[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/694696263320469506/709363233571471404/73beffd474711e17fcee32d1840a3426.png[/img] [hr] The guard followed Starbright's demands and was leading him to Seraph's upper room at the top of the tower. It had been a hell of a day, but it was coming to an end. He kept trying to hide the limp he had gotten from the Shocker to less and less success. Would the guard in front of him realize that he could simply turn around with his gun and have the upper hand? Starbright had to hope that wasn't on his mind. [color=fff200]"You say Seraph is just upstairs, right? We have been walking a while, why haven't we gotten to the stairs? I am getting impatient."[/color] "It's just up ahead. Don't worry about, the architecture was just a bit weird. The guard continued along the hallway until stopping at the end. The was no stairway in sight, Starbright's fears came to reality as the guard pulled his rifle and aimed it square at Starbright's head. Was he trying to play hero or just recklessly chasing a reward? "You know, Seraph offered a good bit of money to the person who killed you. Do you really think I would help you, you stupid annoying prick." It was the latter. Frankly, Starbright would have been bored by it all if his life wasn't actively being threatened, and even that was getting a little old. [color=fff200]"You really want to do this?"[/color] Was that all the quips he could muster? It really had been a long day. All Starbright did was close his eyes, hoping it wouldn't hurt too much. WHACK! That wasn't the sound of a gun, and his head hurt... well... not at all. What the hell was happening. Starbright was afraid to open his eyes. It felt like eternity before he did, but in reality it was only a second or two. Who else stood before him but the specter of a friend he thought dead. Only, it wasn't a specter at all. Alive and in the flesh, it was The Bullet! [color=fff200]"You had to go and beat the guard up. I obviously had it under control. Honestly, it..."[/color] Starbright continued the tirade for a bit about how the situation was under control. But as he continued the speech, he grew visibly and audibly emotional. Although his response may have come off as cold before, it was almost immediately apparent that this was a front. This built up until he outright pulled Chad in for a hug. [color=fff200]"I'm just glad you're alive."[/color] A teary Starbright said holding the hug before releasing it after a while. His gaze turned to Sea Serpent who he had just let slump down onto the ground. [color=fff200]"Oh, right, I probably shouldn't let her drop like that huh?"[/color] Wiping away the tears he picked her back up then returned back to The Bullet. [color=fff200]"We have one more to take down, Seraph. He's at the top of this tower, we take him down and it will all start crumbling."[/color] Almost as if by comedic timing the tower shook from whatever the hell was happening downstairs. [color=fff200]"If it isn't going down already, we need to hurry."[/color] The duo proceeded on to find some stairs, Starbright had noticed The Bullet lagging behind at this point. It was then he fully noticed the state of his leg and stopped in his tracks. [color=fff200]"You smashed it pretty hard in the fall then? Not to worry, I have three words for you, privatized HERO healthcare. I have the best medic in HERO on speed dial, he can patch that up good as new. We just..."[/color] Starbright paused as he heaved Sea Serpent around to continue forward [color=fff200]"have to finish this first."[/color] The two had found the stairs and started ascending. Battered and bruised, the two were not ready for a full on fight with a healthy Seraph. It was a gamble. Starbright had Sea Serpent, maybe they could negotiate or, at the very least, manage a getaway in time if things went wrong. But there was something he needed to address first. [color=fff200]"Bullet, I'm not going to force you into this. I'm going up these stairs to confront Seraph and it may not turn out well. I'm giving you an out here, you can take it or you can stay. But that decision rests only on your shoulders alone."[/color] This was perhaps the first time in his life that Starbright made a decision that could place some else's life above the safety of his own. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. [hr] Starbright reached the peak, not even looking behind him to see if The Bullet stayed with him or not. [color=fff200]"Aha, I see you are drinking away your sorrows fine enough Seraph. Honestly I feel bad for you, but at least you can see when you've lost unlike Sea Serpent here. I also know you are too smart for me to try and trick you with promises of getting out of this without consequences. I'll give it to you straight, it is mere moments until you are locked away in Coldwater. Before I would have been happy, thought 'good riddance to him'. But now I see that sending you there would be a death sentence, wouldn't it."[/color] Starbright's whole tone resembled someone who was concerned, but with how tired he was it came off as extremely fake. [color=fff200]"I don't want the blood of a fellow star on my hands now do I? I was thinking you can surrender now and I'll negotiate a house arrest or something right? It isn't the best I know, but after what you've done it must sound pretty good. Think about it, you could be home in your mansion with Sea Serpent here living out a good life."[/color] As if to indicate his point Starbright begun ballroom dancing with the unconscious Sea Serpent. [color=fff200]"La da da, la da de. Sounds good right?"[/color] Starbright brow furrowed as he saw Seraph was still just downing the wine. [color=fff200]"I know alcohol might sound good or whatever, I don't care. But have you at least considered what I'm saying?"[/color] Starbright was very oblivious to the darker nature of the bottle. [hr] [/center] [@Hitman][@Duoya]