A/N: I feel really guilty, my cousin wants to video chat tonight and… neither Adam nor I really want to so we said we have plans (we don't) but uh… yeah, I'm gonna type this chapter and then go feel guilty some more!

Disclaimer: I own my guilt and shame that even during quarantine, I'm still dodging social engagements…

We All Become Beasts

Katherine shuffled to her feet as best she could, her abdomen still bleeding heavily, even after she jabbed a vial into her leg. She had to get back into the fight… Nero was holding his own, for now, but who knows how long that would hold up for? This… creature, this Orphan, was a monster on a level of its own and the Hunter wasn't sure that the two of them were a match for it. It screeched again, taking off after the partial devil and Katherine fired off a single shot from her Blunderbuss, the shrapnel hitting the Orphan below the waist and causing it to falter for a single step in its stride, enough to allow Nero to get a could good strikes in before it could recover. The Hunter was horrified to notice that its wounds healed up before their eyes, leaving barely a scratch in its place. Katherine swore and leapt forward, flanking the creature, running her blood soaked hands over her face. This time she was trying to get her bloodlust going, she just hoped it was going to work… the smell and the taste, while her own blood was not as appealing as the blood of others, she could still feel her pulse quicken and the smell sharpen, she let out a roar, something not at all human, but the energy of it pushed the Orphan off balance and then Nero was there, taking advantage of the opening that the cry had allowed. He struck with Red Queen and his wings alike, trying to do as much damage as quickly as he could before the Orphan got back to its feet and leapt backward; probably trying to get some space. It threw something at them, pink and fleshy and Katherine ducked out of the way of the projectile, only noticing too late that the water around where it'd landed was glowing.

Fiery pain seared her side as the water exploded upward, she cried out and rolled, the saltwater providing little relief. It wasn't as bad as the previous hit but she could feel the burns on her side sluggishly closing up as the Old Blood did the best it could with how little was racing through her veins. She had only a moment to react as the Orphan was leaping at her with a horrible shriek, she rolled underneath it, winding up with her saw cleaver and slamming it down as hard as she could manage, the Orphan letting out a wounded sound and falling to a knee. Despite the fervor of the fight, Katherine let a grin spread across their face, reaching forward without thinking and tearing with too sharp fingers flesh from the Orphan's side. A glance over her shoulder told her that Nero was shaking off a hit of his own, the skin of his shoulder sealing up swiftly, even as the jacket now drooped across the blood-stained flesh. The Hunter couldn't help but be envious of the partial devil's ability to heal as he took several steps forward, that strange mechanical arm extending forward and pulling him with it to allow him to continue to rain blows upon the Orphan. The creature had apparently recovered enough from the flesh and muscles that the Hunter had pulled from it as it rose, its old man's face twisted in a visage of fury as it raised the large weapon that it had been wielding over its head. The Hunter dodged to the side, before realizing that it was far, far too early and the bladed edge drove directly between neck and shoulder. A pained, choked gurgle escaped torn lips before the blackness overtook all…

-Devil's Hunt-

Katherine opened her eyes standing before the lantern once more with a gasp and made a mad dash for the elevator, pulled the mechanism and anxiously hopped from foot to foot while waiting for it to rise. It appeared and she couldn't stamp on the button fast enough, not even waiting for it to reach the ground before leaping off, rolling off the extra momentum and dashing forward through the tunnel with the praying villagers. She could hear them long before she could see them, the shouts and angry burn of Red Queen and the screams and shrieks of the Orphan as the two engaged in a deadly dance. Nero was holding up admirably in her absence but it was clear that he was beginning to tire and the Orphan showed no signs of slowing. The Hunter dove back into the fray and the two of them alternated in and out, trying to keep up with the immense power of the infant Great One. They had worn it down considerably as it paused, leaning down on the thing that Katherine had at one point realized was its umbilical cord. She hadn't been intending to give it any reprieve, adjusting her grip on the Saw Cleaver she'd started forward, only to stop as Nero grabbed her arm. The Hunter was glad that he had as energy exploded out from the Orphan as it screamed, thrashing around wildly on its way toward them. Nero looked at her seriously but his smirk held a bit of mischief as he asked

"What if we all become beasts?"

A/N: I like the mental image of Nero trying to keep it busy while Katherine respawns and tries to make it back to them. It brings back memories of my friends and I when one of us gets invaded and everyone tries to drop their summon signs as quickly as they can. Anywho!

Till next time,

-Winged Element