The pair of traveling humans had passed by the Lubo's Supermarket they had recently looted and tried not to think about all that had transpired before. What they could've done to prevent things from being the way that they now were. Kinda hard when the surrounding area was practically destroyed by those explosive-happy Humming Bombers and their explosive nectar bombs. Must've been a low dosage, because the explosion seemed a lot smaller in it's damage radius than they'd both expected.
A foot ran through the air and skimmed against the pavement.
Lute's eyes trailed the rock that skipped along the road and witnessed it stop almost center-line with the worn paint markings that went down the middle. He smiled to himself as he continued alongside Knox as they caught up to the pebble.
"So you think this is some ploy? That Nevarr's trying to start some clash with the rocker snakes?" Lute said, kicking the rock a second time. This time, the rock had stopped just along the edge of the cement road.
"There's no way that prick isn't trying to start something...I'm starting to wonder if we should even try stealing from them...maybe we just explain what happened and what we think the Diamond Cutters are trying to do...maybe we convince the Umlaut Snakes work together with us to get Kara back?" Lute offered.
Knox looked up in thought.
"Yeah..." Knox continued, his frown flipping around. "Maybe we offer our help, and they also get rid of their own pest problem."
But the more Knox thought about it....
"If we arrive with the Umlaut Snäkes before we get Nevarr the guitar...they'll kill Kara right away...no, we need to get that guitar. We're not putting Kara's life at risk like that."
Lute kicked the rock he'd been keeping up with and this time it went off the road and soared into some nearby bushes.
"Ouuch!"
Both humans drew their primary weapons in surprise, pointing them towards the source of the pained voice. The bush where the rock had halted it's journey began to shake. This prompted the two humans to grip their weapons in anticipation.
Not long after, the shuffling stopped and a small form stumbled out onto their back, gripping it's forehead. The bushy-tailed creature got to it's feet and pointed threateningly at the two humans.
"You humans better watch it! Lucky for you both I'm not a predator...or I would have..." the squirrel Mute's voice faded away as it agitatedly walked away from sight behind some nearby trees.
Lute and Knox made awkward eye contact with each other before putting away their weapons and continuing forward.
"I think we better up our observation game. That could have easily have been an aggressive poison kind of squirrel."
Lute looked to his friend, slightly confused.
"Wait, those exist?"
"No, Lute. Aggressive, poisonous squirrels don't exist...I hope."
A few more seconds of walking passed before Knox looked back over to Lute.
"That was a nice shot, though." Knox admitted.
Lute's face shined in light of the compliment.
"Thanks."
They were only moments away from their place of refuge.
The forest full of trees around them appeared devoid of color and personality as the sun had mostly failed to shine through the tree leaves from behind. Among an approaching clearing was the slightly worn-down house that stood in front. Made of brick and wood, it would have normally give off a creepy vibe to anyone who had just come across it for the first time. But Knox and Lute had all but fear in their eyes. They had long gotten used to it.
To them, it was their sanctuary.
It wasn't long after their arrival that the sheet that covered the only open window from the top floor moved. A face peered from behind the cloth covering and instantaneously became joyous.
"You're back! That's-" the human female stopped mid-sentence. "Where's Kara? I-is she..."
"No. No she's not, Amanda. She's okay...at the moment." Knox assured sourly, coming closer to the entrance. "Can you remove the blockage from the door...we're going to explain everything."
Up on the second floor, Lute, Knox and their two other human companions stood in a circle, taking in what they were just told. Amanda unthinkingly leaned against the weakened railing, but jerked back after hearing the wooden creak loudly and bend in response.
"So...a group of giant snakes that aren't the Umlaut Snäkes have Kara as a bargaining chip?" their other friend Jonathan said, looking up at the ceiling. "And now they want us to take the Umlaut Snäkes' guitars?"
"Um," Lute piped up. "Actually just one of them."
"And that's supposed to change how incredibly dangerous the whole thing is?" Jonathan said, throwing his hands up.
Knox looked to the ground before clarifying. "Not all of us. "Amanda...Jonathan...I need you both to stay here."
"What?" the both said in unison before looking at each other in worry.
"Why can't we come? We're stronger in numbers! We can get the job done faster, too!" Jonathan tried to reason. But Knox still held a look of disapproval.
"I know we are...she's your friend too. And she's your sister..." Knox punctuated, looking at Amanda heavy eyes. "But someone needs to keep watch over this place. We've got enough supplies to last a good month, and if we lose this place..."
"No...I get it. It's just...it's a big play." Amanda said, correcting her glasses. Going into territory of a place we all swore to never go..."
"Listen," Lute walked up to Amanda and Jonathan and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "We promise we'll do this quietly. We've got two weeks to work with. We'll get her back."
Jonathan looked on at his newly returned friends and hung his head low briefly.
"Alright. Just promise me you'll arrive in one piece and not two."
He playfully punched Knox's shoulder and gave him and Lute both an assured smile.
"Promise."
Knox and Lute grabbed some supplies for their journey and said their goodbyes. They headed back out from which they came for the second time that week, but they both halted after they heard Amanda call from inside.
"Wait!"
Amanda rushed downstairs and ran out of the house, holding out something for them.
"I want you to take this. Give it to Kara once you get her out. I really should've given it to her along long time ago. Please...get my sister back." Amanda told him with a smile, holding out the necklace for Knox to take. The green, hexagon-shaped crystal necklace glistened in what little sun-rays snuck through the trees above them. It was fastened to the necklace cord by a metal flower pattern.
Knox happily accepted it, putting it around his neck for safe-keeping. He saw through the smile she gave off, though. He knew she was heart-broken on the inside. He had to make things right.
"Will do. We'll see you two sooner than you think. Stay safe, okay?" Knox promised, slowly turning to walk from the comfort of their hideout. He and Lute glanced back one last time before they disappeared behind some trees.
The thing they had all failed to notice was the small Mute hidden within the many branches and leaves above them, listening to every word that had been spoken. The flying insect flew above the trees and chuckled to itself, it's rear synthetically flashing in neon colors to accompany it's darkening glee. It took a final glance at the human hideout and buzzed away.
The evening was growing closer to it's next phase and Knox and Lute were greeted with a pleasant sunrise amongst their planning in the trees above. The binoculars became of use once again as Knox scanned the area from afar, finding the location they were trying to pinpoint. It was still a rough sight, but he could still see the taller cactus's poke through the horizon.
Cactus Town.
Knox took in a deep breath.
"Okay, I see the-wooah!"
A huge vibration shook the ground around them, Knox and Lute balance being overtaken. Knox tried to adjust, but another shock shook his chance away. Before they knew it, they were falling further below. Quick thinking had rescued the both of them, the frantic grabbing of the branches that they passed on the way down eventually saving them from a gruesome end.
"Freaking Mega Bunnies!" Knox said to himself, keeping his shouting to a minimal. The giant was still capable of hearing them, even though it was some miles away.
The vibrations from the stomping eventually faded in the distance, and the two humans let out a breath of relief. Lute got up and checked his instrument for any damage.
"So...what were you going to say again?" he quipped lightly, happy to find his lute was unharmed.
"I was going to say...that Cactus Town is far north from here." Knox had to re-confirm after the dizzying experience only seconds ago. He found the tree they were once in and found his direction again. "When we start to notice the conditions getting dryer, we'll know we're almost there. Should take at least three days."
"Three days? Dang...alright. Let's get to it. Kara's probably going insane in that small prison."
"Oh, she definitely going insane." After putting up the binoculars, Knox looked to the sky. "She might just break out herself...but let's not count on that."
"I'M GOING TO BREAK OUT MYSELF! YOU CAN COUNT ON IT!"
Kara readied herself by the very end of the room she was confined in. Pushing herself forward, she launched a flying kick against the steel bars, but all she got was another simple metal ding.
She'd been at it for hours now, her legs growing sore at the constant stress and abuse. So she settled for her usual banging.
"If you don't LET ME OUT, I'm going to-"
"GOING TO WHAT!?" a voice hissed from above in an equally enraged tone.
The origin of the voice leaped down and landed in an irate heap of it's own coils.
"If you don't stop all of the hissy-fitting, I'm going to personally make you wish you had." the snake, now known as Stryker venomously warned.
"You won't hurt me," Kara laughed off. "Your overlord won't let you."
Stryker leaned his head against the metal bars, staring daggers into her eyes.
"Let me tell you a little secret. It doesn't matter if they return with the guitars or not...you and your human friends are going to die either way."
Kara was surprised on the inside, but her returned stare remained unfaltered.
"You're bluffing." the human replied, shaking her head, a smile to cover her worries.
"Try yelling out loud your concerns and see what the overlord Nevarr himself has to say then." Stryker retorted with a dark grin, slowly slithering back to his business.
After that, Kara went silent.
"Hey, found someplace up ahead. Let's check it out real quick."
Lute looked up from his gaze at the ground and saw what Knox was talking about. A small gas station was up ahead. He caught up to him and looked around. Both approached with caution, unsure if it was currently occupied. After everything seemed safe around them, they moved to the broken windows and found it empty.
"Holy crap, Knox. Look inside."
Knox stopped his scanning of the forest across the street and took his turn to check inside. He brung his head away from the window and looked at his friend with gleeful eyes.
"I think we found our lucky streak again." Knox told him as he rounded to the front of the store. He pulled the door, but it remained shut.
"Locked from the inside. We're going to have to get through one of the windows."
Knox returned with Lute to the window they had checked last. Knox pulled out his katana and broke away the remaining glass around the edges with the hilt to secure a safer entry. Lute was the first inside.
"No damn way...there's no way in hell that this isn't someone else's stash." Knox told Lute as he observed the plentiful array of different foods, spices and even...weaponry.
Lute picked up a nearby machete that lay against the register counter, giving it a mock swing.
"Maybe we should-"
"Help!"
Lute blinked, shaking Knox's shoulder.
"Did you hear that, dude?"
Knox ran up to the front door and looked through the glass.
"HELP! SOMEBODY, PLEASE-"
"Shut up, or I'm going to stomp you dead right now!"
Three forms emerged from the forest Knox and Lute had just come from. Three humans. They were dragging an armadillo Mute from behind as it twisted and tried to pull away out of the rope that binded it's hands.
"Only rats try stealing what's someone else's hard-earned work. And rats pay big time for it. Funny enough you're not an actual rat. You're going to lose your arms, and then your legs...but first, I think I'll cut that tongue of yours out first." one of the more heavy-set humans told the armadillo Mute with a grin as he drew out his hunting knife.
"Please, I didn't know! No one was in there!"
As Knox and Lute listened on, the group of humans came closer to the gas station they were in. Something told them that what the Mute had tried to loot was exactly what they were looting now.
"Knox, we have to help him!"
Knox looked at Lute and shook his head.
"Are you crazy?" There's three of them and two of us! We can sneak back out the window and-"
"Knox, he could easily be one of us! We have to try!" Lute shot back, looking back to find the instigating humans in a circle around the defenseless Mute.
Knox didn't have time to stop Lute as he unlocked the gas station door from the inside and dashed outside, machete in hand.
"Dammit, Lute!" Knox uttered under his breath as he bounded after him.
The thuggish humans took notice. The human with the hunting knife stepped forward, waving the sharp weapon in the air.
"Seriously? Again?" he said, eyeing the machete in Lute's hands. "At least you brought us the machete. Made our job a little easier. Why don't ya toss that thing to us so we can finish the job here. Then you can put back whatever you stole and screw off. Only warning."
"How about you let that Mute go, we give you back your machete and we leave with none of your stuff. Fair enough, right?" Lute replied back.
"I'm going to punish this fella for treachery. Take it or leave it." the human replied.
"And what makes us any different?" Knox asked.
The human laughed along with his pose.
"You're just some kids. Go back home with your mommies and daddies."
Knox narrowed his eyes, slightly pulling the katana out of it's sheath with a thumb.
"We don't fight like kids, that's for sure." Knox said simply.
The human with the hunting knife sighed in irritation. "Garris, please get the machete from the boy. We don't have time for this."
The human he ordered walked forward towards Knox and Lute with a cocky grin, resting the metal bat he held against his shoulder. Garris took his sights off Lute and eyed Knox's katana.
"Unless you want this to end badly, you better no-"
Before Garris could finish, Lute had swung the machete forward into the side of his neck, leaving blood to pour from his throat. The leader yelled as his buddy fell to the ground, clutching his throat desperately.
"You son of a bitch!" the leader of the human group yelled, charging forward with his hunting knife as the remaining human of his group followed behind him.
"Let's get this over with. I'm about done today." Knox said as he waited for the human with the crowbar to strike.
The human swung the crowbar from left to right, but Knox ducked under and positioned his katana straight, pushing the blade clean through his stomach. He ignored the human's gurgling and pushed the dying body forward blindly with a mighty push, hoping the leader was right upon them. Luckily for Knox, he heard a grunt from the remaining human, the body Knox shoved forward colliding with him and causing him to drop his hunting knife.
The katana slid cleanly out as the body of the offending human landed on top of the now disarmed human leader. The last offending human struggled from underneath his deceased ally, reaching desperately for his hunting knife. Knox kicked it away, now impossible to reach.
"By the way," Knox said, raising his katana above him. "I'm not a kid. I'm actually 22."
"No wa-"
The human leader had no life left to finish his words as the katana came down full force through his skull.
A moment of silence before Knox pulled the blade back out.
"We..." Lute walked up to the human leader, his eyes wide in terror. "We didn't have to kill him...he was disar--"
"Disarmed?" Knox finished. "I did what you wanted. The Mute's safe now, right?"
He began to walk past the Mute they had rescued and into the forest, wiping off the blood gathered on his katana blade onto the grass.
Lute approached the armadillo Mute and untied him. He was immediately met with praise.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! You two are heroes! Risking your lives for some distraught Mute? I am greatly indebted...please accept my humblest apologies for my actions driving you to put your livelihoods on the line." the armadillo Mute said, grabbing Lute's hands and shaking them vigorously.
"Yeah, no problem, pal. Gotta make the world a better place somehow." Lute replied.
"Yes indeed, fellow human! But before I part...have you seen any Mute that looks like me? She's my wife. We got separated yesterday...before those brutish humans captured me. About the same height, wearing a red jacket..."
Lute blanked out in thought.
"No, please! Let me loose, I have a family!" the poor subdued creature, revealed to be a...
Lute's attention drew back upon hearing the Mute's words return.
"Anyone of that description?"
Lute gave the Mute a long look before looking down.
"No. Unfortunately not."
"Oh..." the armadillo Mute turned halfway. "Well, stay on guard. Again, I'm indebted...may we meet again."
"Wait...you were out for supplies, right? We can give you some of the stuff you were looking for in the gas station?"
The Mute's eyes began to shimmer brighter than before.
"Truly? Your...thank you, kind human."
A few minutes later, the Mute was stocked and ready to go. The Mute gave Knox a nod as he went by and trekked further into the forest. Sliding the katana back in his sheath, Knox eyed Lute as he passed him by.
"That was reckless." he stated boldly.
"No," Lute defended. "That was the right thing to do."
"And what if we died? Having a weapon and knowing how to use it doesn't mean that you'll win every fight you run into!" Knox countered, slightly raising his voice.
"Knox..." Lute store him straight into the eyes. "We need to be alive to save Kara. Of course we do...but doing the right thing shouldn't be a thing of the past. No matter what. She would've done the same thing."
Knox continued his stare before slowly bringing his eyes on the crystal necklace around his neck. He quickly noted the second necklace thread that wrapped around his neck, but it's pendant remained hidden under his shirt. Knox gritted his teeth and turned around, moving back towards the gas station.
"Let's grab the rest of the supplies and keep moving. Long night ahead of us."
The Humming Bombers stood behind as their leader continued to press the giant orangutan Noble that stood guard.
"Gerard, out of the way! I've got a message to relay to him, and it's extremely vital! There was no time for a formal invitation!"
The orangutan towered over the feathered Mute, almost doubling his size. Still, the hummingbird glared through the dark tent of his aviators and refused to move his position.
"Unless you've been invited by his truly, I am afraid you're going to have to-"
"Don't be too courteous of your job as to ignore such an eager acquaintance with urgent business matters!" a voice called from further inside the court.
A voice all too familiar.
The Humming bombers looked ahead and found the vocal's source.
"Please my dear Gerard, let Easy through. Me and our feathered friend have other matters to discuss as well!"
The Humming Bomber Leader followed the mandrill through the dance hall and into his private office. The sharp slam that the mandrill gave the door as he let him pass contrasted the wide smile that the red, frocked coat-wearing Mute gave to him.
"Please, Easy...sit." the Mandrill offered, waving to the chair in front of his desk.
"Sure..." Easy took his aviators off and placed them in between his bomber jacket collar. "Good news, Scarlemange. I spotted the Archerats again far out west and followed them back to their new territory. Apparently they made home deeper into the Wither forest. It's well hidden, I'll give em' that." Easy revealed.
The mandrill let loose an energetic laugh.
"The traitorous Archerats, you say? It's been quite awhile since they rejected my offer..." Scarlemange looked down at his desk, his frown not lasting for long. "How about this: I want you to pay the flea-laced vermins another visit and give them a final chance to join the cause. One. Final. Chance."
Easy sat nervously in the wooden chair that was slightly too small for his form. He awaited for Scarlemange's next words, but they never came. The mandrill just sat there at the desk...staring at him.
"Um..." Easy shifted in his ill-fitted chair. "And if they don't?"
Scarlemange's expression remained unchanged.
"Then you'll know what to do. Remember? Traitors are better off-"
"Expired. Yes, Scarlemange, I get it."
Scarlemange's darkened expression whipped back to a joyous one just as quickly as he had gotten up. He slammed his palms on his desk.
"Splendid! Good man! Err...good bird! Now please be on your way. I hope to see that the task is completed as soon as possible."
Easy got back on his clawed feet and went for the door.
"Oh, and Easy..."
Scarlemange's voice stopped his attempt to pull the door. He slowly turned around looking into the unreadable mandrill's yellow eyes.
"Yes, Scarlemange?"
Scarlemange approached Easy at a snail's pace, stopping just mere inches away from him. Close enough to lightly jostle the nectar-filled capsule bombs that were strapped on the humming bird's bandoliers with his fingers.
"You know you haven't been making your daily human capture quota." Scarlemange disclosed.
Easy's mind was immediately ushered back to just a few days ago. The encounter with those humans near the supermarket. His recklessness to use the nectar bombs most likely cost him his loss.
Easy lowered his head in compliance. "I ran into some humans before I discovered the Archerats. I-I can still-"
"Don't disappoint me any further, Easy. Please, do spread those wings and get on it. Need I remind you what comes out of failing me. You should know this extremely well."
Easy's pupils shrank, the grim fate of a friend long since passed rumbling around his conscious. The humming bird mentally shook his thoughts away. He wouldn't screw up this time around...not after everything he and his team had worked for.
"Y-yes sir...I swear, I'll make up for lost time."
"Good...now be on your way now!" Scarlemange shooed him out with a gleeful spin, sitting back down at his desk.
The Humming Bomber leader got a final glimpse of Scarlemange's continuous gaze as he closed the door behind him.
Easy stood frozen in front of the wooden door for a short while before gritting his beak. He finally managed to force himself away. Walking back down the court hall to address his fellow squadron of their next objective, he sighed and whipped his aviators back out. He looked into his darkened reflection through the tinted glasses.
His yellow-tinged eyes watched back. He was briefly reminded of an younger version of himself. Once full with the raw and true energy of a rebellious renegade.
But that was old history. History that Easy had to change to survive. The only thing he had left from a time that had long since passed was his appearance.
He finally put on his aviators and spread his wings.