Company and Calamity

Kyuubi looked at the Echidna and chuckled slightly at the memory of first seeing it, Desire looked at it in confusion. Desire turned to Kyuubi "what do you think that gas does?" Kyuubi shrugged and said "he never told me really. all I know is 'you don't want to touch it' or at least that's the most important thing about it." Kyuubi made a short laugh. Desire didn't seem to understand what was so funny but she turned and continued walking. Kyuubi followed, as he walked he slowly turned around to see if anyone was watching or following them...

The Echidna suddenly yawns and cloud of gas erupts from its mouth, vaporizing the steps on either side of it. In the ever sinking crater, flowers begin to grow. Sparkles float all around the echidna. It doesn't seem to be aware of anything around it as it continues to snore away. In the sparkles, a faint vision can be seen. Perhaps a dream? Or a memory?

Kyuubi stops and looks at the dream like event appearing above it, Desire comes back and sees what he is looking at, She too stops and watches. neither of them dare to step any closer. Syrix doesn't seem to be paying attention.

The echidna yawns once more. The gas reforms the seats, but they are soaked in what appears to be blood from different creatures. The sparkles gather into a cloud. Before them unfolds a glimpse of a battle, taking place from its eyes. It runs through legs and bodies of its allies until it stops and hides behind a large leg. Something is speaking a ways away. It peeks out from behind the legs to see a wall of what appears to be some sort of army. Without being seen, it runs through the enemy army until it finds a suitable leg. In an instant, the echidna breaths the gas. Chaos happens instantly. The thunderous sounds of yelling and running footsteps con only mean that Hyrax's army is charging. The victims unfortunate enough o be hit by the gas experience a wide variety of effects. Some melt on the spot. Others seem to grow fleshy appendages and attack their own allies. In the distance, yet in range of the gas, what appears to be a male painfully takes on a more feminine appearance. In a small clearing of troops, the Primal Hyrax can be seen performing the same attack it attempted on Daybreak, the only difference is that is worked. A bright substance flowed from the victim and into Hyrax's mouth, eating it. The victim falls to the floor, a wrinkled and hollow shell. Hyrax suddenly envelopes in Lackluster and takes its usual appearance. The sparkles burn away. The echidna continues to snore.

Kyuubi and Desire stare at where the image was a second ago with a mix of confusion and shock on their faces "I'm not sure what I just watched...and I'm not sure I want to witness it again..." Desire says, not shifting her gaze from that same spot. Kyuubi turned and began to pull Desire away "hopefully we won't have to." Kyuubi walks away, Desire gets pulled away by her arm by Kyuubi and they continue to advance...

The booth in only a few steps away. The ticking of a clock can be faintly heard. Two clocks. The voices continue.

"clocks?" Desire says listening closely. Kyuubi listens too, he hears the voices, "I think so...do you think they are speaking in their language?" Kyuubi says, talking about the two having a conversation. Desire shrugs, "It's too hard to tell from here." "we could get closer." Kyuubi said "isn't that eavesdropping?" they looked at Syrix. Kyuubi's ears twitch and face in the direction of the voices, his hearing becomes more sensitive, "just don't say anything too loud. it would be best if you didn't talk at all for a while." he said to Desire. Desire silenced herself and looked in the opposite direction, to make sure no one will sneak up on them. Kyuubi listens...

"You know I hate this language." The first voice is gruff and mechanical. "Just... roll with it." The second is calm and collected. The clocks continue to click. "The performance will start shortly." "Can't i just go to my booth?" "And disobey orders?" The first voice goes silent. "Exactly."

"sounds like they are arguing. about speaking that language..." Kyuubi whispers so quietly that Desire had to get closer to his mouth to actually hear what he said. she didn't say anything but she nodded in understanding. Syrix had tied his tail around his neck to prevent himself from speaking but he still looked like a scarf. Kyuubi looked in the direction of the voices, "they said the show will be starting soon..." Kyuubi turned to Desire "we could head back..." Desire steps away from Kyuubi but then whispers as if she was right next to his ear "but we haven't made it to Hyrax yet." Kyuubi looks at the direction of the two voices "I'll keep listening. but lets keep advancing." Kyuubi beckoned her forwards and began walking. She walked behind him, almost in a tiptoe.

The clocks continued to click, but the feeling of being watched lessend to the point where it was almost unnoticable. "I just think this is stupid. I have a prison to run." Some stuffling could be heard. "What? Really? That's pretty dumb." There was a loud shooshing noise as the lights above the theater dimmed. The stage was at an angle that made it nearly impossible to clearly see anything on it, but none the less, a single figure walked onto the stage. The audience explodes with applause.

Kyuubi's ears go down "the audience's applause...will make it harder to hear..." he shook his head and his ears rose back up. "let's keep going, Hyrax should be at the top..." Kyuubi continues to listen though his ears pick up less when the audience makes too much sound...

The audience settles down and the show begins. Unsurprisingly, it's all in another language. "She is off pitch." "Wasn't my job to tune her." The two chuckle for a little bit before falling silent to watch the performance.

Kyuubi and Desire continue to look for a way to the top. Kyuubi listens intensely to make sure that no one causes them any trouble. Desire tries to see if she could see the act going on from her current position and tries to see if she could find Life and the Hollow, where ever they have run off to, as well as see if she could find Balefrost's booth which contained Sky and Shade...

"Lovely dance... Excellent form..." "I've seen better." "You've only been to a few of these." "That's cause I work." "Monitoring prisoners of war is hardly a job." "You try being warden someday." "Oh please. You just like to send 10,000 volts through their skulls for answers." "Fair enough." The pair go silent again.

"Prisoners of war?" Kyuubi retracts slightly when he mentions 'send 10,000 volts through their skulls for answers'. Desire has not found Life and turns towards Kyuubi. they continue up the large booth to get to the top. "who finds entertainment in torture?" Kyuubi says out loud "that's just sick." Desire responds with a disgusted look on her face "well one thing is for sure...these two don't like each other very much. They are arguing a lot" Kyuubi shakes his head and sneaks forwards.

"I just realized how twisted you are." "What makes you say that?" "You electrocute people for answers." "What of it?" "You enjoy it, don't you?" The other goes silent. "...You're no better." The show goes on. The performer has the audience completely enticed. "I do get answers though." "Just drop it."

Kyuubi continues his advance with Desire. Meanwhile Sky and Shade sit in the booth. Sky looks nervously up at the large booth for Hyrax. Shade leans back and looks as though he is about to fall asleep. Sky sees Desire's head pop out and look around from a part of the booth. Sky almost leaped up and shouted but stopped himself before he did. He bit his claw to try and stop himself, shade looked at Sky in confusion. "They made it up. There pretty high..." Shade rolled his eyes "they'll be fine" he says and looks at the act

"End of act one approaches." "We can take a break then." The audible sigh was noticeable.

Kyuubi turns to Desire "sounds like they are gonna take a break...from what ever it is they are doing in there..." Kyuubi looks in the direction of the voices. Desire looks in the same direction. "do you think they will find it strange if they find us up here?" Desire asks "were gonna find out soon by the looks of it..." Kyuubi steps forwards and tries to see the owners of the voices. "If all els fails..." Kyuubi pulls the "bipcnqu" out from his pack an his side and holds it where Desire can see it, she nods in understanding.

The last note rings out and fades. The audience applauds and the performer leaves the stage. Many of the audience members get up and leave to stretch their legs or something.

Sky shifts, wondering if he should go or not, Shade grabs his shoulder and sits him down in the chair, "Stop worrying." Shade pats his shoulder. Kyuubi stands still, his ears lowered because of the applause. Meanwhile the Hollow approaches the opposite side of the booth from the way Kyuubi and Desire entered in, Life comes up behind and grabs it "gotcha. Don't run off like that again, pleas." Life says and then looks up at the large booth "wow...talk about over doing it..." the Hollow looks up, leaning back, it fell on it's back trying to see the top.

The booth is silent, save for the shuffling of cards. Done by the booth, Balefrost falls asleep.

Sky looks at Balefrost and shifts "what do we do now?" he turns to Shade who shrugged "is there anything we can do? The best we can do its wait." Shade leans back and closes his eyes. Kyuubi and Desire slowly advance forwards.

The ticking of the clocks overtakes the cards. Below Kyuubi and Desire, the Echidna sneezes itself awake. "Hmm wha-?" The aspect tiredly looks around before walking past Kyuubi towards Hyrax's booth.

"should we follow him?" Desire asks, Kyuubi shrugs, "looks like he is heading in the right direction. Just keep your distance." Kyuubi follows the echidna at a distance, the clocks make it difficult to hear the voices...if they were still talking.