[h3]Henry[/h3]

While still waiting for Denys to reply, and starting to get a little bummed out that the Kaiser might have started ignoring him out of the blue, Henry became aware of a knock at the door to the little shack he'd only just now entered with his new acquaintances.  Naturally, he leaped at the chance—both figuratively and literally.  He hopped to it, producing another tome from his robe as he did so.  Compared to the first tome he'd shown off, which glowed softly like a lit brazier thanks to the destructive fire spell it housed, this one seemed far more ominous.  Its very presence out in the open came across as unnerving, as if it contained a nasty sorcery that should never see the light of day.  

With this in hand the dark mage strode to the ajar door and pushed it open wider, revealing a man in a red suit and mask side by side with a strange knight.  The armor of the warrior, rounded and tight rather than plated, seemed to Henry evocative of the distinctive gear of the Dread Fighter.  Though this set him on edge slightly, his smile did not waver, and with open arms he declared, [color=d8bfd8]”More misfits come to join the party, huh?  Come on in!”[/color]  His lack of concern for the possibility that these newcomers might be hostile was a telling hint about his nature.  Of course, the malevolent-aired book in his left hand, and the hair-raising pressure it exuded, helped convey this.

[h3]Birdie[/h3]
([@lmpkio], [@kafka komedy])

Red did not, unfortunately, temper her words so that Birdie couldn't possibly hear.  An angry sneer crossed over his face.  Leaning forward somewhat with his hands jammed in his vest pockets, he sauntered toward the two women.  Though one rivaled him in height and obviously held several guns close at hand, the other wielded a large sword.  At the moment, though, Birdie was too pissed and embarrassed from earlier to back down again.  [color=yellow]”Ey!”[/color] he called in his distinctive gruff, accented tone.  [color=yellow]”Wot's yer problem, then?  I ain't done nothin' to ya.  If you birds wanna be all 'igh and mighty, you go right ahead.  I'm not stayin' in this field fer one more minute.  Don't say I didn't warn ya 'bout the bloody psychos with guns at the ranch.”[/color]

Heedless of whatever Red and Bayonetta thought their personal bubbles might be, Birdie strode forward until he stood on the edge of the moat.  He stood there for a moment, staring at the upraised drawbridge, and came to the decision that the best option would be to pull it down with his chains. Brashly he estimated this feet to be doable with his strength, but after whirling his chains and snagging those of the drawbridge, he discovered very quickly that the thing would not be budged. Whether the problem was the drawbridge's weight or some sort of lock on its chains, Birdie honestly couldn't say, but he grimaced to think that he could spend all night tugging and still not move it an inch. He snuck an annoyed glance at the women, trying to make sure they weren't making fun of him.  

Another idea struck him a few seconds later, though one decidedly less good. Taking a deep breath, the ex-Shadaloo tested his chains' grip before leaping off the precipice to dangle precariously in midair. While the force might have pulled the arms off of a lesser man, Birdie's thick, muscular arms bore the stress, and with an upper body strength only describable as startling he hauled himself up foot by foot until he could clamber onto the ramparts. There he sat, wheezing badly, for a few minutes, but not before he called down to Bayonetta and Red, [color=yellow]”Wotcha think o' that, then?  I'm the 'igh one now.”[/color]