Tuesday, July 31, 2007
((Forgive me, I forgot Kuro's full name))
A seemingly unarmed Suicidal Bombardier flipped a casino chip from one of their first jobs as he leaned against the wall waiting for Kuro. He saw Kuro come down the street, a man dressed in street clothes, which was unusual for him. "Bomber-san," he said and bowed slightly.
"Konnichiwa, Kuro-san," he replied, and bowed a little deeper.
The Japanese man smiled and bowed again. "Where do we go?"
"While we're the ones that are punctual, Tony's boys are late." A truck rumbled around the corner and slowed down approaching them. "Maybe not."
The truck stopped and the driver leaned out. "Yeah, I remember yous. Get in dah back."
Bomber nodded, undid the latch and peeked in. There were some boxes and pallets strewn about, so they found a place to sit. Another man came around, smiled wickedly at them, and shut the door. He heard the latch locking them in.
Bomber couldn't see in the dark - it wasn't hard for him to negotiate around by feel if he needed to. He also knew how to get out of one of these trucks by force if necessary, and he had the tools to do so.
"So how do you like working with Ryu?"
"It is prosperous," Kuro replied.
"What do you do?"
"Whatever he asks."
Bomber fell silent. Finally they stopped and Bomber heard the door unlock, the latch come up. The door opened, spilling bright light into the darkness, but both men rose fluidly as if the lighting hadn't changed. "Tony!" Bomber called, seeing the man in purple, "How the hell are ya?"
"Yeah, just get out."
Bomber followed Tony, not without glancing around. They were at a typical nondescript wharf, probably at the opposite end of Cap au Diable, because it looked out to an empty skyline. They headed down a small dock and into a freight boat.
"Oh, my manners. Meet my temporary assitant, Kuro."
"Greetings Tony-san," he said with a bow.
Tony looked the slight Japanese man over, probably assessing if he could beat him up. Kuro did nothing to betray his ability with open-hand fighting that he demonstrated constantly to Bomber. He only smiled at Tony, who looked a little disconcerted.
"Yeah, whatever. C'mon, I got shit to do today. I'm only here to get my money."
"You look pretty good for a man who had his stomach ripped out by flying glass."
"You know about that, huh?" Tony looked him over.
Bomber tapped his helmet. "I see everything."
Tony now looked like a man who wanted to get rid of them, and fast. He brought them to the hold and threw open the doors. Kuro took a deep breath and Bomber wondered what he smelled, because he couldn't smell anything due to the filtration of the helmet. He turned the corner and realized what it probably was.
A horse. A beautiful, proud, chestnut brown stallion, with a black mane and smoldering dark eyes. Bomber was stunned, absolutely stunned.
Kuro, however walked by it and made a precursory walk through the hold, giving each animal a glance. Bomber remained behind, staring at the animal. He reached out to the horse and patted its forehead. "What beautiful meat you are!" he whispered.
Kuro had gone back through a couple of other stalls while Bomber watched the horse. Then he called him over to one. Bomber absently took out another poker chip and walked it over his knuckles as he went over. This one was a lighter brown, almost rusty colored mare. "This one?"
Kuro nodded. Tony turned and yelled at the man standing at the door. "Brian!"
The man jogged down to them. "Oh, that's Fartherston. She ran maybe eight races, foaled two. One of her foals just fetched half a mil."
"How much?" asked Bomber of Tony.
"Half a mil."
"Screw you," Bomber snapped, "That's what her foal got, not her. Eight races, did she win any?" Brian shook his head. "Three hundred K."
"What the fuck you think I do, give these away? She's got time enough for a couple more foals. Four-fifty."
Kuro said quietly, "There was a difficult birth." He pointed to a scar along her stomach.
"Ha!" cried Bomber triumphantly. "Damaged goods! Three-fifty."
"I'm givin' it to you at that price."
"Probably not."
Tony waved his hand. "Get the papers."
Kuro stepped forward, "Bomber-san, there is a stallion that would be a perfect match."
Tony whirled on him, "Now you want two?"
"Let's see it."
"You said you had a stud and a stable -"
Bomber turned around so fast he caused a breeze and got his helmet right in Tony's face. "I'm not shopping at Macy's. This is fuckin' Wal-Mart." Tony's men stepped forward. Kuro stepped back, looking casual but probably in a ready stance.
"I'm doing you a favor getting these animals off your hands. Now if you're nice about it and not such a prick, we can have a consistent mutual relationship. But if you're going to act like you're doing me a fuckin' favor, flying glass can go a lot higher than your stomach. Kapeesh?" He stepped in closer and said quietly, "I can hit a pick-axe wielding miner at five hundred yards." Stepping back he said, without looking at Kuro, "Let's have a look at that stallion."
Tony regained his composure by saying, "Are you threatening me?"
"I don't threaten." He fell in next to Kuro. While Kuro showed him the stallion Brian returned with the papers. Bomber pulled out a huge stack of bills and counted out some to Brian. "Thirty-five ten-thousand notes."
Tony's eyes almost bugged out of his sockets. "I didn't know they made them that high."
"And you. In the Family." Bomber tsked. "Guess they don't trust you with the money, huh?" Bomber peeled off one bill and tucked it in his breastplate, then turned his back on Tony.
Bomber heard the snick of guns being drawn. "Bomber-san."
He turned around to see Tony and the men bearing guns on him. "I knew you were going to do that." He flicked what looked like the poker chip at them, and it exploded in mid-air. Body parts and dollar bills blew everywhere, hitting Kuro and Bomber, while Brian ducked.
"That cost me a pretty penny but damn it was worth it." He turned to Brian. "I need two bridles."
Brian plucked them from the stall nearby and fastened them onto the horse, then ran to get Fartherston. Bomber took a yellow card, peeled off a piece of paper covering an adhesive, then stuck it on the horse's neck. He pressed the red button. Then he handed the card to Kuro. "Press the red button. I'll meet you there."
He stuck the other card on Fartherston's neck and turned Brian. "Nice doing business with you." He pressed the button on the horse and tossed something at him. Brian flinched, but it looked like a poker chip. As Bombardier faded in a teleportation, he bent to pick it up. Bomber heard the explosion as the last sound before leaving that ship.
The horse stood in front of the door of the Tiki lounge, and Bomber absently grabbed the reins, pulling it forward. He saw Kuro standing off to the side, a crowd gathered around him and his horse. "Hey, Kuro, let's go."
"Hey, man," asked a man, "Where'd you get the horse?"
"What horse?"
"That one."
"What're you talking about?" Bombardier turned in Kuro's direction and made a twisting motion with his index finger against his temple.
"That horse."
"Look, I don't know what drugs you're on but I don't see a horse."
"It's right there!"
Bomber walked out the door, pulling the horse behind him. Kuro followed silently. At every inquiry, he kept asking, "What horse?" Finally they came out in Sharkhead. They walked around and ended up in an alley.
"Think you're all set?"
Kuro nodded and pulled out a cell phone. Bomber sat on a stoop and took off his helmet, letting the darkness wash over him blissfully. "I'm going to have to lay low with the Family for a little while."
"We can protect you, Bomber-san."
"I'll be fine." He smiled. "I hope he'll be happy with it."
"I am sure my master will be very pleased."
Soon enough, he heard a truck. Mickey, you're sending two animals to the glue factory.
"Shut up."
"Bomber-san?"
"I don't sleep. I bleed. Go, go see. I'm fine. I can fly a chopper, all I need is seven-thousand rotations."
He didn't hear the truck stop, the animals get aboard, and he didn't see the concerned look Kuro gave him as he climbed into the truck. As the truck drove away, people passed by without a second glance at the babbling blind man.
A seemingly unarmed Suicidal Bombardier flipped a casino chip from one of their first jobs as he leaned against the wall waiting for Kuro. He saw Kuro come down the street, a man dressed in street clothes, which was unusual for him. "Bomber-san," he said and bowed slightly.
"Konnichiwa, Kuro-san," he replied, and bowed a little deeper.
The Japanese man smiled and bowed again. "Where do we go?"
"While we're the ones that are punctual, Tony's boys are late." A truck rumbled around the corner and slowed down approaching them. "Maybe not."
The truck stopped and the driver leaned out. "Yeah, I remember yous. Get in dah back."
Bomber nodded, undid the latch and peeked in. There were some boxes and pallets strewn about, so they found a place to sit. Another man came around, smiled wickedly at them, and shut the door. He heard the latch locking them in.
Bomber couldn't see in the dark - it wasn't hard for him to negotiate around by feel if he needed to. He also knew how to get out of one of these trucks by force if necessary, and he had the tools to do so.
"So how do you like working with Ryu?"
"It is prosperous," Kuro replied.
"What do you do?"
"Whatever he asks."
Bomber fell silent. Finally they stopped and Bomber heard the door unlock, the latch come up. The door opened, spilling bright light into the darkness, but both men rose fluidly as if the lighting hadn't changed. "Tony!" Bomber called, seeing the man in purple, "How the hell are ya?"
"Yeah, just get out."
Bomber followed Tony, not without glancing around. They were at a typical nondescript wharf, probably at the opposite end of Cap au Diable, because it looked out to an empty skyline. They headed down a small dock and into a freight boat.
"Oh, my manners. Meet my temporary assitant, Kuro."
"Greetings Tony-san," he said with a bow.
Tony looked the slight Japanese man over, probably assessing if he could beat him up. Kuro did nothing to betray his ability with open-hand fighting that he demonstrated constantly to Bomber. He only smiled at Tony, who looked a little disconcerted.
"Yeah, whatever. C'mon, I got shit to do today. I'm only here to get my money."
"You look pretty good for a man who had his stomach ripped out by flying glass."
"You know about that, huh?" Tony looked him over.
Bomber tapped his helmet. "I see everything."
Tony now looked like a man who wanted to get rid of them, and fast. He brought them to the hold and threw open the doors. Kuro took a deep breath and Bomber wondered what he smelled, because he couldn't smell anything due to the filtration of the helmet. He turned the corner and realized what it probably was.
A horse. A beautiful, proud, chestnut brown stallion, with a black mane and smoldering dark eyes. Bomber was stunned, absolutely stunned.
Kuro, however walked by it and made a precursory walk through the hold, giving each animal a glance. Bomber remained behind, staring at the animal. He reached out to the horse and patted its forehead. "What beautiful meat you are!" he whispered.
Kuro had gone back through a couple of other stalls while Bomber watched the horse. Then he called him over to one. Bomber absently took out another poker chip and walked it over his knuckles as he went over. This one was a lighter brown, almost rusty colored mare. "This one?"
Kuro nodded. Tony turned and yelled at the man standing at the door. "Brian!"
The man jogged down to them. "Oh, that's Fartherston. She ran maybe eight races, foaled two. One of her foals just fetched half a mil."
"How much?" asked Bomber of Tony.
"Half a mil."
"Screw you," Bomber snapped, "That's what her foal got, not her. Eight races, did she win any?" Brian shook his head. "Three hundred K."
"What the fuck you think I do, give these away? She's got time enough for a couple more foals. Four-fifty."
Kuro said quietly, "There was a difficult birth." He pointed to a scar along her stomach.
"Ha!" cried Bomber triumphantly. "Damaged goods! Three-fifty."
"I'm givin' it to you at that price."
"Probably not."
Tony waved his hand. "Get the papers."
Kuro stepped forward, "Bomber-san, there is a stallion that would be a perfect match."
Tony whirled on him, "Now you want two?"
"Let's see it."
"You said you had a stud and a stable -"
Bomber turned around so fast he caused a breeze and got his helmet right in Tony's face. "I'm not shopping at Macy's. This is fuckin' Wal-Mart." Tony's men stepped forward. Kuro stepped back, looking casual but probably in a ready stance.
"I'm doing you a favor getting these animals off your hands. Now if you're nice about it and not such a prick, we can have a consistent mutual relationship. But if you're going to act like you're doing me a fuckin' favor, flying glass can go a lot higher than your stomach. Kapeesh?" He stepped in closer and said quietly, "I can hit a pick-axe wielding miner at five hundred yards." Stepping back he said, without looking at Kuro, "Let's have a look at that stallion."
Tony regained his composure by saying, "Are you threatening me?"
"I don't threaten." He fell in next to Kuro. While Kuro showed him the stallion Brian returned with the papers. Bomber pulled out a huge stack of bills and counted out some to Brian. "Thirty-five ten-thousand notes."
Tony's eyes almost bugged out of his sockets. "I didn't know they made them that high."
"And you. In the Family." Bomber tsked. "Guess they don't trust you with the money, huh?" Bomber peeled off one bill and tucked it in his breastplate, then turned his back on Tony.
Bomber heard the snick of guns being drawn. "Bomber-san."
He turned around to see Tony and the men bearing guns on him. "I knew you were going to do that." He flicked what looked like the poker chip at them, and it exploded in mid-air. Body parts and dollar bills blew everywhere, hitting Kuro and Bomber, while Brian ducked.
"That cost me a pretty penny but damn it was worth it." He turned to Brian. "I need two bridles."
Brian plucked them from the stall nearby and fastened them onto the horse, then ran to get Fartherston. Bomber took a yellow card, peeled off a piece of paper covering an adhesive, then stuck it on the horse's neck. He pressed the red button. Then he handed the card to Kuro. "Press the red button. I'll meet you there."
He stuck the other card on Fartherston's neck and turned Brian. "Nice doing business with you." He pressed the button on the horse and tossed something at him. Brian flinched, but it looked like a poker chip. As Bombardier faded in a teleportation, he bent to pick it up. Bomber heard the explosion as the last sound before leaving that ship.
The horse stood in front of the door of the Tiki lounge, and Bomber absently grabbed the reins, pulling it forward. He saw Kuro standing off to the side, a crowd gathered around him and his horse. "Hey, Kuro, let's go."
"Hey, man," asked a man, "Where'd you get the horse?"
"What horse?"
"That one."
"What're you talking about?" Bombardier turned in Kuro's direction and made a twisting motion with his index finger against his temple.
"That horse."
"Look, I don't know what drugs you're on but I don't see a horse."
"It's right there!"
Bomber walked out the door, pulling the horse behind him. Kuro followed silently. At every inquiry, he kept asking, "What horse?" Finally they came out in Sharkhead. They walked around and ended up in an alley.
"Think you're all set?"
Kuro nodded and pulled out a cell phone. Bomber sat on a stoop and took off his helmet, letting the darkness wash over him blissfully. "I'm going to have to lay low with the Family for a little while."
"We can protect you, Bomber-san."
"I'll be fine." He smiled. "I hope he'll be happy with it."
"I am sure my master will be very pleased."
Soon enough, he heard a truck. Mickey, you're sending two animals to the glue factory.
"Shut up."
"Bomber-san?"
"I don't sleep. I bleed. Go, go see. I'm fine. I can fly a chopper, all I need is seven-thousand rotations."
He didn't hear the truck stop, the animals get aboard, and he didn't see the concerned look Kuro gave him as he climbed into the truck. As the truck drove away, people passed by without a second glance at the babbling blind man.
Monday, July 30, 2007
*****Spoiler Alert (though most of the readers of this blog already have gone through the Lady Grey TF) *****
When Nate wanted to talk to Jack, he would bring himself to a pier in Talos Island. This pier looked out among the water, seemingly into infinity, and the water lapped gently among the piles, creating a soothing and comforting sound to him.
No one seemed to bother him, as he sat on a box, seemingly looking inward. It was a place no one knew about - except one. And he was at his home now, being taken care of.
Nate had sensed a disturbance in Jack after working for Lady Grey. So when Vagabond released him from service, he flew here.
You should have gone with Frosty.
You're important to me, too.
Warmth emanated from his heart to fill him. Nate smiled, focusing on the water.
What bothers you?
I wasn't there.
I'm sorry, what?
I wasn't there. I should have gone - Jack should have gone. Or I should have gone.
But the obituary...
Lied.
"Lied?"
Yes. We were no where near Team Alpha. Do you know how old Jack was then? Seventy-four. Statesman took one look at us and knew Jack couldn't do it. There were hundreds, thousands of other heroes. We stayed home. Nate felt regret now. We stayed home.
Nate stepped aside, so while in the old costume that he had worn when he was the vanguard with E, Fyre, and Stronghold, Jack came to the fore and Nate allowed him full expression of the emotions that welled up in him.
He put his face in his hands and he cried.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
13:06:37 [Team]Keen Techno: Um, excuse me... you've got... butterfly wings? ::points with the hand::
13:06:39 [Team]Mirestorm: If my memory serves me.... the fair...er..fairfolk can certainly handle their liquor.
13:06:51 [Team]A-Cappella: Oh, that's true.
(He's not quite a fairy, but that's okay)
13:07:01 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, I do. What's it to ya.
13:07:08 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Got a problem?
13:07:18 [Team]Keen Techno: How cute!
13:07:29 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Cute?! CUTE!
13:07:34 [Team]A-Cappella: I thought so, too! Well, then he started shouting.
13:07:36 [Team]A-Cappella: Like that.
13:07:52 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm not frickin' CUTE!
13:08:01 [Team]A-Cappella: ::mutters:: You're kinda cute.
13:08:16 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Whazzat?
13:08:25 [Team]A-Cappella: You're handsome.
13:08:40 [Team]Keen Techno: Wow! It's even more cute when you're angry!
13:08:51 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Heh. You're taken.
13:08:58 [Team]Keen Techno: Can I take you home?
13:08:59 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I. Am. Not. Cute.
13:09:04 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: No!
13:09:07 [Team]Keen Techno: ::laughs::
13:09:17 [Team]A-Cappella: ::giggles::
13:09:26 [Team]Mirestorm: More tattos Mr. Butterfly...more tattos
13:09:27 [Team]A-Cappella: He'd take care of you, I bet!
13:09:37 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: ::mutters:: Fairies.
13:09:55 [Team]Keen Techno: I'd hug you and call you George! How's that?
13:10:01 A-Cappella laughs
13:10:01 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, I need more tattoos.
13:10:09 [Team]A-Cappella: Butterfly tattoos?
13:10:13 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: My name ain't George - NO!
13:10:31 [Team]A-Cappella: You know, until you find a way out of this, you should just try to roll with it.
13:10:46 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm ignorin' 'em.
13:10:59 A-Cappella slides her arm into Mire's
13:11:00 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: But if it gets me chicks... ::grins::
13:11:01 [Team]Mirestorm: We'll try to do the same ::smiles::
13:11:12 [Team]A-Cappella: I bet the girls will love it.
13:11:17 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, 'preciate it.
13:11:28 [Team]A-Cappella: It's like having a puppy with you all the time. Except it's a butterfly. And it's you.
13:11:36 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: A puppy.
13:11:43 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm cute and then I'm a puppy.
13:11:54 [Team]A-Cappella: No...girls go nuts over guys with puppies.
13:12:06 [Team]A-Cappella: I'm saying it's like you have one with you all the time. Believe me, you're nothing like a puppy.
13:06:39 [Team]Mirestorm: If my memory serves me.... the fair...er..fairfolk can certainly handle their liquor.
13:06:51 [Team]A-Cappella: Oh, that's true.
(He's not quite a fairy, but that's okay)
13:07:01 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, I do. What's it to ya.
13:07:08 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Got a problem?
13:07:18 [Team]Keen Techno: How cute!
13:07:29 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Cute?! CUTE!
13:07:34 [Team]A-Cappella: I thought so, too! Well, then he started shouting.
13:07:36 [Team]A-Cappella: Like that.
13:07:52 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm not frickin' CUTE!
13:08:01 [Team]A-Cappella: ::mutters:: You're kinda cute.
13:08:16 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Whazzat?
13:08:25 [Team]A-Cappella: You're handsome.
13:08:40 [Team]Keen Techno: Wow! It's even more cute when you're angry!
13:08:51 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Heh. You're taken.
13:08:58 [Team]Keen Techno: Can I take you home?
13:08:59 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I. Am. Not. Cute.
13:09:04 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: No!
13:09:07 [Team]Keen Techno: ::laughs::
13:09:17 [Team]A-Cappella: ::giggles::
13:09:26 [Team]Mirestorm: More tattos Mr. Butterfly...more tattos
13:09:27 [Team]A-Cappella: He'd take care of you, I bet!
13:09:37 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: ::mutters:: Fairies.
13:09:55 [Team]Keen Techno: I'd hug you and call you George! How's that?
13:10:01 A-Cappella laughs
13:10:01 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, I need more tattoos.
13:10:09 [Team]A-Cappella: Butterfly tattoos?
13:10:13 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: My name ain't George - NO!
13:10:31 [Team]A-Cappella: You know, until you find a way out of this, you should just try to roll with it.
13:10:46 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm ignorin' 'em.
13:10:59 A-Cappella slides her arm into Mire's
13:11:00 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: But if it gets me chicks... ::grins::
13:11:01 [Team]Mirestorm: We'll try to do the same ::smiles::
13:11:12 [Team]A-Cappella: I bet the girls will love it.
13:11:17 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: Yeah, 'preciate it.
13:11:28 [Team]A-Cappella: It's like having a puppy with you all the time. Except it's a butterfly. And it's you.
13:11:36 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: A puppy.
13:11:43 [Team]Sonic Butterfly: I'm cute and then I'm a puppy.
13:11:54 [Team]A-Cappella: No...girls go nuts over guys with puppies.
13:12:06 [Team]A-Cappella: I'm saying it's like you have one with you all the time. Believe me, you're nothing like a puppy.
Bomber turns the corner and...
[Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Go not softly into that good night...
50:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Place the hold...
50:43 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Want fries with that?!
(Sets someone on fire)
53:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I will try not to breathe...
(Sets up the Poison trap)
54:00 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: What did you have for breakfast?
54:16 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Let's see!
(watches the Longbow puke from the poison trap)
55:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh yes!
59:16 [Team]Ryu Tatsu:Bomber. Doing what Kain was doing before he has a chance is not a solution.
(I totally missed this)
59:37 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Scuse me
(as he goes in the middle of a group to set up a trap)
59:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Lie down and die, it'll be easier on us all.
(as he hits them with a slug)
58 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Makeup!
(I have no idea, we had walked into a room with a warden, maybe that's what it was)
02:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Say hello to my little friend!
(setting up the Poison Trap)
03:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Smooooke on the waaater...
(watching the poison trap)
[Team]Lunatrix: Ambush coming.
05:29 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Outta traps.
06:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey!
06:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Can I shoot this barrel of explosives?
06:40 [Team]Ryu Tatsu: No.
06:43 [Team]Lunatrix: There's another ambush coming.
06:45 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Darn.
07:48 [Team]Lunatrix: Another on its way.
08:02 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Say hello to Harvey. (The acid mortar)
08:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Good boy!
They leave because the ambushes keep on coming.
09:59 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: More Longbow!
10:10 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Woo!
10:38 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::sorrowfully:: No more Longbow?
11:28 Suicidal Bombardier bumps into Kain. (Who's invisible)
11:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh, there you are.
11:39 [Team]Ryu Tatsu: Because of our... interference... Longbow has stepped up their plans. The Sky Raiders are offering us a substantial payment to assist their forces in the upcoming battle. And by assist, it sounds like he has a specific task in mind for us.
12:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Three point shot from the foul line! (Another "What the hell does that mean?" moment)
12:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey, um...Glowie.
12:50 [Team]Kain X': ::silent::
13:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::takes Kain's head with both hands and presses his own helmet against his forehead::
13:41 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Don't.
14:13 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: taps his helmet gently against Kain's forehead::
14:29 [Team]Kain X': ::winces not in a painful way::
14:34 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Kill. The. Bear.
15:00 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: releases Kain::
15:30 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You can kill the bear.
15:39 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's easy. Just get a gun.
16:02 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You gotta find the right caliber.
16:11 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: And use the right bait.
16:20 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Easy.
16:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Talk to me, Glowie.
(Takes off the helmet)
17:03 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: See, I won't even look at you.
17:51 [Team]Kain X': ::deeper tone:: You're sure insistent. (A ha, Luther! Nice to meet you. Let's wake up Kain, shall we?)
18:08 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Part o' the parts.
18:45 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Ain' movin'. (He knows Kain feels the need to heal, and if he stops breathing - which at that moment he realized he doesn't really need to do, though he needs air to speak - that Kain will struggle up to heal him)
19:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::stands absolutely still, doesn't seem to be breathing::
20:14 [Team]Kain X': ::grins under the mask::
21:11 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::is still standing still::
21:59 [Team]Kain X': ::blinks, wide-eyes, muttering to himself:: Stop... that...
22:20 [Team]Kain X': ::voice comes back to normal:: ... Bomber?
22:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hm?
25 [Team]Kain X': You... did I...
54 [Team]Kain X': ... I didn't see you there. Your helmet...
24:15 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: tilts his head::
24:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: The Bear.
24:43 [Team]Kain X': ::looks at Bomber sideways::
25:09 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::realizes that he wasn't breathing and takes in a deep breath with a gasp::
25:25 [Team]Kain X': Are you okay?
25:32 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Huh.. uh.. yeah.
25:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Now you...
26:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I bet there's a chip in there.
26:17 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I bet the Bear's a chip...
26:26 [Team]Kain X': You know, Bomber...
26:42 [Team]Kain X': ... radiation can have uses other than destruction. (Bomber freaked out in a mission accusing Kain of building an atomic bomb - or becoming one)
27:05 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I know.
28:02 [Team]Kain X': My research is not about destruction, either.
28:14 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: What is it about?
28:45 [Team]Kain X': To make people live longer.
29:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You're kidding.
29:07 [Team]Kain X': I am not.
29:21 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Why?
30:13 [Team]Kain X': ::chuckles weakly:: I wonder...
30:47 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: So you want to help people live longer, preferably healthy lives, I suppose.
30:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Not like...
31:00 [Team]Kain X': So far... it's all been... failures... but still...
31:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: People die?
31:42 [Team]Kain X': Because I fail.
32:31 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: People die because you fail.
33:08 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: That's bullshit.
33:09 [Team]Kain X': I should not.
33:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's bullshit. You're human, last I checked.
33:50 [Team]Kain X': And humans make mistakes.
33:55 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Even Ryu makes mistakes, and he's not human, and he takes it and moves on.
34:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Stop being so hard on yourself.
36:09 [Team]Kain X': I can't take it anymore.
36:19 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Take what?
36:20 [Team]Kain X': I have to succeed. Once.
36:34 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: And how do you do that?
37:10 [Team]Kain X': Researching.
37:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Plan the attack. Gather recon and information, collate and sift, look for holes.
38:15 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Coordinate and plan, offer contingencies, look for holes in all of them.
38:29 [Team]Kain X': Holes...
38:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Are there?
39:23 [Team]Kain X': It's... unlikely.
39:48 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Sure there is. You got a bear riding your ass.
40:31 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Dance with the bear or kill it - why dance?
40:55 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Do you need to? Kill it then.
41:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Or dance with it and slip the knife in when it's not looking.
41:08 [Team]Kain X': ::quietly:: I do.
41:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You dance for a reason?
41:50 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Flirt with the fire? It burns.
42:20 [Team]Kain X': I must endure.
42:48 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Martyr.
43:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Have a hairshirt.
43:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: For what? For what do you dance with the bear?
43:38 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Love, money or rockets? (I told Keen that Rockets meant power. I think.)
43:58 [Team]Kain X': A few of each.
44:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You want to keep dancing or do you want it dead?
45:02 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: If you want it dead I'll expunge it for you. We all would.
45:44 [Team]Kain X': No... I don't want it dead.
46:12 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Put it to sleep.
46:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Tuck it in nicey nice, tell stories and make it compliant.
46:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Let it dance for you.
47:13 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Can't beat 'em? Join 'em.
47:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Then...slip them the mickey.
49:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Say so? Wanna?
49:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You can't think - the Bear. Right there.
49:58 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: points in Kain's general direction::
50:09 [Team]Kain X': ::sighs::
50:28 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Bear hears the music and changes his dance.
51:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Step ahead, learn to lead.
51:30 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Let the Bear think it leads...but it dances to your music.
51:59 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Did you see my fish? (I have no idea what that meant. NONE.)
52:13 [Team]Kain X': Fish?
52:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I need to find my fish.
52:54 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: But let's put your Bear to sleep sometime.
53:19 [Team]Kain X': ::dispassionately:: Sure.
54:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::waves his hands in front of his face even though he can't see them:: (Don't know what that means, either)
54:42 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey, Glowie, know anything about brain surgery?
55:03 [Team]Kain X': Some of it.
55:21 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I got a bullet right here, can you take it out?
55:27 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::points to his temple::
55:41 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's itchy.
56:20 [Team]Kain X': I could do it.
56:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I'd trust you over those Me--
56:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You got the tools?
56:58 [Team]Kain X': I assure you I'm not one of them.
57:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I'm sure I can dig up a saws-all.
57:15 [Team]Kain X': I'm afraid I do not.
57:54 [Team]Kain X': Hm. I don't work with such instruments.
58:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh - a drill?
58:20 [Team]Kain X': But I'm sure we can--
58:29 [Team]Kain X': No.
58:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Uh...I'm running out of options here.
(Right about then, Ryu says good night)
[Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Go not softly into that good night...
50:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Place the hold...
50:43 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Want fries with that?!
(Sets someone on fire)
53:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I will try not to breathe...
(Sets up the Poison trap)
54:00 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: What did you have for breakfast?
54:16 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Let's see!
(watches the Longbow puke from the poison trap)
55:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh yes!
59:16 [Team]Ryu Tatsu:
(I totally missed this)
59:37 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Scuse me
(as he goes in the middle of a group to set up a trap)
59:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Lie down and die, it'll be easier on us all.
(as he hits them with a slug)
58 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Makeup!
(I have no idea, we had walked into a room with a warden, maybe that's what it was)
02:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Say hello to my little friend!
(setting up the Poison Trap)
03:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Smooooke on the waaater...
(watching the poison trap)
[Team]Lunatrix: Ambush coming.
05:29 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Outta traps.
06:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey!
06:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Can I shoot this barrel of explosives?
06:40 [Team]Ryu Tatsu: No.
06:43 [Team]Lunatrix: There's another ambush coming.
06:45 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Darn.
07:48 [Team]Lunatrix: Another on its way.
08:02 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Say hello to Harvey. (The acid mortar)
08:54 [Local]Suicidal Bombardier: Good boy!
They leave because the ambushes keep on coming.
09:59 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: More Longbow!
10:10 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Woo!
10:38 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::sorrowfully:: No more Longbow?
11:28 Suicidal Bombardier bumps into Kain. (Who's invisible)
11:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh, there you are.
11:39 [Team]Ryu Tatsu: Because of our... interference... Longbow has stepped up their plans. The Sky Raiders are offering us a substantial payment to assist their forces in the upcoming battle. And by assist, it sounds like he has a specific task in mind for us.
12:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Three point shot from the foul line! (Another "What the hell does that mean?" moment)
12:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey, um...Glowie.
12:50 [Team]Kain X': ::silent::
13:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::takes Kain's head with both hands and presses his own helmet against his forehead::
13:41 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Don't.
14:13 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: taps his helmet gently against Kain's forehead::
14:29 [Team]Kain X': ::winces not in a painful way::
14:34 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Kill. The. Bear.
15:00 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: releases Kain::
15:30 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You can kill the bear.
15:39 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's easy. Just get a gun.
16:02 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You gotta find the right caliber.
16:11 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: And use the right bait.
16:20 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Easy.
16:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Talk to me, Glowie.
(Takes off the helmet)
17:03 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: See, I won't even look at you.
17:51 [Team]Kain X': ::deeper tone:: You're sure insistent. (A ha, Luther! Nice to meet you. Let's wake up Kain, shall we?)
18:08 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Part o' the parts.
18:45 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Ain' movin'. (He knows Kain feels the need to heal, and if he stops breathing - which at that moment he realized he doesn't really need to do, though he needs air to speak - that Kain will struggle up to heal him)
19:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::stands absolutely still, doesn't seem to be breathing::
20:14 [Team]Kain X': ::grins under the mask::
21:11 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::is still standing still::
21:59 [Team]Kain X': ::blinks, wide-eyes, muttering to himself:: Stop... that...
22:20 [Team]Kain X': ::voice comes back to normal:: ... Bomber?
22:35 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hm?
25 [Team]Kain X': You... did I...
54 [Team]Kain X': ... I didn't see you there. Your helmet...
24:15 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: tilts his head::
24:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: The Bear.
24:43 [Team]Kain X': ::looks at Bomber sideways::
25:09 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::realizes that he wasn't breathing and takes in a deep breath with a gasp::
25:25 [Team]Kain X': Are you okay?
25:32 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Huh.. uh.. yeah.
25:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Now you...
26:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I bet there's a chip in there.
26:17 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I bet the Bear's a chip...
26:26 [Team]Kain X': You know, Bomber...
26:42 [Team]Kain X': ... radiation can have uses other than destruction. (Bomber freaked out in a mission accusing Kain of building an atomic bomb - or becoming one)
27:05 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I know.
28:02 [Team]Kain X': My research is not about destruction, either.
28:14 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: What is it about?
28:45 [Team]Kain X': To make people live longer.
29:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You're kidding.
29:07 [Team]Kain X': I am not.
29:21 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Why?
30:13 [Team]Kain X': ::chuckles weakly:: I wonder...
30:47 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: So you want to help people live longer, preferably healthy lives, I suppose.
30:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Not like...
31:00 [Team]Kain X': So far... it's all been... failures... but still...
31:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: People die?
31:42 [Team]Kain X': Because I fail.
32:31 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: People die because you fail.
33:08 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: That's bullshit.
33:09 [Team]Kain X': I should not.
33:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's bullshit. You're human, last I checked.
33:50 [Team]Kain X': And humans make mistakes.
33:55 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Even Ryu makes mistakes, and he's not human, and he takes it and moves on.
34:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Stop being so hard on yourself.
36:09 [Team]Kain X': I can't take it anymore.
36:19 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Take what?
36:20 [Team]Kain X': I have to succeed. Once.
36:34 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: And how do you do that?
37:10 [Team]Kain X': Researching.
37:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Plan the attack. Gather recon and information, collate and sift, look for holes.
38:15 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Coordinate and plan, offer contingencies, look for holes in all of them.
38:29 [Team]Kain X': Holes...
38:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Are there?
39:23 [Team]Kain X': It's... unlikely.
39:48 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Sure there is. You got a bear riding your ass.
40:31 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Dance with the bear or kill it - why dance?
40:55 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Do you need to? Kill it then.
41:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Or dance with it and slip the knife in when it's not looking.
41:08 [Team]Kain X': ::quietly:: I do.
41:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You dance for a reason?
41:50 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Flirt with the fire? It burns.
42:20 [Team]Kain X': I must endure.
42:48 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Martyr.
43:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Have a hairshirt.
43:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: For what? For what do you dance with the bear?
43:38 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Love, money or rockets? (I told Keen that Rockets meant power. I think.)
43:58 [Team]Kain X': A few of each.
44:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You want to keep dancing or do you want it dead?
45:02 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: If you want it dead I'll expunge it for you. We all would.
45:44 [Team]Kain X': No... I don't want it dead.
46:12 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Put it to sleep.
46:36 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Tuck it in nicey nice, tell stories and make it compliant.
46:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Let it dance for you.
47:13 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Can't beat 'em? Join 'em.
47:25 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Then...slip them the mickey.
49:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Say so? Wanna?
49:49 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You can't think - the Bear. Right there.
49:58 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: :: points in Kain's general direction::
50:09 [Team]Kain X': ::sighs::
50:28 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Bear hears the music and changes his dance.
51:04 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Step ahead, learn to lead.
51:30 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Let the Bear think it leads...but it dances to your music.
51:59 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Did you see my fish? (I have no idea what that meant. NONE.)
52:13 [Team]Kain X': Fish?
52:26 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I need to find my fish.
52:54 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: But let's put your Bear to sleep sometime.
53:19 [Team]Kain X': ::dispassionately:: Sure.
54:01 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::waves his hands in front of his face even though he can't see them:: (Don't know what that means, either)
54:42 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Hey, Glowie, know anything about brain surgery?
55:03 [Team]Kain X': Some of it.
55:21 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I got a bullet right here, can you take it out?
55:27 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: ::points to his temple::
55:41 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: It's itchy.
56:20 [Team]Kain X': I could do it.
56:23 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I'd trust you over those Me--
56:52 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: You got the tools?
56:58 [Team]Kain X': I assure you I'm not one of them.
57:07 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: I'm sure I can dig up a saws-all.
57:15 [Team]Kain X': I'm afraid I do not.
57:54 [Team]Kain X': Hm. I don't work with such instruments.
58:16 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Oh - a drill?
58:20 [Team]Kain X': But I'm sure we can--
58:29 [Team]Kain X': No.
58:44 [Team]Suicidal Bombardier: Uh...I'm running out of options here.
(Right about then, Ryu says good night)
Monday, July 23, 2007
Bombardier twirled in his hand the new badge he had just received for his service to Silver Mantis. The memory of the prior night's work haunted him. Not the guns. Not the Lost.
The Meat Doctors. The beds. The blood. Drain his blood. Take out his eyes. Break him. Fix that patch. He won't die. Good...No more pain. No more screaming. No more feeling except when he was "restarted", and then, the bliss.
The pain that got him every time was when something tore through his mind like a richocheting bullet in his skull.
He clenched his jaw. There was a hole in his helmet from last night. He didn't want to tell them how he felt the bullet enter and stop just before his temple. When they all left him at the tanker, he took off his helmet, feeling for the hole behind his head. It was sealed over with skin, as what happened whenever Kain or Ryu healed him. If he pressed the hole, he would pierce the skin and feel the thick black tar that was his blood.
He didn't know how long he stood on the catwalk, twirling the badge. His alarm on his comm went off and he realized he needed to be somewhere...
-----------------------------
Tony Lafazia didn't look up at whoever was casting a shadow across his table. "Look, whoever the f--"
He heard the slide of a gun being drawn. He jerked his head up to look at a pair of golden visors attached to a red and yellow helmet.
"Where's--" he looked the man over. "Who dressed you, a blind man?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. I heard you breed horses for racing." Tony leaned over to look around the man. "Your boys? They're out in the back showing the flowers what they had for lunch. And breakfast. They're probably working toward last night's dinner. Can you smell it in the air? I can't, but..."
Tony sniffed and smelled something worse than rotting garbage, alcoholic vomit, and zombies all rolled up into one. His stomch lurched.
"Now, I wanted to speak with you but your gatekeepers wouldn't let me through." The helmeted man hooked his foot around a chair and pulled it over as Tony put a handkerchief over his nose. "Guess I wasn't dressed properly. Anyway," he sat down, the gun across his lap, "I've come into some money and I'm interested in investing in the racing business. First, I'd like a stake in a horse you already have. Second, I'd like a mare for breeding."
Tony removed the handkerchief and said, "You got a stud and a stable?"
"Absolutely."
"You sure you don't want a stake in the mare? If the colt sucks--"
The gun came up. "I'm already asking for a stake of one of yours and my own horse. I think you're getting greedy." He rose, shoved the chair back into its place. "I heard the Paivas were much easier to deal with--"
"Okay, okay. Part of a horse and a whole mare. Got it, got it. Siddown, we'll talk."
"Actually, your boys should be finished with their visit, so I'm going to leave you to get together a list. I'll be back tomorrow and I want to be able to inspect the horses in two days. Got it?"
"Yeah, yeah - " the smell assaulted him and he put the handkerchief to his nose again. The helmeted man tipped an imaginary hat to him, then leisurely strolled away.
Tony watched him go, as if he hadn't a care in the world. He whirled on his men and saw they were in different degrees of pale and shaking.
He turned back to his table and reached for the bottle of wine. He touched the mouth of the bottle - and it exploded, sending a good chunk of shrapnel into his stomach.
As the ambulance sped away, Bomber watched him from a roof.
Now, now, Mickey, what're you gonna do with a horse?
"I've always wanted a pony." He turned to the shadowy figure next to him. "A horse is just a big pony."
Where are you going to put it?
"I'm giving it to Ryu to hold onto."
You sure that's a good idea? You'll never see it again.
"Sure I will. I'll see its bones."
If the breeders find out--
Bomber turned to face the shadow head on. "Someone will always sell. ALWAYS."
The shadow shrugged and walked away. Devil inside, devil inside, every single one of us has a devil inside.
Bomber retorted, "She talks to angels; they call her out by her name."
The shadow chuckled and stepped out into the light.
The Meat Doctors. The beds. The blood. Drain his blood. Take out his eyes. Break him. Fix that patch. He won't die. Good...No more pain. No more screaming. No more feeling except when he was "restarted", and then, the bliss.
The pain that got him every time was when something tore through his mind like a richocheting bullet in his skull.
He clenched his jaw. There was a hole in his helmet from last night. He didn't want to tell them how he felt the bullet enter and stop just before his temple. When they all left him at the tanker, he took off his helmet, feeling for the hole behind his head. It was sealed over with skin, as what happened whenever Kain or Ryu healed him. If he pressed the hole, he would pierce the skin and feel the thick black tar that was his blood.
He didn't know how long he stood on the catwalk, twirling the badge. His alarm on his comm went off and he realized he needed to be somewhere...
-----------------------------
Tony Lafazia didn't look up at whoever was casting a shadow across his table. "Look, whoever the f--"
He heard the slide of a gun being drawn. He jerked his head up to look at a pair of golden visors attached to a red and yellow helmet.
"Where's--" he looked the man over. "Who dressed you, a blind man?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. I heard you breed horses for racing." Tony leaned over to look around the man. "Your boys? They're out in the back showing the flowers what they had for lunch. And breakfast. They're probably working toward last night's dinner. Can you smell it in the air? I can't, but..."
Tony sniffed and smelled something worse than rotting garbage, alcoholic vomit, and zombies all rolled up into one. His stomch lurched.
"Now, I wanted to speak with you but your gatekeepers wouldn't let me through." The helmeted man hooked his foot around a chair and pulled it over as Tony put a handkerchief over his nose. "Guess I wasn't dressed properly. Anyway," he sat down, the gun across his lap, "I've come into some money and I'm interested in investing in the racing business. First, I'd like a stake in a horse you already have. Second, I'd like a mare for breeding."
Tony removed the handkerchief and said, "You got a stud and a stable?"
"Absolutely."
"You sure you don't want a stake in the mare? If the colt sucks--"
The gun came up. "I'm already asking for a stake of one of yours and my own horse. I think you're getting greedy." He rose, shoved the chair back into its place. "I heard the Paivas were much easier to deal with--"
"Okay, okay. Part of a horse and a whole mare. Got it, got it. Siddown, we'll talk."
"Actually, your boys should be finished with their visit, so I'm going to leave you to get together a list. I'll be back tomorrow and I want to be able to inspect the horses in two days. Got it?"
"Yeah, yeah - " the smell assaulted him and he put the handkerchief to his nose again. The helmeted man tipped an imaginary hat to him, then leisurely strolled away.
Tony watched him go, as if he hadn't a care in the world. He whirled on his men and saw they were in different degrees of pale and shaking.
He turned back to his table and reached for the bottle of wine. He touched the mouth of the bottle - and it exploded, sending a good chunk of shrapnel into his stomach.
As the ambulance sped away, Bomber watched him from a roof.
Now, now, Mickey, what're you gonna do with a horse?
"I've always wanted a pony." He turned to the shadowy figure next to him. "A horse is just a big pony."
Where are you going to put it?
"I'm giving it to Ryu to hold onto."
You sure that's a good idea? You'll never see it again.
"Sure I will. I'll see its bones."
If the breeders find out--
Bomber turned to face the shadow head on. "Someone will always sell. ALWAYS."
The shadow shrugged and walked away. Devil inside, devil inside, every single one of us has a devil inside.
Bomber retorted, "She talks to angels; they call her out by her name."
The shadow chuckled and stepped out into the light.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Yes. I have nothing to do at work.
She dialed the number that she had memorized months ago. She took a breath and started in with the false Southern accent that she had developed to make men think she was stupid. It worked, for the most part, but she disliked using it.
“Begin reporting at the beep,” the pleasant female voice said when the line picked up. Dusty rolled her eyes and started:
“Hey, sugah, the mark’s got himself a cape. An’ he don’ seem t’ tucker out so easy.” She chuckled lustfully. “Which can be good f’r me. When’m I gonna see ya, sugah – I’m missin’ ya, an’ this here purty voice on th’ line don’ cut it. Call me.” She hung up the cell phone and tucked it in the pocket under her breast.
Glancing up at the clocktower, she knew that her mark would be at the Market or the lab. The lab was closer, so she dashed that way.
Her entry into the lab was a loose board in a boarded up cellar window. She had just lifted it when her phone vibrated.
She gasped in pure pleasure, as that area was sensitive to Arcticans. She swallowed, took a mad dash two buildings down, and tried not to swoon. She pulled out the phone, still vibrating in her hand, took a deep breath and said, “Hello?”
“Hello,” said a deep rumbling voice.
“Hello, sugah!”
“I am sorry I haven’t been able to meet you, Dusty,” he continued, while she closed her eyes to listen to the accent and continue the pleasure the vibrating phone started. “I have been very busy.”
“It’s okay,” she said, her breath coming in gasps. “Sometime, though…” She tried not to cry out as the Fallhon hit her.
Suddenly the world was brighter. She was on top of the world, could have anything, be anything. She could easily barrel through a stone wall, cut down an army. She was a goddess, and all were below her, mere mortals, her servants.
“Dusty?” came the voice over the phone.
Dusty chuckled and put the phone back to her ear. She could crush him, this puny man, make him her slave, and have him sing at the end of her sword. Easily, so easily…
“I’m fine,” she said, her voice clear without any trace of accent. “I was wondering when we could see each other.” She paused, narrowed her eyes at debasing herself like this. “Sugah.”
I will make him serve me, watch my brothers break him into tiny pieces. Him and all his kin.
“I am sorry, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I am a very busy man. I must go. Your reports are well-valued and you shall gain a bonus.”
“But—“
“Gutentag,” he said, and clicked off.
“[Stupid Terran, you have no idea of the power I wield,]” she snarled. “[I control more powerful creatures than--]”
Her legs buckled as the Fallhon crashed. She fell, suddenly dizzy. The moment passed in seconds. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she focused on the grass at her back, the phone in her hand. Grinning, she put it back in her pocket. She pressed the button on her belt that made her invisible and headed back to the lab.
She dialed the number that she had memorized months ago. She took a breath and started in with the false Southern accent that she had developed to make men think she was stupid. It worked, for the most part, but she disliked using it.
“Begin reporting at the beep,” the pleasant female voice said when the line picked up. Dusty rolled her eyes and started:
“Hey, sugah, the mark’s got himself a cape. An’ he don’ seem t’ tucker out so easy.” She chuckled lustfully. “Which can be good f’r me. When’m I gonna see ya, sugah – I’m missin’ ya, an’ this here purty voice on th’ line don’ cut it. Call me.” She hung up the cell phone and tucked it in the pocket under her breast.
Glancing up at the clocktower, she knew that her mark would be at the Market or the lab. The lab was closer, so she dashed that way.
Her entry into the lab was a loose board in a boarded up cellar window. She had just lifted it when her phone vibrated.
She gasped in pure pleasure, as that area was sensitive to Arcticans. She swallowed, took a mad dash two buildings down, and tried not to swoon. She pulled out the phone, still vibrating in her hand, took a deep breath and said, “Hello?”
“Hello,” said a deep rumbling voice.
“Hello, sugah!”
“I am sorry I haven’t been able to meet you, Dusty,” he continued, while she closed her eyes to listen to the accent and continue the pleasure the vibrating phone started. “I have been very busy.”
“It’s okay,” she said, her breath coming in gasps. “Sometime, though…” She tried not to cry out as the Fallhon hit her.
Suddenly the world was brighter. She was on top of the world, could have anything, be anything. She could easily barrel through a stone wall, cut down an army. She was a goddess, and all were below her, mere mortals, her servants.
“Dusty?” came the voice over the phone.
Dusty chuckled and put the phone back to her ear. She could crush him, this puny man, make him her slave, and have him sing at the end of her sword. Easily, so easily…
“I’m fine,” she said, her voice clear without any trace of accent. “I was wondering when we could see each other.” She paused, narrowed her eyes at debasing herself like this. “Sugah.”
I will make him serve me, watch my brothers break him into tiny pieces. Him and all his kin.
“I am sorry, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I am a very busy man. I must go. Your reports are well-valued and you shall gain a bonus.”
“But—“
“Gutentag,” he said, and clicked off.
“[Stupid Terran, you have no idea of the power I wield,]” she snarled. “[I control more powerful creatures than--]”
Her legs buckled as the Fallhon crashed. She fell, suddenly dizzy. The moment passed in seconds. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she focused on the grass at her back, the phone in her hand. Grinning, she put it back in her pocket. She pressed the button on her belt that made her invisible and headed back to the lab.