Dagger

-09-

Lily bursted out in laughter, followed by Vanessa's snort giggling. Evan even admitted to a chuckle of his own, looking at Beatrice and trying not to laugh more.

"'Bucko and Ramen'? What kind of names are those? Like, honestly... at least Lily and Vanessa's names made sense in their own right..." The man commented with a few more chuckles in between.

"They're names. Technically nicknames, but we're not going to get into that right now." Beatrice responded, tightening up in her shoes.

"But Ramen? Really? Isn't that some type of food that we have in the cabinets somewhere? I could probably go for some right now!" Lily exclaimed, holding her stomach while she continued to crack up.

"Yes, but if you hear what they are a hybrid of, then-"

"And Bucko... what is he? Half horse? C'mon ya'll, giddy up!" Vanessa squealed out. The three exploded into laughter once more while Beatrice folded her arms, shifting to her impatient side.

"ENOUGH! Pay attention!" She screamed at them, making everyone regain their composure instantly. Once the dust in the room settled, Beatrice started to speak once more.

"Let's start off with Bucko." Vanessa's snort was audible once again, but a quick glance from Beatrice set her back in her place.

"I made him to be... a bit of a feisty one. He's going to be hard to work with, trust me." She turned her back to the group. Sighing, she looked deep in his pod, showing a bit of worry in her movements.

"Oh, wonderful. What animal did you stuff into his DNA, huh? Don't tell me it was an actual horse." Lily asked, crossing her arms while she was speaking. Beatrice threaded her fingers into her hair, continuing to stare at the pod immensely.

"He's half eagle. I... I can't remember much else." She blinked, stopping to think for a moment before continuing. "I was... drinking at the time when I made him. I can't remember a lot after I drink. It probably wasn't the best decision, but I had a lot on my mind that day..." Beatrice would have gone on longer if Evan hadn't put a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you think it's safe to let him loose then? He might freak out, or mutate into a monster or something. By the way you're putting it, he doesn't seem like he's exactly ready..." Vanessa's eyes went up in utter shock, making her turn to Lily. All the frog girl did look back at her in fear.

Is this someone... something that they could trust?

"We don't have many options left. I'm not separating the twins either, so they must be released at the same time." She turned back to the two girls.

"And speaking of the twins, the other is Ramen. She's more refined, and part jellyfish."

"Jellyfish? I guess the name Ramen makes a bit more sense, I suppose. Those noodle packets need water, and jellyfish need water to live..." Vanessa said quietly, putting a hand on her chin.

"Yes. She's more... compliant than anything. A quiet little being. She should be no trouble to us, unlike her brother." Beatrice stated. She clamped her hands together.

"In conclusion, these hybrids will be tagging along with you tonight. However, they're not going with you right away. We've thought this out, and you are to call for backup when needed. A surprise attack with the twins would be a great way to finally catch that dog. Understand?" Vanessa nodded, but Lily remained stagnant.

"Are we at least going to meet them beforehand, so that we can get to know them a bit?" The frog girl questioned their leader, peering at Bucko's pod a little closer. It appeared to have a small crack on the outside glass. This was a worrisome detail to Lily, making her slink away from the containment unit.