Friend and Slave Chapter 4 - Defective
Nicas groans from the pressure being applied to his little frame. He can barely see where Cole is walking, but he's certain that he's in trouble wherever Cole plans to go. Finally, the pressure eases up and he finds himself toss none-too-gently onto a ledge attached to a bathroom mirror. He pushes up against the mirror and stares up at Cole, trying to come up with the words that might save him. They never come, however. Instead, when his gaze meets Cole's he almost thinks the mouse is more afraid than he is.
"Why can't you just do what you're told, Nicas? What's wrong with you?" Cole speaks, glaring down at the little wolf whom just keeps pressed to the mirror.
"I... I was scared, Cole... I didn't mean to bite you... I couldn't stop myself, I didn't want to be eaten..."
"Nicas!" Cole frowns... "Nicas, you're a micro. You have to listen to what I say, you have to do what I say. You said you would try, didn't you?"
"I did..." Nicas clenches his fist a little. "I tried, Cole... I did just what I promised I would and it was too much for me." He looks down and lowers his ears and tail. "I-I don't know what you want me to do..."
"I want you to listen, Nicas, and do as I tell you. You saw the other two micros, didn't you? They weren't scared! They did just as their owners told them. That's how a micro is supposed to ac-"
"I'm defective, Cole! Okay? You heard them, a-and Sera told me the other night..." Nicas' hand clenches even a little more tightly than it was moments before and a small growl escapes his muzzle. "I-I don't know how to not be afraid and I don't know how to accept that we can' t be friends anymore... and I don't want to accept it, either. I want to go back to the way things were, Cole."
"Serenity..." Cole grumbles.
"It's not her fault, she just wanted to help me. She wanted me to understand why this is happening." Nicas unclenches his fist and sighs. "I'm tired, Cole... Ever since this started I-I've felt myself becoming more and more tired every day. I can't deal with this... can't we try to solve this together? Nothing's ever done this to us before..."
The sound of Cole's ringer sounds throughout the bathroom and the mouse reaches into his pocket to look at who's calling. Upon seeing it's Serenity, he answers.
"I have something to talk to you about, Sera. How could-"
"Cole, where are you? Some of the hall monitors are looking for you and Nicas. I don't know what happened but, whatever it is, you guys are in trouble."
"Cole?" A voice comes from the entrance to the bathroom. The mouse frowns and Nicas looks a little nervous. Cole grabs Nicas and stuffs the wolf into his shirt pocket. "Just be quiet, okay? Let me do the talking" He then looks back at his cellphone. "I have to go, Sera, they found us..." He hangs the phone up before walking towards the entrance to the bathroom and putting on a fake smile.
"Yea, I'm here. Is something wrong?" The mouse asks of the house cat clad in shorts and a yellow shirt with the school logo on the right breast. The house cat brings his walkie talkie up. "Found him, I'll bring him to the office."
"Why are we going there?" Cole asks, obediently moving to follow the cat despite his own protest. "I just had to run to the bathroom, that's all..."
The hall monitor brings Cole into the Principal's office. The stern-looking hare stares at the mouse for a moment before standing. "Cole, have a seat. I don't believe I've had you in here before... don't worry, you're not in any trouble. Instead, I think it is your micro that we need to be concerned about."
"Nicas? Nicas is fine..." Cole states, moving to take a seat though he remains visibly tense. "He's just a little tired today, the shock collar woke him up a bit roughly this morning."
"I heard he bit you, Cole." The hare looks down at the mouse, gaze softening into a worried stare. "This is very serious, Cole, you understand. Did Nicas bite you?" The hare asks, twitching his nose while staring over the rim of the glasses resting on his muzzle.
The mouse squirms in his seat, apparently his friends told on him. "Nicas is tired, Mr. Reynolds... that's all."
"That's not what I asked you, Cole. Let me see your tongue..."
Nicas lowers himself into Cole's pocket a bit more, feeling his heart starting to race. Why is it such a big deal? What's going to happen?
Cole reluctantly opens his muzzle and allows Mr. Reynolds to peer at the wound Nicas made. The hare frowns a little, then peers down at the cowering Nicas. "Come here." He says firmly, holding a paw out to Nicas whom stays within Cole's pocket, starting to truly worry.
"Mr. Reynolds, it's not a big deal, really..." Cole says. "He-"
"Cole, micros are not supposed to do that. There's obviously a problem with Nicas... you know the rules, I'm certain you've been over them several times. Micros do become disobedient at times, but they should never become violent. You will receive another micro, don't worry. This one, however, will have to be disposed of." The Principal states before staring at Nicas again. "Get out before I have to become rough with you. This will be easier if you obey." He says firmly again, frowning towards Nicas.
Eventually, Nicas slowly climbs out of the pocket and into Mr. Reynold's palm. He stares up at the looming hare, feeling dizzy, scared, and sick to his stomach. Were his actions really that bad? How could being eaten not be scary? How could the expect him...
"Good boy." The Principal wraps his fingers around Nicas and holding the wolf's arms down against his sides. Nicas wriggles a little after the hare's grip around him tightens. "I-I didn't mean to do it...Honest! I was afraid, what's so wrong with being afraid?" He looks up at Mr. Reynolds with pleading eyes. "Please! Tell me! Wh-what have I been doing wrong...?"
"Yes, he's definitely defective. It's a good thing we caught it this quickly." Mr. Reynolds frowns slightly while Cole stares down at his cellphone, fingers moving across the keyboard slowly while a bothered expression plays over his face. "What if... I still want to keep him?" Cole asks gently, causing the hare to shake his head and look down at Nicas. "Defective micros have to be put down, Cole. Don't worry... as I said, he will be replaced with a micro that works properly." The Principal's fingers hold Nicas tightly, causing the wolf to squirm in discomfort, eyes staring pleadingly up at Cole's face.
"But I've had him for--"
"Cole, I will deal with Nicas. I will inform your parents and send him to the proper authorities. For now, go back to class..."
The mouse reluctantly stood, looking at Nicas for a moment before starting to walk out of the office. Mr. Reynolds walks back to his desk and settles Nicas into a cage, locking it with a small diary padlock. Nicas rushes up to the bars of the cage and clasps them firmly, staring out towards Cole, face contorted as he tries to hold back the fear he feels; Cole's leaving, this is it, he's done. He's going to be killed. He slumps a little, shivering, unable to stay on his feet as Cole disappears into the room beyond the Principal's office.
Nicas finally sits down, his heart thumping, hyperventilating trying calm himself from the adrenaline rush racing through him. He looks towards the Principal, angered, enraged that the hare just sits there and ignores him after all that.
"I'm not defective..." He growls at the Principal, feeling his own fear turn into anger. "I was happy with Cole! I-I don't want-"
"You bit him. That doesn't sound happy to me."
"Yea I bit him! Because he was going to try to eat me... I-I was scared, but just because I bit him doesn't mean I... I don't care for him."
"Care for him? The relationship between master and slave isn't one of love or affection...." The Principal shakes his head. "I wonder why no one noticed this before... it's almost like you're completely unaffected by the initiance process. You're completely defective..." He sighs.
"Why does everyone keep saying that!?" The little wolf shouts, truly wanting to bring harm to the giant rabbit even if he knows he's physically incapable. "I don't care what anyone calls it... master, slave... he's my friend. I-I've known him for as long as I can remember. I don't know what's gotten into him lately b-but he won't leave me here... I know he feels the same way I do... I just know it."
The Principal only smiles and ignores Nicas, going back to whatever he was doing. Nicas clasps the bars of the cage even harder, wishing, praying he could just get out.
Cole walks through the secretaries offices, which lie just beyond the Principal's. As he exits, Serenity stands there, holding her cellphone up with the message he'd sent her only moments before shining in digital text on the screen. "A distraction?" She frowns, "Are you crazy? Mom is gonna kill you if you get caught doing this."
"I screwed up, Sera. They're taking Nick away..." Cole frowns. "I need this, I can't let them kill him. I-I just need more time to help him learn, he'll be just like every other micro someday..." He shakes his head, realizing he's digressing. "You can do it, right? I'll owe you, I'll do anything..."
Serenity sighs and reaches to grasp the little tigress resting in her cleavage, feeling no small amount of annoyance at her brother. She pulls Kiera out and looks down at the feline. "You know what to do, right?"
Kiera grins. "I will do my best, Mistress."
"Good. I'll put you in the vents as soon as Cole pulls the fire alarm. Meet me in the secretaries offices once you have him." She pulls her purse up and pulls a small set of tools out, each one a homemade version of household tools, made so that Kiera may wield them: A hammer, thread made into rope, bent and unbent paperclips. "Cole, I just want you to know... you're a dumbass for the way you've handled this. But you're right... we can't leave Nicas. You have to keep the Principal and secretaries away. Take their keys or something. I need at least 15 minutes."
"Thanks, guys." Cole says, visibly worried. "Don't worry, I'll keep them away..."
"If you manage to get him back, Cole, you should treat him better. Others might call him defective, but what you have is really special. He really likes you, Cole. Unlike most the other micros, yours wants to make you happy on his own. Not because he's programmed that way." Serenity starts to walk off after speaking, leaving Cole to think about that for a moment.
Noise resounds throughout the school as the fire alarm goes off. Soon the hallways begin to fill with teachers leading students towards their designated exits. Nicas perks and looks around, recognizing the sound and looking to the giant hare. Somehow he knew this was Cole's doing. It had to be. The Principal groans, standing from his desk before he walks out of the door to figure out what's going on. Outside of the office, Cole leans against the wall of an archway that surrounds the door into the secretaries offices, trying to stay out of sight until he sees the Principal and lone secretary on duty for the day, a stag, walk out. As soon as they lock the door and prepare to leave the building, Cole runs out, straight for the stag. By the time she notices, Cole is mere feet away from her, causing her to panic a little and throw her hands up. The mouse grabs the keys from her fingers and runs, moving as quickly as he can through the hallway and leaving the Principal shouting behind him. "Cole! You come back here!" He shouts, growling as he pulls his cellphone and starts running after the mouse, his secretary not far behind him.
Serenity watches the three run past her and quickly moves over the the archway while pulling two small pins from her pocket. She pushes them into the the lock on the door and begins messing with the tumblers, the intense focus and adrenaline causing her to frown. Meanwhile, Kiera manages to slip into the room with Nicas, sliding down a small thread from the vent to the floor. Nicas watches from the cage, heart racing. "Kiera! W-what're you doing here...?" He asks as if he didn't know, swaying his tail quickly behind him as the tigress pulled her way up to the cage. He never thought he'd be so happy to see any one person. She peers in at Nicas and gives a smile.
"Hello, Nicky." She states before peering at the miniature lock the Principal had put on the cage. She frowns somewhat, then takes the makeshift hammer out of her belt. Nicas watches as the female hits the lock once, twice, and on the third hit the lock snaps open again. Nicas then pushes the door open to run over and hug Kiera tightly. "I thought I was dead, Ki. Thanks... you're a life saver. How do we get out, though?"
"Oh, I think we'll be fine." She smiles, rubbing over Nicas' head gently while she looks around the large office calmly and settles the sledgehammer on her back. The door suddenly opens, causing Nicas to jump before tugging at Kiera to try and hide.
"Oh no! He's b-.." Nicas stops when he sees Serenity. "Sera!"
Serenity grins and walks over to the two, settling her furless palms down on the desk to allow the two micros to climb in. They do, and Nicas hugs one of her fingers. "I was so scared, Sera... Where's Cole? Did he ask you to do this?" He looks up at her.
"No time, Nicas, we need to get out of here. That lock was a bit tougher than I thought it'd be..."
The mouse brings the two micros up and settles both Nicas and Kiera into her cleavage. Kiera smiles and pulls Nicas to her, rubbing at his back. "It'll be okay, Nicas. Cole was worried about you, he asked us to come help out." She rubs the wolf's head, pressing him to her own bust gently.
"Er...t-thanks to you both..." He smiles, feeling a little weird about being between Serenity's breasts and against Kiera's. Still, he's plenty happy to be getting out of here. Serenity moves the two out of the office, looking around to find the school still empty. Nicas feels the happy mood become somber as he thinks about what will happen next. The expression on Serenity's face doesn't help. "What happens now, Sera?" He asks as she walks, exiting the school through one of the back doors.
Unfortunately, just as Serenity makes it outside, she notices the students moving to come back into the building. She keeps walking, trying to shift quietly past students moving towards the door she'd just exited from. "I'm going to have to free you, Nicas." She says gently, reaching into her pocket and pulling the little micro wolf out of her cleavage, leaving Kiera there alone. Nicas blinks as a large, clipper-like tool comes for his neck and cringes as the cool metal presses firmly to his throat, sliding under his collar. There's a clipping noise and Nicas feels something fall away from his throat. he looks down to see his collar laying in Serenit's palm. "They're going to be after you, Nicas. You can't stay with us anymore... not yet at least." She keeps walking, looking around a little nervously. "I can't stay? But where do I go?"
"Serenity Kwitz was missing, if anyone sees her please bring her to the office."
Serenity frowns, hearing these words over one of the walkie talkies the teachers carried, noticing one standing nearby. She stops and lowers herself to the ground, settling Nicas into the grass at her feet. "Nicas... I'm sorry. You'll have to figure that out. If you can lay low for a while, find a place to stay... once things calm down you might be able to come back. I'll try to leave some food out at the park we used to go to during the summer... if you can make it there, you'll at least have something to eat. I know it sounds overwhelming but there's no other choice... if it helps any, Cole really does care for you. He's a dumbass, but he doesn't want you hurt. They're going to be searching us and our home for you... you can't be near us... do not try to follow us... they'll catch you. Fortunately, without that collar, they can't track you either."
"Serenity?" A voice sounds behind the female mouse.
"Run..." She says gently before standing and turning to the teacher. "That's me, is something wrong?" She asks, moving over to the teacher without glancing back at Nicas. The wolf takes a few steps back, uncertain of what he should do at this point. He walks to follow her, to hide with her. He'd find a way to stay hidden... but he hesitates for too long. They disappear into the school and Nicas is left alone. He looks around the large stalks of grass all around him and begins to walk with lowered ears and tail. He doesn't know here he's walking, but his legs move anyway. He begins to brood, figuring he'll die out here somehow and that it's all their fault. Cole's parents, the Principal... people like them that can't just let him and Cole be happy.
"Get away!" Nicas hears a rather snarly, young-sounding voice shout. He blinks, staring straight ahead just in time for a grey and black blur to slam into him.