Another day, another end. The vibrant red sky of Hell dimmed to a darker hue, inevitably becoming black as all light from the sky itself disappeared. Countless signs and other illumination sources from Pentagram City would shine to try and keep the darkness at bay. Yet in the end, as a fair amount of its citizens stalked the night, just as many were turning in.
Doors were being locked. Curtains shrouded windows as they were pulled together. Those who weren't nocturnal were eager to get into their beds, rest in their chairs, or fall onto their sofas. However, one individual couldn't go to bed just yet, as his position demanded that he remain present until the latest possible hour.
Until recently, this person was glad to do it. He appreciated the silence and stillness from being the only one at his station while everyone else slept soundly. But now, as of two weeks ago, he had company. Although most would find this company pleasant, he found it immensely stressful.
"And thus, dusk descends," Azrael commented as she looked out the lobby's windows.
"Yup," Husk replied, keeping it simple.
"Was there much foot traffic today before I returned? Ignoring the reporters and journalists." Azrael inquired, moving her gaze back to him.
"Nope. Pretty sure we've managed to snag everyone in Hell willing to give us a shot. We'll most likely not be getting any more guests." Husk responded.
"Truly?" Azrael questioned with noticeable disbelief. "We've received quite a few new residents, yes. But I'd assume every Sinner would be rushing to the hotel now that they're aware of my presence." She said.
"You'd think, wouldn't you?" Husk rhetorically asked as he leaned on his desk. "Unfortunately, Az, people are dumb as shit. Even more than that, they're selfish. Unless you go and drag them here yourself or become a threat to their well-being, they won't move an inch toward this place." He told her.
"I see," Azrael said, having nothing else to say.
"...Out of curiosity," Husk spoke again after a few fleeting seconds of silence. "Why don't you and your siblings, Lucifer included, bring the hammer down a bit more? I mean, you guys ARE the children of God and all. If you wanted to whip us mortals into shape to make us stop acting like a bunch of savages, you could do so without lifting a finger." He pointed out.
"Free will, Husk. That's why." Azrael began with a smile. "When our Father first created us, he explained with great importance the necessity of free will. Sure, he could've made us mindless drones. We would've followed his commands to the letter without question. He could've done the same to mortals, too. And in doing so, every living creature, be they corporeal or ethereal, would obey his instruction and never cause any problems or strife. But in that version of life, there'd be no progress. It'd be a forever-still existence. Without imagination and sentience that greatly differed from his own, there'd never be new concepts or ideas. All of Creation would be little more than a reflection of himself. And Father told us that such a version of Creation would drive him mad. As it already was before he decided to make us." She explained.
"And yet, Hell and Heaven exist. A bit weird, don't you think?" Husk asked.
"Could you elaborate?" Azrael requested, unsure of what he was implying.
"If God wanted things to be constantly different from himself, why is there a distinction between good and evil? Not saying that stuff like murder, rape, slavery, and every other fucked up act that mankind's conceived is good. But depending on your actions when you're alive, you get sent to one of two places. This would mean that before humans ever entered the picture, God already knew what was right and wrong. So, why would he even let us make those bad choices? And to be clear, what I'm saying isn't that he should've been a dictator or taken away our free will. But he never punished us too severely for these actions. And no, I don't count all the supposed biblical shit he pulled before there were better-written records than carving words onto a rock. God, or any of his Angels, could pop on down to Earth, tell everyone what's going on and why they shouldn't do that, and then go back to Heaven. That doesn't mean there won't be selfish pricks who do fucked up shit for laughs. But one of the main reasons people on Earth do the things they do is because they don't have confirmation about all this afterlife stuff. So, why does God let us do all of this, then wait until we die to be punished when he could show up and scold us? Or, better yet, why not just have ONE afterlife where we all exist together, and we can work this shit out that way? To me, the existence of two separate places for good and evil makes everything needlessly complicated." Husk told her.
As Husk looked at Azrael to hear her response, he discovered she was staring at him with widened eyes. Now, for anyone else, this wouldn't have been too alarming. They'd assume Azrael was taken aback by the length and detail of that elaboration. But Husk was terrified of this woman, and he believed he just upset, offended, or insulted Death itself.
So, every part of his being flared up instantly and began screaming at him to do all he could to survive. Believing that his final moments were upon him.
"I'm sorry." Husk apologized, his eyes now as wide as hers. "I didn't mean to question God. Or any of you by relation. I've been drinking all day. Like I do every day. And I let my mouth run while my brain was checked out. It'll never happen again." He said. Below the desk, outside of Azrael's vision, his legs were on the precipice of buckling.
In reaction, the Angel of Death raised her hand. From Husk's perspective, this gesture was interpreted as the precursor to a power or action that would erase him from existence. But then, the most shocking thing happened. The hand lowered itself to lay on top of his, hoping to comfort his agitated state.
"Husk, I'm not offended," Azrael said, her expression returning to its usual soft, pleasant appearance. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to unsettle you or send such a mixed signal. I simply wasn't prepared to hear something like that from you. But not because I have a low opinion of you or something similar. I just didn't assume that you'd ever think about such things. They don't seem to match your interests, is all." She explained.
Holy shit. Holy shit. That was fucking CLOSE. As Husk's heart rate started to slow and his nerves settled, he could think properly again. Allowing him to say something back.
"Ah. Yeah. That makes sense..." Husk agreed, still calming down. "Before the Extermination this year and your arrival, the hotel's been a ghost town. Apart from Angel watching TV all day, Al frequently annoying the piss out of me, and Nifty checking in to see how I was doing, I had the lobby all to myself. Add to that by remembering my boss, your Niece, is the Devil's daughter, and you can't help but think about these things." He explained.
"I suppose it would be impossible to avoid contemplating such concepts and inquiries given those circumstances," Azrael admitted after giving it some thought. "Speaking of my Niece, have you seen her at all today? I went looking for her earlier but found not a trace." She asked.
"Angel dragged her out of the dining hall after breakfast. You didn't see that since you got done eating and left before the rest of us." Husk answered.
"Oh! How lovely." Azrael said with a smile. "I wonder what she purchased? If anything. Do you think she'll show it to me?" She inquired.
"Pfft. Are you kidding? I'll be lucky if Charlie doesn't round us all up and makes us watch some sort of fashion show. Whenever she gets anything, and I mean ANYTHING, she cannot help but show it off to us. She's excitable like that." Husk told her.
"Indeed. Our lovely princess is quite a fan of sharing. Some might say a bit TOO big of a fan.
Hearing that voice, which came from the nearby hallway, immediately made Husk wince.
"Why hello, Alastor." Azrael greeted as the Radio Demon approached, accompanied by the tapping sound of his cane on the wooden floor.
"Hello to you too, Azrael," Alastor responded with his usual grin and a formal bow once he was in her presence.
"Something wrong with your shoes, Al?" Husk asked with a preemptively annoyed look on his face.
"No, Husker. Why do you ask?" Alastor replied with a question of his own.
"Because every time you speak to Az, you bend over. Figured you were checking your shoes for shit or your crooked spine's finally cracked." Husk explained. To his irritation, this made the antlered Sinner laugh.
"Ah, Husker. I love your banter so." Alastor chuckled. "Is it so wrong of me to be courteous toward Azrael?" He asked.
"Wrong? Maybe not. Suspicious? Bet your ass." Husk answered.
"Is it unusual to see him behave this way?" Azrael inquired, unsure of what the Hellcat's issue was.
"YES." Husk immediately said, catching her by surprise. "This toothy bastard only acts polite, sweet, and perfect when he wants something! And he's been doing this non-stop since you got here! You'd think even this lunatic would have the sense not to pull some shit with YOU! But I KNOW he's got something cooking in his twisted head! There's no way this is all innocent!" He exclaimed.
"My, my, it sounds like the recent additional stress of manning the front desk is getting to you, Husker," Alastor commented as he lightly tapped him on the head with his staff. "Perhaps you could use a break? Take a day off?" He suggested.
"Oh yeah? And do what, Al? Go shopping as Charlie and Angel did? Boy. That'd be a hoot." Husk replied.
"Ah. So that's what this is about." Alastor said to himself, earning him a confused expression from the feathered feline.
"What?" Husk questioned since that statement came out of nowhere.
"Vaggie came to fetch me a few minutes ago. She told me that Charlie had called her, and we were to assemble in the lobby. She has something she'd like to show us." Alastor informed them.
"So that's why you suddenly showed up. I assumed it was to give me another anger-induced aneurism." Husk stated.
"Nope. But that is always a delightful sight to behold, I must say." Alastor jested, receiving a grumble in return.
Fwoosh
With a light breeze, another member of their group arrived. Furthermore, as expected, the cycloptic speed Demon positioned herself atop the front desk next to Husk.
"Nice of you to join us." Alastor welcomed her as she sat down.
"Where's Vaggie? Did you leave her in the dust?" Husk inquired.
"Hey! She told me to come ahead! So don't go thinking I was rude and left her alone!" Nifty exclaimed defensively. "Besides, it's not like I was somewhere far away in the hotel. I was in my room." She added.
"Likewise. I was enjoying a lovely evening listening to the radio when I heard the knock at my door." Alastor shared.
"You know, I've never understood that about you," Husk admitted. "Why would the Radio Demon need or want to listen to the radio? That'd be like me getting a cat." He pointed out.
"Hm...not sure if that's the same thing, Husker," Alastor argued. "But, to answer your question, when I listen to the radio, it isn't for music or stories. However, both are treat whenever I'm in the mood." He stated.
"Then...what do you listen to?..." Husk hesitantly asked.
In reply, Alastor stared at Husk. It wasn't a menacing stare nor an offended one. It was his usual face, toothy grin, and total silence.
"...Right..." Husk said after a while, making a mental note never to explore this topic again.
Thankfully, before another coffin overstuffed with corpses could be pried open, Vagatha entered the lobby.
"Alright," Vagatha spoke as she appeared, getting all eyes on her. "Charlie texted me and said they'd be back any second now." She informed them.
"I wonder what they purchased," Azrael said. "Was it strictly for clothes? Or was it an in-general shopping trip?" She asked.
"It sounded like in-general. But it was probably focused on clothes knowing how Angel's mind works." Vagatha answered while reaching the front desk.
"That and sex toys." Husk chimed in.
"Yes. But I'm VERY doubtful that Charlie would've accompanied him into a sex shop or something else like that." Vagatha replied with an eye roll.
"You never know. Charlie can be firm when she needs to be, but when it comes to her friends, she'll often be easily coerced into activities she would otherwise not partake in." Alastor mentioned.
"As much as I hate to be the source of confirmation, that is true," Azrael said with a smile and a sigh. "Always looking to make others happy, even if DOES lead to awkward situations..." She added.
Click
That small noise, detected due to the silence in the lobby apart from their talking, came from the front doors. As everyone looked to the entrance, they found none other than Charlie entering the building.
"Hey, there she is." Husk was the first to speak. "Nice of you to ditch the place and leave us to do all the work there, princess." He told her.
Before any additional words were spoken, Vagatha quickly bonked him on the head with a closed fist.
"Welcome back, hon!" Vagatha greeted with a warm smile as Husk began rubbing his head. "Did you have fun?" She asked.
...
...
...Silence. Charlie looked at them, and they looked at her. It was then that the others all noticed the expression on Charlie's face. Instead of joy, excitement, or even exhaustion from shopping all day, there was...nervousness? Maybe fear as well?
"Hon?" Vagatha repeated, now worried that something was wrong.
"...I'm sorry." Charlie...apologized?
"Sorry for what, Charlie?" Alastor inquired.
"When Vaggie called me earlier today, I lied. Angel, Cherri, and I weren't shopping all day. I wanted to tell you that before anything else." She informed.
"Charlie, what's going on?" Azrael asked, sharing the same concern for her Niece as Vagatha.
"I wish I could answer that, Auntie. But it's no exaggeration to say that it'd be impossible to do so quickly and easily. But we are going to explain everything. I promise. However, I need all of you to promise that you won't speak up or do anything unless we tell you to. I know how crazy that sounds, but speaking from personal experience, what you're about to learn is better received when all you do is listen. So, can you guys do that? Please?" Charlie requested.
It was rare for Charlie to become so serious that it could elicit chills. But that's precisely what the others were feeling right now. Her demeanor was composed and calm yet extremely foreboding and ominous. Just what had she, Angel Dust, and Cherri been up to Unfortunately, from how it seemed, there was only one way to know.
"We can," Vagatha responded, speaking for the group.
"Thank you," Charlie said with a smile, albeit a brief one.
With that settled, Charlie turned around and proceeded to open each of the twin doors. Thanks to stoppers installed at the bottom of each, they'd be kept in place, allowing them to remain open without anyone actively keeping them that way. Once that had been done, Angel Dust and Cherri appeared a few seconds later, each pushing...
"What the fuck..." Husk muttered, unintentionally expressing the feelings of everyone at the front desk.
Two highly-advanced carts that could levitate. That was the only description befitting the objects pushed by the spider demon and his mono-eyed best friend. But these technologically impressive things were not the cause for the group's shock. It was what each cart carried that stunned them.
The first items the group noticed were two specimens, one on each cart. Angel Dust's creature was muscular and bipedal, intimidatingly tall, lacked a face, and was mostly brown in coloration. Cherri's creature was a lankier entity with long arms, grey skin, a similar lack of any facial features, and a unique formation of its skull that resembled a headdress. Apart from these unexpected lifeforms, the carts also carried various objects, all mysterious and foreign to the group.
But, of course, the others weren't focused on those items. All eyes were fixated on the dead organisms stored inside tubes equally advanced as the carts. Perhaps even more so, but that was impossible to be certain of.
"Okay. So. None of you are panicking. That's good." Charlie began, optimistic about what was to follow. "Now, again, please remain silent. All of your questions will be answered. " She assured as Angel Dust and Cherri came to a stop in the middle of the lobby. "As you can see, we have some interesting things to show you. First and foremost, these strange lifeforms." She said while approaching the specimens.
"This one here's called a Hell Knight." Angel Dust spoke up while patting his. "They're big, beefy, and can fuck you up. One punch from a living Hell Knight's enough to shatter your skull completely. They can even tear a grown man or woman in half with the same ease as ripping paper. As if that weren't bad enough, they're durable, too. You could dump a firing squad's worth of standard ammunition into them, and they'll shrug it off like rain. Oh, and they LOVE to leap. The power in their legs is enough to make small craters when they land." He informed them.
"And this one's called a Summoner," Cherri spoke up, patting hers as Angel Dust did with his. "They're the in-between of two other species called Imps and Archviles. But don't think the Imps I'm talking about are the same as the ones we know. TRUST me. Those are some UGLY fuckers. Anyway, as their name implies, they summon their allies. They're masters of magic, or the Arcane as it's properly referred to. They can also resurrect the dead and empower their allies. But typically, that's only present in those about to become Archviles. So it should be considered an indicator of their experience and mastery of their abilities." She informed them.
"We intend to show you more of these creatures, referred to as Demons, yes, Demons, later," Charlie stated, getting everyone's attention back on her. "Right now, we need to go into more detail about where these Demons came from. I'm warning you now, brace yourselves." She told them, allowing a moment to pass before she continued. "This Hell Knight and Summoner come from a place known as Doom. As you might've guessed based on the Knight's name, it is Hell. A different Hell, completely separate from ours. From what is known about it, it could be older than ours. It may even precede Heaven's creation and the birth of God's children." She revealed.
"That's enough," Azrael spoke, the first of the group to interrupt her.
"Auntie? What is it?" Charlie asked, yet remained composed. She most likely anticipated her Aunt being the first to break the silence.
"Charlie, I'm sorry. But I cannot remain quiet. What you're saying is...it can't be described!" Azrael exclaimed, but not in anger or frustration. Rather, it was bewilderment. "This display you've presented has left me without words up until now. Of all the things I expected you to say, that was certainly not one of them! You are your Father's Daughter, and he is a child of God! You've been told the history of Creation countless times! How could you POSSIBLY say what you have?! I know not what those frightening creatures are, but they most assuredly aren't Demons of any kind! And the notion that they originate from a different Hell? One that you claim is older than our family? It's...It's...It's ludicrous!" She ranted before adorning a look of worry. "Are you feeling alright? Did something happen during your outing with your friends? How could you so casually speak such untruthful things?" She interrogated.
Like before, Charlie didn't say anything at first. Yet instead of merely looking this time, she approached her Aunt.
"I know it's hard to believe, Auntie." Charlie began once she was a few feet from her. "But this is all true. However, I am self-aware. As the princess of our Hell, I shouldn't think such things are factual without proof. As you are now, I was skeptical. I demanded greater evidence than a few corpses and objects that could easily be forged. So, to that end, I'd like to introduce someone to all of you." She said.
Before Azrael or anyone else could reply, a portal suddenly appeared behind her. Unlike the rifts they were familiar with, which were usually oval, this one was a perfect circle. It also possessed a light blue color that none of them had seen. As for who summoned this portal, they came from the other side. Like everything so far; their appearance left them speechless.
With heavy footsteps that carried metal boots, the figure of a man stepped into the lobby. An impressive-looking suit of armor hid his entire form. Not a single bit of his flesh or other details could be seen. Regarding his physique, he was more impressive than the Hell Knight Angel Dust had talked about.
However, when this mysterious man was through the portal, all of Azrael's eyes shot open. A memory. Two weeks ago. An unknown soul. A sensation that she couldn't describe at the time.
But now, as he stood before her, Azrael knew what it was. Rage. So passionate, so unending, so full of fury, it put Hellfire to shame. Furthermore, as she studied the man's appearance, she recalled what Gabriel had described to her earlier in the day. The description of the Exterminators' killer. It matched him perfectly.
"Everyone," Charlie spoke, a smile present on her features. "I'd like to introduce you-"
FWOOM
Azrael wrapped her tail around her Niece's body in one swift motion and pulled her close. Acting purely on instinct, she sought to protect her. This...This thing. It couldn't be a man. It was something worse, something dangerous. She wouldn't let it hurt her family!
"STAY BACK!" Azrael shouted while coiling around Charlie, doing so carefully to avoid hurting her.
"Ngh! Auntie! Wait!" Charlie grunted out after a few seconds. Having been briefly stunned due to the rapid change of the situation.
"Charlie! Be quiet!" Azrael demanded while keeping her gaze on the stranger. "I don't know WHO you are or WHAT you've done to my Niece to make her say such absurdities! But you will NOT do ANYTHING else to her or her companions!" She shouted.
"Yo, Azrael, you're going to want to calm the fuck down!" Angel Dust exclaimed with widened eyes as everyone else watched on from the sidelines.
"Yeah! Do NOT pick a fight with this guy!" Cherri added.
"I have no intention of fighting him. But if he advances in my direction, I will NOT hesitate to protect my Niece!" Azrael responded.
In reaction, the stranger, taking her statement as a challenge, proceeded to do precisely that. With bated breaths, everyone watched the armored man slowly approach her. The blue portal he appeared from disappeared after he took a few steps away from it.
"I WARNED YOU!" Azrael shouted with an intense glare before her eyes began to glow.
"AUNTIE, NO!" Charlie shouted from within her coils, struggling to break free.
Sadly, Charlie could not prevent her Aunt from going through with her attack. From all of Azrael's eyes, a blinding flash emitted. Its color was violet, the same as her many eyes. Although this would seem like nothing more than a disorienting offensive action to the uninformed, in truth, it was far more powerful than that.
"The Gaze of Death" would be an apt name. Similarly to the Gorgons of fantasy, Azrael's eyes could be weaponized. However, unlike the Gorgons, her victims would not become statues. Instead of flesh becoming stone, the body would die, and the soul would be left in a paralyzed state, a spiritual coma.
But before now, Azrael had never been given a reason or presented with a situation requiring its use. This was the first time in her entire life she'd used her powers in ANY combative context. Even so, she knew what the result should be; she was prepared for the suit of armor to fall to the floor while the soul floated above it. Yet, instead of this, the first thing Azrael saw when the flash was over was an armored fist being sent directly at her face.
BAM
Like a rocket being fired, Azrael flew from where she stood, across the lobby, and into the front desk. As for Charlie, she hadn't been taken with her. Her Aunt's body uncoiled itself as it lost its grip from the impact of the blow. Resulting in Charlie landing on the floor with an audible thud.
But Charle and Azrael were not the only ones affected by what transpired. Alastor, Nifty, Vagatha, and Husk, who were still at the front desk, had been thrown in multiple directions when Azrael impacted it. Through nothing else other than luck, none of them had been hit by her soaring body. Their only injuries were some bruises when each violently landed on the floor.
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Cherri shouted in alarm; she and Angel Dust were the only ones not affected by that.
"CHARLIE!" Angel Dust shouted before the duo rushed to her side. "YOU OKAY?!" He asked.
Unfortunately, Charlie hit the floor quite hard. The impact was strong enough to render her unconscious when her skull met with the ground. Realizing the state she was in, Angel Dust and Cherri did their best to pick her up. The easiest way to accomplish this was to put her arms around both of their necks and lift her.
During this, their armored associate made his way to his attacker. Azrael had barreled through the front desk and gone straight into the wall, leaving the Angel of Death in a barely conscious state. Additionally, her body was embedded in the wall's wood, and all her eyes struggled to remain open.
Sadly for the serpent, that struggle would only worsen as a pair of armored hands wrapped themselves around her neck. With barely a gasp, Azrael immediately tried to pry them off of her. Alas, she could only muster her arms as her tail was unresponsive.
With his hands firmly around her throat, the armored man began squeezing. He had no intention of killing Azrael. But to ensure she wouldn't attack him again, he would make her pass out.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!"
SNAP
That voice and the sound that accompanied it came from his right. When the armored man looked in that direction, he saw a bipedal cat with wings holding a broken piece of wood. It had once been a sizeable plank but broke in half when swung against the suit.
CLANG
Another sound, this time at his back. Looking over his shoulder, the man saw a grey-skinned woman with one eye. In her hands was a silver spear. The head of which was now bent and damaged. His suit, however, remained unaffected.
FWISH FWISH FWISH FWISH FWISH FWISH
A series of noises, now. Each was identical. This made sense considering the sources were also similar. A swarm of blackened tendrils grew from the floor and wrapped themselves around the man's torso and arms.
Looking for the cause of these tentacles, the man saw a conjurer of sorts nearby. He was clad entirely in red and had antlers sprouting from his head. In one of his hands, he wielded a staff with a microphone at the top. But like the other two, these inky appendages did nothing to the armored man.
So, he returned his focus to Azrael, intent on making her black out. The cat continued to bash whatever he could get his hands on against him. The woman repeatedly stabbed at the suit, aiming for different places. The conjurer summoned more tendrils to try and pry him off.
"LET HER GO!"
Another voice? This time, it came from above. To the man's surprise, an unknown creature was now on his shoulders. From how the voice sounded, it was female.
From the noises that followed after that shout, it seemed like the entity was either gnawing or stabbing his helmet. Maybe both. Yet similar to the spear, no results were yielded. But just as it seemed like nothing would stop him, and he could ensure Azrael would pass out, he was finally brought to a halt. However, it wasn't due to any of his attackers.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Like a lightbulb being turned on, the entirety of the armored man was illuminated in an instant. A light blue glow came from his suit, with it a loud electrical sound. It was clear what was happening. He was being electrocuted.
Without making any noise, the armored man released Azrael and fell to the floor. As for the creature on his head, she jumped off once the electrocution began. In speechless amazement, his attackers watched the man endure the intensity of the energy. They had no way of knowing the amount, but it was enough to kill ANYTHING, of that much they were certain.
Despite this, all that happened to the armored man was that he was left immobile. On his knees, showing no signs of pain, merely incapable of acting in any capacity. But before anyone could do anything else, another portal appeared close by. It was the same as the one the armored man had come through.
Yet from it came no other man. Instead, an imposingly tall robot appeared. Following behind it was a Sinner like them. So far, that was the only normal thing to occur.
"You just had to go and do something like this, didn't you?" The robot spoke as it approached the man. "She couldn't hurt you. You knew this. But violence must be met with more violence. Isn't that correct?" He asked while looking down at the man.
Of course, no response came. The armored man couldn't move so much as a pinky at the moment, let alone react to the robot's words.
"Olivia, check with the Angel of Death. Ensure our ill-tempered partner hasn't done too much harm." The robot ordered.
"Yes, sir." The Sinner replied, hurrying over to the slumped serpent in the wall.
"Words cannot begin to convey my regret for this outcome." The robot spoke, now addressing everyone else. "Although we expected the potential for an altercation, I assumed my associate would still show restraint to avoid needless injury." He said before slowly leaning in closer to the armored man. "Sadly, I overestimated you. Or maybe, I needed to be more accurate in my thinking. I should've known even in the face of something that can't hurt you; you'd react like this. Predictably barbaric." He told him.
"Hey! Tin man!" The winged cat exclaimed, getting his attention. "Care to explain what the FUCK is going on?!" He asked, still holding a piece of debris.
"Certainly. You are owed that much after this mess." The robot said as he straightened himself. "My name is Samuel Hayden. In the place of your princess, I will be the one to bring clarity to what is happening. And I give you my word that there will be far less violence this time." He told them, introducing himself.