Adrian was facing a dilemma that he didn't know to be possible. Did he hate the silence he was being forced to endure at the moment, or appreciate its rarity and bask in its glory? He was a people puff, a social butterfly if you would, and that part of him begged for some kind of noise to commence. Yet the soldier side of him cringed at the idea of even the slightest of foot tapping or a soft hum, for it knew enemies with sharp ears and even sharper teeth possibly lurked outside. The soldier side recalled the bombshells and the fire and the screaming. That side of him one easily and he remained quiet, listening for either the return of his makaq or the other soldier that had survived the attack three nights prior that had killed the two others that had been part of their squad.  Request for backup had been sent, but they were informed a day later that it would take a month for them to get here. An entire dam month when they could be dead by morning. Although Adrian knew that it wasn't the GSA he had to direct his anger at, rather Nightmare Enterprises with their decision to be clever and station bombworms in the warping tunnels. Nasty red worm like demonbeasts that latched onto spaceships and then proceeded to detonate and blast said ship to hell and back. Help was coming, just without the aid of warp jumping.

It was in the silent outpost that he was alone, just waiting, guarding this place. They were already likely doomed but they'd be off even worse if their base and only shelter got destroyed.  Kele has said he wanted to check something out, the dark teal knight also had taken their only space craft with him. Calon had gone to secure the perimeters, and here he was, praying to NOVA that he wouldn't have to bury anymore bodies. 

The sound of a spaceships engine finally lifted the silence, but even when he saw it was just the four seater starship that Kele had taken he didn't feel safe. Adrian had been trained to believe that something was a foe before it was a friend, even when what stepped out of the vehicle looked like Kele. Whoever was cooking up these monsters got better and better at it with each passing year that this NOVA forsaken war dragged on, before the monsters could of been taken out with gas bombs that choked out everything, but now these had black blood flowing through their veins. It was artificial and made it easier to call them monsters. It made it easier to kill them, for the monsters had no families, no feelings, no lives before the war began. According to the one that dissected the vile things, most of the beasts weren't even a month old. Ease only came when the other puff gave that little star shaped badge a few casual taps as if he was merely adjusting the shiny object, only the three left alive knew it was a code they had decided upon before arriving to assure each other they weren't possessed or being impersonated. 

"Kele, dammit what took you so long? And what's that you're carrying?" He glanced to what the other puff pulled from the ship, a ball..? Maybe a bomb? His purple eyes widened in shock  when he realized it was a pup. "Where.. where did you...?" He hurried over, gaze rushing around to assure nothing hung from the cliffside and no monsters  perched upon the rocks around them. The pup was very small, blue like he was, Adrian was no expert but he knew at that size it could only be at most a month old. Then he saw the tattoo on its paw, K/M1000. He stumbled back just as quickly, paw reaching for his bow. "That's a demonbeast."

Kele's wings hastily raised and he held up his free paw. "Put that away! It's a pup! It's not going to kill you." Adrian scoffed.

"When it's a bit older it will," he insisted, shoulders clenching tightly when he saw that there was more of the evil pipsqueaks. "For the love of NOVA Kele anyone would think you're starting your own army with these monsters!"  Kele's pale yellow eyes narrowed a bit but Adrian just gave another retort. "If you're so hellbent on mercy let's just kill them now and make their deaths painless."

"They are just pups," Kele repeated, the thin lay of feathers that lined the joints of his webbed wings bristled. "They'll only know bad if they're taught bad! You know as well as I not all of them are mindless."

"What makes you so sure these ones are?" He looked closer at the pup, it remained dozing despite the burning gaze and the loud words exchanged by the adults. No, he couldn't trust a demonbeast, not for a second! Nothing NME could ever have any goodness in it. Kele's eyes narrowed behind his mask, his wings gave another flick.

"I had help stealing them from a lab that's only a couple light years away, I was given some... interesting information. I didn't believe it at first, but when I was there I saw for myself that they weren't lying." Kele started, and Adrian decided to listen and take every word that came from the other puff's mouth with the biggest grain of salt ever created. Well, at least the lab made sense, it explained why there was so many monsters in this area. "They might be demonbeasts, but they each have starsoul, they're also starwarriors just like you and I," the blue puff scoffed a bit, so for that to happen would mean one of their own got thrown into the DNA extractor of doom in order for any of the monster makers to get their grubby hands on the gene. "NME made theses ones for something important, the one who helped me said if we want to win this war NME can not have these pups, I believe they are his company heirs."

Such was where Adrian drew the line in the sand. "You idiot! If that's the case you've doomed us all! NME will tear up our entire army and then some looking for them if that's what they are!" 

"Let me finish, I set the lab on fire and the scientist that made them is dead, there will be no witnesses to say they are alive, as far as anyone will be concerned they died in the fire, the traitor who helped me will make sure of that." He folded a wing closer, Adrian steeped himself against an obvious burn would, scalded bubbled flesh. Indeed there had been a fire. With a deep breath he pushed back his orange hair, mind still raising, even more so now with the realization that NME's heirs were a bunch of measly looking gum balls. Adrian would admit that if these demonbeasts were so important to NME he felt safer keeping them far out of his reach, but something still rubbed him the wrong way. 

"Okay let's say we bring them back to the GSA,  what will we say? That we found seven children just on the side of the road or something? On a planet that's nearest settlement is across the ocean and mostly evacuated? Not to mention void of any puffball species? Because something tells me just waltzing in there claiming we have NME's heirs won't sit well with everyone." After all he was still contemplating killing these pups, children. Kele gave a wince, sighing.

"I.. I don't know, just go find Colan, I'll bring them inside and guard the base until you two get back." He reached into the backseat to grab what looked like a box that he had used to carry them all. Adrian's mind lingered on the fact that they were demonbeasts, that a supposed traitor in NME's ranks when such had never been reported before. But without hesitation took off to find his beloved, and upon finding the green puff he called his makaq he explained to her what was waiting for them back at the outpost. To his surprise she didn't seem as bothered by the fact that there was demonbeasts in their living quarters, he could tell from the moment her eyes laid upon them that her metaphorical heart had been stolen. Where he saw monsters, Calon saw what they actually were at this point in time. Pups, harmless and defenceless babies that needed them for everything.  Three days had passed, and the pups remained.

"I'll never like you, you know," he said to the one with hair that like his was ginger. The pup of course didn't know what he was saying, but gave a tiny 'poyo' anyways and blinked it's golden yellow eyes. The old language, Adrian knew only little about the culture that had been ripped away from him, just another thing NME has stole. His name was human, unlike Calon's which meant something to the puffballs, his did not. But he used the words they did, words that his parents used before the army had come to collect him. It was his turn to feed them, thankfully they ate like puffballs did, without the risk of choking and with no complaints of what they were offered. "You're all monsters," Adrian continued, having to hold the spoon tightly when he lowered it to the baby's mouth so that it didn't eat the utensil along with the food. Monsters made by a terrible person... who they didn't know, for a war they weren't even aware of. He gave a scoff, horned head turning away when the tiny green puff just gave a happy babble when it got another mouthful. Right now it's only concern was food, not death, not fulfilling it's designed purpose. It just wanted to eat and when that was done, it gave a yawn that was anything but scary and settled down for a nap, bundling in amongst its brothers and sister. 

A week had gone by, the signs of the monsters grew scarce, and it made sense considering Kele had set that laboratory ablaze. That he could appreciate, what he didn't appreciate however, was the fact that there was only a pawful of days left before backup finally arrived and they still had no way of explaining the seven. It was before bed that night after a long day of watching the pipsqueaks and patrolling when Colan finally offered a solution. He was curled up close to her warm body, the only thing that made him truly feel safe these days was having her feathered wings over his back. He was ready and eager to sleep knowing Kele would stand guard all night and that tomorrow it would be his turn.

"My love, I think I know how we can explain these pups to the rest of the GSA."

"Hm...?" He raised his head just a bit, as any good makaq would do he listened. "Shoot," he wasn't ready for what her solution was, not at all.

"We adopt them and claim them as our own, say I was pregnant and gave birth to them unexpectedly and early. They bare enough resemblance to us to live up to the claim." 

Adrian had jolted up so fast he hit his head and horns hard on the bunk above, his purple eyes wide with surprise and shock. Them?! Pretend these demonbeasts were their offspring?

"C-come again?" He demanded, practically he could hear the glass shattering and popping as it was struck with that suggestion. She sat up, taking his paws in hers, he felt her grip tighten.

"You know what I said, Adrian it could be the only way to keep them alive!" She fixed him a hard look. "I know how you feel about demonbeasts, but these children aren't the same as the vile monsters we slay, they're also starwarriors. They need parents to teach them the wrongs and the rights, if they are truly NME's heirs, they could have the power to end the war and bring him to his knees. It could end!" Adrian felt her wings curl around him and her forehead pressed against his. "The war could be over," she repeated, tone having grown shaky

He shut his eyes tightly, felling her breath against his skin and her pulse. 

"But...W... what about our own family..?" He whispered, wondering if at this point he was just being selfish and self interested. Before she could answer he changed his reply, and told her alright. He told her that he would help her raise these pups as if they were his own flesh and blood and that he would love them, and that he would do it all for her. And the next day the two decided to tell Kele of their plan, and they did the unthinkable, hacked into the logs to rewrite their reports, the change the day that Kele had brought them to the outpost and report that Calon had given birth unexpectedly and early, but the pups were healthy. They lied to the system and therefore lied to the entire army.

The pups only kept growing, and soon they started to learn to walk. Their tattoos had faded, Adrian supposed they weren't the permanent kind as to not hurt them when they were so young and fragile. It just made the lie a little more easier.

"They need names," Calon said one night from where she sat on the floor, paws out ready to catch the small blue and purple puff she was watching in case he fell, but he walked fairly confidently with his tiny webbed wings extended for balance. "Adrian any ideas?" She looked up at him, he was repairing his bow after the string had snapped. Names, well those were defiantly important, so he glanced at the closed one to him, the one that had horns like he did.

"How about Galactra?" He watched her raise a brow and give him a look.

"The ancient starwarrior that went mad and had to be locked away?" She pressed, and he raised his paws in defence, although she had guessed his reasoning for the name almost instantly.

"He was a hero before he went mad, and a powerful soldier, it's a cool name," he insisted, the green puff just shook her head slowly, before she gestured with a wing to the little dark pinkish one with ginger hair. 

"How about Draga for her? Since she has a little birthmark here that looks a little bit like a dragon skull," she pointed to a little slightly paler patch on the pup's backside, honestly Adrian didn't see it but he had come to learn that when it came to the topic of art and anything like it Calon absolutely dominated him. Then she looked over to Kele, who had just been quietly watching the entire time, papers in paw. Writing more reports, writing more lies. "How about you Kele? Any name suggestions?" 

The pale yellow gaze of the webbed wing puff broke from the papers and fell upon the tiny puffs. "Mmm.. the green one with the purple feet, how about Arthur?" 

"Oh so I see you are also a fan of legendary destructive characters," Calon snorted in amusement, Kele just shrugged with a small guilty smile, before his wing slightly pointed to the blue one Calon had been helping. 

"And that one, Meta." He nodded slowly, that name Calon accepted without any comments to it being destructive. Name ideas were thrown back and forth until they finally settled on the handful of names that suited each of them the best. By then the seven pups were sleeping soundly in the bunk that had been crudely turned into a baby crib.

"I love them," Calon whispered, gently tucking the corner of the blanket closer to Nonsurat, the one with the tiny wings. Adrian tried to fight back the the small smile that grew, but it was a losing battle,  and a sigh he could only agree. 

"Eh... I .. I guess their kinda cute," He could feel the hate trying to remain, but it didn't, it couldn't. Calon loved them, and the seven were theirs now, maybe his two comrades were right, with proper raising they could be the universes saviours. Adrian bid his makaq a goodnight and gave her a loving nuzzle before he made his way outside to begin his nightly shift. Night shift was it's own level of nerve racking, what he wouldn't give to have eyes that saw in the dark so the monsters couldn't use the shadows to hide, or ears strong enough to hear the enemy's very breath as it stalked closer. Despite the planet being one of dry rocks and blistering day time heat, it was cold, although he supposed that was how deserts worked. As relieving as it was to know help was on its way, it didn't change the fact that the monsters knew were there outpost was and they could only defend their one secure shelter and wait.  It was a cat and mouse game that he was sick of,  but he knew whining about it wouldn't make anything better. 

He took position on a ledge that gave him the height advantage, one swift arrow to the eye was usually all it took to slay the beasts, and he cast all his senses about him. Adrian's pleas for a silent uneventful night however were ignored, and his breath faltered upon the sight of a large armadillo like monster, a green gem sat on the top of its head, sparkled in the faint light from the stars. Blood red eyes scanned the area, a shiver went up his backside when he heard its purple claws drag slowly against the stone. These were a newer breed of monster that the E-LINE has cooked up, armoured on the back and covered in spikes, breathed fire the left a nasty toxic mist. They hadn't encountered them enough yet to know their weakness, but he was still sure he could take it out quickly with his go to plan, and that was again a quick shot to the face. Carefully he pulled out an arrow from the quiver on his back, silently the he pulled the string back, but before he could fire the demonbeast whirled around and tried to bolt. In surprise at the sudden movement and the crash that followed as the beast started to dig into the mountainside his arrow fired and dug right unit leg of what had spooked the armadillo monster. The dark grey beast that looked like a giant living, gooping mound of black and swamp green fur, giant spikes came from its back as did giant webbed wings. The beast growled and grabbed the armadillo with its teeth, and then flung the smaller monster right at him. Adrian yelped and threw himself out of the way, scrambling to run when he landed on his feet and fire more arrows and bolt back inside. 

"Kele Calon wake up there's a monster outside and I have not a NOVA dam clue of what it is!" He shouted, watching the two other puffs scramble awake and reach for their weapons. Calon carried a sword with a spiky hilt, Kele a whip that he could channel his electricity through. He could hear the pups giving whines and cries of fear, and something stirred inside him. It was that exact feeling he got whenever he thought of Calon, the feeling that said he would give his life up in a moment to save hers, that he'd suffer any pain the universe had to offer if it meant she stayed safe. He wanted to protect them, and that would mean killing this unholy beast.

When he was in battle time seemed to melt into an intense blur. It didn't matter what day it was, or what hour or second. There was only what was happening in the now, as without thinking arrows were fired and his feet moved to keep himself from being crushed alive. Adrian shook his face to get the black oozing blood of the mask he wore, gagging when it tried to deep in past his lips. Calon and him were like two halves of one whole, they fought together with unspoken synchronization,  he'd shoot the monster to gain its attention, giving the winged puff time to get away after delivering a charged hefty slash. Only, it seemed that whatever they did to this monster, no matter how much blood they spilled, it just got angrier and angrier and didn't fall.

He wasn't sure exactly when the end came from him, all he knew was one moment he saw Calon get slashed and stabbed by a claw, he heard his own screaming for the shortest of moments before the monster crushed him with a massive paw, everything tumbled to a ringing darkness before the nothing came.

The back up arrived two days  later to find a wounded Kele, who had just barely survived the monster attack that had killed Adrian and Calon Seran. The monster responsible had exploded shortly after killing the two puffs,  investigated by the scalars it was later discovered to be a chemical imbalance that caused it to go off like a bomb, the beast fuelled by a drug unlike any other. The new monster was from a new monster maker separate from E-LINE, one that they'd come to know and fear, Nacl Newmaker. 

Then they asked about the pups. And Kele told everyone the cover up.

And It worked, nobody doubted it for a second, the looks were there and everyone knew the pair were lovers. The records too made their claim, and certainly none of the three being so honourable and trustworthy would ever mess with them, no?

Silently Kele swore to his fallen friends that if he could so help it, the truth of the seven's origins would die with him. All the lies and the help from Meryl the traitor would never come to light, the lab and the man he had murdered while inside to get the heirs of NME was never spoken of again, but rumours and reports went around that NME had lost a important monster maker. The seven were his responsibility now, only NOVA knew how they'd turn out with him as their parent. 

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Just a little authors note the word 'makaq' is the puffball word for mate or significance other. It's a gender neutral term and works regardless of the partner's gender.