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The pair of shiny shoes took two steps, paused. A flicker of orange caught on their armored surface in tandem with a click and a fizzle. Embers scattered around golden heels, flashing before crumpling into ash. The shoes resumed their stroll inside.

[b]"H... Hey! I said we're closed!"[/b] Patricia stammered, regaining her confidence as she reached under the bar. Her hand didn't get far when a streak of yellow followed the intruder and the barrel of a shotgun aimed right between her eyes. Sweat trickled off her clenched jaw, the barrel so close it was an unfocused blur. Smoke from the freshly fired weapon coiled around her neck. Slowly, she pulled away from the bar with her arms up and hands empty.

[b][color=#746733]"Sorry about the excitement, doll."[/color][/b] The first intruder mused. Another one marched through the door and took a dutiful stance at his side, hand draped over the hilt of a katana. Mr. Shiny Shoes tilted his head back as he puffed a cigar. The smoke hissed through the gills of a metal neck. [color=#746733][b]"We would respect your business hours... but we saw that your Marionette was in. Old pals. You understand."[/b][/color]

All heads turned to Umbri. Patricia mouthed at her - [i]what? How do you know...[/i] and tossed a frightened look at the leader. More specifically, the word emblazoned in gold across the back of his jacket: [color=DCC009][b]JAHANNAM.[/b] [/color]

[color=#746733][b]"We won't be a minute,"[/b][/color] the leader said and flicked Patricia a clat. Despite being held at gunpoint she scrambled to catch it. [color=#746733][b]"I've got a headache. Fix me a pick me up, will you."[/b][/color]

They approached. [url=https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/046/423/775/large/lee-kimsan-.jpg?1645083543]Three[/url] [url=https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/031/327/738/large/art-of-maki-yellowblaze-1.jpg?1603294282] of[/url] [url=https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/016/629/955/large/paang-wong-.jpg?1552885464]them.[/url] Armed. She knew their names. She knew what they were here for. She knew she didn't have it.

[color=#746733][b]"We haven't been seeing you, Umbri,"[/b][/color] the leader remarked as he loomed over her. He held his gun like it was just an extension of his hand, gently slapping it against her cheek. Her head rolled, eyes low and guilty, but he knocked her around until he had her attention. [color=#746733][b]"No, don't look down. Don't look down. What's been happening, huh?"[/b][/color] Umbri could barely focus on him. Her tongue was dry and void of an answer. [color=#746733][b]"Tch."[/b][/color] He batted her head away. [color=#746733][b]"I forgot dolls can't talk."[/b][/color]

He tossed around with a thin inhale of his cigar, locked eyes with the woman holding Patricia hostage, and gave her a little nod. Patricia was in the midst of pouring from a strainer into a martini glass when the shotgun was removed from her face. But there was no time to be relieved about it as a hand seized her by the hair and SLAMMED her face into the bar. The glass shattered under her and Patricia whipped back up, holding her hands over the damage.

[b]"MMMMMMMMFFFFFUCK?!?!"[/b] She squealed. Blood flooded from under her palms. [b]"MYNOSH! UMBRI, YOU DUMB WHORE! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?! Fuck! [i]Fuck!!"[/i][/b]

[color=#746733][b]"Agh, Canary,"[/b][/color] the leader exasperated, gesturing with his gun Patricia's way, [color=#746733][b]"She spilled my drink. Get on that, please."[/b][/color] Canary stoically lifted the shotgun back at her. 

[b]"Make it again."[/b] Patricia drew her hands from her face, shaky. Heavy bruising was already spreading out from her nose and eyes.

[b]"No. [i]No, [/i]I'm not gonna..."[/b] she started to protest.

[b]"Make it [i]again[/i], bitch."[/b]

Patricia resumed bartending, her nose whistling when she breathed. Her hands were shaking almost too much to do anything and she was fighting back sobs. They could have chosen a nicer hostage, but something about watching them play with her pain and fear for their entertainment... it stung Umbri's eyes.

[color=#A4303F][b]"Ganta, stop it!"[/b][/color] She broke. Frozen in fear as she was, there wasn't a tremble to her voice. The leader turned back to her. She could feel all the violence in the air train on her and threaten to snap like a tightly drawn string. [color=#A4303F][b]"I had to get my Chrome serviced. That's it. You'll have last month's money by the end of the week."[/b][/color]

[color=#746733][b]"And we want to believe you, doll,"[/b][/color] he drawled, [color=#746733][b]"But you've got a bad track record. I'm not feeling a lot of trust here."[/b][/color] The gun trailed from her chin to tap against the left side of her chest. [color=#746733][b]"You've got... some pricy equipment tucked away in there, haven't you?"[/b][/color]

He burrowed the cool metal between her ribs until they groaned. [i]Palms torn open and turned up to the sky. Smeared blood across a face she tried with all her strength to push away --a familiar face-- Desperate beasts, one fighting for survival, the other rampaging for a fix. She screamed and screamed, murder! MOTHER! As SHE tore at her, straddled the chest in a mad frenzy to -[/i]  [color=#746733][b]"It won't cover your interest, but the big guy's about ready to cut his losses."[/b][/color]

[b]"I wouldn't. It's not hers,"[/b] the man in Ganta's shadow murmured. Ganta did a double take.

[color=#746733][b]"Not hers...? Get out. You're still paying off Menagerie?"[/b][/color] Ganta's grin grew unsettlingly wide. He barked with laughter and squeezed her cheeks. [color=#746733][b]"Oh, dollface. You're [i]fucked[/i]."[/b][/color] He whispered. Like she didn't already know. For the last time Umbri had her head knocked back and he was off her. [color=#746733][b]"We're going to be right outside. When you get out tonight, you're going to give us [i]every[/i] piece of clatter you earned in this dive, then we'll figure out this little problem from there. And don't you dare think about giving us the slip."[/b][/color]

He looked over his shoulder from the doorway with an alligator grin. [color=#746733][b]"From my understanding, your [i]sister [/i]isn't Menagerie Tech property, hm? Just... flesh and bone. See you after the show, Marionette."[/b][/color]

He left with a renewed pep in his step, his stoic bodyguards quick to filter out behind him. Patricia collapsed over the untouched drinks she'd made and grabbed onto the bar. [b]"What the hell, Umbri?"[/b] She wept. Umbri looked over at her, her feet still sealed in place. A minute passed before the weight of Jahannam's presence lifted enough that she could walk over to the bar and get Patricia ice.