Behind The Mask

Chapter 24: Remains

A/N: There's a moderately graphic description of a body in this chapter. It's not too bad and I've written a lot worse (to be specific, it's no worse than anything I've written in Cycles, Polygones or A Third Of Love, if you've read those stories), but I thought it was enough to warrant a small warning if you're really adverse to that kind of thing.

"This has got to be the most pointless mission I've ever gone on. And that's saying a lot." sighs the Colonel.

And I'm in complete agreement with her. It definitely seems like a massive waste of time. Nevertheless... Master Porky has asked us to do this, and so we must.

I find it hard to believe that I'm already going on my next mission, less than a day after the first one ended, but... here I am.

The destruction of Thunder Tower was... eventful, to say the least. The loss of such a valuable property and those imposters... the boy, who have all presumably died. And not in the least because of what to happened to Fassad.

When we returned to New Pork yesterday, I dismissed everyone and then personally informed Master Porky of what happened during the mission... I was scared that he might be displeased with us.

But oddly enough... he seemed perfectly content. He didn't seem to mind the loss of Thunder Tower and seemed happier that we'd managed to kill four of our enemies.

"Good work, Pokey! You did pretty good."

"I did?"

"Yeah! Four brats dead! Nice! I'm just imagining their stupid little faces as they went plummeting through the clouds, flailing and screaming 'Help me, help me!' Ahhh... I wish I could have seen it.

"But... we did lose the Thunder Tower as well as the Egg. I apologise for this."

"Eh, I had enough fun with that tower. Those idiot villagers have gotten the message now. And who cares about some dinky old egg?"

"But... wasn't that the purpose of the entire mission?"

"Yeah, but it's no skin off my back not having it, you know? Really, I just wanted it so those idiots didn't have it. And they've taken that egg... right to their graves! HA! It's so funny I can't stop laughing! AHAHAHA!"

"I'm sorry, my Lord, but... I still don't understand. I thought the Egg was important."

"Yes and no. It had some important information in it, but Fassad already knew it, so I'm not really bothered."

"Ah... I have some... bad news about Fassad."

"Oh? What?"

"He's... dead."

I remember that was the first time Master Porky actually looked serious, concerned over something that happened, and his voice reflected that.

"What? What happened?"

"He... he fell off of Thunder Tower... while it was collapsing."

"Oh, is that all? HAHAHA! You almost had me worried there! He'll be just fine. He's probably just under all that rubble now. Do me a favour — tomorrow, I want you to go and pick him up."

"But... surely, he would be dead?"

"Trust me. He's still alive. Mind you, he probably won't be in too good a shape, but he's still alive, and I still need him."