The Twins and a Bird (In Work)

Chapter Four - Split

Zodi stood up quickly, slapping the hammer of his revolver, taking the souls of the two strangers. “KIDS! SCATTER!” Everyone runs in opposite directions, as seemingly every attende stands up holding some kind of firearm. Zodi picks up Emily as he flips a table and hides behind it. “Sweetie, cover your ears.” She giggles and starts chewing on them. Zodi sighs as he loads his revolver again. The entire restaurant is on the other side of that table. They fire at the table as Zodi looks around for a diversion. Everything goes silent. Zodi peaks over, only to see a winged deer demon, a familiar happy one at that. “Alex, I told you to leave!” The avian grumbled. He picks up Emily and puts her in Alex’s arms. “Get each other to safety there’s a run down hotel nearby, Outlander’s Retreat!” Alex groans as Zodi plucks a feather from his crest and hands it to Emily as she looks at it joyously. As they split ways, Zodi catches up to Sam as he leads her to the hotel. Sam leans against the wall as she slides down, mentally at a loss. She shakes violently as she looks at the bird. “Y-You think we’re safe?” She asks, eyes full of tears. Zodi tries to catch his breath still. ‘“Yeah… We should be fine. How you holding up bud?” He looks at her worryingly. “I-I’m terrified and my mouth is dry from screaming….but overall I’m ok.” She says wiping her tears away. As he checks his revolver, he sighs. "I'm sorry about all of this Sam. Eliza and Emily made it out safely." He said reluctantly. He had zero clue about Eliza. He only had hope. “Oh thank god, I hope there not too injured.” Sam smiled at the false sense of security, brushing herself off, dust falling off. “w-what do we do now Mr. Birdy?” Zodi grinned a bit. She went through a lot. This one will slide. “Now we wait for them to show. Oh! Before I forget you dropped this.” He reached into his jacket’s pocket, gently pulling out her small bowler hat. It looked overjoyed to see her. “O-Oh Thank You!” She said, happily grabbing her hat, giving it a little dust off, before placing it atop her head. “How long do we need to wait?” She said, exchanging pleased looks with her hat. “Roughly twenty minutes. Max.” He said. “Oh my…” Sam said, looking at her legs Eliza couldn’t have died… Couldn’t! “Hey!” Sam looked up surprised and caught off guard. “Spaced out on me. Not hiding any wounds right? He asked as Sam shook her head, “N-No… Just… A sore throat!” Zodi cleared his throat. Sam looks at him as if he didn’t believe her. “I scream uncontrollably sometimes when I’m really scared…” Zodi frowns, kneeling as he grabbed his crest again as he quickly plucks a feather. “C’mere.” He says trying not to cry from the pain. “....Uhhh Okay… Then..-” She slowly slides his way. “What’s that for?” She asks curiously. Zodi looks into her eyes. “Look kid, I wasn’t a good person up there. But I’ll be damned if I ain’t here. So take it.” He says, admiring his own feather. Sam takes it, looking at it observantly. “I-I really appreciate it… But what’s it for..?” She keeps looking at it. Zodi shrugged. “Eh. I dunno. Before Emily and I got split up the look in her eyes… She was overjoyed. She put it in her hair last I saw.” Sam eyeballs the feather as she puts it on her hat. Her hat, confused as much as they’re wearer, looked happy enough about the new addition. “I’m not really too hot with kids. Just trying to lighten the mood.” He laughed nervously. “Nah I think your great with them-... who you callin a kid!?” She then makes an adorable-grumpy face while perfecting the feather on her hat again. Zodi smiles, looking at the short figure in front of him. "Sweetheart, I'm a hundred and eighty nine. You're still a kid." Zodi says trying not to laugh, Sam crossing her arms. "Psh. You're nineteen? Eighteen? What would you call yourself? Teen?" He asks. Sam looks pouty. “i’M a sTruNg wOman thAts wHat i cAll mySelf!” She says annoyed. Zodi bursts out laughing. "Lil' lady, a few hours ago you asked if you could pet me, while screaming the question!" Sam’s cheeks redden, “H-Hey!! You’re fluffy.” She says petting him again. Zodi smiles. “Very Mature.” The door creaks open as Zodi quickly grabs his gun. As it slowly opens Zodi gets antsy, but as it opens, Eliza falls in. Sam begins to emotional waterworks, she runs towards Eliza as Zodi holsters his revolver. Eliza looks at her love. “Sam I-I can’t believe-” before she can finish, Sam greets her with a kiss. Zodi with a surprised look, turns away. Sam’s hat is as shocked as the bird. Michie, Alex, and Emily walk in too. Zodi stands up as he looks at Alex. “Alex. A word outside.” The demon groans as he follows. As they close the door behind them, Zodi turns to him, “What the HELL were you thinking?!” Alex straighten his posture, “THEY WERE HARASSING MY FRIEND I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT HER!” Zodi pokes his chess aggressively. “If I hadn’t intervened, ALL of you and your friends would be dead!” Alex growls, “WILL YOU SHUT UP! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF YOU THINKING I CAN'T HANDLE MYSELF, I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE! I WAS FINE, YOU ONLY HELPED, YOU DIDN'T SAVE ME!” Zodi grips the handle of his nine-iron. "That's fucking rich! Let's go ask the half a diamond dozen of mobsters that beg to differ!" Alex looks up to the bird, madder than ever. “I'M TALKING ABOUT ME HERE, NOT THEM! OF FUCKING COURSE THEY'RE NOT FINE I WAS ATTACKING THEM! I AM COMPLETELY FINE!” Zodi pops his holster as he draws, barrel in eyesight. “Not even a thank you? God you’re a dick!” Alex stares at the gun to his head “Perhaps you didn't hear me, I already told you I DON'T need your uninvited help as I am FINE.” He grabs the gun by the barrel and crushes it, closing the barrel tight so no bullet can escape. Zodi chuckles. "I used to be like you kid. Then I got sent down here. You don't have that option." He says as he fixes his revolver quickly. He opens the cylinder revealing it’s empty. "Watch the hands, not the mouth. Plus I’d never shoot you.” Alex sighs. “Of course.” he says, leaning against the wall. Zodi sighs as he sits across from him. "Look man. Killin' ain't good. I lost it back there. Now I ain't lookin' at you like a son, but you're something to me. You're a wheel horse."
“Killing isn't an uncommon site in Hell, I dunno what you'd expect. I'm not looking for a father figure right now so don't get all mushy on me old man.” Alex says, looking to the side. Zodi on the other hand laughs. “I'm touched you'd say that!" Zodi says as he nudges Alex. He glares at the bird. Zodi looks at him with a frown. “Well, I do care about ya. And your sisters. My advice? If you wanna keep a facade, get better gloves. Ones that won’t tear.” He says looking at his scarred hands. “What do you want me to do, wear metal gloves? Might as well dress up in a full suit of armor!?” Alex yells, annoyed. "Well looking at your hands, I assume you hide them to stay as the 'strong sibling' and so on." Zodi says. “...There's more to it than that. Why are you bringing this up anyway? I don't wanna talk about this shit!” Alex yells again as he gets up and sits on the sidewalk. Zodi punches the brick wall, making a mark. “Brilliant Zodiac, Brilliant.” He walks inside and looks at Michie and points outside. “What did you do toots?” She growls at him as he shrugs her off and sits down. What a great night...