[Episode] Stealing Candy from an Ogre

Fri Dec 18, 2020 3:13 pm

Spoiler:

Black soot rained from the bleak gray skies that covered the Island of Spider Miles, the skyline broken up by the towering factories that decorated the dystopian landscape. Bells and steam whistles echoed out among the constant chatter of bustling factory workers as they moved from job to job, like ants dancing to the tune of their queen as they followed the strict schedules set by their superiors.

"More fire!" A man shouted out as another responded by shoveling loads of coal into a furnace, while others transferred packages between one another. Their clothes were tattered and dirty, doing very little to shelter their coal-stained skin from the elements.

"Damn..." Dax mumbled to himself as he navigated the crowded factory district, "This place is a fuckin shithole." His eyes studied those he passed, painting a picture of suffrage as he saw their bones raised up under the skin, cheeks gaunt and shallow, and hair appeared to be falling out by the hand full. But most of all, he noticed the youth in their eyes, having realized not a single worker seemed to come close to his own age. This was the life of the working class here on Spider Miles, where the ruling class sits in the lap of luxury and reaps the benefits of the short-lived peasant's hard work. Where children spend their youths grinding their hands to the bone for someone else's gain, where reaching the age of twenty is considered an achievement.

As he down the main road, the goldmonger's eyes affixed themselves to a run-down tavern tucked away in the shadows of the much larger buildings surrounding it. "Ohoho!" He mused to himself. "Now what do we have here...~?" A dastardly smile stretched from ear to ear, his golden canines catching the street lights. "Don't mind if I do~". The wooden doors creaked as they swung open, revealing the golden clad pirate to the patrons inside. His flamboyant style of dressing caught the eyes of those inside as he made his way towards the bar.

"How can I help you?" A plain-looking bartender called out from behind a bar as he was organizing the glasses in front of him.

"Goldschlager," Dax mumbled as he tapped his finger rapidly on the counter, glancing around the room as he waited.

382/5,000

Sun Dec 20, 2020 3:10 am

Mountains of trash and factories spewing smoke gave Spider Miles its distinct odour. Some would call it the stench of poverty, but for others it was the scent of opportunity. In the highly industrialized region, getting rich was simply a matter of methods. With hard, honest work, one could get surprisingly far here. “That’s BULLSHIT! Nobody gets that lucky this many times in a row!” More importantly, the hardy citizens were all in this together, always ready to support each other’s aspirations. “Idiots! Don’t let him out! Fuckin’ GET BACK HERE!” Even in the grim shadows of the massive warehouses, one could find friendship and camaraderie.

...Well, that’s what the tourist pamphlet claimed anyway.

A stampede of footsteps echoed through the grimy alleyways. Several shadows rushed through, only coming to a skidding stop upon reaching the main road. Huffing and puffing, they exchanged muttered curses. Many of them were ready to call it quits here. However, the biggest of them, a hulking brute that towered over most men, grabbed the nearest naysayer. With one arm, he lifted the trembling lackey up to his scarred face. His voice rumbled like a furnace filled with coal. “Search every alley, every sewer and every bar. I want that rat alive, so I can skin him myself.” He unceremoniously dropped the lackey, causing every single one of them to scatter in different directions. Grumbling something less than wholesome beneath his breath, he turned back into the shadows and stomped away.

Approximately five minutes later, when the coast was certainly clear, one of the nearby trash cans wobbled. The lid rose, resting on the head of a suspicious figure. Venom green eyes peered around cautiously. Deftly and surprisingly silently, the rat hopped out of his hidey-hole. A closer look revealed a shady -and now filthy- gentleman in a chocolate brown suit. He adjusted his tie and brushed the fish bones from his shoulders. Kind of a wasted effort, really. Most of the muck wasn’t going anywhere without dry-cleaning. Soot stained his features as well. Oh well, at least now he blended in with the locals far better. Every trash heap had a silver lining around here.

Richard, an enthusiastic entrepreneur and part-time pirate, had arrived at Spider Miles on a business trip. ...No, really. See, he had been invited by an old... friend? Acquaintance? ...Colleague. Old colleague. Supposedly the old fox had one last score in mind. The letter had been very scant on details, but it had piqued his interest nonetheless. After the success that had been his visit to Briss Kingdom, he was feeling rather ~~cocky~~ confident. At the very least he would hear out this deal. If things didn’t work out, he could always think of something else. Now, according to the invite, they were supposed to meet up in a tavern somewhere... around...

Ah, here.

The wooden doors cried out with another dry creak. In stark contrast to the previous customer, the sharp-dressed rat practically blended into the background as he scurried past the boozing patrons. Even the stench clinging to him drowned beneath the smell that always lingered in the air. Stopping at the counter, he lifted a finger and quietly ordered the cheapest beer available. Just something to wash the taste of a banana peel from his mouth. His heavy suitcase was carefully placed aside, always within reach. He reluctantly forked over the cash and took the pint of vaguely beer-like liquid. Best not to think of it too much.

While sipping the beer, Richard glanced around. ...And nearly choked on his drink. He immediately averted his eyes and struggled to suppress his shivers. Why did he have to stop next to the tallest and scariest man in the bar? ...And what was with that flamboyant look? Definitely not from around here... Meanwhile, Lady Luck decided that having just one imposing madman wasn’t quite enough. With her imaginary brush of fate, she painted another into the picture. Because everyone needs a friend. The wooden doors slammed open and a mountain of muscle squeezed through. Like a statue chiseled of broken bricks, he loomed over the gawking patrons. His glare focused on the counter with a shocked, violent twitch.

“What the-!? YOU... You got a lot of nerve showing up here, ya rat bastard!”

WC: 714

Sun Dec 20, 2020 2:16 pm

Swiping the bottle from the bartender before he could even uncork it, the pirate shot him a menacing look to send him on his way. His golden fangs gripped the cork as it popped from the bottle's neck, firing it from his mouth like a loogie shortly after. Glug....glug.....glug... the air bubbles shot to the bottom of the inverted bottle with every gulp, "Ahhhhhh!" He gasped in delight, wiping the excess liquid from his upper lip, firing droplets onto the well-dressed man that had taken a seat next to him.

Golden irises danced as they quickly studied the well-dressed man before momentarily locking onto the briefcase at his side. No matter how sly the prey, they always have a tell, and no matter how subtle, Dax always noticed. Like how this suitcase was placed just right, protected but accessible, valuable to its owner in more than one way. A dastardly smile erupted on the goldmonger's face as he moved to take another swig from the bottle, being sure to backwash some of the gold flakes into the bottle. Though, as he turned back to the dapper fellow at his side, his neck quickly snapped back to the booming voice behind him. Noticing a rather large crowd now rapidly gathering at the door.

"Well shit, that doesn't look good." He snickered before taking another sip from the bottle and turning back towards the gentleman. Shoving the bottle towards the much smaller man, making it clear no was not an option, "Have a drink with me, friend~" Dax hummed ominously.

258/640/5,000

Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:38 am

Despite Richard unvoiced prayers to whatever deity might be listening, the bellowing thug was, in fact, talking to him. With steps that made the floorboards groan, he marched towards the counter. Worse yet, the gold-decorated menace next to him also drew closer. Their difference in height was only accentuated further as the gentleman seemed to shrink beneath the golden gaze. Cold sweat crawled down his skin. The only reason he didn’t let out a shrill scream was because it got stuck in his throat. He knew that look all too well... The smile veiling grim intentions behind it... His venom-green eyes flitted nervously between the bottle and the behemoth. No such thing as a free drink in this business. There was something worse about it than just spittle and bacteria, wasn’t there? He really didn’t want to find out...

However, before the crook could try to politely refuse, a massive hand grabbed him by the throat. It squeezed a frightened squeak out of him. “This rat is MINE.” The muscular thug got right in the golden criminal’s face, staring him down with intense fury. “So how about you take your ratchet-ass jacket and haul your sorry ass out, you fat, flaming fa-” Cutting the cursing short, the struggling rat croaked weakly. “Now, now, gentlemen...” While one hand was clawing at the fingers around his throat, the other deftly slipped into his pocket. Glass chimed ever so softly, drowned beneath all the commotion. Something green gleamed in his grasp, bubbling and sloshing ominously in its tiny glass prison. “Let’s all just take a deep breath...”

Meanwhile, at the back of a bar, two figures were watching the chaos brewing. The smaller silhouette had a small snail on their lap and the receiver at their mouth. ...Her mouth, as it happened. A tired, croaky voice drifted lazily into the receiver. “It’s just like you said... An older guy with a brown suit and a huge suitcase... Got into trouble with the locals immediately...” The white snail vaguely resembled a fox, complete with a set of whiskers and squinting eyes. On the other end, a sly, smoky voice chuckled dryly. *He hasn’t changed a bit. Go fetch him before someone dies.* A pair of unimpressed, red eyes rolled at the request. “Well, if he dies, it just means he was useless to begin with...” The snail bared a smile filled with sharp teeth.

*Not what I meant.*

WC: 404
Total: 1118

Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:55 pm

Wait Swiping the bottle from the bartender before he could even uncork it, the pirate shot him a menacing look to send him on his way. His golden fangs gripped the cork as it popped from the bottle's neck, firing it from his mouth like a loogie shortly after. Glug....glug.....glug... the air bubbles shot to the bottom of the inverted bottle with every gulp, "Ahhhhhh!" He gasped in delight, wiping the excess liquid from his upper lip, firing droplets onto the well-dressed man that had taken a seat next to him.

Golden irises danced as they quickly studied the well-dressed man before momentarily locking onto the briefcase at his side. No matter how sly the prey, they always have a tell, and no matter how subtle, Dax always noticed. Like how this suitcase was placed just right, protected but accessible, valuable to its owner in more than one way. A dastardly smile erupted on the goldmonger's face as he moved to take another swig from the bottle, being sure to backwash some of the gold flakes into the bottle. Though, as he turned back to the dapper fellow at his side, his neck quickly snapped back to the booming voice behind him. Noticing a rather large crowd now rapidly gathering at the door.

"Well shit, that doesn't look good." He snickered before taking another sip from the bottle and turning back towards the gentleman. Shoving the bottle towards the much smaller man, making it clear no was not an option, "Have a drink with me, friend~" Dax hummed ominously., hold up. Did his ears fail him? That had to be it, after all, the crowd was chomping at the bit now that a fight had broken out. Staring blankly back at the towering thug, blinking rapidly in disbelief. "Yo." Motioning towards the enforcer who now had the dapper fellow by the neck. "Ayo, bub.." Dax growled as he gripped the man's arm, the action swiftly accompanied by the sound of bones fracturing. "You know this shits designer, right...?" Using his free hand to fluff the feathered collar.

"RAWWWWHHHH!" The man bellowed out in pain as he clutched his now shattered arm, releasing the suited fellow. "My fucking arm... You fucking bastarddd..!!!" With a berserker-like rage, the behemoth postured like a bear before tumbling to earth with a thud, having received a nutcracker shot courtesy of Dax's gold-covered foot. "OOF!" That was all the thug managed before he felt his testicles in his throat.

Dax slugged another gulp from the bottle as he squatted down next to his fallen foe. "Aww, man. Aww geez.." He mused, sipping from the bottle once more.

"Fuckkk...you...!" The attacker winced, desperately swinging his good arm at Dax in an attempt to get the monster away. With a dastardly smile, the goldmonger wet his finger and stuck it inside of the man's ear. Subtly liquifying his golden ring, having it slither like a snake into the thug's body. "I'm gonna fucking kill y-.oooarrhhhhggggggg hhhaaaa......" The empty threat fell short as gold-laced blood leaked from the man's tear ducts.

"Man, gulp, that looks like it hurts, Oh! Hey, check it out, here come your pals~." Dax whistled near the end before taking another drink, "Looks like you are gonna have your hands full here, pal~." Nodding towards the suave gambler who was no doubt nursing his neck from the whiplash he just received.

"H-hey!! Gaijo!" One of the men shouted rushing to get Dax away from the boss. "Get away from him!" Tossing throwing knives at the pirate as he rushed the corpse of his friend.

"Uhoh!" Dax exclaimed as he Feigned fear, moving behind the man in the wide brim hat for cover, " Right about now would probably be a good time to do whatever it was you were gonna do.~"

"Gaijo...! H-hang on!" Milo shouted, now shaking his boss's lifeless body, "Gaij-.."Bang The gunshot echoed out, silencing the rowdy bar crowd.

"Enough!" Spinner shouted as he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his gun. "Richard, correct..?" Richard and Dax's reflections appeared in the black tinted goggles over the gunman's eyes, yet his gaze still felt just as piercing. He turned towards the bar's entrance, glaring at the remaining posse that still lingered, each one inching back by the second, fear plastered on their faces.

"R-run..!" One shout was all it took to scatter the pack like roaches, prompting Spinner to look back towards the unlikely duo, once more reflecting them in his lenses. Grimacing, he turned towards the gawking onlookers, all of whom froze in fear, yet with a simple nod, everything and everyone went about their previous business.

"Now, as I was saying, Richard Maxwell, I presume?" Spinner repeated his question once more.

"Well ain't you just the special of the day..~?" Dax whispered villainously in Maxwell's ear, his tongue hovering dangerously close to the gambler's skin as saliva dripped off the end. "Oh well, sounds like too much work for me." With a sigh and a sip, Dax turned about and wandered across the bar, leaving Richard to his business.

"Now then, If you will, I believe we have a business to discuss." Spinner motioned towards the table nestled in the dark corner of the bar, signaling Richard to follow.

881/1,521/5,000

Tue Dec 22, 2020 8:04 am

Getting caught off-guard was, unfortunately, nothing new to the conman. He was all too used to running into people displeased with his... habits. That’s why he prepared a multitude of ways out. Poisons, performance enhancing drugs, all sorts of nasty little surprises he had spent his life cooking. One such creation was about to hit the floor... Until the man choking him picked a fight with the wrong pirate. Size meant very little before overwhelming strength. The shaken rat squeaked from the whiplash of sudden release, staggering against the counter. “Gah... Ow...” He rubbed the pale splotch around his throat, trying to get the blood flowing again. It was scary to think about how little force it took to choke someone. About the same amount as crushing a soda can...

Richard watched in silent terror as the mountain of muscle collapsed with a hefty rumble. His instincts teetered between either thanking the gold-loving brutalizer or begging for his life. Maybe both. Both was often good. “Erm, thank you for that little...” He cast a careful glance at the corpse crying gold tears. “...intervention.” Lovely. Absolutely fantastic. First an angry maniac came after him and now he ran into a fruit user. This day couldn’t possibly get worse. ...Then the day got worse. A whole gaggle of criminals barged inside, evidently horrified by what had happened to their boss. He clutched the glass bottle in his grip tighter and gave it a little shake. The agitated liquid turned pitch black...

Fortunately, before the crooked chemist could turn the whole bar into a contamination zone, one of the few sensible people present stopped the situation. A couple of shots and a few good shouts sent the criminals running. All except two notable exceptions. When the violent new pal leaned close, much too close, the gentleman froze stiff. Cue the internal screaming. Beads of sweat rolled down his skin. Reminiscent of a rat stalked by a snake, he could only squeak in response. “Oh, n-no, I’m nothing special...” He swore he felt a forked tongue flick against his ear... Well, that was just his fearful imagination.

“T-that would be me... But you don’t need to shout it for everyone to hear, you know.”

The frightened rat thanked his lucky stars, when the gun-toting stranger dragged him off. Discussing business sounded like a welcome distraction after all... that. Following the motions, he took a seat at the table in the murky corner. His inquisitive case was immediately drawn to a snail phone that bore a striking resemblance to- *Hello old friend. How is Spider Miles treating you?* Hearing the familiar voice snapped the puzzle pieces together in an instant. That old fox was as cautious as ever, refusing to even show his face before he knew all the puppets were dangling from his strings. “Oh, you know, getting to meet the ever so friendly locals. Business as usual.” Slowly the tension faded from his body and tone. The last shivers were soon hidden behind the usual mask.

With one of the key pieces in place, the voice behind the snail wasted no time. *Now then, some introductions are in order. For this operation, you can call me White.* Richard quirked a brow. “Bit on the nose, isn’t it, Walter?” The old fox always did have a peculiar sense of humor. A dry chuckle on the other end confirmed as much. *Shush, you. My operation, my codenames. As for the rest of the crew, well, you have already met Spinner.* Next to the gentleman, a gunman with black tinted goggles gave a quiet nod. It was met with one in return. He could appreciate a man of few words. Left more chance for him to talk his way out of things. Or into things.

After a brief pause, the white snail continued. *The young lady with the snail and an attitude problem is our driver Raven.* On the other side of the table, the girl in a dark, overly large hoodie scoffed. “Fuck you too, old man...” She rummaged through her sizable pockets and pulled out a smoke. *As a fruit user, she is invaluable for the operation. One of your tasks is keeping her alive, Doctor.* The voice lacked the usual mocking edge most people attached to the old nickname. It was an oddly nostalgic feeling. “Quite the team you have assembled...” It didn’t take a mathematician to figure out this wasn’t nearly enough for a proper heist. “But aren’t we a couple of members short?” There were certain key roles to fill, you know.

*Don’t you worry. The missing lambs should arrive any minute now...*

WC: 772
Total: 1890

Mon Dec 28, 2020 10:28 pm

"Ayo, did you not hear me earlier?!" The shouting could be heard from across the tavern, "This is fucking designer!" Dax barked as he pointed to the barely noticeable drop of beer that had spilled on his jacket.

"Aww..*hic*.. my bad mannnn...." The stranger stuttered as he swayed back and forth, sloshing his beer onto the floor. "Lemme buy ya..*hic*... a beer.. Sally.. a-*hic*a beer for my new friend!" He shouted at the bartender as he wrapped his free arm over Dax's shoulders. "W-we are all f-friends h*hic*here.."

Taking the mug from the bartender Dax shrugged, frees free, right? The matter of the jacket, now that was a different story. His golden eyes thinned as they studied the man up and down, his tattered layers decorated with various tools and pockets, notably a torch hanging from his hip. "Oi." Dax nodded towards the item, "What's a guy like you need something like that for~?"

"Oh, t-that's Sh-sheila..*hic*..... ya see..." The drunkard paused as he turned to the left and then to the right, leaning closer towards Dax. "Ya see... I am what you w-would call a master thief...*hic*... a safecracker that cannot best-uuuurrrrrpppppphhhh-mped!" The belch dragged on before finishing his sentence, much to the displeasure of Dax's olfactory glands.

"A safecracker? Ya don't say...?" Dax mused.

"Y-yup...normally I w-wouldn't tell people this....but you s-seem like a real trustworthy fella....." leaning in even closer than before, "I'm here t-to meet a crew f-for a heist, a r-real big one too!"

"You don't say?" The dastardly golden fanged smile erupted from ear to ear as Dax poured the bottle of gold-laced liquor into a cup for his newfound friend. "I never did catch your name, friend~" His words dripped with venom as he forced the shot into the man's hand.

"G-Gary...names Gary Grumble." With a respectful nod, he slammed back the shot and gave Dax an intoxicated smile. "Thanks, friend, it's about..*hic*.. time I go meet my tea-....." His words trailed off as he slowly collapsed into Dax's shoulders before being shifted onto a bar stool, his head resting on the bar top as liquid gold subtly trickled onto the floor and formed into an anklet for the goldmonger.

Dax leaned in towards the man's ear, "That's for staining my coat...~" The villain hummed before swiping his bottle of liquor from the counter, "Ayo Sally!" Dax shouted, feigning concern, "Get help! Something is desperately wrong with our dear friend, Gary!" The bartender rushed over, checking for the pulse the goldmonger knew was no longer there.

"I...he.. he's dead, I-I'm sorry...." Sally's voice trembled as she struggled to get out the words, having known Gary for many years. Ya see, there's a lot of scum in Spider Miles, the worst of the worst, but Gary, he was one of the good ones. Donating most of the payout from his jobs to local orphanages or working to get children out of the factories and into better lives.

"GAAAARRRRRRYYYYY!!!!" Dax cried out, "Why God, whyyyyyy?! Why did you take my Gar-bear from me?! Curse you, you wicked wretch! You bastard! Ahhhh!" The crocodile tears and b list acting echoed out through the bar, alerting the ears of everyone in the tavern. And that was his queue. Lights, camera, action. "Now however will your friends manage without your unmatchable, incomprehensible, out-of-this-world safe-cracking skills?!!!?!"

557/2,078/5,000

Tue Dec 29, 2020 7:00 am

The commotion quickly reached the conniving group’s ears. In fact, the wailing was so loud even the snail caught it loud and clear, forcing the other end to make who knows what kind of faces. After a long pause, the white snail let out a tired sigh. *...Please don’t tell me that was our safecracker who just died.* The doctor glanced over his shoulder. In his medical opinion, that was indeed a fresh corpse. “Very well, I won’t say it out loud then.” Raven sank back deeper in her chair, hiding herself behind a veil of snark. “Told you all that boozing would get him killed...” Spinner was the only one to lower his head and give their fallen comrade a moment of silence.

...Right, that was five seconds. Back to work.

A similar sentiment was shared by the puppetmaster on the other end of the phone. With a heavy grumble, he gathered his thoughts. *Hrm, no matter... An occupational hazard, as you all know... However, I am not abandoning this operation. We’ll have to improvise.* As any leader knew, pawns were all expendable. They just needed a replacement. Fast. Fortunately, he hadn’t gotten this far without having back-up plans for every letter of the alphabet. *If we don’t have someone to break into things with skill, we need someone who can do so with force.* Much like with eggs, there was more than one way to crack a safe. Namely the careful way and the messy way.

With no arguments from anyone gathered around the table, the foxy snail continued. *Look for anyone with excess muscle and something to prove. Should be no shortage of such gentlemen in your fine establishment.* True enough, the seedy underbelly of Spider Miles was crawling with all sorts of questionable characters. From bulky brutes to trained brawlers, one could take their pick. Sadly, that didn’t make the search any easier. Richard, for his part, shifted in his seat and carefully scanned the surrounding tables with the keen eyes of a former doctor. He could tell how healthy someone was and whether their bulk was fat or muscle. One golden candidate loomed at the edge of his vision, but he desperately pretended not to see him. Anyone but him...

Meanwhile, Raven’s half-closed eyes had also wandered onto Gary’s big friend who seemed to be taking the sudden loss pretty hard. Her gaze sharpened with suspicion, but eventually she tossed an idea into the air. “How about that loud drama queen...? He looks like he lifts... And I saw him bailing Doc out of that mess earlier... Broke a guy’s arm with just one hand...” Having to take her word for it, the mastermind considered briefly. *Oh, is that so? A friend of yours, Doctor?* Richard was quick to shoot the idea down. “Absolutely not. I would not trust that fellow with yesterday's newspaper, much less this.” The mastermind didn’t miss a beat. *Good. Then he’ll fit right in with you.* Against the rat’s aghast gasp, he barked a sharp command. There was no time to lose.

*Spinner, go make the man a job offer.*

WC: 520
Total: 2410

Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:20 pm

Dax's crocodile tears quickly ran dry as he took another swig from the bottle at his side, "Welp, shouldn't be too long now." He mumbled to himself as Spinner approached from the rear.

"Ahem." The stoic gunman cleared his throat as he loomed over the crouching goldmonger.

"There we go!" Dax smirked as he stood up and spun around, "How can I help ya?"

"We find ourselves with a sudden need for a certain..." Spinner paused as he eyed up the golden-clad pirate, "Type of talent that we feel you may be able to provide."

Dax raised an eyebrow as he slugged back another gulp before responding, "As long as the pays good, I'm in. Shishishi" The air escaping through his teeth as a faint, yet ominous laugh, following the gunman back to the dimly lit table where his previous acquaintance had sat. "Oh!" Dax exclaimed as he took advantage of the empty chair next to Richard.

Glancing over, Dax moved his chair, inching ever closer to his newfound partner, wrapping his arm around him, reminiscent of a snake coiling a trapped rat. "Hey, buddy~" inhaling deeply through his nose, as a dog stuck on a scent. A dastardly smile lit up as his golden fangs gleamed in the light. "Oh..?" He whispered curiously, "What's this...~? Is that... gold I smell..?" A bit of drool began to drip from his lower lip as his golden maw slowly opened.

"Ahem." Spinner aggressively cleared his throat, snapping Dax back to the meeting at hand.

"Right, right." Dax nodded as he pulled back from Maxwell and slouched back into his chair. "We will have plenty of time to get acquainted later~" His words were laced with venom and meant for the rat he was seated next to.

Just then, a young disheveled worker made his way into the bar, looking over his shoulder quite suspiciously to even the untrained eye. Scanning the bar with frantic eyes before settling on the table seating the makeshift crew. He scuttled over before bowing upon arrival, "S-sorry.. I...I brought the blueprints... d..do you have it..?" He stammered nervously, pushing a large paper roll into Raven's lap.

359/2,437/5,000

Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:24 am

Sometimes the self-proclaimed entrepreneur felt like the only sane person in the room. This was one such occasion. Despite his rather clear opinion on the matter, the old fox went and got the worst replacement possible. Walter had always been a terrible judge of character, hiring remorseless crooks who were only loyal to the highest bidder... While the rat was busy missing the irony, the snake coiled around him. It was far too late to shift seats, not that he had anywhere else to go. So the cornered rat settled for a polite smile. “Well, hello there. Glad you could join us.” He lied through his clenched teeth. His hand carefully snuck into his pocket, brushing against a glass vial.

However, the curious whisper pierced through the carefully crafted defenses. Richard’s eyes widened. A cold clump of fear hitched in his throat. For a brief moment, the mask cracked and honest disbelief shone through. “How... did you...?” Being so baffled, he even forgot to lie or to at least deny everything. The locket was one of his well-guarded secrets, but this stranger had sniffed it out in moments. ...Wait, did he mean that literally? Wouldn’t be the strangest ability the rat had seen over the years. One after another, the puzzle pieces started falling in place. There were still plenty of empty spots, but he could already tell he didn’t like the picture that was forming...

Luckily, Spinner had enough sense to snap the two out of the exchange before someone did something regrettable. Richard took the moment to sigh in relief. ...And to scoot away from the menace as much as the sparse space allowed. The chair scraped awkwardly against the wooden floor. He was already considering cutting his options... Until a rather suspicious young fellow joined them. Raven, meanwhile, snatched the paper roll without a word. After peering inside for a painfully long and silent moment, she dug into her loose clothing and pulled out... something. “Here... Now fuck off...” Unfortunately, the old doctor couldn’t quite see from his spot. Cash, drugs, questionable photographs, all valuable things small enough to be traded like that. The payment exchanged hands without him even catching a glimpse. Great. Now the mystery would gnaw at him for the rest of the day.

Distractions were pushed aside, when the sly snail piped up again. *Sounds like we have all we need now, no? Good.* Naturally, he hadn’t been just sitting idle. The pieces were on the board and he was already planning the next moves. *First things first, welcome aboard, newcomer. I am White, the mastermind behind this operation. You have already met Spinner and Doctor, and the little lady here is Raven.* Each nodded in turn, except for the grim girl who flipped him off. *Now, before we go any further, you’re going to need a codename. We are about to upset some powerful people, you see, and any protection is better than none. What should we call you, hm?* The sleepy-looking girl finally seemed to perk up with puzzlement and a hint of irritation. “Wait, he gets to choose...?” The snail let out a dry chuckle. *Yes. And you would too, if you learned to behave.* Sinking back in her seat, she grumbled beneath her breath. “That’s some bullshit...” Since the snail couldn’t shrug, the nonchalant tone had to do. *See what I mean?* The youth these days simply had no manners.

WC: 571
Total: 2981

Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:23 pm

"Nox.." Dax mused in response to picking his own codename, "You can call me, Nox." The words brought about a dastardly smile as they escaped his lips. Knowing full well the trouble it would eventually bring down on the prideful imp. But that's a story for another time.

His attention turned towards the boy scuffling out of the bar in quite a hurry. Noticing the subtle nod Raven had shot Spinner as she was complaining, prompting the triggerman to take his leave. Tying up loose ends, eh? Not that he wouldn't do the same, chuckling to himself as the group seemed to pause in suspense as they awaited Spinners return.

The errand boy had escaped into the alleyway, figuring himself in the clear as he breathed a sigh of relief before piano wire cut into his neck. His hands desperately clawed at his flesh, attempting to do whatever he could to save his own life. Once the deed was done, Spinner disposed of the corpse in a trash bin, but not before pocketing a silver key from the man's person.

The goggle-wearing assassin took his seat upon his return, "It's done." The metal key clanged onto the table as it landed.

"Guess that's one less mouth to feed." Dax snickered, glancing over at Richard. "Ain't that right, friend~?" The ominous undertones were quite apparent as he would direct his attention back to White as Spinner unrolled the documents the former team member so kindly provided.

"Now then, these are the blueprints." Spinner mumbled as he weighted down the corners of the paper, revealing a detailed visual description of a factory warehouse. Revealing a labyrinth of security, ranging from traps to guards and everything in between. "Mr. White?" The assassin spoke up, letting his boss know to continue with the plan.

300/2,737/5,000

Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:57 am

When the newcomer named himself Nox, the sly snail paused to ponder. *Nox, hm?* He rolled the name across his tongue, as if savoring the taste. If he recognized it, he sure didn’t show it. *Then it’s settled. You shall be part of the entry team, along with Doctor.* Richard’s eyes widened and his smile died. While he was busy screaming internally, he missed the part where the cleaner left briefly to tie up a loose end. Only when the man returned did the rat return to reality. Right. Too late to back down now. Unless... His fingers brushed against the glass vials again. Something that wasn’t virulent or destructive... Starting a fire or something worse would leave him neck deep in Marines before he reached the harbor.

As if sensing the hostile intent emanating from the pawns present, the chessmaster cleared his throat. *Right. Thank you, Spinner. Now, what you see here are the blueprints of a certain factory warehouse.* The snail imitated a rustle coming from the other end, as the speaker opened his own copy. *Now, you don’t need to know all the minute details, like what is being made in there or who it belongs to.* There was a pause just long enough for some pensive stroking of chin fur. *Hm, well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say you don’t want to know.* Knowledge was power. Telling the pawns too much might give them ideas. Luckily at least two of them didn’t particularly care and one was too much of a coward to ask.

With the disclaimer out of the way, the mastermind laid out the plan. As he had mentioned, Doctor and Nox were the entry team. Their job was to get in and secure the loot. Intel revealed that it was deep in the heart of the complex, surrounded by the heaviest security. Meanwhile, Raven and Spinner were on stand-by and watch duty respectively. If the guards were alerted or things otherwise went wrong, they would warn the entry team and bail them out. However, if... No, when things went right, all four of them would meet up at the entry point. Raven would get them out of there. Once the loot was divided, they would split and never see each other again. Simple, clean, efficient. Just the way White liked it.

Upon finishing the briefing, the snail mirrored a warm smile coming from the other end. *I have high expectations for you all.* Suddenly the tone darkened, as he spoke with all the warmth of a winter storm. *Pray you don’t disappoint me...* Suspicious glances were shared between Raven and Spinner. Doctor shifted in his seat, adjusting his tie in a futile attempt to make it feel less constricting. However, once the sly, old fox had savored his fun, his voice lightened up again. *I jest, I jest. In all seriousness though, there is a lot of money riding on this. Do your part and get your cut. Simple, no?* He lied through his sharp teeth without hesitation or remorse.

*Any questions?*

WC: 511
Total: 3492

Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:00 pm

“Me and the Doc?!” Dax exclaimed joyously, “Aww shoot we go way fuckin back, don’t we friend~?” Shooting the dapper fellow a golden fanged smile and friendly finger guns. “Haha yeah, we fuckin got it, leave it to us.” Continuing his friendly façade with the doctor, warming up to his prey more and more with each passing second. Still hung up on the sweet scent the good doctor so desperately wanted to conceal. I mean, he wouldn’t be the greed sin if he gave up on even the smallest amount of pocket change now, would he?

The ominous way White referred to their benefactor piqued the goldmongers interests, all the more reason to have used a fake name. Something Castor was always so fond of, playing a part he always called it, and who better to play for his first part than the imp himself than? Be it the marines or even by some crazy chance a ridiculously strong pirate the heats all gonna fall onto his tiny shoulders, just the way Dax likes it.

Glancing over at Raven, Dax gave her a friendly smile an almost innocent smile that no one would believe. Ain’t no way this bitch is gonna keep up her end... He thought to himself as he gave her a nod and turned back to White on the transponder snail. “Sounds simple enough!” He responded, wrapping his arm around Richard once more, “Just leave it to us, we will be counting berries in no time! Bwahaha!”

With that, Raven and Spinner moved to take their places near the warehouse in the event things went wrong, positioning themselves in a perfect position to secure a hand-off- I mean extraction. Leaving the rat and the golden snake alone.

Spider Miles Warehouse District | Ridiculously Strong Pirate Affiliate Warehouse
“Everything there?” A heavily armored guard questioned as another pried open the crate and peered inside.

“Yessir, everything is there..”

“Good, pack it up, pay them, and let's go. Captains waiting.” The first guard responded, returning to a ship docked nearby the flag being flown known to those well versed in the new world. One that commands respect, one that surely if our, ahem, ‘heroes’ knew about they would think twice about their caper.

Moving inside, a fellow in a white lab coat made his way back inside of the building, disappearing into the dark as he did so. “How are things coming with that?”

“The testing phase has begun, sir, we shall know soon how quickly we can proceed with phase two.”

“Good…very good.”

425/3,162/5,000

Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:06 am

The rat squeaked when the snake showed his venomous fangs. “Eep.” Friendly words disguised the toxins well. The old con man knew that from experience. His wry smile strained against his features. “Sure, of course, we are practically unstoppable together, you know.” Maybe if he lied enough, he might start believing it himself. All the while he busily browsed through his mental catalog for every chemical he had on his person. Did he even have a poison that acted fast enough to stop that... thing...? Well, maybe one, but he’d rather not use it. Horribly expensive, that one. ...Oh and it would probably kill a lot of bystanders too, but that was honestly a side note next to his poor, emaciated wallet.

Any protests brewing in the dubious doctor’s mind were promptly poured down the metaphorical sink. He knew that chilling tone all too well. Bloody flashes passed his eyes, memories pushed to the bottom of the bin bubbling back to surface. Too many close calls... Questioning the plan now would be a great way to lose his share. And more. Of course he had never planned on actually sharing the loot in the first place, but if he didn’t keep his mouth shut, he would lose his precious chance to stab all these fine people in the back. So, suffering in silence, the coward simply smiled. No protests, no questions...

Much to Richard’s dismay, the team split up in order to prepare. Fear clung to the back of his throat like a clump of tar, refusing to go down with his fearful gulp. “So, uh... I suppose we should prepare as well.” One couldn’t find a smile more fake even on a theater mask. Unwilling to let any sort of silence set in, the chatty crook kept talking. “Juuust a little note, I’m more of a thinker rather than a fighter. I would much prefer going in quiet, see. If we run into trouble, well, I do believe that’s where you come in, right? Right. Of course. As planned.” Words after words, the flood eventually slowed down. “Uh, anything I should know about you before we get going...?” Oh how he loathed the silence looming right behind him.

A good while later near at the edge of the Warehouse District...

Slowly the sun drowned in a sea of dark clouds. Somewhere in the distance rumbled thunder. The fading light painted two suspicious shadows against the grimy brick walls. Together they slipped through the grim paths, avoiding curious gazes. Leading the way, sort of, the rat snooped every corner with borderline paranoid care. It looked like he expected someone to jump them at any given moment. Old habits tended to die hard. The walk hadn’t been all that long, but it had taken twice the time due to his nervous habit.

However, no amount of delaying -intentional or not- could stop the inevitable. Eventually the imposing complex greeted the dysfunctional duo with its towering silhouette. A monstrous mountain of bricks and steel, spewing out dark smoke like an angry volcano. Armored guards watched every door and circled the perimeter for good measure. The crook stopped to hesitate. “T-there it is...” A deep breath hissed between his lips. Slowly the nervous jitters faded behind a mask of cold professionalism. “Right. First we need to find a way in... Preferably a path that will still be open for the return trip.” His eyes scanned the thick wall surrounding the place, before stopping onto the closely guarded front gate. This place had multiple entrances, intentional and otherwise. The entry team got to pick their poison...

WC: 602
Total: 4094

Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:00 pm

Dax stalked behind the good doctor as the pair navigated the labyrinth of alleyways to their eventual destination. The good doctor found himself rambling though Dax wasn’t much for silence either, “Quiet..? Yeah, that works me.” Dax responded with a sigh, “Less trouble the better in my fuckin opinion, I’m only interested in one thing, really~” Slithering closer to the rat as he spoke, rubbing his shoulders in a massage-like manner when he came upon him. “Thinker or talker…?” The soft words were whispered into Richard’s ear before Dax pulled away.

“Know more about me..?” He pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin before responding, “Well, I’m originally from an island not far from here, Lvneel? I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, it’s a shithole, not important. I also recently killed my father. Let’s see what else, my first name is Castor. Uhhhh…” Continuing to provide his captain's life story as the pair wandered towards the warehouse. “Books, I really, really like books and talking about myself. OH! I killed a kid with a rock once!” His words drifted off as the pair disappeared into the darkness, continuing to spout Castor’s entire personality to Richard.

Warehouse district

“Nervous one, ain’t we” Dax whispered as he followed in the doctor's carefully planned footsteps, his words drowned out by the thunder, ominously growing louder and louder. Strange though, not a drop of rain in sight, even with the dark storm clouds above. And what is thunder without lightning? Even stranger the noise was present with the light’s absence.

Coming upon the warehouse, the goldmonger noticed an open window on the upper floors of the building. “hmm” Glancing over at Richard, looking him up and down before returning his attention to the window. “Alrighty~” With a whistle he grabbed Richard by the waistband and suit collar, creating momentum with a twist he launched the Rat towards the window, though grabbing it was on him. “How’s it look?” He called up in a hushed tone, relying on the Rat to ensure no enemies were located on the other side of the wall. If there were, Dax had the opportunity to choose another, safer route for himself.

Once given the clear call, Dax would casually fly up using his powers gently landing in the window, something he could have easily done even with Richard in tow.

“Alright Mr. thinker, I got us in, what now?”

402/3,564/5,000

Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:36 am

ROUND 1
Richard uses:
[MT] Adrenaline Spike on himself
[LT] Placebo Effect on Warehouse Security
[LT] Eye Poke on Warehouse Security
[UT] on Warehouse Security

Warehouse Security uses:
[MT] Alarm System on Richard
[LT] Tough Lock on Richard
[LT] Random Patrol on Richard
[UT] on Richard

---

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:36 am

The member 'Maxwell' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 16, 8, 7

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 3, 5, 9, 17

Thu Jan 21, 2021 12:22 pm

Took one to know one, the lying rat often told himself. Unfortunately, right now he had no clue how much of what his creepy partner in crime claimed could be true. The part about books he didn’t buy for a moment, but the killing with a rock part seemed all too likely. And Castor...? Why did that name sound so eerily familiar...?

The pondering popped like a soap bubble when the tall man suddenly grabbed the lanky criminal. “Waitwaitwait, Ineedtogetread-” He barely stifled the scream that already peeked from his throat as he was launched up to the window. His flailing limbs barely managed to latch onto the window sill. Scampering against the brick wall, he pulled himself up with all the grace of a burglar. His keen gaze sharpened, scanning the murky surroundings. Inside was a small, unlit room with a beaten sofa, a desk accompanied by mismatched chairs and some manner of... water cooler? Huh. A glance to the side revealed a cute, little kitchenette with a fridge and one of those newfangled portable ovens. The lights were off, so he was willing to take his chances.

Richard glanced back down, which was a mistake as the sensation at the bottom his stomach attested. He motioned his ally to follow. “It’s clear so far.” While his ally flew in with surprising ease, he flopped inside like a ragdoll and met the floor face first. His nose and pride both got bashed. Wiping away a trickle of blood from his nostril, he looked around. “Looks like a break room...” While his mouth provided idle commentary, his other hand slipped into his pocket. A motion most familiar. It rummaged briefly before pulling out an injector. Yellow liquid sloshed inside. He stuck it into his neck. A rush of energy filled his veins. His breathing quickened and his smile sharpened.

Time to get to work.

Stepping to the door, the criminal tugged the handle, but only got a quiet rattle in response. Locked... Of course it was... Oh well, he had never let tiny details stop him. Another quick trip to his deep pockets produced a small scalpel and a thin spike. Moving with surgeon’s precision and a locksmith’s efficiency, he attacked the tough lock. A couple of motions later, a satisfying click signaled his victory. He peeked out into the dimly lit hallway. It was the beginning of a maze lined with unlabeled doors. Flickering light bulbs offered ominous light. If this place had an alarm system, they hadn’t tripped it.

The crook had barely taken a couple of steps out of the break room, when he suddenly tensed. He turned his ear towards the end of the hallway, even bringing a hand to it. Then, without a word, he dove behind a dying potted plant, as if trying to blend in its meager shadow. In fact, he kind of succeeded. He motioned hastily to his partner, reminiscent of high-speed charades. First he held up two fingers, then made the fingers walk along his arms and finally pointed down the hallway. From those vague clues, his partner in crime was supposed to figure out a patrol was coming. ...Though to be fair, he would probably hear the approaching footsteps by now.

WC: 540
Total: 4634

Sun Nov 07, 2021 12:00 pm

Dax scanned the darkroom with his golden iris, locking onto the fridge. Taking the liberty to raid the food while Doctor worked on the lock that kept them in. "Hmmm." Humming as he rifled through the food, looking for just the right snack for their fun little caper. Though, as soon as he heard the lock click, he withdrew his head, revealing a bright red apple lodged into his mouth.

"MmmmYougotit?" He managed to mutter with a mouthful. "Nice going, doc~" Whistling as he took a crunchy bite from the crisp fruit.

The Goldmonger quickly tailed behind the dapper doctor, though, now that they were inside the stink coming from him was much more noticeable. His nose wrinkled in disgust, doing his best to focus on the faint smell of gold he had detected before. Dax moved in closer, his open mouth chewing growing ever louder in the man's ear, each bite accompanied by a slight, snappy crunch. As if to drown him, he cupped his hand and blocked the sound, and focused intently down the hall.

Like lightning, the crooked criminal dove behind a plant that barely covered his person, much to Dax's confusion. Growing even more confounded by the seemingly random hand motions and gestures he began firing at him. "The fuck are you doing...?" The crunching continued as he munched.

The shadows that danced on the walls quickly answered that question as the footsteps grew louder with each passing moment, accompanied by the buzzing hum of the flickering lights.

"Man, I'm starving."

"For sure, I can't wait to grab some grub."

The gold-clad pirate's head snapped back and forth, looking for a spot to hide. Glancing at his partner, who quickly made it clear there was no room at the inn for another guest. Well shit.

As the pair turned the corner, the Goldmonger came into full view. Their eyes met in a state of confusion as he stood there, apple in mouth and eyes wide like a child caught in the cookie jar.

"Hiya fellow friends." Dax mused, waving the men down, "Thank god you guys got here! I've just found a rat within our midst!" Gesturing to the doctor's poor hiding place behind the plant.

The pair of guards exchanged a confused look as they looked the Goldmonger up and down, clearly not fooled by the bad acting. "What are you doing here??" They questioned, taking up defensive postures, placing their hands on the weapons at their sides.

"Fuck.." He muttered, holding up his pointer finger at the pair as his golden ring shot out like a bullet, piercing one skull before the next. Their bodies thudded as they hit the floor.

Dax moved closer, glancing the corpses up and down before turning back to the good doctor with a dastardly golden smile. "What size pants do you wear again...~?"

475/4,039/5,000

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:39 pm

ROUND 2
Richard uses:
[HT] Euthanasia on Warehouse Security
[LT] Shiv on Warehouse Security
[UT] on Warehouse Security

Warehouse Security uses:
[MT] on Richard
[LT] on Richard
[LT] on Richard
[UT] on Richard

---

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:39 pm

The member 'Maxwell' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 16, 17, 6

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 4, 7, 19, 14

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:48 pm

ROUND 3
Richard uses:
[HT] Malpractice on Warehouse Security
[LT] Sucker Punch on Warehouse Security
[UT] on Warehouse Security

Warehouse Security uses:
[HT] on Richard
[UT] on Richard

---

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:48 pm

The member 'Maxwell' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 9, 8, 19

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 15, 3

Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:17 pm

ROUND 4
Richard uses:
[MT] Energy Steroid on Self
[LT] Lights Out on Warehouse Security
[LT] 9mm Aspirin on Warehouse Security
[UT] on Warehouse Security

Warehouse Security uses:
[MT] on Richard
[LT] on Richard
[LT] on Richard
[UT] on Richard

---

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:17 pm

The member 'Maxwell' has done the following action : Dice Roll

#1 'Reflex Check' : 14, 15, 6

--------------------------------

#2 'Reflex Check' : 15, 6, 7, 10

[Episode] Stealing Candy from an Ogre

[Episode] Stealing Candy from an Ogre

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