Chapter Text
[Unknown | &%#$^@$#]
The ink smeared down the walls in thick black streams, like shadows bleeding out of the stone. It was near now. Too near.
His chest heaved as he sprinted down the dimly lit corridor, feet pounding on the cold wood floor. He could hear that sickening wet splatter behind him, a slamming weight that shook the ground like flesh on concrete. Panic surged in his throat. He wouldn’t make it.
Desperation clawed at his mind as he grabbed a drawing desk from the entrance of an office, hurling it behind him. The frame clattered and scraped across the floor, but the beast never faltered, its relentless gurgling swallowing every sound.
He glanced over his shoulder. The ink was everywhere now, seeping from the walls, thick as tar. It swirled and rippled as the creature passed through it, as if the darkness was alive, reaching for him. He couldn’t see its shape, only that eerie smile that once gave joy to the young. The slick noise of its body winding ever closer.
The elevator was at the end of the hall, just a few more steps.
His lungs burned, his legs numbed, but he pushed harder, crashing into the door. He slammed his hand into the button again and again. “Come on, come on!” he whispered, heart hammering against his ribs.
Behind him, the ink hissed and bubbled. He could feel it spreading, creeping toward his feet.
The door stayed shut. The crashing steps became louder.
“No, no, no—” His hands scrambled at the edges of the elevator door, fingers slipping on the cold metal as he tried to pry it open. It wouldn’t budge. The ink was at his feet now, slick and oily, freezing as it touched his skin.
He turned, eyes wide, breath frozen in his throat. He could feel it hovering just beyond the edge of the light, watching, waiting. The ink coiled around his ankles like the promise of something far worse.
The elevator lights flickered just once, just then—
[Cretan Hollow | The highway]
The roar of engines and the sharp ping of bullets smashing through metal echoed through the Hollow.
“Did we lose ‘em?” Billy Kid’s voice crackled, the android’s yellow eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. His grip tightened on the wheel as the gang of Hollow raiders in motorcycles closed in. His side passenger, Nicole, ducked as another shot zipped past her window.
“Nope! Just keep your eyes on the road, Billy!” Nicole’s pink twin tails bounced as she popped back up, readying her briefcase for another round of incoming fire. Behind them, Nekomata and Anby huddled together as the back window shattered.
Anby, relaxed and unbothered, straightened the map despite the chaos, the paper crumpling in her steady hands. “Next exit. Zero point five kilometers.”
“I told you we should’ve hired Phaeton for this, nya!” Nekomata’s feline ears flattened against her head, her tails flicking in agitation. She cradled the package as if her life depended on it.
Nicole shot her a sharp look through the rearview mirror. “You got the money for them?!”
“Considering our situation, I’ll take my chances with some added interest; thank you!”
The exit loomed ahead, a battered sign barely visible through the Ether crystals growing around it. Billy jerked the wheel, but a crack rang out, the sound of a bullet shredding through one of the back tires. The vehicle lurched violently to the side.
“Hang on to something!” Billy shouted, grasping the steering wheel and bracing himself for impact.
The car swerved wildly, the front wheels slamming into the concrete barrier before flipping over the edge. Everything spun in fragments: the crunching of metal, the splintering of glass, and then, the deafening silence.
Nicole’s eyes fluttered open, her head pounding as the world slowly came into focus. She was sideways, her body hanging awkwardly against the seatbelt. The windshield had cracked into a spiderweb. The car had landed on its side, tilted enough to disorient everything.
Her pulse hammered in her ears as she struggled to take a breath, her body sore from the impact. She wriggled in her seat, grabbing her forehead. “Ugh… What just—?”
A soft groan from the backseat interrupted her. Nicole’s heart leaped. “Is everyone alright?!” Her voice came out weak, dry. She cleared her throat and tried again, louder this time. “Hey! Is everyone okay?!”
Billy’s yellow eyes flickered back on with a faint whirring sound. His systems rebooted, and for a moment, he looked as disoriented as a machine like him could. His frame twisted awkwardly, the seatbelt straining against his chest. “I’m good… maybe?” he muttered, his voice gravely shifting to get his bearings. His metal joints groaned as he freed himself from the seatbelt, the buckle clicking open with a metallic snap and falling slightly onto the concrete.
Nicole exhaled in relief, but it was short-lived. She turned toward the backseat and found Anby and Nekomata tangled in a heap. Anby was pinned under Nekomata’s limp form, her usual calm expression only slightly ruffled. She raised a hand to press against her as if trying to reset her thoughts.
“Assessment, no severe injuries,” Anby declared, her voice remaining emotionless despite being half-crushed beneath her feline teammate. “However, Nekomata, could you please get off of me?”
Nekomata groaned, her feline ears flicking back in irritation. “Nya… I feel like a lime at a taco stand,” she murmured, blinking as she found herself sprawled on top of Anby. “Oh. Sorry about that.”
Nekomata pushed herself off with a grunt, her two tails flicking as she scrambled to untangle herself from the mess of seatbelts and debris. She quickly shook, brushing off the glass and dust from her clothes. “Are we all in one piece?”
Nicole nodded, though her head still throbbed from the impact. “Looks like it… for now.”She tried her seatbelt again, finally freeing the latch and sliding down awkwardly with Billy's help to the side of the car. Her legs hit the door with a thud, grimacing as she used the cracked dashboard to steady herself. “We need to get out of here, fast. The raiders—”
A sound outside made them all freeze—engines roaring, approaching ever so slightly.
Nekomata’s head snapped up, her ears picking up the familiar roar of the Hollow Raider’s bikes. “They’re here.”
Billy dusted himself off, his eyes locking onto the cracked windshield atop the group, then down to his revolvers. Moving his hands quickly, he opened the chambers to check his ammo. Twelve bullets, twelve shots.
The lead raider revved his engine, his black spherical helmet gleaming, visor remaining up. His step rippled as he dismounted, clocking his shotgun as he approached the crashed van. “End of the line, Cunning Hares. You’ve got something that belongs to us.”
Behind Billy, Nicole, Nekomata, and Anby tensed, each instinctively clutching the side of the overturned van. Nicole stared at the android with worry flickering in her eyes. “There’s too many of them, you can’t—”
Billy raised his hand, signaling her to stop her train of thought. “Trust me on this one, guys.” His voice was calm, almost confident. He tilted his head toward them, nodding with narrowed eyes. “Just stay low.”
Nicole exchanged a wary glance with Nekomata and Anby, who quietly nodded while unease crept at their features.
Billy popped his head up the window, immediately hopping down when the Hollow Raiders opened fire at him. Fifteen, he thought, memorizing the raiders' positioning, mentally smirking as an idea materialized in his algorithm.
He raised his hands; this time, the raiders only raised their weapons and aimed, their fingers locked onto the triggers. “You guys may be wondering why the red jacket!” Billy shouted, his palms steady in the air. The raiders exchanged uncertain glances, their fingers on their triggers tightening as Billy spoke confidently.
“It’s so other Hollow raiders like you guys don’t see me bleed.” He pointed his index finger to a random thug. “That guy has the right idea; he wore brown pants!”
The raiders' response was to keep shooting. The moment Billy lowered his arms, the gunfire seized; he took the opportunity to talk one last time. “Look, pals, I only have twelve bullets, so you’re gonna have to share!” Let’s count them down!
Billy soon hopped out of the van, both guns blazing. The first two shots cracked through the air, sending two raiders staggering back as the impacts shattered their helmets, leaving them dizzy and disoriented. “Two down….” he muttered under his breath.
One of the raiders on the left raised his rifle, aiming straight at Billy’s head. Before he knew it, Billy took the shot, the bullet slicing through the raider’s hand and forcing him to drop the weapon with a yelp of pain. The man clutched his bleeding fingers, his face pale beneath the spherical visor.
“Three down!” Billy called out, his eyes narrowing as he rolled his shoulders.”Come on, fellas, make this fun for me!”
Three Hollow raiders took cover behind a car. One of them fetched an electric grenade, pulling the pin and making a throwing motion. Billy instinctively took another shot, the bullet hitting the grenade, sending a cracking shockwave that took down all three raiders, writhing on the ground as their armor sparked with electricity.
“That’s six!” Billy shouted again, his voice carrying over the battlefield with a taunting edge. The confidence radiating off him was impossible to ignore now; his eyes glinted with a dangerous twinkle.
The leader’s face twisted with fury beneath his visor, a low, husky growl escaping his lips. “Get this cocky scrap pile!” he commanded, his voice dripping with rage.
Two raiders broke from the pack, moving low as they tried to flank Billy from the sides, hoping to catch him off guard. The android’s senses sharpened, pivoting as he aimed his revolvers at them before they could raise their guns.
Bang! Bang! Two perfect shots. One raider was sent reeling back, his weapon flying from his hands as he crumpled to the ground, stunned. The other reeled back, clutching his shoulder where the bullet struck just above his armor.
“Eight down, anyone else!”
Another raider, clearly losing his sanity, began to charge at him directly, an electric baton raised high in a desperate attack. Billy sidestepped effortlessly, letting the raider trip using his foot and stunning himself with the shock of the weapon.
“Nine down! You guys aren’t even trying!”
By now, the remaining raiders were visibly shaken, exchanging uneasy glances. They hadn’t expected this—an android with just a dozen bullets was systematically dismantling them, and he hadn’t even broken a sweat.
The leader’s hands slightly shook as he tried to control and maintain his men. “Enough games!” he barked, though his voice began to waver. “All of us, at once!”
The remaining raiders regrouped, closing in, weapons raised. Billy only closed his eyes; only six men were left, one bullet for each one. Alright, you asked for it!
The raiders moved in as a single unit, a tight line advancing with guns trained on him. Billy assessed the scene briefly, readying himself for the perfect moment. The leader took the shot, Billy dodging it perfectly, and then—
Bang! His first shot rang out, striking a raider’s helmet and sending him staggering back, clutching his helmet.
Bang! Eight. Another helmet cracked, and the raider dropped his weapon in shock.
Bang! Nine. Billy smoothly pivoted, his shot slamming into a third raider’s shoulder, knocking him to his knees.
The remaining three raiders watched in horror as Billy dispatched their comrades with surgical precision. He advanced fluidly and practiced readily, his next shots coming quickly.
Bang! Ten. A fourth raider dropped, clutching his hand where the bullet had sliced through his glove.
Bang! Eleven. The fifth raider’s gun shattered in his grip, the impact forcing him to the ground, defenseless.
And then there was only one.
Billy kept his revolver raised, and the final bullet lined up perfectly with the leader’s visor. The raider stared back, frozen, as Billy stepped forward, pressing the cold muzzle against the glass.
“Lucky number twelve,” Billy murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “Here’s the deal, buddy. You leave now and get to keep that helmet on your head.” He tapped the glass, each a steady and chilling reminder. “Or stick around… and I’ll make sure you don’t leave with a single ounce of pride left.”
The leader’s defiance melted away. His hands shook as he stumbled back, dropping his shotgun. He didn’t bother with a comeback, scrambling to his feet and practically crawling to his bike. “You…You’ll regret this!” he spat, his voice cracking as he sped up, throwing one last fearful glance over his shoulder before disappearing.
Billy holstered his revolvers with a practiced spin, taking a long breath. He turned back toward the van and saw Nicole, Nekomata, and Anby carefully hopping out of the car; all wore expressions of awe and disbelief.
Nicole was the first to break the silence, shaking her head with a grin. “You’re a lunatic, you know that?”
Billy shrugged, feigning modesty. “Hey, it's not every day I get to show off.” He tapped his red jacket. “Besides, I can’t have these guys ruining my style.”
Nekomata let out a low whistle, her ears perking up. “Well, remind me not to tick you off, nya!”
Anby tilted her head, analyzing Billy with her usual calm expression. “That was a risky move from you but effective nonetheless.”
Billy chuckled, giving them a playful wink. “All part of the plan, ladies. Now, let’s get moving. I’m down to my last bullet, and I'd rather not repeat this show.”
Nicole returned to the van, opening the trunk and gesturing for Amillion. A small, rabbit-eared robot hopped out, her single eye blinking as she shook a bit of glass off her frame. Amillion grabbed the heavy package in the backseat without hesitation, lifting it with surprising strength for a Bangboo her size.
Nicole grinned, rubbing the Bangboo’s head affectionately. “Good thing we have you. Now, guide us to an exit through the Carrot.”
Amillion responded with a single, confident Eh-nah, her eye flickering as she processed the command. She adjusted her grip on the package and began to walk ahead of the group, her small, precise steps leading them down a path through the Cretan Hollow that only a Bangboo or Proxy could map.
The Carrot Data—a series of paths the Hollow Investigative Association registered—was the key back out of the profaned landscape. Without it, most explorers or raiders would succumb to the depths of the Hollow.
The silence weighed heavily as the team moved down the forsaken roads, led by Amillion’s quiet, steady steps. Shadows etched long over the desolate landscape, casting an otherworldly glow across the Hollow. They were almost at the fissure when a faint sound cut through the eerie stillness.
“Please… someone help me!”
Nicole froze mid-step, her heart skipping. “Did you guys hear that?” she whispered, looking around wide-eyed.
Nekomata’s face darkened as she listened closely, picking up the echo of a young girl’s voice. “Yeah, I hear it. Sounds close!”
The call for help came again, sharper this time, echoing off the rocky walls. “Help me! Please! Someone!”
Billy’s eyes narrowed, a low growl rising from his voice box. “If there’s a kid out here with Ethereals roaming around, we’ve got no time to lose.”
Anby’s face hardened, her voice calm but intense. “We must proceed with caution; it could be a lure.”
Nicole shot back at her stoic coworker. “Even if it is, we’re checking it out. We’re not leaving a kid out here.”
With a nod of agreement, they moved quickly down the path, following the sound of the girl’s voice. As they rounded a bend, the team saw her—a young girl, around nine, hiding under rubble. She had blond hair and bright emerald eyes wide with terror. Clutched tightly in her arms was a small, worn rabbit plush, her fingers digging into its soft fabric.
Surrounding her were a group of Ethereals.
The creatures formed a circle around the young girl, tall and muscular, their limbs carrying stop signs and traffic light poles. Where a head should have been were smooth, dark orbs that absorbed the light, giving them a faceless, void-like appearance. The air around them was thick with a low, static, vibrating, unnatural energy.
The girl looked up to see the Cunning Hares; her face streaked with tears as her grip on the rabbit plush tightened. “Please… help me!” she screamed, voice trembling.
Billy stepped forward, his voice collected and determined.”Hold on tight, kid. We’ve got you.” He turned to his team, his expression hard. “I’ll grab the girl. You three handle the Ethereals!”
Nicole nodded, setting down her suitcase to reveal a compact Ether cannon. She loaded an ammunition case with swift, practiced movements, and the cannon soon whirred to life, casting a soft violet glow.
Anby drew her electrified blade, sparks crackling along its edge. Her gaze was sharp and focused as she prepared to face the nearest crystal creature.
Nekomata unsheathed her daggers from her knees, her tails swishing as she grinned. “Alright! Let’s see what you’ve got!”
As Billy approached the girl, Nicole raised her cannon, aiming at the closest Ethereal. “Hey you!” she called out, drawing their attention. “Let’s see how you handle this!” She fired, the muzzle releasing a powerful violet energy that struck one of the Ethereal dead center. The creature staggered forward into the orb, dissolving into a cloud of mist.
Anby moved in next, her electrified blade slicing through the air in a precise, controlled arc. She struck the nearest Ethereal, the electric surge disrupting its crystal form, causing it to convulse and disintegrate with a faint hiss, leaving nothing but the faint smell of ozone.
Nekomata darted forward, her daggers flashing as she weaved through the Ethereals with feline agility. Her movements were quick and unpredictable, each strike causing the creatures to stagger and falter. She let out a playful hiss. “One, Two, Five! Come on, you anomalies, who’s next?!”
While his team held the Ethereals at bay, Billy reached the girl and crouched to her level. “Hey, kid. My name is Billy,” he said gently. “You’re safe now, okay? The Cunning Hares are here.”
The girl looked up at him, her emerald green eyes wide, filled with a mixture of hope and fear. She held the rabbit even closer. “I-I’m Ava... And this is Peanut.” She held up the plush rabbit, its little black eyes staring blankly.
Billy offered a reassuring stare, putting a steady hand on her shoulder. “Nice to meet you, Ava. Peanut, too.” He glanced over at his shoulder, watching as his team dismantled the Ethereals ruthlessly. “Stick close to me, alright?”
Ava nodded, keeping the exact tight grip on Peanut as she stood beside Billy.
Just then, one of the Ethereals broke away from the group, its orb-like head locking onto Billy and Ava. Its body elongated, unnaturally twisting as it lurched toward them, roaring with a discordant screech.
“Not on my watch,” Billy whispered, pulling the girl close as he raised his revolver. With a single shot, he fired his last bullet, aiming directly at the Ethereal’s chest. The bullet struck true, shattering the creature into a fine crystal mist.
“And that’s the last of my party favors,” Billy called out as he holstered his revolver.
Nicole looked over, her cannon smoking slightly from a previous blast. “Look’s like we’ve almost got ‘em!”
Anby stepped forward, her electrified blade still crackling with energy. She glanced at the two remaining Ethereals. With a swift, graceful strike, she plunged her sword into the nearest one, swinging upward and throwing it into the air. Once it hit the ground, the Ethereal vanished into a million pieces.
“Lucky you! You’re last!” Nekomata shouted, spinning her daggers as she closed in on the last Ethereal. She slashed in a precise X-pattern across its shadowy form, her blades cutting it cleanly. The Ethereal wavered, its orb flickering before collapsing into a mist.
A tense silence fell over the team as the last trace of Ethereals disappeared, leaving only the stillness of the Hollow.
Billy exhaled and turned to Ava, patting her on the back. “It’s over. They’re gone.”
Ava hugged the android, closing her eyes and letting stray tears escape. “Thank you… Thank you! Thank you…” Her voice broke, the hug becoming almost desperate.
Nicole knelt beside her, rubbing her head with affection. “You’ve been through a lot. But we’ll get you out of here.”
Ava nodded, loosening her grip on Billy and meeting Nicole’s kind stare. “I was trying to find my way back home. I didn’t mean to end up here…”
Amillion let out a soft Eh-nah, her single eye blinking as she scanned Ava and the surrounding area. After a glance at the group, she resumed her position at the front, gesturing back toward the exit fissure.
With Sarah nestled proactively beside him, the team set off toward the exit, leaving the eerie silence of the Hollow behind. As they left, a lone figure watched from the shadows, concealed in the crags of the rocky terrain.
The man raised a small radio to his lips, his eyes locked on the retreating team. “Sarah, it’s me. They got her. Ava’s safe.”
A radio crackled before a young, clear voice responded with relief. “Thank goodness, Henry. I was starting to worry.”
Henry’s eyes softened, though his expression remained guarded. “She’s alright. But it was close. She had a run-in with Ethereals. If the Cunning Hares hadn’t been there…”
The voice on the other end went quiet for a moment. Then Sarah replied, her voice steadier now. “They didn’t have to help her, did they? But they did.”
Henry nodded, watching the empty fissure where the team had disappeared. “They handled the Ethereals like pros, but their instincts impress me…”
A faint sigh of relief came through the radio. “Good. I didn’t want Ava alone out there, not again. But maybe this was fate, in a way. Perhaps we found the right people…”
Henry’s gaze slightly hardened as if steeling to himself. “You want to contact them? Offer them the commission?”
There was a slight pause. “...Yes, but go slowly. They don’t know us, and we don’t know them. They need to understand that we’re on the same side.”
Henry exhaled, tucking the radio back into his jacket. “Understood. We’ll keep it subtle.”
He cast one last look over the empty landscape, the distant, eerie screeches of the Ethereals coming into light. With a final glance toward the path the Cunning Hares had taken, he melted back into the shadows, disappearing as smoothly as he had appeared, leaving behind the forsaken landscape of the Hollow.
[Janus Quarter | Cunning Hares Apartment]
A few hours later, the Cunning Hares returned to their apartment with a sleepy Ava. After cashing in their commission and receiving a decent payout, they finally settled for a moment of calm.
Ava, still visibly shaken from the ordeal, had been lying on the team’s worn-out sofa. She clutched her plush rabbit, Peanut, tightly against her chest. Nicole had gently draped a tattered blanket over her petite frame, her usual playful energy softened by her joint tenderness.
“Poor thing…” Nicole murmured, ruffling the young girl’s hair softly. “All that, and she’s just a kid.”
Nekomata leaned back into a chair, studying Ava with a faint frown. “I don’t get it. How does someone like her end up in the Hollow alone?”
Anby, seated at the kitchen table, carefully cleaned her blade. “Perhaps she got separated from someone.”
Billy stood by the window, his hands resting on his revolvers, rubbing his mouthless chin. “Whatever the reason, she’s lucky we found her in time. That place isn’t meant for kids.” He turned back to Ava, his eyes softening. “If she’d been left there much longer…”
Nicole crossed her arms, glancing at Billy. “Do you think we should try to find out more about her? Her family must be worried sick!”
Billy took note of Nicole’s concern and nodded. “We’ll ask her when she wakes up. But until then, she will stay with us.”
Nekomata gave a slight, approving nod, her ears perking up and her tails swinging softly. “Agreed. She’s one of us now, nya. At least until we return her to her family.”
The sound of the doorbell startled them, followed by the heavy thunk of a pile of letters hitting the floor just inside the door. Nicole raised an eyebrow as she walked over to the stack, expecting the usual flood of overdue bills and payment reminders. She sighed as she bent down to gather the scattered envelopes.
“Bills, bills, bills…” she muttered, flipping through the pile. “Gas, electricity, water… oh, look, looks like we’re late on rent. Again.”
Nekomata rolled her eyes. “It’s like they don’t even know we’re heroes, nya,” she said, half-joking, leaning over to peer at the pile. “They could at least give us a discount.”
Anby finished cleaning her blade and set it down with a quiet clink. “Unfortunately, the utility companies don’t accept heroics as currency,” she said, her voice calm as ever.
Nicole continued riffling through the stack, her expression shifting from frustration to curiosity when she reached a plain, unmarked envelope. It had no return address and looked out of place among the colorful warning and threatening red stamps over the other letters. She flipped it over, noting the neatly written label: To Ava’s Rescuers.
“Uh… guys?” Nicole held up the envelope, her eyes narrowing. “I think we got a much sooner response than expected.” She carefully tore open the envelope, pulling out a folded paper. She scanned it quickly, her brows furrowing in surprise before she read it aloud.
Dear Cunning Hares
Your recent actions have not gone unnoticed. We would like to discuss a potentially beneficial proposition with you. Meet us at the Lumina Square Theater, near the back entrance, tomorrow morning at eight sharp. Discretion is advised.
Nicole looked up, her eyes meeting each of her team’s gaze in turn. “And that’s it. No name, no signature, just a meeting place and time.”
Anby leaned forward, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “The theater doesn’t open until eleven, though. Whoever they are, they’re making sure this meeting is private.”
Billy’s eyes flicked to Ava, still fast asleep on the sofa; her hold on Peanut had softened. He watched her momentarily, then turned back to the team with a determined look. “They probably saw us back in the Hollow. If they went out of their way to contact us, they probably need our help with something else. We must go.”
Nicole folded the letter, her expression resolute. “I agree. If this can give us clues as to why Ava was in there, we must take it.”
Nekomata gave a reluctant nod, though her usual playfulness was subdued. “I don’t know, nya. This invitation has ‘set up’ written all over it.”
Anby’s calm gaze met Nicole’s. “We have to approach this with caution. This probable commission could be an opportunity for us to stabilize.”
Nicole then slipped the letter into her pocket, her gaze lingering on Ava’s sleeping form. “Alright, then. Lumina Square Theater. Tomorrow morning.”
Nekomata finally let out a soft yawn, her ears dropping as her tails fell limp. “Might as well call it a night, then.”
The team exchanged a final, determined look, each bracing for whatever awaited them in Lumina Square. The faint hum of the city filtered in from outside, but an air of suspense hung over the apartment, quiet and charged.