Chapter Text
Hold your breath and stay calm.
That was easier said than done in Joey's humble opinion.
Look, he wasn't the one suggesting the heist, it was actually an acquaintance he didn't have a lot of contact with. He apparently had some unresolved business with the owner as well so he could use this opportunity as a one stone two birds kinda deal. And he wasn't against it.
It was supposed to be a quick in and out job, done before anyone could show up. Nobody was home. All the heroes were too busy on the other side of the city, a distraction that he can thank Xornoth for.
The police wouldn't have time to catch them, even if they did he could outrun them.
Making an escape was his specialty after all!
Though Xorny’s spells are sure useful. He doesn't really know how it worked and it straight up witchcraft how well it hid Xorny's face. It's like your brain wasn't rendering it! Even he, and let's be honest he's great and amazing, wouldn't be able to see through it without strong concentration and the apparently magical ruby earrings, though he wears them more because how pretty they are. It was also the first gift he got from Xorny.
Hold your breath, maybe they won't notice you.
It was quite pitiful if he's honest. Hiding. He was never the type to do that. He was quick and efficient, or so he thinks at least.
“He couldn't have gotten far, I swear I saw him go this direction!” The voice rang through the hall. The voice that was the reason why he was hiding.
Scarlet.
The Gs were a force he didn't really understand. They didn't work with police or the heroes and didn't follow rules that much. He doesn't know who they even answer to or what goal they have. All he knows is that when they show up you are basically screwed.
They didn't have clear goals but that made them dangerous. They weren't above killing. Joey hears that they resort to violence pretty much by default.
It is like fighting the heroes except they do not care about your state.
And it's not like the heroes were gentle, more so diplomatic. Most low level thugs would just get captured, that's it. But with the Gs, well… If you're lucky you just get handcuffed and left there until the police find you. If you aren't then there's nothing to find.
And all of this was mainly thanks to Scarlet. A violent avian who came charging into the scene every time. If the Gs showed up she was there.
There were levels of dangerousness the Gs offered. Scarlet was an assassin in her work, by far the most dangerous. The Winter King was strong but unlikely to start a fight, he mostly just cuffed you. The Zombie barely even showed up to fights, so Joey counts them as the weakest. There was also a rumored 4th member but considering they never showed up to battle Joey can't imagine them being strong at all.
“He probably slipped past us.” The Winter King offered, the sound dangerously close to him.
Fuck they're right here.
“That's impossible! We secured all the exists didn't we?!” Scarlet exclaimed. Joey really wants to check what's going on but he's barely hidden by the storage box and he can't risk them seeing him.
He hopes they're moving and not just staying here.
“He could have left before I sealed them.” The Winter King leaned on a box.
Same box Joey was hiding behind.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck-
All it takes is for him to look over the box!
All the lords above please help him.
“I refuse to believe that! I swear on my life that I saw him inside!”
Imagines of blood dripping from talons flashes in front of him.
He could die here his mind unhelpfully supplies.
He'll probably die.
Just hold your breath and maybe they'll pass. Don't make a sound. Don't even breath.
“Look, then you should go do a quick round around outside in case he's near an exit trying to escape and I scout through the building again. Maybe I find some clues leading to where they could have stashed the item.” The Winter King’s words offered little comfort. At least he only needs to outrun one of them? Not very comforting when last time they saw each other he was captured.
“Okay. You better keep an eye out though, I'm still watching you as well!” Scarlet's words started to fade into silence echoing off the walls. She's leaving, at least he hopes so.
“Oh I'm so scared.” The Winter King called out half heartedly right above him.
So he's still here fuck.
…
Just stay quiet.
…
Just stay quiet.
…
Just stay quiet.
…
“Will you seriously just gonna hide there for forever?”
Fuck.
Time to run.
Joey bolted thrordws the hall the two came from. Just run. Run. Run. Run, run, r-
Thud.
He slammed straight into an icebarrier.
“Not so fast, runner, you still have what I need don't ya?”
Joey felt his blood run cold as he tried to become one with the wall. Probably why he was actually cold. It's just straight up ice. But it isn't melting for some reason… it's just stays as cold as it was when he touched it without any cold wanter on his back only his sweat from the radiating bitter cold.
“You know it's like ice, you gonna catch a cold all snuggled against it and I ain't saving you for Xornoth if you're that dumb.”
Despite the warning he found himself trying to go further into the wall. It's cold but his mind just telling him to put distance between them, now, while you're able to.
“Are you working with them?” is all he ends up saying. He pretty sure his voice is shaky at best and he's breathing heavy.
“No, I'm not.” His voice was irritated. “Just give me the thing you stole, I don't have to energy to entertain you.”
“I didn't steal anything!” It's a lie but maybe it's convincing?
“I wasn't born yesterday, I don't know what you stole, but I know you have it.”
“I swear!”
“Joey, give me what you took.”
Joey could feel the room's temperature drop. It was freezing. He feels the soft fur stand up on him. He wasn't meant for winter yet he saw it all too often. It's cold. It's cold- it's so cold …
“Hey-hwy! D#n7 p4$s0ut-”
It's cold.
Why is it cold? He's sure it isn't supposed to be, right? Right?
“Oh #y h3 act-4lly pa$$ed out j-st wh4t's up w17h h1#?!”
Cold.
“I'm trying to stableize him.”
Cold.
“He's breathing but he's really warm.”
Cold.
“I know I shouldn't panic! You're not helping GD!”
Cold.
“Hey can you hear? Try following my breathing.”
Cold.
“I think he's just having an episode? I'm not sure.”
Cold.
“I can handle it, don't call them just - make sure they won't look for me until I'm done.”
Cold.
Then it was warm.
Fiery warmth.
“Xornoth?”
The deer humphed. The fire was beautiful.
The forest burned with flames reaching towards the sky.
It was nice.
It was warm.
He remembers when they first met.
He was running away from an angry shop keeper. He haven't eaten in weeks… He only stole bread that the shop keeper was He was tired and got cornered.
The shop keeper raised their hand ready to strike when it caught on fire. The shop keeper screamed.
“You are friends with the devil's child!"
But this gave him an opening to push past him and disappear in the alley. He barely noticed the kid in a cloak.
The second time when it happened Joey was freezing. It was a cold winter and he had nothing against the cold.
A small fire lit up next to him. It might have been the only thing that kept him alive that night.
After that they showed up every now and then. Sometimes he saw them, sometimes he could only see the fire light up near him and knew it was them.
“My name is Joey!” He reached out a hand.
Devil's child, Exor’s champion, the demon…
“Xornoth.”
Today they're going to leave.
Just the two of them.
He never has to be cold again.
Xornoth was fire.
Fire was safety.
He liked the warmth of destruction.
But this warmth…
It was…
Different.
“You're not Xornoth?”
His mind was hazy… where was he? Where's Xornoth? He swears he could feel fire but they're not here…
“Oh 1 th1nk h3's c0m1ng b4ck, just k33p th3m d/stracted f()r lik’- ten more minutes.”
“Who are you?” The voice felt familiar but it also wasn't…
“Yeez, how did you get a concussion?!”
His head was dizzy, was he fighting? Was he caught stealing again?
“Hey buddy, I just need to get back what you took. It's clearly not helping your well being either.”
What he took? But he's hungry… No, he didn't take food. He took an orb. It looked shiny…
“This?” It glowed in his hand, it was nice. He liked it.
“Yep, just hand it over and I'll let you go, okay?”
The man held out his hands and Joey, though hesitantly, placed the orb in his hand.
It was a strange. He felt something like a pull let him go. The world became more clear but it was still blurry.
The man did something with one of his hand over it.
It was a sigil.
Xornoth taught him about it.
“How do you know that?”
His mind is slowly but surely clearing. He's talking to the Winter King, he's not sure who that is but he shouldn't know sigils. Xornoth said that everyone who used to know had died.
“Worry about your own business, Gd, I got it, it's like an orb? Definitely the thing.”
Gd. The person the Gs work for. They report to them. Joey wasn't sure at one point that they were real, really he's still not sure. But one thing was clear.
“You know Xornoth.”
The deer raised his head.
“Say hi to them for me, aye? I think they figured that out by now.”
Then the deer's entire body shock, raising his hand to his ear suddenly.
“I understand.” The deer turned to him, “We're getting out.”
The deer grabbed his hand, it was cold, unnaturally cold, nothing like Xornoth's, dragging him towards an exit he swore was blocked before.
The adrenaline filled him as he followed. He's pretty sure he should be afraid about where this deer is bringing him but he's not. He feels strangely safe.
He blinked and they were outside of the building. The Oceans Queens house he recalls. He was upset at her for something…
“Just run, okay? Do not look back, you should be fine.”
Run?
He was good at running.
____
“There you are!” Pearl landed next to him.
“Guess who found our item.” He raised up the orb he got from Joey.
It definitely has a strong magical aura. He can feel runes on it but he doesn't know where they are located. A neutralizing sigil is the best he could do.
“You gotta be kidding me. You seriously got-?!” Pearl raises his hands to take it but then stops “uhm, can I even touch it?”
“It safe. I sealed any propoties on it.”
He's still surprised that it only affected Joey with some sort of concussion. He assumes Joey doesn't have a strong affinity to the divine. It was very strong when he held it.
Pearl took it and looked over it with wonder.
“We can definitely make a good deal with this! It looks important.”
“Take a step back guys, it's still dangerous.” Impulse’s voice rang through the communicator.
“Okay, okay, dad. I put down the dangerous obiect.” Pearls voice was mocking as she put the orb in her bag. “Where did you find it anyway? You just cut out at one point.”
“I found it on the ground where we split. I think they dropped it while escaping.”
“Oh, really?” Pearl didn't believe him. Not one bit.
“He's telling the truth, the orb interfers with the signal I couldn't connect you guys.” Impulse comfirmed.
Scott made a note to thank him later.
“Oh. Honestly thought you were lying.”
He was. He so was.
“I’m wounded that you would think that.” Scott said in a mocking hurt voice.
“Let's just get back already. Cleo must be worried sick.”