Chapter Text
Shepherd is cautiously walking down the spiral staircase to where the loud crashing sound the group had heard moments earlier while contemplating which door to head through. Shepherd simply hopes it wasn’t a hard to beat monster, but hopes only get him so far, really. He had hoped this would be a normal expedition, but it has turned out to be a shitshow so far but Shepherd knew it wasn’t his place to say.
Turning his attention back — Shepherd looked forward to where the sound came from, not to find a beast but rather a man lying on the ground looking like they’d just fell from the third story to the first despite them only being on the second floor; cuts and bruises littered their body and wood chippings scattered around them, the floor chipped where they lay.
Shepherd blinked in surprise, having expected there would’ve been a beast instead, what in tarnation is this guy here for, shouldn’t he be somewhere safer? Not in the death-house? He put judgment back in its holster and slowly approached the man, who was taller than Shepherd. He could tell even with the man laying on their side. Luckily the man wasn't too hurt, just a little bruised and scraped up. Shepherd had to admit this was strange, suspicious even that the man just, Appeared after they went upstairs.
Oh, why did everything have to happen to him?
Shepherd Sighed before realizing the stranger was Groaning and sitting up. “Hey, Stranger.” He said, watching the stranger flinch at the sound of his voice which Shepherd couldn’t blame him for, waking up in a strange place bruised and scraped up with a stranger staring at him next to him would startle Shepherd, Too.
“Can you stand?”
Getting up from his squatted position next to the man and offering a hand. Instead of getting up with Shepherd’s help they braced on the wall and got up themself. Shepherd shrugged and motioned in the direction of the staircase, “Come along.” Shepherd said, morals overriding caution. He began to walk toward the stairs, glancing back once to check if the stranger was following him even though he could hear his footsteps behind him.
Shepherd looks at the group who was waiting for his return with a nod. “Shepherd, What did you find-” Clayton is silenced when the man appears behind Shepherd, silently acknowledging them. They’re all quiet at the sight of the tall, slightly battered man — which is partly amusing Shepherd.
“I found this guy. He’s a bit battered, but that’s about it.” Shepherd answers tersely; the others nodding in acceptance of the rather short explanation. “Well!” Clayton says, seeming to regain his bearings; clapping his hands together. “I shall offer you a bit of medicine, then? it is a kind to help with wounds.” Clayton offers Kindly, receiving a curt nod from the stranger. Clayton digs around in his briefcase and hands The tall man a bit of medicine, and they take it, staring at the liquid for a moment.
“You good, Stranger?” Shepherd asks, raising an eyebrow at the idleness of the man, he, personally, would like to get on with this expedition, the sooner they finish the sooner they can leave. The taller one nods quickly and takes a sip of the liquid, much to Shepherd’s relief they can get on with their original mission.
“What happened To you?” Clayton asks, ever the curious soul. The tall stranger shrugs, evidently uncertain about current events. Noticing this, Clayton and shepherd Glance at each other but do not pry. “Well, i know it’s sudden an’ all but your gotta g–”
“You May accompany us if you wish,” Clayton announces suddenly, Cutting Shepherd off annoyingly, but Shepherd’s in too much dismay to care about that fact, “Professor, you ain’t serious right?”
“Shepherd, the poor man is disoriented and if we send him on his way..” Clayton trails off intentionally, and Shepherd understands. “Fine, We’ll take him along. Whatever happens I'm not to blame.” He says; Clayton smiles. Shepherd turns his back to them and walks to the door they choose, ignoring the sound of the stranger speaking to His comrades — in that intentional cluelessness, Shepherd fails to notice the statue moving on its own. Stupid. Something to berate himself for later while he curses his luck.
Shepherd hisses and coughs in pain as he is hit in the shoulder by the suit of armor and hits his back against the door and the thing rears again, shit. Before it can land, Kana’s Naginada swings forward, trying to find purchase on the animated suit of armor, ultimately missing as it rears back to avoid it. Shepherd sees Sarnax shoot flames at the suit of armor, knocking it back. Through the flicker of flame Shepherd sees it’s scorched, but standing. He sees the stranger idling to the side, watching, like he’s unsure what’s happening; super useful.
With a Groan, Shepherd pulls Judgement and redemption from their holster’s and fires two shots at the suit of armor; suddenly glad for the point blank range as both of the hit, the animated armor’s chest plate shatters open, making it slump over. Shepherd curses as he realizes it’s still hanging on.
Shepherd stares at it, the pain coming back full force for a few moments and disorienting him and through hazy eyes he watches the rest of his team attempt to fight it. Shakily Shepherd raises his weapons again and fires, Redemption whizzing past the suit of armor but Judgement hitting its mark.
Everyone sighs in relief as the wolfen helmet of the armor spins off its body landing on the ground a distance away. Shepherd leaned away from the wall and clutched his wound with a hiss of pain, distantly hearing Clayton asking him and Kana if they’re alright. “I’m Fine,” he said, slowly and quietly, with Kana agreeing when asked about herself.
Shepherd turns his head and tenses as he notices the Stranger walking over; they stare at each other for a few seconds before The taller slowly offers the bit of medicine he was given that he apparently hadn’t drank to him and he blinked in confusion. “You can’t fight as well as usual if you are hurt.” the stranger murmurs, southern accent prominent in his voice. Shepherd nodes slowly, taking the medicine and watching the stranger walk away from him.
He looks down at the liquid, I guess I can tolerate him for now.
Shepherd wasn't sure how to feel about the stranger Clayton had invited with them that they'd found during their trip. He was still reasonably suspicious of the man that traveled beside him most of the time, after all most things they found in Barovia attacked them eventually.
Plus, the man merely idles to the side when the rest are fighting, it wasn’t useful. But, despite that knowledge, Clayton had still pitied the man and invited him with, and he’d only been with them for some hours now.
Snapping out of his thoughts about the stranger currently idling to the side. Shepherd stared at the professor in disbelief, not believing the words that had just come from his mouth; he can't be serious. “Take it With us?” He asked, "You can’t mean out of this room.” Shepherd gestured to the mainly barren room with a circle surrounding what seemed to be a couch mixed with a cauldron.
“I do mean out of this room.” Clayton confirmed, seemingly Oblivious to the sparks of Shepherds annoyance, “And who the Fuck do you think gotta carry it?” Shepherd was irked. It wasn’t The professor that answered, rather it was the cultist lizard who can’t read the room himself, “I think, he intends for you to carry i-” A baleful Glare was sent his way, “I hope Someone will volunteer.”
“I’ll Help.” Kana offers, ever the helpful soul in Shepherds opinion, “thank you, Kana.” Shepherd pats her on the back, “Anyone else?” and turns to Sarnax in the Doorway; Intentionally ignoring the Stranger to the side of the Door- what was his name again?
“It’s hard for me to get a Grip with my one arm-” Sarnax says, trying to Elude helping. “Sarnax Get the fuck over here.” Shepherd puts a hand on one of his pistols as he Balefully glares in Sarnax’s direction, and luckily Shepherd doesn’t have to waste a bullet on the lizard man.
Patting his hands together Shepherd puts his hands on the couch along with Kana and the lizard man- “on the count of three, one.. Two.. three,” who the fuck makes Cauldron couches and why are they so heavy? Shepherd barely listens to Clayton or Victoria as he starts to walk backwards, “Mind your fingers on the doorframe, Shepherd.” Kana Warns, “Ah- Fuck, Your right, your right, damn-” Shepherd says at the aching pain of his triggers finger being caught on the Doorframe which hurt like hell, no help from The professor or Victoria, nor the stranger who’s grimacing and the sight before him.
“Put your damn lantern down, Sarnax!” Kana yells, being basically the only other person helping lift this damn couch. “Not too quick, I'm walkin’ backwards!” Shepherd complained.
“Alright almost through- oh, no no no no, Stop.” Shepherd immediately stopped walking, causing the couch to do a lurching movement. “Take a rest,” Sarnax and Kana immediately start to chatter about, but shepherd’s tired and can’t bring himself to do more than announce that fact while he rests his head on the arm of the couch. “Gods, I wanna go to sleep..”
Shepherd can tell Clayton is about to say something but before he can, to Shepherd’s surprise the Stranger picks him up easily and tosses him on the couch with Victoria and the professor along with Kana and Sarnax, which was jarring if you ask shepherd, So don’t blame him for instinctively putting a hand on his Pistol;
He’s being lifted in the air- no, the couch is, and it’s resting on one of the strangers muscled shoulders as he easily walks down the steps with it; oblivious to the Gawking those on the couch were doing- except for Sarnax- Kana and Victorias was subtle compared to Clayton making comments and notes.
Huh. this is kind of relaxing, Shepherd might fall asleep…
The last thought that occurs to Shepherd before falling into a peaceful slumber,
maybe the Stranger is useful sometimes.
“I’m just glad I didn't have to carry it any further.” Shepherd announces, gaining a smile or to from the others, even a small smirk from the stranger.