Chapter 76 - Old And Spiteful

A new icon appeared. It was two intertwining arrows facing left and right. Icy opened it and invited the Bridge group chat.

Icy didn't see anything new apart from an exit button and the group chat still up.

[Phoenix]: Hehe it worked I'm the best. We are now seeing, feeling, hearing, and even tasting everything Snow is experiencing. That's right we can share our sense's

[Emperor]: Urgh I can taste dog food I'm gonna be sick

Following Emperor's message was a wall of complaints about the same problem

[Phoenix]: Snow go into the setting and shut off-taste

Icy followed the instructions and now the chat wasn't tasting what he had for breakfast or the Weiner he just had.

[Phoenix]: hey bullet can you now teleport?

[Bullet]: Yep but we still need someone to apply some cover so that we don't get caught

[Phoenix]: I'll put up an illusion to hide the fight and then we can teleport him but where to

[Scavenger]: There's an abandoned bunker in my area

[Angel]: I can calm him down with my Delicate Voice

[TheTurtle]: We should take this as an opportunity to gather and teach the Anti-Human and LovedPets factions

[MightyToad]: Unfortunately having two opposing factions in the same room will cause more harm than good. If possible we should find someone who has experience in pet abuse but has recovered after finding a loving human. Then we could maybe use the share icon and Phoenix's illusion to effectively show and feel the pet's emotions at the time

[Bullet]: Your hoping that someone is willing to expose their scars. That's a huge ask even if it is for the better of super pets

[Faulty]: I'll do it. I've always wanted to tell my story and if it helps someone then it's worth it.

[BreadWinner]: This is nice and all but what if this doesn't work for Grunt. Will the person with the ability to permanently erase ability please step forward

[Snapper]: Huh, there is no such ability I've read everyone's introduction and have not seen one

[BreadWinner]: There must be just as there are humans that can erase powers then there must be a pet that can do that too.

Not a soul answered as they understood that if this theory is true then the owner of said abilities would be putting themselves in danger by making it public.

[LakeQueen]: It's me I lied about my flying ability but don't you think erasing his powers would be worse than death?

The group chat was shocked as BreadWinner's theory was proven to be true. With that knowledge in mind, they contemplate the idea of losing their newfound powers.

[Dasher]: I agree with LakeQueen. Did we forget that Grunt is only able to walk and see with both eyes because of his abilities? Erasing his ability would essentially leave him with nothing. In this case, he would prefer to die

Once again silence falls before Icy puts forward an answer

[Snow]: I remember seeing an engineer and healing ability in our group maybe that can help. Also is it possible to erase a portion of their ability?

[LakeQueen]: Unfortunately I can't

[Grarage]: I need a reference for building a leg

[BigOcean: I don't know what it is for other healers but I can only heal an injury that happened in the last 12 hours

[Brainiac]: I can provide information on prosthetics

They then fought over the notion of wiping another's memory. After many messages, they agreed to wipe his memory.

And just in time to as Icy had finally caught up to Grunt.

Icy had to climb up the fire escape of an apartment building to the roof. A shrivelled up and battered golden retrieve stood on four mechanical legs with an RPG mounted on his back. Taking the weight of the RPG was a black vest.

BreadWinner watched from the sky and took the extra precautions by going invisible. Problem was that they were so focused on catching up with Grunt that they forgot to follow the plan and even forgot to inform the group chat.

Icy tried to sneak up and hopefully move him away from the ledge but Grunt seemed to of expected his arrival as he spoke with his weak yet terror-inducing voice "Have you come to watch"

As he turned around Icy and BreadWinner could now clearly see the abuse he had suffered. Around his lips was a hideous scar left from removing the stitches that kept his mouth closed. His left ear had been clipped as a small chunk was missing. His fur was filthy and had patches missing. His left eye was replaced by a robotic eye with the area around it mangled by cheap surgery.

Looking at Grunt, Icy didn't seem to feel scared but sympathy and empathy. Every scar was a horrendous story of his survival.

"Tsk a kid, what do you want?" Said Grunt with his rough quiet voice

"I-| don't want you to kill anyone you had you revenge the humans down there didn't hurt you," Said Icy with the very little confidence he had left

Grunt gave a confused angry answer "Then why am I not satisfied?"

Icy's body shivered from his sudden outburst

Grunt surprisingly unequipped his RPG and asked "Sigh why am I getting angry with a kid. What's your name, kid?"

"Icy, sir"

Grunt sat down looked down at the pup that could barely stand as he shook in his spot. Looking off into the distance he began to tell his story "You know I don't hate the pets that have a loving family. I had spent 10 years in hell, dreaming of my escape now that I'm out I don't know what to do? I thought escaping that prison I'd be happy but yet I feel empty, why?" His voice was soulless as he confessed

Icy couldn't answer as he was too young to understand the psychology of a victim.

"I- I don't know. But you can talk to the Bridge group. They are really smart"

Grunt squinted before giving a hearty laugh "Hahaha kid your surprisingly honest. Let me break it down for you, I've lost my purpose in this world. I wanted revenge and I got it. Looking at my body there isn't a single human in this world that would give me the love I wished for as a kid. If you can give me a purpose then I won't attack the people below. And no help from your friends"

Icy looked down at as his brain began to think of a purpose that would both interest Grunt and motivate him to pursue a better future for himself.

Icy eyes glisten with excitement as his answer stumble out "H-Hero you can be a hero!!"

Grunt's head turns to the side "Go on"

"Why not become a hero for other abused pets. You can change the anti-human faction into the anti-abusers. I think the Bridge group will gladly help"

"You understand that I would kill those humans"

"No, you can't kill! Well maybe you can if it's an extreme case like yourself"

"If they don't die how do we get the pet to safety"

"We report it. Gather evidence using our ability's. Create an emergency line using Phoenix global telepathy. I don't think anyone in the group would be upset if you dealt with some inhumane pet owners personally"

"So your saying I should run a hero group that saves abused pets"

Icy gave a confident nod

"You think I can get the whole Anti-Human faction to put hate solely into just abuser's?"

"I don't know b-- b-but it's worth trying, right?"

Grunt appeared to think before nodding "Okay"

"Huh?"

"I said okay. it's gonna be difficult but I feel like it would it's a rewarding experience. It's not like I have long left"

Icy digested those words and asked, "Are you not scared of dying?"

"Hahaha I had spent most of my life hoping to die" Grunt laughed off his morbid past

Icy silently nodded and asked, "umm How come "

"Nice or is easy to talk to? Before this morning I was pretty much ready to wipe humans off the earth but after talking with other super pets my overall views on humans were lightened. Like for instance some pets in our group got saved by a concerned neighbour. Despite us being the bad guys in the super pets community we are pretty reasonable. Most of us don't hate humans but are just lost on what to do with all the hate we had for our families"

Silence fell once again as they both took the time to reflect on what today's outcome would have been if the admittedly smart yet annoying parrot, Phoenix hadn't made the group chat.

Wanting to lighten the mood Grunt asked "By the way, I saw a pet that can calm others with their voice is she in your group?"

"Ah yeah Angel she actually wanted help"

"Can you ask her to go into a call later we have a few youngsters that are not doing too well"

"Hmm sure I'll ask her"

"Good well, I don't have anything to do you wanna try fighting?"

"Huh but I thought you said weren't gonna hurt the humans"

"I'm not, but we would be the first super pets to reportedly fight each other. We're a pretty good matchup as well. I won't use any ranged weapons" Said Grunt as his mechanical dog legs are replaced by shiny metallic bronze human limbs.

He slowly stood up with his overall stature turning into something comparable to that of a war veteran ready to instruct the recruits.

"Come on, I know you can stand kid my left eye has already determined that your body is abnormally stronger than normal dogs with your front legs mobility being similar to that of humans and your back legs. . huh they changed?"