The Captain’s Cunning
This piece from Marsel-Defender back in March of 2022 illustrated another chapter in The Case of the Titan Syndicate, where Azurium begins to assist his Master Volpes in the takeover of the city guard, acting in his capacity as a double agent.
Can you tell I like muscle growth and mind control?
Even since the Captain had returned from his leave of absence, the precinct had never been the same. The boarkin known as Swain couldn’t explain it, but the energy had changed.
He wasn’t blind to the reality of the place, and the people he worked for and with. While there were more than a few who signed up for the job just to make ends meet, Swain knew it was practically made for him. Nothing made him happier than catching those filthy pickpockets in the crowd and giving them what for. It never bothered him when his co-workers called him “ruthless” and “needlessly violent”. So what if those teenage criminals spent the next few weeks recovering. It was their punishment for stealing from the hard workers of society. As far as Swain was concerned, he was on the right side of the law, and that meant he could do whatever he wanted to the wrong side of it.
At least, as long as the Captain was gone. When he first announced he was taking a month off, Swain couldn’t be happier. He’d be free of that stick-in-the-mud’s posturing for all that time. Besides, despite all the threats, everyone knew Azurium was powerless to actually punish him. He had no choice but to let “thugs” like Swain have rough shot over the place, sitting there and sulking in his office.
But the Azurium that entered the bullpen was different than the one from Swain’s memory. Whatever happened to him in his time off left him with an eyepatch and a physique far bulkier than he remembered, packed with lean muscle. The old pushover was gone. If anything, the Captain looked like he belonged in Swain’s half of the precinct, with the ones who enjoyed their work. The boarkin smiled, hoping this was a strong sign of change in this place. His shite-eating grin was quickly wiped away the next day when Azurium called him into his office.
As he opened the door, Swain could barely hide the groan in his voice.
“You wanted to see me, sir.”
“Yes, come in and have a seat, Swain.” Walking into the room, Swain threw a glare in what he assumed was the captain’s direction, where his chair sat, only to find it unoccupied. It was only then that he noticed the sound of controlled breathing coming from below. Though his body was mostly obscured by the desk, the Captain was on the ground, performing a set of push-ups in steady, assured rhythm. For his part, the officer could only stare, mouth agape before his captain spoke again. “I said have a seat.” Azurium didn’t even look up as he reprimanded the officer.
His expectations broken, Swain couldn’t find the presence of mind to protest as he normally would. All he could do was follow orders, taking his place in the chair across from Azurium’s. As the tigerkin wrapped up his exercise, he took his seat, revealing his bare sculpted torso. More than that, he leaned back, legs outstretched on his desk. For his part, the Captain was all too eager to allow the silence to fill the room, watching as his subordinate struggled to comprehend what was happening. Eventually, Swain’s nerves got the better of him, and he broke the tension.
“What is this about, ‘sir’?” The sarcastic tone to his voice, even to his own ears, sounded like that of a mewling babe.
“I wanted to bury the hatchet between us.” If Azurium had any fear, he didn’t show it. Swain was used to him flaunting his position to keep the force in line, but this was something completely different.
“What do you mean? We don’t have-”
“Oh, don’t bother with the bullshit, Swain. You’ve hated me for years and the feeling was mutual. But times have changed, and so have I. You’ve always been one of our best guardsmen, and it’s time to finally reward that.” The interjection surprised Swain out of his stupor until he started to give it some thought. Then, his grin from the day prior had returned in full force.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, sir.”
“And yet, you could be better…”
“I’m sorry?”
“As you can see, I’ve gone through a couple of changes lately: Trained harder than I ever have before, and the results speak for themselves. I wanted to make you an offer, to put you through the same training and make you a better enforcer than you could ever dream of.” Looking at the confidence and poise that Azurium had gained so quickly, Swain could hear the siren’s call. After all, the power was the reason he took this job in the first place. And yet, before he could answer, Azurium raised his hand to silence the man. “I don’t expect your answer now. I will be waiting at the abandoned warehouse in the slums one week from today, immediately after our regular shift. If you want to take part, meet me there.”
Truth be told, Azurium didn’t need a response. He knew that Swain would be ever tempted by the promises on offer. As he dismissed the miserable oaf, he could hear the quickening of his pulse, and see the slight dilation in his eyes.
The Master would have a new soldier very soon.
Sure enough, on the promised day, Swain appeared alone at the seemingly abandoned warehouse. He has passed it so many times on his patrol route, but only now did he give it a good look. Though moss and cobwebs have long since grown across the exterior, the building itself looked to be in decent condition. The boarkin briefly wondered if buildings were supposed to last that long when exposed to the elements, but dismissed those thoughts and rushed quickly inside to avoid being late for his meeting.
Inside, the space looked wholly different. In the center of the large room, lit by the afternoon sun shining in from the skylights, was a ring, just like the sparring ring in the barracks at their precinct. In fact, there were cots like theirs in the back, along with training weapons and practice dummies. Swain also couldn’t help but notice a small space sectioned off to the side for meal preparation. Whoever furnished this place was hardcore about their training. In the middle of it all, the Captain gave himself one moment to flex his biceps and back, feeling the contractions of the individual fibers, admiring his new form once more, before turning to meet his guest.
“I see you made it.”
“What… What is all this?”
Azurium smirked, “My home away from home, and the place where I became the man I am now. And since you’re here, it’ll be the same for you as well.”
“Let’s get started. I don’t have all day.”
“Neither do I, Officer Swain. Take this, and we’ll get started.” Heading to the back of the room, Azurium opened a cabinet, taking out a brilliant blue vial before giving it to the neophyte.
“What is it?”
“A supplement that will help your body get the most out of our training. It works brilliantly.”
“And if I take it, I can be like you?”
“Absolutely.”
Having come this far, Swain had no interest in backing out now. He could already hear the boys back in the office calling him a chicken-shit, and he wouldn’t hear any of it. No, he downed the contents of the vial in a single gulp. Nobody would ever associate him with cowardice. Smashing the vial on the ground as if to prove himself, the soon-to-be-convert could feel the warmth spreading across his body.
His task complete, Azurium allowed himself to watch as Master’s new recruit was reborn before his eyes. Only a feckless fool would have accused Swain of being out of shape, but it was also true that he had a healthy pudge clinging to him underneath his uniform. As the potion did its work, he could practically feel that pudge melting away, making room for the burgeoning abs his now developing form was packing on.
Beneath the armor of his uniform, Swain could feel his transforming self pushing against the breastplate. It was growing tight, too tight. As his arms too began to expand, hardening in a way they never had before, all his thoughts were directed towards alleviating the pressure of his own armor constraining him. Cracks began to form, and instinct took over.
Digging his fingers into the cracks forming, he began to pull. Like tissue paper, the armor was torn and ripped wide open. Finally free of its confines, Swain began tearing what was left off his wide shoulders and defined chest before doing the same to his gauntlets, no longer fit for service.
It was then that he began to notice that his pants, although tight, fared far better. It was clear they were meant for a man a few sizes smaller. His greaves, unfortunately, needed to be disposed of. As he bent down, destroying them as he has his breastplates and gauntlets, he was relieved to finally expose his calves and bare feet to open-air, breeches insufficient to cover them and socks in taters.
Free, and now a titan like the Captain, Swain’s new senses alerted him to the presence of another. The quiet, deliberate steps of a powerful man approaching him from behind.
“I see you’ve already begun to hold up your end, my good Captain.”
“Of course, Master Volpes.”
Master? Yes, without seeing him Swain understood that this “Volpes” was one worthy of respect and admiration. Turning around, he saw a powerfully-built red fox with glowing bichromatic eyes, wearing an open green robe to expose his chest. He cupped Swain’s chin with a single hand, and the boar had never known a deeper pleasure than the touch of this ‘Master’.
“And you must be, Swain. I’ve heard much about you. A troublemaker for the people of the slums.” Before his rational mind could process the words, something deeper filled Swain with deep shame and regret.
“N… No, Master. I was just doing my job.”
“A convenient excuse, but we both know better. Either way, it’s all in the past. It would greatly upset me if you tormented the poor slum-dwellers just trying to survive. You wouldn’t want to upset me, would you?” Again, his body began to react before his mind was capable.
“Of course not, Master. But-”
Before he could finish, Master Volpes already knew how to answer. “Fear not, I wouldn’t dare ask you to let your talents and strength go to waste. You’re a powerful weapon, but until now you’ve been aimed at the wrong targets. With my help, we’ll set you right, and you’ll be smashing and punishing the right people.”
Eyes glowing bright green, and the synapses of his mind on fire, Swain was awash with joy. At the end of the day, he still had a group of people he could abuse his power over. It never truly mattered who those people were, so long as he had a target.
“And until that day, you can work off that aggression sparring with me.” Azurium gestured broadly at the ring they were both standing in. “Don’t pretend you never thought about it. I’m sure you’ve dreamed of the day you could take me on.”
“You’re right about that, Captain.” Cracking his knuckles, he put up his fists as Azurium did the same.
“Just don’t overdo it. I still need my captain and my soldier.” The fox smiled as he spoke, knowing they would reply in unison.
“Yes, Master.”
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