're grey. I wonder if his blood tastes the same...

My thoughts are interrupted by Pauling yelling at me. I glance at her.

"Put him down! Drop him!"

I roll my eyes, and tilt my head slightly to the side as I look back to the Spy. For being RED, he sure is turning blue. I squeeze harder. I kill Spies. That's my job. I've always done that. Why is this one any different...

"Mutt, Drop him! Please! That is your Coworker!"

Pauling sounds desperate. I ignore her pleas. The Spy will pass out soon. If I wasn't wearing this stupid muzzle he would have already had his throat ripped out. I continue to stare down Spy, his hands grabbing weakly at my arm.

Pauling's phone rings. Saxton just watches. When she answers her phone, she doesn't get to speak before the voice starts up. She pulls out the little remote.

"The yellow button? Okay, I'll push it..."

My neck and throat suddenly light ablaze, burning and stinging and vibrating all at the same time. I hiss, dropping the RED spy who gasps for air and leans against the wall, while I claw and grasp at my own throat. I slam into the wall behind me and I start seeing spots. My vision doubles from the pain. The feeling eventually subsides, the phantom shocks still cause twitching. I gasp myself, and glance towards Pauling.

Pauling has a hand over her mouth, horrified with what she just did. A few curious people were looking out of the dining area, and a loud cackle comes from the phone.

"You never said it was a shock collar!" Pauling yells into the phone before hanging up. Guilt crawls across her face. Saxton grins and reaches for the remote in Pauling's hand.

"My turn! I want to shock the brute! It growled at me when I got here!"

Pauling rips the remote away, glaring hard at the taller man.

"No, you jackass! Leave them alone! You did your part. Leave, Saxton."

He rolls his eyes, and scoffs. He turns on his heel and stomps away.

By this time, Spy has regained his composure. He fixes his tie and balaclava. He glares at me while lighting a cigarette.

"What the hell have you brought to this base, Pauling? We asked for help, not a monster to hunt us."

The French man puffs his cig, arms crossed and cold. I glare back. Just because the collar shocked me, doesn't mean I didn't still catch him. I growl at him again.

"well, a warning for you might have been nice from the Administrator... She trusts them. I think."

She looks worried. The same southern man from before walks out of the kitchen. He has a plate with something on it. I realize how much shorter he is than both Spy and Myself. He looks at the RED spy, confused, before walking over to me. He smiles.

"Sit down, and lets get you some grub... How do we get that muzzle off?" He looks to Pauling as I sit. The Spy disappears again. I don't care, as long as he leaves. Or I kill him. Either way.

"Gotta unlock it. Saxton just dropped off the key." She walks over, and turns the key in the lock. The muzzle drops into my lap, and the southern man hands me the plate.

"Eat up, made it just for you!" He smiles. The plate has two triangles of bread on it. The yellow gooey substance warm and melted in-between the slices.

"I'm the Engineer, by the way. You can call me Engie, if ya like. Most everyone else does." He continues to smile at me. It's weird.

I unball my fist, and then pick up one of the triangles. I sniff and inspect it. Doesn't smell bad or poisoned. I notice Engie's smile falters when he sees my mechanical fingers. I look away, slightly embarrassed for some reason, and take a bite of this 'Grilled Cheese.'

My eyes widen. This is the best tasting thing I've ever eaten! It's salty! and Sweet! It's so simple! This is amazing!! I don't even realize I started crying until Engie asks me.

"Are you... okay? Is it that bad?"

I shake my head no, and quickly eat the entire rest of it. Absolute bliss. I could eat this for the rest of my life. Once I'm done, I wait for Pauling to clip the muzzle back into place. I'm in heaven. I feel as though I'm floating, blissfully unaware of the other mercenaries peeking out of the kitchen.

"See Pauling? They just needed something to eat. A lot less murder-y now."

Engie smiles again, offering his gloved hand to me, to help me stand. I take it. He pulls me to his feet.

Before anyone can really do much, a loud muffled voice shouts out. The word is barely understandable.

"Puppy!!"

I barely have time to brace myself as I'm almost tackled by a figure in a red fire proof suit and black gas mask. They hug me tightly, and I growl involuntarily. I clench my hands into fists, and try to push them away, lest I get shocked again for being "Too violent". The person isn't letting go. My eyebrows knit together. I try to look as uncomfortable as possible.

"Pyro, you're making the lad uncomfortable... Lass?" The tall, dark skinned man looks me up and down. He presses his lips together, and blinks his one eye a few times before smiling at me.

"I'll just call ya 'Duck'"

I roll my eyes and continue to push away the person. 'Pyro' as they were apparently called. The man insistent on calling me 'Duck' pulls them away.

"Nice to meet ya Duck. I'm the Demoman. Most everyone here just calls me Demo. You can too, if ya want."

I roll my eyes again. The man reeks of alcohol and explosive powder. It slightly burns my nose. Gross. I shy away, giving him a side eye as well. I'm supposed to work with and trust my life with these people?

He grabs the back of his neck, awkward. The 'Pyro' one, still being held back by 'Demo', reaches for me with little grabby hands. Engie chuckles at them.

"Pyro, they aint a puppy. They're ya new coworker. I believe ya class was the GuardDog, correct?"

I nod to Engie, and warily glance towards the open door to the dining area. Quite a few sets of eyes look back at me. I try to ignore them for now.

Pyro nods, once again mumbling out a few phrases and words. Engie nods, but crosses his arms.

"Well I guess if they look like a puppy to ya in Pyro vision then there aint no use in arguin. I just don't know how much they'd appreciate being pet and cuddled..."

I nod. I don't really want to be touched. Especially by some random people I still don't know well.

Pauling clears her throat. The four of us all look to her. She taps her clipboard, and smiles at me. At least, it felt like it was directed at me.

"Want to meet the rest of your coworkers? Other than Spy, I think they're excited to meet you!"

I once again glance towards to door, steel my nerves, and nod. I guess I'm as ready as ever.

Notes:

Did I forget to mention that you're wearing a shock collar? Whoopsie! Another 2k words spilled out of my brain hole and onto the page. I hope you had a good read :3! If you have any questions let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

Chapter 3: Meetings are Boring, Lets do Surgery!

Summary:

Meet the rest of the Mercs! Medic... is a little bit strange. Closer to cannon than Fannon, I'd say. Definitely Crazy.

Notes:

WARNING: This chapter contains some Medical Trauma, Depictions of Violence, and some Language. Continue at your own pace.

Pauling steps through the door first, and I follow her. I try not to show how nervous I am. There is this gnawing feeling starting in my stomach. For the first time ever I am glad that I have a muzzle covering half my face. I keep my hands closed, and my arms crossed. I stare at the people sitting around the table.

I'm not short. I'm taller than Spy, Pyro, and Engie. But one man at the table would tower above me if he were to stand. I hope he doesn't until I'm ready to deal with that, and those uncomfortable feelings.

Pauling points down the line. She smiles and introduces each person, starting with the giant of a man.

"This is your Heavy Weapons Guy. We call him Heavy. He's honest, and will have your back in a pinch. His English isn't the best, just a heads up,"

She then points to the next man

"This is Sniper. He can be a bit... shy? Keeps to himself. Don't feel bad. He owns the camper you saw."

The two men nod to me, I nod back. The one, Sniper, smells awful. Like ammonia. It makes me slightly dizzy, overpowering the smell of seasoned and cooked food. My nose starts to scrunch up. I try in vain to get it to stop. I know who I'm avoiding...

Pauling doesn't seem to notice, and continues to introduce the men at the table.

"This is Scout. He's very quick. Knows how to handle a baseball bat." He winks at Pauling, She ignores him. "He's also great at getting on people's nerves. Keep an eye out and try not to kill him..." She adds on, and Scout rolls his eyes while sipping his drink.

"This is Soldier. He-!" The man in his helmet cuts her off, standing suddenly and shouting.

"MAGGOT! I'M THE MOST AMERICAN PERSON HERE IN THIS BASE! AND I'VE ONLY GOT ONE QUESTION FOR YA! ARE YOU AN AMERICAN, OR A FILTHY COMMUNIST!? ANSWER ME, MAGGOT!!"

I cover my ears. The man is too loud. I glance at Pauling, silently pleading to her for some calm. She tries to get him to sit back down, and stop jabbing an accusing finger in my direction. While she does that, I glance to the last person. He is staring at me, his head leaning over the red gloves on his hands. His piercing blue eyes drilling holes into me through his round glasses.

I turn away, uncomfortable. My eyebrows once again knit together. Pauling finally gets "Soldier" to sit down and shut up. She gestures to the last man.

"This is Medic. He'll get you set up with Respawn and ÜberCharge. Don't mind him too much, okay?"

I nod, still unable to look at him. There is something about his demeanor and attitude that reminds me of the Horrible Conagher man. Maybe it's the fact that he was staring at my fingers. Maybe it's the smell of antiseptic that lingers on his lab coat and hair. It was probably the grin that seems to be getting wider every time I peek at the man.

Well, I want to avoid him. At least until I can figure out how to deal with him. I think, doing my best to stand rigid and appear unapproachable. I try not no shiver as the man speaks. It takes me a moment to understand his accent. German, I think.

"How do you feel about losing a rib or two?"

I glare at him. He laughs.

"I jest! I vould say I am excited for a fresh test subject, but it vould appear someone else got to you before me."

He wiggles his fingers at me, grinning from ear to ear. I involuntarily growl in response. I don't like him already.

"Medic, stop tormenting the GuardDog. I'm sure They've had a long enough day as it is." Pauling scolds the man like a toddler. He simply rolls his eyes and goes back to his food. 

"That monster will attack for no good reason too. I'd stay back, Medic." The red Spy materializes next to the man, sliding him a small slip of paper. It takes every shred of self control I have to not lunge for the man in his pinstripe suit. That, and the collar around my neck feels like it tightens slightly. A reminder of only a few minutes ago.

Medic hums as he takes the paper, opening and reading what was written inside. His smile quickly turns to a slight scowl as he looks up to the Spy from his seat. One gloved hand reaches up to the Spy's balaclava, and is quickly smacked away by the chain smoking frenchman. The red Spy then cloaks and leaves. I hear his footsteps leave out into the hallway.

"What the hell was that about?" The Scout looks over to medic, who swiftly fixes his expression.

"Oh nothing zhat concerns you, Scout. Just some bruising Spy vants me to look at." Medic responds, waving his hand in dismissal.

Pauling taps on her clipboard, regaining both mine and the mercenaries attention. She checks her watch and sighs.

"Look, I really need to leave. I understand that the room for our new GuardDog isn't ready yet. Scout? Heavy? I trust you two to clear out one of these old rooms, and quickly, so Engie can put a bed in."

The pair nod and Engie gives a thumbs up. She continues, turning to me now.

"There is currently a couch available for you to sleep. I'll bring you your uniform and Class patch tomorrow, First thing. After that is your first fight... slash test drive... field test... thingy. To see how well you can work with the rest of the team."

She smiles at me. It's a tired smile. I blink at her a few times before sighing and uncrossing my arms. I don't want her to leave me here. I'd rather protect Pauling than socialize with these men.

She pats the top of my arm, still smiling.

"You should use this evening to get familiar with Respawn. And have Medic set you up with everything you need for that."

I huff and roll my eyes. Great. Now I get to spend my very short evening with that man... I think, disgust creeping into my expression.

"Don't vorry! It von't hurt... Much!" The German is suddenly right next to me. I didn't even hear or see him stand up. I instinctually ram my fist into his gut, causing him to grunt and double over. I quickly pull back, wary of another zap. I glance towards Pauling, worried. Luckily that little remote is nowhere to be seen, and her anger isn't directed at me. She sighs and pinches her temple.

"Medic... you know better than to sneak up on people..."

He attempts to respond, but a labored wheeze is all he can manage. The tall, broad shouldered, mountain of a man, "Heavy", stands up and hurries to Medic's side. He offers an arm of support to the German man, who takes it while catching his breath.

"Wow... you hit hard... I can see... why Spy... Has zhose bruises... ow..." The Medic man wheezes between breaths. I simply look away, still fearing the potential wrath of Pauling. She, instead of being mad at me, is handing Engie the key for my muzzle. He looks confused.

"You're probably the most responsible person here. And the GuardDog still has to eat regularly." Pauling tells him as he takes the key. Her phone buzzes, and she glances at it. Her brows furrow in slight frustration.

"Administrator says to have the muzzle off during the fights too... that feels unsafe. But the Lady is letting us borrow her pet. So I guess that she says goes..."

"I'll make sure to warn Spy before removin the muzzle." The Southern man says as he nods and tucks the key into his pocket. I just have to hope he won't lose it.

The Heavy weapons guy catches my attention with a small snap of his fingers. He gestures to Medic as he speaks,

"Warning you before moving. Follow to Doktor lab. Ok?" He speaks in broken English with a heavy Russian accent. I sigh once again, and nod. I cross my arms and follow the men out of the dining area and down the halls. The twists and turns confuse me slightly. It will take a while to memorize where everything is.

We come across a set of double doors with small round windows. Heavy pushes one open, holding it for both Medic and me. We step inside, and the gnawing in my stomach grows worse, threatening to crawl up my throat.

Oh god. I don't want to be in this room. I don't want to think of all the horrible things this man has  done in this room-!

A fluttering sound above me interrupts my spiraling thoughts, and I look up quickly. A small flock of white doves are roosting above the door. My eyes widen, and I can feel myself wanting to chase and catch the little white feather balls. My focus stays on them as Medic grabs my arm and drags me across the room. I tear my eyes away only after we stop and Medic pats the operating table. He has a wicked grin that causes the feeling in my stomach to return.

"Hop on, and ve'll get started!"

I try to back away, only to run into Heavy. He's very solid and firm in his stance. He moves his head, signaling me to comply with the German man.

Oh. He's the muscle to get me to cooperate... great. I think, looking away from the towering man to the table.

My mind is screaming at me the dangers of trusting these men, but Pauling said to. Against my better judgment, I sit on the table, warily glancing between the two men.

"Good! Now, lay down. I'll get started! I vill even knock you out! I don't usually do zhat!"

I process what he says right as my head hits the table. I panic and try to jump up and leave.

It's too late. Both men pin my arms and legs to the table. They attach the restraints. For being so big, Heavy sure can move fast when he wants to. I thrash on the table, growling and trying to bite. This is just like that awful Conagher man!! I KNEW IT!!

A suction mask is placed over my muzzle, and the sweet smelling gas fills the cup. I attempt to turn my head and hold my breath to keep myself awake. But every thrash and turn the mask is there. I take one breath and hold it. I continue to fight the sedation. It's all in vain as my lungs scream out and my head starts to spin. I lose control over my limbs and lungs. My eyes close and I hear the men speak to each other as I slowly slip into unconsciousness.

Notes:

Hope You all enjoyed reading! Chapter 4 On the way soon. Stay safe out there! If you have any questions let me know! I'll do my best to answer them. :P

I know the pacing speeds up there at the end, but if ya didn't surprise mutt and the reader, they would have fought a lot more...

Chapter 4: Rude Awakening

Summary:

You're waking up from whatever surgery Medic just did on you, and dealing with those side effects. Not a great start to the day.

Notes:

This chapter contains: Strong language, mild depictions of nausea, and mentions of past trauma.

I wake up in the morning on a couch that's somewhat falling apart, a thin blanket covering me and a crappy pillow under my chest. My head is pounding, and my chest is throbbing. It hurts... a lot, actually? What the hell did that medic guy do to me? I grumble and groan as I sit up, vocal cords also sore and painful. I've used them more than I care to admit recently.

"Looks like you're finally awake, beast"

I jolt up and stare at the French man leaning on the wall, smoking a cigarette. He has a smug grin on his lips as he stands up straight and lazily twirls his butterfly knife around. Pompous prick

"Pauling will be here soon. Although you slept through breakfast, So don't expect any food. Get up, lazy Merde. We don't have all day. Fight starts soon."

Oh how I hate that annoying French asshole! Spy puts his knife away into his pocket, cloaks, and leaves. Good to know that the French freak is just fine watching me sleep... Never going to be able to sleep well here again. Great. I think as I stand and stretch. My chest still hurts, and I can only really keep one eye open at a time as my head spins. I stagger out of the room. I have no idea where in this sprawling base I am. I try to just wander and hope I'll find somewhere familiar, but end up incredibly lost. I can see a camera in the corner. I glare at it. That Hag know where I am but refuses to help me. Of course...

The walls feel like they're staring to close in, and the floor rises to meet me as I barely catch myself with my head reeling. My heart feels like it's going to beat itself out of my chest.

"Oh zhere zhey are! Spy said you just vandered off! How are you feeling?"

Medic has found me, great. I didn't want to see the German man until I absolutely had to. I glare at him, and my hand has found its way over my heart. I growl at him, warning him and his stupid clipboard to back off. He just smiles at me, grin growing wider as he writes something down.

"I've mostly come to check and see if ze modifications to your heart are doing vell!"

He crouches closer to me, and I lean away. This unfortunately causes me to fall to the ground. I groan.

"Now now, Hund. you are still getting used to ze modifications on your heart! Surprisingly I didn't have to fully replace it! I just had to add ze Über mechanism!"

Medic flashes that stupid smile of his to me and writes something down on his clipboard. I scowl and attempt to shove the man away from me. Much to my surprise he catches my hand in his and forcefully opens it up. He stares at my fingers, the metal catching the light and reflecting in his glasses. Instead of shoving the man away I am now desperately trying to pull my own hand back, out of the German's gloved grip.

"Who did zhis modification, Hund? It looks familiar... not my own handiwork of course. I can assume it vas ze same person who botched ze removal of tissue from your chest? Zhey did an awful job..."

Medic's tone of voice went from toying and playful, talking about his own surgery, to an icy dark tone. I freeze and stare at the man. The room spins around him and I shut my eyes tight. I don't want to think about that awful man. I turn my head away from Medic, hoping that he understands what I'm trying to say. Yes the man seems to be insane, but he's also smart... He drops the topic. His tone returns to a much more chipper and playful one.

"Oh vell. Let's get you to ze dining room for some food and water. Engineer made sure to save you some bacon and eggs!"

Medic stands suddenly, my hand still in his. He hoists me up from the floor and I stumble a bit, still rather unsteady. I pull my hand out of his, only for Medic to catch my wrist and start dragging me through the maze of hallways towards the dining room. He chats to me the entire time. I'm starting to think he really just likes the sound of his own voice.

"While you were still knocked out, I got you registered and set up vith ze Respawn Machine. Now you can't die! And from my end of zhings, officially ready to join in on ze fights! Velcome to ze RED team!"

What the hell does he mean I can't die? Of course I can die... Right?

My thoughts swirl in my mind as Medic pushes through the dining room door, dragging me in and practically shoving me into a chair. I growl at him, a warning for invading my space. A bit delayed, but a warning nonetheless. Not my fault the room is spinning...

"Well I'll be. Guess it might not be best to let sleepin dogs lie. Ya bout missed breakfast, and ya got lost. Lucky for you, Guard dog, I thought ahead. Saved ya some bacon, eggs, and a pancake."

That sweet southern drawl calls out from the kitchen. He whisks out of the room in a whirlwind, gloved hand delivering a plate, and the other with a scrub brush still sudsy from doing the dishes. He smiles sweetly at me.

"Enjoy, guard dog. Saved it from Soldier for ya." He hurries back into the kitchen to turn of the sink. I blink a few times at the plate in front of me. Two eggs and a smile made from bacon beam up at me. The perfectly brown "Pancake", never had one of those either, sits to the side. I sigh.

"You better eat, Hund. It should kick start up your Über mechanism. And stop zhat pain in your chest" Medic calls out, getting a bottle of water for himself.

I glare at him, and sigh once again. I stand unsteadily, and attempt to make my way into the kitchen. Medic just watches, observing my movement with a questioning stare. I roll my eyes and stumble into the kitchen.

Engie is standing over the sink full of dishes, a small pink frilly half apron is tied around his waist. I lean down, over his shoulder with a sigh. I rest my chin on his shoulder, next to his head. I stare at him from the corner of my eye.

Engie chuckles. He glances back at me.

"Can I help you? Eggs not good enough? Want a grilled cheese again? I don't normally take requests."

I shake my head no, and reach up to my face. I tap on my muzzle with my knuckle. He stares for a moment, trying to decipher what I'm saying.

"Did you forget somezhing Engineer? Ze guard dog can't eat vith a muzzle on."

Engie groans and face palms. He mutters a few curses under his breath and tugs on a small chain around his neck. Oh good. He won't lose my key. I think as he unlocks the muzzle. It drops into his hand.

"Want this with you, or do you want to come back for it?" Engie asks me, offering the muzzle. I shake my head no and back my way out to the dining area, to my plate. He shrugs and continues to work on the dishes. I carefully sniff and inspect each food item before eating them. They're good, but nothing will ever compare to the beauty of a grilled cheese...

I eat all the bacon, one egg, and half the pancake before it becomes too heavy for my stomach. I wish I had more bacon instead of this syrup drenched demon disk. Guess I'll just have to eat something else out on the battlefield. Fine by me. I think as I push the flat carb disk around the plate. I'm stalling going back and putting my muzzle put back on...

I realize my chest has stopped hurting, and the room isn't spinning anymore. Guess medic was right about eating then...

Speaking of the German man, he had run off somewhere. Don't care anymore. As long as he's out of my bubble

Engie makes his way out of the kitchen. His apron has been abandoned, and he has my muzzle in hand.

"All done then, Guard dog?... Not a big fan of pancakes, huh? Happens. We can clean up later. We need to get ya muzzle on. Pauling is here, and I'd rather not have her wait any longer than she needs to. Busy little gal and all."

I nod, and offer my head to Engie to put that curs-ed muzzle back on my face. I sigh as he clicks it back into place, and follow as he leads me down the twisting halls to the garage I first arrived in.

There stands Pauling. Her messy brown hair in its bun, crooked glasses perched on her nose, and her tired little smile plastered on her lips. Oh how much I missed you Pauling! She left me here with these smelly brutes all night, but I forgive her. She was just doing her job, following her orders.

I rush up to Pauling, startling both her and Engie with my pace change. I practically head butt her shoulder, and drink in her scent. She smells like lavender and apples... I could be here for hours! 

My thoughts are interrupted when a certain chain smoking French fucker clears his throat, annoyed. All the other mercenaries are here, looking at me. I growl at spy in response. Pauling is better company than him anyway.

"Now that the lazy dog has dragged its hide out of bed, can we leave? We're going to be late to the fight." The frenchman spits out, puffing on the last of his cigarette.

"They still need their class patch, Spy. Calm down for like, two seconds." Pauling says as she presents to me a small arm band. It has my new class symbol on it. A spiked dog collar. It looks similar to Demo's patch he had on earlier. I slide the band onto my arm. It fits snugly, but doesn't feel like it's going to rip. It's quite nice.

"Aw why is theirs on a band? That's way cooler than mine!" Scout pipes up, complaining. Pauling rolls her eyes.

"Two reasons, Scout. One, the Guard dog is potentially a temporary role on the team. And two, they have a tank top. Where are they going to sew it on, their chest? Back? That's dumb. According to Administrator they 'Need to be able to clean off easily' because they 'Make a mess out of every kill' or something like that. Now, stop complaining. I'll explain your job today in the car ride over... get going, you're going to be late!"

Spy scoffs and rolls his eyes. Pyro is one of the first into the van. They pat the seat next to them, and point to me. Great. Ride buddy... I think as I take the offered seat. They hug my arm with a muffled "Puppy!" I sigh...

Demo grabs their hand off me, scolding them like a little kid.

"Remember Firebug, permission to hug first. I don't think Duck likes touch much."

He's right, I don't. I nod as the other mercenaries pile in. Spy takes the front passenger seat, and Sniper takes the wheel.

"Told ya!" Demo says as the van roars to life and pulls out of the garage. Pyro says... something. I have a hard time understanding them. Maybe I'll eventually be able to understand them more... I did only just meet them... 

We hit the open road, and the people in the van are chatting quietly. Everything falls silent as the little screen in the dashboard crackles to life.

Notes:

Some slight language translations for those curious

Merde: French for Shit. Not too difficult to pick up on. Spy says it a lot in game and in cannon.

Hund: German for dog! How sweet of Medic to give his latest experiment a nickname :) !!!

As always, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! If you have any questions, comment away! :P

Chapter 5: It Takes Heart

Summary:

Well. Now it's time to fight. like, actually fight. Face to face with BLU team for the first time. Hope that goes well...

Notes:

Hey y'all. Sorry this took so long to update!! Between losing my job, finding and starting a new one, school, and being sick, Chapter 5 has been a few months in the making!! Hopefully it was worth the wait for you lovely reader beans. ALSO THE 7TH COMIC DROPPED WHAT?! ITS SO GOOD!! ANYWHO

WARNINGS: This chapter contains depictions of violence, character death, strong language, and cannibalism

"Hey all, Pauling here. Today's mission is a doozy."

I look to the little screen where Pauling is talking from. She's sitting at a little desk, surrounded by papers and files, and staring up at the camera. I realize she's looking up at a security camera, and that the Old Woman must be broadcasting the video to the van.

"Today is control points. There are some clearly marked advantage points that you all need to keep track of and defend. BLU team will be trying to take control of them. They only have a set time limit, as per contract rules, and-"

She gets cut off by spy. I glare at him.

"We already know all of this Pauling. Why are you telling us again?"

There is a slight pause for the audio delay. Pauling sighs and rolls her eyes as she responds.

"The GuardDog doesn't know, Spy. So can it. The sooner I'm done briefing, the sooner I can get back to filing paperwork."

Heavy, the giant of a man, chuckles a bit at Pauling telling off Spy for interrupting. The laughter draws Medic's attention back to reality and over to the Russian. He has a small smile plastered on his lips.

"Anyway," Pauling continues, "Your job is to keep them off of and away from the control points until the time is up and the cease fire is called. Sound good? If you have any questions, ask Engie."

I nod, and glance at the man. He gives a thumbs up.

"Okay good. You guys are almost there. Pauling out!"

The little screen goes blank, and Pyro's hand slowly creeps up to hold onto my arm. I glare down at the little maniac, and start to pull my arm away. This just causes them to grab faster and tighter. I sigh. The van is pulling up to a building labeled "Respawn" anyway, so they really only hold on for a few moments before soldier drags them out of the vehicle. I hop out and look around.

The blazing sun blasts the pale orange and red sands around me, causing heat lines that warp and wobble the air around. The giant towering buildings surround the "Respawn" building, and appear to be at least partially built from scrap metal and old wood. A sign with an arrow pointing down a makeshift hallway reads "Control Point A"

Great I think. We fight over trash buildings?? That has got to be the worst thing to fight over...

Engie grabs my wrist and drags me into the "Respawn" building. He points me to a somewhat musty smelling locker.

"This one is yours, GuardDog. We'll put your muzzle in here during the fight. Let's not forget that it's here, alright?"

Engie grins up at me as I nod. A horribly familiar voice crackles over the loudspeaker with a line I have heard more times than I care to admit.

"Match begins in two minutes." The Hag's voice crones out. The loudspeaker dramatically ages her already older voice. I shiver at the sound of the Old Woman.

Engie tugs the key for my muzzle out from under his shirt. He removes the chain from his neck and reaches up to my face. I crouch slightly and hold as still as I can for him. I can still smell the slightest touch of coffee on his breath.

"Brace yourself, Spy. Muzzle is coming off." Engie warns the Frenchman, who scoffs and stands just a bit closer to Heavy.

With a click my muzzle falls off of my head and into Engie's hands. I open my mouth as wide as I can, like a yawn, to stretch my jaw and pop my ears. It feels good.

"Woah my god. Why are your teeth so sharp? And what's with the badass scars? How did you get those?"

Scout asks as he stares at me, blinking at my now visible face. I run my tongue over my sharpened canines and click my teeth together twice before simply barring my teeth at the Boston Boy. I narrow my eyes.

I don't have to tell him anything!

Scout shudders, and closes his locker while fixing his hat.

"Okay... don't like that. Don't look at me like that. It's fuckin creepy."

He pulls his headset into place while grabbing his gun.

"30 seconds to start" The Hag calls out.

"Okay GuardDog. You can stick with me to start, if ya want. I'll show you the ropes." Engie speaks, snapping my attention back to him. I nod. That would be nice

"The biggest things ya gotta know are this. If you die you respawn in here. Leave those doors over that way and come find me." He points to a set of doors before continuing. "And if you see a guy wearing the color blue, or smells like a spy, go ahead and kill em. Rip em to shreds. If ya get too bored with me we can send ya closer to the action with Pyro, Demo, Soldier, Heavy, or Medic. Best leave uh... Spy out of this."

I nod again, trying to process what I'm being told as The Hag crones over the speaker again.

"3... 2... 1... Begin!"

I stick close to and follow Engie through the small maze of buildings and scrap to a place labeled "Point A". Engie sets down the large metal tool box he was carrying and takes out a wrench. He sets it up in lightning speed. He then starts up another, smaller tool box as the first machine, labeled "Dispenser" hums to life and fires a small red beam into my chest, towards my heart. I jump back a little bit.

"That's just the heal beam, GuardDog. Don't worry too much about it. It'll keep ya healthy and feeling good during the match."

Engie talks as he finishes setting up a pair of small guns on tripods. They tout the label "Sentry" on the side.

Engie grins widely as the little guns also come to life and start to turn back and forth in a scanning motion. I watch, curious, and tilt my head to the side.

"They'll shoot anyone in BLU team. I already programmed em to not shoot you, so you don't have to worry."

I nod, leaning closer to inspect and poke the small gun. It makes a little beep in protest. I get the slightest little smile at the tiny sentry. Heh. This little gun is kinda... cute.

My attention is quickly swiped away to the sound of approaching running. I whip my head around to face the sound, and tense my muscles, ready to launch and attack. A person rounds the corner, raises a gun, and pauses at the sight of me.

It's Scout. But not. He's in a blue t-shirt, and he has freckles. He slightly lowers his gun with a confused look on his face. He certainly was not expecting me.

"Get em, dog" Engie quietly encourages me, force behind his low tone. I spring forward, launching myself at the scrawny man while snarling. He yelps with a panic, and puts an arm up to try and block my attack. I latch onto his arm, biting, and reaching my robotic and sharp metallic claws straight out to his throat. I grab, and his windpipe crushes in my hands easily. The pathetic gurgling sound that escapes his mouth as he falls to the ground under me fills me with a prime satisfaction. The sweet, metallic taste of blood in my mouth is like a treat. I rip the flesh from his arm out with my teeth, and quickly eat it. A little less hungry now

Engie Whoops with joy, smiling like a mad man at the blood around me, melting into the sand. I grin back.

"Holy shit! What tha hell is that?!"

I turn around to the voice, and see Demoman. He's staring at me in horror. Unfortunately for him, that jumpsuit of his is BLU. I lunge for him with a fierce snarl, and he starts running away. Coward

I chase him through the twists and turns of the trash building and grab his collar. I can hear gunfire on the other side of the thin metal wall. With a swift bite, this man's throat is also ripped out. I drop his body and swallow the bite I took. I briefly consider stashing it for later, but quickly decide not to when an invisible figure bumps into me.

In one liquid motion I grab the invisible man and pin him to the wall. A BLU Spy materializes in my grasp, swinging the butterfly knife in his hands wildly at my arms and face.

I growl when the blade makes contact with my arm, and he looks slightly triumphant for a second, before his head is completely ripped off in my rage. He's not even worth eating at this point. I growl as I yank the blade from my arm, and head back to Engie.

RED Scout is there, drinking a soda. He spits out his sip when he sees me drenched in blood.

As I get closer, the dispenser's red heal beam floats out and latches onto my chest again. The stinging of the stab wound immediately eases, and I watch with a fascination as the skin knits back together and closes in front of my eyes.

"Pretty neat, huh? Medic's little 'Medigun' does the same thing. Cept his also charges the Übercharge mechanism on your heart." Engie says as he fiddles with a part of his sentry. It's a bit bigger now, and I crouch down for a closer look.

"Ya did good, chasin those BLU team bunch off the point. You're a good guard dog, HushPuppy."

Engie ruffles my hair and pets the top of my head. My heart start pounding as the nickname sets in. I look up at the Southern man with wide eyes. He just smiles sweetly back at me. The moment shatters when the turret gun next to me fires, exploding the BLU Pyro rounding the corner.

"I gotta get back out there and get some revenge on that sniper." Scout excuses himself, running past the singed corpse of the BLU firebug. I open my mouth to actually ask Engie about the nickname when a German voice calls out from the "Respawn" building.

"Engineer! I need to borrow ze Hund. I vant to make sure ze Über vorks on it!"

I sigh, stand, and get closer to the German man. He smiles, and turns his Medigun ray on to me. It latches onto my chest, over my heart, and I start to feel a surge of energy. I feel better than ever. The confusion must have shown on my face, as the Medic Man starts to explain.

"My Medigun charges ze Über, and over powers you and your body. You feel good, ja?"

I nod, and jog to follow medic down the halls to where the scuffle is happening. We hang back a ways, waiting for the Über to finish "Charging"

"One minute remains!" The Old Woman drones over the loudspeaker

"Über is charged. I'll turn it on and keep up vith you, ja? Just go vild. Kill who you can get your claws on"

I nod, and my skin suddenly starts to glow a shiny red. My heart starts to pound and the blood rushes through my ears. The sound of gunfire fades away, and I feel no fear, no pain, and unbridled rage.

I rush in and grab the closest BLU team member. I don't even know who it is. Their throat shreds under my claws. I move to the next and bite the back of their neck, ripping out the spine. The person after that is the BLU Heavy. I know only because of his height, and his throat is the next to be torn out of his neck. There is one more person who is running away. I lunge for them, and manage to catch their defensive arm up in my mouth as the Übercharge ends. My vision clears as I turn my head to the side, ripping their hand clean off.

It was Scout's hand. RED Scout's hand. Whoops I think, spitting out the hand as the Boston Boy screams his head off and Medic rushes over to grab the hand and reattach it. I lick my lips, tasting all the blood. Scout's blood tastes... familiar.

"Match End! RED Wins!" The Hag crows over the speakers as I'm grabbed by the shoulders, dragged, and thrown back by a very angry RED Spy.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? Attacking your own teammates?! Get out of my sight, you filthy beast!" Spy screams at me, as I scramble back and away from the loud man. I stand and sprint to where I last saw Engie. I can't find him, and the dispenser and sentries are missing too. I look around more. As I spot the remains of the BLU Scout's corpse, my stomach growls. Oh I'm actually really hungry now... I grab the body and drag it to the corner to eat. I hope that eating will help me feel a little less guilty...

---

Scout rubs his wrist, where Medic reattached his hand back to his body. He shudders as the memory of that awful "GuardDog" beast lunging at him, and the pain of his hand being not only bit, but also being ripped completely off.

"Why are ya so glum lad? We won!"

Demo pats the boy on the back. Scout shakes his head as they all pile into the van.

"Look, I know it's the first time we've won in ages... a-and I know it's all cuz of the dog... But I'm just sayin, If the only way we can win is by having that beast on the team...

I think I'd rather lose."

Notes:

Hope you all liked this chapter!! This is uh... kinda my first time REALLY writing fight scenes. So um. yeah. I hope things both make sense and also was a good read. Like with every chapter, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments, I do my best to reply to each and every one!

Chapter 6: Forgetting Something?

Summary:

RED team may or may not be riding their "Post Victory High" A little too much and uh... forgot something important. Also, TEA PARTY TIME LESSSSGOOOOOO

Notes:

HEYYYYY So I'm NOT dead! Shocking, right?? Just didn't have motivation to write. Anyway... drops chapter at ur feet like a dog with a ball and runs away.

Chapter Warnings: Language, Use of Respawn mechanics (IYKYK), depictions of cannibalism, mentions of past trauma

I drag that BLU Scouts corpse to the corner to start eating it. Unlike the Spies, Scout isn't drenched in cologne, making the flesh much more palatable and far easier to eat. I only manage to get through the arms when I hear the van start up. My heart drops to my stomach as I swallow my mouthful. The sound starts to fade away as I stand.

Oh crap. I was supposed to go with them... HEY! They're leaving me behind!!

I take a step towards the van, but then pause as I remember Spy screaming at me, and Scout wailing in pain... They don't really want me there anyway... oh maybe Pauling will come and get me!

I think about the first car ride with Pauling, and grin. I wouldn't mind another ride with her. She's cute! And the longer I'm away from the team, the less I have to wear my... My Muzzle! Shit! I need to get that so I won't keep Pauling waiting if she comes to get me!

I jog back to the "Respawn" building and open the musty locker from before the fight. I grab my muzzle and shut the door, while taking a small sniff of the muzzle and praying silently that it doesn't smell like the mildew somehow growing in the locker. I sigh with relief when it only carries the scent of breakfast. Tying the muzzle to my belt loop, I leave the "Respawn" to go back to my meal. I don't want to leave it out here for too long, it will start to go bad.

I resume eating, relishing the sweet and metallic blood, the tough and textured flesh, and the soft offal behind the now snapped ribcage. I don't want to waste a good meal.

I pause as I swear I heard a step... but not an invisible fancy leather shoe step. This one was... different. I slowly look around. Nothing. Weird... I go back to eating when I hear another. I slowly look up and around. Still nothing. I let out a low warning growl, and wait for a few moments before going back to my food.

This time I hear a step and a click of a gun, a bullet being loaded into the chamber. The racking of a shotgun. I freeze. I slowly glance up to see the barrel of a sawed off shotgun pointed at me and inches from my face. Holding it was Scout. BLU Scout. He stares at me, disgusted and angry. I don't even have time to speak, let alone move, before the gun is fired and the ringing in my ears from the shot fades faster than I can register.

I died

And it was Scout who fuckin killed me! I didn't even think the Boston twink could be sneaky, but here we are...

It's surprisingly warm, being dead. I was always told it was cold. Strange. I see some of my earliest memories playing out in front of me.

The first time I met that Hag. I was so young. So small and fragile. I still had both my hands, my body unchanged from the surgeries. I didn't crave the blood and gore I do now... The Old Woman starts to speak. It's blurry and muffled. I try to lean and listen, but something is pulling me back. It started subtle, but grew stronger with each passing moment.

I try to yell, to scream to my younger self to run away, and avoid that woman at all costs. But no sound escapes my lips. The harder the pull, the faster I fly backwards. I'm falling. It's getting colder. I gasp as I sit up, heart pounding, blood rushing to my ears and limbs. I blink at the cold unwelcome bright lights.

Where am I...? I look around. I'm in Medic's lab, sitting in that machine in the corner. The door won't open, the sign lighting up above it reading "Door Jammed" Great. I'm stuck. Just what I was wanting.

---

Scout sits in the van, quietly rubbing his wrist where the dog had torn it off, and Medic had reattached it. He sighs, mind wandering as his coworkers and teammates discuss the fight.

"Well I did about as well as I usually do, linin up headshots and all." Sniper says, looking in the rearview mirror at his team while driving. He makes eye contact with Scout, and smiles. Scout just blinks in response.

Soldier nods before taking a verbal jab at Sniper. "Ya didn't even respawn, maggot! Easy to stay outta harms way when ya don't even get in the fight!" He laughs like he made some grand joke. Scout just rolls his eyes.

Medic leans forward to sneer at soldier, glasses catching the light from the window menacingly. "Ze only reason you did so vell vas because I vas healing you so much, dummkopf. Don't pretend like you're better."

That gets a grin out of the Russian hitting next to him, and an elbow bump from Demo. "Aye lad! Ya really carry this team! Especially with tha Medigun o' yours." Demo cheerfully says to him.

"Ja! I'm just please zhat it vorks so vell on ze Guard dog too! Zhey definitely helped to vin ze fight today." He looks around the van with a smile to congratulate the dog on the victory. His expression falls as the van turns into the driveway to the base. He stands from his seat quickly, hitting his head on the roof.

"Scheiße! Ve forgot ze Guard Dog!! Sniper, turn back, ve have to get zhem!"

The joking and playfulness in the van stops as medic speaks.

"Whaddya mean we forgot em? I counted nine heads before we left... shit there's ten of us now, huh?" Sniper pulls into the garage to let people out.

Pauling rushes into the garage and throws the van doors open. She looks flushed and panicked.

"Medic! How do you unjam the respawn machine door?! Mutt respawned there and the door is stuck and I can't get it open, and I think they passed out?? I know being in that machine for too long does weird stuff to you, Right?!" Pauling's words fall out in a tumble.

Medic blinks at Pauling for a few seconds before pushing past everyone and flying out of the van. He rushes through the base, to his lab, throwing the doors open and grabbing some tools from his desk to start working on prying the door open.

---

The sound of the door creaking and breaking open startles me awake. When did I fall asleep? Did I take a nap in here? Oh geez...

I blink awake, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and look to who opened the door. Oh good. It's Medic. He'll help me out

I shakily start to stand, and Medic doesn't even let me get up before pulling me out and shoving me to the exam table. I grab my head, dizzy from the sudden movement. The room spins and tilts.

"Oh mein got, Hund are you okay?! Vhat happened?! How did you respawn here?" Medic pelts me with questions as he looks me over. He grabs my face to check my eyes. I sigh and lean into the touch as he does, staring back into his own eyes. Were they always this pretty and blue?

"The uh... BLU Scout snuck up on me. He.. had um... a gun? Yeah, sawed off shotgun. Got me right in the face... Is respawn always so warm? I was told death was cold, but that was actually really cozy. Minus the weird dreams... memories? I dunno. I'm glad you're here. Those bright lights were awful in there and-!"

Once I start talking, I just couldn't stop. I didn't want to. Normally I hate talking. The only reason I stopped was because Medic put his hand over my mouth and made me stop. I blink at his face a few times, noticing his salt and pepper hair. Did he always look like this?

"Vell... Zhat is a side effect I vas not expecting. You are very chatty. And enjoy touch now? Oh dear..."

He looks around the lab, concerned about something. I could care less, I just get to see his pretty face and adorable concern for me. I nuzzle his hand still holding my head with a happy sigh.

"Pauling, can you come in here please? I need some assistance putting ze muzzle back on ze Hund." Medic calls out over his shoulder.

Ugh. Pauling. Great. She's so annoying. I think and roll my eyes. Her hair is always such a mess. Doesn't she care about how she looks? She was knocking at the window earlier, trying to get my attention. I don't want to give her anything! I think with distain as the frazzled young woman rushes into the lab, Pyro and Engie on her heels, concerned.

I growl and lean away from her and Engie, who both try to help Medic. He looks absolutely shocked by this. "Oh mein got, it switched you preferences." Medic speaks the realization out loud, causing Pauling to take a cautious step back, and Engie's eyebrows to furrow.

"what's that supposed to mean, doc? My HushPuppy don't like us anymore?" Engie asked, hurt in his voice.

"For ze time being, yes. Zhey currently cannot stand you..." Medic confirms.

I glare at the southern man, offended he would ever think I would want to be near him. In my distraction, Medic manages to click the muzzle into place on my head and face. This is all the reassurance Pyro needed before practically tackling me. They grab my arm and nuzzle their gas mask into my shoulder. Even though they can't see it, I smile at them.

Oh what a cute little firebug! They were so worried about me, how sweet! I lean over and nuzzle them back. What a cute little sweetheart Pyro is!

"Hi pyro. Thank you for being so worried." I sweetly say to the little maniac, who hugs me harder and mumbles something I can't quite understand.

"They're glad you're okay, Hushpuppy. And I am too. Ya had us all worried there for a bit... sorry for uh, forgettin you out there" Engie translates Pyro, and adds his own thoughts on the end. Embarrassing...

Medic thinks for a moment and gets an idea. He pats Pyro on the leg. "Pyro! Vhy don't you take ze Hund since zhey dont seem to mind you right now, and keep zhem safe until ze effects of respawn vear off, ja? Good plan?"

Pyro nods vigorously, and takes me off the exam table by the arm. I stumble a little bit as I try to walk. Still pretty dizzy.

Medic, Pauling and Engie all speak in to each other in hushed tones that I can't quite catch as the adorable little firebug drags me through the corridors of the base to a room. Their room. A little sign drawn in crayon hangs on the door, reading "Pyro's room" Its adorable, just like it's occupant.

They fling open the door and drag me inside to a small table with chairs, and a white floral tea set. The whole room is a little bit singed, and smells like fire, ash, charcoal, and kerosene. I inspect the teacup in front of me.

"What do you want to do, Firebug? A tea party?" I ask, looking to the jumpsuit wearing gremlin pulling several plush toys out of a pile. They nod excitedly, and set the toys in most of the other chairs. I give them a thumbs up.

"That sounds fun. Are we using pretend tea?" I ask, glancing at the pot. Pyro taps the side of their mask a few times, thinking. They grab the pot and motion for me to follow. I oblige the whims of this cute little maniac. They lead me to the kitchen, where they go to the sink and fill up the teapot with the water I was told to never drink.

Scout freezes in the doorway when he sees me. One hand goes to his wrist, the one I bit. I wave to him. Scout's on okay person, I guess. It's whatever. He glares at me. Huh. Weird.

"Just so ya know, I'm still pretty fuckin mad at you. Ya didn't have to bite me, ya asshole." He says to me quite forcefully. I try to reply.

"Hey, I didn't know it was yo-"

He cuts me off

"Quit that bullshit! You should know better! I've only known ya for like, half a day really, and I already hate ya fuckin guts. I'm not doin shit to clean out your room anymore. I don't care how Pauling Begs or asks or offers me. I ain't doin that. Heavy can. Or you can do it yaself, asshole" He practically shouts at me. I glare.

"Look, I get you're upset, but you don't have to call me names" I respond, anger creeping into my own voice.

"Deal with it, fucker. I wish you never joined this stupid tea-!" It was Scout's turn to be cut off. This time by Pyro rushing up to the boy and scolding him. They yell a lot of mumbled things, waving a finger and getting right into Scout's face. Its nice to see someone defend me

"A-alright. I'm sorry. That was too far..." Scout stutters out when Pyro is done. He quickly leaves as Pyro shakes their head, disappointed. They look back to me and then take my hand with a squeeze. I nod to them, and they take me and the now full teapot back to their room for a well deserved tea party.

I sit back down in my little chair. Pyro pours some "Tea" into the little white cup in front of me. "Thank you, firebug... For both the tea and for defending me. I really didn't know it was scout when I bit him..."

Pyro tilts their head as they listen to me. They think for a second before nodding and mumbling. And I actually understood them!

"I know. When I do the Übercharge I get the same way."

I nod back. Pyro then picks up their tea cup and cheers it with mine.

The tea party is simple and sweet. Pyro makes some of the stuffies talk and sip tea. It's actually kinda... fun.

The tea party ends and Pyro starts to clean up. I help them to place the plushies carefully back into the pile. A knock on the door draws both mine and Pyro's attention.

"Hallo? Hund? Pyro? Are ve doing okay?"

Ugh. Great. It's Medic. He's back. Joy... I roll my eyes and sigh

Pyro waves to Medic. I still think that they're adorable... maybe I just like them now?

Engie is behind Medic, looking around his shoulder and nervously messing with his glove. "Hey Hushpuppy. Are uh. You doin okay?" He speaks softly while watching my every move.

I walk out of Pyro's room, dodging Medic's attempt to take my arm, and put my head on the southern man's shoulder. I drink in his scent. Motor oil, sweat, coffee, and the slightest hint of bacon from breakfast. I sigh happily. He relaxes at my touch and pulls me into a hug.

I let him have a few moments before pulling away. He grins at me. "Oh good. I was worried that you didn't like me anymore. That would... kinda really suck." He chuckles nervously.

"I'll make ya some real food, okay? Not pretend tea. Head on back out to ya couch."

I nod and follow Engie back towards the kitchen, and then couch when he points me in that direction. Medic stays behind to talk to Pyro. On my way back to the couch, I pass the dining room. I can hear someone speaking inside... two voices. The door is cracked open. I slow down and pause to listen.

"Look Jer... I know it's difficult. But we are kinda stuck with them. So maybe try to get along?" It's Sniper. He's talking to Scout, who looks like he's on the verge of tears.

"What if it happens again? What do I do?" Scout's voice wavers as he talks. Sniper sighs and pulls the Boston boy into a hug.

"I dunno mate... They don't seem to like bein near me. Maybe I can protect ya? Scare em off a bit, ya know? Sound like a plan?" Sniper offers to the boy. He nods and starts to cry. Sniper Hugs him more and plants a soft kiss onto his forehead. "There ya are, Roo... let it out."

I quickly leave. I feel like I've seen something that I shouldn't have. I zip to the couch and sit down. The pit in my stomach grows. My thoughts spiral, and keep coming back to one singular phrase.

Did I really mess up that bad?

Notes:

So, to clarify a few things since I know ppl are gonna have questions. When using respawn for the first time, when inside the respawn chamber for a long time, or using it a lot in one day, it has some... side effects that vary from person to person. And in the case of Mutt, the main bean here, it flips their preferences (IE likes to talk, hates Engie and Pauling, stuff like that). I do have a list of what it does to every registered Respawn user on both RED and BLU team, and it's a head cannon that is shared by several of my IRL friends. All effects from respawn are temporary, but last longer depending on how long you are in there, or how much you use it.

Also it hurt my heart to write out disliking Pauling. I love her so much!