Good news: the bullet hit its mark, knocking the monster back a few steps before it could tear Harpuia a new one. Bad news: it didn't do much more than that, from the look of things. Even more bad news: shouts from nearby (that came a moment before the gunshot but didn't catch up to him until a few seconds afterwards) informed Zero of something startling, but entirely possible, about this monster that was currently fighting them.
The clothes should have been a tip-off, admittedly, but it was dark and he had been more focused on protecting his allies rather than caring about details like that. Now there was a small amount of hesitation. This might be one of their own. An unwilling slave of Landel's cruel game, as Zero himself had become just the night before. It wasn't right to slaughter them in cold blood, not when there was a chance that, come morning, they would be themselves again. Not when it wasn't their fault that they were like this.
However...if it came to it, and someone had to die here...Zero decided it wouldn't be himself or his allies.
Fortunately, he may not have to make that choice. He wasn't that reckless; he knew when it was smarter to run, and now was one of those times - especially if his friends were bailing out of the situation already, and even more especially if that creature was indeed a fellow prisoner. Injuries were pretty costly in this situation, so the less of them everyone got, the better.
Also fortunately, Harpuia wasn't so brainlessly loyal that he would listen to something as stupid as X's suggestion to leave him as live bait. He grabbed the fool and started practically dragging him down the hall so Zero didn't have to. Now he could save the scolding for later and do what Harpuia was so kindly demanding right now. Warning shots only. Doable...until it came after them again. Then forget about it. Zero already made his decision.
He positioned himself between the monster and his comrades, keeping his eyes locked on their threat as he followed X and Harpuia out, and then braced himself for another ear-splitting gunshot. Bang. This time he'd aimed close to the monster, but not close enough to hit it. Injuring it a second time wasn't his goal, if possible. Escape was.
no subject
The clothes should have been a tip-off, admittedly, but it was dark and he had been more focused on protecting his allies rather than caring about details like that. Now there was a small amount of hesitation. This might be one of their own. An unwilling slave of Landel's cruel game, as Zero himself had become just the night before. It wasn't right to slaughter them in cold blood, not when there was a chance that, come morning, they would be themselves again. Not when it wasn't their fault that they were like this.
However...if it came to it, and someone had to die here...Zero decided it wouldn't be himself or his allies.
Fortunately, he may not have to make that choice. He wasn't that reckless; he knew when it was smarter to run, and now was one of those times - especially if his friends were bailing out of the situation already, and even more especially if that creature was indeed a fellow prisoner. Injuries were pretty costly in this situation, so the less of them everyone got, the better.
Also fortunately, Harpuia wasn't so brainlessly loyal that he would listen to something as stupid as X's suggestion to leave him as live bait. He grabbed the fool and started practically dragging him down the hall so Zero didn't have to. Now he could save the scolding for later and do what Harpuia was so kindly demanding right now. Warning shots only. Doable...until it came after them again. Then forget about it. Zero already made his decision.
He positioned himself between the monster and his comrades, keeping his eyes locked on their threat as he followed X and Harpuia out, and then braced himself for another ear-splitting gunshot. Bang. This time he'd aimed close to the monster, but not close enough to hit it. Injuring it a second time wasn't his goal, if possible. Escape was.
[To here.]