With his unique style, Shamus manages to fill our "Lovable Loser" role in AIL while managing to keep his routine fresh and interesting, in no small part due to Shamus's often adverserial relationship with Inu.

With an abundance of action to keep things fresh as he plays several oddball characters off of each other, Shamus really shines here! It might be his best offering for AiL to date.

“For the last time: no!” Inuyaustin, Shamus’s Comma Chameleon familiar, exclaimed with great irritation as she scurried next to him through the Clan District in the now-burning Seaside town.

“I’m just saying,” Shamus began “people will pay TOP dollar for that gourd. He never even uses it! He just stares at it all day like a kleptomaniac!”

“I don’t care; we’re not stealing things from the people of seaside town!” Inuya once again exclaimed as began to scurry in front of the Bounty Hunter.

“It’s not stealing if the item you take is engulfed in flames, then it's fire prevention.”

“No.”

Shamus sighed. “Can we at least beat up the Market Demon? It’s boring just saving KOKOL members, and he won’t let me in his shop anymore, anyway.”

“He’d get Azazel to send you to Hey Deze.” Inuya said, as they crossed a corner into the Market Place.

“At least let me beat up one of those pretentious Mages.” Shamus shook his fist in the air to his mental image of a Mage. “Them, and their sparkly lights.”

“A Mage is the one who healed your leg, twice.” Inuya quickly reminded him.

“I could have just used a Phonics Down, you know.”

A vein appeared in Inuya’s forehead, as she prepared to leap on Shamus, and tear his eyes out.

“Oh!” The hunter exclaimed, briefly distracting the reptile. “The Bugbear’s are having a 2 for the price of 1 sale!” Shamus pointed to the aforementioned sign advertising the sale, which then burst into flames as some sparks from the already burning Bakery blew onto it.

Sadness crept over the hunter, as he said “Oh well, I probably couldn’t afford it anyway; this job’s pay sucks.”

“We’re not getting paid for this.” Inuya reminded him.

Before Shamus could start crying over this fact, bugbears began to run screaming out of the Bakery: some trying to drop, and roll, but failing due to their pudgy body structure. Others: trying to beat the flames out with their chef hats, and unrolling pins. The hunter’s mood cheered at the sight of this. He chuckled as he turned away.

He then felt a tugging at his leg, a very hot tugging. The hunter turned to find a flaming bugbear latched onto it, screaming.

“Please!” Began the blazing creature “Filthy human! Please, you have to help us! That filthy human girl is crazy! She lit our whole stor-!“ The bugbear stopped talking as a gaping red hole appeared in its back. It tried to continue, before the lights in its eyes dimmed.

“Aha!” screamed a feminine from the Bakery’s direction. “Thought you could get away, didn’t you?”

Shamus and Inuya lifted their heads from the bugbear that wasn’t moving much, and up towards the voice. What they saw was a short girl with long black hair, clad neck down in leather garments, which contrasted greatly with the bright pink leggings and chest plate she used for armor. She smiled as she put away her smoking pistol, and unsheathed a modified two-handed depthsword from her back.

“Now!” She yelled at the flaming bugbears “Whoever says, ‘Not it’ first: dies.”

“Not it!” One of the bugbears exclaimed at the top of his lungs. Before he could realize what he had just done, the girl had closed the gap between them and heaved her sword at his torso, bisecting him.

The other bugbears gasped, as she darted towards them. They began to run any direction they could, as she heaved her sword over her head to strike them down.

“That armor makes you look fat, Mimi!” Shamus exclaimed at the top of his lungs, now over the shock of a blazing miniature bear dying gripped to his legs. The girl jerked back at this comment, narrowly missing a bugbear’s skull with her sword.

She immediately turned her head to the source of the voice, and screamed, “Who the HELL said that!?"

Shamus waved as her eyes widened at the sight of him. “You might want to cut down on the chocolate moose when you read those novels about abstinence vampires you like so muc-” Shamus gagged as Mimi ran up to him, and struck him with the pommel of her blade.

Before the hunter could say anything; she pulled her pommel back and started striking him in the ribs repeatedly.

“Stop. Giving. Me. Excuses. To. Strike. You!” she said, striking him at the end of each word.

Shamus wrapped his hands around himself as she finally stopped, groaning in pain. “Urgggghh, if you keep hitting me; I’ll sue-” Shamus stopped as he received another strike to his ribs.

Mimi ignored him as she sheathed her sword, and turned to the blazing Bakery. Her eyes started to water when she saw that all but one of the bugbears were gone, and even then; that bugbear was only there because he could no longer see, due to the fluids in his eyes having boiled.

It was so, so sad. She sniffled as she pulled out her pistol, and created a third empty hole in its head in one quick motion. “Pozhaluista, prostite menya. Little freak.” Mimi said, as she wiped a tear from her eye, watching the bugbear’s body collapse to the ground.

She turned back to Shamus and Inuya, who were now thoroughly horrified, as she holstered her firearm. “So,” She began. “Your reasoning for interrupting me while I’m working better be good.”

Shamus swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat due to fear, before answering. “W- Well, we’re just kind of walking around, looking for some… people.” He shifted to his left slightly, to look around Mimi at the burning Bugbear Bakery. “Say, if you don’t mind me asking, was there a reason for you, uh, burning a bakery, and, um, slaughtering a portion of its inhabitants?”

The girl smiled as she straightened her back, and pulled out a scroll, shoving it in Shamu’s face. “I am officially famous enough to be hired by the knob Goblin King!“

Shamus took the scroll from the grinning bounty hunter’s hands, as he began to read:

 
By official decree of his most holy Goblin King,
You, Blake Cutler, and whoever else you wish to bring, are hired to assist in the sacking of Seaside Town.
You may due this by any means you wish. Though, we prefer you use fire. Lots of fire. To burn things.
Don’t worry: you won’t get arrested for arson, because all of the authorities will be burning! You get to burn thousands of people, and not get the death penalty for it! It’s win-win for you!
Also, if you could exterminate any KOKOL clan members you come across, that’d be great. They’re kind of pissing us off.
From the desk of Knob Goblin Elite Guardsmen, 1138.

 
He lifted his head from the scroll slowly, a look of despair on his face, and looked back at the still smiling girl in front of him. He opened his mouth to say something, before she took the scroll from his hands and exclaimed, “Okay, so technically Blake’s the one who was hired. But, I’m famous enough to be asked by him to help!”

Shamus eyes widened, before he aske her, “Mimi, is this the same Blake from a few years back when we were working together?”

“Yep!” She replied, while rolling up the scroll and putting it back in her bag. “And I tell you, he still looks great! I still think he should pose for the yearly calendar, but he says that would be, “Disturbing” to his employers, or some bull like that.”

Shamus began taking in deep breaths, as he pushed Mimi out of the way to leave. He froze in place as he saw a tall silhouette walking out of the flames of the Bugbear Bakery, pointing directly at him.

“Holy hell,” The figure sighed, as it got closer to him. “I would have expected you to be dead by now.”

Mimi stuck her lip out, pouting. “Why were you in the Bakery? I thought we agreed I would be the one to slaughter the bugbears.”

“Just making sure there were no extinguishers inside.” The figure replied, as it came up next to her, and lowered its gloved hand. “If the city doesn’t burn, I don’t receive my payment.”

Shamus‘s view of the figure was no longer obscured by the flames; he could clearly see a thin man dressed in all black clothing, using his index fingers to twiddle with a knife he had removed from his trench coat.
He couldn’t tell what the man looked like, as the only thing he could see underneath all that clothing was his silver hair, which was the only thing on his head not obscured by his painted Cold ninja mask.

But he didn’t have to see what he looked like to know who it was.

“Gd’afternoon,” The man said, turning his attention back to Shamus. “How’s the hand?”

Shamus bit his lip, as he used his fingers to rub the large scar on his right hand. “You’re supposed to be dead, Cutler. Why aren’t you dead?”

“Please, call me Blake.” Cutler said chuckling, as he slipped the knife he was still twirling around his fingers down his sleeve. “And it takes more than a few low-grade bounty hunters hired by that peon Larry to cause me to expire.”

Blake turned away from Shamus, to stare at his familiar, who simply started staring back at him. “I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted before, why are you with this man who breeds fatuity?”

“I don’t remember; I assume he kidnapped me from my original home.” Inuya said, glaring at Shamus.

“H-Hey! The way I got you was completely legal! No one was even guarding those eggs!” The hunter exclaimed, still slightly nervous about the man he tried to kill on various occasions being a few feet away from him.

Inuya’s reply was ramming into him at full speed, knocking him to the ground.

“I like you.” Blake said simply, giving the chameleon a thumbs-up.

Inu straightened herself, as Shamus lay moaning in the background, before asking “So, what exactly are you guys doing here?”

“Oh! That’s right, I didn’t show you the scro-” Mimi tried to respond, before being cut off by Blake.

“Before we answer that, might I inquire as to why you’re here?”

Inuya raised a non-existent eyebrow, before replying, “We happened to be caught in the middle of a skirmish, while browsing for hair care products for the idiot over there.”

“We were browsing for what now?” Shamus said, as he raised himself off the ground.

“Nothing.”

Cutler started to chuckle again, before inquiring, “Really? So you weren’t here for the guild’s Meat Car Competition? I believe I heard something about a bumbling hunter entering.”

Inuya closed her eyes, before beginning, “I don’t know what to tel-“

“What are you talking about? Of course I did!” Shamus interrupted. “I won too, as you’ll recall.”

Blake reached his hand in his coat to grab something, before continuing “Intriguing, what clan did you enter und-“

“I remember it like it was today. Well, it was, but you get the point.” Shamus again interrupted. “Everyone was cheering for me! Well, no one was, but I told them about it; and they kind of seemed interested.”

“Don’t interru-“

“Then that horrid body-builder attacked us, for no reason whatsoever!” Shamus shuddered at the thought of the half-naked rat. “I swear he must have strangled me five times before I finished him.”

Cutler froze in place, before removing his hand from his coat. “Really?” He said with a tint of glee in his voice. “Do you happen to remember the fellow’s name?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” The hunter replied in a flat tone. “Now, what was it? Bill, Greig, Joe? … Billy-Greig-Joe?-”

It was at this point Blake took his right hand, and secured it around Shamus’s throat. “Name.”

Shamus gasped, as he was raised off the ground, while Mimi simply watched and giggled.

“Stu?” The hunter offered, which only made Blake tighten his grip. “Stewie?” Again, his grip was tightened.

Shamus barely managed to spit out. “Stewart! It was Stewart! Let go!” The mercenary released him and let him fall to the ground.

“There, now wasn’t that easy?”

“Was there really a point in strangling him?” Inuya asked, shaking her head in contempt for her idiot partner.

“Not really, but he mentioned not enjoying it; and I don’t enjoy when people waste my time on purpose.” He replied, as he lifted Shamus to his feet.

“Now,” Blake continued, “is he dead?”

“Is who dead?” A swift kick to Shamus’s leg was all that was required to make him cooperate. “No! He’s unconscious! Gah!” Shamus started to rub his leg. “You know, it’s not polite to kick people! Learn some manners.”

Blake didn’t respond; he simply asked, “Where?”

Mimi didn’t like how many questions he was asking. “H- Hey,” She began coming close to Blake. “Why don’t we finish our job, first? Does it really matter where a naked rodent is?”

Blake simply turned his head to look Mimi, and inquired, “That, ‘naked rat’ is an Elite 7. And considering one of their members is already missing, what do you think would happen when are only five elite 7?”

“…They get more? What does that have to do with anything?” She asked.

Blake shook his head at his partner, sighing, before replying, “Nevermind.” He turned his attention back to the idiot, as he inquired, “Where?” once more.

“By the Bounty Hunter Hunter’s shack.” Inuya replied, visibly annoyed.

“Hey! I could have sold that information to some hobos!” Shamus stated angrily.

Inu simply sighed, and turned her head back to where the two mercenaries were, only to see them start running off towards the Wrong Side of the Tracks.

“Hey!” Shamus said, running after them. “Wait for me!”

Inuya sighed, once more, as she scurried after him.

After Shamus and Inuya had caught up with the two hunters, they quickly began to transverse the burning city, slipping undetected past any members of KOKOL they encountered, until they finally made it to the tracks as Shamus was blathering on about one of his insane stories.

“And then, as all hope seemed lost, behold the mighty Jabberwocky burst through the cavern walls! It was enough of a distraction to allow me pull out my sword, and eradicate the penguin uprising!”

“That never happened.” Inuya berated him.

“Okay, replace, 'Jabberwocky' with, 'Cat.' And replace, 'Penguin' with 'Fluffy Bunnies from the dire warren.'"

“I hate you.” Inuya and Mimi said in unison.

“I tell you, I could sell that story for millions!” Shamus yelled on deaf ears.

They rounded a corner into an alley behind the Bounty Hunter hunter’s shack. There was a surprising amount of broken crates scattered around, along with a horribly dented bed frame, but what excited Mimi was the large amount of blood splattered everywhere.

“Ohhhhh!” She swooned, “Did you make all this, Shamus?”

“I- I guess," he replied nervously. “Does it matter?”

Mimi didn’t reply, simply swaying back and forth with her eyes shut. Blake softly moved her out of the way, as he went to get a closer look. He sighed as soon as he noticed the trail of blood leading away from the alley, and towards the center of town.

“Well,” he said, “it looks as if the Elite 7 is heading to the council chambers, so we have to head off now if we want to beat him to the others.” He turned his head to the still swooning Mimi. “Are you quite finished?”

“Oh, sorry.” Mimi said sheepishly, regaining her composure. “That’s right. Why don’t you go on ahead while I finish up on the Wrong Side of the Tracks? I’ll meet up with you later at the council chambers.”

Blake simply shrugged, before replying, “Sure, why not.” He then raised his right index finger. “One hour.”

“Yeah!” Shamus exclaimed, as Cutler started to walk away from them. “Now I have time to tell you about my grand adventures!” Inuya seemed to cringe at this comment, not wanting to hear anymore.

“Like just today, when I single-handedly saved the council members from those ugly Goblins!” This comment seemed to stop Blake dead in his tracks, as he perked his ear up to the conversation.

“It wasn’t single-handedly; Spaz did all the work.” Inuya reminded him. “Besides, that was just a Council of Homeless bums: it doesn’t count.”

“You’re no fun.” Shamus said, before turning to Blake.

“Something wrong, Cutler?” He asked.

Though he couldn’t see it, Shamus was sure he smirked at that comment. “There a reason you were trying to save the council members?” He inquired, turning around to look directly at the hunter.

“Don’t answer-” Inuya tried to warn Shamus, but to no avail.

“Uh, duh. If the council members die: I don’t get… Paid…” Shamus’s eyes widened as he realized what he just done.

“Oh, you moron.” Inuya spat out.

Blake immediately slipped a blade from his sleeve, and hurled it at Shamus’s eye. The hunter barely managed to unsheathe his sword in time to block it. “GAH!” He screamed, as Cutler slipped another from his sleeve and hurled it at him. This one managed to graze his cheek, as he jumped out of the way.

“Woah, ‘the bloody hell you doing, Blake!?” Mimi screamed, as she tried to unsheathe her depthsword. The mercenary simply elbowed her, causing her to collapse in agony, before running after Shamus.

“Take up a sport like kickboxing to vent your anger, don’t use me!” The hunter said, before narrowly blocking another of Blake’s projectiles. After looking back to make sure Inuya was helping Mimi, he darted to his left, hoping to get around the corner before Cutler could catch up with him. A dagger barely missed his skull as he turned the corner, and ran to the front of the shack.

Shamus hopped onto the platform, before resting on the doorframe. As he lifted his head; he felt a sharp pain in his arm, as one of Blake’s daggers managed to hit their mark.

“PAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN!!!” Shamus screamed in pain, before Cutler struck him in the chest, sending him flying into the shack. He landed next to a display case of Bouny-o cereal boxes, Those sure did look good right no-

Shamus’s thought process stopped, as Blake shoved a boot into his ribs. He tried to raise his sword, but Cutler simply swiped it away with his left hand.

He began chuckling, before coming in closer to Shamus, and saying “Thank god, you gave me an excuse to execute you.”
*  Blake then slipped one more knife from his sleeve, and held it to the hunter’s throat.

“I don’t see how I did tha-” Blake simply struck him with his free hand; he had enough of Shamus’s nonsense to last a life time.

“Ughhhh,” The bounty hunter groaned. "Can’t anyone finish a sentence when you’re around-” Blake struck him again. He let out a loud, “Heh.” before reaching behind his head. Shamus heard a loud click, as the mercenary undid the straps of his mask. He made sure his boot’s grip on the hunter was secure, before he lowered it, and strapped it to his coat.

“Good lord,” Shamus gasped as he saw Blake’s young slender face, and glaring red eyes which complimented his silver hair perfectly. “I don’t know why you took off your mask without reason, but you COULD be a model for the calendar of loathing.”

Blake’s expression suddenly turned to one of rage. “Okay, this is where you die.” He yelled, as he applied pressure to his blade. It barely managed to puncture the skin of Shamus’s throat, before the lights of the Bounty Hunter Hunter’s shack bolted on, distracting him.

He looked around the shack quickly, before his eyes rested on a shadowy figure sitting in a chair on the storage shelves above the counter. The figure began quietly chuckling to himself, which then turned to a bellowing laugh, and then finally into a mad cackle.

“GRAGHAHHAAHHAHHAHAHA!!!” The figure screamed, as it leaped from its chair onto the floor of the shack. “I knew it would take years for you two to come back to me, but they always come back to me!”

The figure began another insane cackle, as Blake and Shamus looked at each other with confused expressions.

Cutler was the first to inquire, “Do you know who this git is?”

Shamus simply shrugged, before turning to the figure and asking, “Hey! Go away! We don’t know who you are, and we’re in the middle of a tedious fight.”

They could hear that last comment had devastated the figure, before it started to come into the light. “Fine!” It screeched. “Does THIS remind you of anyone!?”

They both saw the same thing; a horribly scarred, disfigured man wrapped almost completely in bandages, wearing only bounty-hunting pants, and a clockwork trench coat. And they both said the same thing. “Not really.”

Shamus pondered for a moment, before asking, “Michael Seebach?”

“What!?” The man screeched. “No!”

“Thomas Elliot?” Blake inquired.

“NO!”

“… Becky Joy?” Shamus offered.

“NO!” The figure screamed, before pulling out a lit cigar, and continuing “It is I! Larry!”

Shamus began chuckling at the use of Larry’s name, before he asked, “Okay. I don’t get why you had to pull out a cigar to yell that.”

“It’s symbolic! Of the flame of my life you nearly put out!”

“That doesn’t make any sens-“

“Silence! Now that I finally have you two alone with me, in this tiny room behind closed doors, I can exact my revenge!”

“I don’t like where this is goin-“

“Silence! Ever since that fateful day where you betrayed me, and lit me ablaze, I haven’t been able to sleep! I can’t eat! I’m pretty sure kids don’t like me anymore!”

Shamus was getting visibly annoyed, which was a new feeling for him. “Okay, you’re the one who shot Mimi with a crossbow- MY crossbow, and then lit an orphanage on fire. I didn’t betray anyone.”

“Shut up, seeing those screaming children ablaze was hilarious!”

“You see, this is why everyone thinks you’re a dick.”

“I said SILENCE!” Larry screamed, as he pulled out a bounty-hunting rifle. “I’ve waited too long to exact my evil plan for you to screw it up!” He fired a warning shot next to Shamus’s head.

“Now,” He continued. “to tell you my plan in meticulous detail: I use this gun to shoot you both in the face. Great plan, huh?” Before Shamus could protest, Larry had already pointed his rifle towards Blake’s unprotected, but beautiful, face. He had to mount that face on his wall.

Shamus gasped as a gaping hole appeared in the figure on top of him, and gasped a second time when nothing but straw fell from that hole.

“Good bloody lord,” A voice from behind Larry yelled. “I was wondering when you’d notice that.”

Larry felt a cold metal dagger pressed against his back, as the very living Blake came next to him.

“What the-” Larry spat, before seeing that the figure on top of Shamus was nothing more than a common scarecrow, dressed in black. “When did that get there!?”

“I had enough time during your speech to replace myself with a stand-in without you noticing, come up behind you, and unsheathe several of my daggers.” Blake grinned.

“BS!” Was Larry’s response.

“Don’t question me,” Blake said. “Now, you caused me a lot of pain with those hunters a few years back; so, I’m going to break your legs.”

“That doesn’t seem equivalent.”

“Shut up.” Blake spat out, as he prepared to mutilate his captive.

“I see you, Shamus.” He called out, as he noticed the hunter trying to slink out of the room.

“Okay, you got me," replied the hunter, as he pulled out a fire flower from his pocket. “And, now I’ve got you.”

“Where’d you get that!?” Screamed the captive Larry.

“I found it in some magical door.” Shamus answered, as he picked out a can of hair spray with his previously wounded arm, and held it behind his flower to prepare for when he would ignite it.

“Wait, when you two came in here your arm was bleeding!” Larry again screamed.

“Geez! Stop screaming!” Shamus berated him. “I always keep a phonics down in my left pocket for cases like this.”

“BS! No wonder I tried to kill you guys! You’re annoying as hell!”

“Sod off, Larry.” Blake said, as he slipped a razor from his other sleeve, and quickly slid it across Larry’s throat.

Larry started to grab at the gash Cutler had just created, attempting to scream in agony, but with it just coming out as gurgling, before he saw Shamus pressing down on his spray can’s nozzle, and holding his flower up in front of it to create a stream of fire towards them. Blake barely managed to slip his mask on and leap out of the way in time, but still ended up hitting the edge of a display case because of the blast, injuring him badly.

Larry barely managed cover the gash with gauze in an airtight seal, to gasp out, “You guys suck-" before his words became a gurgled screech as the flames completely engulfed him.

Blake, though hurt, started to laugh uncontrollably at the sight of this. Larry screams started to fade, as he slumped against a wall, nearly dead. He scanned the contents of the shack; Cutler was laughing at him in a corner. HIM! The mighty Larry. Shamus appeared to be putting the flower away, freaking flowers; they don’t even taste that good! Well he had a surprise in store for them, yes he did.

Shamus put his fire flower back in his pocket, before turning his attention to the blazing man in front of him. Though the flames were strong he could notice that the freak was putting his hand into his coat, looking for something. He turned to Blake, who had suddenly stopped laughing, and was trying to crawl as fast as he could.

Shamus raised an eyebrow, before turning back to Larry.

“Screw…” HACK “You… Guys…” Larry slowly said, as he pulled out a Molotov cocktail cocktail from his trench coat.

“You know, you’re talking an awfully lot for a guy who just had his throat slit.” Shamus said, before he saw what Larry was holding. “See you in Hey Deze, Blake!” He screamed, as he ran as fast as he could out of the shack. Cutler simply made a backwards V at him with his index and fore fingers, before trying to heave himself off the floor of the shack.

Shamus managed to jump out of the building, right as a heard a loud crash, and then felt a large wave of heat hit his back from the ignition of the cocktail, knocking him off his feet. After a few minutes, Shamus turned back to look at the Shack; while the structure was still sound, the whole building was now completely ablaze.

“I just jumped from an exploding building without looking back,” He chuckled to himself. “I am now an action-star.”

“Well, that was, once again, pitiful.” Inuya said behind him, resting on a small wooden crate in the street.

“What the-” He began, pushing himself off of the street. “How long have you been there?”

“Oh, I’d say: about the whole time.” Inuya said, leaping off of her seat.

“Weren’t you supposed to be taking care of Mimi?”

“She just got elbowed, it’s not like she’s a cripple now.” Inuya said to Shamus, as he stood up completely.

“Soooo,” He began, a slightly concerned look on his face. “Where is she?”

“She’s been screaming expletives in various languages I can’t understand in the alley, and sharpening her sword. She’ll probably be here soo-“

“WHAT THE HELL!?” A scream came from the alley, as Mimi turned a corner towards the shack. “Where’s Blake!?”

“Oh, hi Mimi! How’re the ribs-” Shamus asked, as he was struck in the ribs by her boot.

“Ruhe! Where’s Blake!?” She screamed, gripping the hilt of her sword.

Shamus rubbed his ribs, not even bothering to scream at this point. “He’s in that burning building behind us. I don’t think he could walk after I smashed him against that shelf; so maybe he’s dead-” He said, as he was struck in the eyes by Mimi. He screamed at this point.

“Oh good lord, did you hurt him!? What’s wrong with you!” She screamed, as she kicked him in the shin.

“Ughhhhh,” Shamus groaned. “Bipolar harlot-” He stopped talking when she unsheathed her sword, walking towards the burning shack.

“Wait, what are you doing?” He asked, walking towards her to stop her, but stopping himself when he saw the crazed look in her eyes.

“I have to make sure he’s all right, so I can hurt him-!” Mimi began to screech, before she saw someone in the fire, slowly moving out of the shack.

Shamus screamed as he saw the figure was Blake, who appeared to be still among the living in spite of the fire, though his clothing looked like it had been to Hey Deze, and back. Aside from some scorch marks where his clothing had been ripped, a slight limp in his right leg, and some ash on the back of his head, he appeared to be fine, physically.

“I- I’m going to… T- To kill you. Sodding peon.” Blake said, as he stumbled out of the shack, and onto the porch. He reached into his coat, and quickly unsheathed an icy-hot katana with his left hand, before heading towards Shamus. It seemed like he wasn’t as fine as first appeared; shifting to each side, and nearly collapsing, with every step.

Shamus was frozen in fear, as Cutler finally reached him. The mercenary lifted his blade slightly, before reaching with his right hand into the hunter’s left pocket. When he lifted his arm back out, it was holding a glittering Phonics down. He quickly crushed it in his palm, and sighed as his body began to absorb it.

“Good lord,” He sighed as the effects of the Phonics down began to heal his body. “you weren’t lying about this. For once I’m impressed.”

“T- Those aren’t cheap, you know.” Shamus said, as he tried to regain his composure.

“Okay.” Blake stared at him with his expressionless mask, while raising his katana. “Now you die.”

He began to thrust forward, before his collar was grabbed from behind by Mimi, and used to twirl him around towards her. He barely managed to stop his momentum before it entered her body.

“BLAKE!” She screamed, holding her sword with only one hand, with the other on Blake. “Why in the hell did you elbow me!?”

Blake appeared to be slightly nervous, as he sheathed his sword, before replying, “I was trying to kill the peon, and I thought you’d get in the way-”

“That’s it!?” She screamed, taking her hand off of him and clenching it into a fist. “I thought you would at least make up some idiotic excuse, like, 'Oh, I’m sorry Mimi! That’s just how I show my affection! Allow me to repay you with a back rub.' But you couldn’t even manage that!”

“This is not the time for this-“

“NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!?” She screeched, as she dropped her sword on the ground, and grabbed his throat. “Moron! Imbécil! Kretyn! Baka! Crétin!” She screamed, as she began to use her leg to strike his knees.

It was at this point that Shamus picked up Inuya, and quietly began heading in a direction that wasn’t there. He could hear various other insults in languages he had never heard before, and loud cracks from what he assumed was bones, before he was finally out of earshot from them.

 
“Well, I have no idea how you’re still alive, but good job!” Inuya said, scurrying next to Shamus as they walked through the Wrong Side of the Tracks.

“Just shut up, I was almost killed four times today, by three different people!” He replied, as he bit into a handkerchief that he had in his hand, holding back tears.

“I don’t recall you owning that handkerchief.”

“I mean,” He began, sobbing. “I haven’t even saved one member of KOKOL yet! I’m not getting paid at all for this job. I need some new employers.”

“No one will hire you after Blake tells everyone what you did to the Bounty Hunter Hunter’s shack.”

Shamus cringed as he remembered the confrontation with his cliché enemy inside of the shack.

“That wasn’t me, it was Larry.” He replied, as they walked past The Graffiti Wall. “Now, never mention that again; or Mimi might hear you, and realize that I stole her revenge from her, again.”

“Won’t Blake just tell her?”

The hunter ignored his familiar, as they reached arrived at the entrance of The Casino. He reached into Inuya’s bag to retrieve his casino pass, while whistling a song completely out of tune.

“Wait, why are we at a casino?” She asked, as Shamus pulled out his prize from her bag, and handed it to someone through a slot in the door.

The door opened in front of him, as he waved back at her with his free hand, a chunk of meat in his other hand.

“Like I said,” He began, turning his head back, as he entered the casino. “I’ve almost been killed by an insane mercenary, a naked rat, and Larry, today. Naked rats and Larry is where I draw the line. Let KOKOL find someone else to help them, until I’m done with the Lemon Party Slots.”

“I’ll be out soon, wait for me, ‘kay?” He said with a wink.

Inuy just glared at him, as the doors started to close. She could see Shamus waving at her again, dropping his meat in the process, and scrambling to pick it up again, before the doors were shut completely.

She sighed, before she lay down next The Casino, and grabbed a soda from her bag. This was going to be a very long wait.