Summary: M-21's transformation levels up again.

Set after season 7. Assumes a good ending.

This is the fic I've been working on and off for the past three weeks; it was closer to being finished than I thought, pfft.

Ride

By Dark Ice Dragon

M-21 exhaled, hearing the leaves above them shiver in the wind and something else. Tao hopped down, slapping his hands together.

"All right, we're good to go!" Tao said once he was done cleaning his hands and M-21 shook his head. Why had Tao put some cameras up there when there was a chance he and Seira would destroy them in their spar, but then, knowing Tao, he could be recording it all to his laptop anyway.

M-21 tilted his head in Seira's direction and she nodded.

"Hey, hey, don't start yet!" Tao yelped, scrambling towards his laptop, Takeo making sure neither of them tipped over.

"I thought you said-" M-21 started and Tao stuck his tongue out at him.

"I did - and you know what I meant!" Tao sat down and tapped a few things on his laptop. "I need to make sure I can see everything, unless you wanna do this a second time?"

M-21 grimaced but didn't say anything. They would end up doing this again anyway if he couldn't control himself when he transformed.

"Okay, now I'm ready," Tao declared, pressing a key with finality. "Start when you want."

M-21 focused on Seira and she held up a hand, Death Scythe hissing into view. She took a few practice swings, twirling it in her palm. When she was done, the scythe above her head, she nodded.

He closed his eyes and transformed, howling as power exploded in him, his nails lengthening and-

He snapped his eyes open, growling as he prepared for any incoming attack. There wasn't any, and when he sniffed, there wasn't any unfamiliar scents. He was surrounded by packmates and he relaxed with a huff, tail wagging. There was something 'off', but no-one was in danger so he didn't worry or try to think about it.

He padded over to Cool-and-metal and ducked his head so he could nose at her face. She smiled in return, raising a hand to place on his muzzle.

"Woah, M, you're huge!"

He flicked his ears towards Metal-and-static but Cool-and-metal had just found a good spot at his jaw and he sighed in happiness, digging his claws into the ground.

"Hm, I wonder if we could ride you."

He pulled away to blink at Metal-and-static just in time to see Oil-and-gunpowder cover his own face with a paw.

"You know," Metal-and-static said, gesturing at him, flicking his fingers. "Be on your back."

He knew that and he went over to Metal-and-static, lying down in front of him.

"Heh," Metal-and-static said, shaking his head while patting his flank. "I'll have to ask first before getting on."

…? Metal-and-static had already asked; this was his answer: he'd agreed.

But he was tired too and he yawned, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He stood back up on all fours and shook himself before he transformed back.

M-21 sucked in a breath, jerking. He couldn't smell blood and he was exhausted, his legs feeling like they were about to buckle, all his bones aching.

"Sit, sit," Tao said, waving him down. "You're probably tired."

M-21 shook his head. "What happened?" He could rest later, once he knew. The area around them was…undamaged? How long had he transformed for and what had he done?

"You turned into a wolf," Tao said, and M-21 knew that – that was why they had done this in the first place.

Except Tao's hand was above his head as far as he could stretch it, keeping his palm parallel to the ground. "Completely a wolf - covered in fur, on all fours and everything!"

…What. He'd just been able to reach his awakened form and he had a new one?

"Sooo we were wondering-" Tao said when he stayed silent and M-21 saw Takeo's sharp look in Tao's direction. Which meant it wasn't 'we'. "-if it'd be okay if we could ride on top of you the next time we're in a fight?"

That was what he wanted to know? M-21 didn't need to think about his answer.

"Yeah."

Tao's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

M-21 nodded. "If I can get us there faster…" It made the most sense.

"And we'd be less likely to be ambushed if the others can keep a lookout," Tao added, nodding. Tao beamed, patting his shoulder. "Thanks, M!"

Now if he could get home before collapsing…

M-21 blinked when Takeo took one of his arms and draped it over a shoulder. "We should go home."

He breathed a chuckle and leaned on Takeo, allowing him to take his weight. "Yeah."

His howl faded to nothing and he sniffed the air. No blood and there wasn't any danger.

"Heey, M," Metal-and-static said, waving, and he bounded over to greet him.

"Hello to you too." Metal-and-static patted his snout and he grumbled at the feeling, wriggling.

"So, can we ride you?"

Hadn't he already asked that question? His answer hadn't changed and he turned around to lie down, his tail sweeping the ground.

"Heh, thanks." Metal-and-static hopped up and when he felt him settle, he looked at the rest of his packmates, who hadn't moved yet. "Come on!"

Cool-and-metal was the next to get on, followed by Oil-and-gunpowder.

"Are you holding on?" Metal-and-static asked as he stood up and he felt some of his fur being gripped.

"Yeah. Wh-"

"M, go!"

He leaped forward at the order, running through the trees until they were a blur, his ears filled his packmates' laughter and yells.

Thanks to Niaswish for the help with Seira's scent name. X3

Regis was in the fic originally, but he basically did nothing and the list of scent names got a little long soooo he's training with Rael or something.