Sans titre

Chapter 27 : Hunting Lesson

Now that the group had decided to stop feeding Dart with Will's blood, everything was different. The little guy wasn't growing anymore, but he was still asking for his daily dose of milk.

​"We can't... Dart, you wouldn't want to hurt your uncle, would you?" Dustin asked, as if the question had only one possible answer.

​Dart glanced briefly at Will, then lowered his head, feeling defeated by the question.

​But Ziggy could understand Dart's urge. He understood because his cousin had nothing left to eat now that the blood was being refused. Ziggy approached and grabbed Dart by the scruff of his neck in his jaws.

​Will and Dustin looked at each other, wondering if they should separate the "children" to avoid a fight. Dart made himself small, not understanding why Ziggy was attacking him this time... Sure, other times he had asked for it, but right now he hadn't done anything wrong.

​"Ziggy... Let him go," Will said in a calm voice.

​But for once, Ziggy did not obey. The large demodog headed out of the house, carrying Dart with him. He moved so fast that Will didn't even have time to see which direction he took.

​"He... He didn't obey...?" Will said in astonishment.

​"He left with Dart! But he seemed less jealous lately..."

​While the humans searched the woods, Ziggy delved deeper and deeper into the forest. When he reached a somewhat cleared area, Ziggy dropped Dart on the ground. The younger one curled into a ball, trying to protect his body from Ziggy's attacks.

​But the blows never came... Ziggy nudged his cousin's slimy body with a slight tenderness. He didn't seem to mean him any harm; he just wanted Dart to look at him. The small creature raised his head and looked at Ziggy with confusion.

​The pack's alpha gave a slight tilt of his head to the right, then leaped into a bush. Dart had never seen him do that, so he approached the bush. In less than two seconds, Ziggy’s head popped out of the greenery. Dart startled and jumped back in fright. Ziggy fully emerged from the bush, then tossed a rabbit carcass toward Dart.

​Dustin’s "child" stared at the limp body of the animal, sniffed it, then timidly brought his mouth to the flesh. Of course he was hungry, but he had to be careful. He had to keep an eye on Ziggy to make sure he wasn't going to attack. His cousin had never shared food with him before, but it seemed Ziggy had felt Dart's hunger.

​When Dart finished eating, Ziggy pushed him toward a corner of the forest. He made a small sound to ask him—to order him—to watch closely. Dart focused on Ziggy; he watched the alpha hide in the bushes and observed the animals walking through the forest. Ziggy waited for the right moment, then pounced on a poor creature and bit the neck of his prey. The larger demodog raised his head and tossed the dead squirrel to Dart.

​Another gift... Dart accepted it and ate it, hoping to receive a third gift right after. As soon as he was done, he stared at Ziggy with anticipation. He was eager to eat more! But Ziggy didn't move; he emitted a low growl and gestured toward the animals. Dart quickly understood: it was his turn to hunt. Ziggy had shown him how.

​Dart took his turn hiding in a bush and waited for a few minutes. He found a prey... A majestic deer, clearly much larger than Dart, but... perhaps the predator's strength would be enough?

​Dustin's son lunged at the deer with his mouth wide open. After the first bite, Dart was already feeling proud of his hunt. But perhaps he should have chosen a different prey? The size difference was too great, and the deer managed to buck the demodog off its body.

​Dart got back up and looked toward Ziggy. The elder was clearly mocking Dart’s missed opportunity. The younger one felt insulted, but Ziggy nudged him to signal that he would help next time he wanted to tackle a large prey. He even growled a short phrase to reassure Dart that even he sometimes struggled with deer.

​Dart gave up on large prey and settled for practicing with rats, rabbits, and squirrels. He didn't always succeed—most of the time he missed—but at least he was learning how to hunt.

​Once he was full, Ziggy and Dart returned to the Byers' house. Dustin ran to take Dart in his arms. Will was about to scold Ziggy, but when he saw the bones Ziggy laid at his feet, he quickly understood what had happened.

​"Oh... We worried for nothing..."

​"For nothing?! Ziggy could have hurt him!" Dustin snapped, raising his voice.

​"No, I think he taught him how to hunt... To feed himself."

​Dustin stopped, then examined Dart closely.

​"His stomach isn't growling anymore and he looks full... I... Sorry Will, and sorry Ziggy for losing my temper..." Dustin said, lowering his head.

Chapter 26 : Jealousy (2)

Now that the tension had died down among the group members, Will could finally feel relieved. He still felt that lingering exhaustion, but he didn't need to run around anymore... His friends had certainly noticed that he seemed weak lately, but he was going to regain his strength since Dart had almost reached the adolescent stage. Will would soon have no reason left to feed that creature.

And subconsciously, Ziggy knew it. Ziggy had clearly seen that Dart had reached the adult stage a long time ago. The humans didn't seem to notice because of his small size, but Ziggy had always seen that Dart was an adult.

But right now, Ziggy didn't care at all. He could have tried to point it out to Will, but that wasn't his role. And besides, Will seemed to have realized Dart's growth, so his "cousin" was going to stop receiving his mother's red milk.

Except, by staying back, Ziggy had begun to understand what his mommy had told him. Now that he knew Dustin was Dart's mother, he could see very well that Dustin was the most affectionate with the little creature. He saw the caresses that stretched on. He could see that Dart always cast a glance toward Dustin to make sure he was looking, or just to make sure he wasn't watching him when he wanted to misbehave.

And apparently, today was one of those days where Dart was going to misbehave. Normally, Ziggy would have stopped him before he even started, but... Dustin was responsible for Dart. It wasn't up to Ziggy to watch over him, at least not when Dustin was in the same room.

So he let him do it. He watched Dart rummage through Dustin's bag, he watched him eat all the nougats Dustin had brought back, and even the bag of chips Dustin had brought along to share with the other humans. It was Dustin's fault, he should have taken care of Dart. It was Dustin's fault, he should have closed his bag in front of the local glutton.

Ziggy waited. He waited patiently for Dart to finish eating every single nougat. He waited until the stash was nothing but a pile of trash, and then he stood up. He took Dustin's t-shirt in his mouth and tugged him all the way to the crime scene.

Dustin was scared at first... Why was Ziggy acting like this? This was a first... Even Will had been startled in the moment... But Dustin quickly understood when he spotted the Three Musketeers wrappers scattered all over the floor.

"Dart... You ate everything? How do you expect to grow if you eat junk food?!" Dustin said with an exasperated look.

Dart curled up on himself and dropped the nougat he had in his mouth.

"That doesn't change anything... You are banned from treats for... hum, for two days!"

Ziggy looked at Will as if he wanted to tell him that he was good and never misbehaved.

Max made fun of the larger demodog's behavior. According to her — and according to everyone else in the room — Ziggy was acting like a tattle-tale who absolutely wanted to look good in Will's eyes. And it was working! Ziggy had just received praise and caresses from his mother.

Ziggy felt happy, so he rested his head on Will's stomach. He had been doing that a lot lately... He must have been doing it for several weeks now.

"Looks like someone loves his mommy's belly!" Lucas said to tease him.

"It's true that he won't stop putting his head right there..." Mike continued.

The only girl in the group watched the scene with a slight curiosity.

"Hey, he's doing just like my aunt's dog! It's cute, he thinks there's a baby in your belly."

Will stopped laughing instantly.

"A baby?" he asked.

"Yes, animals can sense that, but... that's impossible for you."

"Not so impossible" Dustin started. "After all, he did give birth to Ziggy..."

"Do you... do you think that's why I'm tired so often?"

"It's possible..." Mike said.

"Totally possible... Between the baby and feeding Dart..." Dustin continued.

Lucas then spoke up in an absolute tone:

"We have to stop feeding Dart. It could be dangerous for Will and the baby."

Will caressed Ziggy's head.

"You're going to be a big brother!"

Ziggy stared at his maternal figure with incomprehension. Will then pointed at Jonathan.

"He's my big brother. We have the same mommy."

Lucas and Max then joined the group at the Byers' home. Nancy watched the children from a distance, still afraid that one of the two demodogs might attack. She tensed up when Will pricked his finger against a blade to let the blood flow. Just as she was about to interrupt, Jonathan approached and violently grabbed Will's hand.

​"What are you doing?!" he asked, raising his voice.

​"I'm feeding Dart..."

​Jonathan grunted while looking at Ziggy, then Dart.

​"If Ziggy didn't need it, then Dart has no necessity for it."

​Will lowered his head to stare at the floor.

​"Ziggy did need it..." Will said in a small voice.

​"What did you say?" Jonathan asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.

​"I said: Ziggy needed it! He had it for a month."

​Jonathan let go of Will's hand in surprise. This wasn't the reaction he had anticipated... He hadn't imagined that Will would get angry or raise his voice like that.

​"What?"

​Will sighed while watching the animals play-fighting.

​"They need blood to grow... They..."

​But Will was interrupted by his older brother.

​"Then give them animal blood! Dart is Dustin's son, so why is it you who has to feed him?!"

​"Because they need my blood! Because otherwise they starve, and I won't let my friend's son starve! I won't starve my nephew!"

​Ziggy stopped his fight with Dart as soon as he heard the anger in Will's voice. He nudged Dart aside and then approached his mother to try and calm the human down.

​"It's not the time, Ziggy!" Will yelled.

​But he immediately regretted it when he heard the whimper of sadness and saw Ziggy's tail tuck between his legs.

​"Oh, I'm sorry, my baby..."

​Nancy watched it all; she could see very well that Ziggy behaved like a child in Will's presence. Yet she knew he could act like a hunter with her and Jonathan. Did the animal really think he had a bond with Will? But after all... Will treated him like a child, so maybe they really did have a bond? Was this bond present because Will had given life to Ziggy?

​"Jonathan... They need it until their teeth are hard enough to bite into flesh. After that, I won't give him blood anymore and he'll have to hunt, just like Ziggy."

​"Why your blood? Why not Dustin's?"

​This time, it was Dustin's turn to lower his head.

​"My blood isn't nutritious enough..." Dustin replied. "I really wanted to feed him myself..."

​Jonathan seemed filled with curiosity but also with fear.

​"And your blood is compatible?" he asked, staring at Will.

​"Yes... I don't know if it's because I lived in the Upside Down... I don't know if it's because my body adapted to that dimension or if it's the fact that having Ziggy inside me changed something in me... I don't know why, Jonathan..." Will began to cry. "But it is..."

​Jonathan quickly lost his anger seeing his little brother's tears.

​"It's okay, Will... I'm not angry..."

​Will sniffled while staring at his brother.

​"Okay... I am angry... But I'll be less so if you promise me one thing. You stop feeding him as soon as he's big enough to manage on his own."

​Will nodded while stroking Ziggy's flower.

​"Yes, big brother..."

​"And you'll come to see me if you find another one. No more secrets, okay?"

Will was putting chips into a bowl to share with his friends. Joyce wasn't home, but Jonathan was watching the house. Today, Will was going to show Dart to Jonathan. Today, he was finally going to show Ziggy's true appearance to Nancy.

He was sure everything would go well... That’s what he would have said if a wave of intense fatigue hadn't suddenly struck his body. He quickly set the bowl down and sat on the sofa to catch his breath. This was happening more and more often, but Will didn't know what it was... Maybe he could talk to Doctor Owens about it? Yes, he would bring it up at the next session at the hospital.

Will stayed on the armchair for several minutes. He waited for the sensation of weight to disappear from his stomach. He waited while Ziggy came over to sniff the human's belly, occasionally rubbing his head against his stomach. When Will thought about it, he noticed Ziggy was acting like this more and more, but it wasn't anything to worry about, right?

But the warmth in his stomach faded with a little rest. Someone knocked at the door, so Will gently moved Ziggy’s head away to head toward the entrance. He looked through the peephole to find Nancy and Mike on the other side. Will smiled and opened the door. Ziggy barked at Nancy and then rubbed himself against Mike.

"You're on time. Mike, take care of Ziggy. I’m going to get Jonathan."

Will ran to find Jonathan. The four of them gathered in the living room, and Will looked at Nancy nervously. He couldn't keep the secret anymore. Not from Nancy, who was always so kind to him, not from Nancy, who spent so much time around Ziggy. She had the right to know the truth.

"Nancy... I... We have something to tell you about Ziggy..."

In front of the young woman, Will took a deep breath and removed the animal's collar. Nancy stared at Ziggy, backing away. She was about to go look for a weapon in the house when she saw Mike dangerously approaching the creature.

"MIKE, NO!" she screamed.

Ziggy was seen licking Mike’s face while staring at Nancy with confusion.

"It's okay, I know about it," Mike replied.

Nancy felt a sharp pain in her heart.

"You know? You know that this monster killed my best friend?! You know that it's a predator?! You... You could die at any moment..." the woman yelled, moving closer to Mike.

Will quickly pulled Ziggy back while staring at Nancy. He hadn't wanted to remind her of painful memories, but it was inevitable. He had to show her, hoping she would understand.

"It wasn't him..." Will began. "He is domesticated and—"

"You can't domesticate a monster! Where did you find it?!" Nancy interrupted.

"I..." Will swallowed hard. "He was inside me, and I gave him life. He is domesticated, and you know it. You've seen him play with us, you've seen him obey orders, and you've seen him hunt. You know he will never hurt us."

Nancy stared at Ziggy. Of course she knew, but... Barb had died because of a creature of this species...

"Why did you show me?" Nancy asked, trying to calm down.

"Because you are part of his family and... His family needs to know his real appearance."

Nancy sighed and wiped her eyes to stop her headache.

"Are you telling me you're going to show your 'dog' to your friends? What do you expect from them? That they'll just kindly accept it? Will, they’re going to be terrified."

Will said nothing. Why should he explain that he had already shown all of this to his friends? Why should he say it when his friends were going to arrive at any minute?

Jonathan approached Ziggy and tried to take the collar from Will's hands.

"Come on, Will, put it back on... Your friends are coming soon," Jonathan said.

But panic flooded Jonathan's body when Will gripped the collar tightly to keep his brother from reaching it.

"Will... You can't reveal everything all at once... Put it back on."

"No," Will replied.

The door burst open with a loud bang. Dustin walked in, as always, without knocking. He had his bag over his shoulder and stopped short when he saw Ziggy in demodog form. Jonathan felt an immense fear... The fear that Dustin would reject Will, the fear that Ziggy would attack Dustin, and for the first time in a long while, he was afraid of Ziggy.

Dustin walked up to the Alpha demodog and stroked his head, glancing at Will.

"Hey buddy, you want to look like Dart now? Hey, Will! Ziggy is a much more intense green!"

And that was when Dart climbed out of the bag. Now that Will saw them side by side, the difference was striking: Dart was a dull green, as if he were washed out, while Ziggy boasted a deep, rich green.

Jonathan froze as he listened to Dustin. He already knew... And he saw the demodog that seemed to be a child... Did Will have a second one?

"What... Did you have another child?" Jonathan asked.

Nancy stared at him as if she had just understood something important. This Ziggy... He wasn't a monster to them; he was just a child. And even if she was going to need time to process it, she knew Ziggy was harmless to the pack that had been created. To his family...

Ziggy growled as he listened to Jonathan. He clearly wasn't happy that Jonathan wanted to immediately link Dart to Will.

"No! He’s not my child," Will began, petting Ziggy to calm him down. "Dustin found him, and he’s his son. Dustin, say it, or Ziggy is going to pout..."

Dustin laughed lightly and stroked Dart’s body.

"Of course he’s my son. Dart is my little glutton. He sleeps with me every night."

It had already been a good week since Will had last had any hallucinations. A week where Will had focused on Dart's growth but above all on Ziggy's jealousy.

It had started slowly. At first, Ziggy would ask for cuddles every time Will had to give blood to the youngest. And then, Ziggy had tried to steal Will's blood. Oh, he had never hurt his mother, he had just slightly nudged Dart to recover the puddle of blood. Will had scolded him even though he found it slightly cute.

However, it was no longer as cute when Ziggy growled at Dart every time he approached Will. It was no longer cute because the jealousy had grown too great.. So Will had wanted to change that. He needed to explain the family dynamic to Ziggy a little more.

Will knew full well that Ziggy had assimilated the roles of mother, grandmother and uncle, but Dart was none of those things. Dart was a cousin, and Ziggy didn't know that term yet.

So, Will took a moment to talk with Ziggy. He had to, so that his son could understand the true meaning of a family.

"Ziggy, my darling.. Who is grandma?" Will asked.

The bowl-cut boy had laid out photos of every member of Ziggy's pack. There were all the Byers, Mike, Nancy, Lucas, Max and Dustin. Ziggy listened to Will then placed his front paw on Joyce's photo.

"Good boy! Who is mommy?"

Ziggy came to nuzzle against Will, creating a tender moment between the two.

"Yes yes, I'm mommy," Will laughed, stroking Ziggy's head.

Will rewarded Ziggy with a piece of meat then looked at the photos scattered on the floor. He had always known his child was gifted with intelligence but he suspected the next question was going to be more difficult for Ziggy.

"Who are Ziggy's uncles?" Will asked.

The human saw the animal's uncertain movement. It wasn't that he didn't know how to answer — it was more that there were many uncles to point to. But Ziggy moved slowly to place his paws on several photos: Jonathan's, Lucas's, Mike's, and Dustin's.

"Good good.. Who is my son?"

Ziggy spun around as if to show that he was the son in question.

"Yes, that's you," Will said with a smile. "Who is Dustin?"

Ziggy looked over the photos then placed his paw on Dustin's photo while letting out a small bark.

"Well done! One last question and we're done. Who is Dustin's son?"

Ziggy stopped, not knowing how to answer. Will stroked Ziggy's head with a smile. Was it too hard for his baby?

"Okay okay, let's start over. Who is Dart's mommy?"

Ziggy growled slightly at the sound of Dart's name then nudged Will's leg to give his answer. Ziggy thought Will was Dart's mother..

"No, I'm Ziggy's mommy. And Ziggy is my son. Who is Dart connected to?"

Ziggy let out a small whimper, not knowing how to answer. Will stood up and pointed to Dustin's photo.

"Dart is Dustin's son. And if Dustin is Ziggy's uncle then.. Dart is your cousin," Will began. "A cousin is like a distant brother. Like a friend."

Ziggy didn't seem to understand the term cousin or the link between Dustin and Dart, but he had clearly understood that Will was not Dart's mother. And that was the only thing that mattered.

But this lack of understanding didn't bother Will. He knew that Ziggy would come to understand by watching. His son was intelligent and Will would never doubt Ziggy's mind.

"One last thing.. If Dustin is Dart's mommy then.." Will paused to point to himself. "Will is Dart's uncle."

It had already been two days since Will and Dustin had started feeding Dart. Everything was going smoothly, or at least that was what they hoped. Will had noticed a slight difference with Ziggy but... Maybe he was wrong?

Today, like every day, Dustin had come to the forest. Like every day, Will was going to mix his blood with his friend's but... Something had changed: Dart had molted. Dart finally had legs. Will was genuinely happy for Dustin even if a question was nagging at him... Why had it taken so long?

With Ziggy, the transition from larva to four-legged creature had happened in one night. But with Dart, it had taken almost a week. Was something wrong with Dart? Maybe it was because of the environment? Maybe the air of the human world gave demodogs a slower growth rate? Or maybe it was simply because Will was giving less blood to Dart? Perhaps it was even a combination of all these hypotheses.

And then, a week later, Dart finally reached the puppy stage. Apparently, Will had been right about his theories. This couldn't be the normal growth of a demodog... Or maybe Ziggy was the special one who had grown much faster than the others?

But Will had noticed something else — Dart seemed wilder. Oh, he growled a little and that had been frightening for Lucas and Max, but that wasn't what Will was talking about. No, what he had quickly observed was that Dart always wanted to play-fight with the humans. And whenever it got too violent, whenever Lucas or Dustin ended up on the ground, Ziggy would let out a low growl and Dart would stop dead and go hide behind Dustin. Apparently, he had accepted him as a paternal figure or as a friend. And apparently, Ziggy held the status of leader for Dart.

One perfectly ordinary day, Will was feeding Dart while talking with his group of friends. A small prick on the finger and he would let the younger demodog lick the wound until he was full. It had become an ordinary scene for the humans, a habit they could witness every day. An ordinary scene, until Dart bit Will's finger.

"Ow! Dustin, your son bit me!" Will let out.

Ziggy, who had been lying in a corner, immediately got back up. He didn't growl this time — instead, he violently shoved Dart to knock him to the ground. He loomed over him, pinning him down with a paw on Dart's small body. And as Dart struggled to get back on his feet, Ziggy snapped at the air right next to Dart's head. The message was clear: touch Will like that again and you're dead.

Dart let out a small terrified whimper and looked toward Dustin, hoping for some help.

Vecna had begun to take an interest in the metabolism of the demodogs since he had noticed the difference between Ziggy and the others. It was a purely scientific interest; he had no intention of bonding with them. Why would he want to get close to them? It had already been so many years since he had cohabited with this species without ever initiating a single contact... After all, they were nothing but wild beasts to him.

He had obtained his first specimen thanks to Will. A specimen that came from an infected human body. A specimen he had fed. But a specimen that had greatly disappointed him. It had not reached the same size as Ziggy. It was slightly larger than the other demodogs, but that was nothing of great importance.

And then, Vecna had an idea. An idea that could change everything for the demodogs. Did the Upside Down provide them with a good environment to develop? He had never thought about that, but now that the question had been raised...

Yes, now that it had been raised, Vecna had to find the answer. So he did the most logical thing: an experiment. He would send a larva into the human world to observe its evolution through the hive mind. Perhaps the atmosphere of the human world would help the creature develop? Or perhaps it would wither because it was not its natural environment? Vecna was eager to see that. Whatever the result, it would help him make his army more formidable.

Chapter 20 : Mother and Father

Dustin had been taking care of his creature for two days now. Dart seemed to like the nougatines the human gave him. Dustin was sure it was bad for him, but he didn't know yet what this tadpole could be, so he couldn't find the right diet.

​But Dustin was actively searching for Dart's species. He had even borrowed – stolen – books from the library. For two days, he studied every amphibian species, but something was wrong. Terrestrial species liked heat, but Dart hated it... Had Dustin found a new species?

​The curly-haired boy couldn't keep this to himself. He had to tell his friends and Max to try to impress her. He set a meeting in the AV room, and everyone came. Dustin then introduced them to Dart as well as his theories about his species. While everyone talked and backed away from Dustin, who wanted his friends to touch the creature, Will stared intently at the creature. It was a demodog... A baby that was alone...

​"I know what it is..." Will said, gently stroking Dart's head.

​"Really?" Lucas asked.

​"It's... Come to my house with Dart after school. I have to show you something," Will began, still staring at the future demodog. "He must be starving..."

​"He's fine, I gave him nougats," Dustin said, trying to reassure himself.

​"It's not enough..."

​As soon as school was over, the whole little group gathered at the Byers'. Jonathan was still at the high school and Joyce had a date with Bob. Ziggy came to greet his mother as he did every day, but he stopped dead and sniffed toward Dustin's bag.

​"What's wrong with your dog?" Dustin asked, lifting his bag to protect Dart.

​"Ziggy, stop it," Will said coldly.

​Ziggy growled slightly but stopped and moved close to Will while maintaining a defensive posture.

​"Dart... Dart is the same species as Ziggy..." Will began.

​"Will... A tadpole can't become a dog," Lucas cut in.

​"Exactly, Ziggy isn't a dog. Don't be afraid, he's harmless."

​Will removed Ziggy's collar. In front of everyone, the dog-like appearance disappeared to reveal his real stature: a monster that reached Will's waist. Lucas backed away, as did Max. Dustin observed with scientific interest, then looked toward his bag. Mike... Mike stepped forward to pet Ziggy's flower.

​"What kind of monster is it?" Lucas asked.

​"From what I understand, it's a subspecies. Do you remember the demogorgons?"

​Will looked at each person as they all nodded, except for Max.

​"Well, Ziggy is a demodog. And Dart will become one too."

​Lucas stared at the large demodog and stepped forward to timidly pet Ziggy's flower. The "dog" reacted as usual, rubbing his head against Lucas's hand and begging for a treat.

​"And how do we feed them? You said Dart must be hungry..." Dustin asked.

​Will looked at Dart, then Ziggy. He had to tell them... It was for Dart's sake, but he hoped it wouldn't break the bond with Ziggy.

​"With blood..."

​Mike snapped his head up so fast Will thought it had come off.

​"Blood?" Mike asked in horror. "But Ziggy grew up without..."

​"I had to give him blood three times a day for a month for him to become an adult."

​"Where did you find blood in the Upside Down?"

​Will didn't answer; he lowered his head, and the silence answered the question. It wasn't blood; it was his blood.

​"You fed him... with your blood?!" Mike yelled.

​Will quickly moved in front of Ziggy to try to protect him in case anyone tried to attack him.

​"It was the only way for him to grow. It was the only way to get back home."

​Dustin looked at Dart, who was starting to get restless. He was hungry, it was obvious...

​"I'm going to feed him," Dustin said.

​"Are you serious?! What if it's dangerous? What if he gets a taste for blood and eats you?" Lucas questioned.

​"Ziggy seems harmless..." Max began. "All dogs are good as long as they don't fall into the hands of the wrong people."

​"And I'm sure Dustin will take good care of him."

​Will looked for a needle so Dustin could prick his finger. The toothless boy didn't hesitate; he pricked it and let the blood drip onto the ground for Dart. But something was wrong... Yes, Dart sucked up the blood, but he clearly didn't seem satisfied... Yet Ziggy had been when he was young...

​"He's still hungry..." Will said.

​Without further delay, Will took the needle in turn to let a few drops of blood flow. Dart swallowed the liquid and seemed much more alive just after drinking three drops. Dustin couldn't feed him...

​"Dustin..." Will began.

​"It's okay, if that's what he needs, then..." Dustin interrupted.

​"That's the thing, I can't give him as much blood as I gave Ziggy. I felt faint when I gave it, and I don't plan on fainting in front of my mother."

​Dustin nodded. He understood Will's detachment.

​"Yeah, of course..."

​"And maybe you should mix our two bloods every day so he understands that you are his father."

​Will petted Ziggy when he noticed his son was staring at Dart with suspicion.

​"I wonder who his mother is..."

​"His mother? Do they have parents?" Dustin asked.

Today, Will was beyond excited. It was a day like any other, another outing with his friends, but with every outing, he felt that freedom. That famous freedom he had lost during the month in the Upside Down. That freedom every human wanted.

​Today, Will was going to the arcade with his friends. He had brought his small savings and had climbed into Joyce's car after giving Ziggy some pets. The arcade didn't allow animals; Will knew it and felt a bit sad leaving his son at home, but sometimes he needed moments without Ziggy. And besides, Ziggy wasn't afraid; he knew very well that Will would never abandon him.

​The child got out of the car after kissing his mother’s cheek. The evening had started well while Dustin was trying to save Princess Daphne. Everything was going fine; Will was having fun with his friends. Will was laughing internally when Dustin fell from his title against MadMax.

​But while his friends were arguing with an adult, Will moved closer to the exit. Something was wrong... He turned back toward his friends, but he was now alone in the arcade. There wasn't a single human left... In two seconds, the atmosphere changed and Will was back in the Upside Down. Vines had buried the arcade machines.

​At the Byers', everything was fine. Joyce was watching a movie with Ziggy sitting against her legs. She was slightly worried about Will, but that’s normal: he’s her child. And besides, she knew everything was over... Well, almost over, given the episodes Will was suffering from... But something changed. Ziggy stood up, his head turned toward the arcade, and he ran to scratch at the front door. Joyce didn’t understand what was happening... No one understood it, but Ziggy had felt Will’s passage into the Upside Down and he was ready to run a marathon to reach Will and protect his "nurse."

​Will was afraid. He didn’t want to be alone here, he didn’t want to go back to this nightmarish dimension, he didn’t want to find Vecna again... He was on the verge of having a panic attack when Mike’s hand landed on his shoulder.

​“Will, come on, it’s your turn for the game.”

​And Will calmed down. He was back in the normal world; there was no more danger... Ziggy abruptly stopped pawing at the door. He felt that the Upside Down was gone and that Will was safe.

​The next day, the whole group got to meet the famous MadMax... Or rather, the famous girl behind that pseudonym. She was new in their class; she had immediately caught everyone's eyes thanks to her carrot-red hair and her skateboard. During the entire recess, the boys watched her to debate whether or not Maxine - Max - was indeed MadMax. Will was sure of it; it had to be her. She was cool, so she could be the mystery player.

​But everything was cut short for Will; his mother came to pick him up from school... Will was going to miss classes again to go see Doctor Owens. The doctors were going to have plenty more tests to do on Will’s body. The child was going to have to repeat his episode a multitude of times again... Will didn’t like going there. Yes, the doctor was kind to him, but something seemed almost fake about him. Today again, Doctor Owens tried to strike up a conversation. Once again, he tried to create a bond with the child. But Will didn’t want to; he didn’t want to linger here. He just wanted to go home.

​Joyce listened to the doctor. She couldn’t bring herself to think that her baby was going to have more and more episodes and that she was supposed to do nothing. It was complicated to stay calm when Will had two episodes during the month. It was insurmountable to see her child afraid and to be unable to do anything to help him.

​“You must trust me,” Doctor Owens said.

​But Doctor Owens was right; she had to trust him. He was the only one on their side and the only one who could help Will get better.

​Today, it was finally the festival of magical and enchanting creatures. Today, it was Halloween! And Will fully intended to collect a ton of candy. The group of friends had even decided to do a group costume.

​Will was adjusting his Ghostbusters uniform while looking at himself in the mirror. He knew very well that his costume would be different from his friends', but Joyce had made it for him. She had taken her time, and even if it wasn't perfect, Will was satisfied with it.

​Will felt a bit bad leaving Ziggy alone at home, so his mother suggested he take him along. This suited everyone; Will could be with his son, Jonathan could go to a party with Nancy without worrying about Will, and Joyce could spend an evening with Bob.

​Trick-or-treating was going quite well. The bag was already full for the four boys. Everything was fine, until a scare struck when someone dressed as Michael Myers frightened them. Dustin jumped, Lucas let out a small, "very manly" scream. Mike stepped in front of Will as if to protect him while slamming his eyes shut out of fear; Will gripped Mike’s costume, trembling with fright, and Ziggy growled to protect the group. But the fear vanished when the mask was removed and they saw Max.

​Will had stayed back with Mike and Ziggy. He watched Lucas and Dustin trying in vain to impress Max. Even Ziggy understood that the two boys wanted the same girl, but their friendship didn't seem troubled by it, so the circle of the pack remained stable. It was just going to grow a little.

​But Mike didn’t seem as joyful as the rest of his friends. He didn’t want a new member in the Party. He didn’t want Max in his circle. So he left Will to try to calm his rage.

​In a second, several people appeared. In a second, Will was insulted as a zombie. In a second, Ziggy started growling. And in a second, Will had an episode. He was back in the Upside Down...

​But this time, he wasn't alone. Ziggy was there. Ziggy had crossed over with him... It couldn't be a hallucination if the "dog" was present. He raised his head and a giant black shadow appeared. Something that moved...

​Will ran toward the nearest house and then sat in a fetal position to try to stay inconspicuous. He stayed like that for a few minutes with Ziggy resting his head—his flower—on Will’s thighs. He stayed in this dark universe until Mike placed his hand on the shoulder of the boy with the bowl cut.

​Will was back in the normal world but he seemed terrified. As a good friend, Mike helped him walk and took him to the Wheelers', thus ending the candy collection.

​Dustin was finally heading home. The hunt was over... But as he approached the house, Dustin heard a noise near the trash can outside. At first, he thought it was the cat, but a violent noise came from the bin. He gathered his courage and opened the lid to find a sort of tadpole whose species he didn't know.

​Without a second thought, Dustin brought it back to his room and put it in his turtle’s terrarium. He had to lower the heat upon noticing the creature's discomfort and he fed it with a nougat he had just received during his collection.

Chapter 18 : A Dose of Normalcy

Time had passed at a breakneck speed.. Ten months had already gone by since Will had been found. Ten months where Will’s life was starting to return to a normal life finally.. As normal as a life cohabitating with a demodog could be.

But, Will loved this life. He loved waking up with Ziggy sleeping against his legs. He loved giving caresses to his son. He loved going out into the forest with his friends. He loved watching Ziggy play the fool to receive treats from Lucas or cuddles from Mike.

What he loved a bit less was when Ziggy came back from hunting. Now that he was big, now that he was an adult, Ziggy had become independent. He hunted alone to feed himself. Oh, that didn't bother Will.. No, what bothered him were the carcasses that his child brought back to him.

But Will couldn't refuse. It was a gift from his son, it was like when he offered a drawing to his mother. And a gift is not something you refuse. He didn't want to make Ziggy sad by throwing the carcasses in the trash, but he clearly couldn't keep them because of the smell.

So, he found a solution and he had to teach it to Ziggy one way or another. It broke his heart to hear the demodog's plaintive whimpers, but he threw them away. And he had to have a discussion with Ziggy.

"Sweetie.. I love your gifts." Will started, lying outrageously. "But it's too bulky.. Plus, you're depriving yourself of food by bringing back dead animals.."

But Ziggy cried – if a demodog could cry – so Will took out something he had kept from an animal carcass: a bone. Will had cleaned it before holding it like that, but the most important thing was that he had an object to show Ziggy.

"I accept bones. It's small and it doesn't smell like anything. If you want to give a gift to mommy then you will bring back bones.. Okay Ziggy?"

The “dog” barked, but Will didn't know if Ziggy's intelligence was great enough to understand..

Against all odds, Ziggy was truly intelligent and he understood Will because the next day, Will woke up with several bones on the floor of his room that seemed cleaned by Ziggy's drool. In a heartbeat, Will took an empty box and tucked them inside after having actually cleaned them. Every week, Ziggy brought some back and every week Will added them to his collection.

A dose of normalcy was back. Will could go out with his friends but every time he took his “dog” with him – except in places forbidden to animals – and The Party had accepted Ziggy very well. Mike knew the secret behind this dog's appearance but the others.. Will wanted to wait until they had bonded in friendship with Ziggy before showing them his child's appearance.

The reason is that he will take Max's place in the rewrite of the season 4.

Chapter 17 : Defiance

Henry sat on the sofa in his manor. Everything was quiet—far too quiet since Will had returned home. He didn't like this stillness, but it was the best way to invade the human world.

​The Mind Flayer was inside Will, just as it was inside Henry. In a sense, Henry felt linked to Will. This child... he would grow up to become an ally. Henry was certain of it. He had watched the budding relationship between Ziggy and Will. He was sure that Will would make a fine leader for the future demodogs.

​Speaking of Ziggy, Henry closed his eyes to concentrate. Concentrating on what? On his connection with Ziggy. He had to meditate to ensure he didn't make a mistake; he didn't want to find himself inside the mind of some other hound.

​As soon as the connection was established, Henry could see a woman stroking Ziggy. He ordered the dog to turn its head, intending to locate Will in the room, but against all expectations, Ziggy didn't budge. Ziggy did not obey; he preferred the affection to Henry's direct order.

​Vecna was surprised; it was the first time a demodog had refused his commands. He was about to try again, but Will’s voice rang out from another room.

​"Ziggy! Heel!" Will shouted so that Ziggy could hear him.

​The woman pulled her hand away, and Henry saw Ziggy run to find Will. The dog sat right in front of him, and Henry was able to observe Will. The child was doing well. His son was doing well, and that was the only thing that mattered to Henry.

​But through the hive mind, Henry could sense that Will had a "baby" inside him. He knew that Will’s family was about to grow.

Chapter 16 : Ziggy's Education

Jonathan was an observer. All his life, he had analyzed people's reactions and social behaviors; thanks to that, he had learned how to act. And then, there was always that gaze through the lens of his camera. He was constantly watching someone, even if it was just for the duration of a snapshot.

With this habit, Jonathan immediately noticed the change in his mother’s attitude toward Ziggy. He noted the small smiles; he even caught an almost cute growl coming from the animal’s throat. He deduced that Joyce had accepted this "dog" into the family. And if she accepted him, then Jonathan had to as well.

Will, for his part, was spending more and more time at the hospital... At first, he only went once a week. Then, it increased to two days... And now, he had been confined to his hospital room for four days. The doctors insisted he stay a full week. Will was growing impatient. He feared finding a starving Ziggy or... finding him sated after feeding on his own family. But it was only anxiety, a nightmare. He knew very well that Ziggy wouldn't touch a hair on his "pack."

Joyce had been taking care of Ziggy for a month now. A month of feeding him every day, but something seemed wrong: Ziggy was eating less and less. Was he sick? Yet, he acted normally. Could the illusion maintaining the dog's appearance also hide a sickly state? Still, he seemed in better shape than when he first arrived at the Byers' house.

Yes, Joyce was worried. She was starting to get attached to this beast; she had finally formed a bond with it. It was fragile, a thread that could snap at any moment, but she nurtured it daily. And every day, she tried to teach Ziggy how to play dead on command. After a month, she finally succeeded. The "dog" listened to her and understood the order. She couldn't wait to show Will!

But Joyce wasn't the only one looking after Ziggy. Jonathan had taken the initiative by observing his mother’s growing closeness with the creature. And besides, with what Will had told him, he felt obligated to practice shooting. He wasn't gifted at it; his hands shook, and sometimes he didn't dare aim at an animal. But he had to overcome that fear. For Will.

So, he sometimes went out with Nancy to practice. She knew how to shoot; she was beautiful and wild in her own way. When he went into the woods, he took Ziggy with him. He had to take him out; Will had made him promise. Against all expectations, Jonathan enjoyed the animal’s presence. This "dog" did nothing wrong: he followed butterflies, ate grass, and chased squirrels. He seemed harmless. But Jonathan knew the truth: he was a predator. A predator tamed by Will, granted, but a predator nonetheless.

Jonathan began to study the creature. He saw clearly that it could be violent, but that it held back because Will had taught it to. Yet, Will needed a protector, and Ziggy was the ideal candidate. Jonathan just had to release the monster's instinct, while teaching him who to attack and who never to touch. It took time, but Ziggy finally learned after two months of living together.

"Attack," Jonathan said during a hunting session.

Before him and Nancy, Ziggy pounced on a deer. He chased it for a few minutes before returning, the lifeless animal between his jaws. Strangely, Jonathan felt proud. Nancy, for her part, watched the dog with curiosity.

"Your dog is violent," she said, stepping forward to pet Ziggy’s head.

Jonathan tensed, instinctively loading his rifle, ready to intervene if the situation spiraled. Apparently, he too possessed a protective instinct toward those he cherished. Ziggy growled slightly while sniffing the girl's hand. Over time, he had accepted her as a hunting companion, even if he had never received affection from her. Then, he calmed down as he caught the scent of Mike on her. It was faint, but present. If Mike was part of the family, then this girl was too. And Will had taught him not to bite the family.

Will ran to Ziggy as soon as he got home. The monster rubbed against his "mother’s" legs, yelping to show his joy and excitement. Will petted his son's head, a slight smile turned toward Joyce. He was so grateful she had cared for the creature during his absence.

Joyce smiled as she watched their reunion; Ziggy seemed calmer now and Will looked truly happy to be back with his "dog." It was almost an ordinary scene—a cute scene. Jonathan watched the affectionate nudges Ziggy gave Will’s body. It wasn't violence; he had learned that the hard way from receiving the same treatment during their outings. It was his way of being affectionate, and he knew the beast was containing its strength so as not to hurt the boy.

Joyce was the first to break the silence that had settled over the living room.

"Will, I have something to show you," she began. "Ziggy."

The monster raised its head to look at Joyce. Will stared at his mother, puzzled. The matriarch paused, savoring the anticipation of the moment.

"Play dead."

And just like that, Ziggy let himself fall heavily to the ground. He let his tongue hang out to perfect the illusion. Will’s eyes widened, looking from Ziggy to Joyce, completely stunned.

"You... you taught him a trick..."

He wasn't angry, far from it. He was surprised. To him, his mother had done the bare minimum by feeding the "baby" of the family, but he never imagined she would take the time to create a real bond with Ziggy, to the point of training him. Will was about to say something, to thank her. He wanted to test the command himself to see if Ziggy would respond to his voice. But he was cut short by Jonathan.

"Ziggy, attack," the older brother ordered, pointing to a pillow on the sofa.

In a flash, the "dog" abandoned his limp pose to leap onto the furniture and shred the poor cushion in a burst of feathers. Will watched Ziggy’s movement with a small jolt. It wasn't fear; it was pure shock. Joyce let out a small cry of surprise as Ziggy returned to Jonathan to drop the scraps of fabric right at his feet.

"That’s why he’s been eating less lately..." Joyce deduced.

"He was eating less?" Will asked.

Joyce laughed lightly.

"Yes! I was so afraid he was sick! But it’s actually because he was eating during his hunts with Jonathan."

"He only ate what he could catch," Jonathan said.

Will leaned down to kiss his son’s slimy flower.

Chapter 15 : Taming

Mike had gone home a few minutes ago. The Byers found themselves alone in their house. Will wasn't exactly trying to avoid his mother... or perhaps he was doing it subconsciously, for the child in him still sought her protection. Yet, he felt he shouldn't stay so close to her.

He knew he made her nervous. He could clearly see that Joyce wanted nothing to do with Ziggy, but he also knew that his monstrous son refused to leave him.

Will sensed that Ziggy would one day venture into the woods alone. He felt Ziggy could become independent; that wasn't the problem. The trouble was that Ziggy knew neither this new family nor this new place. The solution was simple: Will had to give him time to adjust.

But this solution wasn't perfect. Will could no longer share intimate moments with his mother. He was forced to see her flinch at every sudden movement from his baby... And so, Will withdrew into himself. He stayed either in his room with his "dog" or in the forest to let Ziggy explore the surroundings.

Yet, Will hated it. He hated being in those woods. He could see himself there again, running like a madman to escape the clutches of Demogorgons and Vecna... He was panicked by every crackle, every sound that was a bit too loud. But he forced himself. For his son, he had to make the effort.

On her end, Joyce was afraid. Not of her son—quite the opposite: she trembled for him. She had seen that monster and, even if Will seemed to control the beast, she feared the creature might eventually lash out at her baby. Accidents happen so fast...

A week passed this way after Will's return. A week during which he avoided his family. Joyce finally approached her boy’s bedroom; she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to summon every ounce of her courage to find some semblance of family life. A semblance of normalcy.

She finally dared to open the door. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of that thing's open maw, so close to her son. It was going to hurt him... It was going to devour him... But her thoughts stopped dead when she heard Will’s laughter.

"There! That’s how we hunt, Ziggy."

His son was taking his role to heart... And the dog moved away as soon as he understood the lesson. Maybe Will really could tame him? Maybe this creature could truly be part of the family?

Joyce decided to try. She took advantage of a day when Will was forced to stay at the hospital for tests and analyses. She used the opportunity to get closer to Ziggy. She started by staying in the same room as him, watching him in silence. She quickly realized there was no hostility. True, the "dog" seemed restless, but Joyce felt it was due to Will’s absence.

She stayed like that for long minutes in the living room, watching Ziggy circle the room. Then, she got up to fetch a piece of meat from the fridge. Perhaps if she fed him... yes, perhaps the creature would eventually accept her. She could become a constant in this animal’s life. And, by extension, Joyce might finally find her place beside her son again.

Ziggy watched Joyce’s hand. It wasn't the meat he saw, but that outstretched hand reaching for him. A hand in which he recognized a faint scent of Will.

Joyce was so frightened that she couldn't yet bring her fingers near that gaping maw. Her courage wasn't great enough. So, she placed the meat on the floor and stepped back to give Ziggy some space.

The animal hesitated. He stared at Joyce for a moment before sniffing the piece of raw flesh. The scent seemed normal... He took a first bite, never taking his eyes off Joyce. The texture was familiar. He preferred it cooked, but he understood the main point: this woman hadn't set a trap for him.

Joyce remained seated on the sofa while Ziggy devoured his meal on the floor. If she had to do this for Will, she would do it without hesitation. When Ziggy finished eating, he let out a small grunt toward her. It wasn't mean; it was a sign of recognition. As if he were thanking this woman.

Chapter 14 : Uncle Mike

Will was sitting in the living room, sandwiched between his older brother and his mother. He had decided to tell them what had happened so he could protect them.

"It was cold... so cold... There were creatures..." He glanced toward Mike. "Like Demogorgons. I ran to escape them and..."

Will tensed up; he didn't feel brave enough to talk about it. He didn't want to bring it up, and it wasn't essential for them to understand his story. Why should he have to relive that scene over and over in his mind? Besides, even if he had wanted to—which he didn't—he wouldn't have found the words to describe such an agonizing moment. That moment when he no longer felt free, when his body refused to respond... that moment when he had been so vulnerable.

"I got infected when I drank some water..."

Yes, it was better to lie. He would tell the truth when he was ready. Above all, he didn't want his family and Mike to look at Ziggy as if his baby were responsible for his suffering.

"But I found a sanctuary. I found Henry, and he helped me survive... He’s the one who saved me from the monsters and allowed me to come home."

He stroked his son's petal-head, a faint smile on his lips. Thinking of Henry made his chest tighten.

"And since I was infected, I threw up a larva. I created Ziggy..."

He pointed to the dog by his side, then let out a sigh.

"Don't be afraid... He won't hurt you."

He reached out and removed the collar from the Demodog's neck to reveal the "dog's" true appearance. Will's smile faltered slightly as he saw Joyce jerk back in retreat. Mike, however, watched the creature with a hint of fascination before locking eyes with Will.

"You became the mother of a monster? That’s... that’s..."

*Disgusting, horrible, shocking, unimaginable, vile...*

"That’s breathtaking! You have a monster protecting you..."

Breathtaking? Alright, Will was lost. Was he dreaming? Why was Mike reacting like this?

"Ziggy," Mike said in that tender voice adults use for babies or pets, as he knelt down to the creature's level. "If Will is your mommy, then I’m your uncle."