Perversions of the Flesh

The zombie pit bull took Ann’s hit like a fucking champ. Her gauntlet hit the thing’s side, and a rebound lanced up Ann’s arm. The dog was just that tanky!

“Gerroff!” Kat shouted, trying to shake the thing that’d latched onto her shield. She shook it wildly, trying to break its grip, but it wouldn’t let go.

Ann wasn’t going to take chances. She extended her claws and tried to get behind the monster to get at its neck, but the legs whipped at her dangerously quickly. Ann was so confused by what was happening that the wild hit connected, knocking her to the side.

The dog monster, now clawing at Kat to get at her arm, had used its core strength to take its lame legs and use them to hit her! It didn’t even break its concentration enough to let Kat wiggle free, which meant that it was used to fighting like this? It made some sense. There were other things that lived in these caves.

“Fucking literal guard dog,” Ann groaned, rolling to her feet. “Rosalyn!”

Ann might as well not have said anything. Two blades of wind struck the creature’s sides and did… nothing. Maybe some of the flesh flicked away, but the usual slicing didn’t happen. Not to be deterred, Rosalyn tried her Thorns next and met the same result. As soon as they struck the creature, they snapped in half like she’d tried to push them through solid stone!

Fillianore was next, the rifle going off with a loud crack. Ann actually saw the bullet hit the zombie’s head and bounce right off. Lucia racked another round and shot one of those strange piercing bullets. That did some damage. Enough to cut a hole into the skin and expose some diseased muscle underneath.

The dog stopped trying to get Kat’s arm.

It let go of Kat entirely.

The bulky head turned towards Lucia.

Jowls raised in a snarl.

Lucia dropped the trap bullet she’d made just as the zombie charged her. Claws flew as it tore up the floor, trying to get at the woman faster.

Shimmering shields appeared in front of it, but its claws shattered them instantly.

Vines from Lucia’s bullet, as well as thorned roots from Rosalyn’s Entangle, cinched around the dog. It was stopped, but still struggling. Still straining against the vines that bound it.

“Fuck, that barely hit it. Ye think lightning will work, Rosalyn?” Ann asked.

“I don’t know! Doesn’t seem like anything physical is doing anything. It might, but Lucia’s piercing shot only made it angry!”

“Too tough,” Lucia said, nodding, watching the dog.

Ann was waiting for it to remember that its claws could cut the vines.

“Do we flee?” Bren asked.

“That thing’ll hunt us through the whole building,” Ann pointed out. “Don’t know if running is an option.”

As she watched, she noticed something. She hadn’t seen it before because it was covered in the rotten folds of flesh, but there was a collar on the animal’s neck. A silver tag bounced free, and Ann caught a single word.

“Daisy”

Of course it was Daisy. Of course someone who didn’t train their dog would give them the cutest name possible. Daisy looked fucking pissed, though. Pissed enough to rip any of them apart for a meal or chew toy.

Ann had an idea. It was an awful idea, but it was an idea.

“Let me know if it starts to break free,” she said.

“Ye can see it. Why would ye… oh!”

Ann’s head pounded as she started to replace her eyes. Gods, this one sucked the worst so far. It was getting better. Still on the mild end of a migraine. She was really not looking forward to testing the bones skill.

“Ann, it’s remembered the claws,” Rosalyn said nervously.

Her eyes popped free. She started growing in her normal human eyes. Losing her dark vision would suck, but she’d deal. Ann held out the ejected orbs, optical nerve and all. “Someone take this and see if it’ll fetch.”

Fingers scraped against her gauntlet and took the eyes. “Hey doggy!”

“Her name is Daisy. It’s on her tag,” Ann said through gritted teeth as her new eyes started to form.

“Daisy! Look what I’ve got! Fresh eyeballs!” Rosalyn called in a cheery voice. It sounded like she was offering any normal stick.

The sounds of struggle stopped.

Ann felt her eyelids push out, and she blinked experimentally. Her vision wasn’t quite there yet. A big grey, black, red, and green blob was standing there. Daisy?

Ann blinked again, and the world came into focus. Daisy was standing there, her freakishly long and large front legs bent, her head low. Her cataracted eyes were moving left and right as Rosalyn… Ann had to take a moment. Rosalyn was swinging her eyes side to side by the nerves. It was fucking awful to think about.

Still, Daisy looked at them like they were the most delicious slab of steak she’d ever seen. Her little nub was wagging furiously, and Ann swore she was panting despite not breathing this entire time.

“Uh, what do I do now?” Rosalyn asked.

“Ye never had a dog?”

“No?” Rosalyn said nervously. “Like, I can throw the thing, but also do we want that? What do we do after that?”

“Feckin’ run fer the stairs an’ slam the door. Then run up the stairs,” Kat explained, shaking her shield mostly clean of slobber.

Ann had a bad feeling as she watched Daisy. “I’m going to have to do this again, aren’t I?”

“Probably. Prepare to run. Minnie, back up slowly towards the stairs, please,” Bren directed.

Ann couldn’t look back to check on Minnie. She had to trust Bren right now. Her eyes weren’t going to be much of a distraction. They were tiny compared to Daisy. Barely a treat.

“Count us down, lambchop. Toss them behind her. Doesn’t look like she can turn all that well.”

Rosalyn nodded, her hair shaking as her nerves made every bit of her tremble. The woman who could take on the Snail and all sorts of awfulness in the Seeds, but here? Why was she…

Oh god damnit. Her prey instincts. The things they’d been having fun with were coming back at the woman at the worst of times.

“It’ll be ok,” Ann said. Nice and steady, she padded up behind Rosalyn. Her tail betrayed her calm, beating a nervous rhythm against her thighs. She reached out and gently took hold of Rosalyn’s backpack. “Just throw them towards the door as hard as you can, and I’ve got the running part.”

“I do too,” Rosalyn said shakily. “I can jump us. That alright?”

“Sure the spell can handle that?”

“Might not get as far, but we can definitely move.”

Ann heard Minnie get to the stairs and try to quietly open the door. It creaked, and Daisy’s head snapped in her direction.

“Hey! Want the juicy eyes? Look at the eyes, Daisy!” Rosalyn called, shaking them again.

Blessedly, Daisy refocused on her smaller treats.

Once Ann heard Kat tap her shield on the door, she tapped Rosalyn’s horn.

“Alright, Daisy. Here we go!” Rosalyn was doing a great job of keeping her voice cheery through the terror. “Three, two!” She threw the eyes.

They went sailing through the air, red streamers spinning as they went.

Ann grabbed onto Rosalyn just as a huge gust of wind sent them flying backwards. She did not have Rosalyn’s footing skill, but she’d had plenty of practise landing. Her paws hit and slid across the smooth stone. Her claws clicked over seams in the tiled surface as she neared, then slid past the door.

Shit shit shit! Ann couldn’t drop Rosalyn to one arm. She wasn’t strong enough for that. She triggered Burst of Speed and fucking booked it. Her paws became a blur as she scrabbled on the smooth surface like a cat on tile. Then her paws caught, and she was rocketing forward.

Ann crashed into Kat’s outstretched arm. She was aimed for the doorway, but not at the best angle. Kat made sure she got inside before slamming the door behind them.

Already, Ann heard the clicking of Daisy’s claws headed their way.

“Ye didn’t learn tae lop off an arm, did ye?” Kat asked as they all started up the stairs as quickly as they could.

“Nope! Just my eyes and hair!” Ann panted, still holding onto Rosalyn. She’d honestly forgotten to put her down, but the Druid wasn’t complaining, so she just kept moving.

“If you lose an arm, that’s a lot of mass, and I don’t think that’ll be good for you in general, even with how a Warped work,” Rosalyn said with a calm that did not reflect the current pace of the rest of the party. “You’d probably just re-arrange like you do with your reproductive organs.”

“Great insight, Lamb,” Kat laughed as she clomped up another flight. “Feck, I’m in great shape an’ this feckin’ sucks!”

“Seven more to go!” Bren panted. He looked awful. He could keep up with walking and fighting, but this was cardio. Ann was doing awesome, but he was the opposite end of the spectrum.

“Lucia, can you carry your man?” Ann shouted.

“Can’t. Heavy. Help,” Lucia said. She was actually doing about as well as Ann in the frenzied stair climb. Her higher Stamina stat had to be helping her. She looped one of Bren’s arms around her shoulder and helped take some of his burden. Sometimes being an all-rounder paid off, it seemed.

A crash blew through the space as they hit the fourth floor.

“God damnit, RUN!” Ann shouted, like they weren’t already.

Still, everyone picked up the pace and ran as hard as they could.

“Break stairs?” Lucia shouted.

“No!” Minnie yelled back. “Might cause problems! Just delay!”

Rosalyn twisted in Ann’s arms, and they awkwardly adjusted so they were hugging. Well, not really hugging, but more like Rosalyn was getting hugged and hanging on like a monkey. It freed her arms up, and she cast Entangle behind them.

The skittering of claws paused as Daisy was dragged to a halt.

Snap.

Snap! SNAP Snansnasnasnap!

“She figured out her claws!” Rosalyn shouted.

Ann’s ears flattened at the yell, but she kept running.

The clicking behind them renewed, and Ann got a chance to look down at the next landing.

Daisy was still on the second flight, but was starting to use the railings for better grip. She was speeding up.

Ann couldn’t do anything but run. Her legs burned from not being used to stairs. Her lungs were running dry from carrying Rosalyn and her gear. None of the others were doing great either.

They barely made it to the ninth floor. Daisy was on her way up from the eighth. Bren and Lucia were last in line, struggling to make it together. Ann slid in the door to the hall, dropped Rosalyn onto the now carpeted floor and whirled.

Kat was through next, gasping for air, but she didn’t drop. She reached in and yanked Minnie through, sending the miner tumbling.

Bren and Lucia were flagging.

Daisy was on their heels, snapping at a new source of food.

“COME ON!” Ann shouted. She couldn’t do shit. Her friends were blocking any shot, not that it’d do anything.

Daisy’s jaws snapped shut.

A loud crash boomed through the hallway as she slammed into the closed door.

Kat and Ann braced against it, still gasping for air.

The door trembled with the force the massive undead dog was throwing against it.

“Find the fucking door!” Ann shouted. There was no time to be nice.

Lucia dropped Bren into an exhausted pile and darted off to find out if the same room was there.

“Here! Key!” Lucia shouted.

Bren held it up, and she had to run back to get the thing.

Ann’s paws burned against the thick carpet as Daisy tried to force her way in.

Kat shut the door with another powerful shove, not even having the breath to curse the monster.

Lucia ran back and brought Bren, Rosalyn and Minnie up ahead, leaving them alone.

“This… fucking sucks! I thought I was a dog! Kinda!” Ann grunted as Daisy backed off before another charge.

“Maybe she thinks… you’re a bitch,” Kat laughed through ragged breath.

Ann laughed. One of those ugly laughs where you’re so tired that something is way funnier than it should be.

“She… shit,” Ann had to focus and fend off the latest assault.

Daisy got her claws into the crack of the door this time, but they were able to get the dog to back off with a few good hits.

“She’s the bitch here,” Ann finished.

“Both are,” Lucia said, surprising them as she put her shoulder against the door. “Rest going up. Minnie climbing. Ann last. Fastest.”

“You sure? Not sure I can hold this door,” Ann said, feeling her shoulder go numb again with another hit. Having a third person helped a lot.

“Am. Bren found book quick. Room trashed. Tell more later.”

“Who’s before me?”

“Rosalyn. Entangle. Just in case.”

Ann grit her teeth. It made sense. Rosalyn could even blow herself upwards if needed to get ahead of Ann.

A few frustrating minutes later, Rosalyn came up behind them.

Lucia left without a word, likely made aware by Bren that Rosalyn was on her way.

Rosalyn took her place. She didn’t have much strength, but anything helped.

“This count as a date?” Ann asked as her teeth rattled under another impact.

“Hah!” Kat barked a laugh. “Most excitin’ one since the Guild!”

Rosalyn sighed. “Yeah, this is definitely a Kat date!”

“Love ye two, too,” Kat said, beaming. “Let’s all get tae the room together. Barricade it. Sounds like there’s plenty o’ rubble.”

“On the next slam?” Ann asked, getting herself ready to run.

“Aye. Rosalyn, get goin’. We can hold it.”

Rosalyn didn’t argue and ran back to the room.

Ann was grateful for the timing. On the next massive impact, a crack split through half of the door. They were already running as the top right corner of the door fell off, letting Daisy get a look at them.

It was halfway down the hall, and they barely made it. Ann felt the gust of Daisy’s claws catch her tail as she whipped into the room. The sound of shredding carpet was cut off as they slammed the door shut.

Kat was there, holding onto the door.

“You’re up, Kat! I’m faster,” Ann shouted, bracing herself.

“Get some feckin’ rubble then! Ye need help!”

Ann cast around and found a chunk of couch and table that looked like they’d help? She wedged the rocks the best she could into the shaking door, and pulled Kat out of the way when Daisy backed off for her next charge.

“UP!” Ann ordered.

Kat nodded and darted into the bedroom for the climb.

“Can… can I help with anything?” Rosalyn asked as dust rained from the ceiling as Daisy crashed into the structure.

Ann felt her heart in her throat as she tried to keep the door closed. Kat was always the stronger one. It was taking every bit of strength she had to keep the dog out of the house.

“No, sweetheart,” Ann panted. “You’re great. Thanks for helping run down there.”

“Y-yeah. Sorry I froze?”

“Have you seen that thing?” Ann laughed. “I’m fucking terrified!”

“Not shaking in your boots!”

“Rosalyn, I’ve never had boots in this body.”

That got a giggle out of the nervous Druid. “Guess you haven’t.”

Ann strained as Daisy dug her claws in and pushed this time. Her titanic weight pushed Ann back. Claws latched into the door and pulled with a strength Ann could not deny.

“Shit, Rosalyn, entangle!”

Rosalyn was already casting the spell as Ann danced around the ruined apartment’s rubble to make space.

Daisy exploded into the room with a shower of stone shards.

Thorny roots shot from every surface, wrapping around the undead dog.

She thrashed, claws becoming a blender that freed her so fast Rosalyn wasn’t even to the bedroom yet.

Ann readied herself for a stand. She’d need to dodge like her life depended on it, because she wasn’t hurting this thing. She needed to buy time.

Daisy stopped. Her milky eyes found Rosalyn and she…

“What?” Rosalyn asked.

Daisy was on her malformed haunches just… staring at Rosalyn. Ann swore she could see the thing’s tail wagging.

“I uh… I dunno?” Ann said, equally confused.

Daisy made them both jump as she shifted her weight from one paw, then to the other, then back and forth. She was… doing tippy tappys?

“Holy shit. Did… did you make a friend?” Ann asked, staring at Daisy in disbelief.

Rosalyn walked up next to Ann. She was shaking, but Ann recognised that glimmer of excitement in her eyes. “Daisy?”

Daisy cocked her head in the unmistakable reaction of a dog hearing its name.

“Uh… good girl?”

Daisy’s butt went crazy. She didn’t have a tail, but she made up for it with how hard her back legs and rear wiggled. If she could, Ann bet she would have been happily panting.

“See if you can get her to sit.”

“Daisy, sit!” Rosalyn said with a bit more confidence in her voice. “Well, I guess you kinda are, already, but good girl!”

A laugh burst from Ann as she watched the dog cock its head in confusion, then explode in another flurry of wiggles.

Rosalyn took off her bag and dug through it. She found some salted meat they’d picked up in Godrin’s Cliff and tossed it to Daisy, who snapped it up happily. She chewed, then swallowed.

“Huh. Guess that works just as good as living meat,” Ann said.

Daisy looked at her, then growled.

“No! Ann is a friend!” Rosalyn admonished the dog twice her size.

The look of sudden panic on Daisy’s face was almost comical. Ann had been going on this thing just being a zombie, and a damn tough one, but it definitely still had its old personality.

“Wonder how long she’s been down here,” Ann said, not daring to approach the dog.

Daisy didn’t growl at her when she spoke this time.

“Way too long. I kinda feel bad for her,” Rosalyn said. “Also kinda don’t feel comfortable getting closer.”

“Yeah, that’s fair. She’s kinda terrifying,” Ann said. “Got any more of that jerky?”

Rosalyn handed her another piece.

Ann held it, dangling it in front of her as she slowly approached Daisy.

The dog stared at the meat. Actually the meat, this time, and not her arm. Thick, slightly yellow drool ran out of the corner of her mouth.

“Hey, down,” Ann ordered gently.

Daisy dropped to her chest, paws and claws easily reaching out past Ann as she did. Gods, those things were as long as her forearm.

“Good girl,” Ann said as she dropped the meat.

Daisy easily snapped it up and chewed.

As she did, Ann reached out carefully. She almost jumped out of her skin when Daisy butted up into her outstretched palm.

“Would you look at that?” Ann breathed.

Daisy was happily rubbing her head up into Ann’s hand, her ears flapping as she tried to stay still against her urge to play. Or murder. Ann still wasn’t sure.

Ann let out her claws, still in her gauntlets, and gave Daisy an experimental scratch.

The force with which Daisy leaned into the scratch nearly knocked her over.

“Ann!” Rosalyn yelled, concerned.

“It’s fine!” Ann laughed. “Oh, who’s a good puppy? You’re a good girl, Daisy,” she said in her best baby voice. “You’ve been down here so long. You been keeping this place all safe? Such a good gurl!”

Daisy’s butt went insane as Ann gave her a thorough scratch. She was careful not to scratch too hard with her gauntlets on, but the pup seemed like she’d enjoy some really good scratches without them.

“Alright. You stay here, ok? We’re gonna be back down in a bit.”

The pouty look Ann got in return was heartbreaking. God damnit. This sweet thing didn’t deserve this.

“I promise. We’re only going up to the next section to get some rocks and we’ll be back to see you,” Ann said, giving another bunch of scritches.

Rosalyn joined her, patting Daisy’s leathery nose carefully, then a bit more firmly.

The massive hound nuzzled into the touch far more gently than she did with Ann.

“Yeah. We’ll be back down. Don’t let anyone else cause trouble,” Rosalyn said. She gave Daisy another pat and then turned to the bedroom.

“Coming up!” Ann shouted as she and Rosalyn grabbed the rope.

They sailed upward far faster than she’d expected. They practically flew out of the gap in the building, crashing into the third iteration of the lobby.

“Ye ok? Shite, what happened?” Kat asked, nearly in a panic.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Ann said, grabbing the worried woman by the head and gently massaging her ears. “We’re ok. Made a friend.”

“Made a… the feck?”

“Rosalyn…”

“So what happened was…”