A Small Problem

Ch. 6 - A Teeny Argument

Cloak and Dagger were not fine.

They were stressed, alone and cramped ... and that human hadn't returned to feed them. Not that they knew what time it was in the semi-dark room.

But they would manage. They had before.

Dagger paced the length of the cage repeatedly, as he fiddled with his cardigan. His steps moved as if with a purpose they did not have. He had been walking for what felt like hours in the dim room. His long legs made short work of the cramped area. Over and over steps had rung out in the small metal room.

"... you should take a seat. all this stressing yourself out isn't going to do any good."

Dagger stopped in front of the bars and gripped them tight. They had been put into adjacent cages.

"LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO LECTURE ME ABOUT STRESS!" He snapped at Cloak.

Cloak had been alternating between grinding his claws to near nubs on the metal floor and vacantly staring at the alternate wall.

"... touché. doesn't mean i'm wrong."

"SIGH ... I - YES. I SUPPOSE THAT IS ACCURATE."

He looked away. Perhaps the stress was getting to him a little. Just a little.

Dagger took a few more moments to glare between the bars at the room beyond. This was clearly meant to be a medical station for bitties. It was well maintained and stocked with necessities. It even looked like it had been used recently.

And yet, now it was being used as a holding cell.

Dagger pulled his hands from the bars and sat down next to Cloak. Well, with his back to the bars separating them that is.

Cloak had begun absently clawing the ground again. The sound was grating, and one of the few things they could hear in the room.

"... we're not getting outta this so easily ... eh, boss."

Dagger scowled at the address, but didn't mention it.

"PERHAPS."

Cloak slammed a fist into the cold ground.

"if only that sansy had fought with us we might have slipped by the human! he said he owed us!"

"AND THEN WHAT?" Dagger pointed out. "THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. EVEN IF WE HAD SOMEHOW MADE IT OUT, THEN WHAT? YOU DO REMEMBER WHAT THE SANSY HAD SAID BEFORE WE WERE PLACED IN HERE RIGHT?"

"... something about holding aces."

"PRECISELY. AND HE CLAIMS TO OWE US. I BELIEVE HE HAS A PLAN TO EXTRACT US FROM OUR PREDICAMENT."

"... how can you just believe the shrimp will come back? he probably bolted it himself with that weird shortcut of his. why else are we even still here?"

"BECAUSE IF I DID NOT BELIEVE IT, THEN SURLY ... WE ARE ALREADY DEAD."

***

Count looked back before entering the tunnel.

Out of the corner of his eye sockets, Count could see Bastard returning to the Factory Fresh display to collect dishes. Probably to put them into a sink and leave for what ever employees that actually do the work right here.

The store was still closed but that wasn't likely going to last long.

He turned and followed as Kid led them into the tunnel. Pocky stayed back at the tunnel entry and sat with his back mostly to the group. He was still close enough to contribute to conversation, but also far enough he could keep an eye out for eavesdroppers.