There the Messenger stood, hours before he would be called to the Crows. He was preaching the wisdom and glory of their power. Dressed in his usual attire, a dark black suit, covered over a dirty old trench coat and fedora. His dirty hair blew in the wind, his twisted smile growing larger as he spoke. Next to him was Conner, passing out pamphlets. It was a busy day in the Y Branch. The pale humanoids walking down the street, living the lives granted to them by the Crows. How they all should respect and praise their might, or so the Messenger was told to say.
Messenger: This fine morning, the usurpers of our world have summoned me to share their knowledge before you. I, a lone messenger, gifted with the opportunity to serve in their presence. No matter the cause, the risks, I forever do their bidding. For the crows have given us everything! Take one, take all, spread their word, show to all the might that is the crows.
Once the streets grew dim and blank, the Messenger shed his large grin, groaning in annoyance as he sits down on the nearest bench. Conner sat next to him, straightening his pile of remaining pamphlets. He looks over one, it said “Through the watchful gaze of the crows, your grand lives shall continue.” This made the Messenger take out his flask and chug the liquid within.
Conner: Little early to be drinking, isn't it?
Messenger: (Annoyed) Its simply root beer……never could handle the raw stuff.
Conner: Seems quite….dull…out here, you think?
Messenger: My own fault….you make one error, causing the untimely deaths of ten or so people, and they stick you on pamphlet patrol. Irritates me to no end….
Conner: (Worried) That’s not like you…..you still taking your medication?
Messenger: Like that crap helps….all it does is keep me awake at night.
Conner: But it helps sometimes…..right?
Messenger: ……..
He gets up, takes a deep breath, and forms a smile.
Messenger: I’m fine. There’s no need to worry about me. Now, lets finish this up and get some lunch. Been forever since I had a-
Suddenly, an explosion erupts in a store down the street, sending people into a panic. Out of the flames is a large armored man, wearing a gas mask. In his hand appears to be a large blade. People run off, screaming, but the Messenger walks toward the destruction, Conner slowly following far behind him.
Messenger: Finally! I was about ready to snap my own neck if nothing excited happened!
Conner: (scared) I don’t understand…..there hasn’t been an attack in over ten cycles, the charts verified that-
Conner was looking over a notebook with the records of activity from various branches. The Messenger snatches it out of Conner’s hands and hurls it into a bush, which was now on fire.
Messenger: (Bored) Nope! No more! Can’t handle that bureaucratic bibble babble anymore. The situation requires action, my old friend.
Conner: First of all, that was my favorite notebook, second of all, whatever you’re thinking, don’t! We’re not authorized for this. I’m sure if we just-
Messenger: Too late, he already sees me!
The large man roars like a maniac, looking over at the Messenger. He stomps his large booted feet and raises the blade up and down like he was chanting something.
Messenger: Well…..you certainly know how to make an entrance. How about you drop the blade and come quietly. Bad enough this explosion will be reported in my file, wouldn’t want to be charged for manslaughter as well.
Large man: CORVI AD MORTEM! CORVI AD MORTEM!!!!
Messenger: Yeeeeeaaaaaaah…..I have no idea what you just said, but I’m going to say it wasn’t something nice. Conner, call the MPs while I take care of this.
Conner: (Frightened) You can’t be serious….the crows already suspended you, don’t make it worse!
He turns around, annoyed, as the large thug charges at him. The blade is held over his head.
Messenger: (Annoyed) Honestly, you have no fate in me, do you? I can gladly handle matters in a calm, orderly manner!
Conner: BEHIND YOU!
Large man: AAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!!!!
His blade was inches from severing the Messenger’s head, yet remained still. Like he was now paralyzed. The Messenger’s pupil had shrunken to the size of a small black dot. The Strange patterns on his masked eye moving around in a circle. On his face now was a huge psychotic grin, turning around and looking the large man right in the face.
Messenger: (Wickedly happy) That was rude……
His eye twitched, his head suffering a spasm of some kind, as the Messenger drops to his knees, breathing heavily, coughing up a strange purple tar-like substance. This just makes him burst into laughter, looking up at a now terrified Conner.
Messenger: (Wickedly happy) See? I told you….I’m fine….
He clutches his fists, as the large man levitates off the ground. He screams in agonizing pain, as his body starts ripping itself apart, like it was disintegrating.
Conner: (terrified) Oh god….
Messenger: SHOW NO WEAKNESS………HIDE NOTHING TO THE IMAGINATION!!!!
The body bursts into large particles of dust, which are then sucked through the Messenger’s mouth like a vacuum cleaner. Conner slowly takes a step forward, flinching as the Messenger gets back on his feet.
Messenger: Conner…..I’d like you…to give me my medicine….
Conner: Of…Of…Of….Of course….just…..stay here….and I’ll go get it…
Messenger: Okie…..dokie…..
Conner runs off, as the Messenger looks around to see the terrified faces of so many people. He simply laughs it off, pulling out a pamphlet from his pocket, unaware it was covered in that same tar substance.
Messenger: (Wickedly happy) Would anyone like one?
All of this was shown on a huge screen in the chambers of the five crows. The Messenger once again laughs at this, as if nothing was wrong.
Messenger: (Wickedly happy) Wow….that was a fun experience.
Crow Max: I see…..you look at something like this, and think there’s absolutely nothing wrong? Just another day unleashing large reserves of your reality changing talents on minor threats….last time I saw power like this…..the branches were at war with one another. Buildings collapsed, people died, countless misery everywhere we turned….all starting with small acts like this.
Messenger: Hold on…..what are you getting here?
Crow Red Thumb: (Annoyed) For god’s sake, do we have to draw you a fucking picture?
Crow Drell: Easy, Red Thumb, he’s powerful, but not very bright….
Crow Abyss: What we’re saying is that all your endeavors in the past….your recklessness, your lack of will to take your meds, countless amounts of destruction for just one minor threat.
Messenger chuckles to himself, only angering Abyss.
Crow Abyss: (annoyed) Something else amuses you, Messenger?
Messenger: You do know I killed a terrorist right? A rebel against your will? Turns out that babble he spat at me was latin…..”death to the crows” he was chanting. I might’ve gone a teensy tiny bit overboard….but hey, isn't that what being a Messenger is about? Expressing the might of the crows through the very powers you’ve bestowed upon me…yaaaaaada yaaaaaada yada! You all know that song.
Crow Max: You’re an idiot….you know you have no control of your powers, and love every second of it. Don’t try to hide it in front of us. You wanted to lose control because you’re a psychotic nut who gets off to pure destruction. The meds we assigned to you were to keep you calm and balanced….to avoid issues like this….haven’t we had this discussion before?
Crow Frida: If not for your will to keep extensive good progress in the name of the crows, we would’ve terminated your status as a messenger from the very beginning.
Crow Abyss: Everything we ever did for you was to keep you in line. Hell, we even gave you infinite access, allowing you to work with other Messengers from various branches. All this because despite your many ridiculous and maniacal flaws…..part of us still believed you were the best.
Messenger: Be still my heart…..so what gives now? Am I being fired?
Crow Abyss: If it was up to me alone, I’d have you executed…..but I was overruled.
Crow Max: You are put on suspension for the next month. You will be stripped of your advances, and forbidden from leaving your home branch. If you continue to take your meds again regularly, stop abusing your powers, and most of all, stay out of trouble, you will return to your regular duties as a Messenger of the crows.
Messenger: And if I call bullshit on that, and keep up the good work?
Crow Max: (Smiles) Then we can make this permanent. I’ve been cleaning up after your mess for years now……nothing ever phased you……drives me insane how it is you manage to process a thought in that little puppet head of yours. Continue your little mascaraed, and I’ll personally deal with you, no matter what you say. We may share blood, but you’re still just an ant compared to a dinosaur.
The Messenger was silent for some time, then he smirks again, then releases another loud chuckle. He takes another bow, and heads for the elevator, his back turned to the crows.
Messenger: (Smiles) Such the drama queens….all of you….very well….if you think that’s wise….but someday….even you five will look back, and realize that even the unstable can achieve the impossible.
As the elevator arrives, descending the Messenger away from the crows, they continue the rest of the tape, showing the Messenger pouring the last of his meds into the sewer drain. He drops the capsule, it reads “For troubles in psychoactive behavior, Messenger XYZ to Infinite.”
Crow Drell: (serious) This isn’t over…..he’s not going to stop.
Crow Red Thumb: (serious) Of course he isn’t…..I told you this was a waste of time.
Crow Abyss: (serious) What could be done? He never did care for our rules….despite what he chants, he could give a rat’s ass about us. Its the thrill of danger that keeps him moving, and no matter what we do, he always finds a way to break the rules. His love of destruction is the real drug he consumes.
Crow Max: (serious) There is….another method…we haven’t tried….
Crow Frida: (serious) Then you’ve gone mad just as he has….
Crow Max: (serious) He shares our might….our power….its what made him a messenger…if we can’t succeed in restraining him, I see no alternative than to banish him to the Earth.
Crow Abyss: (serious) He may have a point…at least on that world, he’ll become exposed. Let’s face it….we all thought of it once in our careers, but could never say it. We’d be vulnerable….losing one of our most disrespectful, yet powerful messengers…..but at least order and peace to the branches would remain intact.
Crow Red Thumb: (serious) I say to hell with him. Guy was a loon from the beginning.
Crow Frida: (serious) Don’t you all realize the consequences? Even if we do send him to Earth, there’s still the chance he’ll survive, become more of a nuisance than he already is, and could come back in a bloodlust. We’d not only be dooming the Earth, but our own existence, and the lives of every branch.
Crow Drell: (serious) You’re overanalyzing this whole ordeal. No messenger, or even crow of the past, has ever made a trip to the Earth and returned. As long as XYZ remains in the realm of the Phased, he’ll forever be a problem. The Earth can keep him.
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