Chapter Text
He takes a quick breath, followed by another, the human beside him is chatty, and although most of the words doesn't make sense to him, he doesn't ask, lest he wants his trident staining the red liquid they drip from their bodies as they can do the same to his green ashy ones, after inflicting him with a burn on his skin so painful he doesn't know how to tend to it, and tapping it out to extinguish doesn't seem to work.
He lets "Bad" take care of their sleeping figures after lazy bitches can't even get off his trident.
"Usually, taking this path makes me ambushed by creepers, with you by my side they're all gone" Creepers, Bad had said they share a lot of similarity, and he doesn't hold an opinion over it, maybe they do, maybe they don't.
"By the way" He looks at the man, knowing that it is someone looking for his attention, the man looks at him then with a tilt on his head, a finger pointing at him, "I haven't seen you around before" He adds, pushing his barrow filled with different colored water in shaped glasses. "Are you a Citizen of Manburg?" He tilts his head then, one of the many cryptic things the man had said.
He looks at the gold bits in his hand, "Bad" likes having them, he does things to humans with it, somethings he sees him giving it to them and they give something else in exchange, he pockets them, and then starts returning to their spot.
'Citizen'...it is intriguing, a member of a place, where he belongs, is he Bad's Citizen then?, intriguing, he…feels a little more excited at the thought of being called it.
"Bad!" One of the many humans shout in terror, falling on himself as he points at the void colored person beside him, something about the way they act, some with their own steel raised to them makes him uneasy, making him take a quick breath again, holding on his trident tighter, he feels danger.
But as the fallen man stands, and runs away from them as the void colored man tries to talk, tail swaying around him with a confused smile, they all retreat as well, both he and the diamond skinned fella look at him, and he has a smile.
"So I'm Bad huh?"
"You want to be called Citizen?" Bad is the most knowledgeable among them, he understands a lot of things concerning humans, he might think the name might be funny, but he doesn't show it, nor would he, 'Citizen' cares about his opinion on this one. He nods however, holding his hand out, this is a handshake, Bad taught him, and he shakes on it.
"What a cute display" He didn't even notice the man beside Bad earlier, which is weird, because he has senses when a human is nearby, and he gets this urge…this feeling, his heartbeat beats so hard it feels like it will explode…and only his will makes him stop doing that. "Don't mind us" Bad replies with a smile, and the man…err goat hybrid, those horns are very similar to the ones they feast on, and he had seen various kinds with his features before, and he steps closes with the confidence of a man he knows is full with self-pride, it tilts his head a bit at him and his smile is all knowing.
It looks normal, but he sees it as wrong, the twitches in his lips are far different from Bad's, the way he took a breath during it is…too composed, manual even.
"A friend of Sir Badboyhalo are ya?" The man doesn't bother with raising his hand and he prefers it that way, as much as possible it's only Bad's hand he wants to shake…He looks at the void colored friend, knowingly shrugging on the question "Is that your new name?" . He nods in reply.
"Fundy come here" The man says out of the blue, and a floating cup of milk appears beside him, vibrant orange refracting the lights of the sun still passing through the gaps on the trees. He is intrigued however, morbidly, he had met his fair share of foxes before, but never like…them.
"I'm issuing the office with a permit” He says, pulling out of his pocket a round object covered in orange, “Run back to Manberg and get me my papers, I decided I want something extra" The fox nods without question, drinking something before he vanishes again, making his eyes widened, the fox stopping as the goat hybrid's hand reaches out to his head and rub a little, an act that confounds him, they're…friends, or whatever that citizening, but that feels like he'll only reserve it for good friends.
"What are the papers about?" Bad asks, watching in slightly intrigue than his usual, following his gaze on the fox man. The man looks at him, and he smiles upward, if he recalls correctly, that means a smirk.
"A very valuable asset, I'm not going to surprise you, so I'm just gonna say it now"...
Fundy looks around a bit, before he inspects the paper in his hands again, given permission to read its contents, "With this letter, Manburg will now help and classify the Badland as its separate, growing allied state, at the small cost of…" His eyes trails to the new company beside him, a hulking figure of green, always taking deep breaths, it glances at him, and even his deadpan expression feels like it's a deadly glare.
He gulps down visibly, taking a deep breath to steel himself, he cannot be intimated, he cannot afford such frivolities in his line of work, to protect Schlatt is to be able to defend him from danger, and what is dangerous to him, is a giant for everyone else.
He clears his throat, then continues on reading the paper “one of their members, Citizen, to be under President Jonathan Schlatt's term for 5 years, and therefore under his regime and a part of his cabinet to act in the name of Manberg, this can be terminated through bail by the Badlanders, and cannot be used to inflict harm on Skeppy and Badboyhalo” He takes a deep breath after finishing that mouthful of paper, and looking at the signed document, he was just in awe.
It is transparent in its wants, the price, and he doesn't need to include the safety of the Badlanders by law, but he did, he returns the paper with a smile on his face, this is a regime worth fighting for, proven time and time again.
However there is still a question nagging him, and…he's scared of asking it, it is easy to think what a hunk of muscle and steel would end up on Schlatt's hand.
As they walk the concrete of the city they see the eyes of their subjects staring at the newcomer, his familiars still busy to be seen around, doesn't matter as he is as well, when they reach a guard, Schlatt steps forward and reassures that they are not doubles, nor is he truly sober…he never really is to be honest.
Another testament on just how his every being is dedicated to the cause, to his people, alcohol makes you looser, your mind hazier and more ignorant to the social standards, you do things you normally wouldn't, say things that might be cryptic to your sober self, he….remembers such cases with his father.
But to see Schlatt still dedicated to the cause, his country, even if he gets his tongue just a bit sharper to others, he rules, literally, and figuratively.
It is another day on the white house, and the doubt and tension fester on him every single time he returns here with it being spotless, which ones are in the walls, how many can see them without knowing, will he be fast enough to stop a crazed man from slitting his president's throat.
And he stays silent, although pondering why they go straight to his office, he still has to deliver the papers to the secretaries and inform them of the new member.
“I see great potential in you Citizen” Schlatt starts, his eyes seeing the unfazed look Citizen has on the president, “But I can see that you are still new to this world” A finger sliding on the man's arm, making him hitch a breath at such a sight, his heart beating faster as Schlatt grabs on the man's jaw firmly, a smirk on his face.
Sam's eyes furrowed a little bit, and his skin starts flashing white, making his posture shift and his weapon tilt to the man, if it weren't for Schlatt's open palm at him, and instead he glares at the man for a bit, before eventually relaxing.
“You'll be taught how this world works” Schlatt says as he lets go, dusting off his hands as he walks towards his office again, rushing forward to open it before him, a step too late, as he hums and comfortably sits in his chair, “And Fundy, once I'm through with him, you will then teach him” He raises an eyebrow, shocked, but he would not make such a ludicrous expression in front of his president, his head tilting as Schlatt's all knowing perception bore and pierce his resolve.
“You teach him how to become a bodyguard as loyal as you are, as trustworthy as your very being, to make him serve Manburg with his breath, and only do his last for it, for this” He shouldn't take it much to heart, he shouldn't feel so relieved to hear such words, for his loyalty to find refuge in, nor find pleasure on entertaining the idea that his is on the very top.
He looks at the tall bulky man, and those same deadpanned eyes look at him back.
And when he salutes, Schlatt chuckled, writing on another paper, neater than usual, which would mean it is an important document.
“Even if lava floods this Earth” Schlatt mutters to himself, and he catches it.
“Even if I burn for you President” The smile going wider at his response…this is what he vows to protect.
The night is starting, he can feel the surroundings becoming more threatening, sounds of creatures in the distances.
“Come” He hears a whisper among the winds, and he questions it, but he also already took the next step, already knowing his intent, no doubt in his body as he jumps on a hole with darkness only in sight.
“Forward” It repeats on the darkness, and he follows, before he feels a solid wall stopping his path, “Reach out” and when he does, he feels the wall get hotter, the sounds of rumbling and stone cracking filling the empty cave, before it shatters.
His eyes take on the foreign site, a circle blob of brightening red pulses, rested on what he can assume is like a throne, a big one at that, as his appendages spread around the surprisingly wide space.
“Badboyhalo of Earth” It spoke, this time no longer coming from his head, “You bear my body in your very being” It spoke again, and all he can do is wonder about whoever, whatever he is.
“Open up, accept me, you are incomplete” He doesn't have a say, appendages rush in to wrap around his arms, leaving him open yet his legs remain untouched.
He has questions, but as he opens his mouth, another comes rushing in, it is small but quick, his body gags and choke in its invasion but it makes rushed work infesting on his body, he can feel it move and twitch from his throat to his blood, split its veins and flowing among his blood, his instincts detest this, he tries to pull away, but to no avail, he feels every painful strain, every uncomfortable insertion in his very core until he feels nothing but his entire body subjected to another being.
He screams.
and Fwoosh…
Fire sprays out on the hands he waved to try and get away, and the tendrils finally leave his body, he feels like himself again and that was a nauseating experience.
“Rise my body, blood, and kin” He glares at the pulsating blob, but rises he does.
He questions the fire he feels like his cause, and the blob already knows what he has in mind.
“A present, you may continue doing it, in my name and bidding” He can feel its smugness, deep within his brain.
The appendages flicked fast and long, the wind carrying along with it extinguishing his fire, “If you need it again, it will be on my calling”...he nods slowly, for the first time ever in this life truly lost in the encounter of something.
He feels like a contract has been made, but unlike earlier, no paper has been signed.
