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Scythe sat in her old, dusty house, polishing her shot glasses. Her hat and jacket were slung on a chair, her tie loosened and allowing her shirt to fall open slightly to let herself air off since she lacked air conditioning. With all this money she had stolen, she still couldn't find a way to get herself air conditioning? It was probably the area.
Her house was situated in a small village surrounding a looming temple. Most lived inside the church. Only the 'elite' could get housing. She was considered as such, but it didn't quite feel like it. Sure, she would get promoted, but she was still the lowest rank an elite could be. She made good money but not as much as the others did, she didn't have enough to get a giant house.
But hey, who cared? Not her, that's for sure! As long as she has a roof over her head and whisky on the shelf, she would be fine! Oh, and running water and fridge. Can't forget those, very important in such a hot place. Gotta keep the beer cold!
She set down the glass and rag, adjusting the glass so it fell perfectly in line with the rest of her collection. She stepped out into her rickety porch, sitting down on a rocking chair which had a table holding an ashtray. She slid a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, lighting one between her fingers and taking a deep inhale.
She watched demons mill about, most tourists but some members of the church. It felt a little weird, being in a tourist location. The Temple of Oculoly was one of the biggest churches in the region in which she resided, and one of the most beautiful. Almost reminded her of that Warden.
Watching the crowd, Scythe rocked on the chair. She couldn't help but notice a few glances in her direction, obviously knowing her status as a serial killer. So, why not fuck with 'em a bit? She watched a demon show as staring as they walked by, her glass eye glinting as the sun hit it through the cracks and deformities in the porch roof. She watched their cheeks pale, quickly running off. Hah! That'll keep 'em paranoid fer sure!
Soon enough, her cigarette was finished. She crushed it with her boot, leaving the smoldering tobacco on the ashtray before stepping back inside and locking the door tight. There was one thing, she had electricity and that's all she needed to keep a fan running. Wasn't for her, exactly, she enjoyed this warm, dry weather- but she had a visitor who was quite.. frequent. Would sometimes come here just to pester the shit out of her or just cuddle because he had a bad work day. No matter what, it was a risk to have him around because the church would kill him the moment a higher-up saw him- like her. Buuuut! She didn't care, she loved him too much for her to admit.
Her prosthetic arm reached over to her radio, turning it up to listen. Ah, a good song fer once! She thought, relaxing into her armchair that had too much stuffing being ripped out of it. Thinkin' back on it now, I don' need that AC.. only if he become permanent or sumthin'... She said to herself silently, violent knocking coming from her door. "Eh?"
"Open up!" a gruff voice sounded. Too high-pitched for Banny, that was for sure. She stood, stretching and peeking open the door. Oh, it was just a few officers. No big deal. She leaned on her door frame, her tail rattling as she watched them.
"Can't y'all see 'm a bit busy?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"There is a warrant out for your arrest, ma'am," the officer who was hanging on her door said, stepping forward with a pair of handcuffs. "If you wouldn't fight, that would make things easier."
"Ooo, a date?" she answered, "I would love ta, but I already got one. He should actually be here right 'bout.. now, actually."
Almost as if it was orchestrated, Ban Hammer sauntered over, clutching that massive hammer in his talons.
"Oh, lookie here!" Scythe grinned. He didn't seem too glad to see her, though, "..Banny?"
He didn't respond, looking over at an officer show as wielding a taser and held it up, aiming it at Scythe. Her eyes widened, slamming the door shut and grabbing her jacket and hat and slipped it on. She dove out of the way of the door as the purple ban hammer smashed through the wood. She climbed up the stairs, snagging her scythe and switched it to her rifle and fired. There was some yelling so she probably hit someone. If someone was injured they would stop going after her to tend to their wounded.
Blood was rushing in her ears. What did she need, what did she need.. she wasn't good at thinking in situations like this. Her head snapped over to her dresser, grabbing another tie and shoving it in her pocket, as well as a lighter to accompany her cigarettes. She then opened her window, ready to jump out, but a rough tug in her tail stopped her.
She hissed, whipping around to try and bite whoever snagged her tail. She hesitated as she saw the snarling face of Ban Hammer and just shoved the butt of her rifle in his face instead which caused him to let go of her tail. Falling back on the wood, she let out a grunt and quickly got back up but a searing pain was already being sent through her body. She fell back down, her body twitching and convulsing as she was tased. It hurt.. so.. bad... Not as much as being shot but still! This hurt like hell!
Eventually, the onslaught of electricity ended and left her a curled-up mess in the floor, not even resisting as she was handcuffed and slung over Ban Hammer's shoulder. She just pretended to be asleep, she didn't want to see his face right now! This was orchestrated! He did this! She felt the urge to shed tears but she didn't let herself.
"Scy?" he whispered as she was dragged out of the house, the night air of Lost Temple hitting her harshly. "Scy, wake up.. I'm sorry, I didn't want this, but y'know Momma.."
Scythe didn't bother to react. She didn't care about his apologies. This was such a betrayal! He had made a promise and he failed to uphold it. She didn't care about his reasons, she just needed him to shut up! She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, feeling Ban hammer's body sway with each step. I thought we had somethin'.. this bastard jus' tried t' make me fall in love so he could arrest me!
Ban Hammer continued to talk, "She said that she was disappointed that I would even consider feelings for someone like you.. I'm sorry, I really am. She told me we had a family name to uphold. She told me that she would kill you if I didn't have you dealt with. I'm.. I'm just trying to protect you, alright?" Ban Hammer's voice cracked. This was such a rare moment of vulnerability, but she didn't offer to console him. She hated him. Despised him! He was as good to her as a fire was to a house!
Scythe was thrown harshly onto the floor of her cell which was situated on death row. Her body landed uncomfortably on the sharp stones of the ground. Ow! She hissed, a rock cutting her hand. She clutched it to her chest, staining her jacket.
"Now she's awake," one of the officers said before walking off.
"Fuck you!" she hissed after him, her tail rattling. It echoed off of the walls she knew all too well. The walls in which she had counted every single brick at least four times. I thought I'd never see this place 'gain..
Walking over to the bars, she stuck her prosthetic arm through it to pick the lock as she always did. Though, a security measure must've been put in place to keep her from picking the lock. A shock went through her arm, eventually coming into contact with her body and causing her to tense and immediately pull away.
She couldn't get out. She was trapped. Where was Broker? He didn't know she was here. Medkit? No, not him either. He was busy with the Acolytes. She was stuck. On death row. Stuck on death row.
It finally dawned on her that she was going to die.
She was shocked, at first, not feeling a single thing.
Then the realization finally struck her.
She was going to die.
She fled to the corner, curling in on herself as tears assaulted her eyes. She was going to die. In all of her years of life did she ever fathom what was beyond. What was life after death? Would she be one of those ghosts that haunt her? Become what she feared? She clutched her horns, her face hidden behind her knees as she sobbed.
It was a few days later after she had been imprisoned. Her death has been put on hold for years. It was long overdue. There was an officer on either side of her, her handcuffs so tight she could do nothing but silently cry in frustration and pain. A muzzle had been situated on her face, too, to keep her from biting and killing someone. She had never given Ban Hammer antivenom for her lethal bite. It had slipped her mind.
Y'know, I had thought o' this day fer years. Imagin' myself in this situation, picturin' myself fightin' back and causin' a big ol' ruckus across Banny's domain.. now look at myself. A cowardly mess. What happened t' me? 'm such a disgrace..!
As she opened her eyes, the gallow came into view. It wouldn't be so scary if she wasn't going to be the piñata hanging from it. It let out a cold air around it, an ominous fog. She wasn't even able to say goodbye. Her shoulders shook slightly, her shoulder being punched as the officer behind her snarled at her to be quiet. She was too numb to argue.
Dragging her up the stairs, she was situated on a trap door overlooking a vast audience. She watched the crowd, many people gazing at her angrily or with sorrow- not for her, of course, but for the person she probably had killed. The hangman that would be responsible for her killing situated the noose around her neck, being awfully tight. Scythe spotted a figure nearby, just watching. A hulking figure- Banny. He was just watching, his face stoic. She stared at him for a moment, speechless tears rolling down her make-up stained face.
There were some words being said and quite frankly, she didn't care to listen. There were so many thoughts going through her head at once, it was hard to focus on anything anymore.
Suddenly, she felt her feet give out and a crack ringing out and a pressure on her throat before things faded.
Ban Hammer walked alongside the officers dragging his beloved to the gallow, keeping a wide berth. He didn't want to grant that distance but he had to keep himself controlled. He hadn't visited or seen Scythe in days, he refused to. He didn't want to see her in this state. It was clear she wasn't being taken care of, blood on her jacket over her heart. Her tie was used as a bandage over her hand. The way her uniform hung off her body suggested she wasn't being fed. How cruel could you be to someone who was already going to face death?
Her face was etched with agony, too. Bags under her eyes, sudden wrinkles making an appearance and some grey hairs. He didn't blame her. It was stressful, being on death row. He just wanted to gather her into his arms and let her be vulnerable for once. She never was.
But now, in the face of death, in front of hundreds of people, she was crying. Not sobbing or begging, but a cry that she knew what was coming. Something was coming and she was accepting it. But he didn't. He took his place off to the side, situating his hand on a lever that was connected to the trap door on the gallow. He hated that he had to do this. Why him? Why not anyone else? He knew why, it was because he was the damn warden.
He was ready to quit this job so he could spend the rest of his days with that woman, but what Momma said is what Momma said. He had begged, and begged, and begged for her not to make him do this to Scythe, but she just refused, refused, and refused.
"We have a family name to uphold," his mother had said, "and I won't let that demon ruin it."
He watched, horrified, as a noose was fastened to her neck. She just looked so.. out of it. She was dazed, not even taking in what was happening around her. The hangman said some words, words he wouldn't dare repeat and nodded to him. It took him a few seconds but he forced his arms to move, his heart clenching as he heard the sickening crack of her neck and the creaking of the gallow as her body swayed.
He didn't know what to think. He just stared at her body for a moment before clapping brought him out of his thoughts. All around him he heard clapping. His shoulder was nudged to clap with them but he didn't dare move, just staring at her body.
With a shaky hand, he snagged his blindfold and pulled it over his eyes. It was done. His job was done. He turned, pushing through people to get out of there. Away from the body. He walked the empty halls, stopping as he got to her cell. He removed a key from his belt and stepped inside, seeing a blood stain on the ground where she probably hurt herself. Her hat was on the mattress on the floor. Her hat.
Truly, it was all too much for him. His knees buckled at the sight of her hat, a wail escaping him as he reached out to take it from the bed and hold it to his heart, pretending it was her one last time.
"WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU?!" Ban Hammer let out a gut-wrenching howl, his blindfold ripped from his face and tears running like a river down his bearded cheeks. "I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.. I love you, I'm sorry.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please let this be a dream.. please.. let me wake up, I'm begging you.. please, PLEASE DON'T BE DEAD!"
Ban Hammer shook, sobbing. She was gone. She was really gone and there was nothing he could do but accept that fact. Keep her memory alive. He didn't know how he would go on anymore now that she was gone.
"I miss you..."