Hired Muscle [Skald & Herald]

The factory was large and loud, and it worked like a well-oiled machine. Everyone had a task to do. Everyone, including Birdie. She just didn't know it yet. The moment she opened the doors, a Spadamon locked eyes with her and motioned toward a set of stairs near the back of the facility. No words were exchanged, and for that reason alone, Birdie was convinced that there had been some misunderstanding. Herald must have been expecting someone else and had told their staff to keep an eye out. "I saw this flyer," Birdie said while unfurling the job request. She showed it to the Spadamon and the worker merely pointed to the stairway once again. It didn't seem to matter how or why she was here; the Spadamon knew that strangers who entered the building were here for one thing.

Birdie made a face and headed to the stairs. At the top was an office door. The only thing she could make out through the small, sqaure window was a set of sangria horns. Still determined, Birdie reached for the doorknob, fully intent on letting herself in without knocking and being given permission first. Before her claws could touch the handle, the door opened on its own. A Beezlemon, apparently named "Hunter," walked past her with a huff and a side-eye, and Birdie made no attempt to move out of his way. Even though she was small and a rookie, she still stood her ground and refused to back down, even just to let a Digimon pass easier.

Birdie didn't bother watching the Beezlemon leave; instead, her attention remained fixated on the Digimon who remained in the room, a demonic goat creature unlike anything Birdie had ever seen before. This must have been Herald, and Herald must have been a virus type. It was the only explanation for the negative energy that pulsated and oozed off the stranger's body. Instinctively, Birdie dared not step closer, and yet... something enticed her forward. The power. The control. The poise. Birdie was envious of it all, and she gave in when the virus Digimon gently motioned her closer. Birdie walked inside the room with a look of awe and admiration on her face.

What exactly was she getting herself into?

Birdie was hesitant to take a seat, but when the door closed behind her, she knew there was no turning back. Still, she remained standing, her tense posture revealing how apprehensive she was about the whole situation. And yet, some of the stiffness faded away when Herald began to speak, referring to the Biyomon as "friend" and "falcon." Birdie cocked her head slightly, taken off guard by the kind words and flattery. She was so used to the crude language of 'mon living in the back alleys of Old Terminus. This was new and unexpected.

None of Herald's words struck Birdie as intensely as the phrase "dear princess." It felt like deju vu. A memory, maybe. The room swayed and her head grew light. The corners of her vision grew darker and began to close in. What was this? Birdie blinked her eyes and grabbed the arm of the nearby chair in an attempt to catch her balance. It took only seconds for her to regain her composure, but even when the dizziness had past, she still didn't feel one-hundred percent. Her heart was beating and her face felt warm. Was she... blushing? This feeling of flattery and bliss was admittedly pleasant, but it also made Birdie feel vulnerable. And vulnerability made her mad. For the first time since she'd entered the room, Birdie's eyes narrowed into a dissatisfied, somewhat irritated scowl.

"I'm here about this," she said finally, a hint of hostility in her voice. She held up the flyer and pointed a crimson nail at the text written on it. "I need work. And money." Birdie had no idea what Herald meant when she spoke about her brother's packages, and the comment about doing something "extravagant" was too vague for the Biyomon to understand fully. "I can deliver your packages or whatever, if that's what you need, but I was looking for something a bit more..." her voice wandered as she tried to find the word to use. "Brutal? Violent? You know what I mean? D'you need a bouncer, escort, or something?" It was clear that Birdie had no idea what jobs Herald was looking to fill, but she held out hope. Business owners didn't hold secret back-room meetings with a Beezlemon unless shady happenings were going down.

Birdie allowed Herald to take the flyer from her claws and study it over. While the paper had listed a series of jobs that the virus Digimon needed accomplished, there had been no telling which were still available and what certain tasks entailed. Not that her uncertainly mattered either way; she still had to meet Herald in person for the... interview? Is that what this was? An interview? Birdie eyed the goat creature in front of her, not daring to move or shift her gaze elsewhere. She was still on edge--any rookie walking into a closed room with such a fearsome beast would be--but something kept her around, and it wasn't just the idea of a job. The flattery and the promise of status, maybe.

With a chuckle and a grin, Herald leaned forward and said that she had what Birdie was seeking, an "opportunity for violence and money." A subtle smirk graced the Biyomon's beak before vanishing again the very moment the Heramon said she required a few things. And that word. "Princess." The dizziness. Vertigo. Birdie winced but did her best to shake the feeling. She'd experienced this same sensation before, but it'd been a long time ago. There was no explaining it or why she was feeling it again now. All she could do was act like nothing was wrong and deal with it later. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to focus her vision, and when she did, she noticed Herald motioning toward the seat that she was still propped up against.

It was a bad idea to take the seat, but Birdie needed to sit before she fell over. With a huff of irritation, she did as she had been silently instructed to do. Once she was situated in the chair, the goat creature proceeded to explain what she needed from Birdie. They were vague requests for her consistent time and patience, but the deliberate omission of "loyalty" was what really piqued the Biyomon's interest. Loyalty was akin to servitude, and she wouldn't be caught dead working under someone... long-term, that is. Temporary alliances were necessary to survive in this world. She could spare some of her time and energy to work for Herald.

"I dunno about patience," Birdie said with a coy smile, "But I've got plenty of time to spare." Plenty of time, provided Unica stayed out of the picture and bounty hunters from the Eastern Timberlands didn't come after her, but she didn't need to mention any of that. At least not at the moment. After all, she was trying to sell herself to an employer, so she needed to look as appealing as possible; nevermind the fact that she had already admitted to being impatient and hard-headed. She certainly wasn't known for her charm, eloquence, or sensibility. Then again, maybe that's exactly what made her such an attractive candidate. Many folks didn't find her small, bright pink, and feathery appearance intimidating at first glance, which was perhaps why her crude demeanor was so effective. No one suspected that such a fluffy ball of cuteness could be filled with so much hatred and violence.

As Birdie spoke, Herald stood, grabbed her glass of wine, and stepped around the desk to get closer to the Biyomon. However, when she reached out to cup the underside of Birdie's beak, the pink-and-blue avian  leaned away... She leaned, but didn't make any effort to get off the chair. It was an instinctual reaction, embedded in Birdie since her youth. Don't let anyone touch you. Don't let anyone get close enough to take you off guard. At the same time, she didn't feel like she was in any immediate danger. Nothing indicated that Herald was going to harm her. She needed to calm down. Recoiling like that would only make her look weak and frail. And so, if Herald had continued reaching for Birdie's chin or had tried again, there would've been no fight.

Until the word "queen" was spoken. Birdie's eyes grew wide and her heart raced so fast that it ached. She flapped her wings and stumbled out of the chair, no longer listening to anything Herald had to say. Images of a dark wasteland flashed in her head, each vision feeling like a punch to the skull. Her temples throbbed and she gripped her head in agony. All she could see were Black PawnChessmon being killed in clouds of data. The walls of a castle. They were ornate and towering. And a Cerberumon standing a short distance away from her, merely staring. As her eyes focused on the figure, the stone castle walls melted away and were replaced by the walls of Herald's office, and the Cerberumon slowly shifted and in its place stood Herald herself.

"Ah... I-" Birdie began, wincing as her head throbbed again. "I dunno what that was," she muttered. "Queen," she whispered under her breath in an attempt to test out the word for herself. However, nothing happened. Maybe someone else needed to say the word for it to trigger her, or maybe the word no longer held any power... Or maybe Herald had done something. Either way, the pain and dizziness were slowly subsiding and the strange visions had since faded. With an annoyed groan, Birdie pushed herself back up onto her feet, though she didn't move again after that. She had no idea if her episode had destroyed any chance of working with Herald, but if it hadn't, she needed to do something fast. "I don't know what that was," she repeated. "That's never happened before." She swallowed hard.

When asked for her name, the Biyomon offered it with some hesitation. "Birdie," she said after some time. It was the name her young tamer had given her when they first met, so it stood to reason that she would've dropped such a childish title the moment she abandoned the girl. And yet, something about the name felt right. She was no longer just a Biyomon or just a rookie, she was Birdie. An individual with her own thoughts, hopes, and dreams. She could have come up with a new name, one that was more intimidating that "Birdie," but she felt some connection to the one Unica had chosen for her. It was difficult for her to explain, but she was willing to fight anyone who dared make fun of her name or criticize her for it.

The mood of the conversation shifted after Birdie's episode, but Herald was still willing to give her a chance to prove herself. The goat creature explained that the Biyomon's adverse reaction to "queen"-related pet names changed nothing and that she was still willing to provide work if Birdie signed a blood contract. The avian's feathers ruffled upon hearing this. Blood? Contract? Was she still experiencing a hallucination of some kind, or was this really happening? Herald was full of mystery and allure, speaking of data-based contracts, digital magic, and "rabbit holes." This was not what Birdie had been expecting. She was looking to scare a competing newpaper company, defend Digimon as they transported goods, or help move some equipment around. Anything more than that rang mental alarm bells.

Birdie wasn't going to be persuaded so easily, and she made this fact known by what she said next. "I don't think so. You've been real dodgy about everything. Tell me what I'll be doing and what's up with the contract, huh." There was a brief pause before she hurriedly added, "And the pay. Half up front, half after the deed is done. What do you say?" She'd found her voice and her confidence, but how Herald would react to Birdie taking over the conversation with inquiries of her own remained to be seen. The questions made logical sense--she was entitled to know what exactly she was getting herself into--but coming off so strong to such a sketchy individual may have been a fatal mistake.

The more Herald tried to hide, the more Birdie learned. Herald was looking for contractual workers, and contractual work meant that her tasks ranged. Birdie would be nothing more than a body for hire, not for a single task but instead for a multitude of purposes. There was no way to quantify the work, as the work had yet to be decided upon. The best way for Birdie to think about it was to assume that there was no job yet, but by signing this contract, she would be considered for any jobs that may arise in the future. Strange that there was a contract involved for such open-ended work, but if Birdie was in Herald's position, she might have done the same thing. As a direct result, it made sense why no specific income price had been stated on the poster. It probably ranged depending on the job.

When Birdie entered the room, she had assumed that Herald would examine her skill set and assign her to one of the tasks listed on the poster from the alleyway. And yet, it seemed more involved than all of that. The poster wasn't promoting a single job, it was advertising all of them as a bundle package. If a Digimon was ready and willing to tackle all of the tasks on the list then they should visit Herald and enter into a contract with her, and only then would they be given a job to do. The pieces of the puzzle were finally snapping into place. It was a tempting idea, having guaranteed work with such a force to be reckoned with, but that also meant that she'd be working under someone.

Birdie eyed the contract again as the Heramon let her in on a job going down that very evening. A trade deal. Herald needed someone to go with her and pose a threat. Said somebody needed to be an unknown player in the field, and they needed to be anonymous. And if Birdie signed the contract then she could that person. She cocked an eyebrow and looked back up at the virus Digimon. If only Herald knew how infamous she was in the Eastern Timberlands... but Birdie kept her mouth shut as the demonic goat fetched a large bag of Bits from a drawer in her desk. Birdie's eyes grew wide and began to shimmer with greedy hunger.

She was quite alright with being in financial ruin most of the time. She lived in an abandoned building in a long-forgotten part of the city, she survived off of scraps and what she could find while scourging, and she stole more than she actually purchased. But in this world, money tended to mean power and influence, and that fact was what Birdie was truly drawn to. She stared at the money for a long while before looking up and meeting Herald's gaze again. She couldn't help smiling at the "Hunter" pet-name, but the smile quickly subsided when the Heramon spoke of how easy it would be to replace her. Herald didn't want to, or so she claimed. She wanted Birdie to be by her side, but if Birdie refused then it was no real loss either.

Birdie could tell what Herald was trying to do. She wanted Digimon to follow her--she needed Digimon to follow her--but she wanted to make it seem as though she had everything under control. She did have far more physical power and social sway than Birdie did, but she was far from being the top dog of the city. The Biyomon smirked at this realization. She'd found a chink in Herald's armor, or so she thought... but that didn't make her view the Heramon any less. Instead, she found it to be a huge motivating factor. They were both looking for a foothold in the city, and Birdie would have been foolish to turn down such a proposition. Yes, she may have needed to humble herself enough to work beneath someone else, but ultimately, they were after the same thing.

With a grin still on her face, Birdie leaned over the desk and signed.

Whatever uneasiness or hesitation Birdie may have felt upon signing the contract was hurriedly pushed aside as Herald welcomed her to the "operation." The pink Digimon offered a half-smile as the demonic beast began to explain the trade deal that was scheduled to happen that very evening. Supposedly, it was with a gang which had been difficult to track down and proved even more difficult to organize a meeting with. Herald, fully confident that Birdie wouldn't spill her secrets, explained that the plan was to "remove them from play." Birdie's faint smile grew and her eyes narrowed slightly in a devious display of sadism.

"I understand," the Biyomon replied, a faint hint of giddiness in her tone. As the Heramon reached out and cupped the underside of Birdie's beak, there was no resistance, though there was a clear shift in demeanor. The rookie's smile faded and she locked eyes with her employer, unfazed yet somewhat annoyed at the childish way she was being handle. Even still, it didn't bother her enough to pull away. Only when Herald went on to promise a fight as well as allies to offer their support against tougher opponents did Birdie's faint smile return. "They won't know what hit 'em," she sneered.

When the virus Digimon pulled away and gave Birdie permission to take the money, she did just that, although she kept an eye on Herald as she gripped the bag. It wouldn't have been too farfetched to think this was some sort of trick or test. But nothing happened as she pulled the sack off the table and examined the Bits inside. It was easily more than Birdie had been used to owning at one time, and it made her greedy for more; yet, she knew that if she returned to Old Terminus while carrying so much money then she'd have a huge target on her back and run the risk of getting mugged. She knew she was strong, but she was no fool. She wouldn't stand a change against a Champion or Ultimate who was desperate for cash. She'd need to spend most of it before going home.

As if reading her mind, Herald made a comment about Birdie being rewarded with new living quarters when the job was finished later that evening. After a moment's hesitation, she quickly changed her mind and decided instead to show the Biyomon around the facility now rather than later. Perhaps Birdie wouldn't have to spend all her money in the city after all, for she'd have a secure place to store it--at least in the meantime. "A dorm, huh?" Birdie scoffed, though any annoyance in her tone was nullified by her smirk and nod. She motioned toward the door before adding, "Yeah, sounds good. Lead the way."

The walk to the second facility took some time, but it wasn't so long that Birdie began to question her loyalties. Well... she had been questioning them from the very moment she walked into Herald's office, but the skepticism and reluctance to continue working with this group was not heightened from the walk, even as they approached a shady black building with only a "Open" neon sign to identify it. Birdie burned the image of the bar's exterior into her mind, for she had a feeling that she would need to return here again in the near future -- especially if this was where she would be storing her Bits.

Walking through the front door, both Digimon were greeted by a one-armed Veemon. The bartender's small demeanor instantly made Birdie think she could easily win in a fight, but the radiant scar on the stranger's chest made her think twice. This Veemon had seen her fair share of combat, and she had managed to come out of it alive. That was admirable. Birdie couldn't help but feel an instant connection with the Veemon, even though she herself had never been in a battle so fierce before. It was the same sort of connection she had felt with the battle-worn Renamon who ran a bar in the Eastern Timberlands. She filed the similarities away for later and stepped deeper into the bar, closing the door behind her as she did.

Unfortunately, any respect Birdie had granted the Veemon upon first impressions was instantly overwritten by everything that preceded the initial conversation with Herald. With hand on hip, the bartender studied the Biyomon with a careful gaze, all the while asking if she was "the one"? Interesting. So they had been expecting her? Birdie narrowed her eyes, huffed in annoyance, and crossed her wings over her chest. She hadn't had come here to be scrutinized, especially not by someone she saw as a peer.

The Veemon introduced herself as Gertrude and explained that if there was anything Birdie needed ordered, "discreetly or not," then she was the one to talk to. The avian perked up a little upon hearing this, her glare softening as her interest was piqued. Birdie had heard of pills being sold on the black market that forced evolution to occur, allowing those "stuck" at a certain level to finally reach higher forms. If rumors were true, that was absolutely something she wanted for herself. Then again, rumors said that tamers and digivices could make digivolving easier, and that had turned out to be a lie too.

Before Birdie could speak, Herald explained that she didn't drink and that someone named Avali would prefer a bottle instead. The avian's attention shifted from bartender to her demonic employer then back to Gertrude again. It wasn't so much that Birdie didn't like to drink, it was more that she was unsure what type of people she was working with and she didn't want to risk being poisoned. Regardless, Birdie gave the Veemon a look: a look that showed longing to continue their conversation, and a look that said "We'll talk later" although no words were spoken aloud.

Together with Herald, Birdie ascended two flights of stairs, past a series of doors that she presumed were the dorms, and to an open lounge area that was the epicenter of illegal goings-on. Welp... If the contract wasn't enough to ensure that Birdie would stay with this group and keep their dealings a secret, what she saw here and now certainly would. There was no going back. Though this realization may have made other Digimon feel trapped, it didn't impact Birdie the way many might have expected. The idea of being part of something so secretive and so elusive that the local police had yet to shut it down felt like a power trip. So she didn't see herself as trapped. She saw herself as liberated. Free to do things she hadn't been permitted to do before.

And yet, this growing excitement was not reflected by Birdie's outward appearance, for she was acutely aware of how closely she was being inspected by the dark Renamon. He was well-dressed, a clear display of his wealth and power, but his eyes betrayed the means of which he obtained them. One look at this guy -- hell, even just standing in the same room as him -- instantly revealed his devious, deceitful, dangerous intentions. Birdie glared back, clearly annoyed at how she was once again being observed and studied like an animal in a zoo, but the longer the Renamon stared, his eyes drilling holes into the small Biyomon, the more Birdie began to feel intimidated.

It was as if he could see right through her. But could he? Could he see the data that made up her form? Her digicore? Her very soul? Could he see through her "tough guy" facade? Could he see the frightened Puwamon that she really was? A terrified weakling who did everything in her power to prove to others and to herself that she was, in fact, strong and capable. Although she was ready and willing to fight, could he see that she had actually lost more battles than she won? ...And if he could see all that, what did it mean for Birdie? Once-ruffled feathers settled as the avian shrunk and swallowed hard under the intense gaze of Skald, her new boss.

Then came a hand, quick and sharp, and Birdie instinctively flapped her wings and flew backwards a solid three feet. Just as quickly as Skald had extended his arm, and just as quickly as the Biyomon had dodged in fear of being struck, Birdie realized that the Renamon was only looking to shake hands. With a scoff of disbelief and embarrassment at the misunderstanding, she lowered herself to the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. She made no attempt to re-approach Skald or shake his hand; she just kept her eyes locked on the black Renamon. It seemed as though she was determined to spite him until he proved himself to her. This wasn't how interviews usually worked, but Birdie was desperate to hold onto any pride she had left.