-ˋˏ[•Familial Bonds•]ˎˊ
✧*̥˚Prologue*̥˚✧
•An Unwarranted Discovery•

x

Striker grasped onto his angelic weapon with a concentrated look on his face, so engrossed in his task that he didn't notice the panicked expression on Barbie Wire's face.

"Striker!" The female imp snapped, snatching the gun from his claws before he could shoot.

Upon Barbie's sudden interruption, the snake-imp eyed her with puzzlement and surprise over the intrusion, his calculating gaze switching between his stolen weapon and his girlfriend before finally settling on Barbie Wire.

"What are y—"

Striker cut himself off as he finally paid attention to the alarmed look on her face, promptly turning his focus to his intended target, Stolas.

It was then that he noticed the familiar looking imp that was right beside the owl, a imp that looked very similar to Barbie.

Blitzø.

And unfortunately for the pair of assassins, the imp in question was staring directly at them.

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-o0o-

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Blitzø couldn't believe his eyes. Before him was the sight of an all too familiar cowboy and someone that appeared to be the spitting image of his twin sister.

"Hmm, Blitzy~" Stolas cooed beside him from across the little table they were sitting at. "What's wrong?"

The two of them were spending some time together in Stolas's garden to make up for the embarrassing callout at Ozzie's, of course; Blitzø didn't talk to the bird for literal months on end until they made this arrangement, and even now he was only coming along begrudgingly, but he still decided to give it a chance.

Now, though; Blitzø was 100% certain that this was a bad idea.

"Oh—don't worry about me, Stolas!" Blitzø nervously replied to the prince. "I was just...admiring how pretty all these plants are!" He let out a forced laugh, quickly standing up from his seat.

Stolas didn't seem to be buying it. "What's got you so jittery, My little imp~? You can tell me, I promise I won't mock you~"

Before Blitzø could even speak however, a loud BANG resounded from above him, and he watched in horror as an angelic bullet whizzed directly towards the prince. "STOLAS, WATCH OUT!"

The bullet suddenly stopped mid-way and dropped to the ground, leaving the three imps present there baffled. Stolas's eyes were glowing with magic as he peered upwards over to where the pair of assassins were hiding, even though he couldn't directly see them, he could still sense they were there.
"it seems that my ex-wife has hired more pesky assassins to kill me—what a shame..." The owl let out a hoot, casually brushing off the occurrence as if it was a normal thing. Blitzø gawked at him with a expression of disbelief.

Suddenly, in a blur of pink and red; the two assassins were out of their hiding spot, speeding off and away from the manor as quickly as they could.

Stolas couldn't cast his stone-turning gaze on the pair as Blitzø suddenly picked his flintlock pistol from his pockets and started firing at them as they went.

Blitzø felt himself pale and faltered in his shooting as he caught sight of the 'twin doppelgänger' turning towards him as she ran. He could see her more clearly now; a lot more closer than he did earlier.

The frightful look in her eyes would be etched into his memory. As well as the words he heard as she passed by and out of sight.

"—Blitz-O?" He heard her say, and Blitzø in turn felt the pistol drop to the ground and a million thoughts flood through his mind.

That voice sounded just like Barbie. She looked just like Barbie. The ram-shaped horns and the white patterns all over her body were unmistakable.

The fact that he just saw Striker again on top of that didn't matter when he realized who else was with him. Someone that he'd never thought he'd ever see again.

"...Barbie Wire." Blitzø whispered to himself, as if confirming his own thoughts.

"Oh, Blitzy~I'm sorry for the trouble!" Stolas piped up, breaking the imp out of his stupor. "Stella had been very...adamant about getting me killed ever since I divorced her recently."

"And you're somehow fine with this?" Blitzø croaked out, picking the pistol up and placing it back into his pocket.

"Well...I'm not all that worried, I have you to protect me after all~" The prince chirped, guiding the imp inside the manor. Being outside didn't seem all that appealing after that assassination attempt. "You're an amazing hitman, Blitzø."

Blitzø let Stolas lead him inside, thinking over the encounter he just experienced with a heavy heart as he realized what he did. He wanted to be flattered over Stolas's compliment, but he really couldn't when his focus was stuck on this ordeal instead.

"Shit..." He groaned, quiet enough so that Stolas wouldn't hear. "Did I just shoot at my sister?"

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-o0o-

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Striker mentally cursed himself as he caught his breath, glancing to the imp beside him.

"Alright—what the fuck was that, Barbz?!"

Barbie Wire let out a growl, scowling at her boyfriend. "How am I suppose to know?! I didn't expect that to happen!"

"I-I didn't expect Blitz-O...I mean, Blitzø, to be there..." She let out a sigh, slouching down and staring at the ground below her. "I didn't want him to show up..."

"...If he wasn't there, we would've killed Stolas by now." She choked out, "why can't I just help him and get it over with? Why can't I just get something right for once..." Barbie took a deep breath, looking like she was on the verge of tears.

Striker's exasperation shifted into sympathy as he walked towards her, entwining his tail with her own and compelling her to stand back up.

"Hey...it's not your fault we got caught. We'll get em next time around. I'm sure 'Blitzy'," The cowboy hissed out, "won't interrupt us then."

Barbie thought that was awfully optimistic of him, but didn't say anything about it as Striker whistled, drawing the attention of Bombproof, the stallion galloping towards them at his owner's call.

As Barbie mounted the hellhorse after Striker got on, a bitter look crossed her face while she recalled their encounter with Stolas and Blitzø.

It was for the best that her brother wasn't going to see her again. This incident was just a fluke, something that wasn't meant to happen. As much as Barbie yearned to connect with him, she knew her twin wouldn't forgive her for everything she did in the past.

Stolas was an obstacle in Barbie's way of making her brother happy. If Stolas was gone, Blitzø wouldn't have to be treated like a plaything anymore.

If Stolas was gone; then maybe Barbie would actually have a chance to reconnect with him again, but she knew that wasn't going to happen even if She & Striker did manage to assassinate the prince...

As much as Barbie hated to admit it; She hoped she didn't see him again, even if it meant this entire murder Stolas ploy she was trying to do would be pointless. She was happy with Striker, that was all she needed, really.

And it was going to stay that way as far as she could tell.

Why would it ever change?