Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

[image description:  Opera reacts with a puzzled expression as wood, a cloaked witch, seemingly twists and disolves in a way reminicent of a dead rotting fish.]

The folks in town have held him in a guarded guest room, a towering crystal-like mass of a proxy watching the exit. You and Opera give him a bit of a nod. 

Opera: Rosca, yeah?

Rosca: Mm...

Opera: Gonna ask you to watch gramps for us, think too many people is gonna make any attempt to get this guy to talk harder. Bit of a rule. 

Rosca: Is there? 

Charon: Never heard of this..

Opera: Two are able to lead a interrogation, three becomes a mob and nothing gets done. Whole thing, trust me on this.

Rosca gives you both a nod, a little disappointed but understanding.

Rosca: Gramps... 

You point over to Anura talking with the locals, he turns and gives you a wave.

Rosca: As in Grandpa? He looks too pretty to be that old... 

Charon: Common occurrence, family is incredibly long lived and magical. 

Opera: Honestly I don't mind, do gotta give Erica a visit some time while I'm here though... 

Wood: You killed him, yeah?

The witch looks you directly in the eye. 

You give him a little nod. 

Wood: Stupid asshole had to make a big fuss, couldn't just keep his mouth closed. He's been pissed about you for years, you know? That stupid rat boy, dude got lucky. You know he tried to come back as a fiend cause he wanted a second chance at you?

Charon: I'm sorry he tried to-

Wood: Yeah, a lot of us here are folks that got poofed out of existence cause of you. There was a whole ritual and everything that he set up and he chickened out at the last second. Fiend was made, he wasn't part of it. No idea where that thing ran off to either. You cut down any bugs in the past decade? 

Charon: No, don't think I have.. 

Wood: Bleh. Must've gotten lost. He kicked himself over that. I was half tempted to jump in with him... 

Charon: You people do this willingly...? 

Wood: Fiend bodies are useful, got all sorts of genetic advantage usually. Yours.. I dunno, you're scuffed all sorts though. Not strong, beautiful, just kind of a freak. Bad blend. 

Opera: You got a hell of a mouth on you today. 

Wood: Why not? Gonna die no matter what, right? You want a few words from me, set me up in this cushy ass room to pretend I'm not a prisoner but when you've gone and executed my buddy there... I dunno. Nothing to really promise me, know you won't let me go. Made it clear ya'll would kill me in a heartbeat-

Charon: It was what he wanted.

Wood: Yeah? And he's fuck stupid, why'd you take his ass seriously like that? I ain't telling you shit, if you're try and do some interrogation shit let me talk to one of your friends.

Opera gives you a little gesture. 

You nod and pass things over. 

Opera: I wanna cut to the chase, why were you going after Rosca? 

Wood: The crown proxy? The husk's not complete without her. Immortal doesn't mean shit when you don't got the teeth and claws to back it. 

Opera: And you know about the husk-

Wood: Yeah. Some crazy in your world managed to dig that shit up with a tip from us. Plan was we give her the sauce. She wants her own pocket, her own husk to live there forever, and the gravesite of some old dog that got killed back then-

Charon:  Old dog...?

Wood: Yeah, same stupid little heart on his fit as yours. I guess you're all family, yeah? 

Opera: You got a name?

Wood: Nah, I don't care that much. I'm just a delivery guy, don't care what gets there as long as it does. Tell you what though, she was bawling. 

Opera:... Gabriel. 

Charon: Yeah. 

Wood: Good shit. Either way she screwed the pooch a bit. Found out you could split the husk in two, reproduce it. Decided to do a auction and-

Opera: Wait there's more than one husk-

Wood: If she's a fiend? Yeah. Rare type, can duplicate itself through other cells. Like I said though, auction. Guess she wondered if she could find business partners at the meetup. I know she's managed to split the thing-

The witch gurgles and hisses, every part of his body falling apart in real time. 

Boiling fluids leaking, eyes like the dead, shaking in place and screams foaming. 

Opera: What in god's name....

Wood's body begins to levitate in place. the cat quick to point a gun to his head. 

Words violently start to drag themselves out of his mouth. 

???: Four queens in a deck.

???: One soon to return home.

Rosca...

???: One to claim the crown it was denied.

Ali...

???: One to the highest bidder... 

The whole reason you're here right now. 

???: And that could be yours, if you're willing to play ball. Makes the rest of the journey a bit easier on you. 

Opera: What are you trying to get out of all this? Doing a lot of talking right now. 

???: The tower will arrive soon, many old enemies and former allies with a bone to pick. We are all running out of time, this world needs a champion. Climb to the top, win the gauntlet, and this Rosarium will be more than yours. 

The witch's neck twists unnaturally to lock eyes on you. 

???: See you outside, little trooper.

With parting words the witch collapses, harsh breathing and whines as what's left is twisted and melting. 

It's like before. Nothing but vessels to burn through, bodies as expendable messengers. 

The cat puts a hand on your shoulder.

Charon: Mm...

Opera: You wanna head outside? I can handle this part. 

Charon: Blood on me still hasn't dried. 

Opera: Don't think either of us can afford to go in looking clean right now.

Charon: Just-

Opera: You put that on yourself a lot last time. Go talk to your gramps, fill him and Rosca in on things. Prep folks for things to get messy. 

Charon: You sure-

Opera: It's okay, get some air. 

You give her a firm nod before stepping out, one last pop shattering the tension like splinters in your palms.

The end is coming, all you can do is pray you're part of whatever story comes next.