Do you love me?

'THAT was what Fel was so afraid of? What a joke. That was literally the third fight I've even been in...how shitty ARE the Persona users here? I get it's peaceful and all, but if you're living under the fear of a big stupid bug then youu sh-" Azul's train of thought was cut off when he realized he was no longer standing on the ground. Apparently people were lifting him up. He'd seen that before, in comics. Hero saves the day, hero gets lifted up...honestly, it was the only thing stopping him from barking out the order to be put down. Apparently he was a hero now. Which made him feel gross, but he'd take what he could get in the way of appreciation. Still, Junction owed him cash too. He was sent to investigate Permanence, and ended up defending Junction AND the people of the planet. And to him, that HAD to be worth a bigger payday. If it wasn't he had no clue what he was going to do, but it'd probably involve private information going public.

Though, as he was being lifted, a thought occurred to him. What was going on with that guy who cost him money? Honestly, the name was on the tip of his tongue...Linus, or something. At any rate, Azul gave the area a quick scan...and saw James. He was friends with that guy, maybe he had a better idea of the situation than Azul did...if any trace of that bug was still alive, it was best to snuff it out while they were still there. With careful timing, Azul escaped the crowd, letting out a low sigh. Being a hero was fine and all, but the job might not be done...and if he was going to milk this for ever cent he could...well, maybe Red would be willing to pay for his services, depending on the nature of the situation. With hands shoved in his pocket, he made his way over to James. "Hey,
you. Your friend gonna be alright with that other thing he's supposed to be handling?" If he helped, either Red was paying him, Junction was paying him or whatever the hell Gaia really was would be paying him in blood...After all he'd just found cash off a corpse, somehow.

SOMEONE was going to paw what they owed.

With a final coordinated assault on the avatar, the creature of void screeched its last before crumbling away into black specks carried away by the silent forest. Milton huffed a sigh of relief as Phobetor seemed to chuckle with the satisfying finale and faded back into Milton's body. Before Milton could praise his team for their excellent teamwork, he felt his body being lifted off the ground as the residents of Cog Town hailed the Seeker team as heroes. If Milton's cheeks could have blushed at all the recognition he was getting from a people who would have only just met him, they definitely would. Instead, he thanked the citizens for their celebration but requested to be put down to deliver some words.

"Thank you, everyone. I'd say you are all just as heroic for taking this chance, but we have to act quickly. With the avatar gone, we need to make sure you all get up to Junction safe and sound before something else tries to stop us this time.

CWIS, the Avatar is gone, but I don't know how much time we have. Cassiel mentioned the real entity of Gaia being somewhere in a cavern near him. I don't know where their team is, but as long as Gaia remains a threat, we need to act quickly. Bring down the shield; we need the citizens safe as soon as allowable."

"Well, we have a decision to make here, team. I haven't heard back from any of the other Seeker teams. Should we attempt to make our way there to provide backup or await the results in Junction until we get more information from the team?"

With a couple'a good hits we all dogpile the fuggen bastard. My favorite kinda fight, the one where we's got an unfair advantage. Me an' Kesson Rel clamber up on the beastie an' I go to town with my knife, rippin' an stabbin' any place I can reach every place what looks like a good place to stab. Ya ever seen a pack a goblins get an ogre on the ground? Like a school'a fuggen piranhas I tell ya, we're vicious 'lil bags'a shit. Well I get my licks in, everyone does then we get throwed off an' it climbs back in the fuggen air. Here I'm fuggen thinkin' if it was a man he'd be holdin' his guts in, not even a dragon's lookin' good after that kinda beatin' an' I was right. Goes right up there an' falls the hell apart. I stared aimin' my crossbow fer nothin' but it's the best kinda nothin' a rogue can ask fer.

So it's rainin' fuggen dead dusty ass bug an' I start hackin' up a fuggen storm, took me to my knees there. These old bones ain't used to these big kinds'a fights no more, maybe five years ago but sure as hell not today. Fuggen feel my lungs collapsin' as I'm hackin' up fuggen loogies when I start gettin' drowned out by fuggen cheers'n shit. Don't quite know what's goin' on with my face'n the dirt but feels like that was the end'a things.
The punkass wannabe gimme a few slaps on the back there.
"*UuurrrHAAACK...! Kmmmm kmmm kmmm* Ea-heeearKURK hack hack! ...Ea-heat a fuggen dick kmmm kmm kmmm..."


He leaves me there coughin' an' wheezin' up a fuggen storm as that slimy sumbitch steps toward the crowd, steppin' towards us. Soon as they hit'em some reach out to raise'em up too but he fuggen vanishes leavin' some confused motherfuckers I bet. Then somethin' I didn't see comin' happens. I get lifted up there on their shoulders. Grubby gets to be appreciated fer his damn work fer once. Now I tell ya, I killed a lotta bad things and done some more good than bad but I ain't get the whole hero treatment. Nobody wants to trust the goblin, don't wanna touch'im neither. I'd be in fuggen hog heaven if it weren't fer the fact that I can't damn breathe an' we gots bigger fish to fry an' not a lotta skillet.

I get put back on the ground fer Milton's speech there, kept tryin'a hear it over losin' my damn lungs but I just can't get a fuggen hold'a it. He says the same thing I'd say but nicer, 'n that's get yer fuggen keisters in the damn city 'less ya wanna do all this shit again. Goddamn dumbasses. Once his talkin's up I get louder to tell these jagoffs to get the fuggen lead outta their shoes.
"kmmm kmm kmmm ya fuggen heard the big ass explosion...! urrhur kmm kmmm ya fuggen wanna celebrate ya owe us all a pint at the tavern but fer now hhhhhhahack gonna put my foot kmm kmmm in fuggen asses if'n ya don't run'em off back to town...! hooooOOOOOOOORK! ptoo... Go on! I said fuggen git!" I ain't gonna take no credit fer it, even if I get hassled an' fuggen bothered fer it, this ain't my moment in the sun there. I'm just a fuggen rogue doin' what he'd said he'd do, gonna let the boys have the glory here. I ain't got no pretty words like they got, just a whole lotta ornery and a fistful'a done with this shit. Too damn old to be doin' this song an' dance no more.

"S'yer call there Milton. The fugya gonna do?" I says to the kid. I ain't about to tell'im what he's gotta do, that's what he's gotta learn fer hisself. I know what I'd do, I'd be joinin' them towners there. We got the job done. We saved the city, we ain't gotta do more that needs to be doin' an if that bug comes back we'll kill it again like last time an' as many times as it takes. Ya can do what ya can do but ya can't do no more.


S'gonna be up to him what he wants to do about it, I got no obligation but I never did in the first place. This is his adventurer, he gotta be the one to choose.

The cheer of the crowd would be almost deafening, making it not only hard for the team of Seekers to hear each other, but to notice the fact that the barrier that was protecting Junction was beginning to come down. Slowly but surely the blue walls would fall, revealing the grand structure underneath. Before the crowd  of Cog Town citizens could fully appreciate the awe inspiring enormity of the tower, a sputtering image would be projected from the top of the tower, taking form in the sky above the refugees.


With that said the image in the sky faded away leaving the refugees in a confused state. Not long after, however, a group of shuttle pilots would begin to usher them into large transports and began to carry them up towards the Mountain BioDome. Gnar and Damsel would aid in the evacuation and return to Junction themselves. Though most were apprehensive, there was an air of pensive excitement and wonder amongst the new Citizens. Though only a little over a decade ago they had looked to this planet with hope, they once again found themselves looking to he stars. A morbid Deja Vu...

James looked to Azul with a cocked eyebrow before turning his attention back to the location in the forest. “Hrm... If it's anything like that giant bug we just killed, honestly I don't know. Lucian is strong but he's an idiot at times. Frankly I think he could use all the help he can get...” James chuckled and put out the rest of his cigarette on his arm, leaving a small mark on his metal arm, one of many.“So, if you're a bad enough dude to save the president, come on.” James said nothing more as he made for one of the empty transports.

"Milton!" Morgasimer called as she ran to Milton through the crowd. Before he could respond however, she would envelop him a tight hug, her suit's odd angles and sharp points would make it slightly uncomfortable, however no matter how he would struggle, she would not let go
"Thank you... You gave my people a third chance." Gingerly she would step away and cough awkwardly. "I should... I should to help my people get settled and... I want to see my new home heh. Though... If you needed some help I could be convinced to take my time getting on that shuttle."

Azul paused briefly to stare to the sky. So, the people of Permanence had a place in Junction now...he supposed it'd be for the best. Living here seemed to be a hazard to people's health, if there were more giant insects like that. However, even with people boarding Junction, there would be some who'd stay, more than likely. Which meant Gaia needed to be snuffed out at the root. "Oh, I'm plenty bad enough. Now I'm going to get onto the shuttle before the adrenaline wears off and I realize I should be getting back into the tower." Azul deadpanned. He followed James to the empty Shuttle, preparing for another fight. He was no hero, but if Red failed there'd be no way to really LIVE on this planet. With a neutral expression he mentally prepared himself for another fight.

[Exit]

With the amount of conversation drifting through his ears, Milton was glad to get a moment of quiet as the broadcast was made to the awaiting masses, the representation of Junction itself welcoming everyone to their new home with proper accommodations and open arms. The transport ships made their way around to the citizens as his attempt to answer Grubby was interrupted with Morgasimer's hug. Milton's shifting skin adjusted to Morgasimer's embrace as he returned the hug, happy to see her usual serious tone give away to a likely happy smile on her masked face.
"I'm glad I could be the one to give your people the third chance they needed. Junction was a welcome change in my life as well. If you feel like going to see your people, go ahead. I can help this Lucian fellow uproot Gaia once and for all. If you're interested in seeing how things are going on my end, there should be a pink-haired girl awaiting everyone at the entrance. Ask her to show you to Dr. Klein's office and you'll be able to keep up to date on my condition and view... provided we don't go that far from Junction.

"I'm coming with, Azul. Grubby, your choice on whether to come or not. Time to go save the president!" Milton announced to the goblin as he ran over to the transport and hopped right inside through the doorways.

[EXIT]

So's it looks like protectin' the people's outta our hands fer the moment. Fuggen, witch lady throws up a big goddamn illusion. Better use fer it than what a gnome would do I gotta say. So this the big mucky muck what runs the city? I know it's the Plane'a damn Shadow but the hell'd these guys go wrong? Got a witch runnin' the damn city, fer fuck's sake folks have some damn standards. But maybe I'm just old fuggen fashioned, lotta people in this place is diff'rnt, hell I ain't even have to shoot the lich cuz he's one'a the good guys. Pisses me the fuggoff, ya understand? Back in the day ya had clear lines on who was good an' weren't! Guy wearin' dark robes talkin' a lotta mumbo jumbo? Ya stab'im! Big green motherfucker covered'n skulls? Fuggen stab'im! Asshole with a flamin' sword wearin' plate mail? One'a the damn good guys, how 'bout that shit? Used to be so damn easy then ya had to break the fuggen social norms, damn kids today think they can has black capes and serrated blades an' save the fuggen day, ruinin' the franchise is what I fuggen say. But anyway gonna have to ask that lady fer a favor later, hopin' that part'a the adventurin' gig's how it used to be. She says a lotta shit I don't understand but I get the gist, welcome to fuggen Junction ya unfortunate jagoffs yada yada yada. Somethin's got me though.
"What in the name'a Azmodeus she mean it's gonna Jump? S'a fuggen town!" Then I get to thinkin'. Then I remember she's a witch.
"If this is some Baba Yaga fuggen bullshit I'm fuggen done with this gatdamn shitville."

I ain't get a whole lot more time to bitch though, fuggen weird thing starts callin' Milton there through'is magic mirror're whatever the hell he's got. Don't like how it knows my name. That's how they get yer soul, that's where they start I tell ya. Fought some demons inside a mirror once, that weren't no good time. Only they looked like demons, y'know with the horns'n shit. This one just looks like big fuggen-


Hot damn, girl's got her fuggen head on straight there! Milton'll do good buy'er if he ain't busy fallin' all over his girl to listen to a damn word I been sayin'.
"Mothefucker get that damn white thing outta yer ears when I'm talkin' to ya! Said we's in this through thick an' thin, yer thinkin' I was just pullin' yer fuggen rope there? Quit fuggen imaginin' yer sweetheart with a lot less armor on an' go save those jagoffs, ya wanna be a hero or ain't ya?!" Dumbass kid. Was kinda hopin' he'd make the hero choice, ain't too many people like that nowadays. The hero's choice is still fuggen stupid if'n ya ask me but it's a damn honorable thing to be doin' no matter what. I woulda just left'em, this kid's better'n that. Hope he goes places. Places that ain't the morgue.
"Gatdamn young'uns ain't listenin' to an old man, fuck you very much. Nah go 'head just fuggen ignore me, ain't like I know what I'm talkin' 'bout'er nothin' just been doin' this my whole damn life. Gonna be the death'a me ya fuggen 'lil shits, see back in my day we listened when an old man was talkin' cuz we had fuggen respect, now ya got..." I mutter to meself as I go walkin' to get on that bullshit magic carriage. Ain't like no one's payin' attention to me anyway. Need to sit the hell down, gonna put my feet up if we's gonna get in another scrap. Gonna get me one'a them foot rubs after this.