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The crowd before the stage was sizeable. Not huge, but easily hitting around 200 at the least, kremlings of all shapes and sizes staring towards the well-lit stage. Despite his confidence, James was terrified, and he felt the pangs of stage fright grasping at his limbs to restrain them from moving at all. He cautiously eyed the dancer next to him, who looked back without turning his head and grinned pleasantly to reassure him. Then the music started. It was a classical cancan song, the perfect kind of song one would play for such a dance, but played in such a folksy dramatical way that it was almost ludicrous, in a good way. The moment the song started, the dancers went into action, lifting their legs in unison, James following the cue. He soon realised that once he started lifting his legs one at a time, back and forth with a whimsical flourish of his petticoat, it was actually helping more than being still and waiting for the cue. Once it began, he didn't stop. "Good work," murmured the dancer beside him through grinning teeth, "just follow my lead." The dancers at first were in a row of petticoats swishing back and forth, held by well-manicured claws to lift them up and give the boys a good view of what laid underneath, much to the rousing cheer as black bulging stockings lifted into the air again and again. James slowly got more into it, plus the fact he was wearing a mask made things easier for not being recognised as well, showing himself off as best as he could within the confines of his routine with little turns of the leg to tease the crowd further. Their eyes were a mixture of mirth and lust, and despite his mask being slightly out of place with the rest of the normal kremling dancers, nobody seemed to care enough. Eventually the routine flowed into something else, the dancers separating into rows of two facing each other, moving while dancing with the subtlest of hops which James followed suit, closer to the edge of the stage now but keeping his balance thankfully. His little leg turns were all the more obvious now, winking at the boys with every little glance of his bulge that made their own bulges throb eagerly. Of course there was security who made sure to keep anyone off the stage from trying to upset the show and molest the dancers.

The raptor smiled underneath his mask, grinning happily as he kept his pace, dancing in-line with everyone else using his natural sense of balance and agility, leg stretching upwards as far as the rest of them. He batted false eyelashes at the crowd, only making them even more lewdly raucous. A few of the dancers began to cartwheel in a specific cross-laying fashion, as well as a few other certain moves with such amazing flexibility, such as raising their leg to touch their backs or full-on splits. To a theatre critic, they would be considered as very well-planned and symmetrical. To James it just looked quite graceful to even be able to do such things in terribly flouncy dresses, and even if he was able to do half those moves, he certainly wasn't going to break from his routine or even attempt them while wearing a dress. Soon the dancers rejoined themselves into a row, this time facing away from the audience and exposing their fine scaly rears, rewarded with much whooping from the lads. They raised their petticoats with their tails straight up in the air, wagging them back and forth as a finale to the show's opening. When the music stopped, the dancers turned and bowed, before turning back once again to lift their asses fully with a wink. A standing ovation and a good start to the show was made, with James blushing horribly underneath his mask at how much he was loving this. Plus the dress was feeling more comfortable on him, though he wouldn't admit that. Eventually the curtain closed and the dancers could leave the stage, with James immediately taking off his dress as quickly as possible while Klein showered his group with praise. "Wonderful! Absolutely MAGNIFIQUE!" "Thanks Klein," said a fellow dancer, "we sure got the boys all riled up, and Rex here did pretty good as an end-row dancer." "Oh I saw everything, you did splendidly dear!" "Uhh th-thanks...c-can you get me out of this dress please?" "Oh of course, allow me." Klein helped lift the dress over his head, while James carefully slid off his stockings and skirt, before he hesitated with the mask and kept it on. He was given a soft damp handtowel to clean the rouge and lipstick off, peeling the eyelashes off. "Thanks...nnngh..." "So, how was yer first musical experience?" teased Kruz. "Kinda...fun actually." "Hah, really?" "Maybe if I wore stuff less..." "Girly?" "Yeah." "Hehehe, okay, you got what you need and we're ready to leave whenever ya want." "Sure lemme get dressed first." The raptor put on his pants and baldric once again, checking his scissors were in place before deciding to leave, exiting the theatre door with Kruz.

They decided to explore the carnival a little more before leaving, or rather James wanted to explore more, making his way towards a few tents out curiosity, weaving through the crowds with Kruz. The whole area made him feel rather excitable, wanting to check out everything. They went on the ferris wheel to see the whole island from above; rode the teacups until they were dizzy; and bumped on the dodgem cars. They took in all the sights and wonders of the place, despite one or two rather crazy accidents they witnessed due to some rather unsafe construction, for the sake of cheaper design. But while they were making their way towards the arcade cabinets, the raptor was suddenly grabbed on the shoulder by someone. He quickly replied. "Uhhh sorry, no autographs." "Don' worry...the captain's got enough of those." James tensed up at hearing such a phrase, and turned slowly around to see one of K. Rool's elites, large and muscular. He didn't remember his name, but he certainly remembered his face. He did his best however to play innocent. "R-really? So uh, what you want then-" "Don't play with me, lad. You really think a mask is gonna hide ye? 'specially if yer stupid enough to walk with yer scissors in public." ".....fuck." Realising the game was up, he slammed his foot down on the brute's and punched him square across the jaw while he hopped from the pain, throwing the mask off and running with Kruz, grabbing him by the hand to boost him forwards into a full-on sprint. The thug soon recovered, rubbing his jaw as he began the chase. James tried to shout to Kruz for directions. "Quick, tell me where to go!" "We gotta get somewhere high up!" "High up!?" "Follow me!" Kruz reversed his grip and grabbed the raptor's hand, dragging him instead towards the rollercoaster, barging past a small queue and barrelling into the attendee before jumping onto one of the skull-shaped carts and kicking the lever to send it on its way. The cart itself didn't even have a seat, the two forced to straddle upon it as they rattled away down the tracks, tenderly going upwards by some form of magnetic propulsion. James was already panicking at the fact this was the most unsafe carnival ride he'd ever seen, shouting: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" "WE GET TO THE TOP OF THIS PARK AN' JUMP OUT TOWARDS THE EXIT! THAT WAY WE AVOID EVERYONE AN' HEAD INTO THE SWAMP TOWARDS GLOOMY GULCH!" "SERIOUSLY!?!" "YOU GOT A BETTER IDEA!?" "GUESS NOT! LOOK OUT!" Coming up from behind them were their pursuers, other kremlings on other skull-shaped carts racing up to catch them were it not for the controlled speed of the rollercoaster, at least at some parts. They had no idea how to predict the speed, which seemed to randomise from slowing down to neckbreakingly fast. "KEEP AN EYE ON THE FRONT," shouted the raptor, "I'LL COVER US!"

He turned to face his foes with scissors at the ready, slashing at any who came close as they brought out their swords in turn. Thankfully most of them had little idea on how to fight James' scissors, when he could easily disarm them at a longer reach than their cutlasses and clubs. Twisting them out of their grip before either stabbing or decapitating them, blood spewed across the tracks and carts, spraying the fairground below. Yet they did not relent. Things only got more crazy when Kruz roared at James to jump, the raptor delaying for a second at hearing that right before turning to see the end of a track. Quickly turning full, they readily leaped forwards to another waiting cart, seemingly placed there to be ridden on by those quick and strong enough to jump the gap. Some but not all of their pursuers were as quick, the other carts tumbling off the rails with kremlings in tow screaming to their deaths. "YOU ALRIGHT!?!" "WHAT THE FUCK, WHY'S THERE A HOLE IN THE TRACKS!?!?" "PART OF THE RIDE REX, THEY DON'T CALL IT THE RIDE OF YER LIFE FER NOTHIN'!" Surprised at such a dangerous thing to exist, he kept his mind clear and ready for other enemies to come at them from other tracks, the carnival's fireworks lit up the sky with such splendorous luminescence, that they were temporarily blinded in awe at the combustible lights glittering off of the tents and attractions. Soon they found enemies ahead of them, looking behind themselves with a cruel grin. One small blue kremling wielded a lit TNT barrel, lifting it with surprising strength before readily throwing it straight at them. James and Kruz had no other option but to jump forwards under the barrel, kicking the midget straight off of his ride and taking his instead, his scream fading with the explosion behind them that began to split the track they were riding on, making it start to lean with a heavy shuddering groan. The track's supports slightly wavered but not enough to go down, even if it did frighten the two escapees as well as their enemies who leapt for other stationary carts and rode onwards. They dared to either leap and assault the two, or throw barrels from a distance, neither of which did any good against James' mighty scissors that either slammed barrels away or cleaved leaping enemies in two, gutting them to splatter across the tracks with a heavy meaty thud. Despite his best, they were eventually assaulted upon by one heavy jumper, forced to abandon their ride by leaping to a nearby maintenance shack and running along the boardwalk to the side towards another cart left in place. "HOW LONG IS THIS GODDAMN TRACK!?" "DON' WORRY REX, WE'RE ALMOST THERE, WE JUST GOTTA TURN THE BEND AT THOSE BRAMBLS OVER THERE!" Sure enough, at the other side of the rollercoaster track in the distance, was a tremendously large bramble thicket, positioned near the funfair's exit. "WE CLIMB DOWN THROUGH THAT AN' OUT OF HERE!" "OKAY!"

Riding the next cart, they kept an eye out for any other straggling pursuers left to handle them from behind, but only to find that the track they were on was a particular maintenance ride that went alongside the main track itself, easily coming up alongside the ones who forced them off earlier. James was ready this time, and leapt behind them before they could even see him coming, slamming their heads hard on the skull before shoving them off, shouting out to Kruz: "NO TICKET!" His friend cackled before they readily moved forwards on individual carts, Kruz distracting his foes while James leapt across tracks to throw, disarm or just beat the shit out of K. Rool's minions. He only failed to do so once when a particularly vicious kremling with fast reflexes punched him off balance, and nearly made him fall, the raptor grabbing his attacker and pulling himself back towards him. In turn, he spun him off the cart to slam downwards against the firm wooden structures supporting them. Eventually Kruz beckoned James on a cart closer to him, and pointed towards the bramble thicket coming up soon. With a nod, he did just that, joining back with him as they braced themselves, his kremling friend roaring: "JUMP WHEN I SAY, OKAY!?!?" He nodded shakily, knowing he had only one chance to jump with him. Waiting for the right time, wanting it to come now, too excited to wait any longer, knowing how the wait was the worst part of anything, tensing up as he saw the thorns turn bigger and bigger as they readily approached the thicket upon a rattling rickety rollercoaste- "JUMP!" And with that, James leapt like a spring with Kruz off from a turning corner of the track, rolling into a boardwalk built within the thorny enclosure, panting with shaky breaths together. James was shaking from the thrill of the ride and making the jump. Kruz was shaking from the pain of his rib resurging due to the physical activity he'd been through. "HAH! We made it! We actually fucking made that jump, hell yeah! ...Kruz, you okay!?" "Y-yeah, s'nothin' bro. Just the rib didn' like me jumpin' all over the place, hehe." "Damn...maybe we should rest." "I'm good, don' worry, come on." With concern for his friend, he followed him through the brambles, which had a more solid pathway than the last thicket they went through, less barrel-blasting and more boardwalk-hopping. The thorns however were just as lethal in the darkened lights of the fairground.

The going was tough due to Kruz slowing down from his injuries, but James was patient, wanting him to take his time and carefully navigate through the thorn-encrusted vines, jumping from plankway to plankway. With each leap they made, it became more taxing on the hook-handed kremling, as he had to stop to let his body rest a little every time. As much as James knew he needed Kruz to navigate through the rest of the island, he was worried that he would collapse before they'd even reach K. Rool's Keep. But the kremling didn't complain, sucking it up and walking onwards with a strong gait, leading his friend through thick and thin brambles. Even with the riskiest of leaps inbetween them, his rigging skills were unperturbed by his weakened body somehow. James respected that, but with a begrudging admittance of sharing such stubbornness only to himself. The downwards passage through the stickerbrush felt longer than back in the swamp, mainly due to the fact they were using their feet rather than barrels, even if a few had been placed here or there for safer passage. But it did nothing to deter them as they made their way towards Kremland's glittering exit, the resplendent image of a kremling's upper body crowned by the thorns. Soon they finally managed to climb down the model, off of the sign, and sneak away into the night towards the marsh, much to Kruz's relief. "Phew, finally glad to get out of there huh?" "Yeaaaaah, it wasn't that fun after all right?" "Right. Now, we gotta head through the swamp, then past the other buncha hornet hives, and we'll be in Gloomy Gulch." "Sounds...cheerful." "Heh, well, it's got atmosphere fer sure."

They walked onwards after Kruz recovered enough to do so, resting at the edge of the swamp with a makeshift camp, using a few of their supplies with the night cloaking them from any enemies potentially chasing them. The swamp itself was darker than Krem Quary to James, and not just because of the time of day, but more for the fact that it was rather small and more above sea level. A more freshwater marsh to him should be more thriving with life, but instead it felt more dead than the galleon-laden polluted mire of before. Nevertheless it was their objective to navigate through it, and they would do just that, crossing slime-encrusted boardwalks and uncomfortably soggy moss-covered banks. James' thoughts of the swamp being more full of life were balanced out by the fact that giant catskills grew here, long thin stalks growing from the water, taller than the two put together with sausage-like tips. Kruz however assured him that they were useful as they leapt onto the stalks and swung between them like vines from bank to bank, the going rather easy for the two much to Kruz's delight, even if he did not show it out of convenience for the sake of his friend's concerns. More wasps and dragonflies as well as kremling guards were along the way, but they were either avoided or taken care of quietly, traversing the bog as carefully as possible. Somewhere along the exiting pathway towards the wasp hives however, came an unavoidable encounter. As they approached the exit, they reached further towards a forested moss-covered area that made the surrounding swampwater a little darker from its cover. The trees around them were apparently remnants of the main forest, further along and upwards of the island before the development of Kremland according to Kruz. Then they heard a rustling. Most times they would ignore this, but Kruz stopped still all of a sudden, making James almost bump into him. "Hey, why'd ya stop?" "Did you hear that?" murmured the kremling with the air of suspicion. "That rustling? Probably those wasp things or something, come on." "No. There wasn't any buzzing." "Then it's the wind." "Do you feel a breeze?" James tried to test the air by licking his hand and raising it. Indeed, there was not a single breeze. "...huh...no." "That's cuz this place is too sheltered fer wind." "So what is i-" Suddenly, a sound whistled through the air, very close to them. It took James a minute to realise he had been shot at, with something scraping along his arm hard enough to make it bleed. "AAAARGH!" "REX!"

Kruz rushed to his friend's side, only to be shot at in turn, crying out and nearly collapsing. He looked down to see a crossbow bolt buried into his right thigh. They were soon set upon by one or two more bolts trying to impale them, desperately avoid them, the raptor confused and terrified. In the midst of the swamp between carnival and hornet hives, was a hunter. "Wh-what's going on!?" "...oh shit." Kruz murmured this and made James come closer. "Okay...I think I know who it is." "Wh-what!? Who!?!" "Just...do exactly as I tell ya, and we'll be alright." "B-but who IS thi-" "JUMP!" Without even thinking, he jumped with Kruz and avoided another bolt or two, rolling to one side before separating from his friend, the two standing together on their own. They stood in clear view of each other despite their wounds as James shouted: "WHOEVER'S SHOOTIN' AT US, COME ON OUT!" "Rex, shut it!" Kruz stood boldly defiant to the trees, keeping his eyes and ears open for any and all disturbances, his reflexes honed by years of rigging. "I know who you are...you came here to hunt us down? I know the captain doesn't want us alive, but you wanna give us a chance to hear our side?" A crossbow bolt shot towards his head, but he dodged thankfully, hearing a rustle that made him roll away. The raptor was panicking with no idea on how to deal with this illusory hunter. "That's a no then. Fine. But yer gonna run out of bolts before you even get to kill us, then you gotta fight us. You wanna risk that?" A yes came this time in the form of another bolt that aimed towards James, who had brought out his scissors and deflected it as best as he could, despite being scarred along the hand. The two backed up towards each other, making a double-sweep of the area, alert to any and all disturbances around them, slowly circling with their backs against each other. Not a single word was exchanged between them, blades out as they waited for the bolts. They waited for the hunter's shot, a rustling here or there making them flinch, steeling their nerve as best as they could. A bolt would fly towards them, either riskily deflected or narrowly avoided. Eventually the hunter would get clever after the first three shots didn't get through, by aiming one bolt to make the two disperse, before firing another one towards their most predictable direction. It was unfortunate for James when he got one in the back, nearly hitting his lung.

Now they had to be careful where they landed, always mixing up their pattern everytime they moved despite their wounds tiring them out, bleeding tenderly onto the ground. They avoided as best as they could until the hunter had no more bolts left. They knew it would come eventually, even if they were starting to tire out. Then Kruz realised something. This only went further into the hunter's plans. With his prey weakened, he could easily dispatch them. But a cornered prey can still fight. "What now!?" shouted Kruz defiantly with heavy breaths after no more shots were fired. "You got no more bolts do ya!?!? You wanna come down an' fight us now like a REAL hunter!?!" "Gladly." Jumping down from a tree unto the mossy bank, was a familiar-looking kremling. James had to dig into his memory to remember him, despite the waist punctured with bitemarks, and a prosthetic iron left hand while wielding a harpoon in the other. The raptor was rather shocked to see him again. "K-...Keen?" "Didn' I tell ya I been huntin' fer years boy? Guess ya thought it was just fish I hunted huh?" "Wh-...l-listen, you were with us on the ship, you KNOW what happened!" "Oh I know perfectly well what happened on the ship, Rex. The fact you know about it an' snooped around in the hold with yer fuckbuddy means that there's a bounty on yer heads." "But K. Rool sunk the damn-" "Rex." Kruz interjected when his friend didn't quite understand the situation. "He's being paid by K. Rool to kill us." "Wha..." "Yer friend's right." "But why!?! Money's that important that you'll ignore the truth!?" "HAH, I know the truth boy, I'm one of his elites after all." "Wha-no you're not, you weren't with any of them!" "A hunter never shows himself. Never had to attend, always given orders. Checkin' fer mutiny, huntin' fer the troublesome ones to put down. Like Kross. Like Koin and Kantz from the scoutin' party. Like you two, fer tryin' to kill yer superior an' scupper our plans." "What plans!? What the hell does K. Rool want from all this!?" "Purity. Sumthin' you'll never be part o-" In the midst of this speech, James charged forwards to attack Keen, who deflected swiftly with his harpoon and kicked him back, trying to slash him with his iron claws only to clang against scissors. Despite his wounds, James kept his stance strong, defending and trying to pull the harpoon from Keen by pincering it between his blades. But Keen merely twirled his harpoon fast like a baton to twist the scissors out of the raptor's grip, and punched him hard across the face, his claws scratching hard.

Kruz stepped in to defend him, leaping with his cutlass in the air and striking across the chest only to be countered by the iron fist gripping his blade. He was soon pulled forwards and kicked in the stomach, shoving him backwards with spear ready to plunge downwards. But it bought enough time for James to get up and leap onto the hunter's back, not even going for his scissors but instead for a full-on vicious mauling. He slammed Keen down and scratched his back all over, violently biting his neck with steak-knife teeth. A primal memory surged deep inside of him with ferocity. The raptor went into full-on fury, slashing and striking, biting and tearing, his claws more developed than a crocodile's to more easily rend flesh. He tried to rip at Keen's jugular with screaming rage, before Keen rolled over and elbowed him in the jaw, trying to get up. However, James' claws had dug into his shoulders deep, pulling him back down and furiously biting the back of the neck once more, the kremling roaring as blood oozed from various wounds all over onto the raptor. Eventually he found enough strength to roll over several times and kick James hard in the crotch, making him whimper and lessen his assault enough to lose his grip, the hunter standing up bedraggled. Kruz was waiting to stab him from behind, but Keen had seen him moving around and swung his harpoon around himself in a spinning attack, knocking down both ex-riggers. The two tried to get up together, but were now kept fully down by their opponent. His harpoon was trained upon James, the raptor's claws wrapped under the tip in a futile attempt to hold it back. "One of ya moves, the other gets it in the throat."

With that ultimatum they had no idea what to do. Keen was clearly wounded from James' beastly attack, but he did not falter. Blood seeped out everywhere, his breaths heavy with exertion, his grip a little shaky on the spear. "Heh...yer a dirty fighter Rex. I admire that." "No such thing as a...clean fight, right?" "Right...shame. We had big plans fer you if you'd been more obedient to yer master." But James wasn't listening. He was too busy wondering about how he wanted to burn this entire island down, how he wanted to just murder this smug bastard and his arrogant fatass captain, to torch and slaughter Keen with his entire crew. James always did enjoy the idea of burning his enemies for how agonising it must feel, remembering how burns felt from a few accidents he'd had in his life. As he focused upon his ideas for revenge, gazing into the hunter's eyes, he felt a heat rising within his hands, barely registering it. He thought unconsciously that it was the steel warming up in his claws, tightly grasping underneath that cold terrible pointed tip readily aiming for his throat. At that moment, Keen looked down with something approaching surprise at the sight of steam coming from his spear, accompanied by an alien warmth travelling up the pole, spreading slowly in a darkening colour. "What the..." In his haste he wrenched the spear from James' claws to investigate, only to be blindsided by Kruz rolling over to slam into his flank. The former rigger brought out his cutlass to swiftly skewer Keen in the chest, plunging like a dagger and dragging it downwards, carving his chest in two. The hunter roared with surprised agony as his heart was cleaved in the process, his iron claws grasped tightly in their death grip around the harpoon just below the spearhead. His eyes gazed with shock at Kruz standing over him with heavy breaths, sputtering his last groans before he succumbed to death. "There...finally." James got up slowly, rather surprised they had managed to kill Keen off-guard. "He...had us and-" "What matters is he's dead." "What was his problem?" "Bein' K. Rool's personal watchdog." "No I mean with his spear, what was wrong with it?" "Some kinda steam was comin' out of it...I dunno...and I don' wanna open up his cold dead fingers to find out." "Well...now what?" "Now we head off to Gloomy Gulch, after we deal with these wounds." They pushed Keen's corpse into the swampwater, never to be found again before they made camp to heal up their wounds. They extricated the bolts from James' back and Kruz's thigh before patching each other up with some proper salves and bandages, resting their wounded selves before they made their way out of Kremland's vicinity. Through the hornet hives, the Zingers were oblivious enough to the kremling's inner politics to allow the two reptiles free passage. James wanted to question why Keen hesitated, but he didn't care enough to persuade Kruz not to have disposed of the body. Instead, he decided to focus his energy on healing up and heading out, ever closer towards K. Rool's Keep.