The supernatural are known to be defined by their inherent desires, differing from species to species yet remaining similar. As a concept, they could be called dissatisfied. Always hunting, with no mercy beneath their claws, following the rules that nature had set for them and marking that path with blood and crimes.
It was a poor description, albeit accurate for some.
It was a definition, not meant to be strayed. Those who made it were fearful; no exceptions, they claimed, came from monsters. Don't trust them, don't listen to them, they knew that no one would listen to them if they taught the people that all they said were lies, frothing like an incurable disease, if they said the duty to rid the world of such a plague belonged to the people.
Uni noted that was a common topic matter, buried as deep as termites in the culture that had left the people with a sense of restraint ready to snap at a moment's notice. Cats ready to pounce, springs bound and waiting, a spark ready to fly, and he was in the worst possible place at the worst possible time.
He stepped to the side as a kid ran by, wearing a pair of fake wolf ears, and pursued by a barrage of others, wielding foam swords, yelling as they went. Werewolf hunts, he thought, wrinkling his nose in distaste and fear. He pulled the hood up a little more- not ready to take any chances, even if he looked human enough- and followed the crowd onward, joining in the joyous and exuberant mass as they pushed toward the town square. Stupid town, with its stupid mandatory meetings. Missing another one would mean a consequence- disappearing altogether would reveal his secret.
-/-/-/-/-
The town's leader was a tall man with an angular face, and bore an excited smile uncharacteristic of such a man. He was ready- the town needed a little push for the hunts. The small-town spirit had met its peak, and it was time to act. Small towns needed to defend themselves, after all.
He nodded to a guard- the odd mercenary had decided to stay awhile, proving himself as worthy of a high position, and becoming his right-hand guard- and turned to the crowd, clearing his throat, and speaking.
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Uni snuck to the sidelines- it was quieter, and made the mayor's calling seem like background noise. It didn't take a detective to know that something was up. Perhaps it was thanks to his own abilities, but the excitement in the air was chalk compared to the taste of tension. He knew it had been festering for ages- last time, a malevolent fairy was killed for the public eye, and the whispers exchanged through the alleys were almost tangible to any passerby. The townsfolk whispered rumors; names of those who were claimed to be killed, a paranoia that they'd come back and take this place as their home again- not just the mansion on the hill, but taking the whole town. They were dismissed as falsehoods that the town's mischievous passed along, but Uni knew there was truth to them (or hoped, at least).
It wasn't often that he'd get a chance to leave. Hard Landing seemed like a prison nowadays, compared to the lighthearted existence he had come to love in a town that used to thrive without a fear of the supernatural.
There was a flash of movement behind him- only noticeable as he himself was on the edge of the alleyway- and a bat flew by. In early afternoon? He stared, pulling the hood a little farther over his face.
Perhaps tonight.
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The vampire counted the seconds, excited. Fear was in the past- she trusted the plan (it was hers, so...) and knew her job. She and the right hand man would attack the stage- one of the others would take the crowd from behind, the others would remain by the sides and throughout the town- and collectively, they'd usurp the mayor.
Why?
Petty revenge, perhaps. Revenge is an art she'd claim that she's quite familiar with.
This town is gonna blow.
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The vampire appeared onstage. Red hair waving in the wind, pale skin, sharp and obviously vampiric teeth, the mayor was cut off from his speech about the next monster hunts when a sword was to his neck.
Uni bolted.
The crowd, although frozen in shock, didn't notice as he ran past. There were screams, the scent of blood filled the air, explosions went off by the stage, the mayor's house, the docks, the town was melting into chaos.
Above it all, there was laughter.
It sucked, it really did. As with most things that were a minority, the twisted actions of individuals were exaggerated and used to define the group as a whole. They weren't even the same species! Vampires, werewolves, fairies, they were all lumped in as 'supernatural' with everyone else.
Uni sighed, pulling back his sleeves. Other people just feared what they didn't know. It wasn't their fault exactly, he knew; human instinct was to fear the unknown. He'd be the first to admit it: Not everyone has seen a shapeshifter lately.
The veins on his arm glowed, his cape disappearing in the air as the short canine shook himself, and sprinted off toward the exit of the town.
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I've often struggled with getting to the point of being satisfied with something to actually post it somewhere. I've seen an abundance of AUs from various people on Twitter, but I had my own in mind, and decided that I'd give posting writing another try.
I absolutely love Unicomics' Hardcore Quest series, and wanted to run with a couple concepts from series. Uni changing skins between human and pug was half the inspiration, while the other, of course, came from the canonical werewolves and vampires, and unexplained doppelgangers.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. I would have liked this to be longer, but at the moment, I'm just testing the waters once again.
-Red/R
YOU ARE READING
THE HERCULEAN QUEST// Unicomics' Hardcore Quest
FanfictionUni understood quite clearly that the supernatural had earned a bad rep- can't really ignore something that's been your whole life (and especially if that life is centuries old). Being one himself, he knew all too well that the supernatural were no...
