“What’s with the horns on their heads? Are they headbands?” Diego thought to himself, trying to determine whether they were human.

 “I’m assuming you’re Diego,” the purple-haired man asked as he crouched down and whipped his sickle out, hastily cutting Diego's ropes. Diego nodded at his question, and the purple-haired man looked up, his olive eyes displaying his exhaustion. 

Once his hands were free, Diego pointed at his horns, a confused expression. The man raised his eyebrows, his static expression temporarily dissipating. “..Are you asking about my horns? Out of all the times in the world??” the man asked, seemingly annoyed. Diego nodded again, now even more curious. “Ugh, people,” The man thought, “Always so curious, sticking their noses where it doesn’t belong.” “Yes,” he sighed begrudgingly, “They’re real.. if that’s what you're wondering…”. 

The man began to carefully cut at the ropes that bound Diego’s legs together. Diego stared at his horns, quickly giving into temptation, reaching out and touching one of his horns. The man immediately slapped his hand away, creating a slight snap. The man glanced up at him slightly and glared at him. “Don’t touch.” He stated bluntly before continuing to cut at the rope. 

Xzbat immediately ran over to the box Mayhem was shoved in without second guessing. He tried to lift the lid up but instantly realized. “Shit,” he sighed, “Maymay, it’s locked.” “THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN IT’S LOCKED??” Mayhem shouted as he thrashed in the box, flipping it on its side. “CAN’T YOU JUST… I DON’T KNOW, MELT THE GLASS OR SOMETHIN’??” Xzbat sighed once more, rubbing the back of his head. “No can do Chiquito..,” he said, clearly out of options, “I don’t got my matches on me, and even if I did, I don’t wanna burn y-” 

In a trice, Xzbat was snatched off his feet and tossed against the wall by a black, fuzzy rope. His horns partially snapped off upon making contact with the wall. The purple-haired man snapped his neck, searching for the source of the loud thud, his eyes laying on Xzbat. 

“XOCHITL,” he shouted. The large rope took its chance and charged at the man. Without hesitation, he threw his sickle swiftly, almost fluidly, slicing the rope—a blue substance sprayed out of the rope, coating everything in its path. 

“FUCK,” Akai hissed in pain, “THOSE TAKE FOREVER TO GROW BACK,” he said as the rope retracted into his back. The man got up, snatched his sickle off the ground, and ran to Xzbat. The man shook Xzbat until he coughed and gasped for air. 

“Don’t scare me like that,” the man sighed in relief. Xzbat coughed a bit more before speaking. “Baxter,” he said relaxed, “you know not to get your panties in a twist over me so much, I’m fine.” “Fine is fine, not good,” Baxter said as he tossed a pack of matches into Xzbat’s hands, “And stop forgetting these at home before you get yourself killed.”

Just as Akai was about to strike again, Masider groaned, slowly coming to yet quickly tasting the metallic taste forming in the back of his throat. He coughed up the blood, causing Akai to promptly look back, noticing Masider’s alertness and becoming distracted. He fell to his knees and slapped Masider, leaving a mark on his cheek. “WAKE UP,” Akai screamed, slapping him again.

“They’re distracted,” Baxter said, defensively holding up his sickle while maintaining his monotone voice and static expression. 

 “Que lindo,” Xzbat replied, opening the matchbox and almost instantly lighting a match. He rubbed the flame between his hands, setting his palms on fire. He pulled out his karambits from his sides and excitedly crossed his arms, making a W-shape. “Some little kitty owes me a pack of cigs for my troubles,” Xzbat said with a slight smirk.

“Where are they??” Valentino asked Stephanie for the billionth time, practically shaking in the car seat. He bit his nails as he stared at Stephanie, praying for a response.

Stephanie’s eyes narrowed in aggravation. “Valentino,” she stated bluntly, “Ask me one more time, and I’m gonna pull over and make you find them yourself, you hear me??” She said as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

“THERE,” Ilithyiah exclaimed, pointing at a plane. “BAXTER AND XZBAT’S LOCATIONS ARE PINGING ABOVE OURS, SO THAT MUST BE THEM!” 

Without a second thought, she got her belt and darted out of the car’s sunroof, but she was stopped when something tugged on her leg. “Ilithyiah,” Valentino said firmly but calmly. “I can’t let you go.” 

“WHY NOT??” she questioned, trying to pull away. “They’re too high up; if you open a door, it could cause them to be thrown out from the pressure,” he said, tightening his grip on her leg. “Not to add, a crash from that altitude could kill them… or leave them severely injured,” Valentino said as he gently tugged at her leg. “The best we can do is follow them until they figure out a way to land... If we can even do that.”

Ilithyiah grunted and climbed back in. “THEN HOW DID BAXTER AND XZBAT GET IN?!” “I.. Good question, that never occurred to me,” Valentino admitted sheepishly.

Ilithyiah put her head in her hands as she leaned back, sighing. Stephanie gently placed her hand on her thigh, trying to comfort her.

“This is gonna hurt so fucking much,” Mayhem muttered quietly to himself as he stuck his finger through one of the holes in the lid of the glass case, praying to whatever god that was listening that his plan would work. As Baxter and Xzbat fought off Redknees. He stretched his finger to the lock and touched it, realizing he needed a combination. “FUCK,” he yelled in agitation. 

Mayhem glanced at Diego and whispered, “Remember our little deal from earlier?” Diego nodded. “Good…” Mayhem said as he grinned and was about to cut Diego free. 

Diego noticed the three were distracted, so he tore the rest of the ropes off. “Why didn’t you do that originally?!” Mayhem questioned, wanting to yell. Diego sheepishly shrugged but moved fast, not wasting a single second.

He ran over to the glass case and looked at the lock, seeing a code taped on the back. He quickly entered the code and yanked the lid off, freeing Mayhem. Mayhem immediately burst out of the box, stretching. “OH FUCK YES!” Mayhem yelled as he looked around, quickly adjusting, “NOW WHERE’S MY STOP SIGN?!”

MAYHEM’S HUSH-BUSH

“Ugh,” The horned, pink-haired woman groaned, sitting down. “I can’t believe I have to be the one to do this because everybody is out,” she said as she pulled out a card. “Did you know that Diego was originally written to be a girl? But that idea was quickly changed as Sadator realized they never really drew men… how weird,” She said as she thought. “Anyway, none of y’all are gonna see me for a long while,” she said as she tossed the card, walking out. “SEE YA!”