All Killer No Filler (Ripper x Mercenary)

Dread

Naib was caught red-handed due to Vera and Margaretha being attention thirsty "gardening tools" as he adressed to them.

You were at Hunter's UNDERGROUND!!" William looked shocked. "You know they're our enemies right?? Like... they're the bad guys we deal with every day to actually survive." he especially emphasized the word survive.

Naib wished he never opened that door. If Vera didn't scream he would've snuck into his room just fine.

William couldn't get himself to believe his friend who was distancing himself from everyone nowdays who looked like a bleeding depressed mess spent a night in Underground. Especially the fact that he looked much better overnight was hard to ignore. Martha who was dead worried the whole morning jumped into conversation. "How? Why?...That's so unexpected."

Naib muttered something under his breath which definitely sounded like cursing in his mother tongue. Interrogation by these two was the least thing he wanted while even himself really didn't know what the hell he was doing. "I used their supplies and attempted to eavesdrop on them. Simply that. And why are you two even that surprised? Its definitely something expected from me."

Both showed they didn't eat it. Vera who was slightly drunk -she was wearing something other than her bra at least- yelled in some made up fury, "And he checked on my room while I was not okay with it?! You're not calling him out for that? Me and Marge was trying on clothes."

Martha looked at her and Margaretha threateningly and hissed. "Go back to your rooms." the two women joking and not taking their comrades situation seriously made the coordinator sick.

They giggled and whispered some inside jokes about how Martha needed to calm her tits as rest of the survivors joined them, startled about what is going on.

"At least you could've told us. You didn't have to go there all alone with fresh wounds!" Martha had hard time containing her emotions. "If Eli didn't tell us you were okay we would be crashing underground!" The anxiety Young Coordinator has experienced for Naib was unsuspected. You could read it from her eyes.

Mercenary put his cold and more "dead" than deadly glare on. "Screw it. Doesn't matter anymore." Everyone was forgetting that they were cooperating to survive, not win. Surviving didn't carry any meaning to Naib. Not anymore. It was pointless to even talk to teammates if not necessary. "There is nothing to see here people. Just an ally of yours being called out on nothing." Naib spoke in a dull, straight tone. He put his hood back on and took his leave without anymore words.

Both Martha and William appeared to be disappointed and heartbroken looking at their old friend who just accused of them of "calling him out for nothing"

***

Hastur signed Fiona for her to explain.

She pulled herself together from her giggly state "Well, I and Hastur think that survivors and hunters should cooperate to find out more about this place and how it works. We think we're in an alternate world far beyond even the Great Hastur's understanding. We must fuse our knowledge together to escape from this place and get back to our real selves."

Hastur nodded "How long did it take for you to figure out we were trapped?"

Eli shrugged. "I didn't. I don't like reality myself. I even dread the end of this game win or lose."

Both were internally astonished. They weren't expecting this from a rather jolly seer.

"I have forseen it. I'm here with you because this is what prophecy told me. I dont care if we're trapped or not. I know Im not getting out anytime soon. Non of us are getting out anytime soon." Eli spoke coldly. "Im not cooperating with such useless motives. All I know for sure is the end is dark. Just dark. Nothing more or less than pitch black. " he got up to walk out. This was the first time he wasnt accompanied by his owl. Also disrespecting a demigod. Damn this thing he was committing right now required some real guts. So he trembled in thought.

Little did they know, the seer motioned his owl on his way out to stay.

***

"Ouch!" Tracy rubbed her head in pain. "Sorry Mr, Burke..." she pouted her lips in pain.

"Next time just take away peepers or something. What a brat you are... At least that tall kid played that match." Burke cleaned the tip of his cane. "You're lucky your dad was a good colleague. Ask for permission next time..."

Tracy put her elbows on Burke's desk and rested her head on her hands. "It was for the portal... I thought it might work... If we write the codes through something else... We don't really know the limits of the host's technology right?"

Burke nodded slightly. His anger seemed to vanish slightly with a thoughtful expression on his face showing up."You have a point. I prefer it as a last resort though. The Host is probably restricted its use."

Tracy smiled nervously "Nothing a talented mechanic cant deal with."

Burke sit down and sighed. Reznik's girl reminded him heavily of his old time friend who always found something to fix or improve within his devices and builds. Both always looked for all alternatives and found the best.

Tracy let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding (see what I did there XD) "It's the only way to bring them back..."

Desperation in a Reznik's voice was never a good sign. Last time Burke heard desperate sentences from a Reznik, Mr. Reznik had his brains splattered on his mechanic shop's neighbor's wall the other day.

"Playing with Host's specially crafted devices is never a good idea. But if you think you can find a way. I'm in. Lets work on our own machine before using the tp as a last resort. Your father wouldn't be proud if we mindlessly threw you to the beasts, right?"

Tracy smiled with hope when she remembered her father."Yes, Mr. Burke. I really doubt Mrs. would like it if we failed too"

***

The photographer exited the inventor/architects room seconds before the photoworld ended.

He glanced at the photo of his deceased brother he kept in his pocket "If they have a chance to succee I'll guarantee their safety from the host no matter what cost. They'll have a chance if we help them.. We'll have a chance if they help us. Soon Claude... Very soon."

Does any of you really have an idea where this is going? Please tell me in comments...