[center][h2][color=turquoise]The Cereal Killer[/color][/h2]
[@Lugubrious][/center]

For the entire duration of their journey, Runch was uncharacteristically quiet. So was Erina, in fact. She had taken an extreme offense to his final comment about her immortality, and as such was giving him the cold shoulder. As long as he didn't address her first, which he did not, she wasn't planning on speaking to him. For so long she lived in constant motion, meeting new people so she never formed permanent attachments, all too aware of the ravages of time. That frightened her, perhaps more than anything else. Becoming attached to things that were so fleeting. It would break her, so she simply chose not to take the chance. This stewed in the kitsune's mind as she bottled it all up. Even Bend knew not to speak to her for the time being, recognizing how infuriated she was. 

The pirate wasn't in a much better state of mind. He had taken in and trusted the vampire, Motley Crue, as an associate. Legends spoke of vampires having no souls, or warped evil souls, but this one could walk in daylight and expressed some manner of empathy before. Runch let his trusting, naive nature get the better of him. Motley was truly no better than the soulless abominations spoken of in legend. No. No that wasn't true. He knew it wasn't true. Motley Crue had [i]chosen[/i] to do what he had done. Which meant he was in fact capable of great humanity. But humanity was also capable of the greatest evils... 

Suddenly the turmoil in the captain's mind melted away as two figures came into sight: one an armored man carrying some sort of polearm, and the other a woman with a single arm. The way the drone was behaving, and the other drone hovering above those two, signified that they were his next opponents. That is, if they were even still fighting in this tournament. The two appeared apprehensive, nothing Runch could blame them for. For all they knew he'd launch some kind of death strike the second he laid eyes on them. He hoped they would be amiable, and so put on his best smile as he approached, one hand out in the open and one hand flipping open two new pages in the Journal...

[color=bc8dbf]"Why are you-"[/color] Erina cut herself off before finishing her warning. If Runch was going to approach without any tactics or defensive plan, that was his concern, not hers. She was out of the tournament now. 

"Going back on your agreement to help him?" Bend asked.

[color=bc8dbf]"I'm sure he's got a plan,"[/color] she lied dismissively. [color=bc8dbf]"After all, he ended up beating me and Motley together."[/color] The warrior ghost said nothing more on the matter, but didn't buy into her story for a second.

[color=turquoise]"Ahoy!"[/color] Runch called out to the duo. [color=turquoise]"Allow me to introduce myself! Cap'n Batholomew K. Runch. In my world I am known as the 'Cereal Killer,' with a bounty of 33 million berries!"[/color] Erina facepalmed. Seriously? He was walking right up to some guy who looked like a knight, and the first thing he does is loudly proclaim his bounty as a wanted criminal? 

[color=turquoise]"Before we get down to business, I was hoping we could have a civil conversation? Maybe get to know one another? A lot has happened since this contest began, and I was hoping we could compare notes."[/color]

[hr][hr]

[center][h2][color=darkviolet]The Murder[/color][/h2]
[@Lugubrious][/center]

Samuel found himself off put by this man. He seemed to be entirely aware of the graffiti creature, or at least that it was something greater than it appeared to be, but wasn't concerned by it. And what was this he said about having three dozen customers? This wasn't sitting right for him. More concerning was how the man had touched Sam's shoulder without any consent. Still, he wouldn't let an opportunity like this pass itself up. Since the man was in such close proximity, he took it upon himself to snake a hand into the closest pocket and lift whatever object was closest to the surface, whatever was easiest to pull out. A little sleight of hand while the salesman was distracted looking at Sam's face.

[color=darkviolet]"I see. What sort of bargain do you have in mind? I do not even know where I am, much less if the American dollar is a currency you take."[/color]