Marcel stares as Ruby helps Kathy up and take him into an inn.

Kathy didn't show any signs of being unwell, but he is a shapeshifter thing so it might just be impossible to tell.

Kay looks on with concern.

Marcel is also feeling worried but they decide to lighten the mood a little bit.

"don't worry~~~I'm sure Kathy will be fine~~~"(Marcel)

"You sure..."(Kay)

"yeah~~I'm sure all he needs is some of that vitamin XXX~~"(Marcel)

Kay's look of worry turns into a look of scorn.

She turns her head as slowly as possible and looks Marcel right in the eyes.

Another famous Kay/Marcel staredown ensues.

Marcel and Kay's relationship has always been......complicated.

Kay is just very easy to irritate.

And Marcel can't help but push peoples buttons! it's a bad habit they picked up.

If a goblin saw them they would assume that the two were "OWNED" or at least "experimenting socially" since they have a healthy amount of annoyance towards each other.

Marcel looks deep into Kay's blank and empty eyes, the same eyes that caused Marcel to dismiss her when they first met, having seen these types of eyes far too many times they got sick of them, but over time Marcel noticed something, deep inside the darkness of Kay's eyes, a tiny light so small it's almost impossible to notice, even though it's so tiny every time Marcel sees the speck, it threatens to blind them! like a hope so strong it will cut through any doubt or emotion, something Marcel can never have anymore.

Which is why.

Marcel is always the first to look away.

Kay folds her arms a smug smile forms comfortably on her face knowing she won once again.

"Hehehe! you know for a mind user you break down pretty quickly!"(Kay)

"That's not what it means to understand mind~~"(Marcel)

"yeah, sure! people who can make mind can control people or pick things up with their mind! but understand mind!? what does that even mean! wow, look at me! I can think!!!!!! with my MIND!!! not like everyone else who use their stomachs!!"(Kay)

Marcel just smiles at Kay who slowly starts to deflate when she realizes the joke stopped being funny a while ago.

Kay glares at Marcel now that she quickly went from having the upper hand to being on their level again.

This exchange is not new.

In fact, it happens constantly!

One of them would burn the other which results in their ego getting bigger only to have that ego shattered in the next round.

Marcel look Kay up and down.

Killing her would be so easy.

Marcel has killed for way less.

But of course, they won't do it, Marcel really does truly like Kay, and there's also the fact that if they killed her, it would mean that Kay got to them which means that she had won.

And there's also Kathy...

Kathy would be upset.

Marcel would rather commit suicide before that happens.

Marcel blinks their eyes a couple of times to get rid of the dark thoughts, they've been happing less and less lately so Marcel forgot to keep them in check.

Marcel has always been very good at keeping check of their emotions.

I wouldn't say that.

.................................................well shit.

Oh? is that any way to react to your mentor.

Marcel closes their eyes and tries their best to shut out his voice

They don't need this, not right now.

Grooowwwellll~~

Marcel's panic is quickly cut short by a sound.

Marcel looks over to the source of the sound.

A bored looking Kay.

"Dude! you hear that! I'm fucking hungry so stop spacing out and let's eat now"(Kay)

Usually, most woman would be embarrassed to make that kind of sound, but this is Kay.

Marcel taps their finger against their lips.

"I saw a restaurant while we were walking here~~ it looked busy so the food must be good~~"(Marcel)

Ignoring me huh? I see you're in another one of your moods.

Kay raises an eyebrow.

"Is that how you choose your restaurants? by how busy they are..."(Kay)

"yes is that a problem~~how do you do it~~~~"(Marcel)

Kay just shrugs almost automatically at this point.

"How the food looks and smells"(Kay)

Kay makes a face like she's looking at an idiot. 

"Well do you have a better idea or just going to argue for the sake of being a bitch~~~"(Marcel)

"HEY! Ruby is the bitch of the group! I'm the Stack up asshole! don't get that mixed up again!"(Kay)

"Hmmm~~then what would I be then~~"(Marcel)

Kay proceeds to use words we aren't allowed to write here.

"And that's what you are"(Kay)

Marcel almost looks impressed.

How vulgar.

"and Kathy~~"(Marcel)

Kay flares up!

"KATH IS A GOOD BOY!!!"(Kay)

"I don't know he's pretty naughty~~~"(Marcel)

"................did..........did you...............NEVER MIND!! I'M FUCKING STARVING JUST TAKE US TO THAT RESTAURANT ALREADY!!"(Kay)

---

The only word Marcel would use to describe this restaurant is quaint.

it's made out of red bricks with steel tables.

A far cry from types of places Marcel used to go to, there aren't any dead bodies here.

"welcome, tbah fo too?"(waiter)

The waiter who welcomed was a female dwarf with an especially thick accent.

"wah?"(Kay)

"yes thank you~"(Marcel)

The dwarf takes them to a table puts two menus in front of them.

"tehle me whn yo redy to ordah"(waiter)

"Could you understand anything she just said?"(Kay)

"I just guess~~"(Marcel)

That would be a lie, of course, Marcel knew what that dwarf was saying before she said it.

Well, you did have a very good mentor.

Kay takes a look at the menu.

"Hmm~~pasta sounds good, oooh they have pizza!"(Kay)

"yesssss!!! pizza is veeerrrryyyyy goooooooooood!!"(???)

"Why did you say it like that?"(Kay)

"I'm not the one who said it~~~"(Marcel)

"Wah?"(Kay)

Kay looks away from her menu only to see a man crouched down next to their table.

The man is human, he's wearing a chef's hat and is missing one eye.

"You should get pizza!!!! it'ssss soooooooo gooooooood"(???)

The man taps Kay's menu that's when it's revealed that man only has one hand.

The other is replaced with a pizza cutter.

"..................ummmm.................thanks......."(Kay)

Kay puts a hand on her gun a shoots Marcel a look, only to find out that Marcel is not even paying attention.

"wellll I hope you have a gooood meal!!! after all, Pizza is always good no matter what you put on itttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!"(???)

The man lays down on his stomach and shuffles out as the waiter hits him a broom.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"(Kay)

"Don't pay attention to those kinds of people kay~~~"(Marcel)

 "WHAT! what kind of people are we talking about!?!?"(Kay)

"Pizza people~~"(Marcel)

"pi......pizz............pizza people?????????????"(Kay)

"Hmm~I think I'll get the stake~"(Marcel)

"Is it like a cult or.....like a race.......what the fuck are pizza people!?"(Kay)

"Well they are obviously not a cult or I would have killed him~~"(Marcel)

"THEN! THEN!......then...."(Kay)

Kay quickly realizes how loud she was being and brings her head down her face red.

"Whatever if I learned anything from Kath is that questioning things will only lead to headaches"(Kay)

"I'll drink to that~~"(Marcel)

"Drink? what drink?"(Kay)

A glass of wine is in Marcel's hand.

"I'm not gonna ask where you got it from because I don't care, but should you really be drinking while the sun is up!"(Kay)

I agree this is very improper Marcel.

Marcel swigs the entire thing down.

"......."(Kay)

Kay stares with judgment.

"....let's just order already"(Kay)

Marcel and Kay order their food.

Kay picked the pasta and she honestly doesn't think she'll eat pizza ever again.

And Marcel ordered another bottle of wine because of course, they did.

Marcel takes a big sip before noticing that Kay is fidgeting with something.

That something being her gun.

"Is something wrong with it~~~"(Marcel)

"no...it's just....this thing is pretty powerful"(Kay)

"meeeh~~I guess you could say that~~"(Marcel)

"No seriously! it's soo easy to use this thing! it's not like bows where you have to train to use them you just point and shoot!"(Kay)

"where are you going with this?"(Marcel)

Marcel knew where Kay was going with this.

"Imagine if someone built an army and all the soldiers had guns! unless the opposite side had someone really powerful they would always win!"(Kay)

"That's pretty good point~~"(Marcel)

Considering the fact that someone already did this, and is steamrolling his enemies.

Marcel knows because of a couple of reasons.

First, being a high-level subjugator they have access the most current news from the world.

Second, Marcel since joining the cult of outliers has worked tirelessly to make a connection web spanning most of the continent. 

Don't forget your best source.

Marcel takes another swig of wine.

Their mind starts to wonder.

The last thing they want right now is to hear his shitty voice.

Thankfully Marcel found a way to stop his mind from falling back.

They just have to imagine themselves having sex with Kathy.

................

Different scenarios start to play in Marcel's mind.

What if Kathy was a little more daring when he was washing their back!

Or what if things kept going after their first kiss? would have done it on the bodies!

....................................

Kathy's human form is really nice but Marcel wouldn't mind having a go at his shapeless form!

Using all those tentacles!!!!!!!!!!

..................................................................................................

"MARCEL!!!"(Kay)

"huh?"(Marcel)

"I think you had too much! your face is red and your drooling!"(Kay)

"hehehehehe~~~~sorry~~~~"(Marcel)

Marcel whips the drool off their lips.

"what were saying?"(Marcel)

"I said those guys are staring at us!"(Kay)

Marcel looks behind Kay to see two men sitting by the door, staring them down.

The same guys from last time.

On their robes is a symbol Marcel is all too familiar with.

/0||0

"The church of the goddess~~~~how fun~~~"(Marcel)

"The church of the goddess!? they're not gonna come harass us, are they!!?? The food hasn't even come yet!!!!"(Kay)

"nope~~~they would never do that, it would go against what they believe in~~"(Marcel)

Kay sighs in relief.

"Oh! that's good then!"(Kay)

"I'm the one who's going to harass them~~~"(Marcel)

"WHAT!? why!!??!?"(Kay)

"If I don't it would go against what I believe in~~"(Marcel)

Marcel gives Kay a wide smile.

Kay looks down.

".................before you do this, can I ask you something"(Kay)

"Go ahead~"(Marcel)

"the church is bad right!"(Kay)

Marcel tilts their head.

"Bad? what do you mean by that~~"(Marcel)

"I mean come on! they have to be like corrupt! and they kill people and are racists!"(Kay)

"You know you just described the cult of outliers right~~~"(Marcel)

Kay slumps down on her chair.

".......the church are the good guys aren't they..........."(Kay)

"Yep~~ they're as corrupt as any organization~~but the church has several charities and help centers all around the world, in fact~~ it's in their doctrine that they have to treat all races equally and give money to the poor~~~"(Marcel)

"wow...that sounds........really good..."(Kay)

"Why would you think the church would be bad~~~"(Marcel)

"No! it's just! my dad..........................never mind just do whatever you want....."(Kay)

Kay slumps down even further.

Marcel considers saying something but every time the words form in their mind and the scenarios of what would happen if they said them start to play in their head, they realize that Kay doesn't need or want to be comforted.

Marcel since childhood has always understood people's emotions and why did things.

This caused Marcel to always see the good in people.

Marcel would then realize that there were people who could hide their emotions even from them.

This piece of information cost Marcel dearly.........

Oh yes, I remember, you were so..............................................

naive.

Marcel's hands started to clench.

Vulnerable.

Marcel stands up.

Disrespected.

Marcel's footsteps echo through the restaurant.

Afraid.

The two men look up at them.

Weak.

Marcel puts his hands on the men's shoulders their grip threating to crush their bones.

"I saw staring at me~~~~~~~~~~~~and now I'm going to kill you~~~~~~~~~~~~"(Marcel)

"What!?"(Man1)

"I'm going to make you suffer~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"(Marcel)

The men stand up.

"Stay away from us!!!"(Man2)

"I can't do that~~~~~~~~~~~you have to pay~~~~~~~~~~~"(Marcel)

"Fo...for WHAT!?!?"(Man2)

"You looked at me wrong......................YOU FUCKING HEATHENS!!!!!"(Marcel) 

CRASH!!!!!

The two men are hurled through the window!!

"Shit they're insane!!!"(Man!)

The first man pulls out a mace.

The second man starts to make void.

Marcel slowly walks out, hammer in hand.

A beautiful and warm smile like that of a lover is on their face.

No mercy. never again.  

Marcel take brisk steps towards them like they're going for a walk.

There are no innocents or guilty in this world.

Once Marcel gets close enough.

There are only the people that are with you.

They brandish their hammer.

and then...

The hammer goes down on the mage, it happens so fluidly no one even seemed to notice, no even the mage himself.

There are the rest.

All that's left of the mage is imprint on the ground bones and muscle and organs all squished together.

"OH GODDESS!!! OH, GODDESS!!!"(Man1)

The man seeing what happen to his life long companion who made him the godfather of his newly born child.

Starts to cry.

The man brandishes his mace and swings at Marcel.

Marcel just takes one step to the right to dodge 

Marcel then hits him with their hammer purposely hitting their mace instead of their body.

This happens for five more times.

The man is having a very hard time fighting Marcel!

And that's mainly because of Marcel's strength!

It's random!!!!!

Every hit is either really weak or ridiculously strong! or somewhere in between.

But Marcel uses the same kind of swing and stance each time!

So it's impossible to tell if the man should block the weak attack or dodge the devastatingly bad ones!

Just what is happening!

Marcel takes another swing.

The man takes a chance and blocks it.

That was a bad idea.

His mace took on Marcel's strongest attack yet.

It shattered the metal shards embedding themselves in his face.

"AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!"(Man1)

The man looks around him to see people just staring.

"w...w....wh.....why...."(Man1)

Marcel doesn't answer the man they just lift up their hammer.

The man slowly remembers a verse from his sacred book.

Once life has no meaning.

When people look on at injustice and do nothing.

When death becomes not something to be feared but something to be ignored.

When the rot has stopped spreading into the earth and started spreading to the people

You must unite, the world can be saved.

You must never lose hope.

Always believe in the light.

"I believe...."(Man1)

---

A blood covered Marcel walks back into the restaurants to see Kay eating her pasta.

Marcel walks up to the owner and pays for the damages and gives him a bribe just to be sure.

They then sit down and eat their now cold stake.

Marcel and Kay say nothing the entire time.

---

"This must be the place!"(Kay)

Kay tried to call Ruby to know what inn they were staying at but she wouldn't answer for some reason.

After looking around for a little bit they finally found it.

"Yes the gentleman and lady went up to the room and have not come down ever since, here are the keys to your rooms"(receptionist)

"Hmm I guess they fell asleep Kath should get some rest, but I don't know how Ruby got him to sleep..."(Kay)

"speaking of sleeping~~~I'm pretty tired right now~~I also need to take a bath"(Marcel)

"here"(Kay)

Kay gives Marcel the key to their room.

Marcel slowly walks up the stairs, they stop for a second if they listen really closely they can hear bed squeaking.

"hmm~~I guess someone is getting lucky~~~"(Marcel)

Marcel enters their room and quickly takes off all of their clothes.

They run the bath while they shower.

After getting the blood off Marcel throws some cleansing balls into the bath.

Bubbles start to appear.

Marcel slowly dips in.

The hot water relaxes them.

They take a second to think about what happened.

Only a second.

It's quickly replaced with thoughts of Kathy.

Marcel starts to smile to themselve.

I will never understand your feelings towards the tumor.

"yeah~~it's called love~~you need a heart and emotions for that~~~"(Marcel)

No thanks. These feelings are very easy to exploit, you remember your lessons on that don't you.

 "Just stop talking~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"(Marcel)

Fine, I'll leave you alone for now, my attention has to go to a different Protégé for a while.

"Please do~~~~and if you can~~~never talk to me again~~"(Marcel)

---

"Aaaggghhhhh"(Marcel)

Marcel holds their head in their hands.

After the bath, Marcel ordered five more bottles of wine and drank all of them.

Now they're hungover.

Marcel checks the clock on the wall.

"Oh shit it's noon"(Marcel)

Marcel gets dressed not bothering to put on their makeup today.

They walk downstairs to the lobby.

The first thing they see is Ruby whos mouth is agape.

"Umm Ruby~~~what happened?"(Marcel)

The next thing they see is Kay her eyes sparkling and mouth locked into a grin.

She jumping up down and holding someone.

Oh god!!

Marcel is too hungover for this shit.

The only thing Marcel wants to know now is.

"where Kathy~~~~"(Marcel)

"I'm here"

Marcel slowly looks over to you.

Their eyes widening.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?!?"(Marcel)