It was an unpleasant day in Broken Gorge. Rain cover the night before had soaked it's way into the ground, only for the heat of the morning to call it all back up in the form of thick mist. A humid heat now hung through the town, shrouding it's inhabitants with an uncomfortable near-blindness. In a place where crime was so open, one would think the chaos would be out in full-force to take advantage of the concealing grey, but even the more hardened criminals here knew, this wasn't weather to be out in. And yet, on the very edge of town... two individuals were just arriving.
One would perhaps be a familiar face to this town. A bizarre being of indefinable species, furless flesh contrasting a beak-like snout, he was not one to be mistaken for another. Last time he was here he was dressed to work, adorned in a labcoat and glove which concealed his entire right arm.
Today instead, there was no such coat, no such glove, not even a shirt. That right arm was entirely exposed, large and grotesque against the rest of his body, covered in green scales that slowly mottled away as they passed beyond the reach of his shoulder. That wasn't the only thing different... Last time his eyes seemed... Well, nothing of note? A standard blue maybe? Nothing to've comitted to memory. Today though... they were a striking red.
Last time, he was dressed for work. This time, he was dressed for business...
Accompanying him was a rat, scarred and clad in thick leather. One of her legs was fully exposed it seemed, wooden by it's appearance. In one hand she had a cane to assist her walk, it's patterned thudding against the ground announcing her arrival.
Whilst the one she accompanied had a face full of bare suppressed aggression, this one... This one showed nothing.
One of these details was that there was a group of three, not far from the newcomers and certainly within earshot. They were, however, obscured by the thick fog that had wormed its way into the air to linger, but a squint would probably allow you to make out three blurry darkened shapes amidst the mist.
The first was that of a gorgon. Green skin, and human-like features... bar her lower half which consisted of a snake's body, and tendril like hair that moved with a breeze that didn't exist. She was quite regal and intimidating, but the black leather jacket she wore, and that was all she wore, just made the snake woman look silly. It really didn't suit her. "-up, just shut it. I didn't call you out here for this bullshit, V."
The second was a female porcupine. She had a thick accent, that was almost as thick as her. He body was wide and buff, and she had several scars across her body that were notable even despite the fur. Plus, that black eye-patch looked like a recent addition, if going by the three jagged and crusted red indents across the right eye. "Whaa, cuz w'know y'jus' doin' this cuz y'scaaared of wee lil'Thuggie?"
The final one was a black-feathered griffon, with baby blue eyes. He wasn't as bulked as the woman beside him, but he was still tall and muscular and looked to have some serious experience on him. Leather armour, worn from battle, included. However, what didn't fit here was that condescending look in his eye, and that smug grin that was just plain ugly, "V' knows what's up. You're just a coward, Eyes. You just want a new group to hang out with."
"N-nuh... no, that's not... that's not...!" she clenched her fist and raised herself up, butting her forehead with the avian hybrid, "Shut the fuck up, pigeon, or I'll turn your bony ass into stone!" Her eyes glimmered with restrained malice, and she didn't exactly continue with that threat, "It's not like anyone would miss you! So shut your filthy yap, Roadkill, Or I'll-! ...I-I don't need anyone, or that stupid brain-dead oaf!"
"Yeah okay."
Needless to say, they thought they were alone on the outskirts of town here. Though from the company about to arrive, it was a really stupid play on their part.
There was a brief pause for consideration from the two newcomers to town. They hadn't quite anticipated others so close. Admittedly, the trio did seem... oblivious. It probably wouldn't be too hard to sneak past them. Still... a slight misstep and they'd be noticed. Besides which, they were here for information, and that wasn't to be garnered from avoiding people. If they were going to avoid everyone... well, there was no point being here.
The next thing to consider was their approach. There was of course violence. An ambush on the unsuspecting trio would perhaps better ensure their own safety - making themselves seem dangerous might rather encourage the three to talk. At the same time, that might cause quite the commotion, and they didn't want all that attention.
...Not yet anyway.
With a click, the furless figure lit up a cigarette, smirking slightly. The rat at his side meanwhile simply... dispersed. Her body seemed to become almost one with the mist for a second, before she was gone altogether. Now the man stood alone as he spoke up to the assembled three.
"An unusual night for a walk, don't you think?" he calmly announced his presence, "Then again, you strike me as an unusual group. Lotsa threats and big-talk flying around there. Seems like you guys need to calm down." Stepping towards the group, he pulled out his pack of cigarettes, offering one towards the gorgon.
"Any of you smoke? Might help to ease the nerves."
See, the reason this trio was out here was to avoid company, because it was out of the way and the fog would mask the. So, with that in mind, they certainly weren't expecting company to appear out of nowhere. How long were they listening? Well, regardless of that, the three jumped. Two of the three emitting swears in the process, and the remaining one raising their fists in order to beat face.
"The fuck are you?" the gorgon exclaimed, looking the man up and down with a hesitant gaze, instantly casting her suspicion on this newcomer. Of course, the offer for a cigarette caused this to instantly vanish, and she scrambled forward to take one for herself, "Fuckin' right, give me that."
Meanwhile, the other two, the griffon and the buff porcupine, glanced at each other. Their faces scrunched up, and the black-feathered hybrid shot a harsh glare towards this weasley man. None of the three were expecting company, and if company was to show up, it would at least have been someone vaguely familiar. But this dude? Nope, no recollection. I mean, you'd think you'd remember too, with a face and arm like that.
"S'uh, who's be you then?" the spiked mobian asked, rubbing her hands together with a blatant scowl, before twisting that action into cracking her knuckles in an intimidating manner, "An' how long's you's been peepin', ay?"
The figure simply let the 'what' question brush over him. After all, in truth it was one he couldn't really answer... though the gorgon seemed to've already moved on from that. Flicking one cigarette to her, he placed another in his mouth, lighting it with a click of the fingers.
Ah now 'who' was he? That was a much better question.
"Me?" he grinned, smoke exhaling through his teeth, "I'm a doctor. Simply visiting to reacquaint myself with an old... hm. Let's not say friend, definitely far from that." Flicking a little ash away, he paused to consider the latter question... before fixing the porcupine with a gaze of... almost indifference?
"I would not call it peeping, that would give me an implicit interest in what you're doing. I simply turned up to town, and have approached the first people I heard talking loudly next to the entrance. It is not the most out-of-the-way location if you were intending a private get-together," he shrugged, "Either way, that's besides the point. If I was peeping, I wouldn't exactly want to make myself known. I just require some assistance and I shall be on my way."
The snake-esque woman squinted as the odd man ignited the cigarette with a simple click of his fingers. She glanced back at her own. An ugly frown crossed her face, and the woman rather rudely used his flame as a means to light her own. Not even a thankyou, and she shuffled off to the side to puff smoke into the thick and foggy air.
"Yo," the large spiked woman lowered her voice for the griffon's feathered ears, but even that could be heard if the good doctor were sharp enough. "Says this here freak's a doctor. Y'think they's were called f'some biz? I dunno, w'can't make 'um leave if they's wanted,"she said, casting an uneasy eye his way.
Meanwhile, their assumed partner-in-crime simply slipped his talons into his pockets and rolled his eyes, "Actually you know what? Whatever. All I hear is bullshit complex words trying to confuse me, right? We're not gonna stop you. Just piss off, I don't want some nerd freak doctor thing trying to get all goody-goody in my books and trying to make me do things." Good. Great. How mature.
With yet another click, the stranger lit the end of his index, using it to light the cigarette of the snake-like woman, before wafting it out. The smoke wafted briefly from his hand, before dispering into the surrounding mist.
He couldn't help but smirk to himself a little as the others mumbled among themselves. He'd be lying if he said he didn't take a little pleasure in disrupting their little get-together. Still... right now really wasn't the time for him to be enjoying himself - there was business to tend to.
"I can assure you I haven't used a complex word to address you at all, however, you are forgiven for your lack of full understanding, I assume it's been a long night." Was... was that an insult? Either way, he didn't exactly lend them much time to think it over.
"And I assure, I've no idea what being 'goody-goody' would be in your books, though I have no intention to make you truly do anything," he took a deep puff on his cigarette before continuing, "I further assure you I will piss off, after all, I'm here with a purpose of my own."
Taking the cigarette a second, he extinguished it against his own chest, before discarding it to one side. Smoke rose from the point, but the action seemed to've left no significant mark, bar a slight circle of ash at it's meeting point.
"I have business with Noose."
Two of the three went silent. Bar the porcupine, who howled with a cackling laughter, jabbing the gryphon with her elbow into his side, "Aha! Lil' runt's here t'see the boss! Prob'ly gonna tear 'em in two, she is! She will!" And, of course, in response the hybrid simply... gripped the bridge of his beak in a sigh.
"Motherf-... urgh. Okay. Sure. Whatever. I'm sorry, get off my back," if that was an actual apology to the doctor, or if it was just so he wouldn't rat them out, well, that didn't matter, because an apology wasn't asked for anyway, "You want her? Just like... keep walking into the goddamned town. She's in her office. Biggest building. Top floor. Better hope your ass isn't late or you'll be fucking dead. And that ain't my problem."
Finishing the cigarette far too quickly than what should be recommended, the gorgon lady dropped the butt onto the floor, using her tail to grind it into the ground. She blew the smoke directly into the air and stretched. "God I needed that." Good. Informative. Great.
"Oh believe me, I'm late, very late," the figure maintained a calm, almost disturbingly pleasant smile, "Many, many years too later. But don't you worry. This is more a... 'surprise visit' rather than anything else. Don't worry, I'll make sure your identities go unmentioned in our little... meeting. Thank you very much for your assistance." He strode forward a short way, bypassing the group... before pausing and taking a few steps back.
"Oh, and for your troubles..." he threw the pack of cigarettes to the snake-like individual, before retrieving a sealed envelope and offering it forward to the group. If they were to take it and investigate it's contents, they'd find various travel tickets - bus, train and plane. Mostly for locations faaar away from this city.
Well that was... interesting.
The gorgon woman scrambled for the packet, snatching it cleanly out of the air. With a pull of her tongue, she straightened her back and slithered away from the scene before the other two had much of a word on the matter. She was planning on bailing anyway, and that was the perfect damned excuse. Needless to say, her 'companions' were not so pleased. The griffon took one step forward towards her... only to be yanked back by his jacket by the buff woman.
"Shiiiii' we's goin' on holiday!" the porcupine hollered, raising the envelope that she had obtained from the unusual man, "Look at this, Skiye! We can go gun' get fucked up!" She released her grin on the other. The hybrid frowned with a definitive glare of distrust towards both the tickets and the departing figure of unknown origin. Suspicious. He'd love to ignore it as he intended, but it just left a semi-sickly feeling of unease bubbling in his stomach.
"Suppose so," he replied, "Suppooooose so."
The figure slowly disappeared from the group, walking further and further away until he was fully swallowed by mists. Biggest building, top floor... The thought went on repeat, echoing in his mind, trailing off only to be grasped again and pulled into the forefront. Cemented into his thoughts.
To one side of him, the mists seemed to gain colour for a second, swirling together until they formed the semblance of a rat, keeping pace as she strutted along with that walking stick. Wherever she'd gone before, she was now fully present once more.
"You handled that calmly," she stated. There was no emotion there... no sign that she approved or disapproved of his approach. More.. an observation of sorts.
"Because I do not think any of them loyal," he stated calmly, "At least, not in the traditional sense of the word. I suspect noone in this place truly is. More a case that if they do as they're expected to, they may see it through to the next day."
"Hm..." there was a slight pause as the rat's stick continued to tack along the ground, "I thought in this place you were inherently free to do as you please. No crime too large."
"Freedom under the thumb. Only rules'd be unwritten ones. The kind that don't exist, but everyone knows they're there," the furless creature left that open for response, but none really came from the rat. Instead, they just walked in the quiet - preparing to come upon the sight of the large building they sought.
Skiye watched the weird figure make his leave, that uncomfortable feeling still hadn't yet left the pit of his stomach. This was blatantly suspicious, no doubt about it. The way he spoke, they way he offered them a place away from here. He was here on a mission, that was for sure. And his mission was with Noose. Now the question was... would he tail them in the mist on the off-chance that his gut was right, or... leave entirely, and pretend he didn't see anything. The second was completely viable - recommended, even. No-one would ever know, she wouldn't know. He could completely escape consequence.
The black-feathered griffon hesitated.
Was he that loyal to her? She was his mayor. She also scared him. Noose was someone you didn't want to anger, and he didn't even know if his help would be ultimately appreciated. If it came to it, would he risk his life for her? If he had the opportunity, would he stay or would he go? This moment was proof of his loyalty.
The man flapped his wings, rising into the air.
His gaze lingering on the mist where the town lay.
And then he departed in the opposite direction, leaving it behind him.
***
The town was as it always was. The western theme was strong in Broken Gorge, fashioning wooden-looking buildings with overlooking wooden balconies. Truth be told, the buildings weren't made of wood. Having a mayor with a tendency to detonate themselves meant that they couldn't afford multiple instances of a town-wide fire. In actuality, the buildings were bricks with an overlay of wood. The buildings, some having been vandalised and run-down from the company of this settlement, held many cracks that revealed this.
While the town held a western theme, there was the occasional industrial building that was a stark contrast to the rest. Wherever the town got its income to continue as it did, wherever the business side of Broken Gorge lay, it would be in those buildings. At one point, there had been an attempt to meld these buildings in with the rest, but the passage of time and the influence of people had deterred this.
Despite the heavy mist having rolled in, and despite the time of day, there was still the occasional person wandering about the town. Nothing big, nothing major. The two individuals would probably get a curious glance, but nothing more. They were lucky they'd arrived with these sort of circumstances.
And finally... the building they were looking for.
It was easy to spot even in this mist, honestly. The building was of substantial better quality than the rest. While Broken Gorge had no major discipline and therefore vandalism and graffiti were rampant and mostly uncared for, this building was pristine. A set of stairs led upwards to the entrance, and the triangular roof was held up by two sizeable pillars. A set of double doors would greet them, boasting rich, curving patterns. It made you think - was all the money spent on this building, or had the town once been as new and grand as this?
Sadly, it wouldn't be that easy to get into. Perched upon the roof was a figure - one Seth would probably remember from the time he stole his coat and didn't want to give it back. A blue and white feline with a contorted half-mechanical face. His bright yellow eye was alert and locked on the ground below, his grand and incredibly fluffy tail dangling off the end and flicking to the sides.
Or maybe it would be that easy. Duxenkreig was a fickle and erratic thing. He'd love you one moment and slice your throat the next. His mood was ever-changing and yet he was always active and energetic. In his mouth was a grenade, that he was lightly nibbling. Not enough to break it, but just enough to play with the dents.
The duo stood a few feet from the building's base, taking in the massive monument. It was so... out of place here. It didn't belong.
It was almost like a palace of sorts. The home of a ruler, from which the rich and powerful could observe over a kingdom of their design.
...That's technically what it was in a way. And yet it too was altogether alien to the landscape too. It's presence, it's level of pristine cleanliness... it was almost offensive. The very contrast of this place to the rest of the land around gave a clear message.
They didn't care. They could've afforded to rule with a fair even hand, they could've provided for all around them. Instead they chose to let the land around them fall to decay.
Despite it's notion of visual purity, this building was the deepest level of rot this city could provide. A core of illness that had seeped and spread it's way across everything here. It needed to be cured.
This town needed a Doctor.
"...You see it?" the rat spoke.
"...Yeah..."
Here it was. The first real challenge. They knew it wouldn't be a simple passage, and by all accounts they'd gotten off easy so far. The fog and mist had served as decent cover for their entry, and provided them with relatively empty streets. Now though... they were encountered by an inevitability.
Silhouetted against the grey sky, the large cat-like figure appeared almost like a gargoyle lining the roof's edge. Only... generally speaking it was the job of a gargoyle to keep dark spirits from entering a building. In this instance, the dark spirits were based behind the creature... and today it would be stopping noone from entering in.
"...You think it's seen us?"
"Definitely."
The doctor stared for a moment, directly into those eyes which stood out even among the husk. He was certain they were looking back into his own.
"Scan around the area..." he commanded, "You will hear if you're needed."
"But-"
"It's fine..."
For a moment, there was silence between them... before once more the rat dispersed into the fog.
That left just the two of them. Staring.
"I'm sorry," he stated blankly, "I've no coat for you to toy with this time."
As the two conversed between themselves, the scar-ridden feline stayed entirely silent and still. If not for the gentle swishing of its bright fluffy tail, it could have easily been mistaken for a very blue statue. Upon their face was a wicked grin, though it was known that that was Dunxenkreig's neutral expression. People had theorised that his face was broken and that he couldn't pull anything else. To this day, that had still yet to be disproved.
As one figure dispersed into the mist, the other stepped forward. Now, Dun knew this one. Dux never forgot. As oblivious and playful and dismissive as the cat was, he always remembered faces. And he remembered what they did. He didn't used to, but he had to. Noose wanted him to, so he did. He remembered playing with him, and he remembered fighting with him. He remembered that Noose wanted him. And that made his grin grow wider. If he got what Noose wanted, maybe he'd get a reward!
"MmRrrrRRr~" the feline purred lightly, a guttural sound leaving their broken throat. Although a purr, it more came out like broken static, disjointed and without a singular pitch. It was hard to tell if that was just him, if it was distorted by the grenade in his mouth, or if it was a defect from all the experiments placed upon him.
He stretched, finally breaking that statue facade with a shiver down his system. His head tilted down, his singular eye blinked and, more of note, his claws flexed. Claws upon a hand that had an extra set of claws - bladed gauntlets, to be exact.
Spitting the grenade out, one would expect it to fly down and smack Seth in the face, but instead it remained in the air, hovering before him. The spherical explosive twirled around his body until it gently floated beside him , lightly bobbing up and down. Telekinesis. As if the cat didn't need more in his arsenal.
"Coat thing!" he exclaimed loudly, Dux's voice akin to nails on a chalkboard. He didn't quite move from his perch, but he was perched tensely, his back was arched, and ready to leap off at any given moment. Just 'when' was the question. "Glad! Duuuuxis VERY glad! Happy! Mrrr..he's been... Dux hasbeen... looking! Waiting! Mistress Noose waits! Mistress... said GET!"
He flexed his claws again, wiggling his rear as he looked Seth up and down with that mechanical eye. The feline looked excited. There wasn't any anger or contempt or disgust, it was simply pure excitement and joy at having seen this weasel-like figure before him, "We will 'GET'!!! GetYOU, Coat Thing! Hello!Hello!!!!"
Dux didn't know tactics. And he didn't know about waiting. He was impatient and let out a loud yowl - an incredibly loud yowl which definitely would have alerted those in the area and especially the people inside this building.
Bringing the grenade down floating aside him, the cat leapt off his perch, his bladed gauntlets raised and prime to strike down at Seth.