The bumpy ride of the military truck had lulled Poki into a fitful slumber, cocooned beneath a worn blanket in the backseat.
Brandon leaned against the window and pondered,
'It's way too quiet… they must've already gathered round the Capital City…'
After about a half hour, the vehicle slowed, Brandon peered over the seat, his lips curling into a playful smirk.
"Time to rise and shine,"
He announced, smacking her on her bum.
Poki stirred, her eyes fluttering open in a daze, her pink hair sticking out in every direction.
She squinted around, her gaze going from Brandon to the unfamiliar ruins outside the truck.
"Wha...?" she mumbled, her words swallowed by a wide yawn.
"Fluffy?"
She called out frantically, attempting to scramble out of her makeshift bed.
"Fluffy, where's Fluffy?"
Brandon quickly moved to hold her down, his hand pinching her flushed cheek lightly.
"Calm down,"
He reassured her, his voice a soothing contrast to her panic.
"Fluffy's safe back at base. We have a… uhh… diplomatic mission in the Capital so it's time to do your job Ms.Livestreamer"
Poki blinked, staring at him blankly for a moment before comprehension dawned.
"Right... right..." she mumbled, her frantic movements subsiding.
"I'm... I'm the livestreamer..."
With an exaggerated nod, she slapped her own cheeks, the sharp sounds reverberating in the small space.
"Alright, Poki, time to snap out of it and get to work,"
She muttered to herself, her tone growing firmer.
Her gaze swept past Brandon, past Baph and Asmo at the front, and finally settled on the massive horde of grotesque beasts that had formed a ring around the crumbling remains of what was once the Capital City.
She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
Her eyes grew wide as she took in the monstrous figures, their snarls and roars echoing ominously through the silent cityscape.
Mutated limbs, grotesque features, and ungodly sizes—the sight was horrifying, straight out of a nightmare.
"What... what are those?" she stammered, pointing towards the creatures.
"They're part of the welcoming committee,"
Brandon quipped, his tone light despite the severity of the situation.
"Ready to start your livestream?"
Poki nodded weakly, swallowing down her fear.
"Y-yeah... Ready as I'll ever be."
Brandon nodded and commanded,
"Baph get your squad to clear a pathway for us. We need a pathway through the beasts, and fast. As for you, Asmo,"
He said, directing his attention towards the eager teen,
"Let your team take over the wheel for Baph's unit."
Baph's face split into a grin that could only be described as wolfish, his finger pressing the small button on his comms device.
"Baph Squad, rally up! Spears at the ready, shields up!"
He barked, his voice filling the space with a wave of anticipation.
As Baph issued his commands, Asmo's excitement bubbled over. He practically leaped into the driver's seat, a wicked chuckle rolling off his tongue,
"Hehehehe it's finally my turn to drive!!"
The sudden action pulled Brandon from his contemplation, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Uh, Asmo... Maybe it's best if one of your people took the wheel..."
Asmo whirled around, his bottom lip jutting out in an exaggerated pout.
"But Boss! I'm an excellent driver!"
Suppressing a chuckle, Brandon merely raised a brow,
"You managed to total five of our trucks in the desert…"
Asmo huffed in protest,
"That's unfair! Those… those… outlaws were asking for it…"
The snickers that followed echoed from the front of the vehicle where Baph stood juggling three grenades with one hand, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"Remember Providence City last year? And the incident the Christmas before that?"
A warning growl rose from Asmo's throat,
"BAPH!"
The mirth in Baph's eyes didn't wane as he raised his free hand in surrender, his laughter only growing louder.
Turning back to Brandon, Asmo's expression softened, a pleading note entering his voice,
"Boss~ pleaseee I'll be good!"
Clearing his throat, Brandon quickly shut down the potential promise.
"Asmo, we're walking on thin ice here. I need you on lookout, not behind the wheel…"
With an exaggerated sigh, Asmo reluctantly shifted back to the passenger seat.
A terse command slipped from his lips into the comms device, and within moments, a soldier from Asmo's squad slid into the driver's seat
Brandon's gaze lingered on Asmo, the playful pout barely concealing the scars of a brutal past.
His thoughts wandered back, back to when he first encountered Asmo - a sole survivor of a brutal Assassin's Guild, and how he'd rescued him during one of his ambitious missions.
Underneath his playful exterior and seemingly harmless bickering with Baph was a man of unexpected intensity.
His mind painted a picture of a young Asmo, forced into deathmatches against his own peers from an alarmingly young age.
He remembered the fear in the boy's eyes, the uncontrollable bloodlust that often seized him.
He had been a killing machine, his survival instincts finely honed but lacking the maturity and control that came with age.
Asmo's reckless behavior, even in non-combat situations, was the residue of those dark times.
His skills honed for chaos didn't translate well to the mundane task of driving.
For Asmo, even the open road was a battlefield, and his fellow drivers were all potential enemies.
Brandon's reminiscence was cut short as their armada of armored military trucks lined up like dominoes in a single file, ready to dive into the fray.
Baph's squad stood guard in a reverse V formation, a veritable bulwark of power and resolve, their spears and shields glistening ominously in the dim light.
The horde of monstrous beasts, their grotesque forms barely discernible in the distance, were a kilometer away, too consumed in their pursuit to take notice of the imposing convoy.
Baph's voice rang out through the static of Brandon's intercom, cutting through the tension.
"Boss! We're in formation... Strange… the beasts seem to be paying us no mind..."
With a solemn nod, Brandon responded, his voice low but resolute,
"They're drawn to the Heart of Civilization... Let's make our move."
Excitement danced in Poki's eyes as she sat next to Brandon, ready to begin another thrilling live stream.
"Welcome back, my babies! Guess what? Mommy Poki has officially become a citizen of the City of Void!"
She executed a playful salute to the camera before leaning in towards Brandon, capturing him in the frame.
"And meet my King, Brandon Void!"
She giggled, her voice a teasing whisper,
"Jealous ? Kekeke~"
Brandon responded with a sidelong glance, a sly smile curling at the corner of his lips before winking into the camera lens.
The chat section exploded.
[ AHHHHH~~~ MARRY MEEEE!!! ]
[ Oh gosh~ King Void? He can fill my void any day <3<3<3 ]
[ Wait Wait Wait! Can I be a citizen too?!! ]
Poki turned the camera then, her lens now capturing the horrifying tableau of mutated beasts swarming into the city's fortified military barricades.
Her voice, bright and encouraging,
"Ma' babies in Capital City! Don't worry! Reinforcements have arrived! We're coming to save you!! kekeke~"
Her laughter, bright and infectious, rang out, providing a moment of levity amidst the looming darkness.