[BlueInTheShell]

"That and ruining the bones of your boss's squeeze ain't exactly the best fuckin' way to try and earn a bonus." Hyun-chu interjected, hufffing for a moment and testing her own footing before taking a couple of practice steps to make sure Ashi was still resting comfortably and steady in her arms. The Chuzizian shook her head to get a few tendrils out of her face, and then looked down towards her chest. "Ashi, tug my shirt up." She grunted, glancing one direction, and then the other. It had been awhile since she actually had to use an escape tunnel, and with a perplexed look on her face kicked towards the left. "I can protect us on our own if I needed." Hyun said, the defensiveness in her voice making her sound almost like a childish whine. "Besides, I still wonder how his large mechanical ass fits in these tunnels."

Shaldag stopped for a second and then moved over towards Hyun-chu, the look on his face burning with irritation. "Keep talking. I'll leave you both here." He grumbled, looking in the direction that Hyun kicked and simply lurching down that way. "Well at least you started it off right. This is the way out. The other direction just leads to where you toss the bodies of your exes when you're bored of them." It was a rather sour joke, and the venom was meant to hit the both of them. If anything it would at least get the two to be a little more quiet while he tried to sort out a better gameplan than just 'Run and pray for a probable exit.' A turn around the corner and the scent of the sewers hit the trio with a fervid blast of septic air; Hyun forcing bile back down her throat, and Shaldag letting out a small "Blech' from his mask, the man bringing up a metal hand and then lowering it. Not like he could cover his nose and mouth...

=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=

Viora shrugged her shoulder for a moment, and gave Murai a small, tired sigh. "Whatever information, no matter how little or insignificant is substantial. Intelligence gathering wins wars. Not brute force. Though the latter is always a welcome addition." She said, before darting her eyes over towards some of the Edensians who were leaning against the wall; the group looking towards Viora and then shouldering their weapons and resuming their patrols. Viora barked something at them and crossed her arms, tapping her foot in annoyance. Laziness. Those girls would be recieving marks for such actions. "Feel free of course to execute them when they've talked. They will not be allowed the opportunity."

To say Viora was startled by the beasts they called Daweigos was an understatement. Perhaps it was the first time her own soldiers saw the woman show some semblance of hesitation when they were brought forth, and the blue-haired woman took a few steps back from the beasts, and then slowly moved a hand to her holster, finger unnapping and resnapping the top-flap while she frowned; brow furrowing at the beasts. "Hmm? Oh, yes. The princess alive if possible. Information. And I am sure your king would enjoy the experiments that would be performed on her. Behavioral modification. Perhaps some electro-magnetic therapy to at least offer your king the chance to...Correct...Her mental flaws, as he believes she is afflicted with."

The topic had turned to Clyde, and Viora gave Murai a rather serious look. "Keeping him unobserved is the equivalent of leaving a cannister of jet-fuel near open flame. It can be destructive for both sides. However, the being was your gift. Bring him if you want, and if you have him around. He can at least...Deal with the bodies. Carrion is a favored dish for the creature."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Things had gone catastrophically wrong down in the tunnels. The two Edensians looked at each other for a moment as they ran. The sick fuck had gotten Arisa. And it wasn't keen on just leaving witnesses to his blatant crimes. And whatever comms they had tried using had led to nothing but static. Sewers were atrocious and here they were being hunted down...

Ricarda looked over towards the Edensian near her to see a tendril of white shoot out from one of the piles of refuse, and latch around the Edensian, the woman screaming and aiming her gun to fire at the pseudopod latching onto her and spraying both of them with blue before she was pulled backwards, several more tendrils emerging from the pile and then probing at the Edensian's armor before one of the many tentacles warped and twisted, a large spur of calcium and bone forming and hardening before it plunged itself through the Edensian's screaming mouth, and burrowed down her throat. The woman spasmed and twitched, before going limp - Ricarda gagging and then hefting her gun at the pile of trash; Clyde's head peeking out while the protrusions from his back began to tug and pull at the body's arms.

"Got m'self a fuckin' puppet. Look at th'cunt's legs go. S'like she's dancin' !" Clyde snickered, making his rather macabre marionette dance, and spurring Ricarda to simply begin running again.

Clyde didn't bother chasing her down. Rather his face began to warp and twist; a plume of red hair growing out of his head, and features slowly beginning to plant themselves on where a face should have been. Pulling his Edensian doppelganger closer to him, Clyde studied her imperfections a bit more closely, then mimicked them as well - The Fae dumping the body and and then stripping it bare of clothing and armor.

Ricarda turned yet another corner, and then stopped; looking towarda a trio of aliens. Ad one of the targets before raising her rifle and pulling the trigger, the clicking of an empty rifle making her sweat and then slowly sob, the woman dropping to her knees...

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi opened her mouth ready to say something along the lines of “wasn't it her that told you to--” but she stopped herself saying instead, “It needed to be done if I was to become part of the gang, right? I don't hold it against either of you two, especially for all that you're doing for me on the road to recovery.” Ashi swallowed glancing down at the aforementioned shirt which was deliciously revealing in its current state but she nodded and did as she was told, looking up to Hyun for approval, “This good?”

Ashi blinked at the joke, taking it not like one, “How...how often do you get bored of your exes?” She gulped again hoping that she could be the exception, that she could at least stay interesting enough to be kept around. Though, when the princess thought about it, she didn't have anything particularly interesting about her, save, maybe, her title. And that was something she was giving up by her getting beat into the gang. The assimilation would be complete when she got her tattoos. Unlike the beat in, however, this was something she was rather looking forward to. She'd heard that tattoos hurt quite a lot, but she decided that at this point she'd made it through successfully through much much worse.

The plan did work, Ashi did fall silent clinging to Hyun with her one good arm, the other tucked close to her chest. She coughed with the sudden wall of odor and moved her good hand to cover her face, her eyes tearing up. She'd never smelled anything so foul before and she felt like she could puke at any given moment, doing her best to keep her composure.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Murai grinned in response to his sour counterpart, “That's exactly what the daweigos are for. They'll smell out the culprits and hopefully if they find the princess your target will be there as well. As of our current juncture I'm not sure if the two groups are related, though they certainly were when the exchange was made.” He scratched his chin then moved his finger to his ear watching as the man who'd brought the daweigos gave one to two other men, the three of them splitting up. He watched Viora bark orders at a couple of her people who'd been slacking and Murai shook his head. If they were his men, he'd brain one of them and execute the other in front of the rest of his men to show them what happened when they stopped doing their jobs.

Harsh? Perhaps, but then Murai's men all seemed to be hard at work split up. He moved his hand to his ear, “Connor? Fetch the rest of the daweigos and take one for yourself. Those drones that you were working on in our travels, do you have them? Are they ready?”

“Ay, sir. Shall I ready them, and should I set them to capture or fatal?”

“Set them to capture, but leave them with me. I will send them after the man that finds our prey.”

“Ay. Ah'll set to work immediately on that as well.”

“Oh, and Connor, have you seen Gabrion at all?”

“No sir, ah 'aven't seen 'im since we touched ground. Want me t' ask around?”

Murai swore under his breath, “No. No. Don't worry about it.” Then, turning to Viora said, 'Is there any way I can call him, or even a way I could control him?”

[BlueInTheShell]

Hyun shrugged her shoulder for a moment, and then nodded. "Well, you fuckin' got me there. I can't really say much because I told him to pretty much fuck you up. But you're not to be broken now. Or I'll kick someone's ass over it." Hyun said with a grunt, looking down for a moment, making sure everything was covered like she had asked and nodded. "Good enough. Running is hard when they slap you in the face with every step." Hyun said with a dry tone to her voice, the Chuzizian roling her eyes for a moment. Shaldag of course didn't seem to be interested in speaking and kept trekking onwards.

Hyun was more than happy to divulge everything and keep Ashi occupied. At least someone was able to provide a bit of conversation while they were running and biding their time. "Well, the last one sorta lasted for about a week, then we broke up. And by broke up, he slapped me and then I watched my doctor extract his organs while he was still alive. Truth be told, there's not too much of a joke. I did dump him here. Vermin probably got the remains now." She hummed, before sniffling and waggling her brow flesh. "Look on the bright side. I don't think I'm gonna really get bored of you. I do enjoy your company."

Shaldag had stopped for a moment however, and was staring a rather hysterical Edensian who seem to be on the verge of a mental breakdown; the Ogrunu narrowing his eyes for a moment and then looking towards the other two, only to turn back and slam his fist into the Edensian's head. Not hard enough to kill her, but she wouldn't be waking for a long time, if at all. Shaldag shook his wrist out of habit and then looking towards Hyun and Ashi with a raised brow. "Out of ammo. Sobbing. That doesn't bode well." Shaldag grunted.

Hyun stopped as well for a moment and pursed her lips. She had no idea what the space-gingers were actually capable of, and considering how hard they had hit her club? Hyun swallowed again and then coughed when her stomach lurched. The smell was getting to her and it felt like it was getting stronger by the second.

Shaldag however saw another Edensian this time, and didn't have time to simply run over and knock her out, the Ogrunu raising his gun and firing a round that knocked the red-haired woman onto the ground - Though she got back up - A large hole that oozed blue and pulsed with life where Shaldag had struck her, and making the Ogrunu step back for a moment in shock.

"...Something's not right."

The shot edensian snickered for a moment; several tendrils of blue-white flesh erupting out from the fresh wound and forming a variety of barbs and sharp bits of bone.

"S'fuckin' smarts, y'fuckin' piece of shit." The Edensian boomed; face warping and twisting until the features left her face; tanned skin growing paler by the second until it was stark white. "I guess y'the lot I'm supposed t'be killin' with th'rest of them..."

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi smiled. Hyun was up to bat for her, which was comforting. Of all of the people she'd come into contact with, the two who she liked the most were now her two most dear and both would defend her as she would defend them when she was good enough to do so. The situation they were in was terrifying yes, but they were Edensians. They weren't after her, they were after that male Edensian who hated her. Upon finding them, they should just theoretically leave, right?

Ashi's eyes shone with Hyun's admission. If it meant anything, Ashi liked Hyun's company as well. Life was an adventure when she was around, and one worth living no longer cooped up in in the palace. She couldn't help but feel like Hyun was some heroine saving her from her castle that she was simultaneously the prisoner of and ruler for. Hyun saved her. “Well, this is good because I know I'm definitely not going to get bored of you,” she offered another smile up to her hero.

She stopped herself, blinking at the hysterical Edensian. Surely the gangers didn't have this effect on her? If it was the gangers, then she'd have to put more stock into the men she'd seen earlier. If it wasn't...that meant... that something else was down in here with them, something that so obviously did not care about petty things like “allies.” Ashi winced hearing the crack of a skull against the wall but steeled herself against gasping. “What do we do?” she whispered, drawing her arm closer to her chest.

“Suh-suh-supposed to kill?” Ashi squeaked. If she was helpless before as an able bodied person, she was more than powerless now, not even able to walk. “Who are you supposed to kill?”

[BlueInTheShell]

Everything that Shaldag had witnessed in his life had been thrown out the window with the...Alien? Monster? Whatever the Edensians had brought down in the sewers. A gun blowing a hole in someone meant death, not irritation. Shaldag readied his gun while the being was morphing and harassing them, his mind ablaze with fire trying to think of a plan to at least get the other two out of harm's way. The thing made itself clear that he was gonna kill them all. Talking it out didn't seem like the way things were gonna happen.

Clyde looked towards the blue-haired girl for a moment; a pale hand digging into the writhing mass of tentacles protruding out of his wound and with a grunt and a chilling snap, pulled out a broken shard of rib; the Fae gripping it like a makeshift shiv, his head cocking to the side while an ear wriggled as the woman spoke. "...S'not th'obvious? Vi was right about y'Daoweian lot bein' right daft in th'fuckin' head. Only assholes I'm seein' t'be killed are y'lot. So ergo: Th'cunts I gotta end are th'ones walkin' in front of me." Clyde chimed; looking towards the dead Edensian and shrugging a shoulder. Collateral damage. Oh well. Not that the chick was cut out for this kind of work anyway. She started sobbing the moment things had gotten rough (IE: Clyde getting agitated over stubbing his toe.)

Hyun was looking for an escape the moment she had seen tendril form out of the Edensian? Faceless thing? Whatever shitpile she had encountered, and then looked towards Ashi. "Good job, they're sending their weird ass super monsters at us for you." She teased with a rather dry, angry tone in her voice, before looking to Shaldag. The man was their only chance out of this, and Hyun was starting to panic, breathing heavier and heavier. She couldn't outrun anyone with Ashi in her arms. And her legs were busted... Looking towards Shaldag, the Chuzizian frowned for a moment. "This seems like it's gonna be one of those situations you've talked about before." Hyun murmured, frowning hard enough to leave deep grooves in her cheek.

Shaldag nodded and moved over towards the Chuzizian, looking towards both of them and letting out a deep rumble - All the chemical tubes beginning to work and pump their various fluids into his neck. Shaldag's eyes were dilating slowly with each passing moment - The Ogrunu looking more and more bestial. "The moment things begin. You run. Run past it. Then fuck everything else in your way. Deal?" Shaldag growled, Hyun nodding slowly and gulping. "Suppose we get to see why everyone calls you 'Shaldag' now, right?" She replied.

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi couldn't help it. She was terrified and trembling, wide-eyed and gawking at the creature that bullets couldn't seem to touch. Her mouth went dry instantly. “I...I knew that father would send someone to try to kill me...I never thought this...this thing would--” she didn't finish the sentence, shaking her head, “I never knew father had access to anything like this...” The insults went right past Ashi. Dense? Maybe. The entire planet was under the delusion that an oligarchy was the way to go and any problems they faced they ran from under the guise of invisibility. No, Ashi was not particularly proud to be Daoweian.

“Shaldag...don't,” Ashi squeaked. As far as Ashi could see, brute force was not going to kill this creature. Bullets couldn't touch him, so there was likely nothing that Shaldag could do but distract him for just a moment. “It's...it's pointless. Just...Just... Look. I'm the one he wants. Leave me here for him and...and get out--” Ashi gushed, eyes darting from Hyun to Shaldag who was already taking his battle stance. “B-besides,” she continued, mustering a small smile looking up at Hyun, “I already made it farther than I could have ever dreamed. I can die knowing I had a girlfriend...”

[BlueInTheShell]

"Thing? Thing? Y'fuckin' watch y'little mouth before I right fuck y'throat with a fist." Clyde spat out, his head twisting like a corkscrew until it split open like a venus flytrap, teeth-like protrusions on each barb from "Split" in his head writhing and leaking with blue fluid. Clyde let out a shrill hiss, before sizing up the Ogrunu for a moment; pale fingers wriggling, only to adhere together into one long digit, and then split apart back to several more fingers. "Thing...S'right fuckin' rude t'call th'Fae who'll bring y'soul back t'Hell, bitch." Clyde took a step towards the group, only for Shaldag to move in front of them; Clyde twisting his head to the side. "Y'heard th'stupid blue-haired asshole, y'fuckin' peace of meat an' machine. Step back an' lemme right make sure th'princess gets what sh'deserves."

Shaldag looked towards the warped creature and then back towards Ashi - Shaldag taking a deep sigh and easing his shoulders for a moment. It was true. The whole ordeal seemed to be relying on the fact that everyone was looking for her and the Edensian. Hyun and himself? Simply just caught in the horrid middle between two corrupt planets working together to bring her back. Still, there was a small burning in his veins, both from the heat of impending combat, and the chemicals pouring through his veins. And each second spent talking and bickering was a second less of being able to hold this thing back. "Bullets couldn't touch him. You're right. But I haven't...Felt a rush like this in a long time. Someone to fight that won't break in half with a few punches." Shaldag grinned, his mask stretching before he pulled it down to reveal his smile of broken and mangled teeth. "Besides. I promised I'd look after you. So I'm not budging." A small pause. "And then I'm gonna live while this thing is in a coma, because I've gotta make sure Toka is safe next."

Hyun listened to Ashi for a moment, the frown on her face growing more and more angry by the moment. Adjusting the Daoweian in her arms so she could move a free hand; the woman latched onto a broken bone and jerked it enough to get her sappy speech to end. "Shut it! Shut it, shut it! You're not being fuckin' handed over! I like you okay? I don't give shit away for free. Not things I like. And not to some shitty government, or some weird, mutated asshole who ain't got a face." Hyun spat out, taking a few deep breaths. "Shaldag! I better see you back on the upside, or I'm coming back down here when they live and kicking your corpse around! Now fucking do your damn job!"

Shaldag didn't need to be asked twice, the Ogrunu lunging towards Clyde, who barely had time to react before metal hands had grasped onto him - and Shaldag driving his head towards the Fae's collar, taking a large bite and pulling white flesh from the being - Clyde shrieking as pale pseudopods began to wrap around every inch of the Ogrunu that he could muster. While the two began their scuffle, Hyun began running, slipping past them and gripping onto the Daoweian like a priceless treasure - Hyun even kicking her comics out of the way as she began to bolt down the sewer halls.

[sylvanSpider]

Had Ashi not been gripped by fear in that moment, she would have retorted with something along the lines of “Weren't you going to do something along those lines anyway?” But instead she was curled up in Hyun's arms, trembling, terrified, ...useless. The fae was terrifying and unlike anything she'd ever seen. As far as she knew, there was no possible way to beat this thing.

Ashi felt a nudge, initially, and then pain, a searing pain. Wide blue eyes looked down at her arm for the first time since the beat in and sure enough, two bones were poking through her skin, one of which was in Hyun's hand as she wrenched it. She squeezed her eyes shut biting back a scream. “I'm—I'm sorry,” she squeaked, her eyes watering. Despite the pain though, she knew that Hyun was trying to protect her. She knew that Hyun knew that if they had just handed her over, she and Shaldag would both get out of there alive and untouched. But Hyun liked her enough to save her...to risk it all...to save her.

The tears streamed freely down Ashi's cheeks and she buried her head in Hyun's chest and began to cry. Never before had she felt like such a burden. But, never before had she felt so...

loved.

[BlueInTheShell]

Shaldag felt something. Something he hadn't felt in such a long time. IT was a sickening chill that ran down his spine as fibrous white flesh began to worm it's way around him, probing for any sort of weakness or nook it could fill into his metal arms. He had the being pinned so far, but with how...Malleable the creature was? He was beginning to doubt tackling him head on like this was the wisest choice. Shaldag snarled, and managed to pull an arm free to hurl a vicious little punch - the blow landing right into the flytrap-esque head of clyde before Shaldag closed his hand around the mess of tendrils erupting from what someone could call a mouth and pulling hard enough to rip flesh and send a splurt of blue blood into his face - Shaldag spitting out the fluid and coughing; Clyde seizing the moment almost immediately and forming one of his hands onto a lump of calcified flesh - the ball of bone whipped at Shaldag's head like a morningstar. The Ogrunu bellowed in agony, and stumbled for a moment, before Clyde pushed himself forward, leaping onto the large man and sending him tumbling to the ground.

"What the fuck are you!" Shaldag bellowed, ripping free another hand and slamming it repeatedly down on the back of Clyde's neck; the Fae responding with another whip of his flail-arm. "Th'fuck are you too! Y'ain't runnin'. Y'ain't dyin' fast enough!" Clyde screeched, his head jerking and spasming before releasing a plume of bile onto Shaldag; the Ogrunu roaring once again as stomach acid began to burn and sizzle what flesh he had on his face and neck.

"I'm going to be the one who makes you fucking drop dead." Shaldag hissed in defiance, Clyde snickering for a moment and bellowing up another bout of bile, hair on Shaldag's head sizzling and plopping to the ground, before the flail on his hand warped and twisted into something sharper. "Y'know how many people said tha' lots of them." Clyde chimed, wriggling small tendrils of flesh. "I survived. Th'did not."

Shaldag watched that spike rise up into the air, a few moments of life flashing before his eyes, before he reached down towards his belt. Pulling out a small device, the Ogrunu whipped it up into the air right when the blade came crashing down into his gut - Shaldag gurgling as blood began to rise up in the back of his throat. Once last little bit of stength and the Ogrunu pulled Clyde as close as he could into a bear hug, before forcing a smile on his face.

"Fuck you."
------

Hyun sucked her cheek for a moment, her run slowing a bit so she could catch a bit of her breath, the Chuzizian shaking her head. "No. Don't be sorry. Just...Stop thinking you're a pile of shit, and you don't deserve some fuckin' respect or anything. You're not a martyr. Stop acting like it." Hyun exhaled, looking behind her for a moment to make sure whatever it was hunting Ashi wasn't going to be creeping around the corner. Hyun was panick-stricken at this point. She felt rather vulnerable without her meatshield lumbering nearby, and half of her being wanted to just drop the princess and make sure he was at least still putting up a fight. "Calm down. You're doing fine for someone with a broken leg. Sorry about jostling the fuckin' bone. Probably hurt like a bi-"

Hyun paused when she heard the explosion behind her; Eyes lighting up as a plume of debris and smoke, and red and blue fluid sprayed onto the ground and walls near them. The ringing in her ears seemed to down out everything else for a moment, but soon was replaced with quiet; Hyun petting Ashi for a moment as she tried to make sure the girl burrowed into her chest was okay. "Holy shit...The asshole didn't..." Was all Hyun managed to eke out, tears filling her eyes before she sniffled and began to shake. "Ashi. Do your invisible thing for a second." She squeaked out, setting Ashi down onto the ground, and rushing over to the scene.

"No no no no no. Shaldag. You're not fucking dead. You can't be. You're not dead, you're not dead." It was silent soon after for a few moments longer before Hyun let out a deep sob, and back up back into eyesight, before shaking her head, soon followed by a large, lurching being,
arm missing and each step a huge limp. It was Shaldag,

The Ogrunu looked like hell had tried to claim him. Entrails were visible and poking out of the wound in his chest, and his jaw dangled, held there only by thin connective tissue and muscle; tongue lifeless as swaying with each heavy, pained breath. A shard of metal was lodged in one eye, but still carried on; the Ogrunu pointing at Hyun, and then towards the direction they were running, before pointing up.

"...You selfless asshole. Don't order me around." Hyun said, half-laughing, and half crying, before looking over towards...Wherever Ashi should have been. "Ashi. Make yourself seen again. We need to get the fuck outta here. Fuck...fuck fuck fuck...Shaldag. You mangled yourself..."

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi looked up at Hyun's noble face, the tears still wet on her cheeks. I'm not the martyr, Shaldag is... She couldn't seem to find words to respond to the owner of the arms that were carrying her to safety, hoping instead that soon she'd be responding in actions rather than hollow words. She was loved now. Loved by someone other than just an adoring fan of her status as a princess. Hyun loved her for her. Shaldag, too, loved her. In a different way, but she could see that that love was as real and no less strong than Hyun's.

Before she could utter an “It's alright, you were trying to make a point that was accurately conveyed, an explosion interrupted their strained but personal conversation and Ashi looked up to Hyun with ice blue eyes the size of dinner plates and uttered instead just a soft “Shaldag...n-no...”

Ashi felt herself being lowered to the ground and looked up at Hyun, doing as she was told. She turned invisible, watching helplessly as Hyun ran back into the fray and she found herself curled up with her good hand covering her mouth as she again began to cry. When Hyun came back with Shaldag in tow and Ashi gave a squeak of delight. He looked...he looked terrible. Worse, even, than the state the man himself left Ashi in. She turned visible instantly, “I'm here..but get him out before me, he...he needs it more. I can stay invisible as long as I need to...Just....just get him to safety. I think I have enough time before the drugs wear off—and even then...it's just pain. I haven't died yet, have I?” She laughed, tears filling her eyes again as he pointed.

[BlueInTheShell]

Shaldag casted a tired, glazed over eye at Ashi, when she made herself seen and uttered a pained, agonized sigh, before continuing to trudge forward, Hyun keeping an eye on the man as she reached into her jacket and pulled out a small set of syringes. Mostly drugs and painkillers, the Chuzizian plunging needle after needle into Shaldag, and then producing a bag of Chellix and smearing it in the Ogrunu's face. It seemed to be working to at least keep him going, and Hyun snapped her head towards Ashi; magenta eyes narrowed. "He wants to be a big, bag warlord right now and walk on his own. I know him. Like a goddamned brother." She hissed, moving over to Ashi and pulling her back into a bridal carry - Hyun grunting and making a comment in her native tongue.

The drugs kicking in, and stumbling and slow steps became a bit more quicker and precise; Shaldag still trying to move as fast as he could and keep an eye on the group. Shaldag wheezed with each step, reaching up for what should have been his breather mask, only to feel teeth and a hanging jaw; An eye going wide as he started to sense his own damage. At least the next turn they made showed the neon lights of the city. They had managed to make it into the back alleys of Hyun's club.

"Holy fuck. We did it." Hyun gasped, taking in the scent of fresh(ish) air and looking back towards the sewers, the Chuzizian shuddering for a moment and heading in the direction of the hangar where she had left the rest of then. "If they've taken off, we're kinda fucked. Just saying." Hyun said, frowning and flaring her nasal slits. If that was the case, she'd probably just put both Shaldag and Ashi out of their misery. She loved them, but they couldn't make it far in that condition. It was an act of mercy and she knew it.

Shaldag had stopped while Hyun was talking and looked down at the sudden patch of softness he was standing on, cocking his head to the side and lifting a foot to see a small bundle of jostled, wrinkled clothing; Shaldag forcing himself to hunch over and reach out with his only hand to pick up a red bandana and tiny cowboy hat, the Ogrunu studying them before he put two and two together, liquid pooling near his good eye and dripping down a cheek. He wanted to scream. Lash out. But his broken body couldn't afford it.

Toka was gone. And he wasn't there to help her when she needed it. Or guide her into the warm tides of the ocean of afterlife...

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi raked her eyes over Shaldag, that giant Ogrunu who worked not only as the man who had put her in this useless position, but a father figure, and also one of her two saviors. Now, he looked like the only thing keeping him standing were the drugs consistently being pumped into him and the fact that those that he'd worked to save were currently fine (or, at least, as fine as they could be) and were going to make sure he made it. “It might be a good thing though, considering I wouldn't be able to help carry him...We only need him on his feet long enough to make it to the ship.” She bit her lip feeling her body once again lifted. She hoped that they wouldn't waste time getting to the pools. As it was, if they got found she wouldn't be able to help in the slightest save by maybe making herself not seen.

Tearing her eyes away from her agonized friend, Ashi then turned her attention to the woman that was carrying her, also taking a huge whiff of the air that almost smelled nice, at least in comparison. “Rosalind, the pilot, she uh... looked really tired the last time I saw her. I doubt they've taken off just yet...Let's just...hold out hope. There's more of a chance that they're here than that they aren't. Do you have a dataslate? I could ping one of them.” Her eyes, against her will, drifted back to Shaldag, now just a broken shell of a man, but one who was fighting for his life nonetheless. From there, she followed his eyes to the small cowboy hat, now sitting discarded alongside clothing that she recognized from earlier.

Something between a gasp and a sob escaped her throat, realizing what it was. She never had the chance to get close to Toka, but having met her earlier, she'd been hoping to have a friend and a kind face to get to know in the gang. She could tell just from the little bit that they'd known each other that the two of them would have gotten along famously, and now she was dead. What could even kill her? She'd thought Toka was untouchable, being a person of the stars. Apparently the Edensians knew a way.

It was then that something akin to anger and sorrow bubbled up in her gut. Why were the Edensians here anyway? Why were they at the club? The fucking Edensians weren't even after her. They were after the terrorist. She didn't see a single Daoweian in those tunnels. They were all Edensian. And they killed Toka. The most innocent person in that entire building, save for maybe Ashi herself. But even Ashi was looking to incite a war. They'd killed the one bit of true good that was in the entire gang.

For no reason.

And Ashi was angry about it. But she could do nothing. Not in the state she was in.

[BlueInTheShell]

"No shit. If he goes down, none of us are gonna be able to lug around a cybernetic Ogrunu, let alone a normal one. If we manage to make to the ship we can get a couple of people to hurl him into the tub, yeah." Hyun grunted, sweat starting to form and pool down her face as she stuck out her tongue and nearly tumbled herself when she stepped on an empty can. Turning back towards Shaldag, Hyun slowed down a little. If anything it was a meant for Shaldag. Probably would keep his fighting spirit up a little if he felt like he was continuing down at the same pace as them. "Fuck, I'm gonna need those healing pools for my back when this is over. Is this what pregnant bitches feel like, carrying around extra weight?" She said, forcing a sneer on her face as she tried to lighten up the mood.

The cold air made Shaldag shiver for a moment, the man's eye locked on the clothing of the remains of Toka, and the behemoth of a cyborg just kept trudging along. It all seemed so surreal. The best part of his miserable existance was gone; and there was nothing he could have done to save her. No there was something he could have done. He could have been there watching her instead of beating in Ashi for Hyun. More and more anger and helplessness gurgled in his wounded abdomen and for the briefest of seconds, a spark of pure, unbridaled hatred cast itself on the blue-haired girl and the Chuzizian. If they weren't so damned weak...

Shaldag erased the thought from his mind, and used the burning in his veins to keep planting feet forward, Hyun oblivious to the spurt of rage that had developed from the large man while she conversed with Ashi. "Dataslate's in my coat. Shit. I wish I actually had the chance to get fully dressed. Starting to get cold, with only this thing on." Hyun grumbled, "Anyways, yeah. Left pocket. Ping them. Send it as an SOS if you need, to try and let them know what's going on. See if one of them can help drag our sorry asses into the ship, if they can spare it."

Shaldag let out a deep, exasperated sigh for a moment, the man stopping once more as a shudden, sharp pain erupted from his body; the man looking down at the trail of intestine that began to peek out a little more from his wound; Shaldag narrowing his eye and using his only arm to shove the bit of viscera back into the cavity - A howl like a wounded animal escaping his throat, and one last tube of liquid near his neck plunging downwards into his neck.

[sylvanSpider]

Ashi noticed the slower pace, but didn't mind. They weren't going to leave him behind, especially if the grenade didn't work and that thing was still alive. She wasn't able to see the scene of the crime, but she saw what that creature could do. Instead, she grabbed the dataslate with her one good hand, scanning through the contacts and pinged Rosalind.

Rosalind, meanwhile, had been dead asleep. She got a few hours, and already it had done wonders for her body. She had no time to marvel at how much a little bit of sleep could do, however, as her dataslate was screeching some emergency message at her. She rubbed her eyes, blinking for a moment at the small light that was now blinking red. She'd wired her dataslate to pick up distress signals from just about everywhere, if only because half of the time she followed a distress signal, she could get some sort of loot and cipher any fuel she could. At one point in her life, she would have been surprised at one of these distress signals coming from one of her contacts. It was Hyun.

Or, to be more precise, it was the out breath princess who was parading around as Hyun's girlfriend, “We need your help. Please tell me you're still planetside.”

“Ay, that we are,” a sleepy-sounding Rosalind murmured to the very relieved blue-haired one. “What is it that you're needin'?”

“A fast retreat. We're making our way to the ship as we speak, two wounded, one may be critical. Just, have the doors open and be ready for a quick take off. If there's a cloaking mechanism, make sure you have that up and ready as well,” Ashi said, casting a worried glance at Shaldag.

“That's all right and good, we'll be ready,” Rosalind said, hanging up to ensure that they were. She burst from her bedroom, making sure first to open the doors, “Ay! Anyone listenin'! Prepare for take off! Can I get a 'ead count?!”

Fikri stopped what he was doing and came out to see a wide awake Rosalind already in the cockpit and firing up the engine.

[BlueInTheShell]

Atrix was the second one to rear her head into the cockpit; mandibles clicking in curiosity as the Terskix cocked her head at the sudden departure. The woman stood at ease for a moment, gnashing her teeth before grunting a small 'Here' so Rosalind would notice she was there. "We assumed you were going to be comatose for a lot longer of a time. I lost a bet now too." Atrix hummed morosely, one of her smaller arms itching her backside and then flicking a sliver of chitin onto the ground. A bad time for possible molting. "Is everything in order?"

Riola soon followed and gawked from behind Atrix, trying to see what was going on and frowning. Rosa didn't need to be up, but here she was. So much for a bit of a leave from all the commotion. "Dios mio. Do people not ever get a break when it comes to ferrying terrorists and mercs everywhere?" He said with a trite little grin, adjusting a few bangs of his hair before the Terskix looked behind her and narrowed her eyes. "If you intend to be this close to me, I'd prefer you wear some form of protection."

"Huh?"

Atrix snorted and gave the man a more...Riola-esque response. "I believe the term is, you're riding up my ass." Riola shot a grin back at her and shrugged. Before looking behind himself as well. "Wouldn't dream of it, Atrix. That's Mendez's job now. Don't hit me, Aranea."

The two however shot their bewildered glances over towards Rosalind, silent and waiting for any sort of answer from the Pyra however, and then whispering to each other about what might be sparking this whole immediate departure.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hyun listened to the prattle between Ashi and Rosalind, and offered a small thanks to whatever-fucking-deity decided to give them an ounce of reprieve, the Chuzizian turning the corner. it was only a quarter of a block away from where she had left the ship Rosalind had given her, and everything seemed to finally be in the clear. "Holy shit we're alive at least. Fuckin' remind me to give Rosalind a fuckin' kiss the moment we're safe." Hyun groaned.

Shaldag was using the walls of buildings to keep himself up, the Ogrunu's vision blurring as drool splattered onto his mangled chest; Shaldag's legs buckling with each inch taken. It was purely drugs and stimulants keeping him going now. The moment they decided to wear off on his massive frame, he was done for.

[sylvanSpider]

Rosalind did a quick head count and upon seeing the two freed slaves and Mendez pop their heads out of the kitchen Rosalind spoke, “To answer your questions, emergency evacuation, Hyun, Ashi, Shaldag. Watch for the wounded, if we have an empty bedroom, I want it converted to a medbay immediately. Do I have volunteers?”[/b]

At this point, Magali looked over to Nokra, then to Rosalind before timidly raising her hand. Rosalind nodded at her, “What can you do?”

“I know...basic...first aid, but I can work on converting that room,” here, Magali pointed at a room that was currently unoccupied, “into a medbay.”

“Very well. We'll take it. Fikri! Get my back in the cockpit! Everyone else, make sure that they have a clear path. I'll be in the cockpit ready to take off. Yell at me when we have everyone aboard!” With that, Rosalind did as she said she was going to do and moved her happy little ass over to the cockpit, wishing that she could have at least had time for a cup of coffee. Magali, too, did as she said she was going to, setting out three cots as she wasn't sure how many of them were injured.

Fikri turned and looked at Nokra, “If you're going to ask to learn to pilot, now's your chance.

Seeing the old crew on the Odyssey, Ashi breathed a sigh of relief, that sigh deepening when she saw the doors of the ship closing immediately behind them, and Rosalind taking off.

Magali almost fainted when she saw how bad they were. “Lay them down on the cots, please. I'm going to try to stop the bleeding where I can. Miss, you'll forgive me for giving all my attention to the Sir, I trust?”

“Oh, by all means! Please do! I can't... I can't lose him, and neither can Hyun...”