Coercion
Ark stood outside the large apartment building where his teammate resided. He stared at the building awkwardly, making sure he wasn't mistaken.
"He lives here?" Ark asked quietly as he approached, trying to remain stoic despite the odd smells coming from within the building. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper. After taking a few seconds to read it, he shrugged and made his way inside.
Moving down the hallway, Ark thought about the odd circumstances that lead to his late night arrival. Being awoken by the guards and giving a task at such a late hour was irritating, but not completely intolerable. The guards issued him a request from Princess Luna herself, and without any real thought or question, here he was; standing in front of Catacomb's apartment at two in the morning like a complete jackass to deliver a letter.
Ark waited no longer, knocking at the door loudly despite the hour of the night. Finished, he waited for Catacomb to respond to his summons. Time passed by with no response from the other side. Ark was about to knock again, but stopped, staring down the halls he already disturbed. Not seeing anyone, he placed his hand on the doorknob, turning it slowly. The knob rattled slightly before giving in, turning effortlessly and letting him into the apartment.
Walking in and shutting the door, Ark stared around the room. The place wasn't much better on the inside. Dull dingy colors, shotty looking walls, and odd smells, though more tolerable inside. The most noticeable thing in the room was the couch, lined with several empty bottles and an unconscious changeling responsible for their current state. Ark walked over to him, staring down at him. Catacomb reverted back to his original form, gloomy black chitin replacing natural skin, with odd holes in his arms and legs. His longish hair was a pale blue, sprawled out every which way in a flustered mess. Ark could practically taste the alcohol coming off his breath. Had there been any doubt, the smell would have eradicated any of it.
"Cata?" Ark asked subtly, not wanting to startle him too much.
"The...pie in the...toaster cakes...filled with...strippers..." Catacomb moaned in his sleep, rolling over and onto the floor. Despite the apparently painful landing on more empty bottles, Catacomb remained unconscious.
Ark sighed, and walked over to the sink. Filling up a large cup with water, he proceeded to giving Catacomb a premature bath. The icy liquid hit him, and with almost instant response time, Catacomb shot up, broke a bottle in his hand, and held the makeshift weapon up to Ark's neck.
Ark remained unflinching, despite the pointy shards poking his neck. It took a few seconds for the now awake Catacomb to register everything, including the increasingly annoying hangover creeping onto him. "God...dammit...urgh..." Catacomb covered his mouth quickly, making haste into the bathroom. Ark listened quietly as the unpleasant sounds of regurgitation filled the apartment. After a solid ten minutes, Catacomb walked out, back in his normal appearance, if not a little scuffed up, a trace of his current condition.
"Better?" Ark asked, waiting patiently for an answer.
"Go screw yourself," Catacomb said, glaring at the hooded face staring at him. "So I am happily dreaming, got suddenly woken up, feel like shit, and have your arrogant mug staring me down. How can I help you today?" Catacombs words were filled with an odd combination of malice and sarcasm, neither which were picked up by the confused Ark.
"A mission request from Princess Luna," Ark said as he handed Catacomb the envelope addressed to him. Catacomb stared at the envelope, then back at the delivery boy, and back towards the accursed letter. He snatched the envelope out of Ark's hand and began opening it.
"Why the hell didn't she just send it normally?" Catacomb groaned, pulling the note out.
"She wanted to make sure you received it and actually read it," Ark said as he began wandering about the apartment.
"Don't touch anything, please," Catacomb asked as he watched his ally. Letter unfolded, he began to read it.
After a few minutes, Ark turned towards Catacomb, all the color gone from his face. He began to chuckle, covering his face with his free hand to muffle the laughter, growing louder by the second. It was hard to tell how long he went on like this, but he went silent almost instantly. Ark quietly approached, concerned for Catacomb. "Are you okay?"
"This is sick..." Catacomb said, glaring at the letter. "You are a sick bitch, Luna!" Catacomb yelled out loudly, crumpling up the paper and throwing it into the trash. "Did you know, too?!" Catacomb said, approaching Ark menacingly. He grabbed his jacket and started to shake him. "Did you know?!"
Ark's expression changed drastically. He grabbed Catacombs arms and threw him off. Catacomb stumbled back, being the recipient for Ark's gaze for the first time. It was almost paralyzing, the look of someone who is willing to take a life without a second thought. Time almost seemed to eternally stop for Catacomb. The feeling was completely different from Perry's. There is no thrill, no joy. Just pure wrath barely contained behind the yellow glare.
"Are you done?" Ark asked, his tone colder than any arctic night. Catacomb backed off and sat down on the couch. Ark walked over to the waste basket, giving Catacomb a chance to regain his breath, and read the letter himself. Re-reading it to confirm what it said, Ark approached the shaking Catacomb. "Explain."
"What's there to explain? It's a bad idea, pure and simple. I can't do it," Catacomb said, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Why?" Ark said, his appearance softening up.
Catacomb chuckled, shaking his head."Someone like you wouldn't understand. The pressure of being different, and seen as an outcast," Catacomb said, staring at the young man.
Ark remained quiet, taking in a deep breath and pulling up his hood. He walked over and sat down next to Catacomb, still breathing heavily.
"Are you okay?" Catacomb asked. Ark remained quiet, the sounds of rain starting up outside the only sound echoing within the room.
"Catacomb..." Ark finally began speaking again, staring downwards. Catacomb's attention was completely undivided, waiting for him to talk. "Just do it."
"That is easy for you to say, pal. You're not the one in this situation."
"The longer you go your life without speaking to her, the more it will eat away at you. It would mean the world to her, not only knowing you're still alive, but knowing that you still care. Don't just vanish completely. It isn't fair," Ark said, his tone shaky. Catacomb wanted to respond, but Ark seemed to go through so much to say that, he knew he should at least put some thought into those words.
From the beginning, their relationship was odd. A science project, a curiosity, a nuisance. It was hard to describe how Twilight thought of him. Sure, he knew when her feelings for him started to bloom, but everything else was and most likely will always be a mystery. Perhaps he just doesn't truly understand love yet. Only recently has it become more than a food source.
Lightning flashed from outside, causing Catacomb to jump slightly from his deep thoughts.
"Why the hell do you care anyways?" Catacomb asked, looking over towards Ark.
"Because we are friends," Ark responded simply. It wasn't full of optimism one would expect from that statement, but it was something that even Catacomb understood.
"You're stupidly honest, you know?" Catacomb said, laughing slightly, though his tone was still soft. Catacomb sighed afterwards, resting his hands in his lap. "I can't-"
"Stop!" Ark quickly interrupted him. Catacomb obeyed unwillingly, glancing back over. "Just do it," Ark said.
"Easy for you to say," Catacomb frowned. "You're not the one in this crazy situation. I mean, she is freaking royalty. You know what that means?!"
"Nothing," Ark plainly replied.
"You really believe that?!" Catacomb asked, astonished.
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes," Ark restated his response. "People are people. Titles aren't people."
"You...you really believe that?" Catacomb asked, slightly blown away by such simple words. "Is that how you show respect for the princess'?! They have done so much for the country and-"
"They did. Not their titles," Ark interrupted yet again, this time more forcefully to drive in his words. "They would still be who they are regardless. I respect that, and that alone is why I tolerate their rule," Catacomb went completely quiet. He wanted to respond, but he didn't have anything he could say in response to that.
"You are weird," Catacomb said, staring into an empty bottle passively. "But you make sense," Catacomb smiled slightly.
"I am going home now," Ark said, getting up from his spot with little warning. "See you at the ceremony tomorrow." Catacomb stared at Ark's back as he walked towards the door.
"What makes you think I am accepting it?" Catacomb asked, setting the bottle down. "I would rather sit here and get shitfaced again."
"Because you will," Ark said calmly, opening the door.
"What makes you so sure?" Catacomb asked, eyebrow raised. Ark turned around and gave Catacomb a serious stare. He froze slightly, awaiting the response from his teammate.
"Her dress is sexy," Ark said casually before walking out. As the door came to a slow close, Catacomb started chuckling, then laughing. Weather it was meant to be funny or not, it worked.
After a few minutes of calming down, he realized he was finally alone again, with only his annoying hangover to comfort him. He mulled back on everything that had occurred within the last half hour. "Wonder how much effort it took him to hold that conversation," Catacomb said to no one. Regardless, what he said was true.
Catacomb stared around his apartment, glancing every which way. Bottles were showing in every which direction one could look. He sat back as he gazed about, wondering how much money and time he could have saved if he was as simply honest as Ark was. Catacomb sighed, and got up from his spot. "Guess I should get some sleep. Gotta work tomorrow."
Even though, his grin returned.
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Ark sat at the bottom stair of the apartment, thinking back on his words of choice. Why did he even care so much about this? Why did he have to let it get personal? All he could really think about afterwards was how much he should listen to his own advice. He took a deep breath, and began his short trek home.
The weather finally calmed down when he left, making for a calm flight back. He soared through the sky, though he couldn't shake his own nerves. He couldn't even tell why he was nervous, just that he wanted to go home as quickly as possible, and get ready for the next day. He made a promise to visit during the coronation, though with the attitude of the one inviting him, he might as well been forced into it.
Unknown to him, several figures watched as he left, making sure they weren't spotted by him. When he was far enough, they began to speak.
"Hard to believe how much little Annie has grown."
"It felt like yesterday since we last saw him slicing through those throats. Though you had the opportunity to meet him recently, isn't that right?"
"Trust me, was not pleasant. His edge may be under new rule, but it is still as sharp as ever."
"Must have sucked, pal. Guy practically blended you into paste."
"Please don't bring that up. It still hurts like hell."
"Oh Havoc, darling, please do be patient. This is supposed to be professional after all."
"Oh I plan on it," Havoc said, walking out from the shadows of his hiding spot. Despite what had occurred, a look at the winged man would show no scars at all. "The effort it took me to piece myself back together, I want my payback in the most amusing way possible," Havoc began to laugh loudly, something born from a vile darkness mixed with an otherworldly confidence.
"Make sure you look your best, fellows. We have a big day tomorrow. It isn't often you get to meet a freshly created princess."