Savour Every Bite...

Ven and Tika watched with bated breath as Wendy seemed to be having a full blown mental break down, vomiting her inky black substance as she tried to get Tophi out. "Help me! HELP ME YOU MONSTERS!"

Ven took a deep breath before training his blade at her heart, pulling the trigger with a half baked suppressor shot, causing Wendy to fall to the ground limp. Tika went over and checked her pulse, feeling something strange. "She feels... Sticky?" Ven noticed it too, her body seemed to be melting. "What the hell? Bit, what's happening?" He asked as they backed off quickly. Tid-Bit took control and began muttering to herself before snapping her fingers.

"Good news. Wendy and Tophi are officially deceased. Bad news, Tophi's cane, mixed with the suppressant, seems to have caused a violent mutation to Wendy's body. You should run. The sub-mind can wait." She smiled to Tika before bolting off into the other direction. "W-Wait!" She yelled, quickly catching up as Wendy's body split open, revealing a shiny pink claw.

Ven and Zamtika soon caught up to Uma and Vex, who were resting inside an abandoned convenience store. "Hey, you're back... Why the worried looks?" Uma asked as he drunk a canned energy drink as Vex laid unconscious on the cold floor with a blanket.

"We should probably leave." Ven said as a loud crash was heard outside. A melancholic hum could be heard as something approached, the group moving to the back of the store to avoid what ever this new threat was. "Hush, now. The candy caned fun-time Meat feast extravaganza shall begin!" Two familiar voices said in unison, though not carrying any of their mannerisms of speaking. This was something new.

Uma peaked his head out to see what looked like... Wendy? Tophi? No, a pink skinned monster made of both flesh and candy. It had two large candy caned horns similar to Tophi's signature cane, it's hair had bits of ink in it, with a set of sharp teeth only being seen as it's mouth had taken up most of it's face. It wore Wendy's dress, stained in red, black and yellow liquorish laces, its animalistic hooves clopping against the ground as it turned to face a nearby building.

"So... Hungry..." It mumbled, reaching a claw out before stabbing it slightly with a single tap, transforming its walls to gingerbread and the decorations to meat slabs. It began to feast on the building, tearing it asunder as Uma motioned to the backdoor. "We need backup." 

The 4 of them silently left, with Tika carrying Vex over her shoulder. They decided to head back to Butchers and Sweets Emporium to think up a plan. They entered through the front and, Tika took Vex into Tophi's lair while Ven and Uma went into Wendy's office, searching for a phone. Despite being two of the most influential people in Pandora's Tears, the domain leaders were surprisingly rustic in their design schemes. 

They began searching her office, finding to be rather cold and bare, even making Uma shiver from the temperature, though Ven wasn't phased. Perks of being undead as he would put it. 

They soon found a remote to a large screen monitor and, with Tid-Bit's help, managed to make a call to someone that could help. "Wendy? Have you had your fill?" It was Panila, who upon seeing Ven, instantly changed gears. "Why are you here Rabbit. This is an official Domain line... Which means you're desperate."

Ven was about to speak, but was met by Panila shushing him. "I assume Wendy has fully lost control? Have Tophi use his cane and we'll detain her." She sighed, waving dismissively. Uma quickly spoke up with a cough to get her attention. "Tophi is... Dead. Along with Wendy."

Panila looked stunned, the sound of chains began to rattle in her office as she took a few deep breaths, seeming genuinely upset. "Explain." 

Ven and Uma began explaining what happened, her bangs revealing one of her piercing crimson eyes as they finished explaining. The chains on her walls stopped clanking once they were done as Panila took a deep breath. "I will see to this matter personally. And Rabbit... Just know... When I find you, I shall make you wish you were still dead." She hung up as Uma looked at Ven with a half hearted smile. "You really know how to piss off the wrong people, eh?"

He nervously laughed as Tid-Bit projected herself on screen. "It appears a powerful opponent is heading for us. And another signature is fast approaching from Detainment. In my opinion, we are-" 

Before Tid-Bit could finish, someone from behind turned off the monitor, the two turned back to see... Rat. "Sup?"

As they began walking back to Tophi's lair, Rat explained she had come to Devouring before the lockdown happened, going to say that she had a Business meeting with The two leaders over a brand deal. 

"So were you there when Wendy snapped? What happened?" Ven asked as they walked through the recording studio where Wendy snapped. He leaned against a table, Uma sitting next to him with the staggering size difference. "Well... Wendy was going on about how hungry she was before the show and Tophi gave her some meat... But for once, it didn't calm her down. It only made her more hungry." She said with a shrug, her tail pointing to a discarded piece of half eaten Jerky.

Tid-Bit scanned it, letting out a small laugh. "That's a piece of plastic laced with medication to cause extreme hunger. It seems Tophi poisoned her." Ven sighed, rubbing his head. "I guess Tophi wasn't that nice of a guy." 

But Uma looked sceptical. He had a profound knowledge of the inner workings of the Underbelly, and knew one thing for certain. Wendy and Tophi were two people who trusted each other with their lives. "I reckon it wasn't Tophi... But someone sabotaging her. Probably to undercut Panila's chosen few." He sighed, throwing a piece of chicken at the meat, knocking it away. 

"Well what's done is done. Now, how about we go find Tika and her little sidekick and we bail before Panila finds us?" Rat said as she began navigating her way to Tophi's hideout, pulling the lever to open the door. "Wait, you knew about Tika?"

"Yeah? Who do ya think hired her? Biz owed me a favour and I figured since you were already going after Devouring's sub-mind, you might as well get some help."

Ven looked dumbfounded, pointing his Heartbreaker at her. "So you knew she had my KID?!" 

Rat looked taken aback. "Kid? You have a kid? But you're dead? Unless... Oh Me. I-Is that Jackelope You and Tika's kid? I thought it was just a coincidence." She laughed, entering the hide out as Uma and Ven followed behind. 

After a few minutes of everyone catching each other up, Tid-Bit took control to raise the important question. "Wendy/Tophi will be here any moment, along with Panila. What should we do?"

Rat said she'd stay behind, not to help any but because she wanted to loot the place.

Uma and Tika said they were going to leave, as they needed to get Vex somewhere safe.

But Ven. Ven needed to get the sub-mind, and decided he was going to stay behind.

"Are you sure, Ven?" Tika asked with a small smile. "It wouldn't be the first time I've lived after near 0% chance of survival. And... I still owe you a drink." He smirked. Rat meanwhile, rolled her eyes. "Come on, that was so cheesy. You could be more, I dunno? Cool?" She snickered as Tika and Uma left out the back, beginning to weave through portals to get out of Devouring.

Ven and Rat stood outside, watching them off as they saw what looked like a slice through the air itself barely miss the 3. Rat let out a sigh, nudging Ven on the shoulder as she motioned to get on the roof. "Ya ready for a Mexican stand off?"

Ven shrugged as he jumped through his own portal, seeing the Wendy/Tophi hybrid slowly transforming buildings and the occasional person into food. "Lets hope I can make it outta this..." He mumbled as Panila had finally arrived, crashing down in front of the Emporium with a classy pose. Rat giggled to herself as she began readying herself for the free show.

"This will be fun."