The Brotherhood of The Black Rats

5.46 Jokers Wild

The Warden's flight scarf whipped about his ankles as he climbed the narrow ladder leading up to the balloon dock. The cold did not bother him so much as the dampness left by the frost that cut across his face like frozen tears he had not shed.  He pressed on in spite of the in climate weather, reaching the staging grounds where Bison and his attendants were busy loading the balloons. 

“Bison!” he called in anger at the sight that greeted him “What are you playing at here?” 

“Fredrico,” greeted the other man in a more subdued tone yet still loud enough to be heard over the howling wind. “Is everything alright? Shouldn't you be at the auction with everyone else?” 

“You mean asleep while you and your... servants rob us all blind?” snapped The Warden. “Those things you use in place of actual labor have ravaged my ship.” he added sneering at the Red Masked Shadow closest to him

“It appears you've had a bit of a rodent problem.” defended Bison “I thought security was being handled by your Guardsman and his team.”   

  “And I thought you had hired The Dragonflies as a necessary precaution...not these abominations.” stated Fredrico reaching for one of The Shadows. 

“I would be careful if I were you Warden,” warned Bison stilling the other mans arm mid-reach. “They don't like being touched.” 

“Well I don't like being made to look like a fool!” replied the Warden casting his gaze towards the pile of spell doors stacked against the railing. “What do you plan on doing with those?” 

“Here,” said Bison tossing a rolled scroll into his arms “Keep this one for yourself and make sure everyone's still thoroughly wined and in The Dreaming, we'll be bringing these along shortly.” 

“Good,” said The Warden. 

His departure was interrupted by an explosion off the port bow beneath them. It shook the foundations of their platform toppling over the stack of spell doors nearly sending them overboard. 

“What was that!?” exclaimed The Warden casting his gaze downward in time to see a pack of Dragonflies emerge from the grand staircase of the Deck below carrying what appeared to be a subdued Green haired girl. “What's going on Bison!” he demanded to know. 

“Like I said,” began the trader “Your ship has a bit of a rodent problem,” as he spoke two of The Shadows broke from their tasks flinging themselves over the rails as the sounds of chaos grew louder below. “Now why don't you get back inside...unless you really want to get your hands dirty?”   

 The Shadows landed feet first on the deck below just in time to welcome the four Black Rats as they burst through the gallery doors in pursuit of The Dragonflies. The false Calvin meet them with sword in hand only to dissipate in a flare of exasperated energy sending his ethereal essence into the starry sky above them. 

“Watch The Wards!” exclaimed Simon when his latest burst of fiery breath yielded less than desirable results. 

The real Cadbury Twins met the duo head on with all the skill in swordsmanship their enchanted blades could provide. The sounds of steel against steel echoed in the howling winds as more of the recently revived Red Masks came up from behind them. 

“Do you see them?” asked Kai scanning the empty area surrounding them for any sign of Isabelle and her captors. “We've got to find her.” He stated splitting his attention between searching for the Fairy and finding the most effective cards in his hand. 

He had The Joker out and at the ready when Simon placed a hand on Kai's shoulder “Head Starboard, it's the only place they could have gone.” He yelled over the wind “We'll cover you.”