[image description: Paige, a bedsheet ghost-like proxy of ambiguous species and gender lays on the living room couch.]
 

 

 

 

 

"Can I get one more thing quick? Want to get a bit of guidance."

"I can do a reading for you, just a moment and.."

The entity slides you a tarot card.

"No name or number?"

"You know what it is in your gut, no?"

The World, one where you can't tell up from down.

"This really is the end.."

"For now but.. not forever. I'll say this while I still have the chance though, you're the client that makes me wish I understood people more."

"Nothing says you can't, right?"

"I don't know if its possible but.. for a friend? I'll try. Now then, time to step up to the plate."


[image description: A abstracted humanoid creature, the lower half of a person both up and down. A corruption of the Tarot Major Arcana, "The World" ]
 

---

 

 
Bucket: Where are we heading?

Charon: Place where we can find a little piece of mind.

Bucket: And… all of them? Your proxies?

Charon: Not sure if that’s all of them but.. Mm.

Bucket: I’ve… much to think about.

Charon: Likewise.

Bucket: I managed to pick up a number of documents regarding guild experiences with you.

Bucket: And I talked to your grandmother as well recently.

Charon: And? Where are you going with this?

Bucket: I didn’t really know what to anticipate.

Charon: Start with Erica.

Bucket: “More stubborn than any of us. Kind of a feat.”

Bucket: “Get him to back down quick cause once he’s settled, he’s not changing his mind.”

Bucket: “At that point? You’re stuck with ‘em. Better make sure he comes back.”

Charon: And?

Bucket: Looks true so far.

Charon: That really all of it?

Bucket: She said you were good with tools, if we weren’t already so deep in…

Bucket: What’s the word?

Charon: Technicians?

Bucket: Good way to phrase it.

Charon:... What were you going to say?

Bucket: It’d feel rude now.

Charon: Try me.

Bucket: Glasses.

Charon:.. Suppose that’s not wrong. Me, Manzana, Fenton…

Bucket: Rosario.

Charon: Haven’t gotten chance to gauge her much.

Bucket: Won’t have to, one of Ali’s hires.

Charon: That’ do it. 

Bucket: But… I’ve worked with her in the past as well.

Bucket: Ali’s been playing a fairly sizable role in my current ventures.

Charon: Was wondering about that.

Bucket: She’s got all the money and contacts. As much as she played a large role in pushing me into my own situation… I can’t deny that she’s efficient.

Charon: Don’t know how anyone puts up with her.

Bucket: She’s a lot like you… but she’s had far less love in her life.

Bucket: I’m happy to see you’ve so many friends..

Charon: Don’t get to see most of them often to be fair..

Bucket: Mm. I understand that feeling…

Bucket: Is this.. Really all in this castle?

Bucket: I’m aware it’s not of this realm but..

Charon: Styx tends to horde, let’s put it like that.

Bucket: It’s somber..

Charon: Mm..

The two of you enter a endless field, the entrance covered in moss and cracked tile far in the distance now.

The sky is long enough to make anyone feel small.

Bucket:... You’re going to fight me out here.

Charon: It won’t be much of a fight.

Bucket: I thought we were done?

Charon: Maybe. We can walk back at any point if you’d like but..

Charon: A stranger approached me today, got a bit dramatic but..

Charon: Managed some good advice out of it.

Charon: I know that deep down this is the best way to understand you.

Bucket: We… You don’t have to do this. I’m sorry for-

Charon: Would you be satisfied if we walked back now?

Bucket: I’ve put you through enough, we-

Charon: Yes or no?

Bucket: ... No.

Bucket: Whoever you spoke to seems to know a lot about me.

Bucket: Aspects I’d never want to admit..

Charon: Mm..

Bucket: So then..

Charon: Nothing but your best.

Bucket: It’d be dangerous-

Charon: Worry about yourself.

With a flick of the wrist, a portal manifests near the larger knight.

Charon: Reach in there, pull out the sword that feels best.

Bucket nods, sticking a hand into the rift.

With a single swing they managed to tear out a massive blade, the portal shattering.

Bucket: That’ll be plenty.. Are you ready-

Charon: As much as I’ll ever be.

Your skull is still vibrating from the rush of drawing blood from Opera.

Bucket puts their guard up.

Bucket: Begin-

As soon as the words exit, Rook dives in with a tank full of gas and a flurry of jabs.

The other dog retaliates, guarding with the flat of the blade and using their weight to push back with immense force.

You use this momentum to approach, your own hand reaching toward the rift at your hip.

You grab a handle comfortably..

Rook takes a massive counterblow, their full weight into a tackle to shove the ghostly dog off of them.

You feel a fog coming in, illusionary smoke trickling into your lungs.

You're low on time to make things count.

You're in range.

Rook makes a second attempt to dive in pressuring the dog, claws slamming the dirt and grass below you into their face.

The dog covers their eyes but instinct allows them to push through and wind up a swing so heavy, the air and grass nearby are shredded.

There's no way they could potentially win a direct trade. Neither could you for that matter.

The illusion starts to take hold, your final chance.

You attached a rift to Rook as they go in swinging one last time, Bucket obliges, diving lower than the proxy's hook and coming in with the counter blow. 

They swing full force.

The world seems to pause for a moment.

The rift flickers.

You switch positions with Rook.

Checkmate.

You drawn the tuner from the rift at your own hip, swinging back with full confidence.

Blades meet, you parry their blow.

You feel the entire force of their attack flow through you, knocking them back with the first motion.

They maintain their footing and guard despite all this.

It didn't disarm them, it didn't crack their blade nor make them stagger all that much.

The kinetic energy starts to overwhelm, you're thinking faster than you ever have in your life..

You do the one thing you know they can't anticipate.

The second swing, releasing the kinetic energy.

Directly under your own feet.

You launch right at the dog, elbows covered in metal gauntlets pivoting the strike.

Your full weight pinpointed with the force of their swing back at them.

This time it's enough to break their guard.

Their footing is strong Despite this, you need to be able to down them in the next hit.

If you could just repeat-

You give rook a nod.



The proxy swings at you, you parry it and in one slick motion and redirect it at them.

A sloppy guard from Bucket, one that doesn't manage to maintain the same defense.

You repeat this.

Again.

And Again.

Something has to give and it's not going to be you.

Guarding each counterblow visibly straining their body, the world around them cracking and crumbling as they tank t until..

You swing...

They're not there.

Rook screeches as they're slammed aside.

It's coming.

As you're pulling your brain out of the dirt, you feel the force coming.

You turn around, Bucket's sword in mid motion.

The look on their eyes, there is no fear.

They think nothing of you.

You won't be able to swing back fast enough.

You abandon the blade.

You use your free hand to guard, this is it.

This is all you can do.

You push back full force as it clashes, you can feel the framework of the gauntlet crumbling.

Your hand inside burning, crackling.

And yet..

a natural parry, you thrust back.

Bucket's guard breaks.

There's a spike of pain in their face. Their sword finally gives.

The kinetic force remains, with your other hand you release it in one big counterpunch.

It sends them directly into the floor, the intensity leaving deep a trail in the dirt.

Checkmate.

 

 

 
Bucket claps their hands twice, Bern following suit immediately.

Geezer starts to walk back toward you, with a tired look on his face.

He gestures to walk toward him, you give him a puzzled look only for him to shake his head.

Opera: They’re tagging out? This fast? I mean you fucked them up but-

Geezer: They’re stalling to get some rest and figure out a new gameplan.

Opera: How’d you even manage? Could barely make out the scramble…

Geezer: Old school knights like them aren’t trained for ground game. Nearly every fight gets taken to the floor quickly but…

Opera: Yeah but like…It was so clean..
:
Geezer: Something to worry about later.

Geezer: Don’t know a thing about Bern, she’s got something up with her though.

Geezer: Like… if they’re willing to bring someone like that with them..

Opera: And tag out after a beating like that…

Geezer: Yeah, that’s the thing. If she was just some rookie, that’d be insanely cruel.

Opera: I mean…

Geezer: Family’s got a issue with being too comfortable passing off a lot as just “tough love”, not gonna deny that.

Geezer: This isn’t it dude.

Opera: I can scout.

Geezer: Figured you’d be good at that.

Opera: Need you to be able to pull that trick twice. You deserve the rest.

Geezer: Yeah..

Geezer: Part of me wants to keep in, stay warmed up but..

Geezer: If I get down’d here and now cause of lack of prep? That’s it.

Geezer: Which means you know you can’t let a pin happen before I’ve got enough info to work with.

Opera: Surprised you didn’t manage it earlier..

Geezer: Didn’t think they’d tap out that, fast honest.

Geezer: Buck’s a fiend too, strong one.

Geezer: Not the same kind as my grandma or Charon though. Bit of a rarity…

Opera: What do you mean?

Geezer: Every fiend’s got a breath tied to their specific category, yeah?

Opera: Mm…

Geezer: Got a set of fiend silk on me, has a lot of usage.

Geezer: Fact that they managed to muscle out is impressive but… that’s it. Managed to completely muscle out.

Opera:... Isn’t Charon a bug fiend?

Geezer: Yeah.

Opera: Erica too? And uh.. Arabis?

Geezer: Yeah. Webbing type.

Opera: Webbing types can get stuck but they absorb it into themselves, that’s how it works in this world too I’m sure?

Geezer: Yep.

Geezer: There’s something hell off.

Without knowledge of what Bucket’s fiend type, there’s now a massive danger to worry about.

A fiend is incredibly variable in nature, some can become a threat just by making the slightest bit of contact to your skin.

It’s clear Geezer has the toolkit to deal with them but..

For now you do what you have to. Scout, gain info, stall for Geezer to plan round 2 and..

Opera: Mm.. Okay.  Get the gist.

Geezer: There’s a 5 minute timer before being able to tag again, just a heads up.

Opera: 5 Minutes? Sounds long for a fight..

Geezer: Only for freestyle dueling. New ruling, recent high profile match has people worried about stall tactics.Big timer in theory puts people off of trying to tag stall til the max timer on spectated events. Long matches lead to more risk of injury.

Opera:.. This region’s kinda weird dude. There’s a story right?

Geezer: I’ll tell you some other time.

He gestures over toward the other team, Bucket having their own conversation with Bern, too quiet for you or Paige to make out from the distance.

Geezer: You got this, yeah?

Opera: Mm…

Geezer gives you a pat on the shoulder.

Geezer: You’re up then.

Paige’s head perks up from your cloak.

Opera: You ready to go?

The proxy squeaks in confirmation.

Of course we’re ready, always will be.

Geezer walks off and takes a spot with Zana and Fenton spectating, the three of them seem to start bantering amongst themselves as well.

You Approach the other team, Bucket pointing you out to Bern before backing off.

The mysterious squire walks up to you. There’s a new intensity to the fight, one that exudes directly from her.

Bern: Feels like each of you got a proxy on you. Guessing the world did something to you and your friends.

Opera: Always have, just another adventure for the two of us.

Bern: Mm..

Bern: Read up on the case as much as I could.

Bern: Target’s got a history.

Bern: One I can relate to.

She looks over at Paige. There’s an immediate nervous response, one that you can feel bleeding over.

Bern: You know something.

Bern: I’m a bit of a thread in this too…

You try comforting Paige with a pat on the head.

Opera: What’s up?

I don’t want to do this…

Opera: Really? I mean I can handle it on my own if you’re not up for it-

No. I don’t want you to get hurt.

I haven’t felt scared like this since we were kids.

Opera: I mean we dealt with a lot of scary stuff..

Opera: Always pulled through though.

I know…

Opera: Tell me what’s up?

Paige: She’s a husk.

Bern: Don’t like being called that…
Bern: But… yeah.

Bern: Guess I’d fit the bill.

Bern:.. Wasn’t expecting to get that response from another proxy to be honest….

Bern: Don’t hold back.

Bern looks over toward Bucket as the countdown starts.

Bern: It’s time.

 



 

 

 

 

After a long night of tinkering, you crawl out of your bunker of a makeshift workshop and stretch your bones.

There wasn't really as much partying as you'd liked after last night's duel. You and the others returned home to manage some errands at base and share sweets that Opera managed to pick up along the way.

Fenton, the other main tinkering witch of the group came to you with a proposition. Not something you usually do without prep or commission in advance but under the circumstances, you feel like you owe a debt after you were treated so kindly.

It was really good pumpkin pie..

It's a little disappointing, you were hoping for a little more time to breath..

But under the circumstances you and Needle worked through the night.

She dozed off in a chair near your station. She made the decision to stick with you despite the fact that she'd been working a all-nighter the day before.

You decide against waking her up, she genuinely needs the rest after that..

After this, you hope to dedicate most of the day to getting some time with her properly..

You approach the kitchen setup and serve yourself a tall glass of orange juice.

You've earned it.