Phighting stuff, idk, lol

First Meeting

Scythestaff! (Vinescythe? Idk) this story is my original idea <3
Also Vinestaff doesn't know who Scythe/Rifle is.
SLIGHT GORE WARNING

+Vinestaff+

Vinestaff was outside gardening, which wasn't unusual for her. Both Slingshot and Shuriken were away at Phights and Katana was having tea with Hyperlaser so Vinestaff was unable to visit him. She preferred tending to her flowers though. Occasionally she'd have to tend to her cursed arm, which wasn't that bad, she had made peace with it, after all, it was just a bit of wood. Suddenly a cut off shriek slices through the air. Vinestaff immediately drops her watering can. No animal in Thieves Den made that sound, which meant it was a demon. (HELP I JUST CRACKED MY NECK SO LOUDLY THAT IT SOUNDED MORE LIKE I SNAPPED SOMETHING PLASTIC) She hoped someone had just got hurt, because then she could heal them. After all, maybe they just fell off one of the smaller ledges on one of the cliffs. (I think Thieves Den is the one with cliffs) She hesitates, her gear appearing in her hand as she started walking in the direction she had heard the noise. All was silent as she walked, she wasn't sure whether to be uneasy or calm. Vinestaff walks into a copse of trees, her gaze immediately flicking over to a disheveled fern. A handful of its leaves sliced off and burnt slightly. She immediately feels a stab of sympathy for the plant, crouching next to it.
"I wonder what happened to you...poor thing"
"Are ya' talkin' to a plant?"
The voice startles her and she stands back up, immediately spotting a demon perched in a tree, sitting. She wore a suit, heels and a cowboy hat with the Faction symbol for Lost Temple on the rim of it. Who was sitting still, waiting for an answer.
"I-I was just soothing it—" She mutters, her tails flicking nervously behind her.
"Jumpy, hey?" The demons accent made it a bit more difficult to untangle her words, although it was still rather easy.
"Not normally-...who are you?" Vinestaff questions, it wasn't normal for demons to visit Factions that weren't their own— unless they were a hitchhiker.
"The names' Rifle." The demon answers, dropping down from the tree and extending a hand, which Vinestaff noticed was metal. Or- robotic, for a better word.
After a moment of hesitation, Vinestaff shakes Rifle's hand, whose eyes immediately flicks to her wooden arm, although they didn't say anything about it.
"Why're ya' out here anyways?" Rifle questions, letting go of vinestaff's hand
"I heard a scream, it wasn't you, was it?"
"A scream? I'm sure ya were just hearin' things."
"I wouldn't hear things like that—" Vinestaff starts.
"People hear things all the time. After all, I've been in this forest fer' a bit and I didn't hear a scream."
"Well, I did." Vinestaff huffs.
Rifle shrugs, reaching up to straighten her hat which had tilted slightly when she dropped from the tree. "Coulda' been a bird or somethin'."
Vinestaffs eyes narrow as she notices something on Rifle's sleeve. It looked a dark reddish colour. Blood-?
"So! What were ya' doin' before ya' came to check things out?" Rifle questions, her tail swishing and emitting a rattling noise.
"I was just watering plants" Vinestaff responds, shifting her weight.
"Are ya' good with plants?"
Vinestaff nods. "I'd say I'm skilled with them" She absently crosses her arms, she wanted to ask about the blood on Rifle's sleeve but she knew that it probably wouldn't be wise to do so.
"Makes sense. I'm guessin' you've made peace with that curse ya' have?" Rifle nods at Vinestaff's wooden arm.
"Yes, I have" Vinestaff replies softly, her eyes shimmering slightly with pride. (Gay pride lol— *not actually*)
"I've always wondered, can ya' feel anythin' with that arm?"
"Sort of. I can feel sensations like temperature and touch but it's dulled."
"Mind if I feel?"
Vinestaff hesitates before nodding, holding out her arm for Rifle's examination.
Rifle feels the wood before tapping it with a claw. "Fascinatin'. Never met someone with this curse before"
Vinestaff was about to reply when she notices something- Rifle's claws had faint bloodstains, even visible in the dim light of the trees, she quickly pulls her arm back, trying to make it seem like an involuntary flinch. Rifle's eyes follow where Vinestaff was looking and her eyes narrow, she shifts so the shadows of the trees cast over her claws, blocking the stains from view.
"I really should be goin'-" Rifle starts, only to be cut off.
"Is everything okay? You seem off."
"Everythin's fine, darlin'. Nothin' to worry 'bout." Rifle says- a bit too quick.
"There's more going on than your telling me—" Vinestaff starts, her eyes narrowing.
Rifle's tone immediately goes cold. "I said it's nothin."
Vinestaff takes a step back, her guard going up, her tails flicking behind her nervously.
"Anyways. See ya' later...possibly." With that, Rifle turns and walks off.
Vinestaff watches, she knew something wasn't right, especially with how defensive Rifle had gotten. With a sigh, she heads back to her house, still having to make dinner for when Shuriken and Slingshot got back. (I imagine Shuri would be irresponsible with cooking and Sling- idk- bros just too tired to cook)

(Time skip. A couple days have passed)

Vinestaff was watching the news, something she didn't do often, yet still occasionally enjoyed. The reporter mentions how several killings had started up again around the Factions and that the demon suspected for it was named Scythe, a pictire accompanying the name. Vinestaff starts slightly when she sees the picture- it was Rifle- or- Scythe—?...
The serial killer thing did explain the bloodstains though, and how defensive Rifle— Scythe had gotten.

(Another time skip, yayyyyy. 3 days.)

Vinestaff was tending to plants again, she had managed to revive that half-dead fern she had found— almost as if the thought had triggered something, a scream— a full one —was sounded from the forest. Vinestaff immediately darts over to the noise, completely forgetting what had happened last time she had ran into a forest alone. She had met a serial killer.
Once at the source, the first thing she sees is a demon, dead, and on the ground, lying in a pool of blood with one leg sliced off and strewn across the clearing, even the grass was soaked with blood. Vinestaff almost gags at the sight. She walks over, kneeling down and checking for the nonexistent pulse, getting blood on her hands and kimono (I ACTUALLY GOT HER OUTFIT RIGHT <3)
A slash sound is heard followed by a familiar voice. "Disappointin'...it's so muxh more fun when they struggle" Rif— Scythe.
Vinestaff quickly steps behind a tree (wow such good cover.) she saw Scythe standing over a demon- this one alive -on the ground. She noticed that Scythe's gear was indeed a scythe, the blade just an arc of teal energy.
Vinestaff watches in horror, her gear appearing in her hand. She should interfere- she had to.
"Cmon, do somethin'. Make it thrillin' for me, hm?" Scythe drawled (:o NEW WORD!1!1!!!) still standing over the demon, her tail swishing behind her, yet not rattling.
Vinestaff darts out from the tree. "Stop this right now, Scythe!" She shouts.
Scythe whips around, hissing under her breath as her eyes narrowed. "Oh come on. Cant even get a good harvest..." Scythe mutters.
Vinestaff steps forwards. "What are you doing?" (*?!*)
Scythe rolls her eyes, her right one even visible beneath the 3 scopes. "Harvestin'."
"But they're innocent!"
"It's the thrill of the kill, darlin'. Actually, it's rather unfortunate ya' found me. You seem rather nice."
Vinestaff bit back a hiss, instead choosing to focus on something else. "Your gear isn't a Rifle."
Scythe grins, revealing fangs, only some demons had them, SFOTH deities' excluded. "Ah, ya' caught me. Rifle's just a name I use. The real names' Scythe."
"I don't care what your name is! Your still killing innocent people, you were different when I met you-..." Vinestaff responds
"Actually, when ya' met me I had just finished harvestin'."
Vinestaff looks at Scythe, things finally clicking on their first encounter. "That explains the blood—..."
Scythe opens her mouth to respond when the demon- who had finally recovered from the shock -tries to get up and run away, Scythe turns. "Nice try, darlin'." Scythe's gear switches, flipping sideways with the blade retracting to resemble a more gun-like look- a rifle. Scythe takes aim, charging a shot before firing, the laser slicing right through their skull, also making for a very messy amount of blood coating the grass as they collapsed forwards onto the ground.
Vinestaff gazes in horror. "W-why— Why did you do that? He was just trying to escape—"
Scythe casts Vinestaff an amused glance. "He would have told people. Cant have that now can we?" Scythe's gear shifts back to its normal state.
"But- he was scared—" Vinestaff mumbles, staring at the body, grimacing at the very obvious brain matter that had leaked onto the ground.
Scythe shrugs. "Anyways, I like ya'. You're nice and not pushy. If ya' promise not to tell anyone ya' saw me harvestin', I'll let ya' live." Scythe said it as if were a perfectly normal offer before continuing. "And trust me, darlin'. I'll know if you tell anyone, and believe me. I won't make your death quick."
Vinestaff looks up at Scythe, fear finally showing in her eyes. "I— I won't- tell anyone—..."
The darkness in Scythe's tone dissapears. "Good!" Her gear dissapears as she steps forwards. "Cmon, don't look so afraid, let's chat. Any siblin's?" (Siblins'? Siblin'??? help, it's 3:41 am..)
Vinestaff hesitates for a moment before answering. "A- brother—...Shuriken— why do you ask-?..."
Scythe grins, casually sitting next to Vinestaff as if she hadn't just threatened her. "Small talk! What else?"

The two continue to talk. Vinestaff still keeping her guard up around Scythe, who acted so carefree, as if she just wanted to get to know the Phighter. Because she did.

Word count: 1688 I did NOT expect it to be that much, in the start I was actually worried it would be to short. Ik there isn't much VineScythe in this but it's their first time (s) meeting eachother, they can't immediately be in love.  Although I do realize that if they form a relationship following off of what happened in this fic, it would kinda be toxic— but uh- I'll just ignore that? It's a cute ship. ANYWAYS. I NEED SLEEP. GOODNIGHT EVERYONE (I hope I did good tryna write Scythes accent)