Human Poachers - Part 3

As told, Tarot utilized his nimbus cloud to fly to the upper island and used the aerial view to search for Timothy and Chiaki.

Little did he know he wasn't anywhere near them. He used his spyglass to look at further distances but found nothing except the Sanctum City residents who were Seraphs.

"Yoo-hoo! Timmy! Chiaki! I see you!" he sang, "well... not actually, but I'll find you." He placed the spyglass on his back and relied on pure eyesight to view a larger area.

He found neither of them, "Are they not here?" he descended and landed in the middle of the street. "Ehh... Surely I'm not blind." He covered the top of his eyes not to get blinded by the sun and used his eyes like some scope.

He rotated his head and looked behind him, where a face appeared before him, "You! You're not from around here!" the man creaked as Tarot blinked in bewilderment, keeping a casual stance, "Guards! An outsider!" Tarot needed a few seconds to process, "Uh... want some peaches?" but eventually realized, "Catch him!"

"Ahh... crap."

The guards encircled him in no more than a few seconds.

"Gotta blast!" Tarot spun around, hoping he could flee the road but ended up getting intercepted by another group of guards, "Don't move!" Tarot reached behind his back, slamming his spyglass into the guard's head to send him flying through the air, hearing his distant screams.

"Man overboard!" another guard shouted but got greeted with the same faith. Upon pounding both guards, Tarot sprinted forward, extending his spyglass like a rod, and stamped one of the guards in the face.

He spun the spyglass in his arms, lifted it overhead, and smashed it into the ground, using it to propel himself above their heads, drawing their glances onto him, "Woo-hoo! Aerial Descend!" After springing in the air, he shortened the spyglass and dove into the guards, bashing their skulls with just enough force not to kill them.

"Catch that monkey!" Another guard yelled and pointed his spear at him. Tarot mocked them, pulling down his eyelid and wobbling his tongue, "Try if you can!" he laughed and rushed in the opposite direction.

-

The diamond man who captured Aurora walked through the cave, holding her on his shoulder, "Let go of me!" she hollered, struggling to escape his grip, "Quiet, girl. You're merely material." Aurora's eyes became dots as a question mark appeared over her head, "Material for what? I'm skin and bones!" she wondered, easing her struggles.

"I mean! I don't care, but let me go, you freak!" she pounded the man's back but didn't affect him even a little. "I'm not letting you go. Struggle all you like, old lady, but you're not getting off this shoulder." Aurora's eyes twitched from frustration, "Old?! If I had a face like yours, I'd sue my parents." The man flinched momentarily and looked at her, "Leave my face alone! I've done a great job smoothing it out. Do you see the diamond? This is exquisite." He rubbed his chin, proudly smiling and laughing.

"Some babies were dropped on their heads, but you were clearly thrown at a wall." Upon insulting him more, the man dropped tossed her off his shoulder, causing her to fall on her bottom. "Old lady. Do you see these muscles? You would never be able to become something so precious." He started posing and gleaming from the sparkling crystal coating his body.

Aurora observed him, bored, and slowly started to crawl back on her rear,

She figured something out.

"Oh, yeah. You're right. I think you look handsome. You did well, building all that muscle. I'd love to take you out for a dinner. I might even invite you home." The man of the diamond flushed, impressed, "Wow! You'd really do that?"

"Yup! Y-Yeah, definitely!" she claimed, slowly allowing some of her sweat to trickle down her brow, "If you want, I'll pay." The man of the diamond started becoming more entertained and cheerful, "Whoa! You're a perfect bride for our leader! You're so nice and considerate!" he scratched his hair, "I'm so grateful!" however, he froze and became silent and noticed the crystal on the ground he used to stab Aurora's shin.

He paused momentarily and witnessed Aurora disappear, spotting her jumping into a hole in the distance, "Gah!" he screamed, clutching his cheeks, "She got away! I got too obsessed with myself! Come back, bride!" he rushed after her, "My leader needs you!"

-

Aurora ran away from him, following the direction they came from, "I can't believe that worked." She grinned, "If you can't fight, compliment them." However, thinking she managed to escape the man, her eyes and mouth suddenly broadened, "Come back! Compliment me more!" Aurora's tongue slipped out from her mouth, slithering like a snake, "Ehh?! He's still after me!"

"Don't leave, princess! I want to be your friend!" the man called excitedly and ran after her with his arms outstretched and pink hearts radiating from his eyes, "You can't be serious! He fell for me?! That's not what I had in mind!" she started running faster, knowing she was followed, "Leave me alone, you fantasy creep!"

"Please, don't run from me! I won't hurt you, princess! Let me pull your hair!" Aurora's face turned purple, becoming sick, "Can someone please get this guy off me?! I'm about to puke!" she hopped over a rock and rushed downhill as the man slipped over it and began rolling down the slope like a boulder, "Sweet princess! Help me!"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! You're going to crush me like a snail!!" she screamed, closing her eyes and trying to run faster and hearing the man sing behind her, "I'm almost there..." Aurora noticed another tunnel leading in a different direction and quickly turned around, "Don't mind me! Just going off course a little!" she slipped in and spotted the diamond man speed even deeper into the underground, wailing, "No! Princess! Don't be afraid! I'll come right after-!" he crashed into the wall, causing the cave walls and ceilings to tremble.

She reached the end of the tunnel and vaulted into a different part of the cave, finding herself at a crossroads. "You can't be serious! How big is this cave?!"

"And my leg hurts..." she rubbed her wound, flinching, "I won't be able to run for much longer..." She started limping, hoping to find Kou or an exit.

To be continued...