Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

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You took a moment to breath in after the brief heightened tension in the room

Platino gestured over to you as soon as you looked over his way. 

Styx: Mm?

Platino: I got feedback from Manzana. Relayed everything her way. 

Styx: And thoughts are? 

Platino: Worried. Her and needle wanna meet back up with us near the mall. Figures a public place like that makes it hard to start shit without getting security to drop you. 

Styx: We can hurry on over, need someone to take the husk to safety... 

Platino: I mean.. you're a entity, yeah? Don't you got one of those hammer spaces-

Bern: You wanna trust a entity with a body that can't die? 

Platino: You rather carry it back alone? 

Bern: Maybe. 

Styx: I can't blame you if I'm honest-

Hickory: It's the lowest risk option to pocket it away for now. Nobody's gonna break in easy.

Bern: I guess.... I dunno though, this one's got a history.

Hickory: Mmhmm. I've got more direct experience with him than either of you. I'm willing to take the fall if he pulls something stupid. 

Bern: If he claims it he might just get Charon's body killed and then run off, and at that point-

Hickory: Give me some credit, I can protect him fine. I vote we let Styx keep it in the castle for now. Plat? 

Platino: I can keep him checked.. no offense-

Styx: None taken, I fully understand. 

Hickory: So... I think we got him. Yeah? 

Bern: I guess.. 

Hickory made his way over to you slowly. 

Styx: You really trust me so? I'm a little surprised after everything... 

Hickory: If you're really a part of Charon, I want to trust you. Don't make me look like a idiot, yeah? Me, plat, Bern-

Bern: If he flakes on us I called it-

Hickory: Let me finish, yeah? 

He was close enough to whisper into your ear. 

Hickory: Not much choice  anyway. 

They continued as quiet as possible. 

Hickory: Pretend to stretch, look over toward the doorway but don't freeze when you see it. 

Styx: You really-

Hickory: Stay casual. 

You work yourself up to a little yawn, head tilting and rotating around and-




You've been found. 

Play it by the ear.

Styx: Hickory, you have something upstairs, yes? 

Hickory: I might in fact.

Styx: You carry her with us then, the others and I will get things together. 

Bern: You been hiding something? What-

Hickory: I'll show you as soon as we get it moved and unpacked, Bucket might want in on this. 

Platino: Just roll with it kid, think I got a idea anyway but we gotta be quick. 

Bern kicked the ground below her in frustration before nodding along. 

Hickory scooped up the husk and lead toward the warehouse attic, giving a overview of below through the metal screened floor.

Hickory: Lock the door..

You followed along and gave him a little nod. 

Bern: There's nothing here dude, what's up-

Hickory: We're being stalked by cultists. 

Bern: That's broad, you talking from the mainland in Taverne or-

Styx: Extradimensional, the ones that made the husk. 

Bern: I thought you guys killed them or something-?

Styx: Not entirely, not uncommon for a few stragglers to spin off as a branch. 

Platino: When you've got their holy grail being advertised in a auction they're gonna show on the island.. 

Hickory: Mmhmm. Looked like one of the Grimace units. 

Bern: You mean like-

Hickory: Nah. less scary than that. Fiend bodies cloned with the minds of enforcers who've shown their teeth. Called it the Dorado project, out cat buddy here was sort of their endgame- what are you doing dude?

Platino had gotten down on down on all fours, face pressed against the metal screen. 

Platino: Ah shit, I know these things. 

Hickory: Mm? 

Platino: A few bodies like these, very little variation physically and genetically identical. Fiend, Faux-Spider type. Infectious category, they were something I had seen behind the scenes. Discovered in a expedition, some sort of lost tech vessel for lost souls allegedly. 

Hickory: So you're familiar. 

Platino: Yeah. Little deviations in face, capable of entity-like contracting, any attempt to plug someone in gave them a urge to infect and spread a bit. Sometimes docile, sometimes hostile. All 5 units we got our hands on were female and-

Hickory: Female? 

Platino: Yeah. Something wrong? 

Hickory: All units besides the Husk were male. 

Bern: Why does that matter-

Platino: Were they always all male?

Hickory: Yeah, all of them. It was like, some sort of chess thing they had going. I figured- ah fuck. Styx? 

Styx: They did look a bit different from the old ones...

Bern: Did Ali-

Platino: Nah, they were stored and deemed a failure. Reverse engineering the husk took priority.

Hickory: These are new then. 

Platino: Guess so? Couldn't trace the gene sample to anything current. 

Hickory: Because whoever got the sample used for those bodies isn't from this time or place. Sampling is a whole market. 

Styx: Mm... the material is of our time and place but the methods are decades away. Heed caution.

Hickory: In that case, pocket the cat. I don't wanna take any risks here.

Styx: You're really so certain-

Hickory: Now. 

Hickory dropped the husk's body onto the floor. The reactive hiss caused you to flinch. 

Just do your job..

With a little gesture and flick of the wrist, a diamond shaped tear formed underneath and pulled the husk inside with no trace left behind. 

Hickory: Styx and I are gonna go down and handle them, you two keep watch and make noise if something happens. Yeah? 

Platino: Yeah, you two stay safe. 

Hickory: We'll do our best. If we fall-

Bern: Get to the others? 

Hickory: Yeah.  

The bird made their way to the door. They turned their head toward you. 

Hickory: Like old times, yeah? 

Styx: Little too much... it's good to see you again. 

Hickory: Same here.