Nervous?
No, Red Velvet was not nervous one bit. As his boots echoed through the pristine castle's halls, he kept his back straight with nothing but pride. He had not been addressed by Dark Enchantress in quite some time. He could just smell the upcoming mission, the taste tantalizing on his tongue.
In truth, he was a little excited. His thoughts, however, would be cut short; leading the way with smooth and elegant strides, Pomegranate halted before the throne room. It was often unoccupied; even Dark Enchantress herself didn't care too much for it when she was not addressing those below her. A vast room where she could be the center.. it was perfect. No one had a single objection.
When Red Velvet stopped behind her, she pushed the heavy wooden doors apart and open. They were met with familiar stained glass windows and elegant tapestries. The castle they now inhabited once belonged to a kingdom long abandoned; it had collapsed before the rise of the Ancient Heroes. The castle was all that was preserved, destroyed homes outside overgrown with moss. Everything was connected; the castle erased from history, the tower She sought to guard. By the will of fate and those who shed their blood before they stepped foot on this Earth, Dark Enchantress had each and every tool needed.
She did not sit on the throne today. Instead, as Red Velvet laid eyes on her, he met nothing but her back. Elegant as divine marble, Dark Enchantress had not changed one bit. Her hand, thin and wrinkled, rested on the stained glass panels that warmed the room.
Even with her back to them, when she could not see them doing such, Pomegranate and Red Velvet dropped to one knee. They would not dare to raise their heads to get a better look without being addressed.
"My lady," Pomegranate began, thick voice echoing from dark wood. She spoke with inhuman respect. Red Velvet was unaware as to what she traded it for; in the few and far between times he had worked alongside her, their conversations were professional and hollow. "You have requested us?"
"And you have arrived promptly." Her voice, like the most comforting of branding on skin, sent shivers down his spine. Red Velvet hadn't seen her in weeks; the last he'd heard from her (save from awkwardly offering her chocolates for Mother's Day), he'd been dismissed to do nothing but train his hounds. The excitement of new blood..? He flexed the fingers on his claw in anticipation. "Pomegranate.. And Red Velvet. As per usual, you have come to me without any incident." The praise froze him.
"...So," Dark Enchantress continued, heels clicking on floors older than her. "I have something to ask of you. Will you listen?"
"Yes," a haunting unison sounded.
"Good." The contract had been sealed again, the guiding flame burned out. A proud smile formed on her face, but neither of them would see. She did not instruct them to rise. They knew these were not communal grounds; like fish, they were to bubble about as she pleased.
Behind the stained glass, the sun did not falter. Neither did Dark Enchantress, her ever-lasting beauty truly haunting. She was nothing but a snake, but not to the two who would kneel for her eternally. In thinking such, Red Velvet reminded himself of the promise he'd made all that time ago. Ever-so-small and afraid, weighed down by new life, he swore his all to her. Anything she required, anything at all , he would strive for. It had never struggled, never hesitated. Trembling flowers of teeth and viscera, he would forever hold their thorns.
He sure as hell wouldn't back away now.
"This mission.. I believe it will be quick work for the two of you. You may stand." Without a hint of hesitation, they straightened. "There is a small subdivision of the center kingdom's army that has been subdued by Licorice and Dark Choco."
"An army?" Pomegranate politely clasped her hands in front of her lap. Her expression did not change even the tiniest bit, thick eyelashes fluttering.
"Indeed." With the poise of a former military general, Dark Enchantress took a seat in her throne. She crossed her legs, eyes never leaving them. "They were transporting something. Of course.. We cannot allow such vermin to intrude upon our land. If we are discovered... oh dear, that would be tragic."
"What were they moving?" Red Velvet asked, internally wincing at such rude timing. Dark Enchantress, however, did not seem to mind; her face hardly changed at all. In truth, in times like this..
Yes, perhaps it was best that he and Pomegranate were the only people present. They were the only people to wait their turn, to remain respectful and never fail. In their presence, Dark Enchantress would not hide the way she furrowed her eyebrows, the displeasure on her face. At times, they honored a casual goddess.
"That is.. unknown. One of them escaped." She sat up straight and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Licorice and Dark Choco are not the best choices for hunting. They fled with their treasure. If it is something so important they'd leave their colleagues, then perhaps.. It could be of use."
"Could they be back at the center kingdom, already? Will they not come back with reinforcements? If Licorice and Dark Choco are still around, then they'd have a festival." Pomegranate did not sound fearful for the upcoming future. Perhaps that was why she had been chosen alongside him. Red Velvet felt his heart race, a smile curving onto his lips. He tried to smother it.
"They have been injured. They are not getting anywhere. Take our prize, my darlings."
Injured?
The words were like thin blades of ice. Yes, of course; it was like a rabbit was attempting to outrun a pack of wolves. Of course they had to subdue the escapee. The fingers of his claw flexed once more, longing to crush a ribcage. His attention had absolutely been caught. Like a switch had been flipped in his head, his eyes were locked on prey that died in the back of his mind.
"Leave me," Dark Enchantress commanded. The smile curving on her thin lips told all. "You are dismissed to prepare and depart. Do not disappoint me."
Red Velvet could feel the fangs poking out from his own smile. With a loving bow, he led the way. Finally... He'd craved something such as this. Pomegranate kept up behind him, letting her sleeves fall. She did not have to hide when his eyes were not on her, no.
Dark Enchantress, all alone, rose from her throne. She returned to the stained glass she admired so much, eyes tracing the curves and waves inside of the vivid panes. She ran her fingertips across the edge of the orange shard she was fixated on, light dust caking between the ridges.
Her choice had been unique, but she was well aware. Such strength and magic prowess was necessary to pursue such a potential threat. What set them apart from Dark Choco and Licorice, however, was not only poise and heart-rending loyal vows.
Pomegranate and Red Velvet loved to play with their food.
- x-x -
Red Velvet did not need to command the hounds that endlessly searched the forest. They did not have time to search for fabric. No, not at all; slicing his pinky on the side of his sawblade, he got them accustomed to the scent of blood. He did not so much as flinch at the injury, flicking the beads of blood from his hand as if they were nothing more than an inconvenience.
"Perhaps we should have stopped to find Licorice and Dark Choco?" Pomegranate pondered, but the question was not venomous. "They could provide a description."
"No time. Have you ever searched for someone, Pomegranate?" Red Velvet followed the pack of dogs, a haunting and soul-crushing arrogance to his voice.
"Of course I have. Do you take me for a fool?"
"Not quite. If anything.. I believe you are spoiled."
"Excuse me?"
"You always know who and what you are looking for. This is not one of those times. We do not have time for the who. We'll find it."
"If you believe so." Pomegranate slinked behind him, lightly grasping at the edges of her sleeves. "If you are made out to be a fool, it's going to be your head."
"I'll be smiling as She kills me. I'm sure you would be, too." He was interrupted by the furthest hound freezing up, following what looked like a trail. "Oh? Do you have something, Plissé?"
Pomegranate had never seen such a unique approach before. Silence echoed through the forest, the odd group following behind. She was not a fan of dogs, but there was room to admit that they could be very useful. She could not see any blood around; it was likely that it had already been obscured by all of the grass. They would have missed it.
Following along the trail as it was constructed, Red Velvet held onto his saw. They stayed dead silent. Taking slow and deep breaths, Pomegranate angled her chin upwards to muffle the noise.
Break.
Like it was breaking through the air, one loud bark turned into several. The three dogs Red Velvet had brought bolted; he followed suit, Pomegranate right behind them. Animals around the entire area fled, their terror forming a beautiful symphony. Such was the beauty of the animal kingdom, Red Velvet believed. Carnivorous creatures had overflown, and oh how they craved their prey.
The trees grew thicker as they went further in. The sunlight above began to filter through all of the leaves, the soft light kindly ignoring the depth of their pursuit. The smell of blood finally, finally hit them. It was grotesque, so offensive it nearly made them lightheaded. It was stronger than Red Velvet had initially believed it would be.
Through the thicket of trees, they'd found him. The smell of coffee , the miasma of blood.. It was migraine inducing.
Trembling and growing paler by the second, it had turned out they were pursuing a rather tall man. He was no older than forty, the only wrinkles on his dark skin being beneath his eyes. His glasses cracked and his curved cape hardly attached, it was very clear he fought for the book he clutched to his heaving chest. Everything about him was shattered down to the frazzled curls in his hair. Red Velvet commanded his dogs to cease, the obedient canines freezing at once.
"So it's a book?" Pomegranate asked, her light mannerisms pristine as she slowly wandered to the other side of him. "You are the one who fled, all for someone's diary?"
"Stop this," the broken man tried to command. Blending in with his skin was bulging, prominent rashing. The closer they looked, the most clear it was. Pomegranate closed in behind him, not making a move quite yet. She was unafraid of retaliation, not with the queen's lapdog before her.
"Mm.. Is this a curse?" Her voice trailed on. "You are going to die very, very soon if you do not find someone to help you."
"That isn't true," he'd spat out. He maintained his pride. Everything about him from his thin hands to the neatness of his tie spelled out that he was a man of importance. Red Velvet kept his guard up. "That— your.. The one with the cape.. He's not strong enough to kill. I won't die. Your tactics are.. weak..."
"You will from the wound on your side," Red Velvet piped up. His voice was hollow: he did not put even the slightest effort into demanding fear when he knew he did not have to. The stranger before them was soaked with blood, a very clear victim of Dark Choco's blade. He did not know if he was lucky or not in comparison to the weapon Red Velvet held.
"So.. be it." Through gritted teeth, it seemed the dying mage was hellbent on protecting the book he clutched. "You can pry this from my.. cold.. dead.."
"That's enough. Would you like to live through this day?" Pomegranate asked, her vein-ripping eyes coming to examine him. "Murder is not our style. Perhaps, if you provide a collateral.. I could heal you right now. We could forget this happened. Otherwise, you'll bleed out and die."
Fighting to keep his eyes open, the moth caught within their webs began to process his surroundings. There was an opening between the red blurs he could hardly make out, but it was nothing but scraps dangled before a starving fool. There was no escape. He could not run, not when his stomach was churning so badly. Even if he could... the dogs he'd heard would rip him to shreds.
Red Velvet knew determination when he saw it. He heard their captive's breathing grow heavy, his hands on the unknown book shaking even more. He gripped his weapon, ready to move at a second's notice.
"You are very far from the center kingdom," Red Velvet warned. "Do not forget that. No one can save you but us."
BANG!
It happened so quickly, he nearly flinched. He half expected to see anything, really— Pomegranate's head blown wide open, his hounds ripped apart, anything. Instead, he made out Pomegranate knocking the pathetic mage down. The burst of magic he'd attempted to fire right at him was shot into the sky, the disembodied leaves of the trees above them raining down. It was very clear he was not getting back up. It was a lucky bet on his end; the noise was so loud, it was clear he would have done some damage to him or his cake hounds.
She ripped the book from his hands. He offered no resistance from his spot on the ground, unable to argue. She would be pleased.
"Figure out what to do with him. There's a spell on this. I'll get it off." Pomegranate examined the hard cover of the book, completely unbothered. "He's on his way out. It might be nice to put him out of his mercy."
"Not a kill to my name," someone ever so foreign to him had said long ago. He would have still been right, wouldn't he? The blood seeping into the grass was not caused by his saw's blade. He had not ended the wilting life before him. Just what was the taste in his mouth that refused to go away?
"We can take him back and let his friends get the message. Heal him. We do not know who or what will be looking for him. Besides, he's probably lost so much blood that he is going to think he's floating away." He cast his gaze to the grass beside him.
"Fine. A death would come back on us, anyways. Whoever's left would get aggressive." Tucking the tome beneath her arm, she crouched next to him and muttered spells in a language Red Velvet couldn't understand. He was unbothered by the ordeal, brushing it off as just another number. He had done things like this plenty of times in the tower. He was unafraid to fling intruders off and over the railing. Business was not too different. Even so, as he eyed the pathetic figure that bled into the grass, he couldn't help but feel the way his chest tightened.
He crept beside her, crouching in the grass. As it stood, his knees were still pristine. He did not wish to ruin them on the bloody forest floor. Without permission, he slid the book from under her arm. If she weren't busy, perhaps she would have hit him. He turned it over to the cover, squinting.
MAG 355, it read.
"M-A-G?" He pondered aloud. "Three-fifty-five."
"I don't know what it means, either. We'll worry about that later when we can open it." Not listening to her, Red Velvet attempted to open the tome. It didn't work out in his favor; despite the increasing amount of strength and pressure he applied, it refused to even budge.
"What the hell?"
"Binding spell. I think that whoever had it didn't want anyone reading it. Maybe that's why he ditched the group and fled." Pomegranate stepped away from the grotesque figure, the visible wound along his side coming to close. It scabbed over in a malformed fashion. He couldn't fault her; a rush was a rush. "We need to find Dark Choco and Licorice."
"Say no more." He stood up rather casually, tossing the book back to her. It ricocheted from her head, the priestess lucky to catch it before it hit their prisoner.
"Be careful--!"
"Sorry." Red Velvet shrugged before he put a hand on his hip. Looking down, he paused before accepting his next task.
Scooping the stranger up, he lugged him over his shoulder. He was met with nothing but a weak groan, the mage about as resistant as a puddle of water.
"Cakes! Let's move."
- x-x -
"They'd better hurry up!"
"We cannot make them come faster."
"I'll yell for them, then! POM--"
"Shut up!" With a thud, Licorice clattered with the ground. Dark Choco had shoved him, determined to silence him. "Have you lost your mind? You will be heard."
"At this point, it doesn't matter," the necromancer huffed. "If they don't show before any backup, we're all fucked!"
They had not left the area since they'd subdued the army. Of course, it wasn't too hard-- all they had to deal with were two assigned bodyguards following around someone all important looking. What they hadn't expected was the sheer amount of resistance, the cloaked one taking off onto the woods after they'd gotten into it. It was a wonder how he could navigate; Licorice had broken his glasses.
....And, well, he was bleeding to death. He wouldn't get far.
It left them with nothing short of babysitting. With a frustrated sigh, Licorice dusted himself off. At the very least, their captives seemed to accept the whole ordeal. Judging by their uniforms, they were certainly members of the center kingdom's army. Licorice was very proud to say he'd scared them into submission, sparking magic through his scythe whenever they got loud.
"There was an explosion.. I wonder if they made it at all."
"Don't say that," Licorice huffed, his voice growing uncharacteristically quiet. "Nothing can kill them. They'll be here any minute."
"Are you worried, Licorice?" Raising an eyebrow, Dark Choco hardly moved otherwise. He continued to stand perfectly still, keeping an eye on the guards.
"I am not! I just think it's stupid of them to take so long. Dark Enchantress will be peeved, oh yes she will- Oh!" Leaning in to get a better view of the forest, Licorice clutched his scythe. It trembled alongside his shaking hands, his eyebrows angrily furrowed. "Speak of the devil! There they are!"
Sure enough, Red Velvet and Pomegranate emerged from the thicket of trees. Dark Choco did not bother to look, knowing his eyesight wouldn't grant him all too many favors. With the nameless runaway thrown over his shoulder, Red Velvet followed behind Pomegranate. It was difficult to make out, but as they drew closer Licorice could just spot the book cradled within her arms.
"They got it!"
"Then all we need to do is leave. Poison Mushroom should have made it back with Choco Werehound by now." Dark Choco kept his sword unsheathed. He wasn't going to let his guard down just yet, no.
"Is this everyone?" Pomegranate called when they approached. The captive guards refused to look up at her, having enough of their surroundings.
"Yes. That is all from the party."
"What happened?" Crouching and setting down the unconscious mage, Red Velvet dusted himself off before standing up. "Make it quick."
"We were going to take that book. Overheard plans. Choco Werehound and Poison Mushroom got separated. The.. one that ran, that one-- " --Dark Choco pointed. "--he put up a fight like I've never seen, before."
"Mm. I see. Are we leaving them?"
"We should," Licorice quickly suggested. "We have what we need, we need to go."
"Very antsy," Pomegranate remarked. "They can't do anything. We should report back."
Red Velvet stopped to take one last look at the guards below him. They had crowded around the mage, silent in terror as they examined him.
"That will be you if you don't sit there keep sitting there all nice and pretty," he threatened. He held his saw at an angle that would ensure they made direct eye contact with the jagged blade. His hounds watched them obediently, ready to attack at a moment's notice. "Understand?"
Terrified, they nodded.
"Good. We can take our leave."
Perhaps it was for the best that they'd be abandoned in the middle of nowhere. Dark Enchantress' followers were unafraid of being seen, but any sort of resistance would immediately result in severe injuries. They could not be bold in such a situation. All the pathetic little knights could do was their best, hoping to protect the unnamed mage from further harm.
Remaining in the same pairs in which they'd begun, they began to take their leave. It had been quite some time since they had mostly been together, incidents brief. Today was yet another day of uncertainty, each wandering to their own. They knew better than to immediately return; what if they were being watched?
"M-A-G 355.." Red Velvet repeated for the third time as they looped around the forest, hand to his chin. "What does that mean?"
"I've been trying every spell I know to open it. I don't know," Pomegranate confessed. "If I cannot get it, Dark Enchantress surely could. One way or another, it will present itself."
"Let me try opening it, again."
"You will not get anywhere. I cannot risk you damaging it."
"It will be fine because of the spell, right?"
"It is a binding spell, not a fucking forcefield." However, before Pomegranate could continue scolding him, she tripped. Every intention to tease her over it died down in Red Velvet's throat the moment he turned around.
"Be more... careful.."
No.
No, it was not a matter of care. Out of nowhere, Pomegranate's ankles had been chained together. Red Velvet immediately drew his weapon. The hounds began to growl. Their mission was suspiciously convenient, was it not..?
"Detective Almond," a man called, stepping out from behind a tree. Tossing a pair of handcuffs at Red Velvet, they clung to his wrists without hesitation. They adapted to his claw and forced him to drop his saw, the blade nearly cutting him on the way down. "It is in your best interest to surrender."
"Who the fuck are you?" Red Velvet shouted. " Hounds --"
"Now, that won't get you anywhere. Do you really want to bring them into a problem you helped create? I'll take them too if I have to, Red Velvet."
Appalled, Red Velvet struggled against the restraints. No, no, this wouldn't do! His claw arm was absolutely pathetic against the magic, its usual strength useless. He couldn't move--!
"Hand over the book. You're surrounded, dear," another voice sounded. Behind him was a rather tall and thin witch with an equally tall and thin hat. She spoke with billowing sweetness and experience.
"Latte, take the short one. I'll get Red Velvet."
"Mm-hm." She sounded undeniably upset. "Espresso sent a flare.. We should have sent different guards-- I should have gone."
"What's done is done. You aren't going to resist, aren't you?" Watching Almond reach into his coat pocket, Red Velvet knew he had to act. Watching him draw closer, the absence of visible hands made his heart pound. He wanted to attack first, didn't he? "I've heard about you. You're a lot bigger than I thought... hopefully, smarter, too."
His chest began to heave. Red Velvet had to plan for both his sake and Pomegranate's, scanning their surroundings. All they had to protect them were sparse trees. Almond met his eyes with a scrunched, serious nose. He withdrew something Red Velvet couldn't recognize, having spent so much time within the tower. Electricity began to spark at the end of the little device. It made Pomegranate's eyes widen.
He had prepared for resistance. However, one thing was for certain-- Almond had never cornered anyone like Red Velvet. About a foot shorter than him, he knew it was going to be serious trouble. Before he could tase him, however, he felt himself get launched. The air knocked out of his chest, Red Velvet had barreled into him. Pomegranate took her chance against Latte's shock, struggling to at least get to her knees. Red Velvet took his chance, hooking his chained arms around the priestess and clutching her to his chest. It was awkward, but it would have to work!
"Hounds!" Red Velvet called, the stress audible in his voice. pushing Pomegranate over his shoulder, he split. The book was sandwiched between them, his weapon left in the dust. "Scatter!"
If he was not panicking, Red Velvet would have praised himself for being so clever. Latte immediately gave chase, hopping on the broom she stood beside. She helped Almond up and onto it with a, "Hold on, Detective!"
"Don't let go of that fucking book!" Red Velvet shouted as if Pomegranate were not right on top of him, heading off in a direction he didn't recognize. "Get them off our ass!"
Pinning the book with her chest, she began to struggle in his awkward grasp. This could be their freedom, their lives! She didn't care about elegance in such a moment. She couldn't think about Licorice and Dark Choco, not even Dark Enchantress. Grasping her mirror she was ever-so-lucky to still be holding, she began to mutter incantations. She was best at curses, not attacks..! Her heart continued to pound, the frightening sensation legible in the veins in her wrists.
「 열정적인산들.
저에게힘을 주세요. 」
Her voice beginning to shake in desperation, she repeated the words Red Velvet couldn't understand. Hell, to him, nothing was legible! He had never seen the people pursuing them, had never seen the people they'd attacked, had not a clue what was happening... It would be more exciting once he was certain he wasn't going to prison. Branches and leaves were crushed mercilessly below the soles of his boots, Pomegranate ruthlessly jerked around as he took sharp turns to avoid crashing into trees. He did his best to hold onto her, unable to fully close his arms. One rough step, and it'd be over—
「 열정적인산들. 저에게힘을 주세요. 」Pomegranate repeated the same words over and over. She whispered them so many times that Red Velvet swore he could have memorized them. He couldn't care about what she was saying— as long as it separated them, it would do.
Her breath hitching, Pomegranate wiggled in his arms.
"Stop it!" He commanded, but his voice sounded more fearful than anything. "You are going to fall!"
She did not respond to him. Freeing one of her arms and roughly shoving the handle of her mirror in her mouth, she tore out one of the leaf-shaped accessories in her hair. She could recall the spell she had painstakingly perfected with rocks when she was younger. It was quite a shame that she had to utilize something so treasured to her, but their lives were on the line. She was not going to fail Dark Enchantress...!
With all her might, she threw it behind them. Latte attempted to avoid the hair crystals, but it was for naught; once it collided with her and Almond, it burst into several bright blasts of magic. It was a quick solution, that of a flare. It was not the best form of attacking magic, but any mage worth their salt could set off a flare.
Screams surfaced. She closed her eyes; the sound of a crashing broomstick was enough. She did not care to get messier than she already had. The problem was solved . Red Velvet pretended he didn't hear it at all. Pomegranate clutched the back of his jacket with her free hand, regaining her composure. She was much more worried about her beloved accessory than the sound of carnal breakage, she had to admit. Tragic..
The rest of the run was silent. No more obstacles could find them. No.. With the book held between them, they had what they needed. They had what they needed— why was Red Velvet's heartbeat growing faster? It was the running— it had to be the running. Adrenaline pumped through his veins with every beat of his heart.
What had they gotten into? These woods were beginning to become dark and unforgiving. He had not a clue where his hounds had scattered to. The cuffs on his wrists and Pomegranate's ankles refused to budge. They weren't sure where Dark Choco and Licorice had gone, the two potentially captured.
Eventually, the wind disappeared.
They traveled deeper in the woods, sure to be impossible to find. Red Velvet processed a lot of foreign and overwhelming scents, but none of humans or magic. He slowed to a stop for a moment, catching his breath.
"We—" He choked. "We're— out?"
"They're gone," she confirmed, slipping out of his arms for the time being. "We.. are not going to mention this."
"No we are not," He confirmed between shaky breaths. "Think you could get these cuffs off?"
"No," Pomegranate confirmed. Even she was shaken up from the incident, attempting to keep her hands busy by fixing her hair. What was one bun and the rest down became a single bun atop the back of her head. "That's— that was Almond. We're lucky he didn't get us entirely. He caught Licorice, once— these'll chain your entire body."
"You have seen him?"
"Yes. I.. am rather insulted that he does not remember me, but what's done is done.."
He dodged an explanation, stopping to look around.
His soul dropped.
He did not like it one bit. Sickeningly familiar, all he could gaze upon was a thicket of trees. Brown and green, all with hardly any sunlight.. He attempted to help himself up, struggling with the chains. They jingled rather rudely, the commander attempting to rip at them with a claw. They refused to even scratch.
They were royally fucked. Red Velvet couldn't even follow their own scent back— it would lead them right to Almond and Latte. They had hardly a weapon to their names, no hounds, and chains. This had been the worst hour of their lives. He had not a clue what to do, attempting the chains one last time.
"Stop it."
"What the fuck else do we do?"
"We'll.. have to pick a direction. It's all we can do." Struggling, she sat up on her knees. She couldn't stand, gritting her teeth from spite. Oh, how she hated this.
Unable to walk and unable to fight, they would have to rely on each other a lot longer than they desired.
"Fine." He leaned over and scooped her up once more, Pomegranate clutching both the book and her mirrors. "We will not speak of this, remember?"
"No," she confirmed. "We won't."
"Alright. We can loop, still.. I hope. Let's go.." He started walking without warning. ".. This way."
They continued in bitter silence.
- x-x -
Somewhere, someplace, a warm light kissed the gentle night. It had been getting dark, the sun about to wave farewell to the world for the day. Herb sat alone in his kitchen, a lone cup of tea resting on his table. He had hardly touched it. His mind was racing in ways he could not properly describe. It had been a terrible, sickening day. He'd woken up unusually faint, the flower shop where he worked experiencing an outage. A customer had knocked over a pot and accidentally trampled a little succulent, Herb attempting to save it as best as he could. The damaged plant now sat on his counter, his heart heavy.
He could only pray tomorrow would be better off.
Alas, it was not the time for him to think. He was interrupted by an odd sound at his door, startled. What was that? It was loud, whatever it was.
It repeated.
Woof!
Suddenly, an eruption of barking formed outside his front door. Dogs..? At a time like this? They were probably aimlessly wandering the forest. It'd be dangerous to interact. Yet, barking was soon accompanied by scratching at his door. He froze; cold fear drowned him. Gingerly making his way to the window, he peeked outside. It was difficult to see the front of his door, but upon squinting and leaning in he spotted some oddly familiar fur.
"Hoo?!" He shouted to no one but himself, rushing to peek out of the door itself. Perhaps he could drive them away?
Cake hounds. One, two, three of them. They ran into the unexplored space, taking advantage of the situation as soon as possible. He hadn't expected them to be so strong, practically shoving the door open wide enough to slip through.
"Wh— What? Wait, please—" Herb attempted to control the chaos of muddy dogs running all throughout his living room, unsure just how he let himself get in this situation. As expected, his words went unheard. "Wait, please!"
Were they strays? They looked as if they were searching for something. They sniffed all around his house. He was grateful they weren't tearing anything up, at least..! The dirt and mud would be rough to clean up, but at least he didn't have to witness any more plant injuries. At least, he hoped so-- one of them looked relatively interested in the plant on his table. In the middle of all of the chaos, he felt one of them bump into him. He braced to be bitten, scratched, something.
"Um," he piped up, considerably terrified. "H--hello?" It began to smell him, the gardener standing very still as to avoid any sort of disturbance. He wasn't the best with animals..! Of course, he'd been fine with Chiffon, but strange strays? It was much too new of a command for him to follow.
After smelling him a little more, the hound sat down. It was as if nothing had happened at all, as if it had known him all its life. The other hounds behaved in a similar manner. As if they worked in unison, one relaxed by the couch and another in the kitchen. He had expected them to maybe tear his things apart or search for food, but to pretend this was their home? He was downright puzzled.
What's more, the hound beside him started to follow him.
"Hello..?" Raising an eyebrow, it only then clicked that he couldn't exactly make conversation with the animal. Regardless, he'd still try. Gingerly, he came to sit on his knees. At once, it decided to check him out. He found very quickly that it was more interested in his apron than him, taking another chance to start sniffing at it. "Ah-- my apron..? I'm sorry, it's pretty dirty. Do you like flowers..?"
Oh, who was he kidding? He sounded ridiculous! He was lucky Red Velvet wasn't here to--
"Red Velvet?" He pondered from nowhere. Eyeing the hounds, he took note of how clean they were besides their feet. Their fur was groomed considerably well, their health looking great from what he could tell. Hesitating for a moment, just to confirm..
He leaned in, awkwardly smelling it. Immediately, he was met with the familiar solace of flames. It was the first time he'd picked up on them without the heady venom of cologne, the source still wildly close.
"You're Red Velvet's.. what are you doing all the way out here?" He pondered, becoming more at ease with the hound that had attached itself to him. "You aren't Chiffon.. I have never seen you before, hoo. Just who are you?"
Of course, there wasn't a response to be heard. Endlessly puzzled, he continued to pet the animal. Was Red Velvet nearby? He couldn't think of any other explanation as to why his hounds had breached his home. Had they been instructed to? He wouldn't put it past him to pull some sort of prank, considering the apron—
His apron.
The hound he was currently petting was laying on it. He could pick up on some slight crying from the animal once he silenced his thoughts and listened. Were they separated? Perhaps it followed Red Velvet's scent and wound up here. The general visited so often, he was certain his scent lingered. Was that how it worked with hounds?
He felt his face grow flushed.
"Is that why you like me so much?" Herb pondered, scratching behind its ears. "Do.. I smell like Red Velvet, hoo?"
Lifting a corner of his apron, he stared at it. It wasn't something he could see, but with how much he'd been all over Red Velvet..
...Well, he didn't doubt it. It'd be foolish to do so.
"Are you.. looking for him?" Still, no answer. It felt better to pretend they could understand, though. "I don't know if I can help you, but.. I could try, hoo!"
He stood up, the hound immediately following suit. The other two looked intrigued, creeping up on him. It was as if they could sense they were going back outside, the distant scent of Red Velvet throughout the house pointing him out as a substitute.
"Oh, I'm afraid I'll lose you.. um.. You guys don't have collars, do you? Cookiesnap's harness is too big. Hrm..."
- x-x -
His idea had been stupid, yes, but it would work. For the time being, he led only one of the hounds. The other two were currently shut in his bathroom, Herb uttering a quick apology to them. He left them with food and water, at the very least. (He carried dog food for Cookiesnap, though he preferred to feed it raw.)
He didn't have a collar or a leash on hand; he didn't have animals at all. Utilizing his magic as best as possible, he wove a substitute from vines. It looked silly, yes, but if the situation was dire, it would work! He didn't think his night would be headed in such a way, his bedtime dancing by over an hour ago. He followed the animal as it sniffed the ground, pursuing a trail he could not understand. He kept his phone's flashlight low, nervous at each passing noise.
He wasn't sure what he was thinking. Was it just coincidence? Maybe Red Velvet's hounds had just gotten lost. The dog pulling at the leash seemed desperate to find him, jerking Herb in different directions as they traveled further. It wasn't used to being leashed, just as Herb wasn't used to holding a leash. What if it had to pee? Was he supposed to let it off the leash? Did the leash stay on while it peed? He couldn't see why not--
"Huah!" Herb accidentally shouted as it jerked him again, lunging to the right. He nearly dropped his phone, knowing damn well that he wouldn't be able to pick it up with the strength of the hound that dragged him. It was a lot larger than Chiffon and much more experienced to boot. "W-wait, oh, please slow down, hoo!"
It refused to slow. He broke out into a sprint behind it as the vines tore at his hand, beginning to worry they'd snap. He couldn't bear the thought of losing one of Red Velvet's beloved cake hounds..! He held onto the leash for dear life, praying to whoever was listening that he wouldn't trip. Leash or not, it had found something.
Between shaky breaths, he swallowed. A sense of nervousness began to prickle within him, each step of his sneakers shaky. He couldn't quite tell where he was in the dark, his flashlight providing little support. Unless the endless amount of trees he was traveling through was a key indicator, he would have to figure out where he was later. He was rather nifty with finding his way through forests; he was certain he'd wind up home eventually. This was certainly a night for the books..!
(No one read the Herb books. In truth, they were boring.)
Were they getting close..? To what? Herb nearly regretted his decision each and every second, the darkness feeling as if it were closing in on him. He had always despised night time and its uncertainties, but..
Well, he couldn't really think right now. He was focused on keeping up with the hound. If his brain could put together what he wanted to say, he'd have thought of something along the lines of, I'm not alone. He wasn't alone at all, not with the hound that silently trusted him. He wasn't alone with all of the sleeping plants he passed through. He wasn't alone with the lingering scent of Red Velvet on his apron, the very sweetness that had gotten him here.
Finally, finally. It had found what it was searching for.
"What's the matter?" He sweetly called, crouching down once it had slowed. He caught his breath, curiously watching it as it investigated. Was the scent strong, here..? He wouldn't know.
Wagging its tail, it slowly crept on something Herb couldn't see. Slowly raising his phone's flashlight from the ground, he felt himself tense up. Why was he nervous..? Surely he could trust a hound, right...?
Red.
Red.
Lots of it, but not quite the red he was used to; his eyes fell upon beautiful fabrics, ones of the utmost quality. Adorned in a pale pink hanbok skirt and a vivid red po was a lady he didn't quite recognize, all sorts of glittering jewels adorning her shining in the light. She did not move, and for a moment he feared her dead; instead, the rising and falling of her chest suggested she was merely sleeping. She was clutching some sort of tome, the blank back of the book facing him.
What was someone like her doing out here..? It was-- he checked his phone-- 11:41. It was dangerous, especially for someone like her! He contemplated waking her before the hound on the leash drew his attention to another direction. Noting her location, he turned towards wherever it was searching.
Jingle-jingle! The sound immediately caught his attention. It was foreign, not something a forest should be making. His eyes widened, his shoulders raising in defense. Was he about to die? Was this all bait? Was he about to be pasted on some missing poster, ignored in the streets?
What's more.
Why was it directly behind him?
Biting his tongue, he readied his hand as much as possible. He swallowed before he held his breath. He whipped around as quickly as possible, not even warning the hound. It would be fine.
Red.
Red..
No. It was a lie.
Blue.
The first thing he noticed was the blue hue of an eye much too close to him, then the red of a cake arm poised to grab him. For a mere second, he didn't recognize it. The claws pointed directly at him, the only thing he could do was muffle a scream. Before he knew it, the sole of his sneaker had kicked him right in the chest, knocking over the potential assailant before he could even realize just who he was looking at. He dropped his phone, the blinding flashlight facing upwards and illuminating the entire small area.
He felt the leash leave his shaking hand before he could even attempt to cling to it, the hound rushing to the man he'd just kicked over from pure fear.
"H--holy," he'd stuttered out. "Holy shit. You-- you have powerful legs."
It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize he'd just kicked the hell out of Red Velvet, the target of the cake hound's pursuit.
"V-Velvet?" Herb could hardly control his volume, immediately crouching down. "Divine, I'msosorryIthoughtyouwereabouttokillmehoo--"
"Shh," the general quickly shushed. He recovered fast, sitting up. They met eyes; something was very serious in Red Velvet's gaze. He hadn't seen it before. "I do not wish to deal with Pomegranate if you wake her up. It is in your best interest to stay quiet."
Herb nodded, his hair bobbing. He took in just what he was seeing. In truth, Red Velvet looked awful. His hair was a lot messier than usual, his clothes a mess. He was visibly dirty, a dark stain on the shoulder of his jacket. In investigating, he also found the source of the jingling. He was now sporting handcuffs around his wrists, the chains slightly glowing with visible magic.
"Velvet," Herb quietly piped up, his eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell happened to you?"
It was the last question Red Velvet had wanted to hear from him.