Chapter 45. Fixing things.
"What. The hell. Is this?" Verosika said with irritation, approaching her changing room door.
"Uh, looks like an arrow," One of her posse, Josh, commented, looking at the projectile, "A familiar arrow."
"I'll get it out," Vortex offered. He took hold of it and was instantly burned by it, feeling as though his hand touched a hot stove top. "AH! SHIT!" He reeled back and shook it off, blowing on his palm. "Damn that burned."
"Lemme try," Ace offered. Once he wrapped his fingers around it, he got the same sensation as the disguised hellhound. "AH, FUCK!" He blew his hands.
Verosika rolled her eyes. "What is it, laced with poison or something? It can't be that hot."
"You try it then!"
"..." Looking at the arrow and thinking of their reaction, she opted out, "Im…good I dont wanna risk getting infected."
"With what? Hot hands?"
"Shut it."
"Hmmm," Josh kept looking at it before it dawned on him, causing a smile of eureka. "Oh I know what it is!..." The eureka quickly fades and is replaced with fear, "Oh I know what that is…." He walked back.
"What? What is it?" Apple asked.
"It's those arrows those angels shoot at the cleansing!" He jumped into Vortex's arms, shivering. "We're in trouble!"
"Whoa whoa whoa, why would an angel's arrow be on Verisoka's door?" Coco asked.
"To kill us! It's probably around her somewhere, hiding and waiting!" He looked around in fear.
"Why would it be hiding? Have you ever seen them hide before, especially in the human world?" Vortex tried to reason.
"Well explain the arrow then!"
"Hm…Hey Verosika?"
"What?" Verosika answered, still annoyed.
"I got a friend who can be here quick to verify if this is real. Mind if I call him?"
"Forget that, call an Exterminator!" Josh exclaimed.
"He IS an Exterminator."
"He is!?"
"Wait, is he that short brown hound?" Coco asked.
"Yep!" Vortex confirmed. "He can get here in a flash thanks to those daggers…if he got them back cause last he told me they were getting modded."
"Hold on," Verosika interjected, "Doesn't he work for that limp dick, Blitzo?"
"I.M.P.? Yeah."
"Don't call him."
"What?"
"I don't want to get involved with that fuckstain so don't call him!"
"Verosika, it's not like I'm calling his boss and besides it'll just be him so the boss won't know."
"He'll probably tell him and I DON'T want that asshole goading me!"
"I'll ask him not to. Besides, you really wanna risk the off chance of an angel hiding somewhere."
She grumbled and furrowed her brow. "...Fine."
"Alright, ringing him up."
Poch and Loona were walking away from a booth at the circus.
"That guy looked PISSED!" Loona laughed, eating a bucket of popcorn.
Poch chuckled. "Shouldn't have challenged me to knife throwing."
They passed by a High Striker and Shivarna made an appearance. "Hey, can I try that?"
"Uh," Poch looked unsure, "I don't think they'll le-" his phone rang and he checked it. "Hm?...It's Vortex. Should I answer?" He asked Loona.
"Why are you asking me?" She questioned.
"I mean…we're on a date so…"
"Right, um, yeah go ahead."
He answered the call. "Hello?"
"Hey Pocho! You busy?" Vortex responded.
"Well I'm on a date right now."
"Oh shit, sorry man!"
"No it's fine, what's up?"
"Well I was wondering if you could hop over here where Verosika just had her concert."
"What for?"
"Well, and this is gonna sound weird but…there's an angel arrow in her changing room door."
"What!?" This took Poch by surprise.
"Yeah, it's lodged right in there and it burns to the touch. I was thinking you could hop over and take a look, the group's afraid an angel's around."
"That's…concerning," His shoulder was tapped by Loona.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"There's an angel arrow in Verosika's door," A loud ding was heard and suddenly a bell with a heavy dent fell near at a nearby booth, "Hm?"
"In the human world?"
"Yeah. He's asking me to hop over to check it out just in case there's an angel."
"That should be impossible right?"
"Should be," He went back to Vortex, "Where are you?"
"I can text you the place, it's in Orlando, Florida, but you don't have to come now, I feel bad about ruining your date."
"You didn't ruin it, we were close to the end right?" Looking towards Loona, Poch wanted to confirm.
"Eh, pretty much." She shrugged.
"Just let me get her home and I'll be over."
"Thanks man!" Vortex thanked before hanging up.
"Alright, luckily I've been to Orlando."
"You have?"
"Yeah when I was like fifteen uncle Greg took us there for vacation."
"Yeah but you didn't have your daggers then."
"I didn't have to, as long as my presence was there I," He saw Shivarna walk up to them holding a giant stuffed black demonic stuffed bunny, "can…open a...gate there, Shiv where'd you get that?"
"High Strike," Shivarna pointed back at the attraction.
Poch and Loona couldn't help but look back at the broken bell that fell near them.
"Hm," Poch hummed unsurprisingly, "well Vortex called, he needs me over to check something that might be angel related."
"In the human world?"
"Yeah, I'll explain on the way," He drew his dagger, "Let's take that home first."
"Wait, can I do it?"
"Uh, yeah sure," He handed Shivarna the Hellscaper
"No no, the other one."
"Oh," He replaced the Earth-Tearer, "here."
"Hmmm," Slowly the shadow demon cut through the air and made a gate, "I did it!"
"I mean, you've done it before, well half of you."
"That was the Hellscaper," He said while placing away the bunny.
"They're not that different ya know, anyways cmon."
"Alright," Shivarna dismissed.
"When did he use the Hellscaper?" Loona asked, walking with him to the parking lot.
"He technically didn't," Poch explained, "Klarna did. Remember that time Jack and I got kidnapped?"
"Oh yeah, he threw the Earth-Tearer in….Still hate that day."
"Yeah…" They got on the bike, driving off. "So Shiv, what's going on is that apparently there's an angel arrow inside Verosika's changing room door, she had a concert there and somehow an arrow got in her door. We, and by that I, am going to investigate."
Shivarna appeared, running on all four beside them. "That shouldn't be possible right?"
"No it shouldn't. Even if there was a Purge, shouldn't there be anything left over. The angels don't leave, unless it's a short one in which case they'd be coming to hell somehow to start an early Cleansing based on what we learned."
"And since there wasn't, it can't be a Cleansing."
"I think you should call Rex or Albest about it," Loona suggested.
"I will when I pop over," Poch stated, revving up on the highway.
Poch arrived at the concert, walking around the area in his human form, heading to the back. The back way was cramped with screaming Verosika fans trying to get in to meet the Idol.
"No way I'm getting past that." Poch took out his phone and texted Vortex. -Can you open the door like five seconds-
-I gotchu- Vortex texted. He came by and opened the door, peaking out and the fans screamed louder, hoping to see the star.
Poch took the opportunity and made himself a gateway behind Vortex where he could see, hoping in. "I'm in."
"Sweet!" Vortex closed the door. "Thanks for coming man!"
"No problem! Where's the crime scene?"
"This way," Vortex led him to the door. "Hey guys, I got him!"
"Finally," Verosika huffed, "took him long enough."
"Ah he's cuter up close," Coco said, giving him a lidded stare.
"And has a girlfriend, hold it back Coco," Vortex chastised.
Poch approached the door with the arrow. "Hm," He reached for it.
"Whoa careful there, little guy!" Josh pulled him back. "That thing will burn ya!"
"It's fine, my powers give me some protection." He reached for it again and took hold, pulling it out.
"Oh wow. Man you exterminators really something!"
"Thanks…" Poch inspected it, "Hm…Any security cams here?"
"I thought you'd might ask," Vortex pulled out his phone, "so I asked security to send me the footage." He showed Poch the footage. It showed a coated man with a hood over them going up to the door and stabbing in the arrow before walking off. "Whoever he is, they know how to cover themselves, can barely even see the shoes."
"They even knew how to avoid the cameras," Milky stated, "This is the only one he's seen in."
"Security don't even know how he got in," Ace added, "Give it to use straight, it's an Angel in disguise, aint it?"
Poch shook his head. "No way an angel could do this, even if ordered to, it'd fumble with such specific orders…. Maybe direct control but…angels can't disguise themselves either so it can't be an angel."
"Then it could just be a pathetic human hater taking out their frustration on me," Verosika said. "Knew this was all overblown."
"That doesn't make sense," Ace rebutted, "If it was a human, how'd they get an angel arrow?"
"Then it's a demon hater, I get plenty of those plebs mad at me cause I didn't give them attention."
"Can't be that, you saw us try to grab it and it burned!" Kat replied.
"Well maybe you're all just wimps," She rolled her eyes. The side of the arrow was tapped on her arm. "OUCH!" She yelped and jumped back.
Poch smirked, pulling the projectile back. "Guess you're a wimp too."
"Do NOT do that again you fucksta-" He thrusted it closer and made her reel back, "AH!" She nearly tripped. "You little shit!" She glared.
"Heh," Poch looked back at the angel item and at the door. "...Give me a sec, I need to make a phone call." He separated from them.
"You better not be calling that limp dick!"
"Yeah yeah." He made some distance, hearing Verosika bitch about this situation and called Rex.
"...Hello? Poch?" Albest answered.
"Hey Rex, was there a Purge here in Orlando Florida?"
"That's outside my current branch so I'd have to call the one that has jurisdiction there. Why?"
"Well…there's this singer named Verosika, she's a succubus that's an idol on earth and she had a concert here but…she had an angel arrow in her door."
"What!?"
"Yeah I'm wondering if it's possible that maybe an angel fled, cause if not then this arrow should be gone or atleast a halo now."
"It's not a regular one is it?"
"No, they're angel monsters."
"That shouldn't be possible….Hmmm…do a sweep of the area, just in case there's an angel hiding nearby."
"Wouldn't the branch here pick up its signal?"
"They should all be dead but based on recent events this could be a case of heaven trying to be crafty."
"Ok, I'll look around. Oh by the way, I got my daggers back so I can return your sword."
"I'll come for it later. Until then…hold on to it, you can… keep using it if you like too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks! I'll update you soon!"
"Ok."
Poch hung up and returned to the group to tell them about his sweep.
Poch went around the area, having checked every nook and cranny, finding nothing angel like which both eased yet uneased him as he came back to the group.
"Good news is, there's no angel." Poch told them.
"Which means this was effectively pointless," Verosika stated.
"I wouldn't say that, if someone's stabbing an angel arrow in your changing room, then this could be bad," Vortex said.
"Could be a threat!" Ace added.
"Oh please, how many threats do we get in a week?" Verosika tried to push off.
"How many do you get with angel arrows?" Poch retorted.
With a glare she responded with: "So someone got creative, big whoop."
"No matter how you look at this, this isn't something you should push aside, someone stabbing this in your door is clearly an unusual threat and you know it. I think I should get the others involved cause if ther-"
"Oh HELL no!" She exclaimed with irritation, "There's no way I'm asking that shitface for help!"
"You seriously wanna be THAT stubborn with this?"
"I don't need it! This is something we can handle without you!"
"Let me get this straight, you wanna risk going up against an angel cause you don't want to face an ex?"
"I don't want to face a shit stain, so yes I'll risk it, cause this is nothing! Just some nutcase that managed to get a hold of this and you're all blowing it out of proportion!"
"Verosika come on," Vortex tried to reason.
"You're acting crazy here!" Coco stated.
"Shut it!" She shouted, "This decision is final!" Her saying that caused some unease and annoyance with her crew.
"...Alright," Poch said, "but if you change your mind, you're gonna have to go right up to I.M.P. and ask Blitzo himself if you want our help, and not only that, you're gonna have to pay him."
"Don't. need. It!" Stubbornly she stood in her choice.
"Ok then. Your embarrassment, not mine."
Verosika huffed and walked away. "We're done here. You can fuck off back to your den now." She flipped off.
Vortex sighed and looked to Poch apologetically. "Sorry man."
"It's alright. She wants her head up her ass apparently."
"Yeah. I'll keep you updated about this but, might wanna give your boss a heads up."
"I will. Later dude!" Poch cut open a portal and walked through.
A video screen that was watching Verosika, her group, and Poch was showing in a small room in front of three people in black suits with a DZ pin on the collar.
"Sir Draum," Said one of them, looking at the burly seven foot eight inch tall man, "it looks like the invite failed."
"Hmhmhm," Draum brushed and pulled his long curly mustache, every time he let go it would curl back under his sharp chin, "My dear comrade, that was not the invitation to our performance."
"It wasn't?" Asked the other.
"It was the poster, the ad of what's to come. You can not send invites to something unknown."
"Ah I see, but won't we need more ad's to draw them in?"
"Right you are!" He clapped, leaning forward with a devious smile, "Let us get the posters set."
Tom opened the fridge, taking out a can of pears.
"Call them," Ilas said behind him.
"I'm not calling them," Tom stated, getting the can opener.
"You want a good job, so call them."
"This job is way above my skill set."
"You're a martial artist aint ya?"
"Yeah but I aint no master," He kept the lid on and drank the juices.
"You're good enough to be one, especially where grappling is concerned."
"Ah," He finished the juice and got a fork, "I'm nowhere near as fast or strong as them."
"Yeah but you got more skill than most of the rookies. Call! Them!"
"Ugh!"
Greg walked in, "The hell you guys arguing about?" He asked while getting a drink from the fridge.
"I'm trying to get Tom to call the Exterminators for a job," Ilas explained.
"Tom wants to be an Exterminator?"
"No, I don't," Tom stated while sitting at the table and eating a few pears, "She's trying to sign me up as a trainer for those newly joining."
"They have those?"
"Not many that are regular humans and she thinks it'd be a good job."
"Cause it will, you already know how to kick ass, so you'd be great for the ones that use hand to hand," Ilas tried to reason, "Yes they go against angels with weapons but you got experience with that."
"She's got a point," Greg chimed in, "When you, Poch, and Celis were younger you stuck with your hands while those two used those bokkens on you."
"That was a long time ago," Tom argued.
"And you kept it up at the gym, especially on fight nights, which you convinced the owner to try!" Ilas argued back.
"Wasn't just me…."
"Yeah but you were still a big part."
"Ugh ok y'know what…I'll think about it."
"Oh come on! Just call them al-"
"Hello?" Greg said on the phone.
"Hm?" She glanced over at him with Tom.
"Yes I'd like to connect to the Executive with a capital E named Albest."
"Uncle, what are you doing?" Tom asked.
"Tell him it's from Greg, I'm an uncle of someone he knows, an Exterminator named Poch…Alright thanks."
"Uncle Greg?" Tom asked again with unease.
"I'm on hold, hang on."
"What are you doing!?"
"Making a call."
"But why Albest!?"
"Beca- Oh hey Albest, how's it?...Yeah I'm calling for a job for my nephew."
Tom's eyes widened and he rushed to Greg. "Whoa whoa wait!" He reached out and Greg took out his line and quickly wrapped Tom up, letting him land on the ground. "Ouch!"
"Yeah he doesn't want to be an Exterminator but he thinks he could train the newbies in hand to weapon combat…Oh really?...What's the pay?"
"Uncle!" Tom tried to break free.
"Oh that's pretty good…makes sense…those hours are good…"
"Hey hey!" Ilas waved.
"Hm?"
"Ask if they got any waiter positions!"
"You wanna be a waiter?"
"Yeah!"
"Why a waiter?" Tom asked.
"I may be a kickass boxer, but that doesnt mean I don't like it casual sometimes."
"Ilas is asking if you got any waiter positions," Greg told Albest before turning to Ilas, "You want a regular one at the establishment, or you want the underground one where they serve exterminators and demons."
"Underground."
"How is that casual?" Tom accused.
"It's supernatural casual."
"That's not a thing!"
"Alright," Greg continued, "...Yeah they're free that day…Sweet they'll be there!" He hung up.
"What he say?" Ilas asked.
"He's got you set up for an interview on monday."
"Sweet, that's like almost a week from now!"
"Hold on, where's my say in this!?" Tom interjected.
"Let's hear it," Greg unwinded him from the line.
Tom quickly raised"Well fir-"
"Overruled."
"What!?"
"You got no reason not to go."
"I do!"
"You're free that day, you've been looking for a new job since you got let off, and the pay's good. Plus you won't be the only human, regular, working. So what reason could you possibly have?"
"I…well…" He blushed, "It's just…"
Ilas noticed this. "Why you blushing?"
"I…I've…Ner..ab…eaching." He whispered.
"Huh?" Greg leaned in.
"Im…vous…tea…"
"Speak up will ya!"
"I'm nervous about teaching!" Tom blurted out.
"...What?"
"I've never taught before and I'm no Shifu or Jackie Chan, I've been taught I don't know how to teach!"
"That's all you're worried about?"
"What do you mean that's all!?"
"You just need practice, that's all."
"Who am I supposed to practice on?"
Greg pointed to Ilas. "Her."
"Huh?" Ilas looked confuddled.
"Ilas?" Tom shared the same expression.
"Yeah," Greg nodded, "Ilas is a boxer not an MMA fighter. You could show her a few things and treat her like a pupil."
"That…could work," He eased up, considering it.
"Wha-?" Ilas now turned her confused gaze to her boyfriend.
"Yeah, It'll be just you and her, she can give you pointers and you trust her so, best deal."
"That works. Great idea, uncle Greg!"
"Hey hey hey!" Ilas spoke up.
"What?"
"Where's my say?"
"Are you against it?"
"Well yeah! I'm very comfortable with being a boxer! If I try and change it up it'll not only go against my principles, but my style too!"
"You…" He chuckled, "You serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious! I'm Ilas the boxer not Ilas the MMA fighter!"
"Why you so against martial arts?"
"I'm not against it, I just wanna stay a boxer that's all."
"I see…well then pretend."
"Huh?"
"Pretend you're interested. Who knows, maybe something I teach you could be used for boxing, like changing your stance."
"Hm…" She thought about it for a bit, "...Ok."
"That was quick," He said, unsurprised.
"I do have one request," Greg asked.
"Yeah?"
"Don't turn this into a sex thing…Atleast while I'm around."
"Wha- how would we!?" Tom said with a blush while Ilas smirked with her own blush.
"Well if you want some tips for roleplay-"
"Nevermind, I regret." Tom was quick to attempt a stop.
"No no, you could use this, y'know spice up your sex life."
"It's spicy enough, thank you!"
"You say that, but I've heard you guys lately and-"
"Uncle!" Tom turned bright red while Greg was trying not to laugh, Ilas wanting to say something but also wanting to hear his suggestions.
Jack, Millie, Moxxie, and Shred entered the training grounds Blitzo got for them, heading to the center of the court.
"Trangs ready?" Shred asked the imp couple.
Moxxie and Millie were sitting on opposite ends on the booth seats holding dart rifles. "Ready!" They announced with a thumbs up.
"Alright, Jack," Shred got his claws ready, "let's do this!"
Jack took a deep breath and took out his scythe. "Ok then." He got into his battle stance.
They stood there, glaring at each other in a rivaling way, stoking up the tension. M and M were nervously but readily aiming their guns at Jack, hoping they wouldn't have to shoot him even though they were using tranquilizer rounds.
A few more seconds and they moved, rushing at each other, clashing claws with blades, Jack swinging and twirling his scythe and Shred swapping and swinging his claws. Shred thrusted and pushed Jack back, lunging with a downward swing that met the ground when the imp moved back, quick to jump back himself to avoid Jack's slash and follow up attack. Shred was on defense, dodging and blocking before taking an opening and grabbing the scythe pole, twisting around and elbowing Jack in the stomach. Jack held in his air and did a 180, pulling Shred along before double kicking the feline off. He threw his scythe, expecting his partner to deflect, grabbing the weapon as it went up and proceeded to slam down, meeting blade with nail weapon in a short struggle.
Millie was having trouble tracking Jack while they were moving around, Moxxie struggling as well but having it easier compared to his wife, his reticle slipping off his target from time to time.
"How you feeling?" Shred asked while sweeping his leg.
"Nothing different!" Jack replied, jumping and swinging at Shred's head.
"Kick it up?" Shred said, ducking and lunging.
Jack blocked with his pole and slid back, looking at Shred unsure, the cat exterminator also looking worried but his eyes giving Jack the final say. Jack tightened his grip and nodded. "Yeah!" He held his weapon to his side, ready to summon his Shadow Demon. "Let's turn it u-"
"Thought you'd never ask!" A voice said in Jack's head.
"AGH!" His body convulsed and heated up, the imp kneeling and sparks of read going up his scythe.
"Jack!" Shred rushed to him.
His scythe transformed and on the blade came the words for Dust. "D-..Dust!" Jack said forcefully. Dust surrounded and enveloped his body, doing the same thing it did during the cleansing, red lines going down the pole of his scythe and a red mirage of it appearing. He panted and raised, glaring at Shred. Moxxie took a shot but Jack only deflected it and lunged.
"Armatize Cait Sith!" Shred armatized and leapt back from the swing of Jack's scythe and mirage. With his feline empowered agility he dodged each swing albeit barely because of the hazy scythe's angles were slightly different to the physical one. He jumped to the side from a fierceful slam, Dust lunging out from his opening and startling Shred as it knocked him back. 'He didn't make that move!' Shred observed, getting back on his feet.
"RRRRG!" Jack grumbled, pulling out his blade from the ground, Dust automatically returning to himself. His eyes were cracked and vicious, his sense of self seeming to be surprised and replaced with a frenzy.
The cat Exterminator crouched and dug his claws in, "Guys get ready to shoot!"
"Ok!" Moxxie readied.
"R-right!" Millie said, unsure and nervous.
The two Exterminators dashed to each other, Jack preparing to slice. "Dearmatize!" Shred shouted before contact, dashing out his Shadow Demon and guiding it to the side of the Imp.
"Huh!?" Jack eyed it going to his side, looking back to Shred as he got closer. Cait Siths tail wrapped around his ankle and yanked back. "AH!" As Jack tripped over, Shred jumped at him, forcing the imp to guard. His pole was grabbed by the feline and he was pushed upwards.
Jumping up and hovering above Jack, Shred called back Cait. "Armatize!" Armatized he thrusted down and managed to pin Jack, though not for long. "Now!"
M and M took their short window of opportunity and fired the darts. What happened next was unexpected, causing a gasp to escape their lips. The shots were deflected, a distorted arm of black with bits of opaque red held the mirage scythe, using it to deflect the shots. It was Dust, the red parts semblance to the imagery weapon seeming to try and fill in the gaps of the arm that it tried to form. From Jack's head emerged a contorted half of a face, a white eye looking out.
End.
Next chapter: Take over.