Ladon

Everyone had sour expressions at that but didn't say anything about what I meant now that we had all but confirmed that we were being spied on through our echoes by whoever the "angel" was. 

"So what's this trait that's got you so excited anyways?" Mordy asked changing the subject.

"[Mutant strength]. Not one hundred percent sure but I think it will push my strength into noticeably superhuman levels. My ability to jump so high isn't superhuman by the way, just close to it. Anyways help me drag this big bastard into my house so I can put him on ice until I can afford that trait." I said as I took out my house and pressed the button on the sphere to open it up.

We spent the next ten minutes dragging the big crispy bastard into one of my menagerie enclosures where I creatively set the temperature in that enclosure to arctic temperatures since I obviously didn't have the cryo solution to deep freeze the corpse. While we were there a loud "CRACK!" sounded out and my eyes went wide as I knew immediately where it came from.

"My dragons hatching!" I yelled and everyone scrambled over to the egg to watch excitedly.

 We all held our breaths in eager anticipation as the egg wiggled and the thin hairline crack that signaled the start of the hatching expanded. "CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!" more and more the crack expanded until a small window was opened up in the egg's side.

"Come on little one you can do it!" I encouraged and the egg shook even more fiercely as the window grew larger and larger until eventually the egg fully split apart revealing it's inhabitant.

The creature had a small chubby body that was a dark ruby red. It had four limbs much like that of a Skags with the back legs being stronger looking and the front ones weaker but more for grabbing things.-

It's feet had three reptilian claws on the back legs while the front reminded me more of a birds feet with two long clawed digits pointing forward and a single long clawed digit pointing backwards. On the creatures back sat two small webbed wings that had a large amount of bulging flesh near the base of which I realized was from the unique muscle composition needed for the wings to be functional with the front legs as well.-

You couldn't just slap wings on something like a Skag an expect to be be able to fly. The muscles needed for flight were located in the shoulders and back and in order to have a fully functioning pair of wings on something with four additional limbs you needed special muscle structures in that area. This was seen in this case where those areas had extra muscles to support both flight and the use of the front limbs. The head of the creature was mostly saurian in design but less jagged, bulky and ugly and more smooth and refined.-

From it's hindquarters a long almost tadpole-like tail extended. The creature blinked it's big yellow reptilian eyes against the light above it as it looked for it's parent. I stepped forward and almost immediately it's gaze focused on me. I felt a sort of pulse from the connection between us as the thing identified me as it's caretaker. With unsteady legs it stood up and attempted to wobble over to me but failed as it's legs were too weak and it was too unused to using them.-

"Welcome to the world little one." I said with a smile as I walked over to the thing and knelt in front of it.

"It's so cute!" Lil squealed practically hugging herself.

"Can we pet it!?" Brick asked eagerly and Mordy also looked very keen to know the answer.

The small creature new to the world huddled up to my chest warily eyeing the others and looking for protection.

"Easy there, they won't hurt you I promise." I said as I rubbed the things forehead which it seemed to enjoy immensely. "It was just born guys, it'll need a bit to adjust." I said to the others who looked disappointed but understanding.

I was given a hungry sensation from my bond with the thing and with a chuckle scooped it up easily and carried it out of the menagerie. It looked at the others curiously as I walked past them and when Lil couldn't help from trying to pet it at such close proximity it grabbed her hand with it's mouth that had not so blunt fangs in it.-

"OW! OW! OW! OW! IT'S BITING ME! I LOVE IT SO MUCH! GOD THIS HURTS!" Lil cried out in pain as it broke her shield and I coaxed the little carnivore into releasing her hand that had some new holes in it.

"Gonna be honest you did that one to yourself. I'm bonded to it so it won't attack me but you merely seem like food to it right now and it's hungry. Like I said though give me some time to train it and you can dote on it then." I said rolling my eyes at her.

"It's got some teeth on it for being a newborn. Not surprising since it was originally a saurian." Mordy said admiring the thing from outside it's striking distance.

I brought the thing to my living room area that had my food maker thing and set it down. Walking up to the food maker I placed an order for a vast amount of foods as well as a lot of fish, beef and chicken in paste form to see what the thing ate. The answer was meat in all forms regardless of type. It downed five pounds of fish, beef and chicken paste each before getting into the roast hog that it ate bones and all before burping cutely and curling up to go to sleep on my feet.-

"Ah, it's all tuckered out after eating!~"Lil coo's at the sight while I and the others dug into the spread with gusto.

"How are you planning to take care of it while searching for the vault?" Roland asked seriously after finishing a plate of chow mien.

I grin "Saurians like most reptilian species are born capable of hunting for their food if necessary. If it's not then they tend to share whatever their parent hunts down. In other words once I get this little guy fitted with a shield it'll be an new member for our group, like Bloodwing but bigger and more likely to eat a person." I answered honestly.

"Blood doesn't have a shield." Mordy says confused.

"What!? Why!?" I exclaimed in shock as I legitimately thought the bird had a shield this whole time.

"I just never thought about it alright? Not saying it's not a good idea but I just never considered the idea she'd need one." he said with a shrug.

"Alrighty then new plan, we need to get a good shield for both Bloodwing and Ladon asap." I said seriously.

"Ladon?" Roland said curiously.

"Yeah mythical dragon said to guard the golden apples of immortality belonging to the gods." I said with a grin.

"It's a good name, I like it." Mordy said with an approving nod.

After we all ate and rested up a bit we set out of my house with Ladon at my heel through the safehouse. The little thing sniffed everything curiously and took a dump right on the floor that we all chose to ignore since this place was a disgusting place to begin with. I would house train it later but for now it wasn't an issue. The moment we stepped out of the safehouse though a message played on our echoes.

"This is Commandant Steele of the crimson lance here on Pandora! It's come to our attention that you've been at war with elements of the local population and you've now been contracted to assassinate one of their leaders. This type of unsanctioned mercenary activity undermines the stability of the region. You have been warned! These continued insurgent activities will not be tolerated. Abandon this futile pursuit and turn yourself in while you can." Commandant Steele said before hanging up.

"What a bitch! She even sounds like she has a whole tree up her ass!" I said with a scoff of derision at this message.

"You have no idea." Roland says with a chuckle.

"Hold the dick up! Did you just laugh? He did right?" I asked not letting go of the rare instance I could tease the guy for being more than a stern stick in the blood.

"HA! Feelings!" Brick said and other than Roland we all laughed.

___________________________________________

https://www.pa treon.com/user?u=81578854#:~:text=pa treon.com/pa treon_loskro

_______________________________________________

Alexander Drake

Lifeforce: 210,191

Integrated Traits: [Gun expertise-Uncommon grade], [Clever mind-Rare grade],[Enhanced senses-Epic grade]X2, [Omega body-Rare grade]x4, [Supreme armored hide-Epic grade]X2, [Bone regeneration-Uncommon grade], [Corrosion resistance-Uncommon grade], [Energy projection-Epic grade]x4, [Superior vitality-Epic grade],[Flame breath-Uncommon grade],[Regeneration-Epic grade], [Disease resistance-Epic grade],[Amphibious lungs-Uncommon grade], [Thermal sensing-Uncommon grade], [Water resistance-Common grade],[Active camouflage-Epic grade], [Eridian engineering expertise-Mythical grade], [Efficient lungs-Rare grade]x2, [Fire resistance-Epic grade], [Elemental body(fire)-Legendary grade], [Shock resistance-Epic grade]X3, [Energetic sustenance(shock)-Epic grade]X2, [Radiation resistance-Epic grade]X3, [Energetic sustenance(radiation)-Epic grade]X2, [True omnivore-Rare grade], [Biometallic bones-Epic grade],[Elemental body(shock)-Rare grade]X2,[Quick thinking-Rare grade], [Hyperflexibility-Rare grade], [Strong circulation-Epic grade], [Minor spatial awareness-Epic grade], [Buzzaxe expertise-Uncommon grade], [Siren(Phaselock)(Altered)-Mythical grade]

Stored traits:[Pugilist expertise-Uncommon grade], [Adrenal rush-Rare grade], [Elemental body(fire)-Rare grade], [Fire resistance-Epic grade], [Elemental body(shock)-Rare grade], [Shock resistance-Epic grade]