Armados whole muscular body shakes as he giggles.
"What do they call it on your planet? A fly on the wall? Too bad flies don't sting, they can only buzz before being slapped."
His footsteps boom with ever step closer.
No more.
This is six!
This isnt fair!
He said five!
"PLEASE!" My words are waterboarded by the blood.
I can-
I cant take anymore of this!
My body relaxes, not out of comfort, out of surrender.
This feeling of helplessness
Its the same feeling I had at my first grave.
Someone, I just want someone
Someone to hold me, as I held that stuffed rabbit.
But this time...
I am truly
Alone.
Drawing his body back Armado positions himself into a punching stance, a toothy grin draws across his face.
With a cracking boom he lunges forward
My shoulders slouch as I accept the continum of suffering.
Wincing I'm prepared to be turned to mist.
But the punch never arrives.
Opening my eyes, my vision is painted red as its covered in blood.
A scream echos off the walls, yet, its... Armados?
Standing before me is Bastard.
Her crimson red sword is implanted in the ground. The blade is covered in blood, yet its as though it werent actually touching the blade as the sword remains spotless. The sword has a circular base and various symbols on it.
As though punching a knife Amrados arm is cut halfway down.
Bastard stands there with her usual curious grin. "My hearing is getting bad, Mr.Fox, but I believe you promised my bunny... five."
"Fucking shitty, BITCH!!" Armado glares as he hunches over, attempting to assemble his split arm together.
Gritting my teeth I manage to get up.
What do I do?
Bastard just saved me, but...
Im scared...
No.
No I'm not.
I want...
To kill him!
Kneeling on the ground, Armado holds his bleeding hand.
So with what little strength I have left, I yank out my pistol.
My words has been reduced to a trembling mumble. "Kill, kill, kill, I'll... kill you..."
"I WANT YOUR BLOOD!" Lurching forward I grin with bleeding eyes. "BALIF! GIVE IT TO ME!"
My core begins to glow white as the area around me cosplays the artic planes of the north, a wave of crackling ice freezes the surrounding air.
Bastard tilts her bloodied face back, giving me a deadpan stare. "When did I give you permission to hop? ...Down dead boy."
My eyes widen as I'm slammed to the ground, as though gravity itself was enforcing the command, my movement is confined to a crawl.
Theres a silence in the crowd as nobody dares to breath.
But its not because of the scene
Instead it is due to the the reverberating footsteps approaching.
A silence is formed out of crystalized fear. Breathes audibly hasten as some of the strain begin to cry. Others slowly backing away, like a school of fish moving out of a sharks way.
An even taller Strain walks towards Armado with close eyed smile.
With its 12 foot tall build, the black Strain has neon blue innards that contrast his glowing white eyes. It's metallic doberman-like ears twitch as blue and white planet rings float above his head.
Crouching down beside him, the colossal Strain puts his hand on Armado's shoulder. "That looks like it hurts. Tell me, what does that feel like?"
Armado whips his head up as his eyes widen. "Slatra! I- its- its nothing." Armado's hand organically merges back together. "See?"
Slatra's closed eyed smile drops as he slowly opens his hollow white eyes, they widen as his pupils constrict. "When did I give you permission to heal?"
Grabbing both of Armado's arms he rips them off with a flesh tearing yank.
Armado stifles a yelp.
"You will get them back when you show me you deserve them."
Another Strain walks over holding out his arms as Slatra hands the torn limbs over.
Armado's chest heaves up and down, his eyes water while his arm sockets bleed. As though a new person, his entirety is now comprised of fear as he tilts backwards. "Im sorry, I-"
Slatra leans in even closer, his voice not angry, only disappointed. "This was our chance and you had to let your piteous ego roadblock our advance..." He sighs. "too bad."
With an expression of pity he gets up as he begins walking over; somehow his second hand shame is the most terrifying part.
Armado reaches out as he wiggles forward. "Slatra! I'm sorry! Im sorry!"
He ignores the cries as he bows before us, despite this, he's still far taller than everyone. "I apologize for Armado's belligerence. But I fear further retribution would only perpetuate this continuous violence. and so, I selfishly beseech you to forgive our atrocities once more."
The blind folded woman walks over, stepping up what appeared to be a staircase of air, she now stands eye level. "Think nothing of it, the excitement of cooperation would get anyone riled up."
The two shake hands with matching close eyed smiles.
"You are truly an honorable woman, Eden."
"No, it is you who is the illustrious saint, Slatra."
Its like watching a centipede and an eel befriend one another. Its not a question of morals; its obvious behind those smiles is a incomprehensible evil. the only question is whose side they're really on.
With an expression of defeat, Armado picks himself up and retreats down one of the tunnels.
With watery eyes and dried up tears, Somnia attempts to discreetly look at me before storming away.
And there stands Bastard, wiping her bloodied blade on her sleeve, she sheathes it on her back.
She struts over with her usual grin before patting my head with a babied voice. "Don't worry, I wont let anything happen to you. Only I get to gralloch my bunnies."
"Thank-" I'm not sure if I'm happy to have her as a guardian angel or if I should be concerned over the fact that I don't know what gralloch means. "Thank you for saving me Bastard."
Walking over she straightens out my clothes, patting me off before readjusting my collar. "As a token of your gratitude how about you do a binky for me."
"I am not sure what that means in this context, but could we do it somewhere a little less... professional?"
"Oh? My playboy bunny boy wants to give me a private show? I do like the sound of that."
"I get the feeling that I don't get a choice...right?"
She just giggles with a grin...
Thats concerning.
Every feeling of hatred, pain... fucking confusion is slamming my mind. "So, do you know either Eden or this Slatra guy?"
"There is nothing I don't know besides that which does not yet exist. But unfortunately you do not have a library card for my knowledge."
"Cant you just give something out of the kindness of your heart?"
Leaning forward she raises her eyebrow. "Do I look like the kind hearted type?"
"That feels like a rigged question."
"I can give you this: The wolf eats the bunny as to not starve; but the fox hunts only for the sport. To the bunny the hunter may appear an ally. That he is, until its open season and the man starves for Cacciatore"
"Wait, who's who in this?" I stammer.
"Well I can tell you who the bunny is."
"So your saying no matter what, I'm the victim."
She once again smirks without a word.
Tilting my head down I groan.
"I hate being weak."
Looking back up with a dismally motivated sigh, Bastard is already gone.
Suddenly the blue female strain from before towers over me momentarily before bursting into tears as she lunges forward. "IM SO SORRY!"
Wincing I raise my eyebrow, "What are you apologizing for? you arnt the one who killed me five times."
She does and impressive handstand prayer as she continues weeping. "But, Armado was so mean! Please forgive me!"
"Uh...okay, I dub thee, forgiven?"
If one thing doesnt confuse me its another, im still attempting to reel in my sanity from that figh- beating I took.
Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly see Toko, as though she had teleported?
Beside her is a cloaked women...
is that the same masked sniper who saved us during the invasion?
It is; she has the same living rifle slung on her back, now she leans down to whisper in Toko's ear.
With a dejected expression, Toko nods.
My view of them is blocked as a horde of Strain now surround me. They too bow for forgiveness as some poke and prod me, others begin to hug me as they clamor over one another.
Its like a fleet of oversized puppies, I dont have enough hands and voices to contend to all of them.