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Papa stepped up above the crowd, the chorus ramping in, it was just another show. They all loved to see their Papa perform Monstrance Clock, it was his favorite and so theirs as well. Swiss had stepped from the stage a moment ago, a shame he was going to miss this, but surely there was a reason he was pulled away. Perhaps another instrument change. It hardly mattered, they needed to focus on the now.
It happens so suddenly, Aether feels someone pass behind him, when he looks over Papa Terzo is being dragged from the stand. He freezes, they all do, Papa looks so confused.
He is barely off-stage when Aether's brain catches up. He hurries off after them. The other ghouls seem still stunned. No worries, he will take care of it. He will get Papa.
Terzo happens to look back as he is dragged, now struggling. He sees Aether hurrying after them and relief floods his face,
"Aether!" a call for help, one that was already being answered. Picking up the pace Aether starts into a jog, only to be grabbed. Both his arms are restrained by other ghouls. Terzo's panic is clear, but it isn't for himself anymore. He yanks away barely escaping his captors and runs towards Aether. He freezes a few feet away, pain and horror crossing him,
"Swiss?...O-Omega?!" Aether actually takes a moment to look at his captors, it is indeed Swiss and Omega. He cannot see past Swiss's show mask, but Omega is visibly distraught. Papa is recaptured and they begin pulling him away.
"PAPA!" Aether struggles with renewed fervor, Swiss whines and hides his face on Aether's shoulder. He can hear the smaller whispering apologies, "LET ME GO! PAPA!"
"Aether enough!" Omega chides, "They will make us hurt you!" Terzo hears this and shouts back,
"IF YOU HURT ANY OF MY GHOULS I'LL-" he is cut off by a strike from one of his assailants this tenses all three of the ghouls.
"If you two don't be quiet you'll draw the other ghouls' attention. We can replace all of you easily. Especially if you become a handful," One of the clergymen threatens. Terzo pauses and hangs his head in defeat. He's dragged from view leaving Aether completely in the dark. Sobbing softly beneath his mask. He doesn't understand. Swiss doesn't let him go, even when they are returned to the main stage. The lights are now dull white and the crowd is clearing. Only nosey humans remain. Imperator collects the ghouls, explaining what is happening only when they are off-premise. When they are too far to save their Papa.
Aether zones back in immediately. The memory fresh and painful, burning as the world slows in front of him.
Copia is distracted by Swiss's trademark shimmies, his part of the solo stops as he hoists his guitar up. Eyes dead set on their target. A hand reaches for Copia who is turning away from it, towards Aether. He has no idea. He merely thinks Aether stopped playing, that something is wrong. Well something is wrong granted, but it isn't with Aether.
Papa flinches as the guitar swings up, only an inch away from him. The other ghouls, aside from Swiss, shriek. They can't see what Swiss and Aether see. The guitar makes contact, catching the assailant's jaw and throwing the bastard back. Bringing the guitar back, all the way over his head and then sharply back down onto the stranger's head. The neck snaps, destroying the poor instrument. No price is too high. Aether hardly feels the sting of a snapped string against his bare arm.
The world resumes at its normal pace. Chaos consumes the stage and crowd. Rain snakes between Copia and Aether just another wall of defense. Papa steps back, bumping into Dewdrop who catches Papa and holds his arm. Grounding the human.
Mountain and the air ghoulettes are now on Swiss's balcony. Swiss has jumped down in front of Aether, watching the side stage for anyone else.
Copia shrieks in surprise as someone touches his back. The ghouls whip around to see Sunshine holding onto his left arm, frightened. She is new. She doesn't know about Terzo but Papa is scared and so she is too.
Motion draws them back to what's in front of them. Mountain and Aether both letting out a low growl of warning,
"That is enough. We are with the clergy-"
"We don't care where the hell you're from." Cumulus snaps. Cirus works her way down to be nearer to Papa, determined to protect him.
"You need to come with us, Copia."
"I'm not sure I can," Their Papa says, and he is right. They will not let him. Not alone.
The familiar voice of the Imperator interrupts things, she is not on the stage so she must simply have her own microphone. Her speech does not cause even the smallest falter in the ghouls, perhaps instead it reinforces their stances,
"I do not know those men, they are not of the clergy." She has signed their death certificates then and there, with merely a sentence. The one that is still conscious tries to run, Dew and Swiss are after him though. Only chasing him off stage as a mercy to their gathered fans. The other ghouls pull Papa the opposite way to get him to safety. Cirus takes the microphone and addresses the crowd as the others go.
"Followers we are so sorry for this interruption. In due time your tickets will be refunded. For now, we must assure Papa's safety. Thank you all, and dark blessings!" she drops it and quickly chases her family out.
Once safely in the protection of clergy security, the ghouls unmask. Papa is fussing over Aether's arm, the laceration from the stray guitar string is pretty gnarled. Aether cannot stop purring though and he silences Copia's worries by nuzzling the other and purring louder. Papa just holds his ghoul, smiling as the others group in. Everything is ok, everything's fine,
"I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner Papa, he got so close to you..."
"Aether you did fine. You did excellently actually. I'm just worried about your arm..." Aether tucks both his arms against his chest and leans on Papa,
"I am so very fine. It was nothing. It was worth it." Copia does not seem convinced, so Aether offers a futher explanation,
"I will not lose another."