FUNCTION DISORDER :: VOLUME ONE

20

Wednesday evening arrived. Activity was vibrant in the centre of the city as the team left the facility through one of the old mall's back-entrances and took in the pleasant night air.

Usually Wednesdays are kinda quiet, like, compared to a lot of the other days. Maybe it's because the solstice is coming up? Or maybe it's the weather. As a husky, the frost and wind never got that bad in Rain's opinion, but tonight those had mostly abated. A grinning black Hellspawned with glossy black scales and impractically large spiralling horns strode past him, not even wearing a jumper, thoughtfully sipping either Hell-beer or something even weirder. There were crowds of chatty young humans, too, spilling out into the street, cheerfully-lit in the city's signature soft electric-purple. Amidst the bustle, Rain was hoping that nobody would notice three lowly Beastkind making their way through.

He was not so lucky – a few moments later, something started recklessly and roughly patting his head and he gave a startled little jump. "Omggg it's a doggy! Sooo cute!", said a blonde woman festooned with pink ribbons. She then turned to a companion. "Can you take a photo of me with it??"

"For fuck's sake, Riikka, don't touch the doggy. It's probably dangerous! Didn't they teach you this shit in magic school?", said a ribbon-less friend behind her, who then pulled her away by her right shoulder.

That's riiight. All cute and cuddly but also the Rave Monster~ And I'm about to be a badass assassin too hahah. Rain gave a playful little grin but said nothing. He paused to watch the two of them make their way into a nearby supermarket, then proceeded.

Their destination was a lot quieter and somewhat darker as well. Old-school streetlights, some of them broken, the dull buzz of machinery melting into the otherwise silent black night. A dirty concrete yard between two battered metal sheds housed stacks of old beige bricks and sunburnt construction timber.

Rain stood on heavily cracked pavement and leaned back on a fence of corroded wires, making it rattle a bit more than he would've liked.

Motionlessly staring at Zeo with his front legs crossed and bearing his prized armour was Rust. The decorative LEDs in the armour had been mostly switched off.

"As you've noticed, Soren's not here tonight.", Zeo began, pulling a woolly black beanie over his head to hide his pointy ears, letting his sexy blood-purple tail swish with anticipation. "We decided this team would be more suitable because we're all... precision instruments. I'm usually more comfortable doing commentary but, nope, I'm in the field today. 50 had Soren temporarily mothballed, after the incident at The Sheep's infohouse. Too messy. Therefore, I shall be the 'tank' instead. Please, take good care of me, Rain."

Rust growled dimly. "You people did well. You sent a strong message. They're rattled now that they know they're not safe in that tower of filth."

--------[21:05]--------

AXEL_BLOODLUST: i'm on comms instead of zeo this time uwu

AXEL_BLOODLUST: it's my first time and i'm sooooooo super excited!!

AXEL_BLOODLUST: i just wanna say that you guys are the best and hella cool and you got this nya~

ZEO: What is that display name

AXEL_BLOODLUST: i wanted a new name now that i'm on the team owo

AXEL_BLOODLUST: cool rite??

ZEO: Nobody's calling you that but ok

AXEL_BLOODLUST: aw lame :(

AXEL_BLOODLUST: anyway my floofs, drone says the yard place thing is still empty, bad guy meeting happens in like 15 i think