Bound Together

II

After a long day of playing his flute in an attempt to earn money on the streets of the Barrel, Wylan slammed the door to his workshop and dropped his supplies onto his work table.

Then jumped as a voice out of nowhere said, "Wylan."

Wylan turned around and saw the brothers, Kaz and Kasper step out of the shadows of his workshop and into the light.

"You're alive." Wylan gasped

"Thanks in part to you." Kaz replied

"Stadwatch are after you." Wylan said simply

"How much phosphorus did you pack into that flash bomb?" Kasper asked eager to get off the topic that was the Stadwatch and how they were after the Crows for false accusations

"The escape option against the Darkling?" Wylan asked. "Did you need it? Was it enough?"

"Nearly." Kaz admitted

Kasper butted in then eager to put the next part of his plan into motion. "I need you to make a new package for me."

"Uh..." Wylan hesitated. "You said that was a one-time thing, not a real step into your world. I was strapped at the time."

Kasper laid both is hands over the crow's head handle of his umbrella, raised an eyebrow and said, "And now?"

"When was the last time you ate?" Kaz followed up reaching for a bottle on the work table

Wylan scrambled to say, "Don't... Don't touch that specific bottle. You'll be itching for days." As he scratched his hand as if he could still feel a phantom itch that had been the result of that bottle.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Lanying slipped through the streets of the Barrel as she collected some supplies she needed for her tailoring kit. In an effort to not get caught, she stuck to the shadows of the alleys as she made her way to the workshop where Kasper had told her to meet them. As she rounded a corner, a light turned on near her and she flinched.

Then a voice spoke, "Hands up, Messenger." The sound of guns cocking immediately followed as five dime lions came out of the shadows

Lanying rolled her eyes "You trying to get rid of a poor, harmless girl?"

The dime lion closest to Lanying scoffed and said, "Nah, you are far from being harmless. Besides, you work at the Menagerie, so you belong to our boss. He gets to kill you if he likes."

"No one owns me. I paid for my freedom in sweat and tears." Lanying argued back her hands still raised above her head. "The question is whether I'm going to take you all down with me tonight if you insist on taking me in. Or whether I'm going to ask the six soldiers for forgiveness after."

The dime lion gave out a short bark of laughter, clutching at his heart in an action of mockery saying, "Oh, my trembling heart."

Lanying smiled, letting a grin come over her face. "Yes, your poor poor trembling hearts."

The men looked confused at her apparently easygoing demeanor in the face of danger with five guns pointed at her.

Without a word, Lanying brought her hands together and the all the men groaned and clutched at their chests, doubling over in pain. Lanying's left hand curled into a fist and jerked back in one motion. The men fell to the cobblestones and never got up again.

Lanying made a show of dusting off her hands and said, "Good Riddance I say. This is why you don't try to take me down."

Of course, there was no response from the five men on the floor as dead men can't talk. Lanying smiled to herself. It was good to use her powers again. The thrill and the rush of power that came with it was exhilarating and one that she had not allowed herself to indulge in for fear of being found out.