My DA is EmeraldOverlord is you wanna check out my art! Feel free to look since I've got some art on this story over there.
Back In Hell...
Cherri narrowed her singular eye as she got back from walking Fat Nuggets alongside Rosie and Vark. The two women had grown accustomed to taking 'their' pets out on the streets.
Of course whenever you got compliments about your pig in a literal Cannibal Colony, you were always weary of whether they were actually compliments or whether they were just salivating at the thought of devouring your pet and turning them into a pork chop or shark fin soup respectively.
Thankfully, even if anyone had such intentions, the woman carried weapons on them at all times within the folds of their dresses and ignoring that, Vark and Fat Nuggets weren't exactly defenseless.
Nugget's horns were still growing but they could still severely maim anyone who thought of him as a delectable treat despite not being fully grown. And Vark…well..his teeth were enough to intimidate those who even considered it for a moment.
"Is something bothering you, Cherri?" Rosie asked, noticing the younger woman's down expression,"You seem forlorn. Is there something troubling you?"
"Plenty,actually," She admitted dryly, her words coming out more harshly than she had intended, slamming the door as they made their way into the Emporium.
"Do you wish to discuss it over a cup of tea?"
"Sure..why not?" She asked, figuring that a drink wouldn't hurt her at this point. She and Rosie sat down at the table, Rosie summoning a maid to pour the two drinks.
Cherri took a sip of her drink, her expression remaining more bitter than any tea Hell could've possibly provided.
Rosie's expression was laced with cocaine, having never seen the punk powerhouse so down and felt great pity for her current temperament as the cyclops was hunched over.
"Cherri, what is the matter? I know you've gotten upset a fair bit but I've never seen you this upset before. What is eating at you, sweetheart?" The Hellborn Overlord questioned, her tone resembling that of a mother comforting their teenage daughter.
"Everything.." She hissed, clenching her fist with fury.
"Everything is very vague, Cherri," She chided,"If you wish to discuss your problems, you need to let those involved understand your feelings. Beating around the bush helps no one…"
Cherri's expression remained furious, not at Rosie, but at something else that had been lingering on her mind.
"Then again, that is assuming you wish to speak about it. You can hold your peace if you'd like, though I doubt it'd make you feel any better…"
"And talking about it?"
"It'll be better if someone else heard your concerns rather than holding them to yourself. Besides, practically everyone here is dealing with their own demons one way or another, perhaps we can relate with one another if we reach an understanding…"
"You expect too much, Rosie…"
"Someone's got to look on the better side of things down here," The elder woman admitted as she put a few sugar-cubes into her tea and stirred them around with a spoon before taking a sip.
She sighed,"It's about Angel Dust…"
"What about him? I understand you two were friends but surely that can't be all that's bothering you about his…disappearance," She said gently, avoiding the term 'death' to prevent any sort of triggers she might uncover.
"We weren't just friends, Rosie. We were best buds, two peas in a pod. We were practically inseparable and despite all the things thrown at us, we felt that if we at least had each other, there was a chance the storm would subside…Now without him, I feel…empty."
"Did you ever think that perhaps one of you would ever…perish eventually?"
"Sure, I sometimes thought about double-death. Hard not to with the rampant sales of Heavenly Weaponry that's always up for grabs on the market. I just…never thought I'd never be affected by it and if I was…I wouldn't be alive to tell the tale anyway…"
"You don't seem too scared of death, Cherri…Is there a reason for that?"
She shrugged,"Already kicked the bucket once and when you've been dead for as long as I have been…death starts to lose it's meaning after a while. You start to lose your fear of it and while you don't outright embrace death, you aren't completely turned off by the idea of not waking up another day."
"Interesting," Rosie observed,"Tell me, did Angel ever…express not wanting to live anymore?"
"Plenty of times. Whenever Val raped him, Angel was just a mess, sobbing and curling up in a ball for hours on end. The second he got this apartment, Angel just broke down and let all the emotions he had been bottling up go free and I was the only one who ever saw it. I was pretty much his only support network, his anchor to life and I honestly think if he hadn't met me…he would've let the Exterminators end him long ago…"
"So you were his reason for living? How sweet…"
"Well..not entirely. I was the main reason for a while, but then he got Fat Nuggets. I don't remember where he got him from, maybe on the streets or from the pound, but either way, he took an instant liking to the guy. He loved him, probably more than he loved himself and now that he's gone…I've just been left to pick up the pieces and try and take care of Nuggets to the best of my ability."
"You seem to be doing a wonderful job, Cherri," Rosie complimented,"There's no need to be down about that. I'm certain if your dear Angel Dust could see you, he'd be overjoyed that you cared for his pig this long…"
"I know, but it's not enough. Not for me nor for him," She said, motioning to Fat Nuggets who seemed to stare out the window aimlessly. She sighed sadly at the sight of the hog's drifting gaze with great sympathy in her eye,"I've tried to do everything an owner should but…no matter what I do…I'm simply not Angel. Nuggets wants his Daddy back and it hurts knowing that I can't do anything about that."
"That's not your fault, Cherri. Fat Nuggets are simply…grieving as pets down whenever their owner passes on. It's unfortunate but you're doing all you can and that's what matters…"
"I know, Rosie…I know…But I just wish I could do more for him. He's not the same. I remember him being the happiest little pig ever when I came over to Angel's apartment. Now…he's more reclusive, has to be dragged out for walks and doesn't seem to express interest in a lot of things. It's like he's entered a depression arc and no matter how many treats I give him or the games I play, his happiness is always temporary."
"Pets can be like that, Cherri. There's only so much you can do for them. Grief can't be rushed nor can it be forced out of someone, pets are no exception to this. I know you just want him to be happy, but you need to accept that he'll move on at his own pace."
"You seem pretty knowledgeable about the subject…Do you speak of experience?"
"I've dealt with grief of my own, Cherri. You're not the only one who's lost friends you know…Alastor was a good friend of mine and I can't quite understand what happened to him. He just vanished one day and didn't even leave a trace of him behind. I miss him dearly, but I know that obsessing over him will only make the grief worse and I've come to my own conclusions in my own spare time," She admitted,"Besides, you're not the only one who's dealing with grieving pets. Fluffy was…abandoned by his owner for whatever reasons that I couldn't ever understand and he's still shaken over it, but he seems to adjust much better once he's in a loving environment." She patted Vark over the head,"Admittedly, I wasn't much of a pet person but he…grew on me despite his…rather clumsy behavior at times. Thankfully, he was open to discipline and he's grown a lot of manners since we first met and he can be charming in his own right, right Fluffy?"
Vark nodded his head and made a cooing noise as Rosie affectionately scratched under his chin, something that Vox had done a lot back when they were at the Studio. The scratches were different, softer and more controlled compared to the ones his old owner gave, though he did appreciate them nevertheless.
"It's a hard process, Cherri and I understand you're overwhelmed, but I just want you to know that you're not alone. A lot of us are suffering and we're trying to make things right. You felt powerless before, but soon…we're going to right what went wrong, even against those stronger than us, you hear me?"
"Yeah…I hear you…" She mumbled quietly,"Just hope you're right after all this time. Never been one for having faith in the bright side, though it'd sure be nice if things worked out for once in a lifetime…"
Her voice…it didn't sound overly enthusiastic but it sounded as if she were trying to find hope within her husk of a body. It didn't sound fully convinced but Rosie's comforting advice seemed to at least have a small positive effect on her, albeit just barely.
Just then, Vark moved next to Fat Nuggets and nudged him. Cherri was uneasy at this and seemed ready to step in, though Rosie was quick to interject,"Cherri, relax. Fluffy already had his fill. He's not going to hurt him. He just wishes to play with him…"
"Doesn't mean I don't have my eye on him. A shark's definition of a play can mean a lost limb or worse…," She said in a distributed manner, eyeing the shark with her one cautiously, prepared to move Nuggets out of the way in case the hammerhead decided to take a nibble out of him for the heck of it.
Thankfully, Vark was much more docile than he was given credit for, instead licking the growing Hell pig on the cheek upon sensing his fellow pet's sorrow. Fat Nuggets seemed bemused by this and seemed a tad uneasy for a split second but didn't dare move away.
The sight was truly something to behold. No one would have believed such an interaction between animals that on the streets would've no doubt had a predator-prey relationship bonding together under one roof.
The shocking thing was that neither pets had interacted until now, at least not that the girls had seen. Vark and Nuggets were aware of each other's existence but hadn't gone out of their ways to interact(then again, that was probably due to Fat Nugget's believing Vark would eat him if left alone in the same room as him) and prior to this, the closest proximity they had towards each other was when they were being walked on a leash.
This behavior was completely out of the blue and neither were sure what to make of it. Perhaps Vark was attempting to bond with Nuggets over the hole in their lives and saw an impunity now that he was sulking openly.
"How fascinating," Rosie said as she observed the spectacle with her very own eyes,"I've never seen anything like it…"
"Neither have I…" Cherri admitted, her jaw hanging off of the floor at the sight.
To her, she may as well by watching a Disney Movie about the unlikeliest of animals becoming pals of sorts because the scene in front of her was as believable the things you'd see in fiction itself.
Truly a sight for sore eyes and Cherri felt a small smile grow on her face. She hadn't seen Fat Nuggets so relaxed and calm in quite a while and she was happy that he at least experienced an ounce of happiness in these trying times, even if they all knew it wouldn't last…
Then again, when did happiness ever last in the realm of suffering and misery?
Just then, Izzy suddenly shouted,"Guys, check this out! I've found something that might be useful!"
Cherri sighed when she heard her ex's calling,,"What do you think he's on about this time?"
"I couldn't tell you, the man is quite secretive despite our allegiance. Despite this, he seems to usually be glued to his laptop for whatever reason. It could be good or bad though I am hoping it's something that'll aid in our endeavor…"
"Only one way to find out…" She grumbled before reluctantly taking a stand,'Let's just get this over with…'
When the girls went over to the part of the Emporium where Izzy was located, they saw he was situated in one of the guest bedrooms.
The man had basically set up his own little man-cave in the spare rooms, having a few empty snack bags lying around along with his other belongings that he left sprawled out in the open for all to see.
'Once a slob, always a slob…' Cherri thought to herself, rolling her singular eye at the sight. It seemed even despite being in Hell for all these years his habit of leaving his things lying around hadn't changed one bit since his death.
One would've thought that him being an assassin to be neater, though Izzy seemed to care little for neatness in terms of his personal life. He'd kill someone so efficiently that no one would ever find the body while in the same day, also leaving his entire room a mess without the slightest care in the world.
Cherri would've said she was surprised, but then they'd both be lying on that note.
Rosie seemed far from amused at the state of the room,"Izzy, have you ever heard of the concept of cleaning up after yourself? You know it's unhygienic to work in such an environment…"
"What are you, my mother?" He retorted, snorting at Rosie's scolding,"I know my room ain't up to standards to neat-freaks but you don't have to constantly rub it in.
"If your room were up to standards we wouldn't be having this conversation.."
"Yeah yeah, whatever," He responded apathetically, shrugging off Rosie's complaints like water rolling off a person's back,"Listen, are you gonna whine or are you gonna hear what I have to tell you because we've got bigger shit to deal with than a messy room."
"What even is it then, Izzy?" Cherri asked.
"Well, while you girls were having fun over a cup of tea, I was doing some digging around with my laptop here and I believe I've found a tidbit of information that might be the key to our success."
"And what exactly is that?" Cherri pressed, heavily skeptical of her ex-boyfriend's claim.
"This," He then pulled up a tab on his laptop, revealing an image of what appeared to be some sort of club. Rosie and Cherri both raised their brows, confused at what this was supposed to mean.
"Does this mean anything?" Rosie asked,"It seems like one of those…vulgar clubs that this place is known for."
"Yeah, strip clubs are a dime a dozen around here, Izzy. That's not something that should warrant our attention. Have you been spending your free time browsing clubs because if so, there's no need to inform us about your interests…"
He scoffed,"Pfft, I know you have low expectations for me but I assure you I'm that pathetic as to call you girls here over something as stupid as that. No, what I've found is something far more important to our goals at hand," He said before moving at the monitor,"See this? It looks like every other high-class club don't it? Well, you're wrong…It's not just any club…it's Val's club…"
"It is?" Cherri asked, narrowing her singular eye at it. She had blown up many of Val's clubs in the past though from the picture that Izzy had on his screen, this one didn't look like any she had blown up before,"Never seen one like this before…."
"Course you wouldn't, Cherry Berry, it was just recently built after all. Judging from what I see online, Val just built the place not even a month ago and judging by the reviews of the place, he put a lotta money into making this place look real nice. Seems like without you being a thorn in his side, Val is free to invest in all the things he wishes without having to worry about someone blowing it all up in one fail swoop."
"Are You going to get to the point or what? She asked.
"The point is quite simple, Cherri. A new club is an easy pickings. Oftentimes, new places like this don't have the greatest security. Oftentimes places hire hellhounds since they're cheaper and despite their gruff demeanor, I'm certain that even a few tough dogs can be overwhelmed quite quickly if given enough incentive."
"Are you suggesting we stage an attack?" Rosie inquired,"Because if so…I'm interested…"
"Glad you're catching my drift here, lady," He snickered,"After all, the new places are always easier targets for planned attacks. It'd be much simpler to ease our way inside than if we went after a club Val was already acquainted with…"
"Hold on, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Cherri said,"Because as lovely as that idea sounds, there is no way in Hell it is that easy. Especially since Val probably has us blacklisted and if any of us are seen, he's gonna be on high-alert and shut this operation down faster than it started…"
"Who says he needs to know it's us?" Izzy piped up,"No one said anything about Val knowing we're in there. All we need to do is get in the club, organize and attack and blow the place sky high to ensure he doesn't get away so easily…"
"That sounds wonderful, Izzy, but how exactly would we get inside again?"
"Easy, with a handful of tickets and a tad of bribing…" He chuckled.
"Bribing?"
"You heard me, bribing. Because money buys a lot of things, and silence can be one of them. Val's men may be scared of him, but I could buy his bouncers accepting money in exchange for letting our armed men slide in."
Rose seemed weary of this,"Don't you think they might tattle? They are under Valentino's payroll…"
"Believe me, those fuckers are not paid enough to give a damn," Izzy assured,"Val doesn't pay his employees enough to have their loyalty. They may feign loyalty to avoid getting a face full of lead but at the end of the day, they're there to pay their bills and go back to whatever shoddy apartment their tiny budget can afford."
Cherri frowned, she hated admitting it but Izzy was right. She had seen how Val treated Angel, someone who made him millions of dollars of revenue over the years and Angel saw literal pennies for his hard work and had to do side-hustles just to avoid having to suck the land-lord's cock when rent was due.
If Val treated his star employee like that, the other employees weren't going to get a much better experience either.
"That is a fair point," Rosie admitted,"Still, even if they let us in, who's to say Val would even be there? It'd be pointless to attack the place if Val wasn't there…"
"Had a feeling you'd say that," He sneered,"But don't worry, Izzy has it all figured out. Ya see, you ladies probably not aware of this, but Val has a site showing all the tours that his stars perform so that people can order tickets ahead of time before the show starts. The tickets are hella expensive of course, but that's just the way things roll around here. Thankfully, I know a few of Val's bouncers personally and I think they can at least make an exception for us with enough money on the table…"
"Even if they let us in, what exactly would we do afterwards?"
"Glad you asked, ya see, I've mapped out a plan so to speak of how to get Val trapped right where we want him," He then pulled out a tab on his computer, showing crudely drawn images on screen.
"Uh…what exactly are we looking at?" Rosie asked, squinting her eyes as she tried to make out what Izzy had drawn on screen.
"My plan, duh," He retorted.
"That's what you call a plan? I can't even make out what's on the damn file," Cherri said,"You know, Izzy, I get art isn't your natural talent but you could've at least made it easy to make out…"
"Mock my artistic abilities at a later date, Cherri, because despite how poorly it's drawn, I assure you that the plan is sound," He said before pointing at several stick figures on screen,"You see those figures? Those are us and the large square is the building. The plan is quite simple. Rosie and I are gonna enter from one of the less crowded entrances and we'll smooth talk our way inside and buy their silence. Once inside, the real fun begins. While we're sitting down, you will lace the place with bombs that will be set to go off at a certain interval and Henroin and his men will surround the place as extra eyes around the perimeter. When the time is right, I'll give a signal and we'll attack…"
"That sounds…surprisingly smart…coming from you anyway…" Cherri muttered,"Still, how exactly are we gonna you know..off the bastard? Because Holy Weapons are expensive as fuck and I'm pretty sure Val's gonna have his own loyal entourage with him with weapons on them. The fucker is never truly alone and if he suspects anything, he'll just shoot the whole place up to ensure his safety."
"Which is why someone will have to get close to Val when he's not looking and shoot him. Val is known to carry Holly Weapons on him at all times and I wouldn't be shocked if he has an entire stock of them lying around. Of course it's probably locked, but he probably has the keys on him."
"What are you suggesting, Izzy?"
"Well, considering Arackniss is already living with him, why not just have him get it? Holy Weapons are hella expensive and it'd probably be easier for him to just nab one while Val isn't looking than for us to try and get one and sneak it in…"
"That's incredibly dangerous," Cherri said,"If Val finds out he took one of his belongings, he's going to get suspicious and he'll probably punish him for daring to touch his things and knowing Val…that punishment is not going to be pretty."
"This entire mission is dangerous. It's not ideal, but if he manages to pull it off, we're almost set. Besides, Arackniss isn't exactly helpless, the man was a mobster, I'm certain he knows ways of sneaking a few things out from under the moth's nose and given he's been under 'good' behavior, Val doesn't think he's a threat.."
"Izzy does bring up a fair point, Val doesn't suspect him yet and Arackniss has a better shot of getting to Val's supply than the rest of us do. Whether he's up for it or not is a different story…"
"He should be. If he wants his freedom, he'll do whatever it takes to get it," Izzy retorted before pulling out his phone,"Let's see how he responds to my proposal…"
Izzy: Hey, Arackniss, you there?
It took a few seconds before he got a reply.
Arackniss: Yeah. What's up?
Izzy: Listen, I've come up with a plan but I'll need your help. We're planning an ambush attack at Val's latest club. We have all the fine details planned out but before we do any of that, we need your help with something….
Arackniss: And what might that be?
Izzy: I need you to go and get a Holy Gun, nothing big or anything, just something small enough to conceal in your clothing.
Arackniss: Are you suggesting I steal one of Val's weaponry?
Izzy: No duh I am. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, the fucker got way more guns than most will ever need. All you need is one little weapon to finish the job. Nothing fancy.
Arackniss: And how exactly do you think I'm gonna get that weapon? You know Val doesn't like people snooping around his property and even if I wanted to get it for you, I don't know where he keeps his shit.
Izzy: Relax, I worked under Val once. It may not have been a long contract, but it was long enough to see how he operated things. Val keeps most of his weapons either in penthouses. He has a few guards manning those places, but they tend to swap out for another guard every so often. Since the other guards tend to slack off, you can use that time to sneak in and get the weapon and get out before they notice.
Arackniss: Are there any cameras there?
Izzy: Not really, the penthouses aren't used often and Val's penny pinching habits extend to a lot of things. If he's not actively using it, Val won't upgrade it. The most you'll have to worry about is a guard seeing you but I think you can handle a few goons. So, are you up for the task?
Arackniss: Yeah. Just give me directions to the nearest one…
Izzy sent him the directions of one warehouse he managed to locate and Arackniss typed the directions into his phone. It'd take a bit of time, but it wasn't impossible or anything. Just a bit far back from civilization but nothing too remote…
Arackniss: This seems…feasible. Is there anything else you need me to do?
Izzy: Not really. Just tell me when you get it and we'll set things up from there. The show is in two days so we'll be seeing each other soon. Keep the thing hidden from Val until then and make sure he doesn't suspect anything out of you.
Arackniss: I know. I'll text you when I'm done…
"So what did he say?" Cherri asked.
"He's one it. Needing a little prodding, it seems his desire to be free overcame his fear. Let's see if he succeeds in his endeavor. From there, we'll initiate the plan…"
Arackniss gave Val an excuse to leave the Studio, claiming he wanted to go out for the 'scenery' so to speak. Val didn't seem to care all too much, only saying that he better return for practice in the morning when it came around.
It didn't take long for Arackniss to find the penthouse. If anything, it was almost too easy to find it. The penthouse was…a penthouse. Nothing spectacular and given its only purpose was to hoard any junk Val couldn't fit in his Studio, it looked just as graceful as one would expect it to be.
Arackniss hid in the woods, his eyes narrowing as he watched one of the two Hellhounds guarding the entrance, both taking a cigarette break from the looks of things.
'Two of them…probably trying to pull a double-shift to earn more money. Doubt they'll be leaving anytime soon. Gotta find a way to get rid of those two bozos…'
An idea then popped inside of his head. Perhaps if he acted like he was doing a favor for Val they'd let their guards down long enough to get the drop on them. It did sound easier than trying to sneak and besides…it was only two Hellhounds. Fairly manageable, all things considered.
'Here goes nothing..' He thought to himself before standing up and heading towards the entrance. He adjusted his position, his strut radiating with confidence as he approached the two hounds with a calm expression.
One of the hounds looked at him and frowned,"Are you lost?" He said without a hint of concern in his voice,"Because this isn't an area where normal civilians are supposed to be. So go and make our jobs easier and scram…"
Arackniss scoffed,"Very funny, but I'm not lost. In fact, I found just what I was looking for and I'd appreciate it if you stepped aside. Valentino wanted to check on you bozo's to ensure you two were doing your jobs right and handling the cargo correctly."
"Tch, you're telling me Val sent one of his whores to check up on us?" The other retorted flatly, clearly not buying Arackniss's story for a second.
"Better me than some overgrown dogs with a fist up their asses," He retorted flatly.
"What did you say you little punk!?"
"You heard me, now step aside. I know most don't understand complicated matters but I'd prefer if you let the grownups do the talking around here else I'll have to use force…"
"Go on and try it, pretty boy-Gngh!"
The second he said those words, Arackniss lunged at him, putting all his weight on the hound's shoulders before sinking his fangs into his neck, injecting toxins into the hound's hound was down within seconds as he fell to the ground.
Arackniss noticed the other hound was horrified at the sight and tried to run in fright. He rolled his eyes before using a web to catch him.
"I didn't say I was done with you…" He muttered,"We're not done until I say we're done." He quickly repeated the process before dropping the unconscious hound to the floor before grabbing his head,"Fuck..never used that much venom before. Definitely gonna take a while to energize myself after this..Oh well, at least I got the guys knocked out. Though, I do think I need keys before I get inside…"
He began patting the hounds down and managed to pick a key off of one's body. From there, it didn't take long for Arackniss to get inside.
The inside of the warehouse was filled with supplies. There were 'normal' guns littered about the place, though Arackniss paid no mind as he began to scour the area for any signs of Holy Weapons…
"It's gotta be somewhere around here…" He grumbled to himself with great frustration,"Come where does he put this shit? So many basic weapons but none of them are what I need!"
When he was about to give up hope, Arackniss noticed a locked box out of the corner of his eye. Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, he decided to 'open'(more like break) the box through brute force, cracking it open to reveal a holy pistol, a similar model to the ones Val had on him on a daily basis.
"Holy shit…" He gasped, grasping the Holy Weaponry like it was the most sacred thing he had ever laid hands on(then again, it probably was).
As he held it in his hands, he felt…a strange sense of power. These were the most sought after weapons in Hell, many would kill themselves just to have this within their grasp.
He had held many guns in his life, and ended so many lives, but this felt different. Because this gun was one of the few things that could send sinners and hellborns alike to the final sleep, or double-hell as most called it.
Nobody knew what it was, some said it was an unknown layer of suffering that none had ever seen. Others believed it was just…a void where your soul resided for who knows how long, perhaps for eternity or until someone felt the need to recycle their soul matter for the purposes of reincarnating them without any memories of their past lives.
Either way, Arackniss didn't want to find out anytime soon which one it was.
He checked the magazine. It was fully stocked, having a total of seventeen rounds. It was a bit redundant given he would only likely be using one round for the job, but he figured a few extra wouldn't hurt to keep him.
Arackniss then made sure the safety was on before tucking it in his boot. The pistol wasn't large and it wasn't noticeable whatsoever. Considering Val carried these on him within his coat and no one noticed, this wasn't all too surprising.
He then walked himself outside, noticing the two hounds still out like lights. He knew he couldn't leave them like this, especially since those having the morning shift would notice what happened.
So he did the responsible thing and tied them up in a cocoon of silk before tossing them into the forest. By the time they got out, they wouldn't be his problem anymore if things went according to plan…
The spider pulled out his phone and texted Izzy:
Arackniss: I got it.
Izzy: Nice job, Arackniss. I knew you were capable. The others will love to hear this. Be sure to report back to Val before he notices anything, wouldn't want that bastard to catch wind of this.
Arackniss: I'm aware. I'll be back to the Studio soon. See you later…
Izzy: See ya. And remember, aim for the fucking head.
Two Days Later…
It was almost time for the mission. They had just about everything set up. The only things they weren't done with were their outfits. Not only did Rosie insist on getting dressed up to appear proper, but to avoid being recognized by any of Val's men that would be lurking about.
"What's taking those two so long?" Henroin grumbled irritably,"It shouldn't take this long to get dressed…"
"It's Rosie, appearances are everything," Cherri retorted,"I would've thought you'd know this by now…"
"Doesn't mean I have to like it.." The male spider snarled to himself, his patience waning with each passing second. He then shouted,"Are you two coming down or what? Because I'll do this entire mission by myself if it's gonna take you this long!"
"We're coming!" Rosie shouted from upstairs before suddenly hissing,"Izzy! Hold still!"
"You're pulling on my hair lady! I ain't a fucking a doll so quit messing with my hair like I'm a toy!"
"It's' not my fault your hair is incredibly hard to comb! When's the last time you washed your hair!? It's so greasy and filthy just like the rest of your clothes!"
"I'm not an upkeep person dammit!"
"You should be! Now hold still while I put this suit on!"
Several ramblings and arguing were heard before it quieted down. Eventually Rosie stepped out, wearing a regal Victorian dress and a hair barrette attached to the side, resembling a literal rose.
"Sorry for taking so long everyone, we were having…complications due to someone's absolute stubbornness to get changed but I promise you that it was all worth it! For tonight's expedition, I present the new and improved Issac!"
They heard grumbling from above before Izzy reluctantly made his way down the stairs. When they saw him, he was wearing an all snazzy white and gray suit. He had a silver vest on and gray pants with boots underneath. Izzy had his hair stylized to where you could only see a tiny portion of his eye, the rest was being concealed by his bangs, a small hair clip in his hair…
Henroin and Cherri stared at him for the longest time before Cherri burst out laughing, slapping her knee in disbelief,"Pfft! Hahaha! Oh my god, Rosie, what did you do to him!? He looks so silly!"
"Oh nothing, just spruced him up a bit to make him look like a proper gentleman fit to
accompany a lady like myself. After all, he was a bit..unkempt before I intervened."
"And now you made him look like a fucking pansy." Henroin muttered,"
Izzy was twitching, his face burning with embarrassment,"Shut up…"
"Oh shush, Henroin. He looks much better this way…not to mention he smells much more pleasant now that I coated that awful scent of his with perfume. Had to particularly bathe him and everything because it seems he hasn't cleaned himself in several decades. Thankfully all he needed was a bit of grooming before he was spiffy clean and fresh as a rose."
Izzy grimaced, appearing to regret his life choices at this very cheeks were burning red and he wanted nothing more than to sink into the depths of a bottomless pit. Being so clean and fresh felt so…strange to him. His hair was always greasy and grayish but now? Now it was pure white….
"About time someone got you to take a bath," Cherri said,"Haven't seen you this clean in ages. Guess Rosie is precise at her job…"
"Wouldn't be me if I want," She chuckled before eyeing Henroin,"Say Heroin-"
"No thanks," He said,"I ain't interested in dressing up and even if I was, after seeing what you did to cyclops over there, I sure wouldn't let you choose my clothing…"
"Your loss," She sighed,"Anyhow, is everyone ready?"
"Ready as we'll ever be," Cherri admitted,"We've got all the supplies in the van. We should be set to blow this place sky-high, ideally with Val in it. Just have to hope it works, because if not…then it could be the end of the road for us…"
"We know the risks, Cherri," Rosie said,"But that isn't going to stop us. We've come so far and we can't give up now. We may be very different, but one way or another, Val's hurt us, either through us ourselves or the ones we loved and it's time we take a stand. Are you all ready?"
Everyone nodded their head in mutual understanding, accepting the risks of what was to come and preserving nevertheless.
Not long after they all had left, Vark began to wonder where everyone went soon enough, whining around the house as he tried to find his owner. He had his leash in his mouth and he searched o
He then noticed a note left near his food bowl and read it.
Dear Fluffy,
The others and I have finally developed a plan against Valentino and we're initiating it tonight. I should've told you this sooner and given you a proper goodbye, however I didn't believe there was enough time nor did I know how to phrase it. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner, but just so you know, on the off chance I don't come back, the door is unlocked and you're free to go find another home for someone who can care for you.
Sincerely, Rosie
Vark yelped, his eyes widening at the notion of his owner leaving him once again. The shark sniffed the air, already long familiar with Rosie's scent and damn near threw the door off its hinges and he sprinted into the great outdoors, not caring about the chaos left in his wake.
Fat Nuggets blinked when he saw Vark rush, confused and bewildered by his mad-dash for existence. Still, he decided to follow in pursuit out of concern and curiosity.
Izzy and Rosie approached the back of Valentino's club. Unlike the front of the club, it wasn't as packed(then again, most didn't go back here) and there were a few hounds guarding the door, though they didn't seem all too thrilled with their jobs.
"Do you know these men, Izzy?"
"We, Dan and I go way back, trust me, it'll be fine,"He whispered.
Izzy approached as he said,"Hey Daniel, my man, long time no see! How do you undo it?"
The brown hound raised an eyebrow,"Izzy? Is that you? You…you've changed a lot since I've last seen you. Is your lady-friend responsible for this change? Finally moved on from your last girlfriend, got yourself a new baby? Did you move to tier 15 yet?"
"Ha! He wishes…" Rosie scoffed teasingly.
"Yeah, we're just…friends," He said,"And speaking of being friends, I was wondering if perhaps you and your pal over here could do us a favor."
The hound frowned,"Izzy, you know you need tickets to get in right? You know we'll get in trouble if we let people come in free of charge…"
"I know, but it's important. We plan on…dealing with Val and we'd really appreciate it if you gave us the OK to let us inside so we can burn this damn place down…"
"Wait..you're thinking of taking on Val? Izzy, this isn't about Allen is it? I know your upset over your boyfriend but taking Val down isn't going to bring him back…"
"Shut up," Izzy snapped,"That fucker made it personal, I'm not letting that bastard get away with it!" He then calms himself down before saying,"Look, I get you two don't want to deal with Val, but if you let us in, we will make sure you don't have to deal with him ever again. Just let us do this, just this once…"
Daniel cringed, a sense of unease filling the area,"Listen, Izzy…I get it. You're mad, you want revenge. I get it, but some of us have bills to pay and money is always scarce in a pit like this so pardon me if I'm not all too thrilled at the mention of moving from my spot."
Izzy then shoved a large wad of cash at him,"If I give you two this money, will you two fuck off and act as though none of this ever happened?"
"How much is it?"
"Enough to get you off our asses. Now are you going to leave or what?"
After the two hounds were given their money, Daniel said,"Uh…well, I guess we should be going. If anyone asks about us, just say we…fell ill for whatever reasons."
"Thanks…" Izzy said,"Rosie, tell the others we're in. Let them surround the place and set up the bombs…"
Rosie nodded before heading over to tell the others. Izzy was left alone and Daniel looked at him before saying,"Good luck, Izzy. You're gonna need it…
"I"m aware, Daniel…Do not tell me twice…Now scram. You won't like it when it gets ugly."
"Hmph. Fair enough."
Eventually, Daniel stepped aside with his partner and both of the hounds left. They were then given clearance to the inside of the club and split up in their own separate directions.
Izzy and Rosie took a seat at the table while the others remained in the shadows, Henroin and his men helping Cherri lace the place with bombs.
As they were at their table, Rosie took her chance to ask over their drinks,"So…who was Allen, Izzy? I never heard you mention his name before? Was he your love by chance?"
"What's it to you?"
"I just wanted to know, after all, that Daniel person seemed to know an awful lot about him and your…relationship with him as most would call it. It seems that you two were close, were you not?"
"We were. He and I were rivals at first, we ended up being hired by the same clients so we butted heads a few times but eventually, we made common ground and we…got close…"
"Did you two…have that sort of relationship?" She pressed.
"Romantic? Uh…I guess. We never made it official or anything. It was kind of on-and-off. We didn't have the balls to be serious."
"How'd you feel about him? Did you love him?"
"Yeah, I did. I loved him. He was the only man I never loved…"
"Were you attracted to him? Like physically as you were with your ex?"
"No," He said,"Don't get me wrong, I loved him romantically, but sexually, the spark just wasn't there. I couldn't be attracted to his body and the idea of having sex with him was an instant turn-off. Men just not sexually appealing to me like women are, though that didn't make it any less painful when he died…"
"A split attraction…how intriguing. I've never met anyone like that before. I'm sorry for your loss, my questions probably came off as insensitive-"
"It's fine, it doesn't change anything about what happened. All that matters is getting back at that bastard once and for all," He grumbled,"Speaking of which, I can see him now. Bastard is just sitting up there like a King on a throne with his whores on his lap and his guards are just all over the main area. Fucker has the most punchable grin imaginable…"
Rosie looked in the direction Izzy was facing and shook her head,"I concur. Hopefully by the end of this, that smile will be wiped off his face for good…"
"It better be," Izzy said before picking up his phone when he got a notification before saying,"Cherri and the others have the bombs set up. Henroin has his men situated. All we need now is for Arackniss to show up."
The lights then flickered and Izzy grinned,"And it appears he's right on cue…"
Arackniss was walking up on stage. The spider's eyes darted across the room before locking on them knowingly and giving a silent head nod, putting the plan fully into motion.
At first, it seemed like a normal dance routine, Arackniss coordinated the move. The crowd cheered, roared, threw money around like their lives depended on it and things seemed to be heating up as the music roared through the speakers as he sang.
Val summoned one of his smoke trails from iris cigarettes and a coil wrapped around Arackniss's neck, beckoning him to look toward him. Arackniss stepped toward him gracefully, his fists clenched as he got closer and closer towards him…
When Arackniss got close, he approached Val and leaned in a bit on the couch that he sat on. Val seemed amused and amused by Arackniss's 'playful' attitude…at least until he saw him whip out a Holy Pistol right in front of his face.
The entire place went dead in that instant. The music stopped, no one moved a muscle as a sense of uneasy and terror filled the area.
Despite the predicament, Val seemed oddly calm as he merely tilted his head and put a finger up where the pistol was as he said in a disciplinary yet deadly tone,"Now just what do you think you're doing, Nissy?"
"Do not Nissy me you fucking son of a bitch!," He snarled,"Now be quiet before I shoot that pompous smile off of your face!"
"Arackniss, baby, there's no need to be so volatile," Val said,"After all, we were just having a good show, what gives? You were on such good behavior lately…has someone been influencing you behind the scenes while Daddy wasn't looking? We both know you wouldn't have the guts to do this alone. Are you really going to risk hurting what remains of your broken little family in an attempt to stand up to me? Do you wish for your own flesh and blood to die just because you got a little rebellious? Because if so, you should prove it by pulling the trigger…"
The spider stiffened up, his hand was right on the trigger yet he found himself unable to pull it, fearing the truth of Val's words. By now, he had multiple gun-men with guns lined up at him and Arackniss feared the fallout of what would occur….
"Poor little Nissy, always hesitating when it counts" Val cooked before hitting the gun out of Arackniss's hand and gripping the spider's wrist tightly,"It's time you come home with me, you need to be punished for pulling that little stunt. I think being on snuff duty for a few years will suffice once I'm through with you…"
"STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY SON YOU BASTARD!"
Val was suddenly shot in the hand, forcing him to relinquish his hold on Arackniss as the spider fell to the ground, the spider's eyes wide in horror as he saw his Dad rise upwards and begin shooting like a mad-man along with the rest of his men.
From there, everything went to Hell. Arackniss took cover behind a table as bullets began to fly, other non affiliated patrons of the club began to scream in terror as most began trying to make a break for the exit only to get caught in the crossfire of bullets.
It was utter madness and Arackniss's heart pounded with each blood curdling scream he heard. Just then, he felt someone hit him in the shoulder,"OW!"
He whipped around and saw Izzy glaring at him through his bangs. Even though most of his eye wasn't visible, he could tell the man was very pissed,"Why did you hesitate! You had him right there, you could've shot him! Why didn't you!?"
"Sorry, the prospect of Val hunting down the one person I gave a fuck about kind of took importance in that moment!" He hissed back.
"I'm sure your Dad is real proud of you for fucking up the one job you had…"
"I didn't even know he was here!" Arackniss growled,"Why did you never tell me he was here!?"
"He told us not to inform you and I'm starting to see why. If the mere mention of Val hurting your family makes you fumble like this, it would've been a complete catastrophe had you been aware your Dad was working with us behind the scenes. How could you mess up something so simple!? You should've shot him the second you had sights on him!"
"Listen, you can tear into me later but can we please focus on the mouth currently trying to mow us down!?" Arackniss pleaded.
Izzy probably would've continued the debate had they heard a familiar screams in terror. They peered over the table and saw one of Val's men holding Rosie at gunpoint with Val holding Henroin hostage.
"No…."
"Fuck!" Izzy cursed.
Val was calm, deadly so as he held the holy gun up at Henroin's temple,"Now Nissy, I know you're hiding over there somewhere. So why don't we cut ourselves a deal? You surrender yourself to me and not only does your Daddy here not get a bullet full of Holy Metal lodged into his skull, but Rosie over here gets to live another day. Course his men will have to be called off and you'll never be allowed to see them again, but it's a small price to pay for their lives, isn't it? So come on, don't be so unreasonable. Let's just go back to the way things used to be and move on with our lives…"
"Don't listen to him! He's lying!" Henroin shouted,"Don't fucking reveal yourself, I don't give a damn what he says! Don't go with him-OW!" He let out a hiss when Val hit him in the head,
"Will you be quiet? You're making it hard to not just shoot you here and now…"
"Like I give a fuck if you kill me…"
"Bold words for a man who can't keep a family," Val retorted,"As I said Nissy, your old man doesn't seem to care much for his life…but I know you do. He's the only thing you've got left down here and it'd be such a shame to lose him over something as petty as this, wouldn't it? So come on out…It'll be easier for all of us that way…"
Arackniss was frozen like a block of solid ice. He knew that whatever decision he made would cost him one way or another and he feared what was to come. Izzy gave him a look and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cherri from above.
He whispered,"When are they going off?"
"A few minutes..Stall him…"
He then peaked from the table and saw the holy gun not too far away from where Val and his men were. It'd be a tight grab, but if he were given enough time, he could get it and manage to fire…
He'd have to stand up, get close. It was a risky maneuver but still very much possible.
So that's what he did, he stood up from his position, hands in the air and slowly approached Val, ignoring his father's screaming to get back down before he came to a halt.
He wondered about his next move, contemplating how to get the gun without getting shot at. He needed a distraction of sorts, something to take Val's attention off of him and the hostages…
"Come on, Nissy…Just a little closer…"
"Don't do it!" Henroin growled, though his voice sounded rather desperate at this point.
Just then, a miracle happened. Of all things to come to the rescue, no one expected a giant hammerhead shark to come bursting through the door and begin attacking the one holding Rosie hostage.
"Fluffy!" Rosie cried as she saw Vark tearing through several men with his teeth/
Val grit his teeth at the sight of the shark tearing through his men and aimed his gun at him.
"Vark! You overgrown invertebrate! I thought I got rid of you!" Val cursed,"Should've known you'd survive. To think you took after my ex's pet shark…How pathetic. Don't worry, you two will join each other in the void soon enough…"
Val tried to shoot both of them, but was shoved by Henroin. The stray bullets meant for the two ended up hitting Henroin right in the chest and the head, causing the large spider to crumble to the ground and bleed out.
Arackniss's jaw dropped in horror as he saw his father's lifeless body laying there.
The sight made him snap, the only thing tethering him was gone and he saw no reason to hesitate any longer. Val couldn't hurt his family anymore…he already had and there was nothing holding him back…
Arackniss grabbed the gun and aimed it at Val, who for once showed a glint of fear in his eyes. Fury blinded him and his aim was less than stellar, however he did manage to shoot Val's lower arm off, causing him to crumble to the ground. Arackniss was tempted to shoot him again and again until the gun was out of bullets, but was interrupted by the feeling of the ground shaking underneath him.
"W-What the…" Just then it hit him and he cursed,"This place is going to blow…Everyone, run!"
Nobody needed to be told twice, the ground began to spring. Some of Val's men tried to flee but ended up getting crushed by falling debris. Arackniss himself nearly got cursed as he looked back at his father's dead body only for Cherri to rush and grab him before he could've been cursed.
The entire building was soon riddled with explosions. From there, it was a mad dash to exist, everyone running out of the building before it erupted into ash. Flames boomed from within and as many deafening explosions echoed through the area.
The group screamed as they were pushed out of the building , the explosion behind them knocking them to the ground. Everyone groaned, covered in ash and soot as they struggled to catch their breath.
Cherri stared at the burning building before saying,"We…we did it guys…We beat him…We actually beat him…"
"But not without its cost," Izzy said as he glanced at Arackniss with a look of pity as the spider started punching the ground and sobbing.
"It's not fair!" He shouted,"I did all of this for him and yet despite my best efforts, he still DIED! I told him not to get involved and he didn't listen! Goddamn him!"
"Arackniss, your father made his choice…" Rosie said,"There was nothing you could've done. He knew the risks…Besides, I think he would've preferred dying over having you be enslaved by Val…."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because its' not…" He growled bitterly.
"No, I'm merely stating facts…" She said,"I'm sorry for your loss, Arackniss. Even if your Father and I had our differences, he was quite determined to save you despite the risks. I think if he knew he would die today, he would've still done it if it meant you could be saved…"
Arackniss grit his teeth. Cherri pat him on the shoulder as she sighed,"I never liked the man either, but at least he did something right by trying to save you…It's a shame he couldn't have come around for Angel like he had done for you."
There was silence for a moment as no one had any idea of what else could be said. Soon enough, Izzy was the one to ask,"So…now what? We beat Val, now what do we do?"
"I dunno…" Cherri admitted,"I hadn't thought that far honestly. I didn't think we'd actually survive this encounter. Guess we just…go back to living our lives as usual?"
"I don't think there's any way we can go back to normal after this," Rosie admitted.
"As normal as our lives can be," She corrected before feeling something nudge at her and looked down,"Fat Nuggets! How'd you get out here!? Did you come all this way searching for me, baby?"
"Actually, considering the shark…he probably followed him," Izzy observed.
"Speaking of sharks…" Rosie said,"Fluffy! What are you thinking!? How could you do such a thing! You could've gotten killed!"
Vark whined upon being scolded, looking as though he was a puppy that had been kicked.
Cherri sighed,"Cut him some slack. He did save our asses back there by giving Arackniss the opening he needed to shoot Val…"
"That doesn't make it any less dangerous. He's just lucky things ended the way it did, else we wouldn't be here right now," She muttered only for Vark to lick her cheek,"No, you can't just lick the anger away, Fluffy! That's not how it works…" He kept doing it and she sighed,"Alright, fine, I won't' stay mad at you. But you're still going to have a stern talk when we get home, understand?"
"Wasn't his name, Vark?" Izzy asked,"Val did say his name was Vark when he called him out. Why don't you call him that?"
"I like Fluffy better. Besides, his original owner isn't here to complain about it and he's in much better hands now…"
"Suit yourself…" He shrugged,"So…what's everyone's plan after this?"
"I don't know," Arackniss said,"I don't exactly have anyone to go back to and while I could take up my Father's business…I'd rather not. Been through way too much shit and I have way too much on my mind to even think of taking it up…"
"You could stay with me," Cherri said,"Now that Val's gone, I can actually live by myself again with Nuggets without having to worry about him spying on me. What do you say?"
"That…doesn't sound bad actually…" He said,"What about you, Izzy? Do you have any plans?"
"Not really," He admitted,"Why? You want me to come with you or something? I doubt Cherri is gonna like that…"
"I already lived with you once, I'm not doing it again…at least not without you pulling your weight."
"I've been doing that for years, baby…I don't need you to lecture me. Besides, if you're willing to let me stay, I wouldn't say no to you, Cherri Berri…"
Cherri scoffed at his flirtations,"Keep pushing your luck, it won't get you anywhere…By the way, Rosie…uh..since Nuggets and Vark are…sort of friends, what do you say we keep in touch? You know, for playdates and stuff?"
"That would be delightful…I'll be sure to call when I get the chance…"
From there, everyone…went their own separate ways…
As they were following Cherri, Arackniss asked,"Hey, Izzy, can I ask something?"
"Yeah, what is it?"
"You know how you told me to aim for the head? Why was that? It shouldn't matter when you hit someone with a Holy Bullet, so long as it hits them, they're dead, right?"
"Just a precaution. There were rumors of people surviving Holy Bullets. I think it's because whenever the Exterminators leave their weapons, people take them to either sell on the market in their normal form or to metal the Holy Metal into other tools and weapons of sorts. Rumor has it that the process of melting the metal weakens it enough to where if not shot in the right spot, the victim could live, albeit heavily weakened and their regeneration in that area ?"
Arackniss shivered, recalling how he shot Val not in the chest or the head…but the arm, and a lower one at that,"N-No reason. Just curious that's all…"
In the back of his mind, Arackniss was praying those rumors were just rumors, because he really didn't want to think otherwise. The idea of Val slowly regretting the vast majority of his body and stalking the shadows with a vengeance would keep him at night and the last thing he wanted was to find out that rumor was true…
Thanks for 18,598 views, tell me what you think below!
Enigmus-288: To be fair, Martha just thinks they are random ass travelers, not literal super-powered fuckers lol. No problem, this app can get pretty weird sometimes honestly. Helsa and somewhat Vaggie are the only ones not distrustful of her to an extent so it's not like they didn't notice how weirdly positive she was.