[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/588497364382253189/973050494442409994/Circle_Cat.png[/img][/center][center][sub][@Zerflah][/sub][/center][center][hr][h3][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdOkQ6THDVw]♫[/url][/h3][/center][i]Got you now, you little rat.[/i]

Angelli closed in on her prey, who didn’t realize he was running into a dead-end alley. Last night was full of hazy details—forgotten places, cigarette smoke, and piles upon piles of shot glasses. The morning after the man woke to the sound of a revving engine and his door getting kicked in. Next thing he knew he was being chased out of the window of his apartment, never being frightened more by combat boots and black lipstick. Wandering hands had their price.

“This is just a misunderstanding!” the man cried, realizing he had nowhere left to go. “I didn’t know she was one of you!”

He panicked as Angelli drew closer, biding her time with every step to leave him in suspense. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and made to throw a punch, but stopped just short of his face, the glint of her brass knuckles reflected in his horrified eyes.

“I’m only gonna tell you once,” Angelli warned. “You ever hurt my girls, I hurt your boys. Now get out of here—and change your damn pants.”

“What about my door?”

“Fuck your door.”

She dropped the man and let him scramble off, choosing not to test his luck further. Angelli let out a sigh and took out her phone, staring at the crack on her screen. She’d get a new model soon. Eventually. Angelli dialed a number and waited for the tone.

“Hey Nails, what’s up?” a feminine voice answered.

“Tell the newbie that guy isn’t going to bother her anymore.”

“Ooh, details. How many ribs did you break?”

“None, let him off with a warning.”

“Booooooring. You’re gonna make the rest of us look bad, Nails. Y’know, ever since you started living with that roomie, you’ve been getting pretty soft. You forget why you joined the Valks?”

“Eh, shut up, Lash. Don’t make this a thing. The guy didn’t do anything too serious, so it didn’t need to get bloody. Also, leave my roommate out of this, this has nothing to do with—speak of the devil. We’ll talk later.”

She swiped to read the text Catherine had just sent her about a special sale on microwaves at the SuperLife—one hundred percent off. Angelli mounted her motorcycle and sped off, weaving through the standstill traffic. Many people sat in place, windows rolled down to take in the noise of the city. One unfortunate soul had his coffee splash onto his face as Angelli swooped by. She ignored being called a bitch as she reached the supercenter. Angelli circled to the back and stored the lone microwave Cat had left into her bike’s saddlebag and made back to the parking lot. Now was good a time as any to grab a snack.

“Heya, Bestie.” Angelli waved to Cat as she passed by to the chip aisle. Her eyes scanned across the selection until she found the salt and vinegar flavor. She snatched it, though the cool ranch bag made her hesitate for a second. Cat’s shift usually ended around this time, so she wouldn’t wait long until they’d meet outside. Angelli walked out of the store without paying for the chips as if she already owned them.

Considering nobody stopped her, she did.[hr][center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/588497364382253189/973050509562875924/Circle_Cherry.png[/img][/center][center][sub][@Sniblet][/sub][/center][hr][center][h3][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVuunYmJjyc]♫[/url][/h3][/center]
In the dead of the starless night, Herse would find its peace at last. Even monsters needed their sleep. Most of them, anyway. The stars may not have been in the sky, but they were closer than anyone would think.  A man roamed aimlessly through the vacant streets, with unfettering silence allowing him to collect his thoughts. Crowds weren’t his environment of choice—never were. Despite all the people going about their days in the city, he never had a soul to talk to. He was used to it.

Yesterday had been full of nothing. Today was the same. The loneliness was its own hell, and above that was the boredom. The stark, unending boredom. The man had walked all across Taygete and back by foot, and lost count of how many times over he reached end-to-end of the city’s limits. He stared up at the ruined clock towering above. It was the embodiment of the district itself, stuck in time and missing pieces that kept it turning.

A more interesting sight quickly caught his fancy. The side of an old metalworks storage warehouse defaced by graffiti. A woman was in the process of spraying the shape of another woman onto the wall with frantic words scrawling about. Was this a cry for help, or the rambling statement of a lunatic fringe? Nonetheless, the work was impressive for something that didn’t make use of stencils. Like a deer darting up from the sound of a snapped branch, the woman  startled and took off.

What was she running from? Him? It couldn’t be—nobody ever saw him. Indulging in his intrigue, he took chase. It wasn’t too hard to keep up with the woman, as the darkness of night was of no hindrance to his eyes. She turned a corner and entered a shop, and a faint exchange of words could be heard within. Shortly after, the woman returned outside from the back entrance. Looks like they were expecting something. The man stepped into the store, and by which he did not use the door. He couldn’t, even if he wanted to.

He phased into the building, its walls offering his body no resistance. An old man armed with a shotgun stood in wait by the back, watching the woman outside. Curious. The intruder proceeded to step forward without fear, waving his hand at the old man. No response. He didn’t know what he was expecting, nobody ever saw him after all. The woman seemed to be an exception—one in a billion. The man made no effort in hiding his presence, approaching her in full view of the street lights.

He made loud footsteps to see if she could hear him. She could. He walked to the front of her to see if she could see him. She most definitely could, and what a sight she would see. The man’s form was devoid of flesh, appearing as  a humanoid-shaped silhouette  cut out of a nebula and given life. His face was completely featureless, save for two glowing violet eyes. His body was a gaseous shadow, filled with a tiny sea of stars. If he had lips, they would be smiling. When he confirmed the woman could see him, he spoke.

“Nice to meet you, miss. How are we this fine evening?”