Story so far
As the group broke for the stairwell, Bautista stopped beside Carl to say what he had been carrying. He knew Carl expected him to do something horrible or jealous, and admitted he almost did. He keeps losing family, he said, and it makes him scared and angry; he knows he is no longer considered human, which shames him, especially today. But he would never do anything to hurt a brother like Carl.
Carl clasped him on the shoulder. Bautista paused at the stairwell door to add one more thing: he had looked up the Kimaris Figure Carl carries. Kimaris is one of the brothers of Sheol, with a summoning time of "the remainder of the floor." Be careful with him. Then he went down.
Appearance
No longer classified as human — a shame he names aloud — but still moving and speaking as the same man.
Role
The friend who names his own worst impulse out loud and hands Carl a warning instead of a betrayal.
Relationships
Carl — Calls him a brother and confesses that he nearly betrayed him.
Kimaris — Researched and warned Carl about him.
Earlier in this series
Also appears in books you've already read — spoiler-safe to their endings:
Sources — 25 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 9
- Tiger-formed crawler and Katia's boyfriend, who owns two unused stuffed tummy achers.
Chapter 10
- Crawler who joins the hangar tour to see Louis's new airship, present but silent throughout.
Chapter 16
- Crawler who flies out with Louis and Katia aboard Party Planner's inaugural journey to the base.
Chapter 17
- Crawler due to arrive at the Princess Posse base camp aboard the airship Party Planner.
Chapter 19
- Crawler who arrives in the flag room with Louis and Katia's group during the war briefing.
Chapter 22
- Clawed crawler who paces anxiously at the back of the room because Katia asked him to be present for her treatment.
Chapter 40
- Crawler stationed with Florin and Katia against the enemy's armored column.
Chapter 41
- Rolls out with Florin and Katia to flank Carl's position and keep the western retreat corridor open.
Chapter 55
- Member of Carl's group four, staged with the 107th White Dragons in Shanty Town for the raid.
Chapter 56
- Tigran crawler terrified for Katia, secretly convinced Carl would take the flower from her by force.
Chapter 59
- Crawler who distracts the Dagda cleric with a fake conversion pitch while the aura wires are laid.
Chapter 60
- Crawler carrying a dozen stuffed Eclipse Pyxies that convert into live demons mid-flight.
Chapter 61
- Crawler guarding Club Vanquisher's exit door to Shanty Town during the temple raid.
Chapter 62
- Mid crawler frozen near the temple battle, counted by the AI among the fight's expendable cannon fodder.
Chapter 67
- Bautista escaped the temple fight early and won an electronic guidebook that identifies stuffed animals before use.
Chapter 75
- Crawler visibly irritated at not being summoned with the first wave of Carl's team.
Chapter 76
- Crawler frozen among the tens of thousands of witnesses in Eris's pile.
Chapter 87
- Crawler who must not be told about Katia and Donut's plan, because he is expected to be furious.
Chapter 90
- Crawler who arrives with Katia as the rescue party gathers to move on the Reaver Castle.
Chapter 91
- Bautista drives the ground transport to the Reaver castle and looks especially annoyed at the party's joking.
Chapter 92
- Probes the shifting Reaver corridors by throwing trackable stuffed animals into them and reporting their positions.
Chapter 93
- Bautista rides behind Louis on Juice Box's yak form, holding the unconscious man in place during the retreat.
Chapter 96
- Protests that they aren't prepared, then vanishes from the tent before the surgery begins.
Chapter 98
- Bautista vanishes into the crafting room to finish Katia's cybernetic limbs, arriving just in time.
Chapter 99
- Bautista confesses how close he came to betrayal, calls Carl brother, and warns him about Kimaris before leaving the floor.