Lose a Friend. Lose Insanity. - II

So his name was Faith, a girly name for a pretty dainty looking deer. Still; Pert had to wonder why such a sickly buck would be out wandering the open area.

Actually, 'sickly' seemed too nice a word to describe him, although that was the last of Pert's worries. Putting aside the crows and 'Turkey'; Faith looked as if he was suffering more emotionally than mentally. His eyes were dilated, ears pressed firmly against the back of his head... He looked almost paranoid, constantly tracing his eyes over Pert.

"I'm... uh..." Pert faltered, a sudden glint catching his eye. Flicking his glance downwards, he noticed that Faith's hooves seemed to reflect against the sunlight... almost as if...

"I've been looking for someone. An ashen grey buck with golden hooves; have you seen him?"

Malware's words echoed through his skull. As vague as his description had been, and even if Pert's eyes were limited to shades of grey, the composition of Faith's hooves was relatively easy to discern. If they weren't made of gold, then they were formed of some other metallic substance. Occasionally the buck would cross his front legs every which way, and he'd move his ankles in such a fashion that it looked as if he was straining with the weight density.

The only problem was that Malware had neglected to give the piebald a name to go by. Even if Faith fit the description; there was still no way to really tell whether or not this was the deer the doctor was looking for... unless he asked.

"Faith... I'm Percy." Pert introduced himself, maintaining his false alias for all it was worth. He had to keep on Faith's good side, mainly due to the number of allies he seemed to have at his disposal. He tilted his head down to the crow that stared so cynically back at him. "Um, are these your friends?" he asked, forcing himself to look at Faith's face.

The buck seemed to stare at him a long time, completely unblinking. It wasn't a thoughtful stare, nor was it an interested one. His eyes almost appeared stupid, uncomprehending and dead to the world.

Finally, he spoke, but his voice was so soft that Pert had to strain to hear him. "No... They're my servants..." he murmured, casting a quick glance to the crow upon his back. "I used to have a lot of them... a long time ago."

"That's nice..." Pert awkwardly replied, focusing his gaze on the buck's shining pictogram. Something about him seemed off, like he wasn't quite mentally aware of much around him. The buck seemed to look at everything with an intense, almost childish curiosity. It was much like an Alzheimer's patient, or a lost child. In other words, definitely not right in the head. So Faith..." he ventured, keeping his voice slow and inviting in tone. Something told him that the buck would be easily spooked, or distrustful. "You got a symbol thing like mine, what are you doing out here?" he asked.

Faith turned his head to the left, northwards, and then looked up. His lips were slightly parted, almost in thought. "It... has been centuries since I've been somewhere where day turns into night..." he whispered, his left ear twitching ever so slightly. "And the way out was so easy... and I had never found it..."

The piebald had begun to notice that both the crows and Turkey were getting increasingly uncomfortable. The white-beaked bird atop the buck's back edged away slightly... the one at Pert's feet shuffling to his side in nervous tension.

"Even if I was one of the few that had airborne subjects to look..." Faith lurched his head back and snatched the crow by the tip of its wing. Unlike most birds, the crow didn't struggle to get away. Rather, he fell limp, completely submitting himself to something that Pert was starting to realize may have been routine. He cast a few quick glances to Turkey and the other bird, suddenly realizing that they both carried signs of physical abuse. A few scratches here and there... a lump of fur or feathers missing…

Without any real ceremony, Faith tossed the crow to the side. "No remedying that now. I'm here... all that matters..." he sighed, staring at Pert with blatant curiosity. "Your turn." he coaxed him.

Great. Pert had been expecting that. Should he lie? Well, maybe a little, but he had to keep in mind that he was terrible liar to begin with. That was Jergens' territory. He barely remembered enough as it was, but that was obvious enough. No, he'd tell the partial truth to keep it vague enough for Faith to interpret his words however he wanted.

Mission or not; this buck had become a top priority. Pert knew well enough that Faith wouldn't be able to last out here much longer; the buck looked like he was literally starving to death. Jergens could take care of himself for now. Faith, on the other hand, needed some serious help.

"Uhm..." he bit his lower lip and picked his words as carefully as possible. "I got sent out here to look for someone... well... not you... someone a bit farther north." he pointed a hoof to the right, for greater emphasis.

Faith followed his movements with frightened eyes, flinching back. "Did Malware send you!?" he suddenly asked, his ears swiveling about in erratic circles. "N...Not that I'm accusing you... oh no... I'm not... Het spijt me... Ik wil niet terug te gaan. Nog niet! he cried, raising his head defiantly, almost like a spoiled child.

Great. That had worked in the complete opposite way that Pert had intended. The piebald winced and looked at the crows and stag as a final plea for help.

Sighing, the crow at his side hopped up onto his back, picking his way up the piebald's neck. "Wotch eet hinny..." he hissed. "Lemme tolk to ya..." Flapping his wings, he clumsily landed atop Pert's head. His talons gripped at the buck's scalp, not enough to tear skin, but to where it caused some annoying discomfort.

"Master." the crow started, his beak clicking. "Lemme n' Credeet give' the yow a screening..." he suggested, bobbing his head towards the other, wax-coated bird. "No need to interrogahte im' yorself." he added, leaning forward to maintain his balance.

Faith just stared back at him, his face expressionless. "Are you trying to give me an order Debit?" he whispered, brow lowered.

Debit defensively unfurled his wings, his beady eyes wide with fright. "No Master! Joost a soogestion... If he's goot soomethin' to hide, then wor can breek eet out of im'" he explained, his accent becoming so positively unbearable that Pert could only catch one or two words. Not like it mattered; it was pretty obvious the crow was defending him.

"A suggestion..." Faith mulled this over a good long while, his body gently swaying back and forth, almost rhythmically. "Yes. I like this idea... Very good Debit..."

The crow on Pert's head seemed to sigh in relief. "We won't leet yoo dahwn Master!" he cried enthusiastically. He leaned forward to look at Pert's eyes, and then flicked his head to the left. "This way..." he mumbled. Nodding, the piebald stood and walked a little ways off, hopefully out of earshot of Faith.

Credit hobbled along behind them, his wings weighed down by the massive amount of wax that glued his feathers together. He didn't complain any though... even if he looked positively miserable. Debit glided alongside Pert's ear, his voice a raspy whisper. "So who sent yoo? Wot yoo lookin' for?" he asked, his tone more intrigued than anything else.

"Malware." Pert replied, ignoring the stunned stare the pair gave him. "But he didn't tell me to look for him; he just mentioned that he was looking himself." Again with the partial truths... oh well. Not like it hurt him any. "Is... he okay?" he asked them.

The crows cast an uneasy look to each other before looking back at Pert. Credit hopped forward, weighted wings dragging behind him. "Might need to teel yoo soome things..."

Debit bobbed his head in agreement. "Yah... uh... The Master hasn't really been... himself... lately..." he mumbled.

"Doesn't take much to figure that out." the piebald muttered bitterly.

---

"So you understand?"

(...yes)

"And you accept what you're going to lose? A bit of a hefty price, if you ask me..."

(wouldhavelostemanywayandifitmeansgettinridofyaidgivemore)

"I don't want you holding me back."

(itsnotreallyreallymethough)

"You're right. It isn't. Besides; think of this as a fun little side quest. You still want to explore, don't you?"

"Ello? Come on Jergens, get up. I didn't raise a lazy sissy!"

"Oh... Hear that?"

"Yer one to talk Mister! Stop ripping out your fur! It's only growing back!"

"It's disgusting... do you have any idea how many germs get clogged up in hair? And the dandruff..."

"Looks like it's time to get up Jergens. Are you ready?"

(dontletthemknow)

"They won't suspect a thing..."

(thinkso?)

"I am you... aren't I? But... you may have to restrain me, you understand?"

(clearasday)

Ththththththththump

”Then let’s go.”

---

Next part is going to comprise of a ton of different characters... or a few... it honestly depends on who I can squish in... Agh... it's getting nearer to being done... Thank God.

And this is short... mainly because the next one is probably going to be long. Short and to the point, I hope~