Sunday Morning
Firetail got up at around 7, walking downstairs. Cassiel was still in Gluzze's room. He glanced into Damien's room, seeing him on the computer before making his way down the stairs. Azreal was cooking some sausage on the stove while putting biscuits on a pan, having another bowl out for gravy.
He glanced at the couch when Trippze woke up. "Food," was all he said, sitting up. Firetail chuckled, but nearly jumped out of his fur when he heard Damien yell from upstairs. "FIRETAIL!" Fire looked up the stairs, confused.
Star came down the stairs, patting Fire on the shoulder dramatically. "Good luck." She said. Fire rolled his eyes as Damien came marching down the stairs, looking pissed. "What did I tell you, I'm not going to let any of you work for my family." He said.
"Well, too late buckeroo, because I already talked to your Mom about it, had Trippze vouch for me, and filled out the form." He shot back, toning out Trippze and Azreal talking.
"Do you want to to know why I don't want you to work for them? Most of the people die in the academy, and even after that you are expendable to them. I don't want to lose another friend to them." Damien replied.
"Okay, well, I'm a lot tougher than a lot of people. I was able to survive and escape the lab, as well as survive more than one fight with Trippze." Firetail said, crossing his arms. "Also I was already into some shady shit before I was kidnapped, so what better criminal than one that doesn't exist in any files? I can't be that expendable because of that."
"The trainees that you'll be up against will do anything to win. That includes torture or poisoning you." Damien said. "Ask Trippze, he killed half his class so he could win."
Trippze nodded form the kitchen. "And I ate them afterwards." He added. "Sounds better than the lab. If you're trying to discourage me because it s deadly or hell like, well I've been through ten times worse." Firetail said, his hands shaking slightly as he retorted. He remembered all the times he had fought back against the horrible, painful surgeries. He had never given up, never gave up. This was nothing compared to that.
Damien rubbed his eyes, finally caving. "You do realize that I'd be your boss, right? And Trippze would be a superior of yours?" He asked. "Okay, and?" Firetail said. "If you need me to prove I can best someone in the fight, I can prove it in the basement right now."
Damien shook his head. "No I believe you, just... please be careful." He said. "Careful, ha. You don't make a name for yourself by being careful." Fire replied. "Firetail's right, Damien." Trippze pitched in. Damien sighed. "Just be careful." He repeated before retreating to his room.
Firetail rolled his eyes before looking at Trippze. "Wanna see a cool trick?" He asked with a grin on his face as the oven timer went off. "Also, you do need to stop eating people.... That or we will take away your milkshakes." He said.
Trippze narrowed his eyes, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Excuse me? You will do no such thing." He said. "Try me." Firetail retorted, tensing. "Firetail, please don't start other fight over milkshakes." Azreal said, pulling the biscuits out of the oven.
"No one threatens my milkshakes." Trippze said, starting to unsheathe them sword. "Also what was that trick you were talking about?" He asked. "Let's go to the basement, I'll show you." He said, heading down to the basement. Once he was down he grabbed a 9mm glock from the wall, loading it.
Azreal facepalmed and looked to Star, who had just gotten a plate of food. "So, whatcha think? Should I get myself a kiss-the-cook apron?" He smiled. "Oh come on Azzy, now who'd kiss that ugly mug or yours?" Star joked back. "You little twerp- and who said you could call me that?" He chuckled.
Trippze nodded. "Star has a point, you've really let yourself go." Azreal huffed. "I'll have you two know I'm highly offended." He said, crossing his arms. He smiled before following Firetail. Fire looked up at Trippze before handing him the gun. "Try and shoot me." He said smugly. Trippze shrugged, aiming for Firetail's head and shooting without a second thought.
Firetail dropped, lunging forward and grabbing the gun, dropping its magazine and pulled the side off with the barrel. It was now rendered 100% useless. Trippze shook his head. "That's a neat little trick. But what about when your opponent is more than a few feet away from you?" He asked.
Firetail shrugged. "Than I'll have enough time to pull my own gun." He replied. "Yeah that's true. I think you'll do fine on the cartel." Trippze said. "Yeah, thank you." Fire replied. He put the gun back together and they both headed back upstairs.
Trippze sat on the couch next to Star. "This place is so boring, I wonder if there's an arcade or something in town." He said. Star spoke. "There should be, an old one. But there's also a few museums, parks, a movie theater... but all of them are pretty small. Small town." She replied. "Oh yeah- have any of y'all seen Galaxy?" She asked.
Azreal and Cassiel had been talking to each other in the corner of the room in old Scandinavian, but stopped when they heard that. "...No one told you?" Azreal asked. "Told me what?" Star asked innocently.
"She was found dead yesterday in town... she didn't turn to ash..." Azreal said. "What?" Star's eyes widened. Trippze nodded. "Yep, Gluzze found her cold lifeless corpse." He said cheerfully. "Yeah, she's not taking it well at all, her abyss if fully covering her." Firetail said. "Oh yeah, I actually have to head out and find a Dutchie here in a bit to see if they can help her." He said.
"That... that's weird. Do we know who did it...?" Star ventured. "Nope," Trippze said, smiling at his phone as if nothing was wrong in the world. "The only thing we know if that Pheonix was following her when it happened." Star didn't reply, thinking.
"Alright, I'm gonna go see if Damien wants to help me find that Dutchie..." Firetail said, escaping up the stairs. "I'm gonna go get a milkshake." Trippze said, leaving the house.
Firetail went up to Damien's room and knocked on the door. "Hey, I'm gonna go find a Dutchie to help Gluzze, could you give me a ride?" He asked. "Sure," Damien said, standing and opening the door. "Your Mom said they should be in a cave about five miles south of the town." He told the silver and gold dragon.
"Mkay." Damien replied shortly, going to grab the keys to the van before heading outside. Firetail followed him out to the van, hopping in the passenger side as Damien took off. It was silent for a moment before Firetail spoke up. "Why does your family send people to an academy?" He asked.
"They want to evaluate you so they can choose the job you're most suited for. Also to train those current skills past their limits. I think you would be in Trippze's area of undercover operations and hit-men, or maybe a body guard. Something like that." He replied.
"Okay then." Fire said, glancing out the window. "We should be getting close, I think." He added after a bit. "Okay," Damien said, slowing the van down for they could look out for the cave. Eventually Fire spoke up as they drove past a denser part of the forest. He squinted. "Hey, I think I see a cave over there." He said, pointing to an area where a cliff-face rose a bit.
Damien nodded and pulled off the road, parking and shutting off the van before hopping out. Firetail approved the cave. "Hello?" He shouted inside, listening for any response. The cave itself was small, the entrance shortening and running back into tunnel systems. It was just gray rock and a small stream, a few leaves here and there.
"...Hello?" A voice replied. It sounded almost like an echo, but too loud. It was the same exact voice as Firetail's. Fire tilted his head. "We are looking for a Dutch Angel Dragon who was in Paradise, I've been told we can find one here." He said. "Here," the voice repeated again in Firetail's voice.
There were audible footsteps from hooves. Soon a dragon emerged from one of the tunnel systems. They were tall, their fur a midnight black. Their feathers were a dark black fading into cyan, as well as a pure white muzzle ring. Their eyes were inverted, but they had black pupils with icy blue irises. They had black tear markings running from their eyes.
Damien took a step forward. "We are here about a friend, a fellow Dutchie like you and I." He said. Firetail nodded. "She is highly corrupted by the Abyss, she is extremely sick due to it." He said. "Friend?" The dragon eyed them, their voice switching to Damien's.
"Yes, a friend." Damien said. "Yesterday she found her friend dead in an alley. Her abyss is taking over, we just want to help her." Firetail added into this. "Her name is Gluzze, I don't know if it means anything to you, but like we said we just what time help her. Is there any way to get her abyss down to lower levels?" He asked.
"Help," they echoed back in both their voices, pointing back at himself. "Abyss lower." He pointed at his muzzle ring. Damien looked at Firetail, rising his eyebrows, before stepping closer to the dragon. "Yes we need your help." He said. "Are you able to come with us?" Firetail asked.
The dragon seemed to grow frustrated. "Help," they repeated again, clasping their hands together. Inside, a ball of bright light formed, illuminating the cave before fading out again. "Come with," they said, nodding.
Damien nodded. "So what do you need help with?" He asked, finally getting it. Firetail caught on too. "Can you write? Yes, no." He asked. "Yes!" They replied, perking up. Damien went back to the van and grabbed a notebook and pencil before coming back and handing it to them. "Write what you need help with." Firetail prodded.
They started writing quickly. 'There is a curse laid on me that only allows me to repeat words that have been recently said around me. I will help you if you help me find a way to break it.' They wrote. Damien looked at it then nodded. "How what the curse placed on you?" He asked, handing the notebook back. "Yes, we promise to help you." Fire added.
The dragon smiled. 'Instead of taking away my halo, our deities put this curse on me centuries ago. I did not follow the abyss, but I did partake in the fighting to push it back. They did not appreciate our violence, even if it was for their cause. My name is Echo. I will help you with your friend, even if the curse continues to linger.' They wrote.
Damien smiled back. "Don't worry, Echo. We will find a way to break your curse." He said. Firetail nodded. "And our friend may even be able to help." He said. Echo tilted their head. "Friend?" They asked, tilting their head towards the van.
"She's at our house, would you like to come with us to see her?" Damien asked. They nodded. "Come with to see." Damien nodded and turned to walk towards the van. Firetail opened the back for Echo. Echo tilted his head and hopped in the back.
