Chapter Text
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”
― C.S. Lewis
Tommy fits his arms through the sleeves of a thin red jacket. He reaches down to zip the end of his jacket up to his collarbones. He puffs up the hood, allowing it to fold like a collar around his neck. He breathes in slowly, adjusting the hem of the jacket to fit him better. When he feels confident in his outfit, he opens the door of the changing room. It swings open, removing the mirror from his line of sight. Tommy double-checks the tinted glasses he took from the rotating stand of sunglasses. He does not wish for anyone to see his eyes, especially not the people of Las Nevadas. Tommy knows from spending a lot of time in this borough that the people can be increasingly cruel, especially when they discover a secret. Tommy doesn’t want to be the talk of the city, nor does he wish for someone to take advantage of him.
Tommy frowns at the thought that anyone in Las Nevadas would actually take advantage of him. There had been one business man who tried to once. He told Tommy that he was going to rat the esper out to the Hero’s Guild. Tommy wasn’t sure why, at first, but it seemed that people misconstrued the conflict between the guild and the borough. There was not much bad blood between the two so much an uneasy peace. Tommy was free to go between the two as long as he did not allow the favors he did for Croupier to interfere with his duties to the guild. The business man was not aware of this, so he came with threats and blackmail. Even before Tommy could take care of the matter himself, Croupier had the business man dispatched. Tommy still isn’t sure why Croupier would do such a thing for him.
“I look good,” Thermoculus said, looking up from the small mirror he was staring into. Like Tommy, Thermoculus changed into a simpler outfit. Although everyone was welcome in Las Nevadas, very few people went as themselves. He wore a green military jacket over a dark blue shirt and a pair of jeans, an outfit eerily similar in color scheme to his villain uniform. He changed his fancy glasses for a pair of tinted sunglasses. A normal pair would not have been able to withstand his powers, but Tommy knew the store owners. Or, in better terms, the store owners knew him, and they knew the fancy card Tommy carries around that allows him to spend Croupier’s money. He was able to find a special kind lined with Netherite.
Tommy was also in a new outfit. He wore a white t-shirt underneath a red racer’s jacket. He wore jeans. He even switched out his boots for a pair of tennis shoes, durable enough for running but not fighting. Tommy was in disguise to hide from Ultraviolet and his guards. He did not want an escort right now. He was hoping to show Thermoculus all of the best places in Las Nevadas, and rather inconveniently, Tommy was banned from most of those places.
“You look fucking stupid,” Tommy responds, idly looking at the shirts folded on the white painted stands. A few of them have the faces or symbols of to find a few shirts with the emblems of the Syndicate members. He ignores them, deciding not to inflate Thermoculus’ ego.
“Are there mirrors in those changing rooms? I don’t think you looked into one long enough,” Thermoculus states, gesturing to Tommy’s outfit. “I mean, seriously, what is this?”
“I think he looks nice,” A voice calls. Tommy snarls, rolling his eyes. He should have known this store wouldn’t be empty naturally. It should be filled with people, but there is only Tommy and Thermoculus. And Ultraviolet, apparently. “Oh, come on, Vendetta, you didn’t think you could step onto my island without me knowing, did you?”
“Croupier owns this island, dumbass,” Tommy responds, crossing his arms over his shoulder.
“Croupier can think whatever he wants if it helps him sleep at night,” Ultraviolet tells Tommy, stepping closer to the hero and villain pairing hanging around the dressing rooms in the back of the store. He walks languidly as if he does not consider Tommy or Thermoculus a threat. In some ways, they aren’t to him. Tommy would never do anything to jeopardize his alliance with Las Nevadas. Thermoculus could do some damage, but even if he cannot fight every member of the Ace of Spades’ security detail. In Las Nevadas, Ultraviolet is easily the second-most powerful person, barely behind Croupier himself. “Speaking of Croupier, I didn’t know you had a meeting with him today.”
“I don’t. I’m here with this fucker to have some fun,” Tommy explains, pointing his thumb at Thermoculus. The villain is tense, eyes darting between Tommy and Ultraviolet. Tommy looks away from. Thermoculus will come to learn what sort of relationship Tommy has with Ultraviolet eventually.
“Fun? The last time you had fun, I had to do paperwork for an entire week. There were so many people who filed complaints against you, and Croupier insists I follow up on every one,” Ultraviolet complains, running a hand over his face and temporarily obscuring part of the swirling galaxy that creates a domino mask around his eyes. His worries reveal the reason he is less powerful than Croupier. No matter how much Ultraviolet bolsters or criticizes authority, he will follow Croupier’s orders. It is mainly about the money, of course, but there is just something about Croupier that allows him to surround himself with powerful people without getting hurt himself. Charisma is one word for it. Tommy is inclined to believe it is something more supernatural.
“I’m here as a tour guide, not a fucking menace. Thermoculus will keep me out of trouble,” Tommy answers, hoping to ease Ultraviolet’s worries.
“Thermoculus won’t do shit,” Ultraviolet sighs. He looks the villain up and down. Thermoculus scowls, glaring right back at Ultraviolet. The Ace of Spades doesn’t comment on the nasty glare he’s receiving that would put him out of commission if Thermoculus wasn’t wearing the sunglasses. “Do what you want. My guards will know that you’re in the borough, however, and Croupier will get a full report about whatever you do.”
“Will you file the report yourself?” Tommy asks as Ultraviolet begins walking away. Ultraviolet flips Tommy off as the glass door of the store closes behind him. Tommy laughs.
“What was that about?” Thermoculus asks once Ultraviolet is no longer in view of the window.
“You can’t find all the best fucking places in Las Nevadas without breaking more than a few laws,” Tommy informs Thermoculus, shrugging his shoulder. He couldn’t explain his relationship with Ultraviolet even if he tried, and he dares not hazard a guess of what other people would call them. “Speaking of, let’s get this tour on a roll! We’re losing daylight!”
Tommy holds the door open for Thermoculus. The villain shakes his head as he files out of the boutique store. Tommy lets the door close behind him. He looks around the street. Although it looks crowded, Tommy knows how terrible it will be when night blankets the borough in darkness. Anyone can throw their inhibitions away in the safety of the moonlight. Only the daring or the foolish can let go of their reticence while the sun judges them. Tommy must admit that he’s done his fair share of dirty work with only the stars as his witness. He wonders if he’s any worse than these people, or if some of them harbor even darker secrets than he does.
“This street is actually an interesting location to start with. Although called the Island of Sin, there are some suburbs on one side of the island. People who retire or want to get away from their mainland lives will move out there. Rich people, especially, but Croupier doesn’t turn anyone away as long as they have something to make it worth the venture. He has a knack for giving people jobs,” Tommy explains, taking a liking to the idea of being a tour guide. “This street and a few neighboring ones are called the Middleground Streets. People from the residential areas and people visiting in the entertainment district come here to do most of their shopping. These few shops are for clothing. There’s a grocery store down the street.”
“But we’re not here for groceries,” Thermoculus proclaims, heading directly to the entertainment district. He takes the normal path, so Tommy nudges his shoulder to hurdle him to a side street. Thermoculus allows him, a little too trusting for Tommy’s liking. The blonde is left assuming that Thermoculus believes in his ability to guide him through Las Nevadas.
“Fuck off. You named me the tour guide, so shut the fuck up and listen to me tell you why this borough is better than you thought is it was,” Tommy defends himself and the island. L’Manberg was Tommy’s home, but it is up in flames now. Prime Heights is a poor imitation of it, and Tommy feels just as uncomfortable in the other boroughs. Las Nevadas is what Tommy names as his primary home these days. He feels safe in this borough, more than he does in the other ones. He doesn’t need to worry about the guild, the Hunters, or the Syndicate. This land is held by Croupier, and Tommy has a partnership with that man. Tommy can enjoy relative peace, as much as he can when his life’s goal is to kill the two people that murdered his family. So, as any normal person would, Tommy is going to defend his home.
“Tell me, then,” Thermoculus replies, making it sound like a challenge. Tommy hesitates. How did he not realize Thermoculus wasn’t using a voice modifier? Tommy didn’t know what he expected Thermoculus’ voice to sound like. It’s… familiar. Tommy doesn’t know where he’s heard it before.
“You’re on,” Tommy says, treating this like a challenge. “We’re entering the entertainment district, what this island is known for and its biggest source of income. We have casinos, fancy restaurants, shitty bathrooms, and a pretty decent fountain. The alcohol gets progressively worse, but you’re too fucked to realize. Safety is maintained by the Ace of Spades’ security force. The buildings are made and managed by the Ace of Diamonds. All secrets and rumors will eventually circulate back to the Ace of Clubs. And don’t fucking mess with the Ace of Hearts. If you encounter him, keep him happy at all costs. If the worst happens, get me or Croupier. We will handle it.”
Tommy and Thermoculus are deposited into the main plaza. The fountain Tommy was referring to earlier stands in front of the largest building in Las Nevadas, a white stone block with a dome. Tommy gestures to both, waiting for Thermoculus to look at them. “The fountain is your average water fixture, but there is a rumor about it. If you throw a coin in the fountain and make a wish, your wish will come true. Fucking crazy, I’ll tell you. If I found a coin, I wouldn’t throw it in a fucking well. I would get it checked out by a pawn shop owner to see what it’d be worth. Come on, let’s go look at the coins.”
Tommy places his hands on Thermoculus’ shoulders to guide him to the edge of the fountain. They peer down into the stone bowl filled with water. There are a few coins littering the bottom, sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. Tommy places his hand across the water’s surface. It feels incredibly cold, but Tommy doesn’t remove his hand. Thermoculus stands beside him, looking at the coins. “Imagine finding a real coin and just throwing it in a fountain.”
“I know, right? They must have some fucking important wishes they want to come true. What would you wish for?” Tommy notes, looking away from the water to glance at Thermoculus. He looks back at the water before he realizes what he just saw. He does a double-take. Thermoculus is giving Tommy a satisfied grin, holding up two silver coins.
“I hear that you shouldn’t reveal what your wish is or else it won’t come true,” Thermoculus says, tossing one of the coins to Tommy. The blonde scrambles to catch it. The coin hits his fingers, rolling down to his palm. He cups his hands, watching the coin fall between his two hands. It reflects the light of the sun, shimmering in Tommy’s hands like real silver. It’s lighter than he thought it would be. Colder, too, but it quickly warms against his skin. He closes his fingers around the coin. It’s so small. He wonders how these didn’t get lost all the time. Tommy opens his hand back up, and the coin is still there.
“Where the fuck did you find these?” Tommy whispers rather reverently. Coins are a symbol of another time, back when espers were hunted down for their powers indiscriminately. This was even before the creation of the guilds.
“Does it matter? You should make a wish,” Thermoculus says. He closes his eyes and tosses the coin into the fountain. Tommy watches it fall into the water, sinking all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Thermoculus wears a smile as he watches, his wish being lowered into the waters alongside everyone else’s.
“I don’t have a wish,” Tommy whispers. He doesn’t have a wish worthy of throwing a coin in the fountain, in any case. There are a few things he wants right now, but this is an artifact from another era being placed into one of the most popular locations in Las Nevadas. He needs to wish for something special. He needs to wish for something that only a miracle could grant.
“That can’t be true. You could wish for victory over Azrael and Inchling. You could wish for peace of mind or happiness. You could wish to not sleepwalk anymore,” Thermoculus lists off. Tommy closes his fist around the coin. He could wish for that, but does he want to? Sleepwalking is a punishment, so he can’t wish that away without something else taking its place. He’s going to get peace of mind and happiness when he achieves his revenge, so he doesn’t need a miracle to give it to him. Victory over Azrael and Inchling means something different to him than it would for anyone else. Tommy has nothing that he wishes for that he cannot get with time and effort. His wish would be insignificant. “Don’t overthink it. There has to be something you want.”
Want. What does Tommy want? Tommy sighs. He closes his eyes, flicking the coin in the air. He hears a quiet splashing noise as the coin sinks under the moving water. Tommy opens his eyes, refusing to look down at the coin. His wish lies at the bottom of the fountain with the wishes of a few others, including Thermoculus. Time will tell if anything they wished for will come true.
“Where to next, mister tour guide?” Thermoculus asks, content to leave their wishes where they left them.
Tommy blinks. He takes a steadying breath before turning to Thermoculus with a smile on his face. “Next is the Needle!”
“The Needle?” Thermoculus questions. Tommy grabs his forearm, dragging him along with him to the opposite side of the plaza. Tommy glances up at the large building in the distance behind the fountain. Tommy wonders what Croupier is doing right now. He wonders how the Jester will react to finding out Tommy threw a coin in the fountain. Croupier once said, jokingly, that he was going to make all of Tommy’s wishes come true. He’s done his best to put Tommy on the right path, but there are some wishes that can’t be granted.
“The Needle is one of the landmarks of this borough. It was one of the first things the Ace of Diamonds built, right after the pyramid and the dragon statue. What a normal tour guide won’t tell you is that Ankh built the entire fucking Needle for me! During my first few months hanging around Las Nevadas, I pestered him for attention. I eventually presented him with the plans for a tower. He took that plan and fucking ran with it. Although the people call this place the Needle, if you ask Ankh about it, he won’t know what you’re talking about unless you call it the Tower,” Tommy explains with a smile rising to his face.
In those days, much like these days, Ankh was constantly diving into new engineering projects. He treated Las Nevadas how a painter would treat a blank canvas. With Croupier as his personal wallet, Ankh brought all of his crazy ideas to life. Tommy wanted to get close to someone like that, but Ankh had a strange personality. He seemed entirely focused on his projects and wouldn’t let anyone get close to him. Tommy decided the only way to fix this was to attack Ankh with something he liked. Hence, the blueprints for the Tower were made. They were grossly amateur, but Ankh saw enough potential that he began work on the project with Tommy following him around like a lost puppy. Ankh even let him make a few aesthetic decisions. It was one of the funnest things Tommy had ever done. When the tower was completed, Ankh and Tommy sat on the top floor, staring out at the sunrise. Ankh and Tommy had a conversation about something other than building that day. Ankh admitted that Tommy was very different from what he thought he would be like. Tommy took that as a compliment, and Ankh laughed with him as they shared gapple juice.
“That’s…” Thermoculus whispers, cutting himself off when they stand in front of the tall tower. Tommy smiles at it, remembering that it is completely different from the plans he presented to Ankh all those years ago.
“Up we go,” Tommy proclaims, stepping into the water-powered elevator. This was something Ankh added, deciding that Tommy’s idea for a spiral staircase was too impractical for the size he wanted the tower to be. Tommy has no idea how water-powered elevators work, but he thinks the glass walls that allow him to see the borough through a thin layer of water is fascinating. The look on Thermoculus’ face tells Tommy that he agrees.
The glass elevator stops when they reach the top, the cables pulling it up and down clicking. Tommy takes a step onto the carpeted ground of the restaurant. There are a few people in their finest clothing sitting at the tables, laughing and talking with wine- or champagne-glasses in hand. The workers move around gracefully and quickly, delivering food and taking up dirty plates with nimble hands trained for this very task. The host looks up from their reservation book. Their gray eyes widen when they notice Tommy. He waves at them, watching an amused smile spring to their face. Another person well aware of Tommy’s history, it seems.
“I’m gonna show my friend the view. We’ll stay out of your way,” Tommy promises, leading Thermoculus to the wraparound balcony. Tommy jumps up to sit on the railing. He looks over the borough, even to the ocean beyond. This is one of the few things that remained when Ankh remade Tommy’s plans. Tommy wanted the tower to be for observation. He wanted it to have the best view in the borough, a place that anyone could access. Tommy is certain that simple detail is what grabbed Ankh’s attention.
“This is amazing,” Thermoculus whispers, a hand on his head. He leans his forearms against the railing. The wind blows through their clothing, and Tommy is grateful that he chose to wear a jacket. He loves this view, but damn, it gets cold up here.
“There’s the dragon I was telling you about,” Tommy says, pointing in the distance. On one of the smaller, rockier islands around Las Nevadas’ main island, a giant pillar jutted out of the ground. A metal dragon with a ferocious stare and giant maw coiled around the pillar as if it were preparing to take flight. No one was allowed on that island except for those given approval by Ankh. Tommy didn’t have approval by himself, but Ankh takes him to the dragon every once in a while if Tommy does a favor for him. Tommy thinks few things in life are cooler than that massive beast, especially when he learns Ankh mainly built it by himself. Ankh did use his esper abilities to help, but no one else interfered with his work. It was the dragon that really made Ankh the Ace of Diamonds.
“And over there is the pyramid,” Tommy says, pointing to something behind the domed casino Croupier uses as his main base. The pyramid dominates a section of the island, and for good reason because the inside of the pyramid is Ankh’s home. The other aces stay there, too, except for the Ace of Hearts, who stays in the main base with Croupier. Tommy has been there a few times as a guest, but his private quarters are inside the hotel adjacent to the main base. They are reserved for him, and he can access them whenever he wants. He hasn’t stayed in a while because the Syndicate wants to keep eyes on him at all times.
“Master Vendetta,” Someone calls. He looks away from the view to see a silver-haired waiter- the host from earlier- standing at the entrance of the balcony. He holds a platter in his gloved hand, balancing two tall glasses of a translucent gold liquid. Tommy smiles, gesturing for the host to come over. The host does, presenting the platter first to Tommy, who greedily accepts his gapple juice, and then to Thermoculus, who takes his glass more hesitantly. The host places the platter underneath their arm. He frowns at Tommy as the blonde is downing his gapple juice. “Forgive me, Master Vendetta, but I must remind you that Master Croupier does not like it when you sit on the railing like this.”
“Tell worrywart to fuck off,” Tommy mutters, but he slides off the railing. The host smiles, turning away to rejoin his coworkers. Tommy sighs, pressing his back to the railing and looking into the restaurant.
“What was that about?” Thermoculus asks, sipping his juice.
“I accidentally said some stupid shit around Croupier once, and he fucking blew up,” Tommy mutters, decidedly not telling Thermoculus what he told Croupier. He fears that Thermoculus would have a similar reaction. Tommy can still remember the day. It was barely a year ago. He had busted a potential smuggling ring that wanted to take root in Las Nevadas without Croupier’s permission. Croupier took him to dinner here, buying out the entire restaurant to give them privacy. Tommy enjoyed his time with Croupier, eating good food and drinking an unlimited supply of gapple juice. Tommy just had to ruin it when they went to the balcony for some stargazing… Well, ruin is a strong word. Croupier hugged Tommy that day, held him as close as he would hold Slime after the Ace of Hearts lost control of himself. Tommy wouldn’t mind Croupier thinking he was suicidal if the man would give him more hugs like that.
“What did you say?” Thermoculus asks.
Tommy shakes his head. “I am not telling you. I can only deal with so many fuckers worrying about what they thought I meant. We should go somewhere else. There is one more place I want to show you.”
“Lead the way,” Thermoculus says, though he sounds a little more subdued than he did earlier. Tommy wonders what Thermoculus thinks he said that day. Probably something far worse than what he actually said.
Tommy waves at the workers and particularly the host as he steps back into the elevator. It brings him and Thermoculus down to the ground. Tommy stares out of the glass and water window, trying to search for something specific in the shifting crowds and evening sunlight. Tommy wonders what Ankh is doing right now. Maybe he’s working on a new project. Maybe he’s revisiting an old one.
When they hit the ground, Tommy takes Thermoculus’ hand. He refuses to admit how comfortable he is with the familiar touch. He leads Thermoculus through the thickening crowds, telling himself that they are only holding hands so that Tommy doesn’t lose Thermoculus. Holding his forearm or clothes wouldn’t be enough, Tommy tells himself. If he finds any comfort in it, that is secondary and not worth talking about.
“Here we are,” Tommy proclaims when they reach the white arch hanging over the entrance of the garden. Although Empires has the largest natural reserve, the beauty of Las Nevadas’ garden cannot be overstated. It is well-manicured by professionals on Croupier’s personal payroll. There are flowers here that will not bloom on the mainland. Although Tommy cannot prove it, he would be willing to bet that Briar did some work here. The beautiful roses blooming along the edges of the garden look like her handiwork with how full they are and the pink and red shades are exactly the kind that bloom along her body. Tommy would ask her if their relationship wasn’t built on both of their strange relationships with Ultraviolet.
“Oh, wow. I didn’t think a place like this would exist in Las Nevadas,” Thermoculus admits, placing his hand along a pillar supporting the pavilion that hangs over the small stream-like water feature and the bridge going over it. Tommy steps onto the bridge, placing a hand on the railing to look over at the water lilies blooming along the surface. They are a little small, but Tommy has little doubt that someone will sweep in here soon to cause them to flourish. They will bloom beautifully given a few more days, and the garden will be better for it.
“This venue is mainly used for shotgun weddings or professional photography,” Tommy answers, ready to explain the history of the garden when he notices something on the other end of the bridge. Reynard is discussing something with one of the Ace of Spades’ officers. The man seems emotionally charged, but Reynard waves off his concerns with a hand. The man storms away, brushing past Tommy and Thermoculus. Reynard’s hands disappear as he turns to follow the man. His body comes back into the light when he notices that he has company.
“Hello, Reynard,” Tommy says with a smile on his face. He waves at his ally.
“Hey, Vendetta,” Reynard says through a sigh, running a hand through his hair. His fox ears twitch, and his pupils lock onto Thermoculus. The two stare at each other for a very long moment in silence. Both of Reynard’s tails shoot up anxiously. “Hello, J- uh, Thermoculus.”
“Reynard,” Thermoculus nods without finishing the greeting.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Tommy comments on the awkward atmosphere now contaminating the garden.
“Noth-” Thermoculus starts. His communicator buzzes in his pocket. Thermoculus pulls it out enough to look at the screen. He shoves it back into his pocket with a strange look on his face. “Look, I have to go real quick. Stay here, Vendetta. I’ll… bye, Reynard.”
Thermoculus runs out of the garden, successfully dodging Tommy’s question. The blonde huffs, looking back at Reynard to get more answers from the Ace of Clubs. He finds Reynard coming up to stand beside him on the bridge. Reynard leans his arms on the railing, planting his chest against his forearms and fist. Tommy matches his body language, though he keeps his hands open. He looks down at the stream alongside the fox hybrid. He hums as he asks, “How have you been?”
“Fine,” Reynard answers, answer short and clipped. Tommy nods slowly, taking that answer for what it really is: Reynard doesn’t want to get into it.
“What have you been up to lately?” Tommy asks instead, hoping that Reynard will talk about anything interesting he’s seen or heard. Las Nevadas is a cesspool for rumors, and Reynard is often called the lord of them all.
“Nothing,” Reynard blatantly lies. No member of Croupier’s aces is ever not busy, and they always have at least one interesting story to tell Tommy, especially when he hasn’t been in Las Nevadas in a little while. The last time he was here, he didn’t really get to talk to anyone. All he got was information from Reynard. Croupier was too busy fighting (flirting) with Serenade to pay attention to him. He did have a decent chat with Ultraviolet, at least. He needs to visit Ankh soon.
“Well, you can either make smalltalk with me or tell me what the fuck is going on between you and Thermoculus,” Tommy says, putting his cheek in his palm, looking at Reynard.
He hears the ace sigh, his ears flicking to show his discomfort. Reynard shrugs. “Thermoculus and I… we used to be like… well, like family. We had a falling out. We’re more like friends now, but even then, it’s hard to be alone with him. We’re close, but not as much as we used to be.”
“Ah, I see. I have a similar relationship with someone.”
“And who would that be? Ultraviolet? Croupier? Someone from the guild?” Reynard tries to guess. He suddenly shakes his head. “You better not say Slime. That guy loves you to death.”
“None of the above. I was talking about Reverie,” Tommy says, a half-smile on his face when he thinks about Slime. He doesn’t want to think about Reverie. The leader of the Hunters was all Tommy had for a long time. They weren’t family in a conventional sense, but they were close to each other. The falling out consisted of Tommy realizing that Reverie was going to hurt Monochrome. Tommy got out of that situation for Monochrome’s sake, and he stayed out when he realized that Reverie wasn’t good for him. But their relationship boiled down consists of them once being family until they had a falling out.
Reynard laughs, light and airy even with a voice modifier. He shakes his head when his laugh peters out, “I don’t think our situations are that similar. I still care about Thermoculus, after all.”
“Hey, I’m trying to be fucking empathetic to your cause here. Cut me some slack,” Tommy says, nudging his elbow into Reynard’s side. The fox hybrid shuffles back, laughing again at Tommy’s childishness. Tommy smiles brightly as well. He likes the quiet moments like these when he can pretend that he has a steady relationship with Reynard. They are normally cold with one another, business and duty coming first. Tommy doesn’t frequently get to see Reynard laugh, but sometimes, when the days become long and the others are gone, Reynard will find some sort of peace in Tommy and Tommy will find companionship in Reynard. It is gone within an hour, evaporated like a puddle in summer, but it can exist for a time if neither of them look too hard for the cracks.
“Fine, fine, thank you,” Reynard says, shaking his head at the same time as his ears. His tails wave in the air merrily as he takes his turn to ask, “How are you, Vendetta?”
“Decent. I’ve been super fucking busy lately. And I’ve just had a long day. A couple of long-ass days, actually,” Tommy admits. He wishes he could talk to Crowfather, but the crow only stops long enough to deliver Ravager’s letters and take Tommy’s to the villain. He can’t very well divulge his grievances to Reynard.
“Was the info I gave you good?” Reynard asks as if he doesn’t already know that he’s one of the best information brokers in the entire city.
“Yeah, it really helped me figure some shit out. Slime was decent, too,” Tommy compliments Reynard and Slime. Reynard seems pleased, so Tommy feels a little bit of regret bursting his bubble with his next words. “But it isn’t enough. We need a heavy-handed strike against the Red Army, and we’ll need to start aiming for the damn cult. We need a plan, but we don’t have enough information for that. We need goals, alliances, what they’ve infiltrated, that shit. I want to know more about this Crimson person, too. They’re the key to all of this, but no one knows anything about them.”
“Well-” Reynard starts, but cuts himself off. He looks at the entrance of the garden. Tommy follows his gaze to see Serenade entering the garden in civilian clothing and his three-fourths mask. Tommy frowns, looking back over at Reynard. The Ace of Clubs is gone. Or, he’s invisible, because Tommy can still feel his body heat next to him. Tommy frowns slightly.
“What are you doing?” Serenade asks, stopping on the path beside the bridge. Tommy looks between the invisible Reynard and Serenade one last time. He steps off the bridge to join Serenade.
“Nothing. Looking at the fishes. Try not to fuck any of them,” Tommy says, ignoring Serenade’s offended gasp. Tommy looks over his shoulder as he starts pushing Serenade out of the gardens. Reynard stands in shadows, his body partially obscured. He gives Tommy a grateful look before he’s completely gone again.