Defending through time-A TDS x HOURS Fanbook

CHAPTER 3

Sledger nodded his head.

Ducking behind a tree, Toxic Gunner could see two humanoid figures walking side by side. One was clearly somewhat annoyed. The other seemed extremely happy. They didn't seem like a threat, although Toxic Gunner knew that even the least sinister-looking creatures can be the most dangerous. Dashing from tree to tree, Toxic Gunner observed, but as he ran to one tree, he stepped on a branch.
The figures heard, and turned toward the site of the sound. The red humanoid began to hold its ukulele like a bat, whilst the turquoise humanoid's fists began to glow. 

'shitshitshitshitshit-'

Toxic Gunner slowly removed his gun from its holster and took a breath in. 'I bet I can take these guys.' He thought. Just then, both the figures walked up to one of the trees, and began to talk. 

"Was it this one it came from?"

The red humanoid shrugged, and then slammed his ukulele into the tree, severing it and making the top half fall.

"Nope. Must be elsewhere."

Behind his visor, Toxic Gunner's eyes widened. 

'That tree must have been at least a foot wide and thick. There's no possible way that that guy just snapped it with a musical instrument. I should get out of here.'

As Toxic Gunner began to quietly walk away, he saw the red figure hold a pendant on its neck before crushing it, and proceeding to softly say

"Iris."

Thinking nothing of it, Toxic Gunner turned back around before noticing the exact path he was thinking of taking outlined in bright red with the shape of his body running away. As it dissapeared, he realized that both of the figures were now staring directly at the tree he was standing behind.

"It's this one."

Sweating bullets, Toxic Gunner heard the red figure clear its throat before speaking.

"Hello! If you're a sentient being, we don't want to hurt yo-"

Before the humanoid even finished speaking, Toxic Gunner had already began to run away.

The turquoise being quickly tore off its pendant, smashed it on the ground, and screeched
"DIVE!"

Instantly, Toxic Gunner's movement slowed down and he heard what sounded like a clock ticking. He was quickly unable to move or even turn his head. 

"Hey-ho, what do we have here?"

Toxic Gunner could hear the turquoise one approaching from behind him, and the red one sighing. Toxic Gunner decided to speak first.

"Who are you?"

"I could ask the same thing of you."

The red one scoffed before beginning to talk.

"Just tell him, Parting! You're hurt, we're tired, and I bet that he knows some stuff to help. I'd roll my eyes if I could."

"Shut up, Witness."

Time started up again, and Parting kicked Toxic Gunner to the floor.

"Alrighty, pal, you're going to-"

As Parting was speaking, Toxic Gunner suddenly heard the sound of a heavy metal object colliding with a humanoid's skull as Sledger clocked Parting in the back of the head with his sledgehammer. Parting fell to the ground, unconscious.

Toxic Gunner heard Witness speak as he walked over to him and Sledger. "Ouch. That must've hurt."
Toxic Gunner took a deep breath in as he was thinking of what to do next.

"Ok. What the HELL is going on?"

Both Sledger and Witness shrugged.

***

In a forested area next to a small creek, a yellow humanoid collapsed from seemingly nowhere. The katana they were holding had a crack straight through the middle, and their body was covered in deep cuts. They fell onto their side, and rolled over onto their back. They slowly took a pendant off their neck, snapped it in two, and mumbled

"r..Ra..Rail.."

In a forested area next to a small creek, a yellow humanoid collapsed from seemingly nowhere. The katana they were holding had a crack straight through the middle, and their body was covered in deep cuts. They fell onto their side, and rolled over onto their back.

As they laid there, an identical copy of themselves walked out of the forested area, free of any sort of wound. They walked over to their wounded counterpart, removed their katana from its sheath, and put them out of their misery.
As they looked into the sky, they attempted to figure out where they were.

/author's note: finally, its done. time to work on chapter 4./

word count: 1100 words