[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/909715047918497815/1037211200871731300/Umbri_banner6.png[/img]


[img]https://i.imgur.com/4uuThLm.jpg[/img]


Umbri hobbled out of the bathroom with Stake’s help, Temujin home on her back. She dragged her tongue against the roof of her mouth, cringing. The air smelled and tasted like an electrical fire. An afterimage of a dancing woman was burned into her eyes, and she was covered in goosebumps, just like she was on the street back then. 

[color=#A4303F][b]“The train…”[/b][/color] she murmured, feeling the vibrations under her feet, [color=#A4303F][b]“...’s moving again.”[/b][/color]

[color=CD09DC][b]"Yep. Shanks is a miracle worker,"[/b][/color] Stake replied, then patted her shoulder twice. [color=CD09DC][b]“Come on.”[/b][/color]

She turned her blurry gaze up, towards the direction Stake pulled her in, and the sight instantly sobered her.

It was the aftermath of a hamster eating her young. Viscera splattered all over the windows. Not one dry patch to skip across. The wide eyes of passengers stared at them in shell shock, faces absolutely coated in blood. Some stray limbs were left around. No heads. Umbri followed at the back of the man - or the monster - swaggering his way through the carnage he wrought and lowered her eyes. Glowing green webs spread from under her sleeves to the back of her hands. She tugged her sleeves down further.

[color=#A4303F][b]“Was it ok?”[/b][/color]

[color=CD09DC][b]“Hmm?”[/b][/color] He asked, tossing his gaze at her. [color=CD09DC][b]“Yes, I suppose,”[/b][/color] he answered, keeping his voice low. [color=CD09DC][b]“Considering the hiccups, we’ve kept the casualties to the minimum, but…”[/b][/color] He shrugged. [color=CD09DC][b]“I’m not one to settle with ‘okay’.”[/b][/color] He gestured to their surroundings, but pointed at nothing specific. [color=CD09DC][b]“‘Okay’s are not what great heists are made of.” [/b][/color]

Umbri felt Temujin bristle against her back. The slaughter around him had been burned into his memory banks. [color=DC091C][b]“‘Okay’?! Are you daft? This was HORRIBLE!”[/b][/color] Stake shook his head and threw a hand to the air. [color=CD09DC][b]“Hey, we secured the GIFT, I’m keeping it off the street… just as a good Rogue should~”[/b][/color]

Temujin’s eyes lit up. [color=DC091C][b]“WHY, YOU-! You duplicitous, moonlighting, slippery son of a-!” [/b][/color]

[color=#A4303F][b]“I meant my blood,”[/b][/color] Umbri interrupted quietly.

[color=CD09DC][b]“...Ah,”[/b][/color] Stake realised with a tilt of his head. His eyes softened with the wrinkles of his smile. [color=CD09DC][b]“Well, let’s just say ‘Sugar’ suits you well.”[/b][/color] He winked for emphasis. Then turned his attention back ahead. [color=CD09DC][b]“I wouldn’t worry about any side effects, I haven’t been sick since the 60’s.” [/b][/color]

Umbri squinted, trying to do the math. 

Stake opened the carriage doors and they were met with artificial sunlight that wasn’t obscured by red sludge. There was a town approaching in the window from the 'skies'. More of a giant fortress. Iron walls, monster bones, brutal, boxy architecture. It was no shock that this was the bulwark between the Graves and Northbridge that kept the monsters out.

[color=CD09DC][b]“And here we are…,”[/b][/color] Stake announced, tugging at his hood to keep it in place. [color=CD09DC][b]“Shieldtown. Home of the brave, the bold, and the downright reckless. I recommend the kebab in 49th street, it’s to die for.”[/b][/color] He turned away and lowered his voice. [color=CD09DC][b]“Or so I hear.”[/b][/color]

It almost brought Umbri to tears as she placed her hand on the glass, watching the settlement approach them.

She made it.

[img]https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/016/528/373/large/meggie-rock-duskheap-02-a.jpg?1552494155[/img]