Rise of the Crimson Kit

Story by Fawks Silverwind on SoFurry

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So I am gonna be writing a small series. This story takes place long before that and is more of a quick run through of everything that happens to our hero before he puts on the mask. This story is loooooong and I didn't think to break it up. There is a rape scene towards the end, but overall this isn't a sex story. This is my first attempt at writing something, so bare with me if there are some errors. ^^;


-The long nightmare-

It was December. One of the coldest in a long while for the city of Broodwell. It was a place with tall sky scrapers and plenty of tall tales. It's bright and shiny past now tarnished by street gangs and corruption that even extends to the cops and corporations in town. Everyone looked out for only themselves in a once friendly, welcoming place. Though not the nicest of places, it still was home to plenty of innocents just trying to get by. People trying to make a name for themselves. Even those few out there that would try to make the town safer. Rumors of heroes that would patrol the streets and help make them not so dangerous of a place for the innocent that still lived there; though not everyone was so thankful about this. Particularly those with money and power that they got form not so legal methods..

The few good stories that would grace the ears of one soul however were one of the few sources of hope left in such a place. Sitting alone in a box fort that he made for himself was a boy around age 9. He was abandoned.. cold.. hungry.. His body was growing weaker by the day as he struggled to get by in the brutal weather. Left there in his alley to fend for himself, Fawks once did have a family of his own. Mind you, it was not the best of times for him either. His mother was a kind, caring woman. She would do anything she could for him.. but his father was a drunk, abusive man who would often take it out on his wife. When the kit was old enough to understand that it was wrong, he'd stand up to his father... and get beaten the hell out of. There were three years of this and it didn't take long for Fawks to stop crying and just take the beating. Never backing down until his body couldn't move anymore, or his dad just got tired of it. To top off the rather terrible childhood, shortly after his 8th birthday his mother.. the one person that truly cared for him. The one the he learned kindness from.. died of an illness.. which left him with his "dad;" if he could still be called that. And his father wasn't gonna have any of it. Fawks was dumped out onto the gang infested streets, in one the hotter days of summer. He was a tough kid. He didn't whine. He didn't cry.. he just was glad to be away from that man.

One of the things that probably hurt the most though, were the "innocents" that he'd often try to interact with when he first was dropped off... they'd just ignore him! Were they afraid? Was he just not wroth the time? For such a small fox, these were big thoughts that would weigh on his mind.. eventually he gave up trying with them and slink off on his own. He decided to continue on despite the world seeming to want him dead. He'd stand up to it like he did against his father! He soon enough had found himself a nice quiet spot and built a shelter out of boxers and trash.. it wasn't much, but it was his.. It was something stable in an otherwise unstable time in his life. He'd always try new ways to get to his "home" to keep others from following. Often having to drag himself there after a not so lucky encounter.. He had learned a little on how to defend himself thanks to his father's constant beatings. It helped.

Fawks spent a little over a year on those streets. He had learned quickly how to pick pockets and crack locks. Hide in dark alleys and keep himself away from the really dangerous sort that would roam around looking for trouble. One of the big issues he had to deal with were the Blue Jays. They were a group that always traveled in packs. Mugging people and just being a bunch of punks.. but they were many and he was way too small to deal with them. It had bothered him to no end to see more people like his father just ruling this place. Making it hard on those that he thought didn't deserve it, even if those same people would just ignore the troubles of a kit on the street... A sense of right and wrong had clearly been beaten into his mind.. so to speak.

The stories he'd hear about heroes out there that would protect others brought him hope that there were others out there as nice as his mother was. It kept him strong... but this winter was very harsh. He was about reaching his limits by this point. The kit was sick.

-A shining knight-

"Fawks.. always remember that I love you..." It was like a ghostly, familiar voice in the boys ear.. Fawks reached out his paw to hold the woman's.. but it simply passed through.. He looked at her confused. Desperate to hold that paw in his.. Her eyes just staring deeply into his as she whispered "Wake up... please wake up.." And with that he shot up with a start. "A dream.." He sighed deeply.. shivering as his heart pounded in his chest. It was the dead of night and it was freezing.. again. He remembered hearing once that you shouldn't sleep while cold.. maybe that was.. nah.. it couldn't have been.. He shook away wishful thinking; the boy stepped out of his little fort only to stumble upon a sleek, black automobile!

"Wha... I picked this place because no one came down here..." What the heck was this doing here? ...What the hell kind of car was this!? Fawks kept thinking questions to himself as he stared at it in awe for a moment. His mind slower than he normally would be.. his body hot with a fever, when his street smarts finally kicked in. It clearly was an expensive thing. He could take parts of it and make some money! Maybe finally get good food for once! His fingers were numb and not so dextrous, but he didn't pay any mind. He'd take his tools; lock picks and one of those things that unscrews tires.. he didn't know the name of it. No sooner had he started to fiddle with the car, did he hear a loud slam on the roof top. He fell back on his ass in surprise and his gaze shot up.. seeing something he did not expect!

"What do you think you're doing, pup?" The man said in a commanding.. yet somehow friendly voice. It sounded deeper than what seemed normal.. which made the nickname sound all the weirder coming from him. Fawks didn't know if it was his fever, or if he was really seeing this.. It was a powerful looking guy dressed in black with a big, fancy looking T on his chest. The shep was armored with a big flowing cape, and he had many gadgets strapped to his belt. His face was obscured by a mask that covered his face, except for his muzzle and his ears.. Fawks didn't know what to make of this! He got to his feet and got into a defensive position, looking straight into those blank white eyes as he said

"Wh.. who the heck are you!? This is MY alley, get out before I..." and before Fawks could finish, people came rushing down the street. They looked bad.. carrying chains and crowbars.. Fawks was weak from lack of food, but he focused his vision enough to get wide eyed expression when he realized who they were. It was the Blue Jays! They found him!

"Heh, there's that super freak, boys! And... isn't that little bitch that one chump that keeps getting in our way? Yeeeah.. that bastard has been working OUR streets and taking the money that's rightfully our bosses! Well what a lucky day! CA CAH" This was only partially true.. Fawks only took what he needed to keep living. He didn't like stealing, but it was all he could do to keep going on... Buck was one of the more vocal members of the gang that Fawks has had the unfortunate pleasure of running into several times in the past.. The gang cheered with their trademark "CA CAH" in unison before the eagle spoke again, "We finally found the shithole you've been hiding in! You're dead meat, pup! And don't think you'll be getting away from us, super "zero!" We've got you corned th-" he was stopped suddenly as a rock smacked the bird clean on the head. It felt like a fever dream, but Fawks charged at the feathered brute and tackled him to the ground in the surprise. Landing what he thought were a few good punches before he got tossed off and kicked in the gut. The thugs smacked the boy hard across the back with their chains before Twilight Hound jumped into the scene.

The rest was a blur.. Fawks could swear he got a few more kicks in before one of his legs was broken by a clean crowbar hit. He laid there bleeding, wanting so bad to get back up, but he was far too weak. He felt so helpless.. useless at that point, but the efforts of the costumed man seemed to keep in his thoughts.. He saw the blur of the hero dash around, never far from where Fawks was. He dismantled ever single one of them in seconds.. Kicks flying through the air and weapons being tossed aside as they yelled and cursed loudly at the flying mass of black. It was perhaps the best thing he had seen in a while. He couldn't shake the useless feeling from his mind, but he somehow felt.. safe? No one protected him before since his mother.. or even noticed him! His ears were ringing and his mind was so numb with pain. He couldn't make out what the shep was saying after the action had died down.. With the danger gone, and the fox passed out.

-The offer-

His body felt warm for once.. he felt something soft against his back.. a bed? Wait.. what? The kit stirred, eyes blinking as he sat up and tried to adjust his vision. He could swear he saw a strong looking man sitting at a biiig computer.. Blinking again he could almost see his face in the dim light before the man noticed the boy had woken and quickly put his mask back on. It was that same guy from before! It wasn't a dream.. and his leg was indeed broken, but he had been bandaged up. He felt better than he had in a while despite his injuries... Just how long was he out?

"Ahh! I see the little fox has finally woken from his sleep! You had me worried little man. Just why were you out there! More importantly, why were you trying to mess with my car?" The shep's voice had changed. It was softer.. strong, but oddly friendly even with how big and menacing he looked. He wasn't wearing all the armor he had that night, and Fawks could clearly see just how muscled the man was.. The fox decided not to answer right away and asked,

"W..who are you?" Fawks was still trying to process all this. This was the first time he had felt safe in a while.. and he had no idea where the hell he was! The shep just had this feel about him..

"I.. am Twilight Hound!" He grinned, "I patrol the streets and make them safer! You are guest in my Twilight Lounge for as long as you would like... just don't touch anything that looks fancy. I don't need you hurting yourself or damaging my cool hideout!"

Fawks just sat there, eyes darting around to see all the cool, fancy things scattered about! A computer bigger than the shep. A place for that fancy car and a motorcycle too! He had extra outfits in a display case.. speaking of cases.. he couldn't help but notice and odd, ornate looking purple gem in a case nearby.. It seemed to be glowing faintly and had some funky name. It was almost hypnotic to watch it pulse.. inviting even, but he snapped out of it when TH started to move closer to where the kit sat. Was this really one of those heroes he heard about? Was he finally saved by one of the few shining lights in this nightmare of a town? He wanted to cry, but he held it back. Tearing up only a little as TH continued. Listening closely to his every word.

"I have done my best to patch you up. You had received a lot of injuries and you seemed to have a bad case of the flu.. it kept you out for a while as I worked on healing you. You clearly don't have any place to be.. It looked like you had been living in that box for quite a while, pup." Fawks nodded slowly, slumped over a bit, "You show a lot of spunk though! IF ...and I say this very seriously.." TH's tone had shifted.. it turned into something darker. More menacing.. something the boy thought he remembered from that night before passing out.. "IF you are willing to learn from me. To put every ounce of your effort into what I show.. I will train you. I will let you live here. I will give you a place to belong to if that is what you need. I will make you my sidekick, but that's only if you show the potential! I'm not going to waste my time on a slacker.. thief, that won't put in the work." Fawks looked away ashamed. Every word sinking deeply into the boy, "Your life must have been so hard.." The timber had shifted.. it sounded caring.. "but you still show a lot of spirit! I want to hone this. If not, I can dump you back on the streets where I found you after you have healed."

Fawks just sat there. Dumbfounded by what he had just heard.. a superhero.. a guy he doesn't know and hasn't even seen the eyes of.. has offered him a place.. to belong? This was too fantastic, and he had to pinch himself hard.. he still wasn't dreaming. All of a sudden, all the emotion that he had kept bottled up had breached the surface.. he felt so secure.. reassured. He wanted to believe this was true. He didn't want to be on his own anymore.. He couldn't hold back his tears and just started to bawl his eyes out. ...Was that really his mother's voice waking him and starting off that crazy night? He had pulled himself together just enough to look at Twilight, a fire of determination in his eyes as he tried to whimper out,

"Yes! ..I'll d-do anything you say..!"

Twilight smiled took a seat on the bed with the fox, holding the boy against his chest before speaking again, "Heh, that's what I like to hear. Just let it all out.. I know what's it's like not having anyone.. but I won't get into that now. You need to rest. Once that leg of yours is healed up, I'm gonna start your training. It's gonna be rough! Be ready"

-Bruised and battered. The life of a student-

With the help of Twilight, Fawks had taken up studying; trying to catch up on all the school he had missed. There was so much to cover, but to TH's surprise the boy was very bright and a eager to learn. It was a good sign for the training that was still to come. Fawks never got to see Twilight's true face.. He'd often try to catch a peek when TH would take off his mask for various things that needed his eyes uncovered, but the shepherd was always careful to be just out of sight. Not that the boy would even know who he was.. but it was habit, and Twilight felt more comfy with it on. This sorta bothered the fox.. but he figured that superhero's had to have their secret identities for a reason.

Twilight was often gone at night and not always around during the day for some reason. Saying that he had important work stuff to attend to. Never being very really specific. This led to some exploration of "The Lounge," but that thing was pretty well secured. Fawks tried to find any secret doors or compartments that might lead to something he thought was good though. His curiosity was strong and he was surprisingly good at deducing things.. He'd manage to break into some compartments, which often led to trouble with gadgets that he'd get scolded for, but TH never hit him like his "dad" would. ...it was nice.

Time flew by, and Fawks had built up his strength to be fully healthy again. Twilight called the boy up to a big blue mat that had been laid out in what looked like a training room. The dog's cape and his shirt were off, leaving him in just his black tights. He had some wraps around his paws and wrists and stood there with his arms crossed. His body was covered in old scars that tarnished his otherwise "perfect" form. It was.. well, surprisingly nice to look at, and made the boy blush. He was strong, tall and yet.. he carried himself so gracefully. TH clearly knew exactly what he was doing. As the kit approached he saw a training outfit of his own laying on a bench. It was red and heavy looking, and TH pointed at it.

"Get changed, pup. Your training begins now!" He had taken that serious tone again, which got the kit's attention very fast, and did exactly as was told. Taking the outfit and dashing off to get changed. He returned and bowed at Twilight since that's what he'd see others do in marital arts movies. The really cheesy ones!

"So just wh-" Fawks was stopped by a raised paw. With a commanding tone, Twilight barked,

"Hit me! Give it everything you've got" Twilight stood there with a grin, but the command surprised Fawks a bit. Not really wanting to strike someone that had been so nice to him.. "Well? You know the deal, Fawks! Don't hold back on me now." The fox took a breath, the clothing was indeed a bit weighted, making him feel sluggish as he ran at TH, throwing everything he had into his punch with his eyes closed.. Fawks could feel it connect, but his paw was grabbed and the kit was flipped onto his back with his own momentum, making a loud thud. It knocked the air out of the boy and he rolled onto his side coughing,

"GEEZ! What did you do for!"

"You hesitated! You need to be focused if you are to try fighting someone bigger and stronger than you." TH growled, "You're so light I can just toss you around! Not to mention that punch was sloppy at best! Keep your eyes on your opponent!"

Fawks immediately jumped onto his feet, bowing, "I'm sorry! I..I just.."

"You what? You where afraid? You weren't sure of yourself? Suck it up! You have to be strong to be out there. You cannot break. You cannot falter. You will be a symbol of truth to the world, and you must show it! Your spirit can never break.. even if you have to fight someone that's your friend. If you don't do that, people will loose faith. You will die! ..I will not risk that happening. Now, are you ready!" Fawks nodded quickly, that fire back in his eyes that made TH confidant in the choice of pupil "Alright pup. Try it again!" The training would go on like this for as long as Fawks could take it. And boy.. Twilight wasn't kidding when he said it would be rough.

Every night Fawks would go to bed sore and bruised. Every training session as brutal as the last to improve his reactions, make him more agile, make him faster and make him stronger than he was before. And the boy showed as much of an aptitude to this as he did his studies. He learned quickly, and figured out ways to counter TH's strikes only to get flipped over again and again because Twilight was not one to be taken by surprise from an eager pup in training! Every session was a test of either the body, or the spirit. Making Fawks have to push himself to his limits every time. He'd never quit. He'd always get back up for more even if his body screamed at him to stop.. he was a little reckless, but he showed a lot of heart. He'd even try to throw in some quips to try and distract TH, which worked on occasion as Fawks had figured out at least a few things about Twilight's private life. Fawks had figured that Twilight was only in his early 20's. He also had learned of some more... private matters. Teasing the shep about being a pervert would often get TH flustered. Especially to hear that kind of stuff from a kid's mouth. Something that TH made sure to get him back for, but always in a good humored way. It was nice getting TD to smile.. even if his vision was blurred from a punch.

-Unmasking! The hero within-

Months went by and Fawks was a prodigy! He showed real skill when it came to martial arts and thinking on his feet. Perhaps it was from his time on his own that helped this. He was one agile bastard too. Most likely cause he was a fox and they just seem very adept at quickness and agility. He was being taught that size didn't always matter as long as you know how to take advantage of situations. Aikido was one of the first styles he learned, to help compensate for his lack of mass by using the speed of another against them! He might not have been as strong as a full grown man, but he was being shown that he didn't need to be! It was a real confidence booster.

Him and Twilight developed a bond over time as well that seemed more than just Master and student.. when they weren't training it felt almost like TH was a big brother. At least, that's what Fawks thought it felt like since he was an only child. They'd hang out, joke, play games.. But, something kept nagging at Fawks. Where was he going during the day? Who was he? Every time he asked, he'd just get told that he'll know when he's ready. He couldn't stand it! Every. Single. Time! The day finally came that the kid just had a burning need to know.. They had been together for a while now and he still had no idea who he was behind the mask! The kid couldn't hold his curiosity back anymore, and in one of their training days he blurted out,

"If I knock you down, take off your mask!" He held his mouth suddenly, embarrassed by his outburst as TH stared at the fox.

"I told you, you'd k-"

"Twi please! I.. I have to know.. You always come back from your patrols all hurt.. I wanna be out there with you! ...but I don't know who you really are... If I knock you over, promise me you'll take off the mask!" Fawks stood his ground, staring right into the shep's white eyes... and TH simply nodded, speaking calmly and staring right back at the boy.

"If you can knock me down, I will tell you everything"

Fawks's heart jumped in his chest. This was it! He just had to do something he had never done before... no big deal, right? They both got into a ready stance.. each one sizing the other up.. It was like a dance. They bowed to each other and then the punches started to fly. Each one dodging the others attacks while trying to land one of their own. Fawks wasn't as strong, but he knew how and where to hit to make it count! He'd throw his body into every swing for maximum affect.. it seemed like he could do this! He was keeping up with TH! And then.. as if a car had just hit him, TH lands a punch into the kit's chest. He could swear he felt something crack, but he ignored the pain, trying to hold onto that fist and use his fingers to land a hit on a pressure point.. the firm muscles seeming to block the moves before the fox was smacked away. He stumbled almost gracefully back onto his feet. Twilight was no longer playing around, and neither was he! Fawks coughed, readying himself again "Heh.. is that it, pervy dog? I'm not so easy to rail!" He lunged forward, throwing out several quick hits and kicks that were blocked for the most part. Any punch that did get through would only make the pup push himself harder, adding to his confidence.

The fight soon broke away from the mat; spanning all around the Lounge as Fawks tried to use the different platforms to try and get an advantage over his mentor. TH was impressed by how much passion he could see Fawks pouring into his moves. Surprised that he'd even get this far. They studied each other and landed hits when they could.. but the fox was clearly losing this. He didn't have the stamina or the experience of his mentor, but he had to think of something... and then it hit him! It just had to work.. Fawks started to let himself get hit hard, but did his best to hide that fact. Hearing more cracks in his body as he struggled to keep going at the pace he was..

"Fawks.. that's enough! You're gonna g-"

"NO! I'm not quitting!"

His punches and palm hits were getting slower. More erratic as the boy started to lose the use of his limbs. Spitting out blood as he tried so desperately to keep his body moving. Never backing off TH to make the shep have to defend himself and fight back.

"Dammit Fawks! Cut it out!" TH was showing hesitation.. he was flustered by the fierceness of his student.. his little bro.. in his worked up state he ends up delivering a cross-kick to the kit's face! Blood splattered against the Lounges equipment as the fox quickly dropped to his knees. Something like that should have brought him down, but pup couldn't give up.. he got so far..

"Fawks! Shit, I didn't mean to do that..!" In that instance TH dropped his guard.. he was at last not putting up a front and showed that he cared greatly for the boy.. TH dropped down to inspect the fox, but in an unexpected flurry of movement, a grunt of surprise escaped the shep as he felt the boy suddenly on top of him. Eyes glazed over, body bruised and battered.. barely able to speak, but Twilight could make out the words,

"I.. I did it.. It w-worked..!"

Which is when the shep realized that he was, in fact, on his back. A mix of concern and surprise in the eyes under the mask.. but a building sense of pride underneath it all. His little bro finally showed what it took.. it almost made him happy if it weren't for it being such a painful lesson on the pup. The kit reached out weakly. Fingers clutching at the soft fabric of Twilight's mask, with the shep not doing a thing to stop him. TH almost seemed to blush as nobody had ever gotten this far on him before.. it was an odd, almost liberating feeling as his "protection" was stripped away and he was able to look at the kit with those beautiful blue eyes.. Identity now out in the open for Fawks to get a good look through his blurred vision.

"Heh.. The name is Conner, pup.. Conner Silvarin." Fawks smiled.. proud that he could finally see those eyes before he collapsed against Conner's strong chest. His body now completely exhausted from the fight.

Conner would later explain his own troubled past in great detail to Fawks.. it felt good to let it all out to someone for once. The assassination of his parents from what he later suspected were rivals of their company. The reason why Conner goes out at night. He also went into why he had such a nice place.. So many toys about! Turned out Conner was the heir to a company that was rather big in Broodwell. They developed a lot of new technologies and came up with fancy things for the home, and the government on the side. Conner was quite good with inventing things, and would keep all the best stuff for himself. He even showed off his latest work on the blueprints for a special composite fabric that could resist bullets while being lighter than a bullet poof vest. Needless to say the young kit was amazed by all this.

-A sidekick is born. Start of the Crimson night!-

Things had changed from then on. The studies had begun to become more advanced. Fawks started to put actual muscle on his body even! The training became more than just sparing as he was given a temporary costume to hide his identity when Fawks was brought out onto the streets. Learning the ropes of leaping between building and learning how to do parkour, free running.. anything he could try. The fox was always eager to get out, and quick to come up with a snide remark to criminal if he was ever actually allowed to join a fight from the sidelines. He was 13 now. His training had slowed down to make more room for school. He was actually going to a public school! With some name forging and a little bit of computer hacking, Fawks dropped his father's last name like a bad habit to now be called Fawks Silvarin, though it was never publicly known that he was related to Conner in any way. He was shy.. and a bit awkward around other kids. He was completely not used to being around so many, but it was becoming very fun as his darker days were put aside. It was a new challenge to face.. on top of all his other responsibilities! Some of the kids would hit on him sometimes too. It flustered the hell out of Fawks.. but he enjoyed the looks. It was nice being noticed by others.

He had this undeniable urge to protect, not only himself, but others as well. He wanted to show the world that there is still good out there! He wanted to fight at the side of his bro, Conner, but he kept getting denied. This bothered Fawks to no end. He was ready! He could do it!

"Why won't you let me join you?! That's why you've been training me, right?" Conner smiled in his usual way when he wasn't wearing his mask. Granted, it was a lovely smile! He was much more open than his reserved, scary self.

"I just don't know. It took me 5 years of training before I felt ready to handle the streets. You've only been at it barely 4! And you're younger than I was!" Under his breath he muttered something like, "Though.. you do show more promise than I did at that time..." The boy's ears perk up!

"Huh? What was that?!" Conner blushed and held his paws up in a hold your horses type way

"Oh nothing! Just you wait, bro. It will happen... soon!" And with that he ruffled his bro's hair and went to go change into his costume.

This is how it normally went, but he seemed to have a more concerned look in his eyes than he normally did. Fawks figured that is might be because one of Twilight's big villains had escaped from the mental institute again, which made Conner rather uneasy lately. And why Fawks wasn't allowed to ghost with him on the streets that past week. The boy read up on it a bit. Turned out the guy was a muscle bound hyena by the name of Howler H Croswell, or just "The Howler" for short. He was a rather dangerous cereal rapist that would roam the streets in a revealing outfit. He was quite crazy and prone to quick mood shifts. He had gone on a crime binge a few months ago before his minions were finally apprehended and Howler was found beaten and tied up in his hangout with only a note with Twilight's insignia on it.

The nights kept going by, but Fawks wasn't allowed out again while this creep was on the streets. Fawks wasn't gonna spend that time not doing anything though. With the extra time he had, he'd take a gadget here or there. Even smuggle some of that experimental cloth into his room so he could use it for an outfit of his own. He had taken his "temp suit" and started to modify it. He wasn't fantastic at tailoring, but he knew enough. The breast was red and went down his front and back in a V shape. Gold trim separating the red from a black base color. It was tight fitting, but covered him up pretty well. He fashioned himself a rather solid looking, plastic red mask that would fit snugly around his eyes. The gadgets he had gathered... he didn't even know what half of them did! The pup figured they had to have a purpose though. He'd practice every day with his Pawmerangs and grappling hook accuracy though, deciding to keep his selection of toys limited.

But things were starting to get worse.. Every morning Conner would come back tired. More so than Fawks had ever seen before, as if something or someone was wearing him down. Whatever was happening at night was really taking it's toll on the big dog's body. He came back with more injuries, but kept telling Fawks to stay out of it. He seemed angrier by the night. Fawks couldn't hide his concern; especially since Conner never even noticed any of his stuff was missing from his stock piles of equipment! Something had to be up! Fawks couldn't stand it. He went to Conner's crime computer and set up a connection with a bug that he had slipped into the Twilight mask a day or two ago. If Conner wasn't going to tell him what's going on, Fawks was gonna find out on his own!

But.. what he heard made the boy's heart jump into his throat. He could hear the dull thuds of hits being landed.. but it was far too close.. those were hitting Twilight! He heard a maniacal laughter in the background and then what sounded like a high pitched squeal of joy

"OH what fun! You've gotten sloppy dog boy! Men, hang him up! I wanna make him whine some more~" Fawks could hear the crack of another firm hit followed by a wet sounding cough. Conner spit at his adversary.

"Heh.. don't think this is over, Howler!"

The villain's voice was sickening.. so much hate behind the oddly joyful tone. "Boys! Fix his mask. I want him to see everything clearly~"

"But.. but boss? Why don't you just remove it?" Another voice chimed in. Obviously a goon. There was a silent pause.. then the BANG of a gunshot and a thud that made the fox jump.

"Because! I don't give a flying fuck who he is! I only care about dear Twilight here~ The thorn in my side for so many years..." He could hear the venom dripping off his next words.. "I wanna tear -him- down... Not the loser underneath... YAHAHAHA"

Fawks tracked the signal to what looked an abandoned building at the docks... That was not too far from here! With an urgency felt like no other, he jumped to his feet and ran to his room. He quickly put his new costume fully on for the first time. Not able to enjoy the moment while making sure to secure his utility belt. Wrapping the sturdy mask around his eyes and strapping his boots on before running through the lounge. He leapt onto the TwilightCycle and tore out of the garage. His brother needed him, and he was going to be there. The Crimson Kit was going to save his bro!

-Twilight's Fall-

Conner was bleeding. His body was marked with lashes from whips, and bruised from solid poundings all over his body. His utility belt, shirt and cape were on a nearby table as he hung from chains bound to his arms. Staring grimly at the Hyena no matter what he was hit with,

"Awwwww~ Why such a sour look, sour puss? I won! I finally got you where I want you! I mean.. it did take me several tries that I won't go in to. I WON'T!" He poses dramatically with head back and arm against it as if he was a damsel in distress, "*sniff* All those beatings you gave me.. Always foiling my every scheme! Oh the shame of it!" He took a cattle prod and hit Conner in his chest, the shep cringing under his mask and letting out a howl when the shock hit him "YAHAHAHA, but look what all that hard work did! You're mine~" The Yena stood there proudly, wearing a rather skimpy black and yellow, leather outfit. It barely covered anything, and that's how he liked it! By this point he told all his goons to wait outside, wanting a little... private time with his prey. His paw brushing against Conner's plump, soft crotch. Squeezing the hero's junk to insight as gasp out of the dog,

"W-what are you doing! You.. you cad!" The dog was blushing hard, biting his lip,

"Oh come now! I've been watching what you do on the side~ You've got quite the naughty streak in you! I wanna see what gets all the boys so riled..." With a fiendish glee on his face he tore at Conner's tights, leaving the dog bare... exposed to the cool air of the room with only his mask on for protection as his tights fell down to his bound feet. Making the shep blush even harder. "Oh grandma! What big bits you have~" The yena cackled gleefully, grabbing the dogs musky, fuzzy balls to toy with them before shocking Conner on the chest again.

************************************

The Twilightcycle screamed down the quite roads. Fawks following the tracker on the bike's computer screen to get there as fast as he could.. he couldn't be too late.. could he? Fawks shook the doubt from his mind. Conner is too tough to die so easy. He kept going over all his training in his head. Remembering everything his has learned to get him to this point. He had to make every attack count.. too much was on the line and he wasn't going to let his partner down! He can could see the docks not far off now. He could swear he saw movement outside one of the building. The new hero took a breath and was not gonna turn back.

***********************************

There were about 20 goons in total. They were spread out to cover more area around the abandoned building. They carried guns and were a mix of all sorts of animals.. clearly, they were slapped together by the yena cause his last gang was scattered about or still in jail. Some of them looked rather menacing, but little did they know they were being watched.. counted for.. Soon enough, two of the thugs heard a crackle nearby and immediately went over to check it. In a blur of red, the deer and the mutt were disarmed and knocked unconscious onto the dirt with a few quick strikes. The kit ran out and grappled up on top of the building before the sound of his take-down brought others into the area,

"Eeeh, what the el' mon!" Shouted a jackal. The equally scantily clad thugs.. must have been a gang thing.. rush onto the scene. The group seemed uneasy.. obviously with low moral after one of their own was gunned down by their own leader.

Fawks thought he could use this.. With one group distracted he dashed to the other side of the building to spot a group of four, conversing among themselves about what sounded like the unstable nature of the boss. With a deep breath he leapt down, the handy flaps he put under his arms making him like a flying squirrel! His fall was slow enough for him to control as he landed his feet firmly on the back of a bear, flattening him on the pavement and knocking the guy out with the force of Crimson's landing, the boy jumping up to kick the wolf in the face to stun him,

"Hah! Seems that landing was unbearable~"

The other two thugs pointed their guns in a panic "Who the fuck are you!? Get him!"

They unloaded a flurry of bullets, but Fawks had already moved, tossing a smoke bomb at the two and using the cover to take them all out by locking their arm muscles and smacking them in the temples. Running the hell out of there as others ran in. He could tell the ambushes were working.. His heart was pounding in his chest and mind busy thinking of what to do, "come on.. just hold on a bit longer..!"

**********************************

The yena continued to grin, eyes quite clearly on the prize.. The tight fitting leather thong was bulging a fare a bit as it strained in to hold that dick in place. His giddy laughter cut short when he heard the sound of gun fire outside,

"YAHA-...ha? What's all that racket!? A tragedy when a guy can't even enjoy a good nutting in peace!" Conner looked up.. cheeks still quite red until the color drained from his face, an idea of who that was hit him.. "no.. he didn't.." Conner thought to himself before the Hyena returned his attentions to the chained up Sheppard,

"Ah well.. I'm having too much fun to stop now! And look at you! Your sheath is already swelling up, you dirty slut!" The shep let out a whine when his sheath was squeezed.. watching as Howler moved around to get behind him..

"No.. no wait.. what are you doing!?"

"Oh come off it, dog boy! You looooove being a slut~"

The dog let out a howl, feeling a hot, wet thing pushing up against his ass. Making it slick as the yena rolled his tongue against it, absolutely loving every second of that manly taste from a night of hard work and sweat,

"WOO... damn you taste good! Awww.. is the big puppy getting all hard?" Conner was blushing brightly again, completely at the criminal's mercy and unable to keep his cock from swelling from all the teasing. Moaning and biting his lip as his big cock is forced to slip into the open. Pulsing.. drooling.. and the gun shots had stopped outside. It was the only sound that made Howler pause, drool dripped down his lip, "Mmmmm.. and it seems like your help has been dealt with~" There was a crash as the door slammed open,

"You're the one getting dealt with, Howler!"

-Bloody laughter-

The hyena stood there with his cock out and throbbing, a look of surprise and utter disdain when he sees a figure bust through the door. Fawks looked a bit beat up. His outfit was dirty and there was blood on it.. Conner couldn't tell if it was his bro's or not when his eyes shot up too, seeing his little bro all dressed up.

"And who in the blazes are you, brat!? Can't you see I'm busy?" Howler slapped Conner hard on the ass with a smirk

"You won't touch him anymore! I've come to stop your howling mad ways! Crimson Kit is here to end this~" Snarled out the fox.

The yena just stood there looking confused for a moment.. then he burst into a hissy fit of laughter, "YAHAHAHA.. You!? Alone!? HAHAHA.. OH boy.. that's rich.. you're a regular comedian! Is he your jail-bait pup, Twi Twi? I didn't know you were such a pervert! YAHAHA--OW" His laughter was stopped after a Pawmerang smacked the Yena in the face. Followed up by the Kit letting out a "Haiiii YAH" and kicking the bigger, stronger Yena right where it counted, hitting that uncovered sack dead on to make Howler fall over in pain.

"FFUCK.. you did it now, you little brat!" The hyena cupped his sore balls and yanked his thong back up. Conner struggled in his chains,

"Get out of here! You can't fight him alone, Kit!"

Just then Howler got a wicked grin on his face, standing up in front of the readied Crimson avenger. Every word he spoke dripping with a perverse glee

"Uhoh.. looks like you do have a thing for this little pup slut~ Let's see what happens when I break your toy, Twi Twi... <3" Crimson was completely caught off guard be the quickness of the Hyena's moves, taking a hard hit to the chin before he could adjust himself to keep up with every thrown punch. The yena's claws bared and trying to cut at Fawks, who narrowly bobbed and weaved around the room, "Spry little shit, ain't ya? I bet that makes you fun in bed~" He blew a kiss at Crimson, who blushed at the comment and allowed a kick slam him in the chest, launching him across the room to crash into some wooden crates. That yena was strong.. It was like he was fighting Conner, but he knew a slip up now would mean death! He couldn't fight him head to head with this beast.. he had to think.. He started using his gadgets to throw the yena for a loop. Smoke bombs, flash pellets, Pawmerangs.. anything he had to distract the villain so he could land as many hits to pressure points as he could. Making the yena's ears ring with a slap as he did all he could to disable him..

Howler was looking pissed beyond belief as Crimson kept darting around him. His quips coming to a stop as the rage seemed to boil over. It made his technique sloppy, and Fawks thought this was his chance! With a smug look on his face he said,

"What's the matter, Howler? Not laughing anymore?"

He lunged in for the finisher! ...only to have Howler suddenly grab the kit's arm and twist it with a wild grin on his face again. Crimson had been tricked!

"SYKE! I can't believe you fell for that! Oooooh boy, Twi Twi.. you need to take him back to the dungeons for some more "work-out" sessions. YAHAHAH"

The Yena's powerful arm didn't stop twisting the boy's until he heard a loud CRACK as he broke the kit's arm, throwing the writhing pup to the ground and making the boy howl in pain "There! Now maybe you'll sit there and take what's coming!" Before Crimson could get back up, the booted foot of the yena crashed against the Kit's face, cracking his mask a bit and making him cough up blood onto the cold cement floor,

"Oh look! Your blood is nice and red~ I guess your name is kinda true... x3" His movement did seem more labored than when the fight first started.. Fawks's hits clearly had been doing something.. but the brute was still so strong. It took all the young hero had to get back up on his feet and throw a punch at the yena again. The hit actually landed and made Howler reel back surprised

"Oooff.. still lively eh? It's been fun... but.." All joy left his voice, sounding ice cold as he muttered, "I have an ass to fuck" He pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Fawks's chest, the gunshot deafening in the room as Conner hung there. Tears started to stream down the shep's face as he saw his little bro fly back and collapse motionless on the floor. A rage building.. unrelenting as he strained against the chains. Making his wrists bleed and muscles bulge just in time for the Yena to turn around

"Whoop! Looks like he dun broked, Twi Twi! ..but no more shooting the breeze~" Conner's bindings shook hard

"SHUT UP YOU MONSTER! You're DEAD!"

With everything Twilight possibly had, showing no concern for his body anymore, the hero broke the chain that cuffed his arms. He dropped back to the floor and within reach of his belt!

"YAHAHA, Stop right there Twi Tw-GUK" Howler tried lifting his gun, but his muscles had locked up! The gun then suddenly dropped to the floor as acid from a capsule on the utility belt sprayed the yena in the eyes. Howler fell to the ground screaming in pain! Blinded by the corrosive acid that burned his face. Conner took that time to undo the lock that held his feet together and quickly stormed onto the squirming yena with a red hot hatred. Howler put up as good of a struggle he could, raking his claws across Twilight's chest, but Conner's hits were raining down on the yena's body like a meat tenderizing hammer, making the struggles vain. Twilight Hound grabbed Howler's face and slammed it into the the hard floor. Teeth flew out as a feeble, weak moan soon became all that's left of the yena's howling. Twilight was completely lost in his rage and not gonna stop until every last breath is pounded out of that bastard's body.. Twilight suddenly felt someone leap on him from behind, making him react by grabbing the smaller frame and pin it down hard, fist flying only to stop atoms away from hitting the kit's already bloodied face.

All rage in Conner stopped in that moment as he stared into one of the boy's uncovered eye, his mask pretty messed up by this point. Fawks only muttering out, "We don't kill..." as Conner started to tear up again, picking up his bro to hug him tightly..

"He shot you.. how are you still up? I don't..." Conner looked down to inspect Crimson's chest.. there was indeed a bullet there, but the fabric of the suit resisted most of the damage, leaving maybe just a bruised rib "That suit.. that's the fabric I was working on! I hadn't tested it against bullets yet.. you reckless jerk! Don't scare me like that, pup!" Fawks smiled through the pain,

"Scare... you? Not possible.. and stop calling me pup..! ...bro.. why are you naked?" Crimson blushed bright red before he cringed from his broken arm. Both of them bleeding quite a bit as police sirens started to sound in the background. It was time to make a retreat! TH gathered his things and they limped out to his Duskmobile. Leaving the Yena near death and handcuffed for the police to deal with once they got there. His terrorizing put to a stop. For now..

-A epilogue to the future-

And so it was from then on that they would patrol the streets together. Making sure to watch the back of one another to never again let such a bloody night happen. Sadly, life just isn't that easy and Fawks would often get captured and used as bait for the shep to come rushing in and save. They had made a good team though, and the villains just seemed to get weirder the longer they patrolled. It was almost like their presence brought these freaks out, but justice had to be served.

They had also quickly learned that.. well, the somewhat raunchier villains were far more dangerous for the two. The male ones anyway, which lead to encounters that I won't get into here. The duo's exploits were only heard in rumor of police reports. Or seen with the occasional You Tube clip that someone could snag. They were a spark of hope for those that needed it, in what was still a dirty, but not so tarnished city. And they weren't alone! There were others that took the fight to the streets. Though, it wasn't always clear what their intentions were. It led to some messy fights between heroes.. but things would sort out over time. A network was even set up so they could keep in touch with each other!

Fawks continued to grow and go to high school. Living a double life with great difficulty as he tried to balance hero work, school, and making sure to keep his "innocent" persona while in public. Hard to do with so many cute boys around.. ah well. He was still a shy kid, but a bit of a romantic, a bit geeky, and kept mostly to himself or his close circle of friends. His looks and his charm made him a bit more popular than he would like, but he couldn't deny that he still enjoyed the attention.

Nights were still bloody and he'd always have to make up some excuse why he was going to school so banged up. It worried his friends and teachers alike.. but Fawks always had some excuse to put aside their worries. Though he was a quiet, caring boy in his day to day life, he was far more focused when he hit the streets.. though never as dark as his brother was. There was nothing like the cool night air whipping by your face as you leapt from building to building, he found. In fights, he'd often try to act as a prankster or comic relief if it would make his bro smile. Even just a little bit through the tough guy act. It was a big part of the fun!

After growing a bit older, Fawks altered his name to the Crimson Vulpine. It was quickly nearing that time where he'd hit the streets as his own hero, and Conner knew it. He looked forward to seeing his bro all grown up. He even had a special something made for the occasion! See, on the first night that the shep brought the fox into his Lounge, he discovered that an old relic he had collected was actually reacting to the boy! He had looked into it more and tried to figure out more history about the gem, but all he could come up with were old rumors and stories. It had apparently belonged to a legendary warrior from back when Atlantis was actually a place on earth. He was said to have mystical powers and would always wear a glowing, purple gem around his neck.. Conner never found many specifics about those powers aside from the warrior always having an aura around him that protected him from harm.. After studying it over the years Fawks and him protected the streets, he learned that the crystal responded to the will of the user. It fed off the energy and strength of the users spirit, but no one has ever seen it function since the old stories. Whether Fawks was a descendant, or that his spirit just resonated at the same frequency, Conner didn't know. He felt it was time they tried something though..

On Fawks's 17th birthday, Conner would finally show off his little side project!

Big challenges still lay on the horizon for Fawks, but he was confidant that he could handle it.. mostly anyway..