Just a Passing Assassin...

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

 You offer out your hand, taking initiative.

Spiral: Spiral Renegade, heard a lot about you from folks here.

The Hunter takes your hand and holds it firm.

SCAN BEGIN…...



The Hunter: Good things?

Spiral: Think so, you watch the town?

The Hunter: Have for decades, and maybe a few more down the line. Have to get over this tough period first.

Spiral: Mm…

PARTIAL SCAN. ARCHIVING….

You try tightening the shake but he pulls his hand away.

INITIAL SCAN PAUSED AT 55%....

Hopefully that’s enough to ask base for help.

The Hunter: Nice try.



Spiral: W-what?

The Hunter: Gotta be firm at the start, technique’s all over the place. Right energy but wrong delivery.

The Hunter: You will not survive the winter.

What the fuck does that even mean.

Steady dives in and tries to save face with her own handshake, giving you a wink.



Steady: Steady, bastard rabbit.

You can see a satisfied look from just the hunter’s eyes peeking through the helm.

The Hunter: Can tell you got a good swing. Athlete?

Steady: Did some pro baseball.

The Hunter: Mm.. not the biggest sports person myself but I’ll watch with friends in the pub some days. Either way, trained arm and solid posture there.

Steady: Do what I can, no big deal.

The Hunter: You’re doing good.

He looks over.

The Hunter: Intern?

Spiral: Rookie actually.

The Hunter: Training with her?

Spiral: Mmhmm!

The Hunter: You may make it after all… you’re in good hands.

Spiral: Okay…

The Hunter: So what brings you two out? Clearly from pretty far out.

Spiral: Research overseas.

Steady: Travel a lot, friend of ours came to scan the local phenomenon and got caught so we were dropped in to handle that.

The Hunter: Valuing your comrades,I respect it. Bit of a huge mistake though, can’t imagine whoever gathered info on this area is keeping their job for long. Any luck finding your ally?

Spiral: Yep, not in the best shape though. Gonna help out with getting rid of the creature and then taking her to safety.

The Hunter: Mm. Personally I could escort all of you out safely during the day but… I think we could all use the help right now. Thing’s been going off every night, wearing me down a bit at this point.



Cabinetta: I haven’t seen you like this in years…

The Hunter: No, bit of a challenge admittedly. Thing forces a chase from dusk til dawn, conventional scraping doesn’t go far.

The Hunter: Got this network of dens that only show when it’s active. Been smoking it out of hiding but the layout seems to shift through each session. There’s patterns and I’ve got a bit faster at it each time but even after I gotta find the hole it’s jumping out of.

Steady: Sounds like you need a few spotters.

The Hunter: Would you be willing? Dangerous work if you get caught alone.

Spiral: If we could get a good point to look at things, we could track it.

The Hunter: Aye… I have plenty of tools to make that work back home…

The Hunter: Admittedly though, its been tough barricading that. The thing hates light but small local houses only keep it out for so long before it decides taking a victim is worth tolerating it.

The Hunter: Not exactly a fortress admittedly…

Cabinetta: You could sleep over with us, we’ll help you move things over in the morning…

The Hunter: Mm…

Cabinetta I know you said you'd be fine before but…

The Hunter: I didn’t want you getting dragged in but… seems like it is getting closer to breaking in here now.

The Hunter: May have to scrape up things and fortify here instead.



Cabinetta: Thank you… I know you don’t want to ask for too much but-

The Hunter: Honestly,  I just want this town back. Can’t imagine they’re all too happy having to abandon their homes for over a month. Whatever it takes to save everyone, I'll do it.

Cabinetta: Mm…

Spiral: Hate too pester too much, new on the job but.. What exactly do you do?

The Hunter: Bit of everything really, needed in an occupation like mine but… mostly good at tracking anything that moves.



The Hunter: Could find the devil himself if I had to.

Steady: Have you?

The Hunter: No, because there’s more than one out there actually it turns out.



Steady: The devil’s real?!


Cabinetta: Yes.



Cabinetta: It’s me.

The spider and the dragon snicker amongst themselves.



The Hunter: Not entirely wrong. I’m really just a survivalist with an affinity for fighting but… a fancy title isn’t something to complain about having-

You see him suddenly fall, legs crumpling and only barely catching himself before completely eating shit.

Cabinetta: You really hurt yourself this time.



The Hunter: Aye… don’t think I can afford to fight anymore tonight..



The Hunter: Think it injected me with something nasty…



Cabinetta: Turnip will be back soon, just hang in there...