@kittencandy102

@kittencandy102

The two relationship dynamics

Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals for Help to Survive

A Plea for Help from Gaza: A Family Seeking Safety

Hello, I am Mohammed Alanqer, married to Enas Majed, and we have four wonderful children.

We live in the midst of the ongoing hellish war in Gaza, trapped between walls of fear and despair. I, Mohammed, am a father of four children and a husband to a woman who was two months pregnant when the war began.

gofundme.com

Donate to Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals for Help to Survive, organized by Abdallah Alanqar

The story will be in three languages: English, French and Arabic … Abdallah Alanqar needs your support for Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals f

We struggle daily to survive in an environment filled with threats and dangers.

I lost our sole source of livelihood when my tech startup, which I built with dedication and hard work, was destroyed in the war. My children, Layan, Sarah, and Adam, have been deprived of education after their schools were destroyed, severely threatening their future. Amidst these harsh circumstances, my wife gave birth to our fourth child, Amir, in the midst of the war, adding to our state of despair and hopelessness.

My wife, Enas, lives in constant anxiety due to the destruction of hospitals in our area. I have lost my job and source of income, leaving me unable to provide for my family's needs and safety. Our home was destroyed by the war, forcing us to flee repeatedly and rendering us homeless.

We now face extreme difficulty in providing a safe place to live, clean clothes, and food for our children. Additionally, our children have contracted diseases like measles, and our son Adam has been diagnosed with viral hepatitis.

Our only hope now is to escape this ongoing nightmare and find a safe haven for our family. However, this requires exorbitant financial costs; the coordination fees for crossing the borders amount to $5000 per adult and $2500 per child, a sum I cannot afford alone.

We urgently appeal for your moral and financial assistance to cover the necessary costs for escaping to a safe environment, where we can build a better future for our children and ensure our family's safety.

We are in desperate need of your support. Any donation, no matter how small, can help save our lives. Thank you for your attention and support during these harsh times.

GoFundMe Campaign Link ♥️ :

https://gofund.me/afbb2b7f

gofundme.com

Donate to Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals for Help to Survive, organized by Abdallah Alanqar

The story will be in three languages: English, French and Arabic … Abdallah Alanqar needs your support for Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals f

With deepest respect and gratitude,

Mohammed Alanqer 🌺🌹

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉

Note :

My account vetted by :

@nabulsi ♥️ link vetted 🌺

@fairuzfan ♥️ Link vetted 🌺

@communistchilchuck ♥️ link vetted 🌺

@sar-soor ♥️ link vetted 🌺

@90-ghost ♥️ link vetted 🌺

@commissions4aid-international ♥️ link vetted 🌺

Dear Campaign Verification Team at Tumblr,

I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your assistance in bringing back my voice and my family's voice to life once again. Following the deactivation of my old account, I am eager to revive our campaign with its inspiring humanitarian message.

You are more than just a team; you are reliable friends in challenging times. I am grateful for your swift response and ongoing support. I look forward to working with you again to repost the message and reach as many people as possible.

Thanks to your efforts, together we can create new opportunities and spread goodness in the community. I am confident that your continued engagement will help us achieve this common goal.

Thank you once again for all your efforts and unwavering support

Yeaahh

Guys todays Dento's birthday and I almost forgot

Happy birthday to that shorty

Pink City AU: Hunt for the Boxman

Chapter 1 - Unboxing the Meat and Potatoes

Hoonis, Elain, and Dento discover that a particular actress of old has returned to the Pink City. The trio sets out to look for her, although, a peculiar threat appears to be dangling over them like hung up meat slabs…

—

NOTICE: This AU is partially based on my ideas/interpretation. If anything appears to be inaccurate, I apologize. I tried to work with what little I had to make smth. I also took a few artistic liberties.

Another thing: THE PINK CITY AND IT’S CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME!! IT BELONGS TO GOOSEWORX!! Some canon lore for The Pink City has also been implemented in this story. This is just an AU/story I made based on it. If you’d like to check out The Pink City series itself, check it out here!

YouTube

The Pink City

The Pink City

—

TRIGGER WARNING: This fic contains mentions of murder/cannibalism, drugs/mentions of drugs (laced food), mentions of psychological episodes, swearing, and trauma. If you aren’t comfortable with these things, don’t read this.



Hoonis drags Elain along as he runs, Dento quickly following behind. Elain can barely keep up with the drag as she almost trips. Dento lags behind a bit.

Many twists and turns are made. Elain has no idea where Hoonis is taking them. After a bit, Hoonis eventually stops by a small apartment complex. The show host rushes up the stairs to an upper level and screeches to a halt. He approaches his room door.

Elain puts her hands to her knees, catching her breath… she felt as if she could vomit. They went that fast, turned that quickly. Dento eventually catches up, out of breath, and storms over to Hoonis. He taps the man’s shoulder and looks at him angrily, as if to ask 'What was that!?'

Hoonis looks back to Dento, slightly confused, until he looks over to Elain, who is still trying catch her breath and not regurgitate.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Says Hoonis. “I suppose I went too quick.”

Dento questions what the hell that even means. He supposes he went to quick? He and Elain could barely keep up! …Dento is beginning to regret agreeing with Elain to join this man…

Hoonis eventually opens the door to a small rickety apartment. Elain and Dento peek inside… it doesn’t look terrible. Just unkempt.

“Ignore the mess.” Says Hoonis as he steps in. He approaches another room in apartment as Elain and Dento follow. Hoonis opens the door to the room. Elain and Dento take a peek.

Their eyes widen.

The duo takes sight of a small, dimly lit room. Papers and small notes are scattered on the ground. Against one wall is a desk. On another wall is a bulletin board, full of sticky notes hanged up by thumbtacks. Red thread connects some of the notes together.

Hoonis enters the room. Elain and Dento, hesitantly, enter after him. Dento shuts the door.

Hoonis turns to face the pair. “This is where I’ve done all of my research on Darles Nemeni!” He says. “I’ve searched for years and years, yet I haven’t been able to get anywhere! I’m hoping you two have what it takes to help me?”

The pair nod. Elain even grabs a small blank note on the ground… she needs something to write with…

“Oh!” Says Hoonis. He goes to his desk and grabs a pencil. He hands it to Elain.

Elain begins writing something on the note. She shows Hoonis. 'We’re Bounty Hunters'

“Bounty Hunters?” Hoonis asks. “You work in law enforcement?”

Both nod.

“Wonderful! Just what I needed!” Says Hoonis. “Do you need a rundown?” He asks as he steps toward his bulletin board.

The pair nods and steps by Hoonis.

“Good!” Says Hoonis. He prepares to monologue. “I’ve already informed you of who Darles is. I’ve went around asking many to see if anyone had seen him, but, I had no luck. I’ve talked to as many former workers of his I could find, and got nowhere… I’ve looked at interviews, I’ve looked at various investigations, and yet, nothing! …I only wish I had more to interrogate…”

Suddenly, Hoonis’ phone pings. He takes out his phone and opens it up.

His suddenly go wide. He dramatically gasps.

Elain and Dento look on in confusion at the man.

“Oh, my God!” Hoonis shouts. “She’s coming! She’s coming back to the city!”

The Bounty Hunting pair looks on at the gushing man. Dento then approaches the man and taps his shoulder.

Hoonis stops gushing and looks to Dento, confused, before realizing what he wants.

“Oh! An actress who worked with Darles is returning to the Pink City!” Says Hoonis. “She had left the city to get back with family. But now, she’s returning for old time’s sake! If we can find her, then we can speak with her about Darles! Look!”

Hoonis turns his phone screen to show a recent social media post from a woman named Thlouretta Gudds, her big and blue head taking up her profile picture.

Elain’s eyes light up. Dento looks on in confusion. He taps Hoonis’ shoulder again and looks up at the man. A look that asks 'But how do we find her?'

“Oh! Uhh…” Hoonis pauses. “…I’m not sure… do you both have any Bounty Hunting equipment to track her down with?”

Elain nods. Dento looks to Hoonis and picks up a blank note. He goes over to Elain and she hands him the pencil. He writes and shows to Hoonis: 'I don’t want to use our equipment like that'

“Oh.” Says Hoonis. “…Sure. It won’t be as practical, but it’s better than getting arrested.”

Dento writes again and shows Hoonis: 'It wouldn’t hurt if we retrieved our gear, though. We could be prepared for threats'

“You have a point there!” Says Hoonis. “You two can head home if you like. You don’t mind me tagging along, do you? I want to make sure none of us gets lost. I’ll wait outside, if you don’t mind.”

Elain nods. So does Dento, although hesitantly.

The trio exit the small apartment and the Bounty Hunting duo heads to their apartment, a fair distance away from Hoonis’.

As they walk, Elain and Dento can’t help but feel they’re being watched…

The duo turn their heads to face some shrubs nearby. They stare into the darkness behind the small plants…

The leaves rustle.

The duo quickly jumps in front of Hoonis, ready to defend him in case something pops out from the shrubs.

“Huh?” Hoonis exclaims. “What’s wrong?”

Dento turns back and shushes him. Hoonis stays quiet.

They wait…

Nothing.

The duo begins to relax…

Until, as they turn and continue to walk, something… or someone, taps Elain’s shoulder.

Elain jumps and moves back, bumping into Dento a bit. Hoonis moves back from sheer shock.

Elain and Dento recognize whose stepped up. Hoonis however, is confused out of his mind.

The figure is a 'pointy-nosed' man dressed in a long black trench coat and small hat bearing a skull and crossbones.

“Whose that?” Hoonis asks. “Do you know him? Is he a Bounty Hunter?” Hoonis asks.

The man looks caught off guard by Hoonis’ question. He then looks to Elain and Dento, wondering how this stranger knows that about his coworkers…

Shivers travel up the duo’s backs.

The man pulls out a small phone from his trench coat. He’s texting someone…

Dento’s phone buzzes. A text from the man.

'Who is this? Why is he with you? Why does he know your occupation?' The text reads.

‘He’s looking for a lost man' Dento responds. ‘We’re helping him'

'And he has to know things he should not, why?' The man asks.

'He asked' Dento responds. 'He’s no harm to us'

'Affirmative?'

'Yes'

The man nods. He shows Hoonis his ID so he can get his name.

“…Vondu.” Hoonis reads. Vondu nods. He then pulls out a tablet, a Target Buddy. Elain and Dento look intently, while Hoonis remains curious.

Vondu scrolls down to a yet to be caught bounty, The Hot Dog Brothers. Twins wanted for murder and cannibalism, acquiring whatever meat they can, completely regardless of the process, and making food of it to serve… including meat from people. Vondu taps at the screen, asking if the duo had seen them anywhere.

Dento texts Vondu: 'We haven’t seen them. We’ve been on a break. Sorry'

Elain then takes her phone out to text the fellow Hunter. Dento takes a peek to see what she says. 'We heard rustling in the shrubs nearby' She says. 'Maybe look there?'

'That was me, miss' Responds Vondu.

'Oh' Elain responds. 'Sorry'

‘You’re fine' Texts Vondu. ‘Let me know if you find those brothers'

Dento and Elain nod. Vondu steps steps past them. The trio continues down their own path.

—

Elain and Dento remain in their apartment, looking for their gear. Hoonis remains outside, trying not to look suspicious to anyone who may pass by.

As the pair prepares to head out, Elain’s phone buzzes. She sees a text from Dento.

'You think we can find that lady?' The text reads.

'I hope so' Elain responds. 'I wanna find that man I saw'

'I think we should keep watch for those brothers too' Dento responds. 'We may be on a break but we can still help'

'Yea' Elain responds.

'You still doing okay?' Dento asks.

Elain had been doing fine… she hadn’t been focused on all that happened to her… best not to focus on it now.

You’ll be fine.

'I’m good'

'K' Dento responds. 'Let me know if you need to step down or anything'

'I will' Elain responds.

Elain and Dento eventually leave their apartment, all dressed in their Bounty Hunting gear. Hoonis turns, his eyes go wide.

“Wow!” Says Hoonis. “Very authoritative! Now, let’s get a move on! We’ve got an actress to look for!”

The trio sets off back into the city, ready to find Thlouretta.

Regardless of the fact that they don’t have a lead on where in the city she is.

—

The trio walks about on the street. The city is still covered in violet hue. The sky is still dark… not many citizens are out on the streets either. It’s quiet. It’s creepy.

Hoonis leads the trio, strutting forward. Elain and Dento walk behind him.

Hoonis then comes to halt in front a small grocery shop. The lights are stilll on, and the sign on the door shows it’s open, but no one is inside.

“…Why don’t we give here a shot?” Hoonis asks, looking back to the Bounty Hunters. “You never know, you know!”

Elain and Dento nod.

“Great!” Says Hoonis. “Follow me!”

The trio enters the shop. Around the premises are a few check out stations and isles filling the capacity of the building.

…Also among the area is the lingering scent of—

“Hello!” Says an unknown voice.

The trio turns. They see an oddly cheery store worker.

“Welcome!” Says the worker. “How can I be of service to you? We get it if you may not know the layout, we’ve recently opened.”

“Uh…” Hoonis stammers. “We aren’t really here to—!”

Elain and Dento drag Hoonis over to the side. The worker watches as they suddenly leave.

“Let me or my associate know if you need anything!” Says the worker.

“What’s wrong?” Hoonis asks. “He appears innocent.”

Dento pulls out his Target Buddy and shows Hoonis a picture of the bounty Vondu was after, the Hot Dog Brothers. He then points to the worker they had met. Indicating the possibility that it’s a disguise.

“…Are you sure?” Hoonis asks.

Dento appears to have been offended.

“…Oh.” Says Hoonis. “Sorry. You are the Bounty Hunters here.”

Dento nods.

“…I think I have a proposition.” Says Hoonis. “Why don’t I look for Thlouretta, and you two take care of the brothers?”

Elain and Dento nod.

“It’s settled!” Hoonis exclaims.

Elain and Dento quickly hush Hoonis.

“…Sorry.” He whispers.

The trio seperates. Hoonis sets off on his own while Elain and Dento head off together.

Dento then texts Elain. 'I think we should stick together' He says. 'Either one of them could suddenly strike us. It could quickly become two against one if we aren’t careful'

'Yea' Elain responds.

'Try not to get distracted or smth' Says Dento. 'Stay focused'

'I will' Elain responds.

Elain’s phone buzzes again. This time though, it’s not a text from Dento. Dento looks to the screen.

It’s from Vondu.

'I thought you were on a break' Reads the text.

'How do you know we’re here?' Elain asks.

'I peeked over an isle and saw you two and that other man' Texts Vondu.

'Even if we’re not working right now, we still want to help' Texts Elain.

'I see' Texts Vondu.

As Elain and Dento look at the new message, footsteps are heard. They look up.

Vondu stands at the end of the desolate isle. A floating hand hovers up. He gestures for the Bounty Hunters to approach. They head off to where they can’t be seen to devise a plan.

—

Hoonis walks down an isle, glancing around. He doesn’t see anyone that looks like who he’s looking for.

…He’s beginning to lose hope. What if Thlouretta isn’t here? What if they never find her?

He’ll just be back at a dead end again. Back where he was before he went around asking for help. Where he was after he had spoken with Bep… what was he going to do when all of his attempts to find Darles were unsuccessful…?

“Hello, sir!” Says a voice.

Hoonis snaps out of his depressing thinking. “AH!” He yelps. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there! Who are you?”

“I’m a worker here! My brother’s associate!” Says the associate. “Are you alright? You appear to be down.”

“Oh, uh…” Hoonis hesitates. “I’ve just been—“

As he recalls his thoughts, he remembers Dento’s suspensions.

They are the Bounty Hunters here, after all.

“A-actually, I’m alright!” Says Hoonis. “No need to worry!”

“Are you sure?” Asks the associate. “I feel otherwise! You looked down, so I thought I’d help!”

“I’m fine, really!” Says Hoonis.

“Brother!” Calls the approaching worker. “Is something the matter?”

“I think we got a liar on our hands!” Says the associate, pointing to Hoonis.

“What? No!” Says Hoonis. “Whoever said anything about a liar? I’m no liar!”

“You suuuure?” Asks the associate.

“Give him some space, brother!” Says the worker. He then suddenly pulls out a small sample tray from seemingly nowhere. “How about a sample to calm your nerves?”

“I don’t need one! Honest!” Says Hoonis.

“Oh, come on, sir!” Says the worker. “You’ll regret iiiit!”

'It couldn’t be that bad, could it?' Hoonis thinks to himself.

…If only he knew…

Hoonis takes a sample off the tray. It’s a small little meat cube. The worker and associate watch as the show host ingests the small cube.

Hoonis begins to bubble with glee. “Oh, I like this!” He says. “What’s in it?”

“Oh! That’s a secret, sir!” Says the associate.

“Family recipe!” Says the worker. “Would you like another?”

“Sorry, but no thank you!” Says Hoonis. “I’m a busy celebrity, and I’ve got things to do!”

“Ah, we get it.” Says the worker. “Let us know if you want another sample!”

“I will!” Says Hoonis. “I should let the others try those!” He says to himself as he passes down another nearby isle.

As Hoonis treads, he begins to feel… oddly weak… his vision blurs and his movements sag. As he limps, he quickly falls to the ground, completely out cold.

The brothers slowly approach the passed out host. The worker picks him up and carries him to another part of the shop, the associate following. A small cooler room next to a frozen section. The worker tucks Hoonis’ unconscious body next to a counter. The worker exits and shuts the door. The brothers quietly step away and their cheery demeanors return.

—

The Bounty Hunters are huddled in a small spot underneath a counter, barely visible to whoever may be around. The three discuss what they could do. They’ve made a small group chat to discuss their plot.

'Keep your eyes peeled. Check behind doors. They could be anywhere' Reads a text from Vondu.

'Likely' Texts Dento. 'This place reeks of meat'

'A calling card?' Elain questions. 'The meat smell, I mean'

'Kind of?' Dento texts.

'I would imagine so' Texts Vondu. 'Their whole thing is meat'

'Should we separate?' Dento asks.

'Yes' Vondu responds. 'You and Elain go together, I go alone'

'Got it' Dento and Elain respond.

The trio the begins to exit the counter. As they separate, a familiar face walks up to Elain and Dento.

“Hello!” Says the worker. “What were you doing behind the counter?”

Elain and Dento scour for an answer. Before they can respond however…

“Oh, it’s fine! Don’t mind it!” Says the worker. “We do have samples, by the way! If you want those!” He steps away.

As the worker heads off, Elain takes notice of something toward the man’s lower waist.

A zipper.

A zipper on his back.

Elain wants to unzip it, but Dento stops her. The two progress forward, looking for any clues.

—

Vondu wanders through the freezer section against the back wall, looking for any doors that could lead to some kind locked off room. As we walks, he spots a door to small freezer room. The window on the door has a layer of frost on it, making it difficult to see inside.

Vondu slowly steps over to the door, trying to look inconspicuous. As he scoots to the door, he slowly reaches a hand to the doors lock.

“Excuse me!” A voice calls.

Vondu jolts at the sound. He turns to see the associate.

“Customers aren’t allowed in there!” Says the associate. “I’d imagine you know that.”

Vondu nods and moves away from the door. He stands in place, completely still.

“Good!” Says the associate. “Keep away from that door, now! Or you’re banned!” He begins to turn away.

As he turns, Vondu notices something on the man’s lower waist gleaming in the store lights.

A zipper.

As the man walks off, Vondu tries to sneak a hand toward the zipper. The hand slowly approaches it, trying not to be noticed. The hand gently places itself onto the zipper and begins to slowly zip upward. As the man turns, the hand continues to rise. Vondu quietly follows the man as he walks, not paying attention.

As the zipper moves up, more of what’s underneath can be seen.

…Overalls. The kind a hillbilly would wear…

The zipper then reaches the top of the man’s head. Vondu removes his hand and watches at the costumes slowly sags and falls to the ground.

What is underneath shocks the Bounty Hunter.

Underneath that costume is a pinkish mass of flesh and muscle. The fat on the man flops, like the man had sucked it up to fit in the costume. The top of the head resembles that of a… hot dog…

It’s a Hot Dog Brother.

The brother stops walking and slowly turns his head to face the Bounty Hunter.

Vondu quickly pulls back his coat to reveal a stash of guns, which protrude from the coat’s darkness. They all point toward the bounty.

Before any of them can fire however…

The brother slams his fist into Vondu’s face, getting him down to the ground.

“…You’ve made a grave mistake there, partner.” The brother says in a thick country accent.

Vondu struggles to get up to his feet as the brother hovers over Vondu, pinning him to the ground. Popping out from a nearby isle is the worker, approaching the bounty and Hunter.

“You seem to be in a pickle!” Says the worker. “How about a sample?”

The worker pulls out the sample tray and shoves a sample down Vondu’s throat. As Vondu struggles to get back up and breathe, his vision begins to blur and he slowly stops moving. All before falling unconscious.

The brother carries Vondu over to the freezer room where he’s placed. He exits to face the worker.

“You’d best get your costume back on.” Says the worker. “I think we got Bounty Hunters among us. I’ll handle the other two, you get your costume back on.”

The brother nods and heads for his costume. The worker heads off the find the no good do-gooders.

—

Elain and Dento exit another room. No sight of anything out of the ordinary. As they exit, the worker approaches them again.

“Hello again!” Says the worker “If you don’t mind me asking, would you like a sample?” He pulls out a sample tray with little meat cubes on it.

Elain and Dento shake their heads. They aren’t in the mood, nor do they trust the workers.

“Come on! You’re missing out!” Says the worker. “Your friends really liked them! They wanted you to try them!”

The duo doubts the statement.

…Matter of fact…

…Where were Hoonis and Vondu…?

The duo had been around the entire store, and hadn’t seen either of them…

“I need an answer now, please!” Says the worker.

The duo glance at each other. They then try to walk past the worker.

“Hey!” Says the worker. He catches up to them. “Not even a nibble?” He shoves a meat cube in Elain’s face. She slaps it away. Her and Dento begin scurrying off.

New objective: Look for Hoonis and Vondu.

“Oh, dear.” Says the worker. He pulls out a walkie-talkie from his side. “Brother? You got your costume back on? They’re onto us.”

Elain and Dento scurry toward the wall, looking for any door they can find.

Suddenly, the associate approaches.

“Excuse me!” Says the associate. “I’ve heard you’ve been causing a ruckus! Please quit that behavior, or you’re out!”

Elain and Dento ignore the threat. They both draw their guns.

“Drawing a gun on me?” Says the associate. “That’s a criminal offense!”

As they’re about to shoot, quick footsteps are heard.

The worker.

Dento quickly turns. He shoots the worker in the leg. He falls.

“Ack!” The worker shouts in anguish. He grips his injured leg.

“Brother!” The associate shouts.

Elain then hands Dento her gun. She hurries to the associate while he’s off guard and tackles him. He’s brought to the ground. As Elain pushes the man to his back, Dento draws his guns at the injured man.

Elain gets to associate on his back and spots the zipper. She zips up the zipper, the body under it slowly being revealed. The Hot Dog Brother pushes Elain off of him. The suit slowly flops the ground.

Elain receives her gun from Dento. Both turn to face an individual brother.

“Oh, dear.” Says the worker. “It appears the jig’s up.”

The worker then begins to unzip his suit. It falls to the ground, revealing the brother underneath. The two now revealed Hot Dog Brothers stare the Bounty Hunters down, the Hunters still holding out their guns.

The Hunters waste no time. They immediately start shooting at both of them. Bullets go flying, hitting through the walls. The brothers quickly dodge. They separate, going after an individual brother, being careful with their shots.

“Can’t catch me, miss lady!” Says the brother Elain’s chasing.

Elain is offended by the name. She begins to shoot at him even more.

The two brothers cross paths pass an isle, Elain and Dento on each end. Elain on the right, Dento on the left. Their individual targets in the same respective directions.

The left brother hands the right brother the sample tray. They stand, waiting…

Dento glances over to Elain, she glances back. Indicating to be careful, since they have that platter. Those little meats are likely laced…

Elain nods.

Then it pops in her head.

…Laced.

Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it…

Focus.

Elain focuses hard on her target, eyes wide and face stern. Her gun trembling slightly in her grip.

“One of y’all better move.” Says a brother. “We ain’t movin' til you do!”

Elain then tries to shoot.

*Click*

Nothing.

Elain stares at her gun, confused.

She pulls the trigger again.

*Click*

Nothing again.

*Click Click Click*

…Out of bullets…

…Shit.

Before she can even think to reload, the right brother tackles Elain and wraps his free arm around her waist, still holding the platter. Elain is unable to move. He sets the platter on a small isle shelf and takes her gun. He chucks it away.

Dento tries to shoot the brother holding his friend, but fails, as he’s also quickly ambushed by the other brother before he can shoot.

The brother carrying Dento steps over to the other. Both Hunters squirm in their grasps, but are unable to find a weak spot in their grips. Despite their meek arms, they’ve got strength.

“Look at 'em.” Says one brother. “Squirming like babies!”

The Hunters continue to struggle. Each time they think they can get through, their pushed back into brothers’ stomachs, keeping them in place.

The two brothers then grab a meat cube from the platter. They struggle, but they eventually shove the cubes down the Hunter’s throats.

With time, the Hunters’ movements begin to slow. They fall unconscious.

The two brothers carry the Hunters to the freezer room. As they leave, one brother looks to the other. “I think it’s time we close up shop.” He says. The other nods.

They bring down metal doors to cover the windows. Flipping the small sign to say 'Closed'.

—

It’s quiet…

…And extremely cold…

Hoonis slowly comes to. “…Eugh…” He groans.

Then it hits him.

…That sample… it must’ve been laced with something…

Hoonis looks around.

…Others are with him. Also knocked out cold.

Elain, Dento, and Vondu. All of them sit on the ground, not moving, but still breathing.

“…Dear, G-God…” Says Hoonis, shivering.

“E-excuse me?” Asks a feminine voice, speaking through a text box. She sounds like she’s shivering.

Hoonis looks over to the source of the sound.

His eyes widen. He sharply gasps.

Right there. Right next to him. Right by his side, Thlouretta Gudds, the actress of Mimlimim from 'The Darly Boxman Show', standing right there.

“…S-sorry if I’m bothering you, but do you know how to get out of here?” She shivers. “Oh, j-j-jeepers… it’s cold in here…”

Hoonis slowly rises, staring at Thlouretta intently. “I-I’m not dreaming a-am I?” He asks.

“…H-huh?” Thlouretta questions.

“…You’re who’ve I-I-I’ve been looking f-for!” Says Hoonis. “T-T-T-Thlouretta G-Gudds!” His excitement not keeping his stuttering back from being cold.

“Y-yes.” Says Thlouretta. “W-what were you l-looking for m-me for?”

“D-do y-you remember someone by t-the name of—” Hoonis speaks.

Suddenly, before Hoonis can finish his question, footsteps are heard. The two duck and hide under a counter as one of the Hot Dog brothers enters the room and heads deeper within.

“O-oh my…” Whispers Thlouretta. “Who w-was that?”

As Hoonis prepares to answer as best as he can, Vondu suddenly peers underneath the counter the duo was hiding in.

“G-golly!” Thlouretta exclaims quietly. “You s-scared me, s-s-sir! Who’re y-you?”

“H-he’s a man o-of the l-law!” Whispers Hoonis. “He’s s-s-safe.”

“O-oh.” Says Thlouretta. “A-anyway, do e-either of you k-know a-a-a way o-out?”

Vondu glances around before going to the door leading out into the store. He tries to open it, but it doesn’t budge.

“…O-oh, dear…” Says Thlouretta.

“We’ll f-find a way out o-of h-here.” Says Hoonis. “I p-p-promise.”

“T-thank you, sir.” Says Thlouretta.

“Oh, c-call me H-Hoonis.” Says Hoonis.

“T-that’s a nice n-name.” Says Thlouretta.

As Vondu continues to struggle with the door, approaching footsteps are heard. He quickly huddles with Thlouretta and Hoonis. They watch as a Hot Dog Brother emerges from the darkness.

“…Shoot.” He says. “This’ll do, I guess.”

He bends down and picks the still unconscious Elain and Dento from the ground and carries them into the darkness. As he walks, Elain’s fedora falls from her head.

“…Oh, d-dear…” Says Thlouretta.

“What’re w-we g-gonna do?” Hoonis asks, turned to Vondu.

Vondu then sneaks out from the counter. He takes Elain’s fedora and stuffs it in his coat. He turns back to the actress and show host and gestures to them to approach. They group together as Vondu slowly leads them down the dark hallway.

The small hallway leads into another small yet warmer room. The trio huddles into a darker part of the hallway.

They watch as Elain and Dento are hung up by a rope above grinders.

Not just any grinders, however.

Meat grinders.

The trio stares in horror. Vondu moves ever so slightly closer when the twins aren’t around and gets a look at the room. He then goes back to the freezer. The others follow.

He’s got an idea.

—

The Hot Dog Brothers prepare their grinders to be used on the captured Bounty Hunters. As they prepare the contraption, they boast on about their new meat type.

“I think it’ll be quite good, Bounty Hunter meat.” Says one brother.

“Heh, exactly!” Says the other brother. “I think it’ll finally get our sales back up!”

As the brothers finish their preparations, a loud clang is heard from nearby.

“What was that?” One brother questions.

“…Probably rats.” Says the other. “C'mon, we got little pieces of shit to get rid off.”

As the brothers enter the room, they turn.

Leaving the trio unnoticed.

Hoonis and Vondu exit out of the freezer and into the grinding room, while Thlouretta silently follows the brothers deeper into the freezer. Vondu helps Hoonis up to reach the Bounty Hunters and get them untied. Vondu keeps a close eye on the entrance to the grinding room, making sure the brothers are kept at bay.

As he watches, he hears another few clangs.

“Damn it!” Exclaims one brother. “Where the hell is that rat!?”

Hoonis struggles a bit to get the Hunters untied. “…It’s a tight knot.” He says.

Hoonis continues to pry at the knot until it eventually comes loose. The Hunters quickly begin to plummet. Before they can hit the grinder, floating hands hover from Vondu’s coat, barely catching them, before plopping them onto the ground.

The thud is louder than expected.

…But no one seems to notice.

Vondu sets Hoonis down and the two pick up the unconscious Hunters. Vondu takes Elain, Hoonis takes Dento. They slowly return to the freezer and glance around as they reenter.

The coast is clear.

Vondu then sets Elain to the side. He moves back and unravels his coat, revealing multiple guns underneath. He quickly shoots at the metal door, causing it to fly off its hinges.

Vondu hastily grabs hold of Elain and he and Hoonis sprint forward. Hoonis lags behind a bit, as Dento is head to carry. He isn’t exactly strong.

As they approach the exit, Vondu’s floating hands open up his coat. His guns begin shooting at the door, completely breaking it.

As the duo finally reaches the exit, they realize something…

…Where’s Thlouretta…?

She was supposed to run out with them when she heard the gun shots…

“Stop right there, meat thieves.” Demands a voice.

Vondu and Hoonis turn.

They see the Hot Dog Brothers, along with Thlouretta, who is caught in a brother’s grip.

“I’m sorry.” Says Thlouretta. “I wasn’t very quick on my feet.”

“You give us back the Bounty Hunters, we let you all go, including your little rat friend.” Says one brother. “You don’t, we will do everything in our power to get you on our menu. You got that?”

“What’s it gonna be?” The other brother asks in a teasing tone.

Vondu scrambles to think of something… he can’t just shoot at them, he could get Thlouretta killed…

…Suddenly, gun shots are heard.

Two separate bullets go through each of the brothers’ heads. They fall to the ground, so does Thlourertta, although she’s left unharmed.

Hoonis and Vondu turn back.

They see another Bounty Hunter. A small and petit star shaped man. His face… is oddly realistic. In his small hand, he’s wielding a gun.

“…Who’re you?” Hoonis asks.

The small Hunter pulls out a tiny ID. His name is Kug.

“…Hello, Kug.” Says Hoonis.

Kug doesn’t respond with a single word.

Thlouretta approaches Vondu and Hoonis. “…What about the bodies, Vondu, sir?” She asks.

Vondu turns to the actress and shakes his hand, indicating the brothers will be taken care of. Two floating hands then pull out two glass jars. That’s how he catches bounties when they’re struck down.

Pairs of free hands hover to the bounties and shove them in the jars. The hands float back to Vondu.

Thlouretta doesn’t question it. She isn’t sure if she wants to know the purpose of the jars.

“…What about the wall?” Thlouretta asks, looking back through the shot down door.

Vondu turns. A building has been covered in bullet holes.

“I’d imagine you’ll be paying for that.” Says Hoonis.

Vondu turns to the show host and gives him a thumbs up with a free hand. He will be paying.

“And them?” Thlouretta asks, referring to the people he and Hoonis are holding. “Are they alright?”

“…I’d imagine they’re fine.” Says Hoonis. “They were likely drugged too. They’ll wake up, I bet.”

Just as he says that, Dento appears to slowly be coming to, moving slightly.

“Oh!” Says Hoonis. “See? I was right!”

Dento, aggravated, puts his hand up to Hoonis’ face, as of to shut him up. He’s groggy.

“…Sorry.” Says Hoonis. Dento doesn’t really respond, and instead leans his head against Hoonis’ chest tiredly.

Hoonis turns to face Vondu. “Is Elain okay?” He asks.

Vondu looks to the young Bounty Hunter. She doesn’t seem to be waking up yet.

…Until she lifts her head up a bit. She tilts her head to Vondu and looks at him. It’s hard for her to focus, as she’s just woken up. A free hand then flies out of Vondu’s coat and places Elain’s fedora on her head.

“…Good, she’s okay.” Says Hoonis.

“I apologize for suddenly butting in, but,” Thlouretta begins. “Hoonis, right? Why were you looking for me? You never got to finish your question.”

“Oh!” Says Hoonis. “Do you remember a man by the name of Darles Nemeni?”

As Thlouretta processes the question, and her eyes light up. “Oh, Darles?” She asks. “I haven’t heard that name in years! Has he been found yet!?” She asks excitedly.

“…No, that’s why we were trying to look for you.” Says Hoonis. “My companions, Elain and Dento, and I, wanted to see if you knew anything about Darles to see if it would help us get anywhere.”

“Oh…” Says Thlouretta, disappointed. “I thought you had found him… But, I can hopefully help you find your way to him! I’d be glad to help! I could let you lot walk home with me, then we can talk.”

“Great!” Says Hoonis. He turns to Vondu. “I can carry Dento if he wishes, can Elain stand?”

Vondu tries to set Elain down. Although still groggy, she’s able to balance. Dento looks up to Hoonis, he wants to be put down. Hoonis sets the man down, allowing him to slowly balance himself.

“And what about you, Vondu?” Hoonis asks.

Vondu points to the jars. The bounties need to be taken care of. So does the shop. He and Kug will take care of the matter.

“Ah, I see.” Says Hoonis. “We’ll be heading off now. I wish you two well!”

Hoonis and the other Bounty Hunters take their leave. Thlouretta eventually begins to lead. Vondu waves a bit as the quartet heads off.

—

Thlouretta has lead the trio to her small home just outside the Pink City. Each of them sit at a small wooden table.

“Okay.” Says Hoonis sternly. “Tell us, what do you know about Darles?”

“…Oh, a lot.” Says Thlouretta. “Or, at least, what may be important.”

Thlouretta prepares to monologue. “Darles wasn’t anywhere near like he was when he went missing.” Says Thlouretta. “He was kind, caring. Charming even… it wasn’t until we started working on Darly Boxman that he started to lose it…”

“Really?” Hoonis asks.

“Yes.” Says Thlouretta. “…Oh, gee, it was so odd… the way he acted… he’d occasionally stare into space during presentations or filming. He’d just pause and… stare. He’d even have… episodes…”

“…Episodes?” Hoonis questions. The Bounty Hunters lean in, wanting to listen.

Thlouretta nods. “They didn’t happen often, but there were times where he’d just… snap.” She says. “It wasn’t like him at all. Nothing he did down the show’s run… it just wasn’t the Darles I knew…”

“…Anything else?” Hoonis asks.

“…He spoke of these Gods whenever he’d space out.” Says Thlouretta. “Oh, jeepers— something about eyes? Elders? I can only recall one time I actually saw them… they— they were just there when a wall fell—.”

“Those beings staring him down?” Hoonis asks. “I remember that episode clearly.”

“Yes! Those!” Says Thlouretta. “…No one remembered seeing them before we started filming that day. I tried to ask Darles about them, but he didn’t want to say. He avoided any question involving them… that wasn’t even our darkest moment in the show… As it went on, the episodes got progressively more disturbing. When he’d write, we’d hear him mutter things about Gods and other things that just… didn’t make sense to any of us. We were all worried for him. Especially on the night he went missing.”

As Thlouretta finishes, Elain remembers something…

…The Elders…

“How was he then?” Hoonis asks.

“He— he just didn’t look well. He looked exhausted.” Says Thlouretta. “We decided to check on him that night, but only his daughter opened the door. We her asked where he was, and she didn’t know… she didn’t even seem all that dismayed… we scoured his home, but never found him. Not a single trace of him. No one knew where he went. I tried giving him a call as a last ditch effort, but no answer… not only were we stressed about him being missing, though. We had an episode to shoot that next day and we were missing our lead. We eventually ended up canceling the show, since it seemed like Darles wasn’t going to show up.”

Before Hoonis can speak again, Elain gets up from her seat to get everyone’s attention.

“Do you have something to say?” Thlouretta asks.

Elain then spots a stack of papers on a desk beside the small kitchen. She takes a sheet and the pencil nearby the stack and begins to write something. She shows it to Thlouretta.

The sheet reads: I think I’ve seen those Gods you’re talking about.

“…Really?” Thlouretta asks.

Hoonis and Dento rise from their seats to take a peek at the writing. Hoonis looks to Elain, slightly shocked.

“…How?” Is all Hoonis can muster.

Elain then begins to draw on the sheet. Long, shadowy pillars covered in eyes. She shows off the drawing.

“…I’m sorry, but those don’t look anything like the ones I saw.” Says Thlouretta.

“I can draw what they looked like.” Says Hoonis. He takes the pencil from Elain and begins to draw what he and Thlouretta had seen. Long, shadowy creatures with one pair of eyes.

“Yes!” Says Thlouretta. “That’s it!”

“…Could he have been taken by these… beings?” Hoonis questions.

“…O-oh, dear…” Says Thlouretta. “If he was… oh, poor Darles…”

“If he was taken by these creatures…” Hoonis begins. “How do we get to them…?”

…Elain may have a way…

…No. No, no, no… don’t think about it…

Dento looks to Elain, slightly concerned.

Are you okay?

You’ll be fine. You’re going to be okay… all that Elain wants to think.

She nods.

I’ll be okay.

I’ll be fine.

“Do either of you have a way we could find these beings?” Hoonis asks.

The Hunters shake theirs heads. No.

“…They may exist outside of our own existence.” Says Thlouretta. “…Is travel like that even a thing?”

“…I’m not sure.” Says Hoonis. “We could try to find some way to escape this plane.”

“…Maybe. It’s worth a shot.” Says Thlouretta. “…I just want to see Darles again. It’s been ages… I miss him.”

Dento walks up to Thlouretta and pats her shoulder, promising that they’ll find Darles and get him back.

“…Thanks. I very much appreciate it.” Says Thlouretta.

“I suppose we best be on our way now.” Says Hoonis. “We’ve got unfathomable and all powerful nightmares to find!”

Thlouretta chuckles a bit… Hoonis’ nature reminds her of Darles. “I wish you three luck in finding him.” She says. “Safe travels!”

“You have a good night, Miss Gudds!” Says Hoonis as the trio steps to the exit.

“I don’t mind being called Thlouretta.” Says Thlouretta as she approaches the exit to let the trio go. “And you too!”

Thlouretta watches as the trio sets out. She looks up to the sky, hoping a certain someone may hear her…

“…Please be okay, Darles…” Says Thlouretta.

…She can’t help but think he’s somewhere up there, wanting to come back down, but being unable to. The powers that be holding him up above her like a cat toy.

He’s there.

…Somewhere...

- END -

Next Chapter:

Previous Chapter: