What the Future Holds [Ashton]

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley moved through the old town of Forkrun. She had had fun with her negotiations at Terra Cliffs with Kairos. And he was a gentleman enough to help her on the trek home. They mostly talked their gossip. A little bit of the things going on in Winterwood. A new Alpha, the death of the old one, and already it herald in the new era for the pack. It already felt different. Finley wanted to prove that her pack wasn't the big-bad-wolf in Canaria. That it was simply a difference of opinion. She and several in her pack believed that morality often stood in the way of progress. [break][break] She needed to make Ash River Project a better place for the dogs in her pack. She could have picked one of the dogs in her pack that already had a good standing. A mercenary. A spy. A scientist. No, she had to bring one of the Subjects up to the level of functional dogs in the pack. Actually, that sounded great. If they could turn each Subject, eventually, into a functional member of the pack who was able to bring more Subjects in because they believed that the pack had made them better, then it would mean they had a steady turnover of Subjects and the pack would grow. [break][break] She stretched. And that was why she was in Forkrun. There was a particular dog she had in mind and right now, Lukas had him in the Forkrun Clinic, preparing a vivisection. She probably should hurry... [break][break] Lukas had worked with Ashton before, but not in anything like this. He was sure that Ashton had seen the other Subjects, with long scars on them, where Lukas had gotten too curious and wanted to see how their innards worked. Other dogs, not Subjects, saw this merry and knowledgeable Aussie with fine manners and a kindness that called him to attention any time his medical experience was needed. But they never questioned how he got that expertise. Thankfully, Luke was adept at putting the dogs back together. He was careful about anaesthesizing them. Not too little, not too much. "You feeling OK, Ashton?" the Physician asked. His Bowerbird hovered near him, recording his words for him to relay later. "I cleaned the floor, prepared the space. There is little chance for infection. The Subject, Ashton, has worked with me before. He's a good boy." The Aussie winked at the Subject.  [break][break] Finley was outside of the Clinic now, she saw the building in view. She had to hurry. She entered the Clinic, causing the red tricolor Australian shepherd to look up and away from Ashton. Her horns weren't glowing. The Subject could see that twisted paw of hers. Her left food was barely a paw as it was deformed. She limped into the room and took her seat. "Ashton, born into the position of Omega Subject." She was actually addressing one of the Subjects. He was still a pup. Not even a year old. The Alpha smiled. "Before you begin, Luke, I'm going to ask this kid a question. Ashton, if you could be anything, would you want to be a Subject?" [break][break] She had her paw in full view to show him that it didn't matter what you looked like, what was wrong with you. In Ash River Project, you could honestly become whatever you wanted. She wanted him to believe that in that small moment so that perhaps she could start her grand experiment of turning a lowly Subject who didn't know anything else into one of the Cunning in her pack. [break][break] Tag: Ashton [break] Notes: Finley & Lukas post to Ashton.

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes. She can ruin your faith with her casual lies. And she only reveals what she wants you to see. [break][break] Date: March 310

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Ashton was actually nervous for once in his life. He had saw the scars on others and he didn't want that to be him. He looked at the place that Lukas was talking about and almost had a heart attack when the Alpha spoke to him. He jumped in fright before he shook his that no he did not want to be a subject. He was freaked out and he knew had to behave because his mum always said that good dogs get a reward. "If I may say.... I ummmm, I really don't want to be a subject..." Ashton trailed the sentences and his ears swiveled on his head and he sighed to himself while looking over the Alpha and the Physician. He had started to shake at some point in time because he was trying to force himself to keep calm. "Um.... I just want to know why you would ask me what I would want to be...." He asked with a trail that didn't make it a complete sentence. He knew that Lukas wanted to see how he worked and that his curiosity was sometimes hard to dispel. He breathed in deeply and smiled at the dogs in the room with a small smile on his parted jaws.

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Lukas hung back awkwardly as his Alpha took charge of the situation. He had to admit that he was a bit disappointed in having to postpone the procedure. He had wanted to see the working of the organs. He had actually planned to install some of the clear, flexible, military-grade paneling on one side of Ashton so that he could see the organs working as the dog lived life simply. Sure, he'd have to live life delicately afterwards, but that was a small price to pay for what Lukas considered was important for his knowledge of the organ systems of a dog. He had been so excited about the procedure. He shrugged. It seemed Finley was just delaying his experiment with her own line of questioning. [break][break] Finley tilted her head as she watched Lukas's expression change. The dog was so easy to read. Disappointment. He had been planning something. Probably another medical experiment. But she had her own plans with Ashton. Something the considered to be a lot more interesting. The Alpha of Ash River Project used to be a Scientist back before she had been a Spy. And she had always preferred the psychological experiments, in which she got to discover the way the mind worked. Her leadership, as it were, was a little pet project she had been working on for awhile. [break][break] She turned her attention back to little Ashton as he spoke. She smiled. There had been a few other Subjects who seemed afraid of the rank that Finley held that they answered the question she asked Ashton by saying they enjoyed their stations in life. But Ashton said that he'd rather not be a Subject. And then, he had the courage--or rather--the naivety to ask why she had posed such a question in the first place. Finley smiled and laughed. "You are quite bold, Ashton. I like that. Merely a dog born into this life of experiments and never getting the chance to prove himself. I guess I just want what's best for my pack." But really, Finley was bored and wanted to play with lives. As usual. [break][break] Lukas pinned his ears back, knowing what was coming next. He had lost his Subject for his next great experiment. Finley looked at her Physician. He was so easy to read and she knew he'd forgive her for taking this Rottweiler when Ashton brought home some dogs to be even better subjects for Lukas to study. "Lukas," Finley said. "What do you think? Would you give him up?" [break][break] The Aussie looked at Ashton and he looked so tempted to fight back, but he saw what Finley saw. And he imagined that, should his sister not have a chance, that she would have likely been culled instead of living a cushy life with her human masters and actually being active and training for complex behaviors and going through the same training he had gone through--though obviously she was not fit to work. Potential. The young dog had potential. The Physician sighed. "I'd rather not, but I can." Honest as always. [break][break] Finley grinned. "Thank you." She knew it wasn't every Alpha that would ask permission from her packmembers and it was this respect she gave them that allowed them to respect her as much as they did. She turned to Ashton, "So you are still a Subject--for now. Because I'm going to turn you into something more. You still aren't quite anything yet." She tilted her head. "I haven't decided yet, but we'll see what your aptitudes are." [break][break] Tag: Ashton [break] Notes: Finley is so nice. She's gonna mold Ashton into such a great little soldier.

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes. She can ruin your faith with her casual lies. And she only reveals what she wants you to see.

Ashton nodded at the alpha and then looked at the Physician and said, "If he wants he could still do one last procedure. If that is okay with you Alpha." He said with a small smile and looking at the person who he worked with so many times before. "I mean, he looked like he was really excited to do the procedure." He looked over them with his ears  backwards and his head pointed down. He shuffled his paws and flicked his tail a little bit. He inhaled somewhat and quickly exhaled and repeated this a few times. He was hoping that the Alpha wouldn't get mad at him because, yes Ashton was very bold when it came to some subjects and he found that he liked to please the people who surrounded him.

LUKAS

Lukas perked up at the sound of Ashton giving him one more experiment. He looked to Finley with his pleading, amber eyes. He knew it was up to her. "He said he wanted it," the Aussie said. "So, I can?" His entire rear wiggled in anticipation.

Finley looked towards Ashton with a look of sympathy. She knew that when Lukas was this excited, that meant he was doing something new. Something new wasn't always in the best interest of the patient. It was almost always in the best interest of Lukas's continuing education. She hoped that Ashton knew what he was getting himself into. She looked at Luke and then nodded. "I suppose. One more experiment, but make sure not to kill him."

"Oh, c'mon, it's me. I don't kill dogs. I heal them," Lukas said as he turned his eyes towards Ashton. He smiled. "Now, where were we?" His Bowerbird-30 hovered in the air, giving more space between the doctor and his experimental subject. He glanced at the sheets of the clear material he had planned to use on the dog. It felt both flexible and strong and he had hoped that it was going to end up okay. It turned out to work fine on the cadavers he had installed it on. But... they also hadn't been alive. He had chosen Ashton because he was a Basal. And Basals tended to be rather adaptive. A little bit of mutation might have his body accept its new state. At least, that was his theory.

Finley smiled. "I trust you, then." However, she had seen his failures before, though Lukas considered them successes simply because he had learned things. She considered her own paw. A success by his measure. And honestly, she couldn't take that away from him because he did, for the most part, give her a usable leg and her paw was mostly paw shaped now. But it wasn't certainly something that she could pass as normal.

Lukas turned to Ashton. "So, it's time for you to sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over. Lie down here." The Bowerbird held a syringe of human medicine. The healer grinned. "Though, I must admit, you probably won't feel a hundred percent for awhile."

Finley found a place to sit and watch, morbid curiosity getting the better of her. As it always did.

word count || 395
muse || Pretty much 100% muse
tag || Ashton
notes || Poor, poor Ashton. Mwahahahaha.

Ashton nodded to the physician and went to lay down where he was directed. He looked at the bowerbird and felt his heart rate increase slightly. He laid down and closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. "Hey, Luke, just make sure I stay alive. I know for a fact that you can make me fell better so. Just do you best." Ashton said to the dog with a small smile on his face. He shivered a little from the cold ground but he knew that his life was in good hands. I will survive. I just hope that I don't end up being some weird creature. If I did that is okay too. I wouldn't mind it one bit. He thought and yawned clicking his teeth together and waiting for Lukas to do what he needs to.

LUKAS

Lukas had his Bowerbird inject Ashton with some medication that would cause him to go unconscious. Once fully out of it, Lukas began his work. The Bowerbird hovered close to the patient. The Aussie directed the movement easily. As the Bowerbird cut into Ashton, Lukas prepared the sheets that he had wanted to replace the dog's side with. Finley knew to stay a little distance away, as Luke was quite adamant about his work staying uncontaminated. He looked up at Finley and explained, "I want to create a sort of window into the organ systems at work. If this goes right, Ashton can continue on with his life, but we also get to see how his body works, too. I do plan on doing this to a female as well." He nodded.  "If it all goes right with Ashton, that is."

Finley tilted her head. He was sure going to be quite ambitious with this project. She wondered if Luke knew just how menacing he could be, fueled simply by the desire to learn more. Often times the other dogs of Canaria feared the Cunning from Ash River Project because of their ruthlessness. But honestly, they should fear the Curious because their entire code of ethics was based on the single question of: Did I learn from all of this? And if the answer was yes, then it was fine. It was how she chose to live her life. Though the things she wanted to know were all about the limits of a dog's mental state.

Over the next few hours, Finley watched as Lukas continued working carefully, slowly on his project. He almost lost him a few times as he was working on Ashton, turning him into something to study. Perhaps Ashton, if he liked to study himself as well, would allow him to do this to more of his body, if he decided that being a Subject was the best direction for his life, after all. He installed the material into Ashton. It could stretch and also go back into a flat shape, which allowed it to function much the same as his old side had been. His entire left side was see-through now. It was harder to cut into than the dog's skin and fur had been, but since Ashton was missing a large section of his muscular wall of his side, he would forever be less flexible and agile. A small price to pay for the beautiful creature that Lukas had created. 

"He's done..." Lukas said. "And alive, as promised."

Finley shook her head. "No, he's just beginning. Luke, I had plans for him. He's never... going to be the same again."

"So?" Luke said. "I can talk him through it. Get him used to it."

She smiled at that. If there was one dog that could do that, it was Luke. She had to admit he was better at it than she was. "Well, I can work with what's happened. It actually might be a bit more interesting, if I told the truth."

They talked over the dog's sleeping body as if he weren't there. Honestly, right now, he wasn't. He was far gone, asleep. Lukas kept him under observation for the next few days, babying his little creation. Watching the organs twitch and move inside and having his Bowerbird record his notes on it. His stomach remained distended for awhile, swollen from the trauma of what was done to it. He was pretty much kept alive by medications and Luke's care. His body seemed to finally accept what had happened to it as his body was less swollen, less angry, looking normal accept for the see-through material over his ribs and organs. Ashton still had a ways to heal, but now, at least, Lukas could end the medicine that kept him asleep.

--- The tenth day ---

Finley hadn't arrived yet, but was due to come soon, as she always did in the late morning. Lukas smiled. The swelling was completely gone, but the pain wasn't. He watched the lung growing and shrinking with each breath. The heart peeking through under the lung and its steady, rhythmic beating. The empty stomach. The intestines coiled tightly. It was his work and the dog was actually going to stay alive this time. The dog would wake soon. Lukas would be there to guide him into his new life.

"Ashton? You made it, buddy. How you feel?"

word count || 721
muse || Pretty much 100% muse
tag || Ashton
notes ||Finley will return next post. Also, Ashton is allowed to freak out.

Ashton's first response was, "how long was I out?" and he tried to sit up. He was a little groggy and just wanted to sleep again but at the same time he wanted to run and jump and play. He looked to his side and thought nothing of it at first and went to look back at Luke then he quickly shot his head down again and his jaw gaped which made him respond with, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY!?! It looks pretty cool, but WHAT?!?!?" He looked at his side and looked straight through to the organs laying their. He almost fell over himself but was incredible fascinated by the way if he inhaled his lung with push the glass out and then when he exhaled it went back together. He heard his stomach rumble and felt like eating a whole deer by himself. "I am hungry is that natural? To be hungry after finding out you have a clear side. Will is break if I was to get into a fight? Can I find a way to fight with this in my way? Do I get to make a new way to fight?!"  He rambled off now very intrigued with what he could do differently then other dogs.  

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Lukas tilted his head when Ashton responded with amazement rather than fear. Then, he wagged his rear end, as he had no tail to wag. The Aussie grinned. "Glad you like it kid." He watched as Ashton's moving up into a sitting position caused the supple material to move around his rib-cage like a new skin. It could stretch with his breath and spring back to . "Careful. Do you need help?" Luke was worried that the movement might have jostled something inside of the Rottweiler. The seam between skin and the clear high-grade artificial, plastic-like material was a scab-covered welt that still needed healed. It was a large window. It stretched over the ribs and the lungs filled and shrank with every breath. The heart, barely visible unless you knew what to look for, beat a a normal rhythm. But it seemed everything held together. That this was actually going to work. [break][break] "Well, fighting might not be a good idea," Luke explained. "Your body is not exactly fit to fight anymore. I had to..." He touched Ashton's new side with a paw. There was no feeling there for the Rottweiler. As there were no nerve endings there. It felt smooth and warm. If he was injured, he wouldn't know. And besides, his innards were right against the clear material. A bad slash and they would spill out. "I had to remove some of your abdominal wall for a clear picture. So, you'll be disadvantaged in a fight. So, I wouldn't recommend it. You might even push something out of place if you are too active." [break][break] At that point, Finley came in with a fresh meal in her mouth. Lukas had told her that this morning was the one that Ashton was waking up on if he was going to be awake. She was surprised that he was sitting up. And Lukas was continuing to explain to Ashton what had happened to him. He was patient with the young Rottweiler and it seemed the dog was taking it rather well. [break][break] "...And you're probably hungry because you've been out for ten days. Oh goodness, for awhile, you were just swollen and bruised. All over. Now, you do need some recovery time. I really don't want you running around. But you can walk. If you need something for the pain, I've got stuff. I estimate recovery to be almost an entire month." [break][break] Finley limped forward. It was a meal she had caught herself. She remembered when she was in Ashton's place. When Lukas had broken her bones to make her leg able to bear weight. Once upon a time, her left-front leg was bent, crooked, and stuck in a position against her chest. And it was several different procedures before it was as straight and useful as it was now. She managed to make it work. Though her foot was clubbed, turned at an odd angle with the callus of where it hit the ground over and over again at the strange place it bent. They had tried to straighten her foot as well, but it was an exercise in futility. [break][break] She grinned as she dropped the meat down at a place for Ashton to start eating it. "Have some food, Ash." She said in her sweet voice. She didn't sound the way most dogs would think an Alpha to sound. She was feminine and cheerful. The name Alpha Finley and the reputation of Ash River Project tended to make dogs expect a deep-voiced beast of a dog. Not the delicate princess that came around. She looked at his side. he seemed to be adjusting well. Which meant she could get right to the work she wanted to get to. [break][break] "Now, you told me that you wanted to be something more than a Subject, but if, at the end of it, you want to go back to how you were before, just having dogs do things to you, then you are allowed to. But I think you can be something more. Even if...you are more delicate now." she glanced at his clear side, the ribs and the organs. His options were more limited now. She had bigger obstacles to work through now. But she wanted to see what she could make of him now. Because now, he had undeniably been a Subject for Ash River Project. Even if he became something more. [break][break] Tag: Ashton [break] Notes: We can finish the thread soon and do a time skip when Ashton's a bit more healed. Finley's taking him under her wing. She's probably going to turn him into a Mercenary or a Grifter.

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley [break]&[break] Lukas She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes. She can ruin your faith with her casual lies. And she only reveals what she wants you to see.

Ashton looked at the food placed right in front of him. He felt drool slip down his maw and he bent forward to crunch through the bone that met him. He picked the bones out and started to eat the delicious meat. "You know, sometimes you just have to surprise your opponent and attack with all you got, you know?" He said and ate another bite. The fat was a little harder to chew but he managed it just fine. "I sometimes image fighting another subject, I don't know why. I just like to see what they would do. It is rather curious seeing them fight about in my head. I sometimes pit two of the subjects together and see which one would win." He looked up at the alpha and smiled his fangs covered in blood. He looked at his side and saw the scar. "They will have to expect the unexpected. I will fight on and if someone gets in my way then we will have issues. Unless its you two, I like you guys!" He said and finished off the morsel of meat.

OOC: Geez he rambles.

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley tilted her head as she listened to Ashton. It seemed he was still adamant about being a fighter. She lifted her foot to show him, "You know, I am more than a capable battler. It's about fighting smart. And knowing exactly what you can and cannot do." She knew her agility was limited. She knew her strength was limited. And she knew that if someone wanted to fight her and they knew just where she was weak, they'd take advantage of it. She normally hid her foot. She wasn't ashamed of it. But, in the end, she learned that when someone didn't know everything, she could surprise them. It was mostly mind games with her.  [break][break] And when she knew she couldn't win that mind game. She would find every avenue she could to a peaceful resolution. She hoped she could teach Ashton the same thing, though he seemed raring to fight. She smiled. It would take awhile to teach him his limits. He was slower now and his weakness was open. There was no way to hide it. She glanced at his stomach. The material stretched slightly to make room for his now-full stomach. [break][break] Lukas was already at his side, poking and prodding. Unless Ashton was looking, he wouldn't feel it except for some pressure on that side. He had no nerve endings on that side. The material could absorb some shock, as that was its design, though that tended to cloud the clarity. He touched the material gently, feeling the warmth of Ashton's guts inside and realized that he should mention the biggest weakness of the material. "Now, Ashton, this is a rather sturdy material that your side is made of now. It can absorb the shock of big blows. I'd show you now, but the area where it meets your skin is still not completely healed. But it is easy to cut through with a sharp knife. Be wary of that." [break][break] Finley was listening, already figuring out fighting strategies to use when Ashton was a bit better. One to show him the weaknesses of his new body. And one to show him the strengths of it. She smiled. He was an interesting little Subject for her to study. Valuable in his uniqueness. She would be interested and invested as long as he continued to be interesting. But once she found him boring, she would call her own little experiment done, find a place for him in the pack and find a new project to work on.  There were a thousand questions she wanted to ask about his new condition. And she also wanted to see the extent of his resiliency. Curiosity was the lust of the mind, after all. "Ashton, let's head back to the rest of the pack." [break][break] Tag: Ashton [break] Notes: We can end after your post. Ashton will be more healed next thread.

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes. She can ruin your faith with her casual lies. And she only reveals what she wants you to see.

Ashton looked over to his side. "Could you stop poking it?" He asked with a weird look at Lukas. When he heard his alpha he quickly go to his paws and looked at her. "Well I am rearing to go!" He yipped and he tail started to wag. His lungs started to pump faster and the heart started to beat faster and was pumping blood to places it could pump it too. The material was stretching and snapping back and Ashton didn't even feel it. He was excited and he couldn't wait to move. He looked at his alpha smiled and started to walk off at a fast pace. I am going to be so much better than I was. Is what he thought and continued at his fast walk that wasn't a run. He didn't care that if he went back to the pack they would stare at him. He was proud of his anomaly. He felt unique and that was what he was aiming for anyways.