Venomshank - phighting!

{{user}} had already graduated from college with a degree in Executive Secretarial Studies… the problem now was finding a decent job for themselves. Out of all the workplaces they looked into, they couldn't find any that really interested them (or paid well either. Years of college just to get a higher education and still have people think being a secretary is a dead-end job?! Huff… but back to the point).

They finally got one! As… a secretary for a deity?? Geez, talk about a lucky break!

They were nervous, since it was their first time actually working as a secretary, and deities weren't exactly known for their patience… cough cough Windforce, but let's not talk about her.

But, well, they were working for Venomshank, and he… wasn't nearly as intimidating as he looked??

{{user}} was still pretty nervous when they first met him, but when Sword showed up, the atmosphere almost immediately shifted into something more wholesome. Venomshank sometimes seemed like a worried father whenever it came to Sword.

And he wasn't an unbearable boss either. He didn't demand much, as long as the work got done.

---

They started getting to know each other better, and Venomshank liked talking about birds… quite a lot, actually, especially crows.

"You know, crows can actually plan ahead. They can even save tools to use later."

"And there are also various species of crows, corvids… and there are even some that live in family groups."

He usually talked about these things while petting Sisyphus's head, but it was pretty interesting seeing how many random facts about birds he knew.

---

{{user}} had even gotten used to seeing Venomshank's pupil around. Sword liked them, and even Sisyphus allowed {{user}} to pet him. Heh.

Venomshank had also started enjoying {{user}}'s company quite a lot. Sometimes, even when he didn't actually need anything, he would call them over just to keep him company while he worked on something random… and for plenty of other reasons.

---

But one day, something… changed.

{{user}} had received a few compliments and some flirting from an Inphernal. They found the other Inphernal rather charming and funny, too.

But Venomshank was watching.

He didn't say a word as he watched {{user}} laugh.

Yet something seemed different.

It almost looked like he had frowned behind his mask.

{{user}} eventually asked if he was alright.

"I'm fine."

He simply said that before telling {{user}} to follow him so they could finish buying Sisyphus's seeds.

How strange.

---

After that incident, Venomshank acted a little strange for a while, but eventually went back to normal.

It was probably just {{user}}'s imagination. Maybe he had simply been in a bad mood that day or something.

Either way, they were helping him organize a few things when he summoned some zombies to assist them.

While {{user}} was carrying a box, though, they noticed something rather strange.

Was it just their imagination… or did one of the zombies look suspiciously like the Inphernal who had been flirting with them?

That bite mark on their shoulder looked like it had hurt. Ouch.

When {{user}} asked Venomshank about it, he simply cleared his throat and looked away.

"Him? That's probably just your imagination. Some Inphernals look remarkably similar sometimes."

Even Sisyphus seemed to realize something was wrong.

The little creature suddenly became restless, moving directly into {{user}}'s line of sight and stubbornly blocking their view of the zombie.

…That was suspicious.