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The Fate of the world is in our hands (Max and I)

"I most certainly do not." Henri said defensively before he looked over at a small, broken mirror. He grimaced at the sight, and noticed he had some nasty bed head. And he went out like that! And love muffin? That definitely wasn't a name befitting a man of such stature. "I would, but then I wouldn't be able to check out your fine back end if I did." He whistled playfully, though quickly stepped back. He decided to finish working on his breakfast, chomping into the apple. For Evelynn, he had an unpeeled orange within his other hand, idly tossing it up and down.

He curiously wondered though how Lucia was going to wake up their illustrious leader. So, he watched on, spinning his apple around as he ate. Though the moment, Lucia pulled her hand back, he went wide-eyed. What the bloody hell?! Some wake up call. Though suddenly... Evelynn caught her fist! And like a flash of light, Evelynn had her sword out, and it caught him by surprise. A gasp would have followed, but with apple in his mouth, he just started choking. Some pained coughs left his mouth, but he managed to get some sweet air into his lungs again. "Ah merde. That's no way to go!" Henri said to himself, patting his chest and taking in a deep breath.

"Madame Lucia," He approached her and patted her shoulder. "Reckless, but effective. Madame Evelynn, you slept in. And here I thought you would have left us if we even slept in for a minute too long." Henri stuck his tongue out at her teasingly.
 
Evelynn really wasn't in the mood to deal with either of them. She did get a little bit...worried when she heard Henri choking on his apple. "Christ Henri, chew your food." Lucia grinned at him before finishing up her breakfast....in one bite. Core and all. She didn't give a fuck really, whatever filled her belly. She watched as Evelynn stretched out and then get up. "Anyways, morning sunshine. We should go soon." She told her, though Evelynn made no sound to answer. This only pissed off Lucia. "Umm, hello? Earth to bio-freak! Two people here in front of you! What the hell crawled up your pant leg?"

Truth be told, Evelynn was in a bad mood. She had weird dreams..her body hurt from sleeping on the floor...she was still tired because she felt like she didn't get any rest...and now Lucia was nagging her while Henri teased her. "We're going to go as soon as I pack up everything. Was there anything salvageable here, Henri? Food wise? I'm not sure we should leave here without food. I can hunt, but around these parts there isn't much to really pick from.."
 
Now, if mornings were going to be like this, Henri could honestly say that he might have some entertainment along the way. Ah, but it wouldn't be appropriate to tease the commander in chief further, especially seeing how her attitude was bringing up an attitude with the Demon Hybrid. Ah, these two were a treat. Quite funny. "Food, hm? I already took care of that." He went over to the knapsack that was just tossed upon the surface of the damaged desk. He untied the opening and began rummaging through its contents.

He showed many nonperishable foods, a lot of canned or preserved items. There were even some water skins in there. Quite a handful actually. "I don't know about in here, though. Probably nothing." Why say that? Well, it was quite obvious that all this food was stolen. Especially considering that these items were all packaged, some still in wrappings! Though any reprimands for Evelynn were met with a smug grin. "You can complain about moralities all you want, madame, but the truth of the matter is that on your own, sometimes you have to break a few rules and laws to survive." He tied the knapsack up again and slung it over his shoulder. His eyebrows perked up playfully at Evelynn, as if challenging her to say otherwise. Especially with the fact that money was scarce in these parts. Or anywhere really. "Now, any idea on where we should be heading first?"
 
"Henri.." Evelynn began with a disappointed look. "We can't steal from the people we are trying to save." Well, she couldn't. He had already done it but...she wasn't gong to pretend like it was okay. Lucia scoffed and then strapped her sword to her back.

"Whatever, let's considerate a tribute for our efforts. We need it to save their asses Evelynn." She told her, though it really didn't make Evelynn feel any better. What the hell was with that? She was trying to bring her morals with her? The demons didn't have any morals and neither did most humans who were out for survival. Lucia knew they wouldn't be able to trust anyone because up here, people only looked out for themselves.

"Let's just hurry up and get out of here." Evelynn responded and then started heading out the door, whether or not those two were ready. She was upset but she knew that they didn't have nearly enough money to buy so much food for their group. She couldn't argue with those two.

"Hey! Don't just walk ahead when you're the one who's going to get targeted!" Lucia called out after her.
 
Henri: One. Evelynn? ZERO! He simply wore the biggest grin and shrugged lightly at her words. But there was no point in continuing the argument. He'd just be doing it for the sake of argument really, because he knew that Evelynn knew that while she didn't want them to end up stealing from people, they had no choice in the matter. Henri, honestly, was just looking out for all of them. He didn't rob the people blind, though. He had some sense of humanity left in him, even if he was the head of the Thieves' Guild.

Evelynn then just went running out the door, Henri clicking his tongue as he walked past Lucia and playfully spanked her rump. "Dépèche toi, Madame Lucia. The day is fading away, we need to hurry up!" He snickered and quickly jogged to catch up with the bio-soldier. Didn't like getting ganged up on, huh? Henri found her frustration a little adorable, and when he caught up to her, he walked beside her nonchalantly, smiling innocently at her. "Don't be like that, mon capitaine! How about this? When the world is all saved and everything, I promise I'll return that I've ever stolen in my entire life. I've got a list, really. I like to keep up with my achievements." Henri winked at her, straightening his shirt a bit.

"Still though, we do need to know where we're going. Perhaps we should head to the... I think it's the Eastern Human Settlement?" Henri spoke, completely unaware of how much of a bad idea that truly would be.
 
Henri would feel a flick on the back of the head, and it didn't come from Evelynn. "Fuck no. I'm not going back to that fucking garbage can. So they can kill me? Nah. If Evelynn goes back, she'll definitely be executed, too." Lucia said as they made their way towards the gates of the Metro. Evelynn was keeping constant surveillance around them, making sure no one was staring at them too long. "In fact, we should just go west. Ever here that legend? Journey to the west? That's we're the demon king supposedly lives. But I'd just be happy going west because it's opposite of the people who probably want us dead."

"...Sounds good to me." Evelynn said with a shrug. "Lucia is right. If we got there, we'd just end up getting captured. Hell, they might send someone after us really. Even if that's the place where we didn't come from, they wouldn't help us. Why did you suggest that, Henri?" She asked as she turned to him. Did he not know how human settlements worked? Or maybe others worked a bit different than the one she was stationed at? She doubted it. Humans were selfish sometimes and rarely ever helped each other in these times.
 
And now Henri was on the receiving end of two women, and definitely not in the most enjoyable way possible. "Hey, ow." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head a little as he watched Lucia finally join up with them. The gates of Metro were raised up high, though the guards at the gates were monitoring any and all people that went in and out. There was even a priest of some kind with some sort of staff in hand, chanting something in Latin. Perhaps he could sense demons or something? Henri didn't know. And he sure didn't know that they shouldn't be heading to the Eastern Human Settlement. The man was just throwing ideas out.

"West then? Ah, all right. And hey, I was just throwing it out there." Henri shot back as they slipped out of the gate, right into the Devil's Maw. Up above, the sky had long since lost its blue color. However today, the skies were at least clear of thunderstorms, albeit filled with foggy clouds. There was sunlight, but it barely fazed through. "And, obviously, you don't know that you have the illustrious Vagabond. I'm well gifted for my tongue." He gave a naughty glint at Evelynn. "I'm very skilled with my tongue, Madame Evelynn. I will have you know." The man just laughed and continued on. "I'm sure no matter the situation, I can get us into or out of somewhere or something."

Reaching into the knapsacks, he tossed a water skin to both Evelynn and Lucia. The man took a swig of his own, sighing gently as he rubbed his eyes. Damn, he could use a nap. But being out here, he couldn't let his guard down for a second. "So, we're heading west, but there really isn't any certainty that we're going to find somewhere hospitable, is there? We're just... going west?" Henri asked, looking between the two. He honestly didn't travel out of the Metro. He could just steal whatever he needed for merchants who came from other settlements.
 
"There is a western settlement, but I'd be lying if I said I knew exactly where it is. What we should really be looking for are other places like the Metro, though. Churches..." Evelynn said thoughtfully as they walked. That was...really the only thing she could think of at this point. She wished she had another sign but...They didn't have much to go off except for an old Chinese legend and their own agenda..which was being as far away from EHS as possible. She could only wonder how displeased they were when they found out one of their best officers and an unstable Hybrid were gone.

"The only hospitality we'll find for miles is demon hospitality. Especially since both of you smell so good. Henri especially. He doesn't have the machine smell like you do, Evelynn." Lucia laughed a bit, though the bio soldier didn't seemed to be amused. She just kept walking on, wondering if taking Lucia was suddenly the best of ideas. But...she knew she was just being cranky. Even she had to get used to not living in "luxury" now that they would be spending their life on the road in a dangerous world.

"Is that how I really smell to you?" Evelynn asked as she watched the birds in the sky. They were large...had about four eyes...most of the animals on earth were mutated thanks to the pugnant evil aura that was constant on the surface. Though surprisingly most were still edible. Just meaner...and freakier looking.

"Yeah. Demons already know you're not normal because they smell the same thing. You smell artificial but still have your human scent. I don't know how to explain it."
 
A western settlement actually existed out here? He didn't know of one, but perhaps it made sense. Metro did have some western merchants, and it probably wouldn't be that too far of a journey to make it there if some weak, pathetic merchants were making it. Granted, they were just on foot. Some mutated, pack mules or something like that were often seen with these merchants, so maybe that's how they made the trip a little faster. Henri sighed at the thought of a long journey on foot.

"Churches? That's exactly what we need, God." Henri mused as he blocked his face from dirt and sand that kicked up. It was then that Lucia mentioned about demons, and that he would be the prime target. His eyes fared over to the Demon Hybrid. "I smell good, hm? I'm unsure if I should take that as a compliment, considering that the things smelling me won't exactly be friendly." He retorted back. Humans? Yeah, he could deal with them. Demons? Well, those orcs last night were pretty damn tough...

Evelynn would get a funny little surprise as Henri slid an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her against him, sniffing her hair deeply. "Mmmmmmmn..." He held it for dramatic effect. "You smell like... the floor of my shop. Because you were sleeping on it through the night."
 
Evelynn didn't understand why Henri had pulled her against him, but the minute he started sniffing her hair she felt a blush come across her cheeks. Hearing his words though, she growled and pushed him hard with more force than she actually meant to, sending him straight to the ground. Lucia looked down at Henri and then started cracking up. "Buahahaha! You should be more careful, Henri!" She taunted, recalling earlier where he had told her to be careful around Evelynn. Though she went over and pulled him up to his feet without much effort. "Come on, we don't have time to just lay around and do nothing!"

Evelynn did feel bad for pushing him like that, but she didn't exactly find him cute. She smelled like a floor of a shop...well whatever. She wasn't going to smell like roses during this trip. Ugh, but it still bothered her. She just felt self conscious now. Uncomfortable. "Anyways, if this thing was in a church, maybe it has some connection with God. If it was evil, why would it be in a church, in the hands of humans?" Lucia pulled out the gun as if studying some of the details. She was really racking her head trying to figure out why they wanted it.

"Why don't you just fucking shoot the gun and see if it has any powers? Looks old as fuck but if it's so damn special it would be powerful right?" Lucia asked. The blonde woman glanced at her and trailed off. Simple, but probably the best thing to do with it.
 
Henri's face immediately kissed the dirt as he stumbled into the ground, spitting out dead soil and god knows what else these demons tainted the ground with. He could hear Lucia's cackle, glaring over at her before he gave a sound of surprise as she easily lifted him up. Henri was still not used to something like that, and he wasn't sure if it was comforting to know that her strength alone could protect them, or if he should feel a bit ashamed of his own strength. Whatever, they both had some sort of modifications.

"Tough crowd, it would appear." Henri mused a bit, gazing to the back of Eveylnn's head before he rolled his eyes. Temper. He really supposed he should have seen something along those lines coming. Either way, back on track, they quickly shifted the topic back on to what exactly they were searching for. Or, perhaps, the item that started this mess to begin with. "Call it a wild guess, but I'm assuming this isn't evil. Come now." Henri took the revolver and immediately pointed to a phrase written along the chamber. However, it was a dead language: Latin.

He then looked over to Lucia, appalled at her suggestion and pulled the weapon to his chest. "Oh no, do you know how much the value of this thing will go down? Okay, fine, we don't sell it now. But later...!"
 
It was Lucia's turn to glare at Henri now. "Sell it? Is money all you think about? Ugh..." She started walking ahead. "A gun is a gun and soon she'll need to use it. I think Evelynn would look bad ass with two guns. She can kill more people instantly."

"Not how it works. Those instant skills require a focus and quickness that I cannot properly exercise with two firearms." Evelynn quickly explained. Her skills weren't magic, it took intense focus and training to be as good as she was. Lucia groaned and then started mumbling something about dying from boredom before they even got to their first fight.

And it honestly didn't take so long...they were walking for about...an hour or two. The first one to notice was Lucia, as her nostrils flared as she looked up to the air. Something..as large as a goddamn aircraft was flying about lazily in the sky. That something would kill them instantly if it noticed them. Evelynn grabbed Henri by the arm and immediately tried finding cover or some way to just...not be so obviously open but Lucia stopped her.

"It already smells us. Just stay in this spot and hopefully it won't just come down and obliterate us." She whispered to them both. That flying behemoth...it was definitely not anything close to being human but...it didn't seem to be a demon either. Rather, it didn't feel like a demon because it wasn't giving out that evil presence they gave off. It continued on it's way, and she let off a soft sigh. "Well, hopefully if we see one of those again, it won't give a fuck and leave us alone."

"It was a Sky Surfer. They're not usually interested in tormenting humans." Evelynn knew much about demon lore, and after she got a better look at it, she had relaxed. There were other behemoth demons out there that actually WERE hostile, however. Ugh, she had forgotten how dangerous it was out here, because she had no idea how they'd deal with anything that big.
 
Yes, he would sell the thing for money. First off, the thing looked like it belonged in a museum, and that meant it was an antique. Antiques meant high price to collectors, and to Henri, that meant big bucks. It was hard to just stop thinking with this mentality, especially when that's the kind of thought process that kept him alive and kicking. It fed him. Kept him hydrated with water. Gave him a roof and then a hideout. Ultimately, it supplied sustenance to those he had as close to a family as he could get. Now, he had to use those skills for Evelynn and Lucia. Somehow, some way.

For the moment, Henri had begun tuning everything out, mainly because of boredom like Lucia. The rays of sunlight that could cut through the thick film of clouds shined down upon them, and he was starting to just toss out his legs in front of the other. So it wasn't shocking to hear Henri suddenly gasp out as Lucia tugged him over, landing face first into her bosom.

He recovered quickly, gazing up at the Sky Surfer as Eveylnn described. It was huge! Henri was new to this world outside the Metro. God, 10 years there? Is that how long he had been there? So long that he forgot some nights that demons existed out in the world. And he was reminded once more that he was food out here. The bottom of the food chain. "Huh, but even so, we have to worry about wildlife, huh?" Even if the Sky Surfer wasn't always looking for a human snack, other creatures within the Devil's Maw would be just hunting to survive. They could eat anything in this barren wasteland, and it would probably be a large meal if those three were on the menu.

Henri sighed and stepped out as he gazed around. The wind was starting to pick up, and he thought he heard some noises. "... I don't think we're the only humans along this path." There were the sounds of human voices, very faint and hard to determine in the distance. Possibly near a cavern. "Raiders? Nomads?"
 
"Whoever they are, fuck 'em." Lucia said passively as she watched the giant monster for a little longer. Humans weren't always a good thing. She didn't really trust anything out here, even their own kind. Survival of the fittest. Trusting other people was a good way to get you killed or stolen from. Sometimes both! Honestly though, she did catch the scent of human in the air. Henri was right, and he also had a keen sense of hearing since they were a little ways away. She looked at Evelynn, who didn't seem to much care about the current situation at hand. "Hey Goldilocks, Henri is right. There are people up ahead of us. What do you want to do?" She asked rather loudly, not caring if she was heard or not.

For a moment Evelynn didn't respond. On one hand, they might know what's west from here and they might be able to help them out. On the other, it might not be wise to risk them attempting to pick a fight. Her and Lucia could probably easily defeat them, if they were just regular humans anyway. However, it was a waste of strength and stamina. "I agree with you," Evelynn began with a shrug, her eyes straight on the path as they continued walking. "Except, if they do approach us even if we attempt to leave them alone, and their friendly...we might as well talk to them. They might know something about where we're going, or maybe another place where humans gather in defense." She added as she rested her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Lame. What would we do with that information, huh? What if it's a trap, and they just want to rob us blind? Let's just ignore the fuck out of them!" Lucia pressed, but would only be answered with the shake of Evelynn's head. Ugh, who died and made this woman leader? Her intentions were good, but fuck all if she knew how to keep a mission like this engaging and exciting. Then again, Lucia was just trying to be "better safe than sorry" at this point. "Whatever, if they try to swindle us they're getting a punch to the face. And I punch hard." Lucia said with a shrug while she watched the back of Evelynn's head.

"Some humans are bad, but some are good. I'll hold my opinions until we see them. We might just walk passed them with absolutely no problems." Her voice was lower now that they were getting closer. Evelynn was a bit curious to see other humans outside of the settlement and Metro.
 
Well, hopefully not literally, the man jokingly thought. Still, it was generally a good state of mind to have when traveling out in the Maw. There really wasn't a band of people one could trust without having lived with them from the beginning. Some were okay, but very uncertain of newcomers. Sometimes it even took months on end just to gain a group's trust, and even then, one could still feel like the black sheep of that makeshift family. But, these somewhat welcoming nomad tribes were far and few. For when the world goes to hell, it brings out the worst in human beings. So the real threat? Maw Raiders. Bandits and thugs who instead of helping their fellow man take it upon themselves to rape, steal, and murder for their own gain. It was impossible to tell right now though, if this group off in the distance was friend or foe.

Henri looked over between the two, hearing their disagreements. And for the first time today, Henri agreed with Evelynn. He was skilled with dealing with unsavory folks, so this seemed less of a danger to him. Both women were very strong, and they could take care of themselves. Even if they were outnumbered, it wouldn't matter. Their prowess could deal with a small number disadvantage. Besides, it didn't sound like a huge size difference between the trio and this group. As they drew closer towards the source, Henri could hear perhaps... five voices? That's assuming all the inhabitants of this area were all speaking. What if there were some that simply sat idly by. Or perhaps those that might have gone out into this wasteland in search of something? Henri could only hope for the best as he sighed gently.

"All humans aren't trustworthy, good or bad." Henri told the two, gazing over into the small cave that the voices were coming from. He didn't see anything yet. "At least, not at first. It's easy to fake being good. I should know. I've learned the art quite well when it was needed." He admitted. The Vagabond was a master thief, con artist, charlatan, every name in the dictionary to describe his profession and trade. He wouldn't lie to them about that. "That might make you question me, however, I'm telling you this now because I'm not the only one that's been in the craft." Henri pause as they drew closer and closer. "... Nor am I the very best."

Upon getting close enough, they could discern the voices much clearer now. By the cave entrance, the wind appeared to have died down some. Two voices sounded female, one a bit older. The rest were three middle-aged men. There seemed to be a fire within the cave, perhaps their man-made source of light and heat. Henri pressed against the outer mouth of the cave and gently peered within, making sure to give himself the least amount of visual on his own person. He could confirm the five individuals, but unfortunately another two men and another women who leaned up against the stone wall. "They look... nomad. Ish." Henri began, eyeing their forms to see if he could pick up anything else. "They're armed, though lightly. Any nomad could have some teeth to bite with. The same could be said for a raider."

Peeling back to look at both Evelynn and Lucia, he sighed. "It looks like they're eating. Couldn't tell what they were talking about, seemed we caught them later in their conversation." He then focused upon Eveynn, crossing his arms. "Shall we just walk right in, Madame Evelynn?"
 
Evelynn wasn't exactly sure if Henri had understood what she was trying to say. She was more than content to walk right passed these people. She sighed softly and then shook her head, content to move forward. That was, until she heard the sound of something..rushing towards her. She darted out of the way, feeling an intense heat frying at her hair. What was that?! She looked up and saw a woman with long, silver colored hair, and vicious looking eyes. She was laughing as she looked down at the three. "They told me to stand guard in case visitors showed. Get in the cave or I'll fry you.." She told them, not moving from her higher vantage point.

"What the? Who the fuck are you, bitch!" Lucia shouted as she moved forward, though that only made the violet eyed woman start casting another fireball. She smelled human to Lucia, but there was something fishy. After all, humans couldn't cast magic so...how the hell was she doing that?!

"Ain't gonna tell you again," The woman said as she stared at the three, as if sizing up her targets to see which one should be taken out first if they rejected her command. They all looked pretty well fed and had some nice weapons...she was sure that they had some valuable stuff on them that her group could be able to use. "Get the fuck in the cave, or I'll burn all of you to a smoking crisp. I betcha you never saw a human be able to cast magic like this, huh? Well if you don't want to be caught in it, then you better do what I say!"

"You're using a demonic artifact, and are obviously falling pray to the corruption of the item." Evelynn said with a bored expression. The woman immediately blinked and then the fire disappeared..staring at Evelynn with a completely disoriented expression.

"W-what? How did you.."

"I would get rid of it. Soon you will lose yourself to the madness if you keep using it.. We just want to be on our way, but I'm sure the people inside have already heard our brief exchange. I will warn you and them, that you're going to pick a fight with a demon hybrid and a bio soldier. If you don't heed my warning, then we will both use necessary force to stop you."
 
Henri had turned in time to watch a fireball nearly clean off Evelyn's head. He was ready to shout out her name, but she moved just in time. Though it was a frightening display as the fireball exploded upon impact near the rocky surface of the cave's exterior wall, embers licking out to touch anything foolish enough to be nearby. "Evelynn, are you okay?!" He called out, though felt interrupted the moment that a maniacal voice cackled and stared down at the three of them. It was some deranged woman with pure malice in her eyes, and apparently, with the ability to conjure fireballs. That was new to him, though he had heard stories about some humans possessing the ability to do so. He didn't think it was some natural born talent, perhaps something else entirely. It had to be. For now though, he drew out a throwing knife and was prepared to fight. Though, he could hear surprised voices inside the cave. This didn't bode well...

A demonic artifact? That was curious. How the hell did she come by that? Better yet, how much did that fetch on the black market? Henri quickly shook his head. Now was not that time for that! "Evelynn," He whispered, keeping an eye on their demon artifact wielding foe. "We're probably outnumbered two to one, and they're already grabbing weapons. We should just make a run for it, we can outrun her easy." The man explained, but by that point, it was too late. A male's voice shouted out, pointing a blade to Lucy. Another four came from the cave, totaling exactly as Henri presumed. They could deal with trash like this, but he didn't feel comfortable taking his eyes off that human magic user for now.

But he had to act quick as he heard approaching footsteps from the mouth of the cave. Spinning on his heels, the Vagabond chucked a throwing knife that went through the skull of his assailant, another man with a short sword that intended to skewer Henri into next week. He fell in an instant, his sword flying out from his hand and landing at Henri's feet. He kicked it up into his hands and held it at the ready, seeing the remaining four starting to spread out and keep their distance, weapons poised and at the ready themselves. "Well, we could have ran." Henri muttered softly. "Told you we should have walked along." Oh, and he had jokes now. How funny. And the smug bastard even chuckled at his own jokes!

"Were these thieves trying to get the jump on us?! You three ain't leavin' now. We could have done it nice and easy. Now we'll just kill you and take your stuff without being all diplomatic!" Came the shout from one of the other remaining cave dwellers, jabbing a spear in their direction to accent his point. "You got any last words? Or should I make this as painful as possible?!"
 
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