"'Cause I'm hot, I'm young, running free,
Little bit better than I used to be."
Screams.
The ballroom fell into chaos at the sight of Hurley's limp form. Nobles ran left and right, scrambling to understand what was happening, tripping over each other in panic. Valleri was frozen on the spot. Her eyes bore into Hurley, her whole body shaking.
Wh… What the fuck is this?!
Lateralus snapped into focus and grabbed Hurley's body, holding him upright. Foam was frothing out of his mouth, and his eyes were bloodshot. Valleri couldn't tell if he was even still alive anymore.
Hurley's body lurched, and he coughed up hemolymph into the Pale King's hand. He stared at the blood on his hand for a moment, horrified, before he clenched it with a shaky fist. The screams of the room sounded so distant, so deafening.
Lateralus reached out and grabbed a nearby royal retainer, who yelped at the contact. "I want a bounty placed on whoever did this, effective immediately."
"H-H-How much, Your Majesty?!"
Lateralus paused, looking down to consider. He turned back to the retainer, voice tense, "Five million Geo."
Valleri blinked. Five million… that was how much her bail was, wasn't it? It was such a shitty thought to have when she didn't even know if Hurley would pull through this, but…
Why would someone want Hurley dead?
She swooned on her feet, her head light. A hand unconsciously went to her forehead. Everything felt like a dream, both there, and yet feeling far, far away.
Why?
Frantically, pieces sprung to life and quickly fell together in her mind. It was only a hunch, but it was enough. She looked around the chaotic ballroom; she was still panicked out of her mind, but a wave of focus had washed over her. Without even realizing, her feet were taking her away from Lateralus, who had more important things to do right now than watch her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of white carrying a hint of red, sneaking out of a door.
And she was gone.
Valleri sprinted through the crowd, shoving aside frightened nobles and fleeing politicians. A table of food and punch blocked her way, which she leapt over haphazardly.
Behind her, Ze'mer reached out. "L-Le'mer! What are you-" Before she could continue, a wave of exhaustion washed over the Great Knight, sending her tumbling into the table, knocking glasses to the ground with a crash. She cursed under her breath, "D-Damn this! P-Poison?! Urgh…"
Valleri slammed the doors open with both hands, running out as fast as she could. Now that she was out of the crowd's immediate attention, she tore off her dumb cloak so she wouldn't trip on it. Now wasn't the time for stealth and subtlety, and there was no way her appearance could worsen this mayhem.
She looked around, trying to find where the kidnapper ran off to. Dammit, every hallway looked the same! A commotion down another path caught her attention, and she kept running.
"O-Ouch! I can't even guard a bunch of boxes without stubbing my foot…"
She rounded a corner and slammed open a door. A lone guard was standing with a large pile of shipping crates in an otherwise empty, spacious room. He startled at her entrance, scrambling for his weapon.
"H-Hey, you can't be here!" he shouted. He pointed his spear at her, but Valleri wasn't having it.
"Someone's been poisoned!" she shouted, voice delirious. The guard seemed to falter at this. "I saw someone running this way, carrying something red. Do you know where they went?!"
"U-U-Uh-" The guard stammered. "I-I saw someone with a red thing get onto a Stag into the City-"
"Dammit!" Valleri shouted, slamming a fist down on a nearby box. "How do I go after that guy?"
"W-Wait, i-if you'll just calm down, miss-"
The guard tried to approach her, but he tripped and fell into a large, rectangular box in the center of the room. As he stumbled to the floor, he accidentally undid a latch, and the box, labeled "C-0086" in Hallownestian, opened wide.
Valleri's eyes widened when she saw its contents. Her breath was taken away by its sleek form; it even had the keys in the ignition.
"Is… is that-"
The Pale King's day had gone from bad, to worse, to absolutely catastrophic.
He'd ordered all the partygoers to go home immediately, and those who had consumed the spiked drinks to be taken to the Palace's medical ward. So far, over a dozen attendees and counting were showing moderate to severe symptoms of poisoning, and he had to figure out what he was supposed to tell them, their families, and the public.
Royal Scholar Hurley, a key witness in an upcoming trial, was the most severely poisoned by far, and there was no telling if he would even survive. Great Knights Dryya and Ze'mer had consumed the spiked drinks, he couldn't mobilize Ogrim and Hegemol without more information, and Isma was still on leave.
Valleri had vanished without a trace. Had she done this? No, she'd have nothing to gain from killing the only witness speaking for her defense.
And worst of all…
"Hornet is missing," Herrah seethed at him as the two stormed down a hallway, a few dozen Weaver and Pale Knights flanking them, bursting into rooms as they passed and searching for the Deepnestian Princess. "You said she was somewhere in that ballroom, yes? What if she had some of your spiked drinks?"
The way she used 'your' made it sound like he was supposed to take the blame, as if he drugged his own guests. He clenched his fists, holding up his robe from the ground so he could walk faster to match the Beast's furious pace. "The Palace has been placed on lockdown, and both of our entire guards are searching the grounds for her. She can't have gone far."
"Hornet is too crafty for your guards or mine, I'll admit," Herrah huffed, gripping her needle in a vice. "Forgive me if I don't put much faith in this 'lockdown', Wyrm."
"I am doing all I can, Herrah."
"Well it's not enough!" She turned on him, glaring down with fury in her eyes. "Our daughter is missing, could be dying, and we're standing around like idiots and waiting for our lackeys to do something!"
"What more can I do!" He wasn't used to raising his voice, but Herrah had a way of infuriating him like nothing else. "Aren't you the one who let her run loose in the ball?!"
"I- Don't you DARE act like this is MY fault! YOU couldn't even have proper security to keep your little 'jerk-me-off' festival from being attacked!"
"HOW WAS I MEANT TO ANTICIPATE THIS?!"
"YOU'RE THE ONE WITH FORESIGHT, WHY DON'T YOU-"
A heavy, mechanical roar echoed up the hall behind them, silencing the shouting monarchs. Lateralus turned to see a single, blinding light, getting closer to them, rapidly.
His eyes widened in horror, and Herrah and Lateralus dodged in either direction as Valleri sped past both of them on the back of a motorcycle, a single guard clinging to her back while screaming in terror.
The noise was deafening as it thundered past them. The guards around them scrambled to get out of the way, some hopelessly trying to follow on foot. Lateralus rose to his feet, feeling his rage rise as he saw Valleri barge out the Palace doors into the courtyard, effortlessly breaking through his lockdown.
Herrah, still on the floor, began laughing.
Even through his anger, he was still caught off-guard by this. "What's so funny?" he seethed.
The Deepnest Queen kept laughing as she propped herself up. "It's nothing," she chuckled. "I just made a gamble… and it seems like it paid off."
"I got away… I can't believe I got away!", he mumbled under his breath. The Stag couldn't hear his whispers over the thundering of its own feet through the tunnels.
Good job, but you're not in the clear yet. They're looking for you already, I'm sure.
"D-Don't be like that! I'm doing what you asked, right?!" He laughed almost hysterically. The rush of causing chaos, the thrill of having so many lives in the palm of his hand, only to crush them so easily… This was amazing! He felt high on his own depravity! Why did he ever think a stuffy, lawful life as a Royal Retainer was for him?!
So far, you are following my orders, yes.
"S-So you'll make me a god, right?! You'll let me command an entire world of dreams…" He felt giddy at the thought of his victory; it was just a claw's tip away! "...And all I have to do now is bring you this girl?"
In his arms, the unconscious form of the Deepnest Princess lay limp.
Yes, that's all. Don't fail me now.
"I-I won't!"
"V-V-Valleri this isn't sAAAAFE-!"
She felt hysteric. The fact that this thing not only existed here, but had a working key and fuel, was nothing but a miracle. She just wished she had a helmet, or her gun that got confiscated.
"HAHAHA! I've always wanted to ride one of these things!" she laughed back at the guard.
"Y-YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE?!"
Instead of answering, she made a sharp turn in the caverns they were speeding through, the echoes of the engine pounding at her eardrums. "Hey, what's your name, anyway?!" she shouted over the noise.
"R-Reed!" the common guard shouted back. "It's Reed!"
…? Reed? Have I heard that before…?
She shook her head; no idle thoughts now. Hornet needed her, dammit. She could see the light at the end of the tunnel they were in, rapidly approaching.
Reed grabbed desperately onto Valleri's waist, squeezing his eyes shut as they shot out of the tunnel like a bullet. For a brief moment, they were airborne; and then they crashed back down onto the cobblestone roads of the City of Tears.
The rain washed over her, snapping her into focus immediately as she shivered. She revved the engine as she shot forward, keeping a watchful eye on the pedestrians on the road that were all staring at her in astonishment.
"Reed, where's that Stag gonna stop?!" she shouted back.
The guard sat up on the back of the bike, snapping his visor open to see better, before snapping it closed again with the wind rushing into his eyes. "T-Try the King's Station! Just up ahead!"
The bike roared past the City streets, closing in ever closer on the one who had kidnapped Hornet.
She stumbled as the bike hit a loose stone, jolting them. Dammit, these roads were never designed for motor vehicles! She needed to slow down if she didn't want to wipe out, but that only gave the culprit more time to get away.
And to boot, the pedestrians were getting denser as she reached the innermost parts of the City, approaching the packed King's Station. There were more people out than she remembered.
"O-Outta the way!" Valleri called, waving her arms to get as many bugs as possible out of the walkroads. "It's an emergency! Make way!"
She was going as fast as she dared, but with the bumpy and packed road, it was hard to push such a large vehicle through all the foot traffic.
Just ahead of them was the King's Station, crowds pushing in and out of every door and archway. It was busy enough to practically be a city square; nobles and commoners alike all passed through these gates, it was insane how many bugs were all in this one area, all the time.
Scanning the area, Valleri's eyes caught onto a short Palace retainer in stark white leaving the station, holding onto a limp Hornet in his arms.
"There!" Valleri shouted, engine roaring as she rolled the throttle, trying to catch him as fast as possible-
When a massive, colorful box floated in her way.
She was forced to make a harsh stop, sliding along the wet stones just before she hit it. "What the hell is this?" She paused; from beyond the massive box, she could hear cheering and music filling the streets, pedestrians throwing confetti and ringing small bells as they all walked in a long line that spanned the whole road or even longer.
"Oh! The Kingsday Parade!" Reed exclaimed, visibly excited. "I always loved watching this every year as a grub!"
Valleri couldn't believe her rotten luck. A fucking parade?! Today?!
It was too densely packed for her to drive straight through, and if she tried to follow the flow of the crowd then the culprit could still sneak by in either direction.
Valleri huffed, spinning her bike back to go the other way, Reed nearly falling off with a yelp. Turning onto a small staircase alleyway, she pulled her bike's front wheel up just slightly so that she could drive up the stairs. ("VaA-aA-al-LL-Ee-RI-II-I-!")
Finally at a good vantage point above the parade, she could see several floats all in a line, some of them even directly connected, built with the intent of performers walking from float to float.
"...V-Valleri, please don't be doing what I think you're do OIIIING-!" Reed screamed as Valleri drove right off of the ledge and landed right in the center of the nearest float.
There were screams among the crowd and even the performers; those who didn't notice the rumbling of her bike definitely noticed her now. The whole City had eyes on Valleri.
"I'm gonna keep driving, you keep an eye out for the guy!" she said as she revved the bike (secretly relishing in the attention she was getting) and zoomed up the line of parade floats. Actors shouted and gasped as she sped past them, trying not to hit anybody as she went.
"Sorry! - Excuse me! - Move it! - Coming through! - Outta the way!"
Even as the bike slowed, her heart was racing; If she kept this up, she'd crash. But if she didn't pick up the pace, would she be able to save Hornet?
Funnily enough, some bugs in the crowd had actually started cheering for Valleri, acting as though it were just a scripted part of a bigger play. As much as it pissed her off for her panicked scramble to be turned into entertainment for the whole city, she'd take anything that helped her get by.
Valleri wiped her brow, trying to get her wet hair out of her face and eyes. Through the hair, rain, and chaos on the floats, it was hard to see anything.
She wiped her hair off of her face, only for it to start floating in the air.
It took only a second for Valleri to realize what was happening.
Dammit, not right now! Please!
Whirling behind her, she could see a warbly, towering geyser of water rising above the crowd, swirling around itself like a tornado. And in the eye of the storm, floating at the very top like a guard in a watchtower, was Great Knight Isma.
Knight and Thief locked eyes.
"Fuck!" Valleri cursed under her breath. She didn't have time for this shit! She shouted back at Reed, "Are you looking for the red?! 'Cause I'm trying to deal with Greenie back there!"
"G-Greenie? What-" Reed turned, saw Great Knight Isma pursuing them, and beamed. "I-It's Lady Isma! O-Over here! We need your help!" he called, waving his arm.
"No, you idiot! She's trying to catch us, not help us?"
Reed turned to her, uncomprehending. "W-What…?"
"Well-" Valleri ducked under a banner, which slapped Reed's face, who clawed at his helmet to get it off. "Trying to catch me, more like. You're probably fine, aside from aiding a wanted murder suspect."
At this statement, several pieces seemed to fall together in Reed's mind as his eyes blanked. He looked faint, like he wanted to vomit. "T...This is it. Forget getting discharged, we're both gonna die here…" he moaned.
"LOOK FOR THE RED!" Valleri elbowed him, which hurt her more than him with his armor on, but got the message through.
Reed sat up straight, eyes like a hawk's. "R-Right!" He suddenly jolted, "T-There he is! He's getting on a tram!"
Valleri looked towards where he was pointing, and sure enough, the rogue Palace retainer was carrying Hornet onto a seemingly empty tram car. Revving her bike (God that was fun), she sped off of the parade floats and away from the crowd, who had broken into an uproar of applause at her impromptu performance. On the last parade float, a frazzled-looking bug in a fancy outfit was bowing, trying to save face by acting like everything was planned.
Meanwhile, with pedestrians out of the picture, Isma moved in to intercept.
"Do you know where that tram's going, Reed?!"
"Uhh-!" The guard ran through the list of stations in his head and how they were connected. "T-The next tram station in the City is Watcher's Station, just up ahead!"
"We're never gonna be able to catch that thing by following it. We gotta go around and ambush the guy!"
A large balloon of water crashed beside them, causing Valleri to swerve, the rain soaking deep into her clothes. Another one crashed into the ground on their other side, making Valleri dodge in the other direction.
"J-Just stay close to me!" Valleri said to Reed. "I don't think she'd attack one of her own. With you here, she'll be forced to slow us down instead of, yknow, tearing me open."
"A-Are you saying you're using me?!"
"Yep!" Valleri shouted, gunning it down the road as fast as she could manage.
A wall of water rose up in front of them, forcing Valleri to make a hard turn into an alleyway. The wall followed them, morphing to fit the dimensions of the alley, like a sentient tidal wave trying to crash into them.
Fuck, Valleri thought. Fighting a water sorcerer in a city of eternal rainfall's a bitch and a half! She just hoped she wasn't about to get impaled again. She could feel her chest clench up at that thought, her breathing growing ragged, lungs coiling and writhing around something that wasn't there anymore.
"V-Valleri? Valleri! Focus, please!" Reed shouted.
Valleri blinked back into reality, shaking her head as she sped to the tram station. If they could get there fast enough, then maybe they could catch the guy once he got off the tram, and then-
The screeching of metal beside her caught her attention. Valleri turned to see the tram driving right alongside her, albeit on rails and a fair distance above her.
Oh. That's convenient.
"R-Reed! Valleri shouted behind her. "How do we get onto that tram?!" She slowed the bike so that they could cruise alongside it, trying to brainstorm how she could safely get Hornet out.
"I-I-I dunno! Shouldn't we wait until it gets to the station?!"
"There's no time!" Valleri cried. "I dunno what that guy's planning to do to Hornet!" Why would anyone want to kidnap her?! Was it ransom of being related to two monarchs? Or was it something else?
"That-" Reed choked. "THE 'RED THING' WAS PRINCESS HORNET?!"
Oops. Should've mentioned that earlier. Valleri reached back and grabbed onto his spear, and, keeping the bike steady with one hand, chucked it up into a window as best as she could.
It wasn't a very well-balanced spear, nor did she have the best arm, but she managed to smash the glass open. The opening was just big enough for her to slip into, if she could jump up there.
Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed through the metal. Valleri looked up; above her, water-sword in hand and an array of floating raindrops at her side, Lady Isma stood on top of the tram, glaring down at Valleri.
"Don't make any sudden movements."
Valleri felt her grip tighten on the bike's handlebar. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't tear her gaze away.
"...don't understand! Lady Isma, r-respectfully, it's an emergency!
"And respectfully, what 'emergency' allows a murder suspect to waltz free and wreak havok?! No, I'm afraid I will need to arrest you as well, Reed."
"B-But My Lady-!..."
She had seen this sight once before, and it…
"...ordered to stop that thing immediately, and this won't need to get any messier than it already is."
"Princess Hornet is-!"
"Do you expect me to believe the excuses fed to you by that criminal? She may have fooled you, but I won't be…"
falling-
Valleri blinked, and she was midair.
Reed and Isma watched in horror as Valleri leapt off of the bike and onto the tram, grabbing onto the side with a thud. Her legs kicked freely in the air, scrambling for any purchase on the metal surface, before landing on a small bezel.
The bike, without a driver, began to waver. Reed lurched forward with a yelp and grabbed onto the handles, desperately trying to steady it. "I-I can't ride this thing! Help! H-Help!"
His hand slipped and rolled the throttle again, sending him and the bike speeding out of control ahead of them. Isma looked at Valleri and, in a split second decision, launched off of the tram to follow Reed so that he didn't hurt himself or anyone else. Not to mention, the bike was still a valuable artifact that the Palace couldn't afford to have broken.
Leaving Valleri completely alone in the rain, hanging off the side of the tram.
Climbing up the wet side of the metal tram through the broken glass window was a bitch, but Valleri managed to pull herself up and stuck her head through the window frame, trying not to gut herself on the glass shards.
Something orange flashed in her vision, and she felt something slimy wrap around her neck and yank her inside.
Valleri shouted in pain as something pulled her through by the neck, scraping her on the glass shards in the window. She was dragged across the floor like a ragdoll, before being lifted into the air, the thing coiling around her neck, strangling her.
She clawed at the thing, trying to look down as best as she could. Before her was the rogue retainer - but something horrific had happened to him.
His whole body was bulging and warped under his robe, which was struggling to contain all of the mass. His eyes were a solid, glowing orange, and it seemed like his entire body was faintly glowing orange. From the openings in his robe, several orange tentacles and appendages reached out, filling the space of the already-cramped tram, like some Hallownestian Doctor Octopus. One of the tentacles was wrapped around Valleri's neck, and another…
"H-Hornet!" Valleri choked out. The Deepnest Princess was curled up on one of the cushioned seats of the tram, fast asleep. A tentacle hovered over her head, not touching her, but observing her carefully.
"Ah, you again," The voice that came from the retainer made the whole tram rattle, going beyond anything the small bug's vocal cords could hope to create. It carried gravity, demanded submission in a way that made Valleri's mortal self shiver. There was nothing human in this voice. "I had wondered when I might encounter you again, Valleri Crowes."
"Wh..Who are you?!" Valleri shouted as best as she could. God, her choked-out voice sounded pathetic compared to the voice of this otherworldly being. She kicked and flailed, but found nothing to stand on around her. "I-I've never met you in my life!"
"Have you forgotten already? I do suppose you left a greater impression on I, than I had on you." Something about their tone made Valleri realize that this voice could not belong to the bug before her; something greater was at play here. "I apologize that you cannot see my 'legs' that you seem to adore so much."
...Legs? When did she-
Valleri's eyes shot open, as her whole body lurched forward. "T-That was a dream! Who the fuck are you!"
"I am the dream. I am the sun's rays. I am the warmth of your bed. I am the benevolence that steers your mind from suffering." The thing - no, the goddess in the retainer's body smiled up at her with a sickening, bulging face. "I am everything you could ever want, Valleri."
Think. Think, dammit! If this bitch loved to talk about herself so much, then maybe she could stall for time by talking her ear off. Anything to get that tentacle away from Hornet's neck.
"U-Uhm! You're not suggesting anything, are you?" God dammit. It was always back to sex with her, wasn't it.
It seemed to work well enough, though. The grip on her neck loosened slightly, enough for her to breathe, but not enough for her to break free. "Hm? What do you think I am... suggesting?"
"I mean, like, talking about how I want you and stuff. I mean, I wouldn't mind a date or two, i-if you aren't busy."
The retainer's face was blank. Valleri nearly sighed in relief as she saw the tentacle hovering near Hornet inch away in the being's confusion. "A… 'date?'"
"M-Maybe later, though!" Valleri blurted out. "I, uh, this whole t-tentacle thing ain't really my scene, y'know?!" She tried to nudge one away from her with her foot. She felt like she was trying to kick a viper.
The retainer, their body struggling to contain the revolting mass within them, cracked a smile. "You continue to surprise me in the strangest ways, Valleri."
The tram kept chugging on. They'd left the tight space where Valleri was able to jump onto the train, and now they were riding high above the city. The retainer turned to look out the window, and Valleri followed their gaze, trying to pretend she wasn't choking.
"Look over this city. Its people. Caught in their ways, tangled up in societal burdens like grubs in a spider's web. Is this truly a happy place, Valleri? They cannot choose their desires, only how to act on them. Does that choice only lead to suffering?"
Valleri wondered when - if - Isma would be coming back.
"That acursed Wyrm would have his subjects spend every waking moment scrambling for some laughably roundabout way of getting what they want. Why is the process necessary, when so few can live to bear it?"
Valleri looked back at the retainer. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"You've spent your entire life being dragged through what I am talking about. You understand better than anyone else. You reject the ceaseless chaos of society and choose to thrive on it. You carve your own path towards your desires."
Against her better judgement, Valleri couldn't hold back her anger as she spat through gritted teeth, "You don't know shit about me."
"I can see into your mind, Valleri. I know your every thought. And your thoughts seem to be curiously gravitating…"
A second tentacle reached up to her neck, and from under her shirt, tugged out a thin chain with a golden cross dangling off of it.
"...towards this."
Valleri let one of her hands go from the tentacle around her neck and quickly grabbed at the cross, clenching it in her palm in a vice as she swatted the second tentacle away. The metal edges dug into her skin, and it comforted her.
"I know not the significance of this symbol to your species. But what, I wonder, does it mean to you?"
Valleri swallowed, terror and rage welling up against each other within her chest. She said with a glare, "At least take me out for dinner a few times before you act like you know me."
And she reared back, and sent a kick flying straight behind her, hitting a control lever she couldn't reach before.
She had pushed it into the highest speed.
The entire tram lurched forward, sending the retainer stumbling forward over their own bloated body. Valleri slammed into the glass windshield of the tram, cracking it, before the tentacle loosened and sent her tumbling to the floor.
Something tumbled out of the retainer's cloak and clattered to the floor. A tiny glass vial with some white powder, rolling along the metal floor of the tram.
Without thinking, Valleri reached out and snagged it, stuffing it in her pocket.
The retainer regained their balance, and with a furious expression, swiped a tentacle at Valleri. She ducked, delivering a swift kick to the retainer's face.
Another tentacle came swinging out of nowhere, smashing into Valleri's side. She went flying, crashing into the side of the tram, her left arm making a sickening snap.
A cry forced its way out of her throat as she cradled her injured arm with her good hand, falling to the floor. Scattered around her were shards of glass from when she broke the window, digging into her clothes and skin.
The retainer stepped forward, orange tentacles curling in fury, ready to strike. One of them grazed over Hornet's cheek-
Valleri grabbed a big shard, ignoring the way it cut into her skin, and plunged it into the retainer's bulging, infected eye.
He screamed, stumbling backward in agony. The tentacles thrashed, hitting the walls, floor and ceiling with metal thuds that rocked the whole tram. Valleri wasn't sure how high up they were now, but she was reminded of being on a rocking cart at the top of a ferris wheel.
Still cradling her injured arm, she struggled to her feet and gingerly lifted up Hornet, holding the sleeping Spider Princess in her arms. The blood of Valleri's injuries soaked into Hornet's small cloak, but the Princess herself was unharmed, thank God.
The retainer had stumbled into the back of the tram, their tentacles curling around themselves as their form warped further in their rage, orange blood and pus dripping from where Valleri had stabbed them, the glass shard still embedded in their carapace.
"Don't be so brash, Valleri. I am merely borrowing this form, killing it does nothing. But you and I, we could make this World perfect. None would hunger, none would sleep in the cold rain. You see, in the nature of bugs, there is a-"
They were cut off by the metal walls of the tram being shredded open.
Dozens upon dozens of tiny bullets tore through the left wall in the back half of the tram and through the retainer's body, blood spraying everywhere to the right from the exit wounds. Valleri flinched back, shielding her face at the sudden masacre before her.
A blade, something more definite, carved out what was left of the tram wall turned scrap metal. Rain came pouring into the shaky tram, and outside of it.
"Valleri!" Reed was sitting on the bike, not driving it but letting it be controlled by Isma, who had collected spheres of water around the wheels to "drive" it. The Great Knight was hovering in another vortex of water behind Reed, having torn apart half of the tram to get to her.
"The tram won't be able to keep going with this much damage! Get on!"
After a moment of shock and hesitation, Valleri held Hornet in her arms, hissing at the pain in her arm (the skin around her injury was already turning a nasty color). She ran out of the hold Isma had ripped open and leapt towards the bike, which was floating high above the streets on a ramp of water.
Holy shit, how were they going to get down?
Just as she swung her leg over the bike, a tentacle reached out and grabbed her ankle, tugging her back. The retainer's body had been ripped apart and stitched back together by whatever horrific power was within him, less of a sentient bug and more of a deranged puddle of flesh and pus on the floor.
"In time… you will understand what I am. And I will not be forgotten."
The tentacle was sliced off by Isma's Water-Blade, with a shriek from the retainer. Valleri kicked the slimy thing off, and revved the engine, speeding off as fast as she could, as far away from that place as possible.
Isma wasn't prepared for the sudden departure. "W-Wait-!"
The water sorcerer formed a hastily-made bridge of rainwater that curved, sloped, curled, and in a panicked split-second decision, dropped the bike off directly above a river.
The tram, severely damaged, snapped off of the rails and fell, crashing into the ground in a wreck of metal and fire, thankfully in an area that was empty after the chaos of the parade earlier. Whatever was left inside the tram was incinerated completely.
Valleri and Reed screamed as they were left in mid-air, the bike falling out from underneath them as they all fell into the river with a colossal splash.
For a second, there was nothing but water to Valleri Crowes.
-can'tbreathe-
Princess in one arm and injury on the other, Valleri squeezed her eyes shut and kicked as hard as she could through the water, desperately trying not to think about it.
-cold,can'tbreathe-
She broke the surface with a gasp, water soaked heavily into her clothes. Hornet was drenched too, the cold splash of water helping to break through her drug-induced sleep.
Wearily, Hornet's eyes opened.
"...M-Momma…?"
Everything was blurry. She was cold. Was Momma here?"
"M-Momma…"
A familiar, comforting face was before her. Hornet blinked the water and sleep out of her eyes.
"...net… H…"
Hornet looked up.
"...Hornet. Y-You're okay… I'm so glad."
Hornet blinked, confused. "M...Mommy?"
Valleri giggled, holding Hornet close to her chest. She was overwhelmed with the urge to cry in relief. "It's okay. I'm here. I won't let anybody hurt you, I promise."
Reed sputtered out of the water, splashing around. It was impressive how he managed to stay afloat with that suit of armor. "V-Valleri! Are you okay? Is Hornet-"
He was cut off as he and Valleri began to rise out of the river, some unseen force from below lifting them up. The water curled upwards around them in all directions, entrapping Valleri, Hornet and Reed into a clear ball of water. On the stone shore of the river, Isma calmly and gracefully floated to the ground, her arm raised, keeping the sphere of water intact.
"Reed, and Valleri for the second time, you are both being placed under arrest. I'll spare you the list of charges."
Valleri grumbled, slumping on the curved inside of the sphere. "Spare me the fuckin' trouble, whydon'tcha."
Chapter name and summary are a reference to Live Wire by Mötley Crüe.
Yeah, this Reed is the same Reed from chapter 1, so I don't need to put his music ref down again
And now you know why it's called "Midnight Rider" hahahHAAhahahaha
I'm kinda nervous about this chapter cause it's a lot more action-oriented than usual, and the only thing fueling me through most of it was listening to Eurobeat while writing. This is a Eurobeat appreciation post
I might've mentioned that we're powering through a couple of Midnight Rider chapters before returning to Ethno, and we have 2 more we wanna get through before we'll be at a good stopping point. Don't worry, these next two will be very very short; more interlude chapters than anything. We might even get them both out within the week. They're just to wrap up the "scenario" and prepare Valleri for the rest of the bullshit we have planned for her, and then it'll be back to Chance :)
I think there's more I wanted to put here but I can't remember. Please leave a comment, we'll see you next chapter :)