Isaac walks in from the other room as he sees Cole. "Oh hey, Cole's back.”
Cole doesn't say anything and keeps watching the movie with Oleander.
"Isaac, are you about to explode too????" Luna asks while shaking in fear.
Isaac chuckles. "Pfff no-”
"This is Hell."
"Not yet it's not.”
"I've just watched two copies of you explode in front of me, we're in hell."
"Not yet you're not."
"What the fuck does that even mean??????"
Cole looks over. "Have I been to hell, Isaac?"
Isaac nods. "Yeah."
"Have I?" Luna glares.
Isaac shakes his head. "Nope."
Luna adds "How? I don't understand. I've literally fought in three hells now, plus I'm a goddamn demon."
Cole's voice drifts into sounding calm. “That's funny because I recall that Isaac never remembered our trip to that place, happy-go-lucky hell as I called it.”
"Happy-go-lucky hell? That sounds utterly horrifying." Luna says calmly.
Isaac’s form flickers to Scarecrow or Thing-Taker, the one with fluff and horns. "Oooo you're good~”
Cole stands up calmly. “They don't call me the insane man for no reason." She pivots on her heel to stare at the scarecrow.
"So why are you still bothering us Scarecrow?" Luna glares at it but keeps her eyes away from its eyes.
Scarecrow shrugs. "I haven't gotten my trade deal yet."
"It's gonna take me a while to capture someone as elusive as Nicky, she has an army of divulgers ready to defend the land at her command or if they just feel like it she seems to know her way around them so as to not disturb them.” Cole mentions.
"It probably wouldn't take so long if you actually accepted our help instead of going full goddamn Rambo on her domain," Luna grumbles.
"It's funny that you think that it was my plan to fail and need rescue from you guys, though I am thankful I would have rather suffered and captured Nicky than pulled out just when I had gained a foothold."
"What foothold? You were knocked the fuck out on that plane alongside the other guy."
Scarecrow comments. "You know you could even ask me for help right?"
"Well, now I know that planes are not good, as well as sleeping in that domain." Cole slightly turns to the scarecrow. “Oh? then why didn't you help from the beginning? If you want them so badly seems like you're just hurting yourself by not helping.”
"Cuz you didn't ask.”
Luna wants to kill something right now, she's fuming.
"Well, then I'll ask, Scarecrow could you possibly assist me in the capture of Nicky?"
“Give the collector their due, if not they’ll take what’s owed.” Knight mumbles absentmindedly as he looks at the wizard statue, not sure what to do with it.
"Not unless you ask another person to help too, one on ones are scary...and the freak in the corner is right, that's why I'm keeping the handbag for a while." Scarecrow pauses. “The goat is next if this takes too long."
"Please Cole, just accept her deal, otherwise we'll never see Isaac again, probably.” Luna sighs.
“HEY! I’m not a freak! Just a bit odd.” Knight adds.
Cole crosses her arms as she thinks as she death glares at Scarecrow.
Scarecrow smiles happily.
"I can help," Oleander says, turning to Cole.
"I agree. Oleander destroyed most of the Divulgars surrounding the plane with Cerb's help. That gauntlet is powerful," Luna nods.
"What's your blood color?" Cole stops thinking as she stares at the scarecrow
She says happily. "Orange."
"What does blood color have to do with anything? Is it directly tied to the type as I had predicted?" Luna asks.
Cole sneezes into her elbow. “So sorry, allergies and all that.” Cole smiles at the scarecrow.
"Curse you!" Scarecrow smiles.
Luna watches silently.
"Awww so sweet! You know how to bless someone that's a death creature!" After Cole speaks there’s a kerchunk sound.
"...no really what the hell is happening?" She backs up away from the scarecrow.
She smiles and tilts her head.
12 tungsten rods rip through the roof and all hit right where the scarecrow is standing as Cole doesn't flinch or react, waiting.
They phase through the scarecrow as she looks at it and steps off to the side of them. "Can I have these too?"
"Impressive, and no." Cole snaps as the rods disappear.
"Awww."
"So riddle me this, why are you like this?" Cole starts circling the scarecrow.
"Why am I like what?" She watches him as he goes.
Oleander just sits and watches, not understanding what's going on.
"Why do you steal things? Are you a kleptomaniac?" Cole's hands are covered in a blue aura as the damage to the roof reverses then the aura disappears.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you steal things unknowingly, though I'm sure you’re well aware that you’re stealing from people so that's off the table.”
"Are you interrogating me?"
"No, if I was interrogating you I wouldn't let someone that I presume to be under 18 watch let alone do it in the living room,” Cole says.
"So what is this then?"
"Well the walking around lets me dodge any attack you might send at me and it allows me to see your entire person, so I can see if you’re reaching for something or not.”
"And what about the questions? Doesn't that still make it an interrogation?" She's still watching him walk in circles.
"No, an interrogation is usually not as friendly if I really wanted to know something. I have my methods." Cole is watching the scarecrow as she walks.
"I wouldn't consider this all that friendly." She blinks some and still watches.
"How so? I haven't even laid a finger on you, and the rail guns did nothing to you so even then I still haven't harmed you.”
"I dunno, you're not smiling.” She blinks a couple more times.
"I usually don't smile, not something I do often."
She giggles some "Well that's got to get boring" She's starting to sway a bit from getting dizzy.
"I wouldn't say it's boring I would say that it more reflects my general attitude towards the world."
"What's your favorite color?" She seems to be getting a bit dizzy.
"Charcoal grey, though 745492 is a good color.”
Luna grins a little bit.
She starts leaning to one side as her balance is way off. "That's a great color!"
"How are you feeling right now?" Cole cracks a small smile.
"Reallyyy dizzy.”
"Good to know.” Cole suddenly throws a hook in the same direction as she's leaning.
She gets hit in the face and falls over on the ground. Cole tries to plunge her hand into her chest and reach around for a soul
"Get 'em, Cole!" Luna cheers.
He finds the soul as she shakes her head. Cole rips it out with a chuckle. Her body goes limp as he pulls out a golden orb. There's a strong feeling of good luck.
"Golden snitch soul. Damn." Luna’s eyes gleam at seeing how shiny it is.
Oleander watches curiously.
"That ladies and gentlemen is how you obtain an unruly person's soul". Cole pulls a reel of film out of the soul as she looks for any recent memory of Isaac and Sparrow.
"That was incredible!"
On trying to pull a reel of the film she pulls out a strange mess in the shape of a string, constantly changing, unable to comprehend. Just looking at it causes confusion, a headache, and is overwhelming. Something about the soul just feels familiar.
Cole quickly puts the reel back and stares at the soul "Why does this soul feel familiar?" Cole looks the soul over for anything recognizable
"Familiar? Also, that was a thin reel." She notes.
Nothing looks to be recognizable.
"Yeah, something about this soul is just familiar but I don't know why" Cole ponders the soul in her hand.
"Odd. I mean if I may for a second, the whole 'thing taker' thing, in general, is familiar. You know why, right? She's a taker of haves, the reel was confusing as fuck string. Look, I recognize what I'm saying, but you can't deny that it's too eerily similar to not be a coincidence?"
"...no this couldn't be Lock's soul...no....this can't be the old generation Lock." Cole's face drops, and she looks horrified.
"I believe it may be," Luna goes silent afterward, "Not to mention, didn't Blair say to our current generation Lock to stop making scarecrows?"
Cole sheds a single tear. “It...it makes sense, her funny room was a kid's bedroom and the hell she made was a kid's wonderland." Cole sniffles. “Yeah, yeah she did."
"Precisely. Everything works if this Scarecrow is our old friend. Not to mention, remember all of the trinkets in her pocket? All luck items."
"...would she even recognize me?" Cole looks down at Scarecrow's limp body as she mutters "I still blame myself for her death after all this time.”
Luna closes her eyes deep in thought. "Let's put it this way, why do you think this scarecrow keeps coming here? I don't think it's for previous iteration nonferals. They're here for you, Cole." She pauses for a moment.
Cole sniffles and nods. "I have to try, to see if she would recognize me." Cole kneels down next to her limp body and takes a deep breath. “Ready?"
"Go for it, Cole." She stands near him as if to show support to her friend.
Cole puts the soul back in Scarecrow's body. “Let's hope I don't break down in tears.” She chuckles nervously.
"Even if you do, you still have my support."
Scarecrow takes a sharp breath in before blinking and sitting up. "I haven't slept like that in AGES!"
Cole takes a deep breath and holds a bated breath. "Do you know who I am, daughter?"
Luna nods silently.
Scarecrow glances around as she gets up. "Wait, you talkin to me?"
"She is yes. We have a very good feeling about your identity," Luna says.
Cole adds. "I have reason to believe that you’re Lock, my daughter."
Scarecrow pauses a moment before giggling. She goes to speak but starts laughing
"....why are you laughing?" Cole asks.
"The thing taker, one who abides by 8 rules. Granter of Luck. You can only be the previous iteration's Lock!" Luna says.
"Ohhh that's a GOOD ONE!" Scarecrow wipes a tear from her eye. “Hate to break it to ya, but that's not how this works.”
"...explain." Cole sniffles as her eyes flicker to purple.
"Please, we're all ears, and we both have stronger hearing than normal," Luna watches.
"To be sure we are all on the same page here, you mean the nonferal Hemlock right?" Scarecrow asks.
"Correct, the one that died when I let her go back home for something,” Cole nods.
"Correct. One Hemlock Whim, that is your identity. We have plenty of evidence suggesting such," Luna adds.
"Again no that's not me,” Scarecrow corrects, "You must have it mixed up ‘cause of the curse. You see I've bet on Lock and chose to curse her every time. I'm a bit of a creature of habit."
"..." Cole's fists clench as she breathes heavily.
"That cannot be. Apparently, your Hell is a children's wonderland and Lock's funny room is a kid's bedroom. Not to mention the thing taking habit. Plus your soul apparently feels extremely familiar in Cole's hands. And I object to your curse choice. You said previously that you bet on Juliet,” Luna continues.
"All to do with the curse thing, I'm telling you that ain't me. And I never said I bet on Juliet. I said I knew someone who did,” Scarecrow corrects again.
"That cannot be all due to a curse. There is no way bad luck can influence so many things like that," Luna comments.
"Why does your soul feel familiar in my hands? Riddle me that you fucking cunt." Cole's voice drips with anger.
"Curses are complicated. And that would have to do with the curse as well." Scarecrow nods.
"I have an eternity." Cole glares at her.
Luna pauses deep in thought, then when she opens her eyes, she says, "I think I understand the curse. You basically imprinted your own behaviors onto Lock. The childish behavior, the thing taking. Add some bad luck to that too, which explains all of the good luck charms in her pocket."
"Ok cool it. I'm not going to sit here and talk for eons when I have better things to do right now.” Scarecrow is looking both irritated and tired.
"It's all a game to you isn't it?" Luna remarks as she death glares Scarecrow.
"Says the one treating it all like a game," Scarecrow scoffs.
"Says the one betting on innocent nonferals and cursing them," Luna has an aura of purple flames.
"I don't have time for this.” Cole stands up and starts to cry as she storms off.
Oleander looks away and is suddenly very interested in the floor.
Scarecrow rolls her eyes. “Good job at getting mad that I'm not a google search engine. I'm gonna do something less overwhelming." She vanishes.