[GrayGriffin]

Oath hummed softly to himself as he worked on the blade in front of him. It was an upgrade to his partner's current set, one with slightly jagged edges that would hopefully be able to cut even deeper.

Suddenly, the window opened, and A. Joe flew in, followed by the Quicksylph.

"Hey Joe!" called Oath. "Look at this! I'm making you a better pair-"

"I don't want it," growled Joe.

"You-you what?"

[11, 26, 16]

[GrayGriffin]

"I said, I don't want it," repeated Joe, flying up to look Oath in the eye. The Chimerantula took a step back-sure, he was way larger than his partner, but he had seen the Lunafly tear a man's head off with those blades. Okay, to be fair, it hadn't been torn all the way off. Still, he didn't want to get on the butterfly creature's bad side.

"Oh. Um, is it too heavy or something? I put it on a scale, and it weighs almost the same as your current pair..."

"I'm dropping out of the business," said Joe. "I've been thinking about it, ever since she showed up!" He pointed an antenna at the Quicksylph, who sat on the sidelines and watched.

"So...you want to get rid of her?" asked Oath, his voice dropping to a whisper.

[12, 27, 17]

[GrayGriffin]

"What? NO!" exclaimed A. Joe, his voice rising several pitches in octave. "This isn't code or anything! I. WANT. OUT." There was a pause, and then he wriggled slightly, before dropping both blades on the ground, where they clattered at Oath's feet. The Chimerantula looked up in shock.

"You-but-why? Aren't we a team? This-this is a betrayal?" Oath's voice, at first hurt, turned into a hiss. Joe paused, and the Quicksylph flew in.

"Yes! Yes, this is a betrayal. A betrayal of your murdering, corrupting ways!" Oath snarled, and raised a claw. Slowly, the ground of the garage began to crack.

[13, 28, 18]

[GrayGriffin]

"Watch out!" called Joe, immediately flying upwards. The Quicksylph followed him, both of them landing on the blades of the garage's ceiling fan. The concrete continued to crack, and finally shattered, large vines shooting up and grabbing at them. Both of them took off, and the vines followed, but not fast enough to catch them.

"Glad I'm not you right now, Oath!" hissed Joe. He had dropped his blades, but he still had a natural trick up his sleeves. He focused, and then flapped his wings once, hard. A blast of sonic waves shot right through the vines, hitting the Chimerantula right in the face. His claws, which had been dancing about, manipulating the vines, slipped, and one of them smacked himself in the face. The vines, obeying his command, rushed forwards, binding him tightly in his own trap.

[14, 24, 19]

[GrayGriffin]

"Ungh..." groaned Oath, his eyes still spinning wildly.

"That will last for a while," commented A. Joe, landing on the table to stare at him.

"A non-violent solution. I didn't know you had it in you," added the Quicksylph, landing next to him.

"I dropped my blades! What else was I supposed to do?" he replied. She shrugged.

"Still, you didn't even try to go for them. You probably could have gotten them."

"He's still my partner. We were partners for years."

"I know," she sighed. "I know."

[15, 30, 20]

[GrayGriffin]

The two of them continued to perch there, and stare, and wait for Oath's eyes to clear. Slowly, the Chimerantula blinked, and then glared at them.

"Do you think that will save you? Now that I am free from that confusion, I can easily manipulate these vines once more!" He attempted to raise a blade, then frowned. It was pinned too tight. All his limbs were pinned too tight. He snarled again.

"Curse you! Curse you, Quicksylph, for turning him against me!"

"She only made me what I was supposed to be," replied A. Joe softly.

[16, 31, 21]

[GrayGriffin]

"What you're 'supposed to be'? You're supposed to be my partner!" exclaimed Oath. "We've worked together for how long, and now she shows up and ruins everything!"

"You know she was my friend long before you were!" snapped Joe. "Before I was a Lunafly, even! Back when...back when I was still human. And the bond between us persisted between lives! Compared to that, our partnership is but a blip in time!"

There was a long pause. All three of them stared at each other, the tension thick in the air.

[17, 32, 22]

[GrayGriffin]

"Weren't you something before you became a killer?" pleaded the Quicksylph. She fluttered somewhat closer to pick up the blades, placing them next to A. Joe. "Look at the workmanship on these! They're functional yet unbelievably delicate. You could turn your talent to being something so much better!"

"Don't try to flatter me," growled Oath. "It's too late for me! If you want to throw this life away, Joe, I don't care! Go ahead, be whatever you were meant to be!"

"No," said Joe.

"No?" both the Quicksylph and Oath asked at the same time.

[18, 33, 23]

[GrayGriffin]

"No, Oath, I'm not just going to leave." A. Joe stared at the blades for a while, before sliding them back on. They still fit perfectly. "Look at this. We have a synergy, you and I. We could rebuild ourselves. I...I don't want to waste this second chance. But part of my second chance was meeting you. If you won't come with us, then...then I haven't used my second chance wisely."

The Quicksylph nodded, pleased at his words. I knew your connection was more than just partnership, she thought. Out loud, she said, "I don't care what you've done in the past, Oath, as long as you are willing to change in the future. You can be something better! I can see it!"

"As you saw it for Joe?"

"And was I wrong?"

[19, 34, 24]

[GrayGriffin]

"No, you weren't!" added Joe. He rubbed one of his antennae against her shoulder pleasantly. Had he still had a face, you would have seen him smiling. The Quicksylph nodded.

"No matter how far you think you've fallen, you can always pick yourself back up." There was a pause, as she fluttered closer, to look Oath in the eye. "Please, don't squander this chance. A. Joe really considers you a friend, and if he won't leave you behind, then I won't."

"So you're only willing to try and help me because of him, eh?" chuckled the Chimerantula darkly.

"What-no! I believe everyone always has a second chance! I don't want to leave you here, alone, while we leave for somewhere else. I want us all three to continue to be a group together, doing something better for the world."

[20, 35, 25]

[GrayGriffin]

"You talk so pretty," laughed Oath. "I wonder how much your pretty words can hold up here, in these Slums."

"We don't have to stay here," she replied. "There are plenty of places that are much better. This place is darkness. Both of you have been away from the light for too long."

"Hey-hey wait, Quicksylph!" objected A. Joe. "This place is our home, you know! We both grew up here! Are you seriously suggesting that we just abandon it?"

"Besides, I thought you wanted to give people second chances?" growled Oath. "How are you going to do that if you just turn around and leave this place?"

[21, 36, 26]

[GrayGriffin]

"It's poisonous," she whispered softly.

"So am I," snickered Oath, slowly shifting in the grip of the vines. "Poison begets poison, death begets death. Isn't that how it always goes? I belong here, and so does he."

"It's-it's true," added Joe. "No matter what, this place will always be a part of me. It will always be my home. We can't just leave it behind. It's...it's not a bad place, you know, Quicksylph."

She crossed her arms thoughtfully.

[22, 37, 27]

[GrayGriffin]

"Very well then," she said at last. "We will stay here, for a while at least. And we will see what comes afterwards. But if either of you start to fall too quickly, I will take you from here, by force if need be."

"What makes you think I don't want to keep falling?" snarled Oath. "Oh, I'll tolerate you staying here with Joe, and I guess I'll tolerate him not taking assignments anymore. But I still want to do what I was meant to do."

"There are other things your talent can be used for," she replied. "Don't think in such negative terms, please!"

"It's not negative. It's called being a realist," he said darkly.

A. Joe just hovered there, worried. Finally, after a pause, he spoke up.

[23, 38, 28]

[GrayGriffin]

"I don't want to see you guys split like this!" he gasped. "Please, you're both my friends! In one life or the other, I've cared for both of you, and I still do! Don't-please, don't throw away our friendship. Oath, can't you accept her terms for my sake? And Quicksylph, can't you accept his actions for my sake?"

The two of them stared at each other for a while longer, before turning to A. Joe and nodding. Just nodding.

"Fine then. Let it be a test," snarled Oath, finally cutting free from the last of his vines.

"And we will see what happens," added the Quicksylph.

[GrayGriffin]

"First of all, we should clean up this place," she added, looking around at the aftermath of their battle. It was devastating. "Seriously, you damaged the floor pretty well."

"I've never tried using this ability indoors until now," added Oath. "Well, do you know where we can get some concrete?"

"Are you kidding me?" asked A. Joe. "This is the Slums. They sell concrete almost everywhere." He noticed the Quicksylph's stare. "Because...because the buildings are always more damaged, of course."

"Yeah, exactly. I'll go get it," added Oath, skittering out the door. "Why don't you two deal with those vines?"

"No problem!" called A. Joe. "Let's get started, Quicksylph."

If she had a face, she would have smiled.

It was, hopefully, the start of a new life for all of them.

[25, 40, 30]