QUOTH THE CORVID - LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Jun 25, 2016 16:34:38 GMT -8
Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jun 25, 2016 16:34:38 GMT -8
"Horsemen are drawing nearer, On leather steeds they ride,
~ They've come to take your life ~
On through the dead of night, With the four horsemen ride, or
~ Choose your fate and DIE! Oh yeah yeah! ~ "
ONCE UPON a midnight dreary, Eli and Darren were cold driving an avenue, on their
way to do some fishin'. Eli had only recently sorta forgiven Darren for his repeated money and
magic wasting hijinx. Darren had insisted fishing was a good way to relax and get your
bearings in life,
up between them from the back seat... *bloong*
whipped out his gun and pointed it at the back seat, still veering through the lanes.
to her - gun in hand, but no longer pointed at her head.
joined with a crow that had been riding along on the spoiler. It flapped
off into the night.
ELSEWHERE & ELSEWHEN...
Wilhelm picked up a sweet hitchhiker, drove 'em home to the brownstones,
dropped 'em off with a lil' less claret, and started wending his way to the
abandoned cathedral set. Along the way, he stopped for gas. Standing
at the pump, someone began to speak. He had not heard them
approach, had not smelled them. That could only mean,
Helen was watching TV when a bartender came back to tell her a baldy had come in.
She went up front, and found a very cheerful character that gave her the proposition.
After some tense moments, the conversation reached its climactic point:
that she found intensely creepy. He went down and got into a punk convo
the friendly Mr. Minch.
when a new passenger got on and justified their paranoia with creepiness.
They conversed with her uncomfortably, and at last she made the pitch...
of heat. A friend of bad boy? But he did have a ballon.
Anselm hesitated a moment and took his helmet off.
retrofit of a brick building in a stylishly horrible neighborhood. The tall
bay windows were open at the top, light frosting from lack of care filled
them with light from the streets below.
A shadow at the window resolved into a smiling face at
the window's small opening. Amaranthia gave the pitch...
of a fancy hotel that was presently hosting a terrible perv party.
Vitus was driving down the road when a figure rose in his back seat.
~ They've come to take your life ~
On through the dead of night, With the four horsemen ride, or
~ Choose your fate and DIE! Oh yeah yeah! ~ "
ONCE UPON a midnight dreary, Eli and Darren were cold driving an avenue, on their
way to do some fishin'. Eli had only recently sorta forgiven Darren for his repeated money and
magic wasting hijinx. Darren had insisted fishing was a good way to relax and get your
bearings in life,
Darren and Eli were distracted by an object bobbling
Darren-
"...y'know, center your chi?"
Eli-
"I didn't know you were so rustic. Worth a try at least,
we can feel all manly and like... nautical... and shit."
Darren-
"Yeah, I don't care for that bumpkin stuff really,
but sometimes the conventional wisd--"
up between them from the back seat... *bloong*
In Darren's flailing the car swerved dramatically and the balloon popped. He
Darren-
"WHAT THE SHIT?!"
Eli-
"What the--what?! Did you have a party?!"
whipped out his gun and pointed it at the back seat, still veering through the lanes.
He pulled the car over in a hurry, then turned back
Darren-
"No party, man! No fun!"
Stranger Danger-
"You fellas oughtta relax. Yer too high strung."
Eli-
"Wh--DARREN! Who is that?!"
Darren-
"How'm I s'posed ta know?"
Stranger Danger-
"I'll be more inclined ta tell if
ya get the piece outta my face."
Eli-
"Bruh, you got in the wrong car by accident...?
Maybe we should pull over?"
Darren-
"Naw, kid. Give it up!"
Darren kept the gun on her, got a grip on the wheel, but
was still paying entirely inadequate attention to the road.
Stranger Danger-
"Stow it, stringbean."
Eli-
"So like, uh--uh, what do you want, man?
Wh-what brings you to this... humble... vehicle?"
Darren-
"... Fuck it."
to her - gun in hand, but no longer pointed at her head.
She sunk into a blob of shadows, which poured out the window and
Stranger Danger-
"Much better. Amaranthia Godcrusher Dupuis
is the name and makin' friends is my game..."
Amaranthia-
"Hence the balloon."
Eli-
"That's... real nice. You sure got a uh,
unique way of dropping in on some fellas."
Darren-
"Don't fuck with us, kid.
What's this really about?"
Amaranthia-
"Alright, I guess it's brass tacks.
A shame, really. I was all ready
for a friendly how-do-you-do."
Amaranthia-
"Ya see, I got this friend... Ain't been
having a good time with the Circle types.
Now, it don't seem like you youngsters are
having a good time with your new Moms n' Pops.
Am I wrong?"
Eli-
"Dude, you know that's the kind of question that gets you
capped in the domepiece with vamp fangs if you say yes.
Suffice to say, the world is rough and tough for kids like us."
Darren-
"A friend like a Crowboy?
Bald as your sidepiece?"
Amaranthia-
"Hey, it's a better 'do than you got going, haystack.
Keep your spare keys in that rat's nest?"
Amaranthia-
"...But it may have something to do with those boys of crow.
Any resemblance is purely coincidental, but could be possible
I got in an in with those guys. Could make your life a lot easier,
with respect to one wild bunch, if not your parents."
Darren-
"Coincidental. Huh. OK."
Eli-
"Oh no, this isn't gonna be some protection racket stuff, is it?
I tell ya, we're poor as hell despite this ride. You should see
my place with the cottage cheese walls and dingy carpet..."
Amaranthia-
"Nothing of the sort. See, I may not be a Crowboy, but I'm
tight with the administration, as it were. We make a deal,
I tell the boss to spread the word not to mess with you.
You do likewise, don't mess with the Crows."
Amaranthia-
"Could bring ya couple nice, shiny balloons
if you promise not to wreck 'em this time.
What's your favorite color? Got 'em all..."
Darren-
"This is all incredibly weird."
Eli-
"But why come to us? We're just a couple of--
No offense, Dar-- a couple of schmoes. Why
would your 'boss' care about us?"
Amaranthia-
"Anyone can be a pain in the
ass if they try hard enough..."
Amaranthia-
"So is it a deal? Are you all
on board with this?"
Darren-
"So in exchange for not raining these
skinny arms upon your homies, they'll
agree not to kill us? I dunno..."
Eli-
"Yeah, we weren't planning on acing anyone
anytime soon. More focused on other villains
with our, uh, arm-raining anyway. Does this
have anything to do with that Theodore cat?
...Dare I ask."
Amaranthia-
"Not this specific request as such, but in
the larger picture, doesn't everything have
something to do with everything else?"
Darren-
"Oh no you don't. You are not
going to make me think."
Eli-
"Uh-- yeah, let's not think. Thinking is no good.
I say, not fighting is great and I'm for whatever
that... is. Yes."
Darren-
"So there you are. Signatories
in your dubious confederacy."
Amaranthia-
"Ya don't hafta tell me twice! Wants
I should come back with balloons?"
Eli-
"I think we're good, bruh. Have a swell night."
Amaranthia-
"Your loss. See ya round, fellas."
joined with a crow that had been riding along on the spoiler. It flapped
off into the night.
Darren-
"Damn what the dick was that?
Crowboys are creepy as fuuuuck."
Eli-
"Man, nooooo kidding! What the hell is going
to happen now? Some kind of Crowsplosion?
That's exactly what we need, huh."
Darren-
"I just hope that guy doesn't find out
we signed the non-aggression pact.
Y'know, like, Frank or Donny...?"
Eli-
"Oh god, it really is a protection racket..."
ELSEWHERE & ELSEWHEN...
Wilhelm picked up a sweet hitchhiker, drove 'em home to the brownstones,
dropped 'em off with a lil' less claret, and started wending his way to the
abandoned cathedral set. Along the way, he stopped for gas. Standing
at the pump, someone began to speak. He had not heard them
approach, had not smelled them. That could only mean,
A Powerful Crowboy-
"How's it goin', fancy boy?"
Wilhelm-
"Ah! Uh-- hello? I... haffn't been introduced."
A Powerful Crowboy-
"Time ta rectify that situation. I'm Clyde.
Been around a while, gather you're Wilhelm,
late of Marchese? Pleased to meet ya."
Wilhelm-
"Likewise, naturally! What brings you to me
today? Something I cann help you with?"
Clyde-
"I'm not about to impose. I'm not here
ta ask you to do somethin'. I'm here to
ask you ta not do somethin'. Easy peasy."
Wilhelm-
"Oh...? I hope you haffn't mistaken me for a warrior..."
Clyde-
"Why would I require the services of a
a warrior for the task of not doing something?
Wilhelm-
"I suppose zhat's true! So, what is your request?"
Clyde-
"Glad ya asked! In the spirit of amity,
bonhomie, and generalized goodwill toward
yer hometown boys, don't attack Crowboys.
How does that sound? Doable?
Wilhelm-
"I had never planned on it, honestly.
Is this due to 'zeh situation with Francesca?"
Clyde-
"What a polite way to put it. You're slick.
Yeah, that was a bit of rambunction gone too far.
Nobody wants that. But listen..."
Clyde-
"If by some chance a wayward crow does lay
into ya, you have permission to take 'em down any
way ya please, no reprisals. And for our part, the old
boys'll get the word out that you in particular should
not be attacked. All ya gotta do is promise not ta get
at ours unprovoked-like. Whatta ya say?"
Wilhelm-
"I'm sure I'm not much threat to anyone for what it's worth,
but 'zhat sounds like a reasonable offer. A cease-fire of sorts?
I'm not missing any important details, am I?"
Clyde-
"Not a one. Do I have ya word?"
Wilhelm-
"Heh... I do hope this agreement
is private, but very well, I agree."
Clyde-
"Others have reached the same accord,
but we won't tell anyone who's who
except ours and as needed. Follow?"
Wilhelm-
"Oh...! Ah, that makes sense. Understood."
Clyde-
"Just as I thought, sharp as tacks!"
Helen was watching TV when a bartender came back to tell her a baldy had come in.
She went up front, and found a very cheerful character that gave her the proposition.
After some tense moments, the conversation reached its climactic point:
Another time in Rafflesia, Dumbella told Thierry of a vampire in the club
Clyde-
"So whattya think? I tell those chuckleheads
to buzz off, and you let 'em buzz off?"
Helen-
"To those terms only, and only if you all stay
out of here. Understand, I'm not like Fran was, I don't
look down. I've just had my fill of trouble."
Clyde-
"Fine by me! I'll spread the word.
If any of 'em don't get with the program
toss 'em out or whatever you prefer."
Helen-
"Will do. Good night..."
that she found intensely creepy. He went down and got into a punk convo
the friendly Mr. Minch.
Another time, Zody and Dana were on the bus, feelin' pretty paranoid
Thierry-
"I don't know. You've never been able to control
yourselves before. I'd say yes, but what's the
point? I'll be dropping fireballs on
your ass tomorrow."
Clyde-
"If they don't control themselves, fire away my good friend. But
if they mind their own business, can ya give 'em the benefit of
the doubt? Ya don't gotta let 'em in this fine establishment if you
don't want, but I'll tell 'em to keep outta your hair in any case."
Thierry-
"..."
when a new passenger got on and justified their paranoia with creepiness.
They conversed with her uncomfortably, and at last she made the pitch...
Still another time, Anselm was burning down the avenue, when...
Amaranthia-
"So kids, we got each other's backs? Or at the very least,
promise not to poke anything in each other's backs?"
Dana-
"Absolutely. And might I add, you're much less
creepy to ride with than that... one character."
Amaranthia-
"Well thanks for the compliment! If I'd brought
my helium I'd give ya both a nice shiny balloon.
And that ain't even a drug thing, it's 100% honest."
Dana-
"Not a drug thing, but still somehow makes me
feel like I'm tripping my ass off. Brilliant..."
Anselm slowed the bike, noting the creepy man's lack
Creepy Guy-
"..."
of heat. A friend of bad boy? But he did have a ballon.
Anselm-
"Hey, cool ballon... vhere do you find?"
Creepy Guy-
"I make it my business to have balloons,
because who doesn't like balloons? Nobody, that's who."
Anselm-
"I had a ballon like it, but it got killed.
I never met you before, did I?"
Creepy Guy-
"That's right. I mighta seen you though,
I hope that's not a big problem for ya."
Anselm-
"Oh... I don't know you from a Circle..."
Anselm hesitated a moment and took his helmet off.
Yet another time, one Berthe Dupont was also waylaid by this clown...
Anselm-
"You're not bad, right?"
Creepy Guy-
"Not Circle, but would a bad guy
give you a shiny new balloon?"
Anselm-
"Aw, that's true, danke. Who are you called?
I am Anselm, do you know it already?"
Creepy Guy-
"I've heard a little about you. I'm Clyde,
a fella of some standing in the Crowboys."
Anselm-
"Oh I don't know about it, who is your progen?
I like to meet him or her. I meet every progen in town."
Clyde-
"Eeeeeeeeh...."
Clyde-
"I'm the progenitor. Brethren, in a sense?"
Anselm-
"Oh cool, nice to meet you!
I never haff another progen comes to see me!"
Anselm-
"Are you going to be in a Circle? I don't know if I do,
I said okay, but it's not very nice to me. I like to stay in Harlan."
Clyde-
"Circle not nice to you? It ain't been rosy
with me either. Brothers from another mother.
I'm here to introduce myself and, y'know, just make
sure my boys are on good terms with the new
folks, in these uncertain times."
Anselm-
"That's very nice! How do I know your boys?
I don't meet another family before."
Clyde-
"It's a testament to the fear instilled by
this conflagration that ya haven't seen my lads.
They're quite distinctive - Ya see a baldy
vamp in H-town, it's one of us."
Anselm-
"Oh I'm sorry! Don't vorry, I vill be very nice.
I know every Reckenburg vampire, I cann zay be nice too."
Clyde-
"Great! That's what I'm here for - ta
make sure we can be friendly with each
other. Wanna hear the terms of my offer?"
Anselm-
"Sure! Vhat it is?"
Clyde-
"Well, I don't really control my boys so much
as make suggestions, see? And some of them
are a bit, shall we say, rambunctious..."
Clyde-
"So, if in their rambunction they should attack you,
I grant you permission to strike back and do what you will. Just keep
in mind it ain't me, it ain't most of us, and I'll do my best to get the
word out to all my guys that they are not supposed to attack you -
by my word. What do ya think, chum?"
Anselm-
"Okay, I don't fight if I see, and 'dhey don't fight me. Right?
Zounds fine to me!"
Clyde-
"That's great, just hunky-dory. Let a fella
know, is there anything else I can do for ya?"
Anselm-
"Hmmm, you don't zee a bad vampire boy? 'Dhe vone who
fights vith 'dhe Circle. He is mean to me before--
vell, I shoot him first, but still..."
Clyde-
"I believe I saw the aftermath of your handiwork.
Chappy won't be wearing fingerless gloves, right?"
Anselm-
"Hahaha, yes! I heard I shoot fingers, I don't really
see because he hurts me--"
Anselm-
"Oh-- if you saw, you be very careful! It's too dangerous,
he has cheating somehow. Don't get hurt."
Clyde-
"Ohh? Cheating? That's interesting. Ya mean
he don't fight clean, or somethin' more specifical?"
Anselm-
"I don't know how he does-- not very old, maybe a hundred, but he
does unknown powers. Call vampires to him, like possessing a human.
Too fast and strong, maybe he gets lucky and I am too veak, but it don't
seem right. I heard he kills progens and it makes him strong somehow.
I hope you are zafe, I don't know, you are probably much stronger
'dhan me."
Clyde-
"Well. That makes sense of a few things we've seen,
but it's still a helluva mystery. Thanks for tha scoop!"
Anselm-
"Yeah, you tell me if you hear zomething, I vill tell you too!
I guess you find me easy, right? Maybe vee haff a fun party."
Clyde-
"I love your bonhomie, Anselm. Maybe after
the dust settles on this little punchup, eh?"
Anselm-
"Sure! I bet vee vin soon, don't vorry.
I'm happy to haff a good friend now.
You are a lot more fun 'dhan 'dhe Circle."
Clyde-
"You're killin' me! We'll do it! Hahaha..."
Another time, Hunter and Jess were at Hunter's studio, a loft in a classy
Berthe-
"...I admit, I have no idea what I am doing here anymore."
Clyde-
"It's a nice enough town, once things
get straightened out.
But in the meantime, always nice to have
an ally or two, yeah?"
Berthe-
"Yes, but you as an ally... I see your kind and
see terrible violence, ah, in my memories."
Clyde-
"Aw, that is quite the rough situation. We got
no beef with you, of course. We don't gotta be pals,
but just sayin' 'hey, we ain't gonna mess with ya,'
and visa versa ain't a bad idea, is it?"
Berthe-
"You're right, of course. It is one less thing to worry
about while I think on what to do next. Agreed."
Clyde-
"Great! Well, I hope ya do decide to stick around,
always nice to have a few more friendly faces."
Berthe-
"Enferrr, you could kill me in five minute and
make me like it. Where do you come from?"
Clyde-
"Hahaha, I'm just a ol' homegrown Harlan boy.
Guess it makes me biased in favor of this ol' burg. It'll be
great with all you new folks once stuff settles down, breathe
some life into this place... so ta speak. Don't gotta guess too
much about yourself, how's it compare to the continent?
Never got to travel."
Berthe-
"Dangerous as here, but not as fun... But then, contemporary
culture is well for me. What music do you hear?"
Clyde-
"Now there's a question I can get behind!
I dig you kids and your rock and roll,
always did like something with an upbeat tempo."
Berthe-
"I can't believe you, but I want to..."
retrofit of a brick building in a stylishly horrible neighborhood. The tall
bay windows were open at the top, light frosting from lack of care filled
them with light from the streets below.
A shadow at the window resolved into a smiling face at
the window's small opening. Amaranthia gave the pitch...
Another time, Willem Janice and Lucio were in a rooftop garden
Hunter-
"That's er... That's something." Jess-
"Why us? We're nothing."
Amaranthia-
"Hey it ain't a prob, I'm just a baby too.
Gotta stick up for each other, yeah?"
Jess-
"How are you so good at climbing
and shadow stuff? I'd be extra
Hunter- dead if I was out there..."
"Yeah that's... just wow."
Amaranthia-
"Aw, if I still had warm blood I'd be blushin'.
Guess I just been practicin' my ass off.
You'll get there too, kiddos!"
Jess-
"Sure, thanks, eheheh..."
of a fancy hotel that was presently hosting a terrible perv party.
And finally, we see what happened with Mr. Whitestone...
Lucio-
<<You don't have to stress, man.>>
Schönborn-
<<Finsterwald does not prey on your minds like mine. Does he?>>
Creepy Guy-
"I don't know from all that, but who wants a balloon?"
Janice-
"Whoa! Uh-- hello there!"
Lucio-
Janice- "Shiny."
"Have we met, darlin'?"
Schönborn-
"Vhere de hell did you come from?"
Creepy Guy-
"A lot closer to here than you, and ya haven't
answered my question. This balloon. Who wants?"
Creepy Guy-
"Will it be you, madam? I don't believe we've
made the acquaintance. Clyde's the name."
Janice-
"Haha, uh, sure, why not?
How's it going Clyde?
Guess we're a little nervous Lucio-
'cause we never met ya." "Hey maybe I wanted a balloon,
guess we have to share."
Clyde-
"Wanna see a magic trick? Or will that make
ya more nervous? Too late! I guess you
could say I'm feelin' frisky."
Schönborn-
"I don't know vhat means, but ve habe been warned for bald vampire."
Janice-
"Yeah, um, we're lovers not fighters!"
Lucio-
"But we fight for love.
As long as it's not you know, actual fighting."
Clyde-
"That's great, because as it happens, I'm on a
mission to promote brotherly love among vampires.
I'm a man of some esteem in the Crowboys - those bald
vamps gramps warned you about. Now, I've been going
about askin' people if they'd be amenable to
a sort of non-aggression deal."
Schönborn-
"You vill understand if dis seems suspicious to us."
Lucio-
"Fine by me."
Janice-
"Lucio! We should consider this..."
Lucio-
"We're only aggressive about
having a good time."
Janice-
"True but... we don't wanna get in trouble."
Schönborn-
"Dis is de problem. Ve are reasonably powerful vampires, not much to
fear from you. But we vere invited to dis town by more powerful den us.
If they do not like us to make this deal..?"
Clyde-
"Not a problem! I won't tell if you don't, and this
deal doesn't require you to lift a finger! All ya gotta do
is not attack us. Now, we ain't all on the same page. Some
Crowboys might attack ya on their own steam. But if that
happens, you can fight back however ya like, kill 'em even,
and I'll do what I can to stop any reprisals. Just don't go
out of your way to attack Crowboys, and we got a deal!"
Janice-
"Well to be honest, weren't
planning on it anyway."
Lucio-
"We just wanna take it easy."
Janice-
"Very easy... Um yeah. But we
didn't say nothin'... Like ya said."
Schönborn-
"Fine. It makes sense. You habe your deal."
Clyde-
"I'll take it! Enjoy the balloons, and I
hope I haven't been too much of a pest."
Janice-
"Nah, it's cool, everyone here
is just super un-chill." Lucio-
"The un-chillest, fairly warm even."
Janice-
"Thanks for the party favors, anyway."
Lucio-
"Now, let us party!"
Vitus was driving down the road when a figure rose in his back seat.
But not much later...
The car went into a tail spin and came to a stop against a curb.
Vitus spun in his seat to face the visitor...
Vitus-
"OK, who in bloody hell are you?"
Clyde-
"Hey pal, didn't mean ta scare ya.
Clyde's the name and--"
Clyde-
"Waaaait a second, you look familiar...
Where have I seen you before, years ago..."
Vitus-
"Really don't remember you. Had a moustache?"
Clyde-
"Ohh I remember, on a roof top. You were in a bad way, son.
Gave you a little boost. Glad to see you pulled through."
Vitus-
"I don't even-"
Vitus-
"I thought that was the--"
Vitus-
"Crowboy progenitor. Clyde then? Why now?"
Clyde-
"Ha, ya got me. True enough."
Clyde-
"Well, after that terrible hubbub with some of my kids,
thought I'd go around and try to make things right.
A truce, of sorts."
Vitus-
"Seems like a conversation we should've had a
long time ago, not that it's on you. This is really out
of my hands. What are you doing here? Did you
really not recognize me when you got in?"
Clyde-
"I've seen ya around, but didn't get an up close and personal look before.
How about that! Small world. Well, you ain't wrong. I haven't been the most
attentive papa, it's true. But it ain't a good time to be warring with each other
with all this ruckus, right?"
Vitus-
"Again, what in hell can I do about it? Suggestions?"
Clyde-
"See, I'm makin' it personal. Just on a man-to-man basis. If any Crowboys
mess with ya, knock 'em out. But I'm gonna tell 'em to leave you alone,
if you do likewise. No sweat, just a little friendly agreement."
Vitus-
"That's what I had before, more or less, but it'll be nice to
have it reaffirmed, as it were. Are you going man to man?
Who else have you talked to? ...The Grauish contingent?"
Clyde-
"Aw well, I made a vow of secrecy. But I and my apprentice
have talked to quite a few, and it's been a popular proposition.
So is it a deal then?"
Vitus-
"...Sure. Good luck with... this."
Clyde-
"Fantastic! I'm really lookin' forward to things settling down.
Maybe things can be a li'l more peaceful afterward, be a new age
for Harlan! Maybe that's a bit optimistic, but I've always been
a dreamer. Enjoy your evening, friend!"
Vitus-
"Likewise, I'm sure..."
And so it went! Who would survive, and what would be left of them?
VITUS: Demy just met cro progenitor. Might still be about. Txt?
DEMETRI: Yes. What is going on?
VITUS: Is named Clyde, some kind of scars on head, says he's
chatting up everyone incl graus, offering deal - don't attack us we
won't attack you.
DEMETRI: Any idea who has accepted?
VITUS: He wouldn't say. Can't even guess at ramfications.
DEMETRI: I can. Thank you for the help, Vitus. But why offer
it? I know you have wanted a deal of this sort for some time.
VITUS: I want to get Theodore more.
