One Helluva Ride

Chapter 43: Safe and Sound

        "If you wanna prove yourself, cowboy, here's your chance!" Crimson said, gesturing to the three escapees. Striker's tail rattled as a wicked grin cracked on his face. "You been a pain in my ass long enough, Blitzø. And now?" He took the rope from his side, stretching it between his hands. "I'm gonna break you in like a fuckin' horse!" He threatened. Blitzø shuddered. "Oh, don't you dare talk sexy to me!" He retorted.

          Fizzarolli turned to look at Blitzø. "You're still on the horse thing?!" He asked somewhat disgustedly. Splice's face contorted in surprise. "He's been like this?!" Crimson and his goons chuckled darkly as they advanced on the imps. "Fizz! Remember how you used to distract my dad so I could steal his booze?" Blitzø suddenly asked, his gaze darting around the abandoned warehouse. Fizzarolli gave him a confused look. "I mean, yeah? Why?"

          "Yeah well, I need to get up to that window to bust us out." Blitzø said, pointing to a window near the roof of the building. Fizzarolli grinned. "Ohoho! One distraction, coming up!" Blitzø grabbed Splice by the wrist and pulled them up onto a shelf. "You ready to get out of here?" He asked. Splice chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask." They answered, leaping up onto a support beam on the roof. They held their hand out to help Blitzø up. "Alright, looks like we've got some stuff we can use." They said, motioning to the blowtorch near the sealed window.

          Blitzø nodded, skittering over and taking the blowtorch in his hands. He proceeded to smack it against the barricade. Splice facepalmed. "I don't know how long I can do this!" Fizzarolli sang worriedly. Splice pushed past Blitzø and grabbed the blowtorch. "We're gonna need another sixty seconds!" They replied. The jester shot the two an annoyed look. "Aw, fuck!"

          Splice glanced down at the boxes that were stacked to the window. "Dynamite! Fuck yes." They grinned, taking a stick in their hand. They stuffed it into the window. "Blitzø, help me with this, would ya?" They asked. Together, they packed the window with explosives.

          Blitzø produced a push trigger, attaching it to the dynamite and running to the other end of the beam. "Quick, get Fizz's attention. We gotta get out of here." Splice instructed. Blitzø nodded, taking a spare stick of dynamite and throwing it at Fizzarolli. It hit the jester on the side of the head. He turned, seeing the two imps grinning deviously. The goons all raised their guns to strike. Blitzø pushed down on the trigger, blowing a hole in the wall.

          Fizzarolli wrapped his limbs around a few of the columns, pulling himself back. Splice and Blitzø clambered onto his back. "So fuckin.." He let go, slingshotting the three of them out of the warehouse. "Bye bye!" The three imps flipped off the mafia victoriously. Splice waves the two to start running.

          "You know, you're actually pretty good at this action-hero bullshit!" Fizzarolli said, stopping for a moment to catch his breath. Blitzø smiled. "And you really know how to put on a show! Which is almost as impressive as the thing you said I was good at!" He replied. The two shared a laugh, before abruptly stopping at the sight of a broken-down truck. They shared a knowing glance as Blitzø smashed the window open and began hotwiring the car. He climbed over the front to open the door for Fizz.

          "I guess.. royal jesters first?" Blitzø offered. Fizzarolli bit his lip and looked away sheepishly. Before he could enter the car, a rope wrapped around his torso and dragged him away. Blitzø leaped onto the roof of the car while Splice pulled out their angelic dagger. "Get your fucking shit-stain claws off him!" Blitzø demanded.

         As the dust cleared, the figure of Striker became more visible. He had a tied-up Fizzarolli at his side as he laughed maniacally. "You think I'm just gon' let you get away after all this?" He spun his revolver in his hand, before pushing it into Fizz's face. "I'm through losin' these fights. This worthless little pet reeks of his overbloated master. I'll at least enjoy gettin' rid of him."

          Splice's tail rattled as their eyes narrowed. Fizzarolli smiled nervously. "Okay.. is it bad that I'm getting hard?" He asked. Striker tensed, pushing the cold metal deeper into Fizzarolli's cheek. "Shut the fuck up! Why's it always a sex thing?!" He froze as he heard a gunshot, slowly turning to look at the lit gasoline cans beside him.

          The cans exploded, sending Fizzarolli rocketing into the air. He smacked into a billboard, sliding down and falling into the green flames beneath him. Striker frantically rolled on the ground, desperately trying to extinguish the flames that were starting to engulf him. Blitzø's gaze snapped over to Fizzarolli, who was trying to use his cybernetic limbs to escape the nearing fire. It wasn't working.

          "Fizz!" Blitzø yelled, jumping into action. He ran across a crane arm, using his tail to cling to the crane hook and reach toward Fizz. Fizzarolli grasps Blitzø's hand and the two get flung in the air. Fizz stretched out his arm, managing to wrap it around the crane arm, landing them safely.

          Fizzarolli violently shook Blitzø. "You blew me up again, you fuckin' prick!" Blitzø gave Fizz an apologetic look. "I did.. but this time, I stuck around." He said. The two wrapped their arms around each other in a gentle embrace as Splice climbed up to the crane arm. "Would it.. fuck up the moment if we made out right now?" Blitzø asked. Splice gave him a disgusted look and Fizzarolli glared at him. Splice punched him in the arm. "Quit being a perv." They lectured. "I'll get Fizz home. You get back to Pride and make sure everything didn't go to shit while we were away."

          Blitzø's eyes narrowed. "Since when do you get to boss me around?" He asked. Splice gave him a knowing look. "I- uh.. I'm gonna go back to Pride. Because I want to! So, uh- bye, Fizz. See you soon." He said. Fizzarolli shook his head with a smile. "See ya, Blitzø."

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

          Splice walked by Fizzarolli's side as they strolled through Asmodeus' factory. Once Fizz saw the door to Ozzie's office, he bolted toward it and pushed the door open. Asmodeus turned to see Fizz, his demeanor immediately softening. "Fizzy!" He exclaimed, running over to his injured partner. Fizzarolli smiled. "Ozzie!"

          Asmodeus scooped Fizzarolli into his arms and spun him around afftectionately. Splice let out a soft chuckle. Ozzie's gaze snapped over to the small imp. ".. Splice." He said, looking them up and down. "Good to see you again. Come back for round two?" He asked with a mischievous smile.

          Splice went rigid. "You said he wouldn't remember!" Splice's voice was an urgent whisper. Fizzarolli chuckled. "I said he might not remember." He corrected. Splice narrowed their eyes at him. "I just wanted to make sure Fizz got back safe. That whole ordeal was.. ridiculous." They answered, shaking their head. "That stupid honky-tonk bitch will rue the day he fuckin' crossed me." Their tail rattled violently. "And, as for Crimson.. I don't think he'll be much of a problem. His broke ass is mostly focused on trying to kill Moxxie."

         "Still, it means a lot that you got Fizz back here. Perhaps a little.. reward is in order?" Asmodeus offered. A shiver ran down Splice's spine. "I- as great as that sounds, I saw Stolas on my way in and wanted to catch up with him." They answered. Asmodeus smiled knowingly. "The offer stands if you're ever interested. Run along, now, little one."

          Splice scurried out of the room, speeding up a bit as they went down the hall to catch up with the avian prince. "Stolas!" They called with a smile. His head turned to meet their gaze. "Splice, how wonderful to see you! What brings you here?"