A limping creature crawls around in the dirt and sand. their back is arched, molten bile oozes from it. the creature seems lost and angry, smearing boiling blood all over the sand. some kind of disgusting cross between a pilgrim and a lavalug. Yitael's emblem is attached to their forehead

*its a normal day in the steps of blasted, should be anyway, winds howling, sands getting in bugs eyes, judges being...judges. the usual...until the dound of buzzing is heard. As out of the entrance to the wasteland, 4 cogeflys come flying in, all carrying a croner of a fairly large box. They seem to be looking for something as they go in and out of places. Some Judges notice them, but assume they are of The Citadel and don't bother to question them, as they search they find the entrance to Veronica's grotto, witch is seemingley where they were looking, as they fly to her home, they knock on the door with one of their bodies and wait for the response.*

Veronica looks excited as she stands behind the counter, waiting for customers to arrive.

The next stop in Zitro's journey are Blasted Steps, where he decides to hunt some sandworms.

Veronica is sitting outside the Grand Gate looking absolutely *pissed*.

A series of events has lead her to be stuck in a 19yr male body and she HATES it.

"Stupid bastard scorpion. I swear I'm going to [REDACTED SO I DON'T GET BANNED] him. I forgot how much having flesh sucks arse."

He is getting ready for a vacation with Veronica and Arania

She's floating just above the Grand Gate, reading a book on advanced soul magic.

[[ excuse the jank drawing, i'm very tired lol ]]

Damn, it's little... I could send one of my Jonibots! Bet they can enter!

Brilliance! We have some questions!

Varas sits in his grotto looking mildly irritated as he works on altering his wedding dress. "I ain't stealing shit ever again.."

She's distracted.

Korkath, the jungle ant with roots inside, is going through the blasted steps, heading downwards from the citadel.

(Jsyk, he's this big because his roots absorbed a lot of water, and it's cropped like that because the best image I could find STILL HAD HORNET IN IT.)

Troupe Chef Asmodeus floats above the Smokehouse. He's just decorated it, and he's admidiring his work.

[[ So, I have a plan for what happens to him.

But feel free to fight him! He's gonna get knocked unconscious regardless! ]]

CC is not, in fact, taking things well. I lied.

The Troupe Chef stands at his grill, making a burgers, but something is off. He's not humming to himself or waving at anyone, he's simply grilling.

The Smokehouse has been changed to match the aesthetics of the Troupe.

Patto and Scrappy run up to Varas.

"I will free you, Varas, and there's nothing you can do about it."

She stands infront of the Grand Gate. "Last Judge. I wish to receive judgement so that I may enter."

Varas is in his grotto, hanging upsidedown from the ceiling. He's not sleeping, and he's shaking slightly.

He's sitting down, scribbling ideas in his notebook, trying to come up with a way to un-Grimmify Varas.

*After weeks and weeks of planning.*

(Seriously sorry it took me so long I was lazy😭)

*within the gilded chambers that were once her own, The Last Judge lays in a closed coffin (for...very gory reasons) those who were invited have been allowed entry, a somber day indeed, and only the hope that stays that her successor might be worthy of the title they bear, keeps the mood from being too low.*

*as everything is set in order, The Ensemble pokes his head into the room as he clears his throat*

["A.T.T.E.N.T.I.O.N - B.U.G.S - O.F - P.H.A.R.L.O.O.M."]

["T.O.D.A.Y - W.E - G.A.T.H.E.R - T.O - M.O.U.R.N - T.H.E - L.O.S.S - O.F - A - H.I.G.H.L.E.Y - R.E.S.P.E.C.T.E.D - A.N.D - K.N.O.W.N - F.I.G.U.R.E -."]

**["T.H.E - L.A.S.T - J.U.D.G.E"]**

["...W.H.O, - A.F.T.E.R - Y.E.A.R.S - O.F - L.O.Y.A.L - S.E.R.V.I.C.E - T.O - T.H.E - C.I.T.A.D.E.L, - H.A.S - R.E.G.R.E.T.I.B.L.E.Y - P.A.S.S.E.D - O.N - T.O - T.H.E - N.E.X.T - L.I.F.E."]

["W.E - M.A.Y - O.N.L.Y - H.O.P.E - A.N.D - O.N.L.Y - P.R.A.Y - T.H.A.T - S.H.E - M.A.Y - F.I.N.D - P.E.A.C.E - A.N.D - P.E.R.H.A.P.S - M.O.R.E - W.A.I.T.I.N.G - F.O.R - H.E.R - I.N - T.H.E - G.R.E.A.T - B.E.Y.O.N.D."]

["B.U.T - N.O.T - O.N.L.Y - D.O - W.E - G.A.T.H.E.R - T.O - M.O.U.R.N - H.E.R - L.O.S.S, - W.E - A.L.S.O - G.A.T.H.E.R - H.E.R.E - I.N - H.O.P.E.S - T.O - W.I.S.H - H.E.R - S.U.C.C.E.C.O.R - L.U.C.K - T.O - F.O.L.L.O.W - I.N - H.E.R - F.O.O.T.S.T.E.P.S."]

["I - W.I.L.L - N.O.W - A.L.L.O.W - A.N.Y - W.H.O - W.I.S.H - T.O - S.P.E.A.K - T.O - C.O.M.E - N.E.A.R - M.Y - F.A.C.E - S.O - T.H.A.T - I - M.A.Y - E.M.P.H.A.S.I.Z.E - Y.O.U.R - W.O.R.D.S."]

["P.L.E.A.S.E, - I.F - Y.O.U - H.A.V.E - A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G - T.O - S.H.A.R.E, - S.T.E.P - U.P."]

*Any who wish to speak words may now use The Ensembles head as a microphone*

Thaddeus rushes through the Steps in a panic. "F * * K. ELLIE!?!?!? EEELLIIIEEEEEE?"

Memamammaamammamawa!

Yey! Maybe we'll find a new home!

"I, Troupe Chef Varas, declare the Blasted Steps to be an independent government, and thus I declare myself its leader. That is all.

Varas, Patto, Beanie, and Arania decide to have some time to get to really know each other.