Work Text
THE CHARACTERS
SENKŌ (HELLCATS)
Leader: Arthur Kirkland, "Leader" or "Gold" or "One-eye"- a ruthless and dangerous killer, Arthur has led the Hellcats for fifteen years. Normally he wears a torn black shirt, jeans and a red bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears a gold collar. He has short blonde hair, one green eye, and pale skin. In his cat form he is a Eurasian Lynx with yellow fur and green eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar in this form as well. His partner is Alfred. He wears and eyepatch over his left eye in both forms. His main weapon is a P-90.The Second: Alfred F. Jones, "Silver"- a loyal, independent and sometimes hard-headed cat, Alfred joined the Hellcats by accident. He wears his bomber jacket and pants of any kind. He wears a green bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears a silver collar and glasses. He has short ash-blonde hair and sky blue eyes and pale skin. In his cat form he is a golden tabby American Shorthair with pale blue eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Arthur. His main weapon is a Daewoo USAS-12 automatic shotgun.Healer: Elizaveta Héderváry, "Scar"-a mysterious yet dangerously sarcastic cat, Elizaveta is considered to be one of the most valuable members. She wears a brown jacket, blue shirt and jeans most of the time. She wears a brown bandanna to symbolize her status. She also wears a brown collar. She has long brown hair, green eyes and pale skin. She has a scar over her left eye. In her cat form she is a light brown and white she-cat with green eyes. She wears her bandanna and collar as well. Her partner is Lilli. Her main weapon is an AK-47.Healer's Apprentice: Lillian "Lilli" Zwingli, "Flower"-an innocent-appearing, yet built-to-kill cat, Lilli is one of the youngest lab-cats, only having been tested on for two years before breaking out. She often wears brightly colored dresses, although in combat she wears camouflage fatigues. She wears a blue bandanna to symbolize her status. She also wears a blue collar. She has short blonde hair, green eyes and pale skin. She also wears a bow. In her cat form she is a golden and white Serval female with green eyes. She wears her bandanna and collar as well. Her partner is Elizaveta. Her main weapon is a SIG-Sauer P225 pistol.The Head Warrior: Vash Zwingli, "Gun"-an aggressive, conservative and highly unemotional cat, Vash is Lilli's older brother. He often wears neutral colored clothes and mostly wears only t-shirts and jeans. He wears a gray bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears a gray collar. He has shoulder-length blonde hair, green eyes and pale skin. In his cat form he is a golden and white Serval tom with green eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Rodreich. He has many guns, the most out of everyone, but his favored weapon is a 7.5mm SIG Stgw. 57 assault rifle as used by the Swiss army.The Spy: Rodreich Edelstein, "Note"-a no-nonsense, prestigious, yet elusive cat, Rodreich is the Spy for a reason. He may not appear intimidating, but he's actually very dangerous and good at what he does. He often wears dressy clothes, but will change when he's doing spy work. He wears a teal bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears a teal collar. He has short black hair that is normally slicked back, save for his Mariazell, violet eyes and pale skin. In his cat form he is a black and white Caracal with six-inch-long white ear tufts and violet eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Vash. His main weapon is a Steyr M-1A handgun.The Messenger: Sadiq Annan, "Runner"-an often playful yet sly and cunning cat, Sadiq is the fastest of the cats but the least adapted to fighting and long combat. He is the most "fragile" of all of the cats, having bones only slightly stronger than a human's and the inability to fight for long periods of time due to the possibility of heart failure or lung collapse. He often wears hoodies and jeans. He wears a tan bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears a tan collar. He has short, semi-curly dark brown hair, brown eyes (that are often shadowed by the mask he wears), and slightly tanned skin. In his cat form he is a light brown Cheetah with brown eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Hercales. His main weapon is a Yavuz 16 Regard pistol.The Jinx: Hercales Karpusi, "Clover"-a quiet, almost reserved yet cunning cat, Hercales is considered the "condemned" of the Hellcats due to the testing he received, basically making him a ticking time bomb. Supposedly he should have died four years ago due to a brain malfunction the scientists gave him, but since he didn't, he became known as "the Jinx" and uses his power to condemn enemies to death. He often wears simple t-shirts and jeans and neutral colors. He wears an orange bandanna to symbolize his status. He also wears an orange collar. He has shoulder-length brown hair, green eyes and pale skin. In his cat form he is a brown and white furred Aegean cat with green eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Sadiq. His main weapon is a Galil SAR 5.56mm assault rifle.
The Soldiers
Kiku Honda, "Sword"-a reserved and somewhat socially awkward cat, Kiku was tested on the longest in the Facility (ever since its creation, three hundred years). He is hard-wired for killing and gathering information, which can make him appear very smart yet socially awkward. He usually wears simple shirts and pants but changes depending on the environment he's in. He has short black hair, brown eyes and pale skin. He wears a white bandanna and white collar. In his cat form he is a black, orange and white mi-ke Japanese Bobtail with brown eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Yao. His main weapons are two Nambu Type 14 pistols; in close-combat he prefers his sword.Wang Yao, "Shield"-a somewhat childish and playful cat, Yao seems unadapted to gang life, but he fits in quite well as Kiku's shield. He is the oldest out of all of the cats. He usually wears a tan-colored jacket and pants. He has long brown hair, brown eyes and pale skin. He wears a turquoise bandanna and a turquoise collar. In his cat form he is a brown tabby and white Dragon Li cat with brown eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Kiku. His main weapon is a QBU-88 sniper rifle, since his main position is a sniper.Gilbert Beilschmidt, "Dog"-a semi-aggressive, doglike cat, Gilbert has been hardwired to guard and protect, giving him his nickname. He usually wears a black jacket with a white t-shirt and jeans. He has white hair, red eyes and pale skin. He wears a sky blue bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a pure white Snow Leopard with red eyes. He wears his collar and bandanna as well. His partner is Ivan. His main weapon is a Heckler-Koch SL-6 SL-7 rifle.Ivan Braginski, "Wolf"-an intimidating, yet dependent cat, Ivan almost never leaves Gilbert's side due to his dependency on him. He is the biggest of all of the cats; most of them are lioness-sized, but he is full male tiger sized. He usually wears a long gray coat and pants. He has silver-gray hair, violet eyes and pale skin. He is the only cat who doesn't wear a bandanna, wearing a scarf instead, and he wears a light purple collar. In his cat form he is a silver and white Siberian Tiger with violet eyes. He wears his collar and scarf as well. His partner is Gilbert. His main weapon is a Saiga rifle.Francis Bonnefoy, "Joker"-the con artist of the cat world, Francis is perfectly suited to life in the gang, unlike some of the others. He normally wears somewhat fancy clothes, but changes depending on the environment he's in. He has shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin. He wears a beige colored bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a golden Chartreux with blue eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Matthew. His main weapon is a Chauchat C.S.R.G. Model 1915 light machine gun. Since it's not good for close-range (and not easy to carry), his other favored weapon is an Mle. 1935S.Matthew Williams, "Smile"-an innocent-looking, yet inwardly insane and mentally unstable cat, Matthew's dark side of his personality didn't appear until after he joined the Hellcats. He has been known to kill only because he wants to. He normally wears a gray sweater and loose-fitting pants. He has short caramel blonde hair, dark blue eyes and pale skin. He wears a blue-gray colored bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a golden yellow and white American Shorthair with dark blue eyes. His partner is Francis. His main weapon is a Diemaco C8A1 carbine.Feliciano Vargas, "Wine"-a skittish yet smart and somewhat dependent cat, Feliciano has dependency issues and is almost always with Ludwig, however this may not be because of dependency issues, but instead because of how strong their partnership is. He has no normal outfit; it changes depending on the situation he's in. He has short reddish-brown hair, caramel brown eyes and pale skin. He wears a charcoal colored bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a reddish-brown mix cat with caramel brown eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Ludwig. His main weapon is a Benelli Nova shotgun.Ludwig Beilschmidt, "Shotgun"-nicknamed for his often explosive personality, Ludwig is the younger brother of Gilbert. He acts like both Feli and Gilbert's protectors and is very doglike like his brother, prone to protecting and guarding. He normally wears long-sleeved shirts and jeans, almost never changing his outfit no matter what situation he's in. He has short blonde hair that's usually slicked back, blue eyes and pale skin. He wears a dark spring green bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a golden furred German Rex cat with blue eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Feliciano. His main weapon is an HK CAWS shotgun.Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, "Sail"-nicknamed for his love of water and sailing, Antonio is almost the exact opposite of Lovino. He is quite carefree, but he can change very quickly if the situation turns dangerous. He normally wears casual type clothing, but he doesn't mind a change in outfit. He has short, semi-curly brown hair, green eyes and slightly tanned skin. He wears a dark lavender bandanna and collar. In his cat form he is a brown furred Spanish mix with green eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Lovino. His main weapons are two Star model P handguns.Lovino Vargas, "Stone"-nicknamed for his almost stone-cold personality, Lovino is Feliciano's older brother and the exact opposite of Antonio. He is almost paranoid and can be easily frightened. He is quick to attack without question or provocation. He normally wears a trench jacket and loose-fitting pants. He also wears a bright yellow bandanna and collar. He has short reddish-brown hair (darker than Feliciano's), dark amber-brown eyes and pale skin. In his cat form he is a reddish-brown furred mix with amber-brown eyes. He wears his bandanna and collar as well. His partner is Antonio. His main weapon is an M-16 that he carries with pride.
THE FACILITY'S WORKERS
ANTAGONISTS
Leader: Attilo Jones-a deceitful and snappy scientist with light cinnamon brown hair, dark green eyes and pale skin. He often spurts out with bouts of nearly unprovoked anger. Brother of Victor Jones. Known as "The Slave Master" due to how he treats his experiments.Backup: Victor Jones-a sly and conceited scientist with brunette hair, dark green eyes, and pale skin. He is able to keep his cool in dangerous situations, unlike Attilo, and counters his sometimes hyperactive behavior. Brother of Attilo Jones. Known as "The Destroyer" due to his scorched-earth policy when it comes to fighting.Head Scientist: Ivory Jones-one of the kinder scientists with dusky brown hair, blue green eyes and pale skin. Despite his promise to the Facility, he tries his best to get out and get all of the test animals out as well. He is not related to either Victor nor Attilo. Known as "The Nice Guy" due to his kind personality.
OTHER GROUPS
The Dog-Shifter Army: an army of dog-shifters used by the Facility to counter the cat-shifters. Secretly, Attilo and Jones belong to this group.The Loyals: a group of cat-shifters that are loyal to the Facility. They, like the army are used to counter the cat-shifters.
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I don't know how long I've been here.
Machines beeped all around him.
I'm not sure I even know where I am anymore.
He heard the scientists speak, and his ears twitched.
I only know one thing.
As his shoulders began to shift, he heard them gasp.
I need to get out.
The cat opened his blood-red eye and snarled dangerously as the group of scientists around him started to scream.
I need to get out now.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter one
The Collar Around His Neck Says That He's Already In Hell
Two months. It had been two months since he'd seen his little brother last, and Alfred F. Jones was starting to worry. The younger cat-shifter had walked out of the door without a care, not even bothering to tell him or Raven where he was going, or what he was looking for. He'd just left, and Alfred had let him, thinking that he just needed some time for his own business, but it had been two months and he still hadn't returned. It was now that Alfred decided to take matters into his own hands."I'm going out," he announced to his foster mother one night. It was late and the streets were dark, but it didn't matter. He'd be able to see even without the streetlights."Where are you going?" Raven asked, looking up from where she'd been in the kitchen, finishing up the dishes from that night. Her dark blue eyes looked after him with worry, and Alfred's ears twitched."I'm going to see if I can find Mattie," he replied, slipping on his jacket. Raven frowned at his words and narrowed her eyes."He's been gone for two months now, Al. He's probably long gone out of this city by now." Her statement fell on deaf ears as Alfred opened the door."I'll be back," was his only response to her words. Raven's frown deepened as he stepped out."Be careful," she called as he shut the door. She could only hope that he heard her.The city was dangerous at night. Most cities were. Alfred had long gotten used to the many dangers of the city, hardening himself to the environment and everything that came with it. That included the drunkards who wandered the street at night, but they were usually more harm to themselves than anyone else. Alfred paid them no mind.For most people, the real danger lied in the criminals who stalked the streets at night, or the dangerous midnight drivers, who would often hit animals or people without even stopping to see what had happened. Alfred, however, dismissed these dangers as well. Being a mutant cat-shifter had its perks, and one of them was that humans - or anything controlled by a human - would not be able to kill him.However, other shifters still had the ability to kill him. Alfred was not thinking about that as he walked down the street.Alfred wandered aimlessly through the streets for a while. When he crossed the invisible boundary into someone else's territory, he didn't know, but about an hour into his wanderings he started to notice something strange. It sounded like he was being followed. At first, Alfred tried to ignore it. Perhaps it was simply some youth trying to start trouble, and if he ignored them they would go away. However, eventually Alfred couldn't help but turn around to see what was going on, and that was when his pursuer gave a fearsome yowl and attacked.The blonde let out a stunned hiss as he was pushed to the ground and forced to stay there by his aggressor. Although this other cat (he could tell it was a cat from the claws digging into his shoulders) didn't have the weight Alfred did, he had decent musculature, and was able to wield it to its full ability. Not knowing what to do, Alfred thrashed around underneath the smaller cat, trying to force them off. Then, an idea came to him, and he forced his knees up and into the other cat's chest, throwing him off of him in a rather ungraceful movement.The scratches on his shoulders stung painfully, and Alfred struggled to his feet, one hand clutching his right shoulder, which had gotten the brunt of the scratching. Alfred used his other hand to push up his glasses, so that he could better focus on the blur that had been his attacker.His attacker, momentarily stunned from the force of his knees, laid on the sidewalk for a moment before picking themselves up. By the scent and sight of them, his assailant was a male, and a relatively young one in shifter terms, possibly a few decades older than Alfred himself. Shifters could live indefinitely, so long as they weren't killed by another shifter or disease, and Alfred himself was nearing one hundred and fifty years. Considering their long lifespans, however, they were both considered young.The other cat was also a blonde, and from his chin trickled a line of blood, a stark contrast against his pale skin. Alfred was a bit shocked at the blood. He hadn't known he'd hit him so hard. When the second cat caught sight of Alfred still standing there, he shook his head and snarled, sounding just like an angry cat. Alfred was preparing to attack him once more, even though he realized he may have been outmatched in the skills department, when a voice cut through their fight."Vash!" A black-haired shifter suddenly came into view, running up to the second blonde. "What's going on here?" Now noticing that there were two cats and that he was outnumbered, Alfred began to back down. He wasn't sure if the black-haired one was planning on fighting him or not."Nothing, just taking care of a little street kitten, that's all," Vash replied, narrowing his eyes in Alfred's direction. Alfred let out a dissatisfied growl, but showed no other signs of agitation."He doesn't look like he's causing any harm," the black-haired shifter stated. "Maybe you should just leave him alone...""Oh, feel free to bother him," called a new voice from somewhere behind Alfred. His head whipped around, worried he was now going to have to face three possibly aggressive cats, before he recognized the source of the voice and relaxed a bit.There was Matthew, walking up to him from the alleyway behind him. He was the same brother as before, but there seemed to be something... different, about him. He carried himself differently, and his voice didn't have the characteristic stutter it used to have when Alfred knew him. His scent had changed too, had gotten mustier and deeper. He held his head up high with dominance."Mattie?" Alfred asked as the shifter came into view. "What are you doing here?""Hello there, Al," the smaller cat greeted, walking up to his older brother. "Long time, no see. Where've you been?""I could ask you the same question," Alfred muttered, a bit miffed that his brother was asking him where he'd been when he'd disappeared for two months without so much as a goodbye. He studied the younger one carefully, and that was when he noticed something unusual: the collar and bandana that hung around Matthew's neck. "What are those?""These," Matthew started to say proudly, putting one hand to his chest, "are my marks of acceptance into the Hellcats.""The Hellcats?" Alfred repeated incredulously. A quick glance at the other cats revealed that they, too, had their own collar and bandana, of different colors. Matthew had a grin plastered on his face, and he looked quite proud of himself. "I think I've heard of them before. Why would you of all people join a gang though?""I had my... reasons," Matthew replied after a moment of hesitation. One of his pricked ears twitched. He ran a hand through his caramel blonde hair. "Life at home was starting to get boring. I heard these guys were accepting members, so I joined them. And I'm better off for it, too." Matthew puffed out his chest proudly. "I'm confident and strong now, and I have the skills to keep myself alive. I don't need you to watch out for me anymore."Alfred felt his pride take a bit of a sting at that. He had always been there for his younger brother, to protect him and care for him. If Matthew was right, then this trip was probably in vain. He wouldn't want to go home, and Alfred had lost his charge. He gave a soft sigh, and Matthew's ears twitched again."Hey, we're still accepting members," Matthew said, the grin on his face growing. "You might be able to join, too. That is, if the Leader likes you." Just as the words were coming out of his mouth, Matthew paused, lifting his head to the air and appearing to smell it for a moment. His body stiffened, and his ears pinned against his skull. "Speak of the devil... that's him. You should probably get ready," he told Alfred, who stared at him with a puzzled look.All of the other cats' heads turned to look behind Matthew and Alfred, where a shadowy figure was making its leisurely way down the street. Upon recognizing who it was, Matthew, the blonde cat, and the black-haired cat all dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in submission. Though he didn't know what was going on, Alfred too got to his knees and dipped his head, peering at the other cats through the corners of his eyes.The footsteps got closer and louder, until the cat they belonged to was standing right in front of Alfred. Tilting his head so he could get a better look, Alfred took in the cat in front of him. He, too, was a blonde, and also wore a collar and bandana like the other cats around him. His ears, a golden color, were held high and pricked atop his head, with short tufts sprouting from them. He wore a torn black t-shirt and jeans, a red bandanna around his neck. A gold collar also sat around his neck, only barely visible behind the bandanna. His black knee-high boots reflected what little light there was, and his lone green eye shone in the darkness."You," the cat addressed Alfred directly, looking down at him. His voice was heavy with an English accent. "Stand up, Street Kitten." Alfred wearily got to his feet, eyes meeting the other cat's singular green eye for just a moment before looking away. Direct eye contact was considered a challenge to other cats, and the last thing Alfred wanted was to challenge this cat. "You're Matthew's older brother, aren't you?"Alfred's ears twitched. "How did you know?""He talks about you all the time," the smaller cat replied, starting to pace in circles around Alfred. Alfred's ears pinned back against his skull uncomfortably, but Arthur didn't seem to pay any attention to his discomfort. "And based on his descriptions, you fit the bill pretty well." The cat paused in his pacing to stand right in front of Alfred again, his singular green eye half-narrowed as he finished sizing up the newcomer. "You never responded to Matthew's words. Would you be interested in joining our gang?""You're just going to ask him to join?" Vash, the other blonde shifter, hissed after the Leader spoke. "We can't just accept any Street Kitten who walks down the street! I say we chase him out.""He's not just any Street Kitten, he's one who's caught the eye of the Leader," the smaller blonde replied, his green eye boring into Vash's. Vash backed down a bit, curling his lip in distaste. "And Matthew said he might be able to join if I liked him, and I do." The Leader paused again, looking back at Alfred. "So, do you think you have the guts to join?""Well, if you see something in me..." Alfred finally spoke up, trailing off before he continued. "Do you think we could do a trial run? Just to see if I would fit in."The Leader laughed. "Well, I've never had anyone ask me that before! But, if that's what you want, then yes." He turned to the other cats. "Vash, Rodreich, Matthew, you three go back home and prepare everything for our visitor." Then he turned back to Alfred. "What's your name, Street Kitten?""Alfred," the bigger cat replied. "Alfred F. Jones.""Arthur Kirkland," the other cat - Arthur - finally introduced himself, flashing a wide grin, one eye sparkling with dark intent. "Welcome to hell."