Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Are you cold-blooded?"
I ask, testing.

 

"Everything here is. Except the humans."

 

Shadow Stephanie nods to me.

"Very well. Expect help with the repairing of your cafe." I say.

 

She seems startled.
"T-thanks." She says, before turning to leave, still a bit shaken from the experience.

 

"Then congratulations, you're a reptile."

 

The guards make sure the doors don't shift as Ali exits, a dim light filling the hallways outside.

Ali notices a trail of bloody footprints leading both to the throne room doors and back to the nearest elevator, a few Shadows working on mopping them up.

 

"A mantis is not a reptile, last time I heard from the humans." They grumble.
"Aye, boss? Why don't ye just tell 'em yer name? 'Ts the least ye could do."
"I'm already giving him directions. Don't push my patience any more than you have been."
"Y-yes, chief."

________________________________

Uneasy, Ali follows the trail, scared but curious.

 

There's a bloody handprint leading down the wall of the elevator the footprints lead to, as well as a slight pool of blood at the bottom of it. A small door seems to be opened in the elevator, a book within showing positions of how the dials should be.

"Ah, sorry about that miss. We're working on cleaning up this mess." One of the Shadows with a mop apologises, noticing Ali in the elevator as he cleans away one of the footprints.

 

"You look more raptor-like."
I say, near-ignoring the other speaker.

 

"I-is that Katie's...?"

"I am a raptor."

 

"Then I still have the right to call you 'lizard fellow'."

 

"Hm? Oh yeah, poor girl got sentenced to 72 hours of extensive torture. 'parently she killed a member of a species the king was trying to ally with, which ticked em all off," The Shadow says, "How'd you know her name, by the way? Never seen your kind around here before."

 

"I wasn't arguing against that point."

"Because she killed the innocent in the middle of my cafe. We are Anubi, named for our resemblance to the mythological god."

 

"Ah, terribly sorry to hear that. They'll probably let you in to see her tortured if you want, since it was your cafe she killed them in," The Shadow says, glancing into the elevator, "Just turn the dials to the positions shown in that book. Guard must've left it open for you or something."

 

"No, I'd like to go home. I don't know how to use any weapons, s-so seeing shadows go after those who torment me and my people is the slightest bit comforting."

 

I seem to think for a few seconds.
"Fair point."

 

The raptor stops again, his entourage seeming to fade away once more.
"Hold. Another patrol."

 

I hold my position, as told.

 

"Oh, ah, I wouldn't really know how to get you home Miss. Sorry about that." The Shadow says, mopping up some more blood.

 

I examine the burned camp to see how long ago it was burned.