The goblin soldiers led them through the tunnels, their iron boots echoing on the floor. Pyrrha, as she called herself, was telling them about their city. Her human speech was surprisingly good for a goblin.
"You will like it," she said cheerily. "There is a lot of drinks, and even more food! The party doesn't end!"
"Now you're speaking my language, mate. Parties are kinda our thing, right mum?" Vao snickered. Raven held out her open palm, the femboy slapping it with his hand.
Salem turned her attention away from the poor role model and her attention-starved kid, glancing at Yin. The cleric didn't seem happy. He had been brooding the entire way. His brows were furrowed in anger, staring at the ground as he muttered a prayer under his breath. She nudged his arm. "Come now, Yin. I'm sure we'll have a great time," she said calmly.
"With these freaks of nature?" Yin snarled. "We shouldn't be here. These pests need to be put down."
"Well, fuck you too," Mercury growled. He was perched on Sasha's shoulders, enjoying the feeling of being tall for once. Tyrian was still questioning Vao.
"Why you look like girl?"
"I dunno, genetics?"
Tyrian furrowed his brow, still trying to figure it out. "You have small hands, small shoulders, you're skinny, and you don't even have an Adam's apple or prominent brows. You have no manly features."
Vao rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine. Want me to take my pants off?"
Behind Sasha, Verde choked on air. The witch whipped around, her hat nearly flying from the top of her head. Vao had already started working on his belt before Ruby shrieked. "Ew! Vao, keep your clothes on!"
"Huh? But-"
"Clothes! Stay! On!"
Vao pouted, pulling his hands away from his waist. Verde slowly turned back around, her head hung low. Pock strode up to Yin, tugging on his sleeve. The cleric shot her a glare.
"Just relax," she said confidently. "We are peaceful. You will have good time."
"I'd be having a better time grinding your face into the dirt, greenie."
The guards shot Yin a dirty look, their hands resting on their weapons. Yin was beginning to try their patience, Salem realized. She needed to ease the tension.
However, she didn't need to say anything. As they rounded a corner, the tunnel opened up into a huge cavern. Stairs carved into the stone led to the bottom, where buildings made of rock and wood stood tall and proud, lanterns lighting up the city. Music was playing, goblins were drinking in the streets. As the party descended, the city erupted in cheer.
"... Guess we were expected," Salem muttered. Pyrrha nodded.
"Our scouts saw you approaching the cave. The city was informed, and we have prepared a party to celebrate the return of Princess Pock and the heroes who saved her," she explained. Pock nodded.
"Yes. Now, let us celebrate, yeah?"
In an instant Raven and Vao bolted off, drinks already in hand. Salem watched as the goblins welcomed Sasha easily, pointing at her ears. The giant grinned, dropping Mercury to the floor and joining them. Yin was gritting his teeth together, clearly unhappy to be anywhere near this place. Salem sighed, cracking a small smile. She nudged his shoulder, giving him a soft squeeze. "Come. Let's relax for a bit," she cooed.
"F-filth," Yin growled. Salem ignored his comment, dragging him deeper into the city.
Goblins cheered as they passed, dancing in the streets with food and drink in hand. From the labels on the bottles, they were drinking vodka. Salem pulled Yin towards a food stall, sitting down in one of the stools and patting the one next to her. "Come on, sit!"
"... Don't wanna..."
He was being downright childish now. Salem straightened her back, her smile falling. "Yin, as your Princess? I command you to sit and eat."
Yin's jaw dropped. "Y-Your Highness, that isn't fair!" He protested. But it was only in vain. He knew better than to refuse a direct order. Muttering something foul under his breath, he took his seat. He leaned his staff against the counter, leaning on the wooden surface. A chubby goblin immediately waltzed up to them.
"Hello! What would you like? We have meat and dizzy-drink!"
"Oh, I'll just have some wine and chicken," Salem said cheerily. When Yin didn't answer, she kicked his foot.
"O-ow! Ugh, water! Just water!"
The goblin nodded, breaking into a smile.
"Okey!"
As he skipped away, Yin glared at Salem. "I don't drink, Princess. I don't associate with monsters."
Salem smirked, resting her elbow on the counter. "I'm not giving you a choice, Yin. It's high time you relax. You will enjoy yourself."
"This isn't fair!" Yin growled. The goblin had already returned, sliding their food and drink across the counter. Salem took a sip from her bottle, eyeing Yin. He was staring at his food, sniffing it carefully. Salem sighed sadly, turning back to her meal.
He wasn't enjoying himself. She could tell how much Yin hated being here. She wished there was a way to change that, but she wasn't sure if it was even possible; the Church had already left its mark on him.
Past the crowd, Verde was sipping from her juice box as she watched everyone dance. Pyrrha was with her, whiskey in one hand, chatting up a storm.
"You sure you don't want dizzy-drink?"
"I do not like alcohol," Verde answered. Pyrrha looked apologetic. "A-ah... I'm sorry..."
Verde shook her head, leaning against the side of a house. "It is alright, Miss Pyrrha. There is no need to apologize." The witch searched the crowd, her eyes locking onto her target. Vao was dancing with his mom, the goblins cheering them on. They were putting on a show for the city, their bodies twisting and turning gracefully through the air. When Verde caught a glimpse of Vao's smile, her heart skipped a beat. Tugging her hat over her eyes, she focused on her juice.
Up above, Ruby was perched on a balcony with Mercury and Tyrian, laughing drunkenly as they tried to sing. Sasha was below, showing off her strength for a crowd of goblin gym rats, her little posse erupting in cheer as she benched a boulder just because she could.
Salem was already intoxicated, indulging herself on the many snacks and food of the city with Yin following behind.
The only one who wasn't having fun was Yin. He hated this. He hated everything about this. Watching as his princess moved to another stall, he decided he finally had enough. With a scoff, he turned and left her alone.
He never could have imagined the princess would go against the Church's beliefs like this.
Vao dropped into a squat, kicking his legs out as he chugged his vodka, Raven quickly joining him. The thief let out a happy cry, high diving his mother. "Mummy! I love you!"
"Wish I could say the same!"
Vao looked crushed, but Raven just started laughing. "I'm joking! Lighten up!"
Before Vao could respond he felt something poke his back. When he turned, Pock was staring at him. The goblin leaned into his ear, her voice low and husky. He could smell the booze on her breath from a mile away.
"You like party?" She cooed. When Vao nodded, Pock grinned. "Follow. I show you party."
Vao didn't seem to quite get what she was hinting at. That's because Vao is a moron. He stood up wearing a dumb grin, following Pock as she guided him away. Raven watched as they left, her lips curling into a sly grin. She was totally going to blackmail her kid later.
The woman stood up, stretching her back. Sweat dripped from her forehead, the heat of thousands of party goers not helping. With a slight stumble she made her way through the crowd, quickly finding Salem. The princess was sitting on top of a counter, singing to the music. When she saw Raven, she threw her arms into the air.
"Raaaaaven!"
Raven chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "Well, look at the princess. Having fun?"
"Of course! I'm definitely coming back!" Salem hiccuped. Raven snickered, looking around. "... Where's Yin? I thought he'd be with you."
Salem looked around, her smile falling. "I... Dunno..."
...
Verde pushed her way through the crowd, struggling to keep track of Vao and Pock. She was grateful that goblins were so short, otherwise she'd lose them in an instant. She watched as Pock led Vao into a storehouse, panic quickly settling in. She tried to run, but someone stepped in her way. Someone she really didn't want to deal with.
"Well, looks like your puppet isn't here," Yin snarled viciously.
"Yin, please get out of my way!" Verde shouted over the music. "Vao is about to-"
"Break free from your spell?" Yin interrupted. "Fat chance I'm going to let that happen."
Verde yelped when he grabbed her arm and roughly dragged her with him, away from the storehouse. Verde struggled to free herself, but Yin was stronger. He pushed the witch into an alleyway, blocking the only exit. He leaned his holy staff against a wall, his blue eyes never leaving Verde.
"You insulted the Gods," Yin growled darkly. "You did something to my brother and made him your puppet. Ever since you joined this party, everything's gone wrong. We have an elf, we saved goblins, and now we're in this disgusting city. Even the princess is going against the Church. It's all your fault, isn't it?"
Verde felt the color drain from her face. She knew what he wanted, now. Yin wanted to hurt her. "Wait, do not be ridiculous. I've done nothing," she snapped back.
But Yin took a step forward, clearing the distance between them. He towered over her, his fingers curling into tight fists.
THWACK!
Verde shrieked when he punched her in the mouth, a dark bruise already forming where his knuckles had dug into her cheek. Her hat flew from the top of her head, and her juice box spilled on the ground.
"Don't lie," Yin hissed. "I know you're up to something. I'd bet you're even sleeping with Vao, aren't you? That's why you're living in his house, isn't it? Anything to convince him!
THUMP!
Verde nearly puked when he kicked her in the stomach, the feeling of his blow shuddering through her body making her feel sick.
She could feel the burning sensation against her skin as he slapped her across the face, a dark red handprint left behind. He sat down on top of her, beating Verde until she started bleeding, slamming the back of her head against the ground.
"It's all your fault, it's all your fault!" He screamed at her. "If you had just died, Vao would never have let you become an adventurer! He'd have killed you on sight, like he should have from the start! You'd never have had the chance to manipulate him, you ugly rat!"
Verde coughed when he knocked one of her teeth out of her mouth, the bone bouncing across the stone floor of the cavern with a quiet tick-tack. She couldn't breathe through her nose - he had broken it. And whenever she tried to breathe through her mouth, she choked from the bloody cavity where her tooth once was. Yin picked up the bone and pried her mouth open, pushing it back into place and whispering a prayer. In an instant it reconnected, the wound healing. But he didn't heal her nose, nor her face. He squeezed her chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"Now tell me the truth, Verde. What did you do to my brother?"
He wanted a specific answer from her, the witch realized. An answer she couldn't give, because she didn't do anything wrong.
"I-I didn't d-do anythi-"
"Liar!"
He shoved her back into the ground and stood up, raising his foot and driving his heel back down into her chest. Verde could feel the wind leave her body, the witch choking and gasping for air. Yin turned around, grabbing his staff from where he left it. He stopped at the entrance of the alleyway, turning to glare at her again.
"... This isn't over. I'll beat you senseless until you confess what you did," he snarled. "And if you tell Vao... I'll kill you. Are we clear?"
Verde shakily pushed herself into a sitting position, and nodded her head. Yin spun around and kicked her again, knocking her back to the floor. "When I say something, you respond! Are we clear!?"
"Y-yes," Verde croaked. "W-we are... C-clear..."
Yin smirked down at her, nodding his head. "Good. I'll see you next time, skinny little ugly heretic." He turned and left the alleyway, leaving Verde to pick herself up. The witch whimpered - he had bruised her ribs.
She was beginning to think about running away. As long as she kept her adventurer's identification card, the Church wouldn't be allowed to kill her. She'd be safe to flee. But at the same time, she didn't want to leave Vao, the first person who had ever talked to her as a human being.
She glared after Yin as he disappeared into the crowd of goblins. Yin symbolized nearly everything she despised about the Church - unnecessarily violent, cruel, sadistic, and hateful. The only thing she had to be grateful for was that he was nothing like that man, the one who was responsible for Verde living in a swamp. In her anger, she didn't notice the man standing behind her.
"... Bonjour."
The witch spun around, her green eyes meeting the yellow eyes of a stranger. His lips were curled into an unnerving smile, his hands slipped into his pockets. Verde used the wall to stand to her feet, never taking her eyes off him.
Something was wrong about this stranger. Very wrong. "... W-who... Are you...?" Verde hissed. The man chuckled, leaning against the wall.
"Hm... Appelle moi juste Jack. I'm just a passerby, that's all."
"A passerby?" Verde questioned. She didn't believe it. From what she had seen, there were no human residents in the goblin city. Jack nodded.
"A traveller of sorts. Not quite an adventurer, but just a traveller," he explained. He pointed at her, his smile seeming to twitch. "I happened to overhear what happened... You're bleeding all over the place. Why don't you tell that Vao guy that your attacker mentioned?"
Verde felt her shoulders rise with tension. "... B-because Yin will kill me... And I don't want to drive a wedge between him and Vao..." She had whispered the last part, but Jack heard it. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
"Non, non, non. You're an adventurer, aren't you? By law, he can't kill you. Beat you, yes, because you're a witch. But he certainly can't kill you; he was bluffing," Jack explained. He leaned forward, his smile growing. Verde could feel her heart rate increase. This man was dangerous. "And besides... How do you plan to hide your wounds from your friend, Vao? He's not blind, is he?"
Verde could feel her mind going blank. Vao wasn't blind. If he saw her face, he'd doubtlessly ask. But if she said anything, Yin would attack her again. Jack's golden eyes seemed to glimmer with amusement.
"... You should tell your friend," he continued. "Who knows, maybe he can protect you next time. Or maybe... You can't talk properly, due to the smell of alcohol?" Verde's jaw dropped.
Jack knew.
Jack knew.
The creepy stranger stood up straight, shaking his head. "... Forget I said anything. I've got things to do, so..." Jack's voice trailed off as a beetle scurried across the wall. As fast as a bolt of lightning, his fingers pinched the insect, trapping it in his grasp. He turned it over and looked at it, his smile never leaving his face. "... So I'll leave you to it, Mademoiselle Forest."
Crunch.
Verde felt sick. Jack had tossed the beetle into his mouth and bit down, green insect guts staining his teeth. He turned around and gave a wave. "Au revoir. Je te verrai plus tard avec tes amis..."
Verde didn't know what he was saying, but she didn't like it. Not one bit. She watched as he disappeared into the darkness of the alley, and once she no longer felt his presence she turned and bolted.
She ran through the crowd, goblins stepped out of the way the moment they saw blood, shocked murmurs muffled by the loud music of the city. Verde pushed her way through the crowd, not even bothering to try and recognize familiar faces. She wanted to hide from Yin, and now Jack. Something about Jack had set off an alarm in her head.
How the hell did he know about that man? How the hell did he know why she didn't like alcohol? Who the hell was Jack?
...
Jack watched from the shadows as Verde fled, his smile growing. He scared her, just like he planned.
At first he was worried about her intelligence, but she was still young. He could take advantage of that. The strange man turned his back to the party, staring at his grotesque art display.
Goblin corpses littered the ground, just out of sight, hidden from Verde and Yin. The walls had been stained scarlet, the chests of the goblins ripped open with their entrails sprawled out. Jack sighed contently, drawing his bloodstained dagger and staring at the blade. His tongue flicked out, sliding along the metal as he suckled and licked it clean, his eyes filling with euphoria.
"Haa... Delicious..." His voice was nothing more than a snake-like hiss, betraying his mental state. A quiet snicker escaped his lips, devolving into a shaky chuckle. "Oh... Yin, Vao, Verde, and Sasha... I can hardly wait for our playdate..."
Iris had warned him not to attack them. Jack didn't plan on it just yet, but it didn't stop his sickening fantasies. Another shaky chuckle, and his pink tongue traced his lips.
"... I'd bet they taste just amazing..."
...
Yin stomped through the crowd, unaware he was being followed. His pursuer didn't remain hidden for very long, however. They were the type to make themselves known.
"Yin~!"
The blonde groaned and turned to meet the happy scarlet eyes of his older brother. In one hand was a bottle, and in the other he had Pock tucked under one arm. The cleric sighed, crossing his arms. "I'm really not in the mood right now, Vao. What do you want?"
Vao beamed. "Here! Try this!"
He held out the bottle to Yin, who only scoffed. "I don't drink, Vao. Why the hell do you have that goblin with you anyway?"
Vao and Pock shared a look before the femboy replied. "... I'm not sure if I want to share my sex life with you-"
"WHAT."
"Just drink!" Vao continued cheerfully. Yin pulled at his own hair, a growl soon devolving into a scream.
"You're disgusting! It's a monster, Vao! A monster!"
Vao stood up straight, his smile falling. He almost looked proud. "I do not give a crap. And it wasn't so bad! It felt like..."
Vao began to go into detail about his experience. Every little detail. He held nothing back. Yin snatched the bottle away from his fiendish brother, ripping the cork out. He needed this after all. As he began chugging, Vao suddenly looked nervous. "Uh, bruv... I'm not sure you should be slamming it like that..."
Yin didn't stop until the bottle was empty, letting it fall and shatter on the ground. He smacked his lips a couple times, the flavor dancing across his taste buds. It was sweet, yet had a small bite to it. His insides began to feel warm and fuzzy. "O-oh... That's... That's really good," he muttered. Vao and Pock shared a confused look. The goblin shrugged, leaving Vao to hand Yin another bottle. The cleric downed it, throwing the empty container in the air behind him. He looked eager for another.
Vao scratched his chin thoughtfully, the rusted and unused gears of his brain beginning to turn. And finally his lips curled into a mischievous, shit eating grin that could only belong to him. "Nyahaha... Alright, Yin! You want more!? Follow me, mate!"
Yin hopped as he followed Vao through the crowd, Pock staying behind to dance. Along the way, Vao kept tossing Yin alcohol like the irresponsible sibling he was.
"Drink it up! Drink it up!" Vao clapped. "Oh, you've no bloody idea how happy this makes me! I get to share my hobby with you!"
Yin was having trouble standing up straight. He was a lightweight, drunkenness taking over quickly. He wrapped his arms around Vao, who shrieked happily. "I love you, Vao! I want to drink more!"
Yin bumped into someone, looking straight up to see Sasha staring down at him. She had taken off her armor, leaving her in a tank top and shorts. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "... You okay? Your face is like a tomato-"
"Saaaasha!"
"EY WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Sasha yelped when Yin jumped into her arms and hugged her, laughing loudly. The giant looked at Vao, her eyes filling with mild fear. "What did you do to him!?"
Vao took a casual sip from a mug of vodka, his smirk growing. "I got him to drink, mate. He's usually an ass because of the Church. Now you guys get to see the real him," he snickered. Sasha furrowed her brows, plucking Yin from her back and holding him up. The blonde was swinging from the collar of his robes, still smiling at her. The giant hummed thoughtfully before shrugging her shoulders.
"... Oh, to hell with it. I prefer him this way. Vao?"
"Wot?"
Sasha grinned, locking eyes with him. "Let's show the goblins how to have fun."
Vao snickered, bumping fists with her. "Right-o, bestie."
...
Raven gulped down her bottle, patting Salem's back as the princess chugged her wine. Above them, Ruby was dancing wildly on the balcony, teetering around drunkenly. Pyrrha was sitting on a countertop next to the older women, ale in hand and her spear strapped to her back. Raven could see Vao and Sasha in the crowd, leading Yin off somewhere. The woman raised a brow suspiciously. She suspected they were up to something, but at the same time she didn't care enough. She knew Vao could take care of himself; he was a high functioning alcoholic, just like her.
It happened nearly three minutes after Vao disappeared from view. There was a loud clang, and the cavern was flooded with a violet smoke. The goblins let out cries of shock, halting their dancing to look around for the source. Pyrrha drew her weapon, squinting into the fog. "W-what is going on?" The goblin muttered. Raven groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
The music started to grow louder, the smoke thickening. Pyrrha looked up at Raven, pointing her spear into the crowd. "... Isn't that your son?"
Raven followed her gaze. Sure enough, the three adventurers were walking past them, with major differences. For one, Yin was holding a sack of alcohol and clearing every bottle. Sasha had war paint on her face that made her muscles stand out even more. Vao was wearing a dress. Raven felt the steam blowing from her nose.
"Vao, what are you doing!?"
Vao looked up at her, finally revealing his face. He was wearing makeup, and Raven hated that he actually looked good. "I got Yin drunk, so we were going to party! I even have a little something extra that I got from a dodgy bloke in a dark alley at three in the morning on Wednesday last week."
Raven arched a brow. "... You're sharing. Let's go."
Salem watched as Raven ran off with the troublemakers, still in disbelief that Vao actually managed to get Yin to drink. Then again, all Vao really had to do was open his mouth and traumatize someone. Ruby suddenly screamed, falling off the balcony and slamming into the ground next to Salem. She didn't seem hurt, but she wasn't sober enough to stand. Tyrian and Mercury cheered from above, clapping their hands. Salem chuckled as she waded back into the crowd, the goblins breaking into an intense dance.
She found Yin quickly. He was spinning in circles as the goblins cheered him on, throwing food and passing him drinks. Salem nudged him, grabbing his attention. He looked at her, a huge grin painted on his face. "Princess!" He slurred.
Salem giggled. "Are you having fun, Yin?"
Yin nodded, taking another sip from his bottle. "Uh huh! I love goblins!"
Salem blinked. She didn't expect him to say that. It was the complete opposite of his attitude earlier. "... I thought you hated the other races?" Salem questioned. Yin shrugged.
"Not reaaallly... But they're heretics according to the..." Yin hiccuped. "... The Church. So I don't like them because the Church tells me not to!"
Salem was having trouble understanding Yin's point. Hell's bells, he was a lightweight. But from what little she understood, Yin wasn't racist because he wanted to be, but because he felt he had to. It only solidified Salem's concerns about the Church.
Verde stepped out of the bathroom, heavy amounts of makeup applied to hide her bruised face. She froze in confusion, staring at the chaos before her. "... What the..."
The city was in an uproar. The alcohol was flowing like waterfalls by now, with Sasha trying to host a fight ring. Ruby had somehow managed to find a torch and was running around with it, screaming about how she was going to be an arsonist like her older brother. Tyrian and Mercury were following her excitedly, wanting to see her commit a felony. Yin was spinning around Salem with his hands full of liquor, his clothes soaked in alcohol. The princess was laughing loudly and cheering him to spin faster.
"Oi, mate!"
Verde looked up to see Vao and Raven jogging up to her, wearing matching grins. Verde never expected to see Vao wearing a dress and makeup, but she liked the fact that he could pull it off. Raven had a bottle to her lips.
"Where've you been? I was looking for you!"
"I..." Verde stopped herself, remembering Yin's threat. She changed her words. "I had to use the bathroom."
She could feel Vao's stare burrowing into her. He was squinting through the darkness, his brow furrowed curiously. "... Your face looks... Weird."
Verde pulled her hat lower, trying to take his attention away. She didn't think he'd notice the makeup. However, Vao is a crossdresser. Of course he'd notice. The thief pushed her hat back up, his girly hands resting on her shoulders. Verde could feel her heart rate accelerating when he moved closer. "Y-you're too close, Va-"
"Is this... Makeup?"
Verde shivered when Vao reached up and dragged his finger across her cheek, staining his skin. Verde flinched; he had touched Yin's handprint. Vao tensed, grabbing his dress and tearing a shred off, using it to wipe Verde's face clean. She could see his eyes go dark and serious.
"Mate? Who did this?" Vao growled. Verde was stammering. Vao was more observant than she had thought. Stupid, but observant. Vao gave her a little shake, lowering his voice. "Who did it, Verde?"
The witch averted her gaze, her fingers curling into fists. She remembered Jack.
Vao would protect her, right? He had already shown to be Verde's friend. And even if he was furious, Verde could still see that he cared. She bit her lip.
... She couldn't do it. Once again, she was afraid of ruining Vao's friendship with his younger brother. And on top of that, she wasn't too certain if Vao would even agree to help her. Even if he didn't follow the Church and its teachings, he still grew up around it. He might even tell her to fight back. She looked back up at her, a lump forming in her throat.
"... I fell. That's all," she lied. She knew when she looked into his eyes that he didn't believe her.
"... You can tell me, Verde," Vao whispered. "We're friends. Friends take care of each other."
Verde shook her head. "I tripped and fell. That's all that happened," she repeated. Vao stepped closer, leaning forward so only she could hear his voice.
"Who did it?"
The moment he opened his mouth, the smell assaulted her nose like fire. The stench of alcohol. Verde's chest began to tighten, her instincts beginning to kick in. She took a step back, reflexively covering her nose.
"... Please leave me alone."
She didn't wait for an answer. She just turned and ran, leaving Vao to stand there in confusion. He scratched his head, looking worried. "... Wot did I do...?"
Raven hummed darkly, her brows furrowing. "... She pinched her nose. When was the last time you bathed, Vao?"
The femboy looked morbidly offended. "Before we took the necromancer quest! I took a bath with Yang!"
Raven looked up at him, her brows knitted together in confusion. "Hold on, you took a bath with your sister?"
Vao nodded. "Yeah, we do it all the time."
Raven brushed that thought out of her mind. "... Whatever. Forget I ever asked. Just don't shag your sister."
"I... Wot!? That's nasty!"
At least Vao understood that. Raven turned and began to walk back to the party, Vao following close behind. She was thinking.
If Vao didn't smell bad, then what got that reaction?
It dawned on her. It was the alcohol. The smell of alcohol had reminded Verde of something. Raven groaned under her breath.
"... Vao?"
"Wot?"
Raven turned to him, her gaze as hard and cold as steel, making Vao instinctively tense. "... Take care of that girl, you hear me? I've got a bad feeling, and I trust my gut."
Vao nodded gently. "... Of course. It was you who taught me to take care of friends, mum."
Raven smirked, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Damn straight, kiddo. I'm such a good mom, ain't I?"
"Yeah! You're the coolest!"
"Don't have to tell me, I already know," Raven snickered. "Now let's go share the goods you got off that guy in the alley."
...
Yin stumbled over his own feet, falling to the ground. Whiskey spilled from his bottle, pooling on the ground in front of him. The cleric felt a hard lump growing in his throat, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Nnooo... M-mah... Booze..."
He could feel someone helping him to his feet, his eyes soon meeting that of Pyrrha's. "Are you alright?" She asked worriedly. "You hit the ground really hard..."
Yin pointed at the puddle in front of them, giving his empty bottle a shake before wiping his eyes. "I-I spilled it..."
Pyrrha grinned. "Is that what you're worried about? Here!" She held out another bottle, despite wondering if it was a good idea to do so. Yin looked like he was on the verge of puking. But the cleric happily took the liquor, gulping it down.
"Yo!"
They turned to see Sasha pushing her way through the crowd, the giant clapping a hand over the healer's back. "Look at you, socializing for once!"
"Shaddap, I socialize all the time!" Yin slurred happily. Sasha chuckled, shaking her head.
"Wouldn't be too sure of that," she joked. "Are you all right though? You look sick."
"I'm... F-fine..." Yin paused to turn his head and belch, the goblins around him bursting into laughter. Sasha and Pyrrha looked at each other before snickering, dragging him back into the crowd. Pyrrha gave him a gentle push, the goblins parting to make a clearing. Yin swayed and stumbled, looking around wildly.
"Dance, Yin! Dance!" Sasha shouted. She was enjoying this too much. After all the remarks he made, she was eager to see him make an ass of himself.
Yin spun around, kicking his legs out to the sound of the beat. It didn't take long for a familiar voice to screech.
"Oh, Yin! You're dancing!?"
Yin turned to see Vao skipping through the crowd with Raven following behind. The woman was scratching at her arms frantically, her eyes wide with panic. Vao wrapped his arm around Yin's shoulder, matching his footsteps. "C'mon, I'll be a pal! Follow my lead!"
Yin watched as Vao kicked his legs out, matching his movements. He even began to laugh.
When was the last time he enjoyed himself like this? He couldn't remember. He never went to parties, other than a Church function - which were formal with no alcohol in sight, or even music. Compared to the Church, the goblin city was a blast. Sasha rolled her eyes, flashing a goofy grin before joining them, raising her bottle to her lips. And soon, Raven and Pyrrha joined, and lastly Salem. The princess raised her bottle high into the air.
"Cheers?"
The response came at the same time. "Cheers!"
Without hesitation they emptied the bottles into their stomachs and threw them against a wall, the glass sparkling through the air as they shattered. A cheer of joy came in unison, the goblins around them joining the dance. Yin turned to Vao, looking him in the eyes.
"W-who... Are you...?"
Vao looked confused. "Wot are you talking about? It's me, Vao."
Yin grinned, pulling his arm away from Sasha and wrapping both around Vao's waist. "That'sha... Pretty name..."
Vao snickered. "Is it?"
"Yer really cute, Vao..."
Vao was a bit confused. Yin never said that to him before. For some reason, it made him feel worried. "... Thanks?"
Yin pointed to an alley, giving Vao's shoulder a pat. "Let's go over there... We can party together..."
"Uh... Okay?"
Yin guided Vao to the alley, the femboy having to support him. Once they were out of view, Vao crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "... Wot is this about, mate? Where's the party?"
Yin leaned against the wall, locking eyes with Vao. "Oh... I'm going to show you a party..."
Vao scratched his head, wondering what Yin was talking about. He was pried from his thoughts when Yin pushed off the wall and pinned Vao against the side of the alley, leaning his forehead into his. Vao felt his face heat up with anger.
"Hey... This 'party'... Wot have you got in mind, exactly?"
Yin snickered, not answering. Vao scoffed. "Look, I can understand you're drunk right now, so I'll remind you that I'm a guy."
Yin chuckled, cupping Vao's cheek. "What a coincidence... So am I."
"... H-huh?"
Vao was taken by surprise, the color draining from his face. Yin leaned closer, his cheeks dusted pink. Vao shivered, sweat glistening on his forehead. "W-wait... Do you not recognize me...?"
Yin didn't answer. His lips were almost connected with Vao's. The femboy's face went dark red.
"I'm your brother, you blasted twat!"
THWACK!
...
"O-ohh..."
Yin's eyelids were almost too heavy for him to open. But when he managed, he didn't recognize where he was. He sat up, looking around slowly. He was in an alleyway, and just outside were thousands of goblins passed out in the streets of the city. He tried to stand - only to double over in agony.
"M... My head..."
It felt like he had fallen off a mountain, landed in a pond of freezing water, and then fell down another mountain. He had never had a headache this bad in his life.
"You finally awake?"
He looked up at the sound of his brother's feminine voice. The femboy poked his head into the alley, stepping into view. He had his leather armor on again, his battle-axe strapped to his back like usual. He walked forward and helped Yin to his feet, sitting the cleric down on a bench outside the alley. "Vao... What... What happened last night...?"
Vao crossed his arms, scowling at the cleric. "You got drunk, Yin. You were trying to drink like I do, when you've never even tasted alcohol before."
"Oh..."
"And that's not even the worst part!" Vao shouted. "You tried to kiss me, you bloke!"
"I... What!?" Yin immediately regret raising his voice, clutching his head with a whimper. Vao nodded.
"Yeah! You had me pinned against a wall and everything, so I clocked you. But then you got back up and tried to take your clothes off, so I just beat the fuck out of you until you stopped moving."
That explained why Yin was covered in bruises. The cleric looked around at the city, his brow furrowing. "... I think I remember... You saying something about that goblin woman..."
"Oh, Pock?"
"Yeah... Did you really...?"
"I did."
Yin scowled, but quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. Not a second later, he was puking on the ground while Vao watched in disgust. The cleric coughed up the last bits of vomit before glaring at his older brother. "I-if I didn't feel so horrible... I'd beat you senseless for even thinking about doing... 'that'... With one of those freaks..."
"Yeah, yeah, wotever," Vao muttered.
"It's not whatever! It's a freaking monster, Vao! It's a sin! Sin!"
"Guess I'm a sinner."
"VAO!"
Vao winced, rubbing his ear. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry. Look, let's just go. The others are waiting for us at the goblin chief's house. We're getting rewarded for saving Pock."
Yin grumbled something foul under his breath, using his staff as a cane to support his trembling legs. He felt like crap. As they walked, Vao started talking. "... There's something I wanted to talk to you about, bruv..."
When Yin looked down at his older brother, he felt his blood run cold. Vao was staring at him intensely, any trace of his signature grin having disappeared without a trace. His scarlet eyes were hard and freezing cold. "Can you be honest with me?"
Yin gulped, nodding his head. "... Of course. What is it, Vao?"
The alcoholic looked down as they walked, kicking a pebble. After a moment, he looked back up at Yin. "... Last night, Verde looked really messed up. Black eye, busted lip, bruises. She says she tripped, but I know wot a fight looks like... The goblins don't care much about the Church's laws... Did you do something?"
Yin wondered if Verde snitched for a moment. But he quickly realized Vao wouldn't be asking if she did; he'd have punched Yin already. The cleric sighed, shaking his head. "I didn't. I wouldn't touch that filthy whore with a ten foot stick."
Vao's gaze grew colder. "... You're the only one in our little group who openly despises her. I wouldn't put it past you to do something-"
"I. Didn't. Touch her," Yin snarled. "What's wrong? Defensive of your master?"
Vao looked confused. "W... Wot?"
"I know the truth," Yin hissed. "You're being controlled by her evil magic. Wake up, Vao. You're nothing but a marionette on strings."
The femboy crossed his arms, halting in his tracks. "I'm not a puppet. Verde's done nothing wrong," he snapped back. "Will you just wake the hell up? Give her a chance, Yin."
"Over my dead body."
Yin didn't wait for an answer. He just stormed off in the direction they were going. Soon the others came into view, Pyrrha standing with them. The redheaded goblin was talking to Salem. Verde was standing by herself; when her eyes met Yin's she looked away and pulled her hat further down her head. Yin made a mental note to make her pay for even making Vao suspicious.
"Alright, is everyone ready?" Pyrrha asked. Salem did a quick head count before nodding. "Yes, everyone is here."
"Great! Follow me, please!"
They followed the goblin up the stairs to the largest house in the entire city, the guards at the double doors snapping to attention when they saw Pyrrha. As they walked down the halls, Salem looked at Yin curiously, a small smile playing on her lips. "How are you feeling, Yin?"
"Terrible," the cleric grumbled. Salem let out a small giggle, patting his back. "The hangover will pass in time. For now, just try to think of the positives."
"What positives? I'm surrounded by monsters and sinners," Yin growled darkly. Salem frowned. Now that he was sober, he was back to being racist. With a sigh, she turned his attention away from the healer as they stepped through another set of doors.
The room was big, with a wooden throne perched on top of a flight of stairs. Sitting on this throne was a large goblin wearing a robe. Perched on top of his balding head was a silver coronet, embezzled with a single sapphire. He was the chief of the goblin city. When he saw the adventurers, he gave them a kind and patient smile, clearing his throat.
"Hello," he greeted. Pyrrha immediately dropped to her knee, followed by the adventurers. Only Yin remained standing, having to be forced to his knee by Raven and Salem. The goblin chief cleared his throat for a second time and took a moment to figure out how to translate his language into human tongue.
"You save Pock," he started. "You do... Um... Great service to goblin shitty."
Vao snorted, trying to stifle his laughter. Salem rolled her eyes. He was so immature. The chief ignored the femboy, standing up. "You deserve prize... No... Word... What was word..."
"Reward?" Ruby asked. The chief snapped his fingers.
"Yes! Reward! You heroes to goblin shitty-"
Vao was crying from trying to hold in his laughter. The chief continued.
"We give you money," he said. "And a warm welcome when you come visit. You are... Um... How do I say..." He scratched his chin, his eyebrows furrowing thoughtfully. "Ally... Friend... Yes, friend! Friend to goblins and goblin shitty."
Raven smacked Vao over the head when he started snickering, but he couldn't stop. He was using both hands to cover his mouth, tears spilling down his cheeks. Salem sighed. He was just as childish as she remembered from the Second Timeline. But when she thought back to the First Timeline, she realized that this was how she preferred him. She cast a quick glance at Yin.
He was scowling. Salem could feel an ache in her chest. She wished he had remained the same, too.
The goblin chief stepped forward, bringing his hands together gently. "In time of need, we happy to help. Heroes, friend of goblins... Thank you for saving Pock..."
To their surprise, the goblin chief took off his coronet and bowed. "I am... Uh... Et... Eter... Eternally grateful."
When Pyrrha stood back up, Salem and the others followed her lead. Ruby looked around curiously. "Where is Pock, anyway?"
The goblin chief tilted his head, Vao quickly translating. The goblin chief chuckled, then frowned.
"Oh... Pock sick. She think pregnant."
Vao's face suddenly went a ghostly white. He wasn't laughing anymore. The thing about goblins, is that pregnancy was quick. It only takes three months for a goblin to be born. Yin slowly turned to Vao, his eyes wide in shock. "... Did you... Not use protection...?"
Vao trembled. "I-I... F-forgot..."
Raven was dark red in the face, steam billowing from her nostrils. "Vao... What the FUCK did you do?"
A door to their left opened, and the last person they needed stepped out. Pock gave a happy wave the moment she stepped out. "Vao!"
The goblin chief looked at Vao. "Oh, you friend of Pock's?"
Yin put his head in his hands, walking away. Salem was staring at the scene in horror. There was no way Vao just screwed up this bad. Pock said something in the goblin language, the chief gasping.
"Oh! Don't worry, Pock only had belly ache. She not pregnant."
Vao looked like he was about to pass out from relief. Verde was clutching her chest, breathing heavily. Despite her expressionless face, Salem could tell the witch was filled with relief too. Salem stood up straight, trying to erase the newfound knowledge of Vao's... Personal adventures out of her mind. "W-well... We'll be going... Now..."
The goblin chief nodded happily. "Yes! You come visit any time! Always welcome in goblin shitty!"
This time Vao didn't laugh at the language barrier. He looked visibly shaken. Pock skipped forward and hugged him. "Vao! You come back too!"
"M-maybe... Oh balls, I need a drink..."
"Vao, come here."
Vao turned to his mother in confusion. "Wot? Why?"
"So I can beat the shit out of you."
"Oh, piss!"
Vao turned on his heel and blasted off, kicking up dirt as he sprinted full speed out of the cave with Raven in hot pursuit. As they stepped into the midday sun, they saw Vao getting wrecked by Raven. She had him in a chokehold, screaming obscenities at him. Yin instinctively covered Ruby's ears.
"You wanna have kids, is that it!?"
"No, mummy! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"You think I want to be a grandmother!? At thirty-six!?"
"I-I don't know, do you!?"
Raven didn't hesitate to strangle Vao, the femboy flailing around helplessly. Salem and the others watched in silence as Vao's movements began to slow until he went limp. Only then did Raven let go, slinging him over her shoulder. She turned a deadly glare to her companions, as if daring them to say anything. No one did.
As they began their journey back to Faralda, the goblin chief, Pyrrha, and Pock stood at the entrance to the cave, waving goodbye.
"Come visit again!" Pyrrha shouted. Salem turned to wave, a smile forming on her lips. Even if she was hungover and felt like she was going to lose her lunch, she had fun. Maybe if Yin toned it down, they really could visit a second time. But when she looked at the cleric's scowl, she decided it wouldn't be anytime soon.
The trip was long. With Sasha reading the map, they didn't get turned around once.
As it turned out, the knight was a better scout than their thief.
...
As they approached the gates of Faralda, Salem recognized the two guards immediately. The tall thin one, and the short chubby one. Were they always on duty? It was the thin one who called out to them, pointing at the femboy - who was now walking, at least. "The hell happened to your face, Vao?"
Vao covered his swollen eye. "I..." He trailed off when Raven shot him a dirty look. "... Ran into a door... Yeah..."
The chubby one eyed Yin, cocking a brow. "And you? You look terrible."
"Feel terrible," Yin growled. Salem sighed, stepping in front of them.
"Can we pass, please? It's been... A long night."
The guards shared a look before shuffling to the side, allowing them entry. As the group walked into the bustling town, Sasha finally remembered something. "Wait... We didn't kill the necromancer..."
"So we aren't being paid..." Ruby finished sadly.
"So I have a splitting headache, got beat up by Vao, had to deal with disgusting creatures, and listen to the heretic complain and I'm not earning even a copper piece?" Yin snarled.
"I didn't speak the entire way," Verde cut in. One quick glare from the cleric made her stop talking, instinctively moving closer to Vao. The femboy crossed his arms.
"In my defense, you tried to swap spit with me and started taking off your clothes. Wot the bloody hell was I supposed to do, let you get naked?"
Yin clenched his fist, gritting his teeth together. "... Fair... Point..."
"Hold on... What happened between you two?" Salem asked. Vao nodded.
"So I'm havin' a blast, right? Here comes Yin, dragging me to an alley. He pinned me against a wall, and-"
"H-he... What?" Ruby stammered.
"Now hold on, I don't remember this," Yin hissed. Vao pointed a finger at him.
"Because you were dead drunk, plonker!" He shouted angrily. He groaned, running a hand over his feminine face. "Where was I... Oh, right. He pinned me against a wall, told me I was cute, then tried to suck on me tongue. So I punched him in the teeth, and wot does he do? Gets right back up and starts getting undressed."
Ruby was red in the face, eagerly listening to Vao's story. "A-and then what happened!?"
"Why... Why do you look like you're enjoying this?" Sasha asked worriedly. Ruby shushed her.
Vao kicked his foot into the ground, his hands in his pockets. "I didn't want to see him naked, much less have him touch me while he was naked, so I took my clothes off-"
"Hold on, what!?" Yin screamed. Vao nodded.
"Yeah, I got naked with you mate. Then I picked up a stick and just beat you with it until you didn't get back up."
"T-two men... N-naked... Together," Ruby stuttered. Everyone gave her a concerned look. Everyone except Vao, who was too stupid to understand what she was getting at.
"Then you looked cold, so I dressed you. You started to wake up, so I beat you with the stick again," Vao continued. "I stayed beside you to make sure you didn't try anything funny."
Yin looked like he was ready to throw a tantrum. "... Were you still naked while you watched me?"
Vao nodded. "Why wouldn't I be? The breeze felt nice on my-"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Raven screamed angrily.
Salem silently thanked Raven under her breath. Yin folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head in disappointment. "... You're such a disgusting moron, Vao..."
"Oh, shut it. You tried to suck your brother's face, you fucking pervert."
"That...!"
Yin trailed off. He couldn't argue because Vao was right. The cleric just scoffed, storming down the street.
"Where are you going?" Raven called back to him.
"To Church... I need to cleanse myself of sin," Yin growled back. There was silence for a few moments, and soon Vao held up a bag of weird-looking candy.
"Oi mum, I still got those sweets the dodgy man gave me. Want to share at home?"
"... What do you think I'm going to say?"
"... Yes?"
Raven ruffled his hair, a foul grin crossing her lips. "You know me so well, kiddo. Let's go get fucked up. Verde can babysit us."
"When did we discuss this?" Verde asked.
"Now. We're discussing it now. Let's go," Raven ordered. Verde sighed, waving at the remaining three as she followed Vao and Raven back to their house. "Goodbye. We'll see you tomorrow."
"Later," Sasha called back. Salem looked down at Ruby, who was pouting.
"... Is everything alright, Ruby?"
Ruby shook her head. "Not really... I wanted some candy too, Princess..."
Salem's lips tightened. "I..." She trailed off, not really wanting to tell Ruby that her family was breaking the law. "... Nevermind. Just forget about the candy. Don't you have other things to do?"
Ruby scratched her head, sighing thoughtfully. "... Uh... What's today again?"
"Wednesday, I think," Sasha replied. Ruby's eyes widened in horror.
"Oh no! It was my turn to do the chores today! I'll see you guys later, I have to go!"
Ruby didn't even bother waving goodbye; she just took off running down the street. Sasha let out a groan, inspecting her armor. "... I'm going to take a bath. I smell like crap. See you, Princess."
Salem waved as Sasha left. "Until next time."
The princess was all alone, now. With a soft sigh, she looked around the bustling city. She never had the chance to fully explore. Perhaps now would be a good chance to see what Faralda had to offer.
She was unaware.
Unaware of the eyes that followed her.
...
From the darkness of the alley, his blue eye glared after the princess. It wasn't a glare of hostility, but of suspicion. The knight commander was pried from his thoughts when his partner spoke.
"... So the Princess of the Kingdom really is accompanying those kids..."
The knight looked up at the huge man, his gaze softening. "... I'm surprised you managed to control yourself. You were staring at that Verde girl pretty hard, Rojo."
Rojo grumbled, his tongue trailing over his lips. "Filthy bitch is too cautious, and sticks with that loudmouth girl. When I get my chance... Heh heh heh..."
Glenroy's nose wrinkled in disgust. He already knew Rojo was having morbid fantasies. "She's barely an adult, Rojo. She's seventeen."
"She was younger when I started."
Glenroy felt sick. "... You're disgusting."
"If it's so wrong, why does it feel so good?" Rojo snickered. "She's my daughter, and a woman to boot; she's nothing more than property to be owned, to be broken. I'll make her pay for running off. I'll make sure she can't even crawl away."
Glenroy did his best to tune out Rojo, turning to Leaf instead. The Archbishop was just returning from deeper in the alley, his hand clamped over his mouth. He didn't look like he was enjoying Rojo's company, either. The scrawny man glared at the Cardinal, disgust as clear as water in his blue eyes. "Ew..."
Rojo rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself. Anyways, what now? We've confirmed it with our own eyes; Salem is with Yin. Dunno where Vao is, though."
"You big meathead," Leaf growled. "The black haired one is Vao."
"That lady had tits, Leaf."
"No! The younger one! The one with no boobs!"
Rojo chuckled. "You can't fool me. Ain't no way that was a man. Right, Glenny-boy?"
When Glenroy didn't answer, Rojo's smile fell. "... That... That was a girl... Right...?"
The knight commander and Leaf looked at each other before shaking their heads. Leaf sighed. "That was a dude..."
Rojo looked like he was going through a mental crisis. As he put his head in his hands, Glenroy turned to the Archbishop. "Archbishop... Any word from Jack?"
Leaf shrugged. "Dunno. Haven't seen him since he followed Yin and Vao on their little necromancer adventure. The Pope was pretty angry, though - Jack isn't telling what happened."
Glenroy groaned. "Lovely... Just what we needed. A freak-show we can't trust."
"If you ever put trust in Jack in the first place," Leaf replied. "Then you are the biggest idiot I've ever met."
Glenroy rolled his eyes, but seemed to agree. "... You're right, Archbishop. In the meantime, I'll continue watching Yin and Vao. I will report anything suspicious. Good morning."
Glenroy snapped to attention, bending at the waist in a small bow before hurrying off. Leaf sighed, looking up at Rojo. "... You okay, meathead?"
Rojo looked up at him, the corners of his lips curling into a disheveled grin. Leaf felt her blood run cold. The muscular man leaned down, his eyes flickering with lust. "Just thinkin' about my daughter... I can hardly wait..."
Leaf held back the urge to gag. Instead, he shook his head. "... Whatever. Let's just go; we still have to find that 'Ozpin' man."
As they left, the only thing that remained in the alley was silence. there wasn't a trace of them left behind.