guillotine blossom !

(Mainly because I wanna be DONE with this shit)

[After days upon days of suffering in the heat, battling threats to their survival, and overall fighting to stay alive, BanHammer and his allies, alongside a few of the RedCliffe Wranglers have finally made it to the location of the Church of the True Eye, ready to charge in and bring the whole place down]

[As they dismounted the giant birds that the Wranglers had so kindly let them ride on, BanHammer noticed something amiss as they approached the towering structure…it seemed…underprotected. Silent. Were they hiding? Have they already fled? Something was definitely off…]

[BanHammer also began to feel a rather ominous presence hanging in the air…something was here. Something bigger than all of them. Something they could never hope to actually face.]

[He signaled the group to stay back, as he walked inside alone.]

“…something’s in there. I’m gonna check it out. Stay here.”

(OOC: I’ll let yall know when it’s time to respond. For now it’s gonna be 1 on 1 with this person)

@theeyefrombelow

(For the homies who wanna spectate until I queue you all in. I will tell you when that happens don’t worry. Let me cook )

@kumonohoshi

@chucks-rocks-at-u

@vinestaffette

@redcliffcowboy

@sword1437

Sitting in silence, she was thinking to herself. She was told that the church was going and hiding, and that she would handle it herself.

Maybe it was best, nobody wanted to get caught in the crossfire of her plan. She was cut out of her heavy thinking when she heard the sound of footsteps.

It seemed the “guests” had arrived.

Waiting until she could see the warden appear in her line of sight, she moved swiftly, shadow dancing across the walls as she made her way down to him.

His eyes widened with suprise and horror

“…what are you doing here…?”

[The Warden hissed, looking rather irritated at their presence. They had been pestering him for a good part of his journey, and now they seem to be actively sabotaging his efforts.]

“How silly of you to ask that, I’ve always been here.”

She noticed the lack of any other Inphernals.

“Did you warn the Church we were coming?! Why are you doing this?! I’m doing this to protect people! This church KILLS people!”

“Oh, spare me the yelling and the anger and whatever else. This place provided a safe haven for those that are lost in society, especially for those that managed to escape the scorch with their lives.”

There was a strong tone of distaste when she mentioned them. Clearly, her and the SFOTH did not get along.

“You’re acting like every living thing that dwells this place is evil and unforgivable, almost acting like you aren’t close with one of us.”

“And I know that not everyone is a criminal! I’m not that much of a tyrant! And the middle oph a desert isn’t anywhere near safe! People probably die oph heatstroke out here all the time!…”

[It was clear BanHammer was beginning to lose his composure. This place was a terrible and corrupt cult, yes, but it was clear that this demon had a point. There were probably many wayward souls here who would’ve died if not for the Church…but…The Church still took advantage of their vulnerability!]

“You’re beginning to falter, warden!”

She was almost amused by it.

“Me and the Swords, let’s say we have… a rather complicated history together. Maybe if you turn your tail and run, you’d get some answers from your mother.”

“But I know you won’t, so… why not take a look at these?”

[BanHammer read through each paper thoroughly, his expression shifting more and more into one of confusion and fear the more he looked…there…there was an eighth deity nobody told him about…? Erased from history? These were clearly torn from books right?]

“…you…you are a deity…? Why…why was I never told?! Why have these pages oph you been torn…?”

She frowned at his last sentence, but alas, people would assume the worst.

“…and iph you’re going to stop me phrom bringing them in…then I guess I might.”

“Haha….HAHAHAHAHA!”

“Laughable, honestly. But If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll get. It’s been a while since I had a proper fight…”

“Too slow.”

“Dirty move.”

[He went to doge the slashes without realizing they were simply a diversion before taking the full force of the strike. It sent him backwards once again.]

“Ghhh…I’m…j-just getting warmed up…!”

[He tried to play it cool, despite the fact he was now bleeding and beginning to cough blood]

She tilted her head, noticing as the crimson dripped to the floor. She knew she was winning.

[Shit…he’s bleeding, AND he’s losing the phight! Is this where he died? He was NOT going out like some punk who couldn’t phight! But he couldn’t bring JUSTICE if he died here!]

[Shit. He WAS faltering. He hated that she was right. But he didn’t know what else to do. He needed to keep fighting or who KNOWS what could happen?!]

[He needed healing, or he was gonna pass out soon. Vinestaff! He needed to go find her!]

[He turned towards the entryway he came from and began making a run for it]

She immediately launched another hard-hitting strike against him, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up, she stomped on his chest and pointed the blade at him.

“I’ll admit, you put up a good fight… but running away? Ha. Nice to know Windforce’s brat is also a coward.”

She insulted him. If anyone needed to enter, it was now or never.

“SOMEBODY…PLEASE…!!!”

[He cried out, hoping that someone outside in his group heard him. He didn’t wanna die like this. Not like this.]

@vinestaffette

" Banhammer ? ? ! - What , who ? “

<they shake their head, shooting a flower pellet at the ground nearby banhammer.>

“We need to go! NOW!! RUN!!”

@vinestaffette

<without waiting for answers to any of their questions, they are already booking it, paying minor attention to who that was. running alongside banhammer.>

“You can’t run from me.”

She shortly pursued after them.

[He huffed and puffed, struggling to catch his breath as he saw the entrance grow closer. Should probably keep healing him as they run so he doesn’t collapse]

“Make sure nobody phalls behind!”

@vinestaffette

" Lean on me if you’ve gotta ! - Is she behind us ? ! "

A flick of her wrist, and multiple green projectiles hit each and every plant that sprouted, leaving none alive.

Once weak, she decided to strike Vinestaff this time, forcing the two apart.

<Vinestaff assesses their own injury , deeming it unbothersome. locking on to Daemonshank. firing a larger projectile , leeching a bit off of their health , only to supply it to Banhammer.>

@tyrant-w4rden

“EVERYONE RUN!!! PHOLLOW ME AND DONT LOOK BACK!!”

(OOC: anyways make sure to follow the reply order from top to bottom. The response doesn’t need to be heavy, just write about either following Banhammer or questioning wtf is going on. And be patient! Don’t reply until it’s your turn.]

@vinestaffette

@sword1437

@kumonohoshi

@wranglinspiders

@chucks-rocks-at-u

@redcliffcowboy

@theeyefrombelow

huh . that’s not good . i think we’re in danger !

i thought to myself . i immediately summoned my gear and started to pick up the pace before eventually them catching up to the group to keep running . id figure i would have enough for a phinisher saved ,

what happened ..?!

the  vigilante,  known  for  confronting  his  challenges  head-on,  found  himself  reluctantly  complying  with  the  warden’s  urgent  command.

he  understood  all  too  well  that  to  uncover  the  truth  behind  katana’s  killer,  he  had  to  prioritize  his  own  survival  for  now.

time  was  of  the  essence,  and  every  choice  mattered  in  his  dangerous  game.

with  a  swift  motion,  he  hurled  his  grapple  toward  a  sturdy  object,  feeling  the  thrill  as  he  prepared  to  swing  out  into  the  open  air.

as  he  launched  himself  forward  and  out  of  danger,  he  released  the  grapple,  letting  it  soar  before  deftly  reeling  it  back  in.  he  executed  a  smooth  landing,  hitting  the  ground  with  a  satisfying  thud,  adrenaline  coursing  through  his  veins.

fucking  aura.  did  that  look  cool  ?  it  probably  looked  cool  to  the  others.  wait,  that  was  not  the  point  now,  silver  shadow,  focus!

he  shook  his  head,  exhaling  heavily.

“  that  was  …  interesting.  ”

he  rested  his  hand  on  his  mask,  the  heat  of  the  desert  sun  beating  down  mercilessly.  taking  it  off  in  front  of  the  others  was  not  an  option,  no  matter  how  suffocating  it  felt.

(Mainly because I wanna be DONE with this shit)

[After days upon days of suffering in the heat, battling threats to their survival, and overall fighting to stay alive, BanHammer and his allies, alongside a few of the RedCliffe Wranglers have finally made it to the location of the Church of the True Eye, ready to charge in and bring the whole place down]

[As they dismounted the giant birds that the Wranglers had so kindly let them ride on, BanHammer noticed something amiss as they approached the towering structure…it seemed…underprotected. Silent. Were they hiding? Have they already fled? Something was definitely off…]

[BanHammer also began to feel a rather ominous presence hanging in the air…something was here. Something bigger than all of them. Something they could never hope to actually face.]

[He signaled the group to stay back, as he walked inside alone.]

“…something’s in there. I’m gonna check it out. Stay here.”

(OOC: I’ll let yall know when it’s time to respond. For now it’s gonna be 1 on 1 with this person)

@theeyefrombelow

(For the homies who wanna spectate until I queue you all in. I will tell you when that happens don’t worry. Let me cook )

@kumonohoshi

@chucks-rocks-at-u

@vinestaffette

@redcliffcowboy

@sword1437

Sitting in silence, she was thinking to herself. She was told that the church was going and hiding, and that she would handle it herself.

Maybe it was best, nobody wanted to get caught in the crossfire of her plan. She was cut out of her heavy thinking when she heard the sound of footsteps.

It seemed the “guests” had arrived.

Waiting until she could see the warden appear in her line of sight, she moved swiftly, shadow dancing across the walls as she made her way down to him.

His eyes widened with suprise and horror

“…what are you doing here…?”

[The Warden hissed, looking rather irritated at their presence. They had been pestering him for a good part of his journey, and now they seem to be actively sabotaging his efforts.]

“How silly of you to ask that, I’ve always been here.”

She noticed the lack of any other Inphernals.

“Did you warn the Church we were coming?! Why are you doing this?! I’m doing this to protect people! This church KILLS people!”

“Oh, spare me the yelling and the anger and whatever else. This place provided a safe haven for those that are lost in society, especially for those that managed to escape the scorch with their lives.”

There was a strong tone of distaste when she mentioned them. Clearly, her and the SFOTH did not get along.

“You’re acting like every living thing that dwells this place is evil and unforgivable, almost acting like you aren’t close with one of us.”

“And I know that not everyone is a criminal! I’m not that much of a tyrant! And the middle oph a desert isn’t anywhere near safe! People probably die oph heatstroke out here all the time!…”

[It was clear BanHammer was beginning to lose his composure. This place was a terrible and corrupt cult, yes, but it was clear that this demon had a point. There were probably many wayward souls here who would’ve died if not for the Church…but…The Church still took advantage of their vulnerability!]

“You’re beginning to falter, warden!”

She was almost amused by it.

“Me and the Swords, let’s say we have… a rather complicated history together. Maybe if you turn your tail and run, you’d get some answers from your mother.”

“But I know you won’t, so… why not take a look at these?”

[BanHammer read through each paper thoroughly, his expression shifting more and more into one of confusion and fear the more he looked…there…there was an eighth deity nobody told him about…? Erased from history? These were clearly torn from books right?]

“…you…you are a deity…? Why…why was I never told?! Why have these pages oph you been torn…?”

She frowned at his last sentence, but alas, people would assume the worst.

“…and iph you’re going to stop me phrom bringing them in…then I guess I might.”

“Haha….HAHAHAHAHA!”

“Laughable, honestly. But If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you’ll get. It’s been a while since I had a proper fight…”

“Too slow.”

“Dirty move.”

[He went to doge the slashes without realizing they were simply a diversion before taking the full force of the strike. It sent him backwards once again.]

“Ghhh…I’m…j-just getting warmed up…!”

[He tried to play it cool, despite the fact he was now bleeding and beginning to cough blood]

She tilted her head, noticing as the crimson dripped to the floor. She knew she was winning.

[Shit…he’s bleeding, AND he’s losing the phight! Is this where he died? He was NOT going out like some punk who couldn’t phight! But he couldn’t bring JUSTICE if he died here!]

[Shit. He WAS faltering. He hated that she was right. But he didn’t know what else to do. He needed to keep fighting or who KNOWS what could happen?!]

[He needed healing, or he was gonna pass out soon. Vinestaff! He needed to go find her!]

[He turned towards the entryway he came from and began making a run for it]

She immediately launched another hard-hitting strike against him, knocking him to the ground. Before he could get up, she stomped on his chest and pointed the blade at him.

“I’ll admit, you put up a good fight… but running away? Ha. Nice to know Windforce’s brat is also a coward.”

She insulted him. If anyone needed to enter, it was now or never.

“SOMEBODY…PLEASE…!!!”

[He cried out, hoping that someone outside in his group heard him. He didn’t wanna die like this. Not like this.]

@vinestaffette

" Banhammer ? ? ! - What , who ? “

<they shake their head, shooting a flower pellet at the ground nearby banhammer.>

“We need to go! NOW!! RUN!!”

@vinestaffette

<without waiting for answers to any of their questions, they are already booking it, paying minor attention to who that was. running alongside banhammer.>

“You can’t run from me.”

She shortly pursued after them.

[He huffed and puffed, struggling to catch his breath as he saw the entrance grow closer. Should probably keep healing him as they run so he doesn’t collapse]

“Make sure nobody phalls behind!”

@vinestaffette

" Lean on me if you’ve gotta ! - Is she behind us ? ! "

A flick of her wrist, and multiple green projectiles hit each and every plant that sprouted, leaving none alive.

Once weak, she decided to strike Vinestaff this time, forcing the two apart.

<Vinestaff assesses their own injury , deeming it unbothersome. locking on to Daemonshank. firing a larger projectile , leeching a bit off of their health , only to supply it to Banhammer.>

@tyrant-w4rden

“EVERYONE RUN!!! PHOLLOW ME AND DONT LOOK BACK!!”

(OOC: anyways make sure to follow the reply order from top to bottom. The response doesn’t need to be heavy, just write about either following Banhammer or questioning wtf is going on. And be patient! Don’t reply until it’s your turn.]

@vinestaffette

@sword1437

@kumonohoshi

@wranglinspiders

@chucks-rocks-at-u

@redcliffcowboy

@theeyefrombelow

huh . that’s not good . i think we’re in danger !

i thought to myself . i immediately summoned my gear and started to pick up the pace before eventually them catching up to the group to keep running . id figure i would have enough for a phinisher saved ,

what happened ..?!

the  vigilante,  known  for  confronting  his  challenges  head-on,  found  himself  reluctantly  complying  with  the  warden’s  urgent  command.

he  understood  all  too  well  that  to  uncover  the  truth  behind  katana’s  killer,  he  had  to  prioritize  his  own  survival  for  now.

time  was  of  the  essence,  and  every  choice  mattered  in  his  dangerous  game.

with  a  swift  motion,  he  hurled  his  grapple  toward  a  sturdy  object,  feeling  the  thrill  as  he  prepared  to  swing  out  into  the  open  air.

as  he  launched  himself  forward  and  out  of  danger,  he  released  the  grapple,  letting  it  soar  before  deftly  reeling  it  back  in.  he  executed  a  smooth  landing,  hitting  the  ground  with  a  satisfying  thud,  adrenaline  coursing  through  his  veins.

fucking  aura.  did  that  look  cool  ?  it  probably  looked  cool  to  the  others.  wait,  that  was  not  the  point  now,  silver  shadow,  focus!

he  shook  his  head,  exhaling  heavily.

“  that  was  …  interesting.  ”

he  rested  his  hand  on  his  mask,  the  heat  of  the  desert  sun  beating  down  mercilessly.  taking  it  off  in  front  of  the  others  was  not  an  option,  no  matter  how  suffocating  it  felt.

[It appears Grappling Hook has MANY new visitors to the campsite, courtesy of Chuck and Tara. They all look rather different from one another, but the one that stands out the most was the tallest one. Even taller than Tara, and wielding a hammer as tall as a small tree, and four eyes instead of two.]

“So this is your base oph operations…? Surprised anyone can live in this oven…I’ve been sweating since we got here and I’m not even in my armor! And I brought supplies!”

[He was talking to Chuck, specifically. Looking down at him since he is indeed very short]

@chucks-rocks-at-u

@wranglinspiders

@kumonohoshi

@vinestaffette

@sword1437

[OOC: Make sure to take turns gang cus we have a LOT of people. I can DM people for turn order if needed]

[ Grappling Hook was starting to wonder where half of their main team had gotten to, having to do all the work around here by themselves was exhausting... Oh they were going to have some big stern talks about this once the duo got back from their patrol. Hook was busy sorting some arrangements for some other wranglers as the group rolled up, catching the attention of everyone in the camp ogled like they were a roadside attraction. ]

[ Grapple turned around and just stared for a few moments before storming over to the group, stunned beyond belief that they'd trust some random group of what looked to be armed strangers right to their base of operations.. And without restraints no less! They ignored the newcomers for now and immediately grabbed both Tara and Chucks collars yanking them in close. ]

Where in lost temples great name have yall been?! I been running this place damn near solo! And who's this company ya bought along? We can't keep takin' in every poor straggler ya find, thats more mouths to feed that we just can't cover! Ye know how tight we are with the churchs greed and hold on supplies...

[ Grappling Hook let go and crossed their arms, huffing as they eyed the new company. They usually weren't this angry around others for a first impression... But this was important! Too much stuff has been happening as of late and they needed to be careful. ]

I'll get ta you lot in a second, come with me. We can talk in private. I have a feelin' I know already what yall's are lookin' for. Always the same three or four reasons nowadays...

'M sorry, Hook... We didn't mean t'cause ya more trouble...

—His voice was quiet, and Chuck lowered his head in shame. He'd practically forgotten about how angry he was at Tara for grabbing him and putting him over her shoulder!—

I promise I'll be 'round tomorrow ta help, for now just.. hear 'em out. They could help with the whole cult issue.

@wranglinspiders

@sword1437

@kumonohoshi

@vinestaffette

i quietly said to myself , watching the scene unfold in front of me . pondering if i should do something

we dont … plan to be here long .. ?

i whispered as if i was announcing something . i kept watching as we stood close to banhammer , him hearing my unsure sentences .

“Plus, we have our own supplies! We’re most definitely prepared!”

[He just waits around for them to stop arguing about whatever]

@kumonohoshi

@wranglinspiders

@vinestaffette

"Sorry, boss. Was just taking Tess out for a bit so she can stretch her wings... she's been a bit mopey since that cultist clipped her a couple weeks ago. Musta lost track of time up there."

She's used to being scolded for bringing outsiders in, though. She often needs to be reminded that outsiders generally can't be trusted.

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry, we ain't recruitin' 'em! Figured we could let 'em in since those two are Darkage and all... Plus, that little red one looks like a sparrow! How could I say no to that face?"

@kumonohoshi

<vinestaff trails off , deciding to save the whole darkage issue for later.>

@kumonohoshi

@tyrant-w4rden

did  one  of  them  see  through  him  ?  shit  …

“  i  ain't  from  darkage,  friend.  ”

he  shrugged.

“  but  i  do  know  a  shuriken.  he  thinks  very  highly  of  me,  i  think  …  ”

Hm.. the Warden of the Banlands.. yer a loooong way from home, ain't'cha?

@chucks-rocks-at-u

[BanHammer pauses, cocking his head to the side, and singals the others to stop. This must’ve been one of the Wranglers he was told about…]

“Eh? So what iph we are? We’re on an important mission of justice! And who are you supposed to be?”

[He also takes notice of how short this Inphernal is, given he’s like 7 feet tall himself. Oh my Swords, do NOT start laughing-]

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

—Chuck raised his head to look up at Banhammer. This annoyed him quite a bit, he hated being shorter than usual.—

Now.. y'mind tellin' me what yer doin' on Wrangler turf, or am I gonna have to find out m'self?

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

“I was told we’d come across some kind of…Recliphph Wranglers out here. I’m guessing that would be one oph you?”

[He peeks back to his group just to see how they were reactions to the situation]

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

—Chuck visibly shivered, shaking his head right after—

Anyway, yep. 'm part of the Wranglers. An' if ye want to go after the church... Yer not exactly goin' to find it so easy, big guy.

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

@sword1437

the  vigilante  had  suddenly  appeared  next  to  the  short  inphernal,  closing  the  distance  while  appearing  friendly  despite  the  mask  he  wore.  it  was  a  very  particular  tactic,  one  he  employed  once  when  first  talking  to  katana.

“  wether  it  be  a  simple  tip  or  guidance,  we'll  get  out  of  your  hair  and  we  won't  take  long  !  ”

[Our band of four seem to be making their way through Lost Temple little by little…and it’s going about as well as you expected. It’s dry, they’re constantly hiding from giant birds, and it’s hot, hot, HOT!]

[Even though Banhammer specially clothed himself for the heat of the desert, he [and presumably the rest of his 4 Inphernal squad] are not having a good time]

“…Oh my Swords…it’s so PHUCKING HOT. HOW DOES ANYONE LIVE OUT HERE?!!”

[He yelled, all the while still sweating buckets. They needed to find somewhere shaded before dark or they weren’t going to make it…]

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

the  vigilante  hands  vinestaff  a  full  tumbler  of  water.  he  walks  beside  her,  monitoring  her  state  in  the  heat  of  this  barren  desert.

the  vigilante  stands  firm,  seemingly  unfazed  by  the  hot  air  around  him.  even  with  his  mask  concealing  most  of  his  face,  he  exudes  a  calm  confidence,  showing  no  signs  of  dizziness  or  disorientation.

even  so,  he's  still  sweating,  messing  with  the  scarf  around  his  neck  as  it  trailed  behind  him.

“  you  alright,  ma'am  ?  ”

[Banhammer is clearly out of breath, and keeping Sword close by since he needs to protect him. Mainly so Venomshank doesn’t beat him as hard when he finds out Sword went missing-]

i fanned myself , my helmet primarily starting to rise in temperature due to its metal .

i point to a huge rock far across us , it seemed to have a big shade .

you think we can make it there ?.. frankly , i don’t know anything about .. lost temple

[BanHammer sprints towards the rock, leading the others to the cool shady location, plopping down flat on his backside to lean against the rocky wall]

“Swords, my pheet are killing me…iph I knew there was gonna be this much walking, I would’ve brought stronger boots…”

[He also takes a big gulp from his water container. He made sure to bring enough water to last them a while…]

@vinestaffette

his  scarf  billows  in  the  sandy  wind,  but  he  remains  unmoving.

“  so,  warden.  what're  we  lookin'  for  again  ?  ”

the  vigilante  turns  back  to  look  at  banhammer,  it's  hard  to  see,  but  he's  smiling  underneath  that  mask.

“  just  asking,  to  make  sure,  y'know  …  ”

he  idly  spins  a  kunai  in  his  hands,  turning  back  to  the  sandy  expanse  of  the  barren  lost  temple.

[Our band of four seem to be making their way through Lost Temple little by little…and it’s going about as well as you expected. It’s dry, they’re constantly hiding from giant birds, and it’s hot, hot, HOT!]

[Even though Banhammer specially clothed himself for the heat of the desert, he [and presumably the rest of his 4 Inphernal squad] are not having a good time]

“…Oh my Swords…it’s so PHUCKING HOT. HOW DOES ANYONE LIVE OUT HERE?!!”

[He yelled, all the while still sweating buckets. They needed to find somewhere shaded before dark or they weren’t going to make it…]

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

the  vigilante  hands  vinestaff  a  full  tumbler  of  water.  he  walks  beside  her,  monitoring  her  state  in  the  heat  of  this  barren  desert.

the  vigilante  stands  firm,  seemingly  unfazed  by  the  hot  air  around  him.  even  with  his  mask  concealing  most  of  his  face,  he  exudes  a  calm  confidence,  showing  no  signs  of  dizziness  or  disorientation.

even  so,  he's  still  sweating,  messing  with  the  scarf  around  his  neck  as  it  trailed  behind  him.

“  you  alright,  ma'am  ?  ”

“So, you in? We can’t leave just yet, but once we do, it’s probably gonna be a long journey…”

@kumonohoshi

@sword1437

(The crew members in question. Just tagging them so we know who everyone is :P)

just  as  the  moment  called  for  it,  the  vigilante  swooped  in  with  impeccable  timing.  out  of  nowhere,  he  materialized  on  banhammer's  back,  hitching  a  playful  piggyback  ride  that  took  the  poor  warden  by  surprise.

It was getting late. The sun was beginning to set and the city lights of Crossroads pollute the night sky sooner or later. Although Crossroads always remained loud and busy even at night, there were still some parts of the city that were often more secluded and quiet. The alleyways.

luckily,  he  fell  into  a  messy  pile  of  trash,  which  broke  his  fall  and  saved  him  from  a  serious  injury.

he  crawled  out  of  the  heap,  shaking  off  the  scraps  of  paper  and  plastic  that  clung  stubbornly  to  his  arms.

“  shit  …  ”

shuriken  muttered,  feeling  a  sharp  twinge  in  his  right  knee.

it  felt  twisted,  a  painful  reminder  of  his  clumsy  landing.  a  scowl  creased  his  forehead  as  frustration  bubbled  up  inside  him.

“  damn  it.  i'm  losing  my  edge  …  ”

shuriken  grumbled,  taking  a  moment  to  glance  around  and  steady  himself.

he  quickly  checked  his  pouch,  his  heart  pounding  a  little  faster  until  he  saw  that  everything  was  still  intact.

Moderately graphic descriptions of blood/gore. You have been warned

*It was odd of the Warden to ever let someone he was actively pursuing off with a warning…but what he’d seen during his pursuit of Rainbeau ( @rainbowmail ) simply could not be ignored. He slowly landed in the little nook of the city that he’d spotted the red splatters, and what he saw next was likely going to stick with him for a long while…*

“! Oh Swords…”

*He had just come across the scene of a disgustingly grizzly scene, an Inphernal ( @longingforachange ) who seems to have had their entire head blown off with a rifle of some kind. The remains of what was once their head and horns, alongside bits of bone and other gorey bits scattered across the scene like shattered glass. There also seemed to be broken remains of a white and red mask at the scene, likely worn by the victim. The amount of blood at the scene as well was much larger than it looked from the air, practically painting the walls surrounding it a gruesome shade of crimson.*

*To put it simply, it was BAD.*

*His shock and processing of the disturbing scene was briefly halted when he noticed another Inphernal who seems to have come across the area sooner than he did. And it seems they were in much more horror than he was. Perhaps this blue horned, cat-like Inphernal knew the victim personally…*

“…I don’t usually have to deal with stuff THIS rough…was…this person a phriend of yours?”

He was almost entirely covered in blood; the red stood out grotesquely against his white fur and light-colored clothing. His sobs were so loud he sounded like he was screaming.

He didn't answer Banhammer, too lost in the new and old trauma. Suddenly, he began to whisper Katana's name from time to time, and others that Banhammer didn't recognize.

He was hugging the body too tightly; Katana was twice his size and yet he was still lifting him. He had impressive strength, probably equivalent to all his pain.

*He gently tried to pry Slingshot off the body. Fuck, he needed to get this cleaned up and investigated ASAP. But first and foremost, he needed to get this guy out of here…*

“Listen kid, I’m real sorry about your phriend, but this is a crime scene now…gotta let the prophessionals handle this…”

— This is your fault. It's your job to stop those criminals. — She tried to keep her tone understandable but began to sob. — IT'S YOUR JOB! IT'S YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SAFE. HOW DID I GET HERE FIRST BEFORE YOU? HOW?! IS THIS JUST A CRIME SCENE TO YOU? WHAT WILL I TELL MY SIBLINGS?? — He started breathing with difficulty again. — KATANA IS DEAD, MY NEIGHBOR IS DEAD. AND FOR YOU, THIS WILL BE JUST A SIMPLE CRIME SCENE THAT YOU'LL INVESTIGATE FOR A FEW WEEKS, AND THE CRIMINAL WON'T BE FOUND BECAUSE YOU'RE A PIECE OF SHIT AT YOUR JOB. THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU HAVE THIS WORK IN QUOTATION MARKS IS BECAUSE YOU ARE A FUCKING DEMI DEITY. SO MUCH POWER ONLY TO BE USELESS! — He paused for a moment to catch his breath. (she is sooo mad that is yelling at him in english..) — you deities all are shit... I can bet the world would be better without you all...

*Banhammer didn’t know how to respond to that flurry of insults towards him. Usually, he’d get pissed off and arrest Slingshot too for talking such disrespectful smack against the Warden, but he’s smarter than he looks. Even if he doesn’t act that way.*

“Listen man, I can’t be everywhere at once, even though I wanna. Iph I could clone myself, I’d be catching ALL the criminals and preventing shit like this from happening. I was busy chasing another criminal when I came across this. This is nowhere NEAR my phault even though you think it is.”

“You’re clearly not thinking rationally right now. Let’s just head down to the station and get you cleaned up, okay…?”

*He was also silently radioing in some other officers, speaking some kind of police code to his men*

“We’ve got a really grizzly scene down in [insert whatever location they’re in rn]. Ima need a cleanup crew and an investigation team down here IMMEDIATELY.”

“Just let go of the body and just take a deep breath. We won’t find out who dunnit iph you contaminate the crime scene with your DNA.”

that's  how  it  always  starts  —  at  first.

he  yawned  softly,  fixing  up  the  scarf  on  his  neck  to  warm  himself  up.  today,  the  air  is  colder  than  usual,  not  a  strange  finding,  but  it's  something  he  noted.

his  sibling's  screaming  was  something  he  hadn't  accounted  for.  the  noise  was  loud,  grating  his  ears.

he  rounded  the  corner,  standing  near  banhammer  to  peek  inside…

“  sling,  what's  going  on  —  ”

…

…

“  …  what  the  fuck.  "

he  gasped  shakily.

" For Broken Honor And Retribution. "

╭────────── 𖥸

（( My companion sometimes brings back small 'gifts' when it returns from flight. )）

（( Teru is free to come and go as he wishes. I rarely restrict my barn owl from leaving the wooden roost box i've made for it, unless he was injured or so. I trust him to return back eventually. )）

...

（( With that said, back to the point.. apologies, )）

（( Teru can bring back various different things. Though the most notable item i've observed him bring the most during those occasional instances... is bux. )）

（( Although I am not complaining, sometimes I ponder... where did he picked this up from? I never taught my avian companion to pick up bux. )）

...

（( Hm. )）

☕︎ ──────────╯

（( ... )）

For a moment, Katana just didn't answer. At all.

The only notable motion on him was the barn owl, getting all comfy again, before it began grooming for loose feathers within its underwing.

（( ... )）

Katana squinted his upper eyelid.

（( Why am I looking at you like that? )）

He repeated. Subtly adjusting his sitting position.

（( How long do you plan to not say a word? )）

Katana's voice became quieter.

...

Once again, there were exactly two ways to interpret what was he doing.

...The latter option was likely making him nervous again. If it is exactly what he suspected.

☕︎ ──────────╯

Note from admin:

• Katana not going easy on bro.. the mental gymnastics kinda crazy /j

a  long,  drawn-out  squeal  escaped  shuriken's  lips,  and  he  felt  his  heart  drop  as  katana's  words  hung  in  the  air.

‘  how  long  do  you  plan  to  stay  silent?  ’

panic  washed  over  him,  and  he  almost  shrank  back,  wishing  he  could  disappear.

‘  phuuuuuuuuuuuuck,  i’m  so  dead…  ’  shuriken  thought,  desperately  trying  to  keep  his  face  neutral  while  locking  eyes  with  katana.  even  as  he  was  sweating  bullets,  however,  the  mounting  panic  of  the  weight  of  his  double-life  was  starting  to  fray  at  the  edges.

this  was  no  ordinary  tea  time  chat;  it  felt  like  a  scene  from  a  suspenseful  thriller,  and  he  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  if  this  was  precisely  why  they  rarely  spent  time  together.

screw  this!  he's  losing  his  grip! 

“  say  a  word  about  what  !?  ”

（( Do not spin it in another way. )）

（( It is risky to continue this, Shuriken. )）

（( I am in no way shaming you for it. It is noble to take on a responsibility that most would dare not to. )）

（( ..However, you still have decades ahead of you. A warm bed to return to, and companions to rely your head on. )）

（( And what if one day... one, wrong, move were to be made? )）

（( What then. )）

“   …   what   if   i   don't   care?   ”

“   what   if   this   is   my   calling,   and   i'm   willing   to   die   for   it   ?   ”

“   what   if   I   don't   care   if   i   —   ”

╭────────── 𖥸

（( Then you have lost your mind. )）

Katana's eye briefly widened for a moment— before it turned sharper.

His tone was even more firmer. And yet it did not rise any higher.

Yelling will do no good here.

（( You are no longer under the watchful eye of the Shogun. Unlike myself, you are not bound by a code. )）

He doesn't understand.

Shuriken had freedom that many would wish to grasp their hands on.

And yet..

（( Shuriken. Priotizing your own well-being and close ones is important above all else.. you would rather perish for a Inphernal you barely knew and leave your siblings grieving the aftermath? )）

He wish he could change the topic. He hadn't anticapated a answer so selfless— he felt like he HAD to emphasize the flaws in Shuriken's ideation.

☕︎ ──────────╯

Note from Admin:

“  but  i  —  ”

shuriken's  lips  curled  into  a  scowl  as  tears  threatened  to  spill  from  his  eyes.  he  struggled  to  hold  himself  together.

in  a  desperate  attempt  to  mask  his  sobs,  he  focused  intently  on  his  surroundings,  lost  in  quiet  contemplation. 

his  thumb  traced  the  rim  of  the  cup  he  clutched,  a  small  gesture  that  felt  like  an  anchor  amid  the  storm  within.  his  gaze  flickered  to  the  drink  inside—an  unsettling  shade  of  sickly  green  that  twisted  his  stomach  and  left  his  throat  parched.

with  a  dry  cough,  he  forced  a  smirk,  desperate  to  conceal  the  vulnerability  that  hung  in  the  air.

“  i  mean  …  as  long  as  i  fulfil  my  destiny.  ”

he  continued  his  next  words  with  more  sharpness  than  he  intended.

just try not to agitate this guy, shuriken. you might get your ass in hot water if you do.

(( @kumonohoshi ))

“I’m hungover. Oph course I look like shit. What do you want from me?”

he  says  that  as  if  he  isn't  right  here,  unmasked  on  purpose  just  to  check  on  the  warden  for  fun.

‘  for  fun  ’  ,  he  thinks,  his  eyebrows  furrowing  as  he  rummaged  through  his  bag  for  a  bottle  of  water,  ‘  yeah  until  this  guy  is  hungover  and  lashing  out  at  everyone  …  not  fun.  ’

“  sooooooo  what's  up  with  the  pity  party  ?  ” 

“Phor starters, Rocket got into a phight with me after I accidentally broke Swords arm in a sparring session gone wrong, even though i APOLOGIZED. Cus I didn’t MEAN to, honestly. He BIT me on the arm and shot a bunch of rockets at me, so I sent him through a building. And then I got lectured by Zuka phor going rough on him, but I was acting in selph dephense!”

“  oooookayyyyy  …  so  you  lost  a  phight  someone  else  started  ?  "

his  gaze  dragged  over  the  warden  as  he  tapped  his  foot  on  the  floor.  he  hadn't  talked  to  the  others  in  a  bit,  but  it  wasn't  out  of  character  for  rocket  to  act  like  this.  either  way,  his  heart  went  out  for  the  guy,  the  man  was  clearly  doing  his  best.

he  sighed,  his  hand  fiddling  with  his  scarf.  what  does  one  even  say  to  someone  who's  …  like  banhammer  ?

“  that  sounds  rough  …  sorry,  i  guess  ??  is  there  anything  i  can  realistically  do  to  help  you  ?  ” 

“…Honestly, I was just gonna go and get some lunch to distract myselph…”

he  coughed,  playing  off  the  desire  for  free  lunch  as  his  smile  softened,  approaching  the  bigger  inphernal  with  caution  in  every  step.  a  master  in  his  craft  must  remain  ever  so  elusive,  after  all!

“  i  cooooould  go  …  if  ooonly  you  tell  me  more  about  silver  shadow  !  he  sounds  cool  as  hell  !  "

yep.  there  he  goes.  there  he  phucking  goes,  searching  for  validation  of  his  viligantism  through  his  alter  ego.  he's  aware  that  banhammer  knows  the  name  of  this  elusive  robin-hood-like  figure,  but  not  the  inphernal  masked  behind  it.

‘  next  time,  i'll  taunt  that  guy  for  shits  and  giggles.  '  he  thought.

for  now,  he's  holding  out  his  hand  to  banhammer  with  a  tenative  smile,  waiting  for  the  guy  to  take  it. 

for  now,  silver  shadow  is  going  to  be  on  break!

“  well  then,  let's  go  to  somewhere  yeah  ?  ”

his  instinct  to  care  flared  as  he  noticed  the  warden  struggling  with  balance.  he  rolled  his  eyes.

his  actions  alone  were  raising  alarm  bells  in  his  mind.  the  warden  definitely  needed  a  break,  especially  from  any  further  antics.

shuriken's  grip  on  banhammer's  hand  loosened;  his  nervous  smile  relaxed  for  a  brief  moment  before  he  let  out  a  small  laugh.

“  so  what  do  you  want  ?  something  easy  to  eat  or  …  ”

and  what  better  way  to  relax  than  to  go  to  —

nah,  he's  not  going  to  thieves'  rest.  that's  his  workplace.

*He seemed kind of out of it and almost uncharacteristically chill. Maybe he should get hungover more often if he’s this docile.*

'  pray  to  every  deity  that  he  won't  wanna  maul  me  halfway  through  lunch  …  '

strangely  enough,  he  found  this  side  of  banhammer  fairly  endearing.  if  that  guy  wasn't  such  a  dick  all  the  time,  he'd  certainly  befriend  him.

shuriken  asked  the  warden  as  he  led  him  to  a  pretty  cozy  restaurant  that  wasn't  his  place  of  work!  thankfully,  he's  currently  off  the  clock…

he  pre-ordered  some  toast  before  checking  his  wallet.  he's  got  a  decent  amount  of  cash,  but  he  can't  exactly  spend  it  all.  shuriken  scowled  before  tying  his  hair  back.

“  alright,  just  sit  tight,  man.  i'll  help  you  the  best  i  can.  ”

and  he  sighed.

“  i  mean  …  i  get  why  i'm  annoying,  honestly  …  i  …  ”

he  let  out  a  quiet  sniffle,  trying  to  hold  back  the  tears  that  threatened  to  spill.  with  a  slight  cough,  he  masked  the  wavering  edge  in  his  voice,  desperately  fighting  to  regain  his  composure.

" For Broken Honor And Retribution. "

╭────────── 𖥸

（( My companion sometimes brings back small 'gifts' when it returns from flight. )）

（( Teru is free to come and go as he wishes. I rarely restrict my barn owl from leaving the wooden roost box i've made for it, unless he was injured or so. I trust him to return back eventually. )）

...

（( With that said, back to the point.. apologies, )）

（( Teru can bring back various different things. Though the most notable item i've observed him bring the most during those occasional instances... is bux. )）

（( Although I am not complaining, sometimes I ponder... where did he picked this up from? I never taught my avian companion to pick up bux. )）

...

（( Hm. )）

☕︎ ──────────╯

（( ... )）

For a moment, Katana just didn't answer. At all.

The only notable motion on him was the barn owl, getting all comfy again, before it began grooming for loose feathers within its underwing.

（( ... )）

Katana squinted his upper eyelid.

（( Why am I looking at you like that? )）

He repeated. Subtly adjusting his sitting position.

（( How long do you plan to not say a word? )）

Katana's voice became quieter.

...

Once again, there were exactly two ways to interpret what was he doing.

...The latter option was likely making him nervous again. If it is exactly what he suspected.

☕︎ ──────────╯

Note from admin:

• Katana not going easy on bro.. the mental gymnastics kinda crazy /j

a  long,  drawn-out  squeal  escaped  shuriken's  lips,  and  he  felt  his  heart  drop  as  katana's  words  hung  in  the  air.

‘  how  long  do  you  plan  to  stay  silent?  ’

panic  washed  over  him,  and  he  almost  shrank  back,  wishing  he  could  disappear.

‘  phuuuuuuuuuuuuck,  i’m  so  dead…  ’  shuriken  thought,  desperately  trying  to  keep  his  face  neutral  while  locking  eyes  with  katana.  even  as  he  was  sweating  bullets,  however,  the  mounting  panic  of  the  weight  of  his  double-life  was  starting  to  fray  at  the  edges.

this  was  no  ordinary  tea  time  chat;  it  felt  like  a  scene  from  a  suspenseful  thriller,  and  he  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  if  this  was  precisely  why  they  rarely  spent  time  together.

screw  this!  he's  losing  his  grip! 

“  say  a  word  about  what  !?  ”

（( Do not spin it in another way. )）

（( It is risky to continue this, Shuriken. )）

（( I am in no way shaming you for it. It is noble to take on a responsibility that most would dare not to. )）

（( ..However, you still have decades ahead of you. A warm bed to return to, and companions to rely your head on. )）

（( And what if one day... one, wrong, move were to be made? )）

（( What then. )）

“   …   what   if   i   don't   care?   ”

“   what   if   this   is   my   calling,   and   i'm   willing   to   die   for   it   ?   ”

“   what   if   I   don't   care   if   i   —   ”

" For Broken Honor And Retribution. "

╭────────── 𖥸

（( My companion sometimes brings back small 'gifts' when it returns from flight. )）

（( Teru is free to come and go as he wishes. I rarely restrict my barn owl from leaving the wooden roost box i've made for it, unless he was injured or so. I trust him to return back eventually. )）

...

（( With that said, back to the point.. apologies, )）

（( Teru can bring back various different things. Though the most notable item i've observed him bring the most during those occasional instances... is bux. )）

（( Although I am not complaining, sometimes I ponder... where did he picked this up from? I never taught my avian companion to pick up bux. )）

...

（( Hm. )）

☕︎ ──────────╯

（( ... )）

For a moment, Katana just didn't answer. At all.

The only notable motion on him was the barn owl, getting all comfy again, before it began grooming for loose feathers within its underwing.

（( ... )）

Katana squinted his upper eyelid.

（( Why am I looking at you like that? )）

He repeated. Subtly adjusting his sitting position.

（( How long do you plan to not say a word? )）

Katana's voice became quieter.

...

Once again, there were exactly two ways to interpret what was he doing.

...The latter option was likely making him nervous again. If it is exactly what he suspected.

☕︎ ──────────╯

Note from admin:

• Katana not going easy on bro.. the mental gymnastics kinda crazy /j

a  long,  drawn-out  squeal  escaped  shuriken's  lips,  and  he  felt  his  heart  drop  as  katana's  words  hung  in  the  air.

‘  how  long  do  you  plan  to  stay  silent?  ’

panic  washed  over  him,  and  he  almost  shrank  back,  wishing  he  could  disappear.

‘  phuuuuuuuuuuuuck,  i’m  so  dead…  ’  shuriken  thought,  desperately  trying  to  keep  his  face  neutral  while  locking  eyes  with  katana.  even  as  he  was  sweating  bullets,  however,  the  mounting  panic  of  the  weight  of  his  double-life  was  starting  to  fray  at  the  edges.

this  was  no  ordinary  tea  time  chat;  it  felt  like  a  scene  from  a  suspenseful  thriller,  and  he  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  if  this  was  precisely  why  they  rarely  spent  time  together.

screw  this!  he's  losing  his  grip! 

“  say  a  word  about  what  !?  ”

（( Do not spin it in another way. )）