I swiveled around, scanning uphill shingles where we'd been commanded to deliver the bundle. They began a Trapezoidal Crest roughly a foot over my head, with flared ledges after the manner of a sweeping Penthouse, reneWing slant every 10 feet or so. After 3 of these it flattened out like a small stage. There, our gaggle of eyes latched onto a Humpbacked, gray form, feathers stewing in a faint breeze. Every human lung restlessly staggered its breath, successively stewing among the vulnerability.
"Leave the pouch on the ledge," exacted the Organism. Where talonStationed or furled wingtips ended, was nigh indistinguishable. "Then the screWire atop it."
As i stepped toward shingles, Amy mentioned: "Feel like some ribbons & Blush would really work wonders for all that raggedy fluff."
"My coat is mere utility," The Bulwark heaved a slow, gelatinous, north-south squeeze, through peeks of its undercarriage.
"Kinda sounds like," Ruby analyzed, "You've set aside little time for luxury. No song or dance apart from all that plotting & prowling, eh?"
"What would you know about my lifestyle, fledgling? This Inquisition is elapsed. Send up my purchase."
"As you witch," I offered, while smirking waggishly at Allies. 'Nika winked back, & then tapped her knuckles once against Fin's off-cherry pants, below his pinched waist where he'd attached his egg#patch. Pheo did the same, touching Amy's scale behind the shoulder blade. Their blended eyes reflecTwitched turquoise, between the unbidden addresses & my shifty oxymoronic expression. Hopefully they'd fathom that we might need some un-Cordial scorches of distraction.
But one development arose out of place; Buck was fidgeting down to his socks, with a two-handed grip indentured around his UZI, nearing halfway at-attention. The Ancient Bird saw it plain as daylight: "Strange... one of your members acts as if I intend to double-cross Your Confidence. I assure you I have no reasons to be discourteous - unfortunately, your deadbeat League has proven instance and again, ye tend shake off boundaries."
"The weaKiss' link is bound to get skittish," Siggy countered. Pheo was standing near enough Buck's rattling bones, & so patted his spine a couple times. "Easy Legs, we signifiGrinly outnumber it."
Before the COwleDragon could further postulate, I pitched the bag up with a soft rustle (slouching discreetly over the lowest ledge toward me, so part of the fabric remained in sight). The Calculating Clock flinched as attention diverted, somehow not completely pleased by this: - "You genuinely did not feel it necessary to support it better than that?"
"Sorry it slipped," I lied. "Not of optimum slinging weight."
The Gryphinx clucked suspiciously: "Try again, cheat-weasel." - {Dallas spluttered through his lips, unable to contain the ripe ecstasy of hearing me insulted}.
The bottoms of my eyeballs notice Gutt had arrived in the gap of the Doorframe at some point, spectating where it hung open, buttoning his mouth against a wyrming grin.
"You know this bag may be white," I claimed, immediately hopping to drag the sack back into my care. "BUT WE REALLY DESPISE BLACKMAIL!"
The stunt drew a sound from above like a Rooster annoyed by a donkey.
I jerked my head around to see Rovo squirt above the wooden beams with the bulky Icer in his grip, but awkwardly slipping sideways through the air. It's too bad we hadn't had time to train for proficiency.
"Petulant!" DirtWig screeched, & paws shifted like the first stirrings of an avalanche, assuredly scrabbling toward the plunder. A crease of wind sounded, as it wished to propel itself faster.
"That's right, we ain't the post office!" Fin hollered, as I retreated from under shingles, over the beams, with the bag of goods toward allied guns. Pheo tried to follow her brother through the air, but blasted forward too rapidly, yelling "Rattle its bones!"
Bodies flounced & triggers began belching ammo as I merged back into the mass of bodies. Anika was wrinkled in concentration, while Ruby murmured something paced & then smacked her hands together, drawing back winged O's to lock around her eyebrows. There was a shaving, engraving sound as Rovo activated the Ice Chef instrument with a long lever; pale-yellow & blue rings pulsated jaggedly side to side from the Wide opening. The stream-lining Harpoon of feathers hardly seemed to notice, or care he was leveling a shot on it - until the frequency Stream throttled.
At this, the UFO tucked an angular Wingspan the length of two well built men, tighter to its frame, powering ahead with flashes of a second, muddy soccer-ball structure draping the shoulder-blades, that frothed like a cooking pastry & jostled like Whack-a-Moles.
Rovo's aim sailed high (for imbalance & uncertainty) aside the Extortionist, plastering the branches of two trees behind it - which instantly creaked & then sagged twice as thick. ROvotated more off-kilter, totally horizontal, and elected to smash off the crank rather than unwittingly encase one of us beneath spinning stray Frigidness.
Over my shoulder I fired an unexpected-Fizzly cherry~Beam fl@p the swarming Shadow. (I was more stunned by the draining of coloRedacting to amber upon collision and parching out straWithered).
Corpulent leading mandibles sprouted free from Harpy's chest, brushing over each other in a clatter, while a set of middle legs with actual shoulder-sockets stretched to the side with patchy tufts of hair, supported behind by muscular legs, totally covered in green-brown fur. Momentarily, as the Moth descended upon us, my eyes smote by a small area of light, burgeoning upon lumps like moldy mulberries masquerading for a face, along with a something like book pages fanning out like a sea-green translucent mower. One of my three blasts notched its chin area, but earned no more than puffs of smoke. Well damp that deflector...
The engorged violet plume around the Shadowed head, somehow illuminated two large ovals underside the breasThorax, a glaring red. I averted my vision against prior warnings about hunting for facial features within the Maggot's cavity, (although I was forced to track its velocity for being Targeted). The insectoid's nosedive aimed where I cradled the snowBall of treasure: four Appendages leaned out to greet me, eacHook flexing six corkscrewShifts....
Then to my delight, one wing crumpled limp out of nowhere, met by a screech fit for an eagle! But this overshadowed a female gasp & a thick sound of sullied cheeSEvere chop. Something bounced off the roof & clattered. To my right, Anika clenched into audible concern raising a shotgun sideways to protect herself from the spiraling beast from barreling into her -+ Gutt jumped in front of us with a huge sweeping gesture of both palms. In response leaves, twigs, and pebbles from every angle rustled - then hustled around my skin surging toward an unseen origin.
I wasted no time to curl into a somersault along the beams of wood. Briefly I saw red peppermint sneakers belonging to Hooksclott, hustle in front of my tumbling vision, and I heard a sudden inhalation. Beneath the flush & stench of fungus, my ears picked up sizzling noises, wails of both fear & triumph.., before my hearing was trampled against the motion of my rolling... - resurrected by a Blistering squall showering over the environment... nano-seconds later as I planted back into a crouch, a large thud pounded, reverberating with sounds of cooking.
A few dark flecks had splattered beside me. Upon zooming in, I observed they abounded with rhythmic arches. They rapidly dissolved, but left pock marks a few centimeters deep into the log panels. Sporadic wretches of gunfire continued. Shooting up to stand, two long holes strained in the sack. Glancing around, I scanned for assailant & comrade positions: everyone that should be was still on the porch while Rovo weakly jerked as if drowning in the air. Pheo wasn't in sight.
But at least the Harpy was grounded, stuttering madly away several yards off through shallow pools, ambling to shield behind the tree line. Periodic yelps emitted as members further propelled energy at its retreat. Amy in particular took a few Zap-snaps from her fingers, trying to charge its hindquarters wiTHreads of crackLightning.
Once the smoking Dragon receded to echoes, I gawked as my peers disengaged. Buck harped after the Gargoyle: "An' think twice bout comin' back Bogey'beak!"
Trent wiped webby-strands of gunk from pale lips; Gutt & Siggy went about congratulating everyone on swell firing. Trent pointed at Fin's golden head and said, "Pretty easy with Cyclone-spinner stalling it mid-air."
"Oh, that was me kid," Gutt informed him.
Fin was raking ichor from bright ringlets burrowed across his Scalp. "I bent the Wing, barfboy, while you inaccurately tried to kiss more than one of us," he preened fast as possible, hot-potatoWing smudges from the sides of his fingertips. "There shouldn't be a damn acid eggHatch... I'm gonna have blisters & need a haircut," he sulked at his enflamed palms.
"Good thing I wore jeans," 'Nika emPAT'hized herself. There were rough-frayed gouges bereaving bareness along the length of one pant leg. "Guess I'll keep them to string lovers along, now."
I grinned in seismic relief, & roped a loop of owlish hoots, feeling chipper enough for mockery.
But theNoticed Amy & Fin wander over to center around Becca & Saul, all beginning to join hands. She told them to breathe, (not appearing rattled in the slightest) about how "Nature offers a Range of wildlife able to avoid common detection..." Capone stormed up against them, trying to argue it was all Becca's fault for hauling around the stinKing Honeycomb.
My awareness of his railing was sliced short at someone's helpless call: "Say old man!" It was hover-Rovo. "How do you steer this rocketship?"
"Focus on your spinal column or squeeze your abs to translate steady intent!" Malibu called.
"KaaAY, I guess I was halfway instinctual with the abs," Hulk wavered to bearings, eventually finding the handles & gliding closer to the balcony side nearest Saul & Ruby. He disposed the Frostbite Unit to Saul, who had relatively free hands. "Get this eyesore away from me; it's only driving me drunk."
Fin feigned surprise. "Hey, you shouldn't talk about your reflection that way."
Rovo wasn't in the mood for quip'meant. "Where's my sister?" he panned, urgently. When there was no response or visual right away, he flexed & soared upwards to search. "Roaring hippos," Gutterson fumbled. "There's blood leaking off the roof."
I looked right & saw one Steel Mitt discarded in the far corner. Overhanging it, a hand flopped like a suffocated fish. "What the SHIT!" Rovo wailed & sank onto the shingles, scrambling for the spot. "It's awful, she must be dying, she must be dying - !" he repeated as he dove at the body none of us could see. "Do something Witch!" he sobbed.
Ruby strode toward the area beneath the ledge, shedding an AK from around her neck. "Float her down here now; we have the Scepter, remember?" she stated, unholstering the pole.
Pheo lifted the arm nearest us, to her brother's collar. He took a moment to nuzzle her wrist.
"Let's hope he's exaggggerating," Saul pitched.
The pool of blood stretched out like a jar of jam. "That's thick bloodflow," flooded Malibu, hustling for which pocket he had filed his knife.
Rovo scooped up his sister after delayed moments of petting her hair; as she fully hovered into view, a scarlet web of her own fingers latched against throat, & one of her eyes was bashed swollen. My eyes started melting.
"Cricket-Shit, I shoulda leaped an torn out its throat first," Buck commented.
"Big arteryyy," Amy whimpered. "I can't watch." As she walked indoors, Nika trailed her saying, "I'm with ya sister."
"Nothing's too far gone with this," Ruby determined, clawing her own nails into the banana wood.
Rovo was using his lap like a gurney for his sis, & came to rest on the seat of his pants before Ruby's feet. I huddled around along with basically everyone else. There was a small bubble oozing between Pheo's right earlobe & clamped palm.
"Alright sweetheart," Gutt cooed. "Time to let go of the wound."
Ruby folded to the ground, already chanting something, getting ready to sprinkle. Pheo yelped short & high-pitched, too weak to vocalize.
I squatted & pressed her shin. "You're strong as this bone right here, we've always known that."
Pheo dropped the hand, & cranberry juice gushed from a sagging puncture that slanted across her jaw, severe enough I could view one and a half of her molars.
Each pass of sawdust that Becca made, she rattled between: "cChevr-Bossa" "poleTawpma," or "keyFoLzum."
After the 3rd revolution, Gutt decided something with the procedure wasn't right. "I don't think it's taking - the blood's running too fast."
"Great!" Roared Rovo. "Did you just waste time?!" There was a dark purple hollow creeping along Pheo's veins.
"Hush now, i can recover it," Becca gritted. "But it's gonna burn like hot cider. Hold her close, bubba." In the next instant, Ruby shoveled a portion of leakage that was slightly sparkling with gold flecks, and pressed it against the gash. Pheo's knees jerked up & she leaned away toward Rovo at first, but steadily her healthy eye blazed and she straightened back toward Becca's firm wrist.
Onlookers were whispering prayers while that hold was locked for about 10 seconds, & streaks in Pheo's nectar could be noticed augmenting a peach color.
Finally after what felt like two minutes, the witch withdrew her paw, & revealed a welt of divots was successfully pulling the jaw shut with little fluid left leaking. Pheo wiggled her mouth slightly, brow telling of scooping pain, but seeming to feel whole. She popped up and clung around her brother's shoulders, weeping. A round of cheers sounded out, & Rovo leaned back with a hysterical choke-laugh.
Ruby relented on her rump, & breathed, "I need to get washed up, but there's not much time unless I call up a Decider."
"And you'd get bored if she does that," confirmed Saul. "Cause they don't respawnd for sssix to twelve hours."
"I'll show you to the sink under the stairs," kindly offered Gutt.
Dallas was appalled, & muttered, "She'll never be clean, after almost getting people killed trying to back out of that Deal."
Fin seemed to grow two inches. "You actually try to traumatize people, asshole."
The tyrant morphed his hand into a silent-replay puppet, but formed not attempt at denying the matter.
Pheo sprouted up gingerly, behind busted eye & bloody shoulder to declare, "What would life mean if the risk of loyalty always panned out? We'd all be skinless robots, not knowing kindness from coldness right?"
"And our phoenix fuels the dawn again!" I celebrated. "I would have missed your salty voice."
"Family's a whhhole nother animal," Rovo grinned. "The sunlight definitely looks new, & I'm gonna go kiss it!" He blasted off up at the sky.
"Mind our seclusion now!" Malibu called. "Stay below the TreetoPlease!" Then he & Ruby disappeared into the building as he shook his balding head.
The Tyrant groaned. "The Pirates are gonna pop out even our hottest Stars out if the Old man doesn't have a boat to catch 'em as they head back out to sea."
I laughed. "You think a dude with creaky knees would walk here alone? Get a clue."
"Well," SigGrinned over his rifle. "How many people can the Prowley's carry?"
Pheo scoffed. "People & weapons don't become any lighter just because we can soar."
My lipSplintered# "Ya know Dal, that tale you told earlier about Archie following Ruby, seemed to imply that she's in league with some manner of flying units."
He puckered. "I guess I can't really afford to decline her help, if that's what it comes to today."
Then we heard one of the girls spluttering from inside the Doorway: - "Don't even geTHINKing about it..." followed by squealing: "These are mine!"