"Outlaws have to be poised, smart, and independent; they have to cultivate allies, assess risk, and keep their antennae fine-tuned to everyone and everything around them. Outlaws focus on what people can do."
― Christopher McDougall

Tommy sits on the parapet of a building on the border of the Sandlands. He wipes the sweat off his brow, feeling the warm winds of the Nether portal swirling outward. He shifts his body, rocking it back and forth in anticipation. He has grown bored of intently studying the graffiti on the wall of the opposing building. There are a few crude sentences probably written by teenagers or adults with too much time on their hands. This is interwoven with the red vines of the Red Army. Tommy thought there was something important there, but he soon realized after staring for a long time that it was little more than a reminder to the people of the Sandlands. There weren't any clues hidden in the twisting plant-like drawing, not unless there was some key Tommy was missing.

Tommy left a calling card in Las Nevadas' main garden. He placed the small card with a printed script of information in the rose bushes, tucked deep within the thorns. A normal person would not be able to see the card, but someone who could sense plants would know that something strange was in their rose bush. Tommy couldn't confirm that Briar was the one who cultivated the garden, but he was betting that was true. He was betting because now he was sitting here waiting for her.

His suspicions must have been true- or he was lucky that she visited the gardens on a whim- because he sees her approaching him. She wears a tight maroon long-sleeved shirt and lindworm green pants. She has a black chestplate, black metal boots, and black gloves with metal pieces sewn onto the surface. She has a hood tucked over her face, but there is nothing on her back to allow her bug-like wings to expand out around her. Unlike an avian, Briar's wings only allow her to glide on the breeze, much like Tommy's glider. Similar to an avian, her wings are made from sturdier stuff than flesh. They are made from Origin magic, a power distinct from esper abilities. When Briar lands on the parapet beside Tommy, she looks down at him with a half-smile on her face. The upper half of her face is covered in small rosebuds that obscure all but her green eyes, the inhuman shape setting Tommy on edge immediately.

"You are a hard person to find when you don't want to be found," Briar tells him with a bright chirp in her voice. Tommy avoids her eyes. Where most people try not to use their Origin magic, too afraid of discrimination, Briar does not make an attempt to do so. She uses any advantages she has to win. This means that she unnerves people with her Faerie appearance, utilizes her wings for gliding, or puts a glamor around her voice instead of using a voice modifier. This is one of the main reasons the people don't like her, though her body count is another contributing factor. Although Briar flaunts her hybrid status, she only bloodies the name of her brethren even more than it already is. Tommy still holds her in high regard, though. He isn't a hybrid, so he doesn't know what it's like, but he has done a few cases involving hybrids before. He can see how terrible they are treated. Briar is someone worthy of respect, especially considering the Red Army has been kidnapping hybrids recently.

"Why the fuck are you looking for me?" Tommy asks, standing on the parapet beside her instead of sitting down.

"Warden has been worried about you, Vendetta," Briar answers. Tommy recalls that Warden does have some sort of relationship with Briar. If Tommy tried to, he could probably figure it out, but he frankly doesn't care enough to do that. He has his hands full solving other mysteries. Briar hums thoughtfully to herself. "Ultraviolet is also pretty worried, though he would never admit it."

Tommy frowns underneath his mask. He has been going to Las Nevadas to sleep, but he hasn't seen the Deck of Las Nevadas in a little while. The last time he saw Ultraviolet was that day he went with Thermoculus to explore the island. Everything was so much different back then even though it was only a few days ago, at most. "I don't know why the fuck he would be worried... or Warden, for that matter."

"You are so obtuse. How can you not realize how much the people around you care about you?" Briar asks, reaching a gloved hand out to flick Tommy's forehead. He startles back, reaching a hand up to his forehead to rub the sore spot. He glares at her. She doesn't explain herself, flicking the redwood brown hair that was resting on her shoulder to behind her back in the hood.

"I don't fucking appreciate the insult, bitch," Tommy informs her. Briar's smile only widens, revealing a row of sharp teeth. Tommy rolls his eyes. "But I didn't come here to argue. I want your help capturing the Scarlet Demoness."

"And you came to me because...?" Briar asks, her smile fading away and her eyes sharpening. Tommy wonders if Briar and Scarlet Demoness have a history. Briar is a vigilante who kills criminals exclusively, and Scarlet Demoness hurts anyone who threatens her siblings. While their victims don't map onto one another, Tommy knows that they overlap. Briar and Scarlet Demoness could have hunted down a group of criminals together. Briar is the sort of person who respects determination and strength. Scarlet Demoness has both in spades.

"I can't capture Scarlet on my own. I need as many allies as I can because the cultists are a fucking friendly bunch. Scarlet won't be alone, and I'll need your help bringing in the fuckers she's hanging out with," Tommy explains simply. The Red Army has proven to be criminals since they kidnap hybrids, blow up public buildings, and cause mass panic in the streets. They are the sort of people Briar would take on by herself, so Tommy thinks he could convince her to join his private task force temporarily.

Plus, Briar has no affiliations. She is semi-friends with Ultraviolet and she has something going on with Warden, but she is not allied with Las Nevadas or the Syndicate. She works on her own with no interference from anyone. She also isn't associated with Minotaur in any way. Although he can't prove she hates him, he knows that Minotaur would have been one of her targets if they had been active in the same area around the same time. Alas, Briar was a lot more small-scale back then. No less ruthless but less effective given her limited scope.

"Why do they need to be brought in alive?" Briar asks, tilting her head to the side. As Tommy said, Briar is known for her ruthlessness. When she decides on a target, she plans their execution.

"The members of the Cult of Erythr are being mind-controlled by this fucker called Crimson. At least, as far as I can tell, that's what the fuck is going on. It's a shitty situation, to be honest. We aren't working with much intel," Tommy explains to her. "If we bring in the Scarlet Demoness and her allies, we'll be able to figure out the truth of what's going on. If Crimson is mind-controlling them, we'll find a way to counteract that."

"That makes sense. I should have known that's what was happening," Briar murmurs to herself, raising a hand to thoughtfully rub her chin. She glances over at Tommy. For a moment, she is silent and contemplative. Then, a wicked grin spreads across her face. "Why did you choose me? You know, specifically?"

Tommy laughs bitterly, looking away from Briar's cutthroat expression. "I've burned too many fucking bridges. More than I care to admit."

"I can't wait to hear that story," Briar hums, tucking her hands behind her back. Her wings flare up to frame her upper body.

"I'm not-"

"I'll help you! It's going to be my first time capturing someone instead of killing them, but I do hate it when things are too easy. I've been itching for a challenge," Briar tells him, a bloodthirsty smile rippling across her face. Her pupils sharpen, and she looks like a feral animal about to pounce and devour. Tommy tries to remember why people think roses are something wonderful.

"I have the basic outline of a plan, but I needed to know if you were going to help before I finalized the details," Tommy tells her. She nods, her smile fading but her eyes remaining twisted. Tommy rolls his eyes, opening his mouth to explain his plan and get her strategic input. For as wild as she looks right now, Briar is one of the more methodical vigilantes.

Tommy hears a loud booming noise on the horizon. He glances upward to see smoke pluming towards the horizon. Tommy's eyes widen. Briar turns around to see what he's looking at. Her wings flare out as she starts running towards it. Tommy follows after her a second later. She jumps off the roof, her wings catching the wind. Tommy uses his powers on himself, pushing off the edge of the root to send himself skyward. When he's reached a high enough distance, he glides to the source of the explosion.

Tommy lands on the ground. His mask starts making a sputtering noise as it filters the smoky air. Tommy waves his hand through the tainted air. It isn't smoke from a fire or an explosion. There are large amounts of dust waiting to settle in the air. Tommy glances around, searching for the reason the dust was kicked up or civilians that need assistance. He hears his name, Vendetta, not Tommy, in the distance. He tries looking for the source, but the air is too opaque. He forces his way through, investigating the voice for himself.

A building appears in front of him. Tommy puts his hands against the warm metal. He runs his fingers along the edge as he walks around it. He eventually feels an opening. He ducks down, crawling through the crack in the wall into a large room with significantly clearer air. Tommy is able to see the entirety of the room with only a faint haze filtering his vision.

This building is obviously the source of the dust. The roof is cracked, allowing patches of sunlight to stream through. It must have been some sort of office space, but it is no longer capable of serving that purpose with how many broken supplies are littering the ground, some even coated in blood. Tommy steps over them, crunching broken glass underneath his boot. Tommy keeps his hand in front of him as he walks around the room. He hears movement and noise faintly from another room, so he carefully maneuvers his way to the broken door. He steps into the neighboring room. It is similarly large, but the roof has been completely caved in. There is nothing unique about the room that would explain what it was originally used for, but that does not mean it is empty.

There are civilians huddled together in one corner. They are covered in chalk-white and pale brown dust, their fearful eyes shining out from the haze around them. A couple of people wearing black outfits are lying on the ground. Every person who is prone on the ground is wearing a red armband, bright against the dull surroundings. Tommy can see the outline of the Red Army's vines, however, so he knows exactly what these people stand for. The one who made them unconscious, Ravager, stands on some sort of raised platform opposite to the civilian group. He is breathing heavily, holding his battle axe in both of his hands. Ravager normally doesn't hurt innocents. He does his best not to touch them. However, Tommy knows from intense research that there are a few side effects to his powers. One of these side effects is that Ravager can go into a rampage when he is being threatened or experiences significant damage. In these rampages, Ravager is unable to determine innocent from guilty, friend from foe.

"Vendetta," Briar whispers. Tommy looks over his shoulder as she cautiously steps through the same door he came from. She examines the situation. He doesn't know if she understands Ravager's powers as well as he does, but she doesn't have to in order to understand what is happening right now, what is going to happen if they don't do something. Briar tilts her head to the civilians. Tommy nods at her.

Briar starts running towards the civilians. Tommy slides between Ravager and everyone else in the room, including the unconscious Red Army members. Tommy lifts his hands up placatingly. He can tell the exact moment Ravager looks at him. Tommy whimpers quietly despite trying to hold it back in. One of Ravager's smaller powers is an aura of fear, making his targets deathly afraid of him. Tommy wrangles his breathing back under control. He is not afraid of Ravager. Well, he is, but not enough to stop slowly walking towards him. He debates pulling out his weapon. He ultimately decides that it wouldn't be worth it. It would only rile Ravager up, and Tommy knows he can't defeat a rampaging Ravager without terrain advantage and a solid trap. He just needs to distract Ravager until Briar gets the civilians out. Then, the two of them can fight Ravager... or run as far away from him as they can.

"Hey, Big Man. It's alright. Nothing is wrong. You see all these guys on the ground? They were your enemies, and they're fucked. They are out of commission. You did quite the number on them. But they're done. They're already unconscious. There is no else here that you need to beat up. You're safe right now, I promise. So, just take a deep breath. A big deep breath. You know, breathing is the manliest thing you can do. It is so fucking pog, Big Man. Since I am the Biggest Man, you know I'm speaking the truth. You believe me, don't you?" Tommy begins, scrambling for the appropriate words. Serenade is the only person who can talk Ravager down from his rampage. The other Syndicate members can mitigate damage. Tommy knows he probably won't be able to do much, but Ravager isn't trying to rip his limbs off right now.

Tommy looks over his shoulder. Briar is carrying a civilian out and a few more are stumbling after her. They are climbing up the fallen roof as if it were a ramp. Briar's vines surround the ramp, keeping it steady as she takes the last people out. Tommy's attention returns to Ravager when he hears a stomping noise. Ravager has jumped down from the stage, his glowing red eyes still pinned on Tommy. At least the fear aura has been dialed off. Tommy's breathing is still shaky and his bladder will give out any second, but the fear is his own.

"We can talk about this, can't we? I'm not here to fight you. And yes, I am planning on killing your leaders, but they're bitches, anyway. We don't have to talk about them. Don't think about them, either. It's just you and me, Ravager. You and me. Only us. Don't think  about anything else. Not pain, not blood, not murder. Don't even think about Vendetta. I'm Theseus, aren't I? The legendary hero. The one who defeated the minotaur," Tommy compromises, not mentioning that Theseus is also the hero who is killed cold and alone by the person he trusted the most. He doesn't trust Ravager, he assures himself, but he figures this situation isn't all that different. He's going to die. Without taking revenge. Without seeing his friends one more time. Without seeing...

Ravager slams his battle axe down. Tommy flinches, unaware that Ravager had gotten so close. The ground beside his feet cracks from where the blade meets the concrete. Tommy keens quietly, a mourning song for himself because he knows no one else will sing. His teary eyes flashes to meet Ravager's bloody red eyes. Tommy turns, wondering if he could flee. As soon as his back is to Ravager, the villain wraps his arms around Tommy's shoulders. He thrashes, trying to keep his bones from breaking. He closes his eyes. He prepares for death. He's falling down. He's...

He's sitting down. In Ravager's lap, no less. Tommy opens his eyes as wide as they will go. Ravager tucks his arms underneath Tommy's arms. He does not squeeze so tightly that Tommy's ribs puncture his legs and crush his heart. He does not shove Tommy to the ground with enough force to make his head explode. Ravager is just holding Tommy, sitting on the ground, acting like Tommy is a stuffed animal.

"Uhh... Big Man? Ravager?" Tommy says, wondering what is going on. He feels Ravager press his head between Tommy's shoulder blades. He growls, an entirely inhuman sound, but it isn't filled with hunger or malicious intent. His grip tightens, but it doesn't hurt. Tommy feels his heart fluttering in his chest. Ravager must feel it, too, but he doesn't attempt to tear it out in order to eat it or whatever the fuck a rampaging Ravager does.

Tommy hears a cawing sound. He looks up. A crow flies into the building from the open roof. It lands in front of Tommy and Ravager. The crow tilts its head to the side, staring at Tommy with oddly intelligent eyes. Tommy's expression sharpens into a glare as he recognizes Crowfather. The bird has been ignoring Tommy for over a few weeks now. Instead of being there to comfort Tommy, it shows up when he is in an embarrassing situation. Tommy snarls at the bird, "Is this fucking hilarious?"

Crowfather bobs its head as if to nod. It makes a weird squawking noise that Tommy has believed was the bird's form of laughter. Tommy's glare sharpens. He tries reaching for the bird to choke it. Ravager makes a displeased noise, pulling Tommy closer to his chest. Crowfather starts flapping its wings to accentuate the laughter. Tommy huffs a breath. When did his life become getting hugged by a vicious, bloodthirsty villain while his therapy crow is laughing at him?

Briar descends into the building. Crowfather flies off, barely missing her. She follows it with her eyes as she walks over to Tommy. When her attention comes back on him, he can see the moment she registers his predicament in her head. A large smile spreads across her face. She lifts her hand up to stifle her laugh. Tommy turns his anger to her since Crowfather decided it was too cool to hang out with Briar there.

"A little less laughter, a little more fucking helping me, bitch!" Tommy demands of her. She lowers her hand, having stopped laughing but not smiling. She raises an eyebrow at him. He huffs, pouting underneath his mask. "Will you please help me?"

"If you promise not to freak out," She says, her smile shrinking as she reaches for something in her boot. She pulls out a vial of something, and pours a little bit of it into her hand. She uses the tilt of her head to tell Tommy to move out of the way. He leans forward as far as Ravager will allow him to. Briar takes a step forward. Ravager begins glaring as she blows the powder from her palm onto his face. Tommy's eyes widen, and he feels Ravager's grip slacken. The villain falls back, and Tommy stumbles out of his clutches. He continues stumbling, taking more steps away from Briar than from Ravager. There is only one sedative strong enough to knock a rampaging Ravager out. To knock Ravager out in general. "You said you wouldn't freak out."

"Why the fuck are you dealing with Reishi?" Tommy demands, staring at the powder in her hands. It came from a specific plant that Reishi grows in his garden of poison and death. Tommy feels his hands begin to shake. It hates it, the powder and the memories and that damned garden.

"It isn't direct, Vendetta. I would never get involved with the Hunters, not after what they did," Briar says, her tone sharpening. She speaks with as much vitriol as Tommy does when he talks about the Hunters, but her words don't carry a tinge of fear. Tommy closes his fingers into a fist to keep them from shaking so much. Briar puts the powder back into her boot. " Reishi sells poisons and sleeping draughts to this guy named Sparrow. I trade rare flowers for some of these goods. I don't have to speak to Reishi during the transaction. In fact, Reishi probably doesn't know who is buying his most potent tranquilizers."

Tommy's mouth snaps shut. Sparrow. That is the same name that was written on the copper golems that Technician used to distract Vendetta while he fought Dyscardia. Tommy has put the name on the backburner since that event, thinking he had far more important things to worry about. It might be good to start looking into this mysterious seller of precious goods. "I wonder if I could meet Sparrow."

"It's possible. Sparrow has taken an interest in you, and you can only meet with him if he wants to," Briar explains, glancing over at Ravager's sleeping form. The tranquilizer isn't going to work for long.

As Tommy glances at the Red Army members, he wonders if Sparrow taking an interest in him is a good thing or not.