If you had told Lup two months ago that not only she'd be free and her crew would the save the world, but unfortunately she'd also find herself in Rockport's sewer system up to her knees in shit, she wouldn't have believed you.

But hey they did and here she was, up to her knees in shit.

Or least, she would be up to her knees in sewage if her litch form wasn't Flying above it. Lup had For once very greatful she doesn't yet have a physical form. If only so she didn't have to put up with the smell too. The world above was weirdly and quickly returning back to 'normal', hard graft pouring into the rebuilding and aid work. And while being away from her family albeit temporary made her a little bit anxious, learning the ropes of Reaping gave her a purpose at times the others were busy or asleep.

Now she's on a joint mini mission, following Death as they stealthy glide through a labyrinth of pipes and tunnels in the hunt for their quarry. Well she had been. But then her Stone of Farspeech had gone off. She answered it quick hoping to knock it back off just as fast. "Hey! Now's not a good time, can I call you back later? What? Slow down, what's happened?"

"Oi? LUP?" A minute later Kravitz realises she's not been following him through the spooky as sewers; and he swings back around the corner, his form a plume of black smoke and feathers and robe and a skull. "There you are. Hey, hey hang up the dog and bone-!"

"Shh hang on!" Lup snaps waving him away. "Where abouts are you?"

"What? No, Lup we've work to do." Krav frowns. He makes a grab for the stone but Lup ducks. "Task at hand. Come on concentrate."

"Mags? Say that bit again?"

"Lup?!" Krav tries. But Lup ignores him again and continues. And the reaper at least realises this might be important and don't make another swipe for her Stone.

"Can you heal up? Okay that's good. Oh gods really? Look I'll be right there, as soon as I can. Promise. Just, I don't know keep them apart for now? See you soon."

"Right where?" Kravitz frowns, as Lup hangs up and puts the rock back into its pocket dimension. "What's happened?"

"I don't have time to explain Kravitz, can you rip me a quick exit to Goldcliff please? Probably close to the outskirts, the Boys and the Bureau are there, and shit's gone south."

"Is your brother okay?" Kravitz says suddenly dropping the cockney in concern and summoning his weapon. "Is Barry?"

"Taako? No he's fine, and Barry. But still. Family emergency." Lup reassures him, despite feeling antsy.

"Oh, fuck. Is everyone alive?" He asks swinging his scythe.

"Yeah no-ones hurt. Well no one we care about. I mean our idiots aren't physically hurt at least I think, so it's not an emergency- emergency but you know."

Kravitz stops mid slice and frowns. Or least as frowns as good a skull can.

"If it's not an emergency can it not wait?" he asks.

"No! Well maybe? But something's gone down. I'll tell you full deets later." Lup shrugs. "I owe you one."

The semi formed rift suddenly snapped shut before Lup can go near it, let alone through it.

"err, Krav? My guy?" 'Krav' isn't in the mood for jokes.

"Lup, do you remember why we're here?"

Lup sighs as dramatically as her form will allow.

"Yeah yeah, I know! An experimental warlock wannabe necromancer is taking advantage of freshly dug grave sites to try out ritual spells. has raised exactly three zombie rats as pets possibly building up to raising a lost love. Guy has even built himself a stupid spooky dungeon in the sewers so he can be the next Lucas Miller or Doctor fantasy Frankenstein." She says. "you can take him on alone can't you? He's like, level two and a half."

"Of corse I could take them." Kravitz scowls. "Hell, he's still in puberty. We're only here to scare them and get rid of his gear, but-!"

"Great. See you!"

"Lup no absolutely not!"

"Oh come on! Please? I already said I was on my way."

"You're here as an Emissary, not an intern."

Lup wants to counter that given she doesn't even have a scythe yet, she is very much an intern thank you very much. But Krav continues.

"We are here on behalf of the Raven Queen. To formally terrify the shit out of a Necromancer, benevolently show him the error of his ways and nip his new hobby in the bud. Before it escalates to actual zombies from freshly dug graves and he starts causing real problems later on. and besides," He adds.
"A lich suddenly appearing in the middle of Goldcliff by order of the Raven Queen in broad daylight is going to cause concern."

"Pfft! Kravitz my dear, it'll be fine. Me and Barry are LEGENDS. As soon as I say who I am, bam?" Lup counters. "Or better yet, cut the rift and i'll stay invisible and find my boys. Problem solved."

"Problem Not solved." Kravitz says. "Look, tell you what rather than floating here arguing, you can go soon as we're done with My First Necromancer. Sooner we finish the sooner I'll cut a rift. Deal?"

"Or you could just let me goooo?" Lup says, really starting to get pissed off now. They're floating there above a river of shit, Lich vs skeletal ghost, pissing about when she could be in Goldcliffe by now and the target could be halfway to pain town.

"Do you want to train as a Reaper for the Raven Queen? Or would you rather be in The Eternal Stockade forever?" he snaps.

"Yes I do, you know I do, you know I need too. But right now, I need to be there, not here. Emotional support and all that!"

"You are an emissary for The Raven Queen now! You can't just bail when every you feel like it!"

"It's not bailing! You heard Magnus-?"

"No I didn't! And technically we Reapers don't tend to have Stones of Far Speech on while we have jobs in hand."

"Yes but there's been a huge row! And Taako did cast magic missile. I mean we all knew it was building for like weeks but-!"

"No buts!" he interrupts, losing his patience. His accents back too, goddamit.

"You're being a butt. Listen Jack Skullibones, either cut me a rift or I will straight up just fucking fly over there."

"What, Not even teleport?" he mocks.

"Watch me." Lup grins. then remembers she can't do that one. Fuck.

"We're here to do a job, we'll collect the bounty then we'll go." Kravitz pushes.

"This is so unfair!" Lup says, red lightening flickering off her form.

"Deaths more fair then Life!" Krav laughs.

They are going around in circles. Bothe figuratively with the argument, neck and neck on intimidation and persuasion rolls; and literally, circling each other swirling and swishing around like angry sheets in the wind over the murky skanky waters.

"Bullshit you break the rules all the time!"

"I don't break them. and I don't leave a fucking mission half done."

"If had been Taako would you go!" Lup points out, aiming with an admittedly low blow.

"Yes I would!" Kravitz says, then back peddles. "I mean yes if he was in danger or it was an emergancy-."

"Well there you are! Don't a hypocrite!" She fizzes.

"You just said he isn't in danger!"

"And if it was Barry? He's an emissary too? Or would his only be an emergency if he was dead again?"

"If it was Barry in trouble would he have not shown up here? Giving how as a month's emissary experience on you, he can form rifts between worlds?" Kravitz sneers. "Why can't Barry handle it even? Or Merle, isn't he the peacekeeper? You've a Captain and a Director on call too."

Lup liked Kravitz. She really did. Kravitz didn't hold her attempt at trying to flambé him against her. which made him better then any of Taakos previous boyfriends. But she still trying to find the balance between getting to know Kravitz as her brother's boyfriend; and dealing with him as her and Barry's workplace manager. And right now, he is lighting up every one of her last nerves like a Candle Nights' Bush on a bonfire.

It's gonna be awkward as fuck at dinner tonight. again.

"They fucking called me," she hisses. "So er yeah? it's defiantly bad!"

"You just said it's not an emergency!"

"You don't understand-!"

"You can't just bounce-"

"I will. I will bounce."

"You will not."

"I have to go!"

"We have a job to do-!"

"Enough."

Lup blinked. They're not in the sewers anymore. They aren't anywhere she knows even. Lup feels like ink in water. And more pressingly she is before The Raven Queen.

Lup has heard her new Goddess in her mind, Terrifying and Wonderous. The sense of divine washing over her the moment Lup had signed the contract pledging her service. How she felt her presence guiding her new work, trivial as it is sometimes before she can take a physical form.

"Such bickering. How unseemly."

But this is the first time Lup has come phasmagorical face to the indescribable shifting 'face' of The Raven Queen herself. There are great flocks of birds around them too, but it's hard to focus on any single one alone.

"Reaper Kravitz. Come hither."

"What is your will, my Lady?" Lup hears. But when she looks- (there's no taking her eyes off the raven queen. When Lup turns her head away her Majesty is in her vision still.) When she looks Kravitz is there to at her side. Here Kravitz is neither the handsome man or the skeleton Lup knows, but a humanoid in the vaguest vaguest of descriptions ball of light.

"You compliant against thy charge? The task at hand? " His Goddess and Lups' 'says'.

It's not like hearing her Queen's occasional summoning in her head. Her whispers here are deafening. This surrounds Lup, fills her brain, as if she has a physical form to do so. There is then silent exchange as bird mom 'talks' with Her Reaper. The ravens surrounding them cock their heads and mummer, possibly weighing in on the wordless debate.

Then Kravitz says with a slight bow. (Lup can't register a body for him to bow per say, but he defiantly bows.) "I will make the arrangements myself your grace."

"Good, good. Look to the Bounty and We shall speak in his ear. Take care Kravitz, he does not continue this path he has found. He is but a boy and maybe able redeem himself yet."

"It will be done as you suggest." He says. Lup can tell he's smiling.

"Do so enjoy it for me... As for the 'LEDGENDRY Lich'." The Raven Queen coos.

And turns to Lup.

If Lup had blood it would surely run cold."My L-lady?"

Her voice is horrible. it reminds Lup of dentistry, being stuck in the unberstaff and her death in the Judges' Cycle all at once.

"This shalt not be a regular occurrence. Do you hear? And you will speak with Kravitz upon your return."

But The suffocating tension in the place Lup hadn't noticed is suddenly gone. And the Raven sits back in her throne. "Till then… attend to your flock, child."

And with that the goddess dismisses them with shooing motion. "Go forth in your endeavours, Both Of You."

"Thank-!" Lup starts.

But suddenly they are back in the sewers of Rockport.

"She knows." Kravitz, handsome Cockney Kravitz says. He is A LOT more at ease now the Raven Queen has given her blessing on the matter. "But hey? you are so filling out the paper-work for this kid later."

"Thanks. Be sure kick his arse for me a little, yeah?" Lup says. He nods, ripping open a tear in spacetime to Goldcliff for her.

"Go on. and Let me know if there's anything I can do." He says seriously, in his normal voice.

"I will." She promises giving him a quick hug – or the best she can manage in her state- And zips off through the rift. "See you, Boney Bub!"

"Please don't call me that-!" Kravitz yells after her. But she's already gone.