Yesterday's Men [Open]

[phrostphyre]

Predatory eyes followed the inn-owner. The elf had refused to use his inn as a weapon-running stop in a chain stretching from Ília Fëon to Aroughs, even though he would accept protection from the Hive, he’d not use it as a lay-over point. Jamie was here to convince him of the error of his ways. Violence was not to be used unless no other option worked. Jamie didn’t mind. The lithe mountain lion-like figure moved along the branches above the pathway the elf was taking and followed him, using the tartan his grandfather had left him and all his skill to remain unobserved. He jumped and caught himself on a branch, then slid down it and entered the man’s inn about thirty seconds behind him. While falling, Jamie’s dirk had appeared in his hand and he used it to knock the elf unconscious. Jamie closed the door behind them, and then bolted it. He used the moments he had to lock the back door, then returned and roped the elf to a chair and induced him to wake with a drug that suppressed mental abilities. When dealing with full elves, Jamie was at a disadvantage when it came to mental combat or magic. Once the elf woke, Jamie used the human language, as he knew this particular elf knew it.

”Alright, sir. We both know that you’re holding out on the Hive. We can do three things: Torture you, pay you more, or beat you up a little. It’s up to you, but I actually prefer the second. I am willing to implement any of the previously stated, however.” The elf’s answer was to spit in Jamie’s face, and then try to wriggle out of the bonds. Jamie wiped his face off, then reached down and tapped at the elf’s groin with his dirk.

”The handy thing about a dirk is that’s simply a sword blade mounted on a dagger handle, in some cases. Mine happens to be a full eighteen inches. Eleven inch blade. Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s actually a fairly handy distance when I start slicing and cutting. However, you could always agree to our demands….Or not, but that’s up to you, sir.” Jamie tapped once more, but was stopped by a muffled scream. Jamie slowly removed the dirk, and then sheathed it. He listened to the elf’s proposition, slowly nodding. ”Please, I’ll do it, just not that! I have a mate! You bloody bastards can store your damned weapons here before being moved where ever! I have an unused storage closet.” Jamie grinned, and then slit the elf’s bonds. Jamie helped him stand, then went and unbolted the doors. He got a mug of beer, then sat in a corner booth and nursed it, hoping he would fade from the elf’s mind, leaving only the fear and promise.

[Emma]

As the clock announced two in the morning with its musical chimes, I was marched onto the stage of the Black Stalk Cornerclub.

A golden visor had been placed over my eyes, but eerie green light trickled in from my periphery vision. I trusted the two girls holding either of my arms would safely lead me to the edge of the platform. After several steps, they halted, and the visor was removed. Amid the lights shining around me, I couldn’t see into the inky blackness of the inn itself, where the audience sat quietly, waiting. I looked down at myself. I was only very scantily clad in what appeared to be snakeskin dyed forest green, consisting of an upper wrap and a skirt slit in two. My dark hair hung unbound to my shoulders, framing my face. I was also barefoot. I raised my head to look back at the audience as one of the women next to me roughly grabbed my arms, and then pushed me off the stage and into the tank.

The cold black water hit me like a thunderclap, and closed in a white scar around my head. I slowly sank to the bottom of the glass, feeling something soft slip past my cheekbone. I was blind and deaf, but I was not afraid. Kicking my legs, I propelled myself to the surface and took a gulp of air just as the tank was raised for the viewing pleasure of the audience. As the verdant light illuminated the display, I saw the silhouetted figures of four live snakes cut silently through the water, fangs bared. They’d tasted me and my outfit. Closing my eyes, I dove back down again, allowing my fingers and hair to run down the serpents’ forms as they swum around me. Once I knew they didn’t fear me, I resurfaced for more air and began to dance with them.

The tank was not wide but deep, and the snakes entwined around my body and the cascade of my dark hair as I moved. The Queen would certainly scoff at such antics if she were here to see me- a Shrike under the guise of a common exotic dancer. But I enjoyed the attention, the freedom of my limbs as they moved to the pulsing music- which, through the glass, was only audible as a rhythmic beat. I did not quail from the attention, or detest the male gender as nearly all of my woman Hive fellows did- nobody ever touched me or hurt me in any way. It was a sensual experience as much for myself as it was for my viewers. But tonight, I knew I couldn’t lose myself in the dance like I usually did. Though I appeared to be in a trance, I watched the audience as they watched me.

The Cornerclub had only recently fallen under Hive jurisdiction, and the proprietor wasn’t particularly pleased about the matter. I’d heard that a Drone was coming in to strike some fear into him, but I worried that the threat of violence would turn him against us, not towards us. I was one of the few in my faction who saw an important difference between fear and respect, and respect, in my opinion, was harder to earn but more valuable than fear. Minutes before my dance was to end, the man I’d been waiting for entered the establishment- the tall, flame-haired Malakian Company Drone I knew as James S.A. Fraser, or Jamie to his friends. Generously built and unkempt, even the wariest of eyes would have mistaken him for a human- but I knew him as more.

He unceremoniously took a seat and a mug of beer, and watched me and my snakes, although more out of curiosity than enchantment. He didn’t appear to be going anywhere, so after another breath of air, I focussed on finishing the dance. After a final flourish on a grand little twirl, I resurfaced for the final time and hauled myself out of the tank and onto the wooden platform. Whistles and applause greeted me, so I got to my feet and took a deep bow. Then I turned and strode off the stage to make way for the next act. Going down the steps and into the private dressing rooms where elven and human girls were at work smearing on makeup, I had two attendants half-dry my hair and my body before peeling off the snakeskin wraps and helping me into a less racy outfit.

The skirt was violet, translucent, and made of flowing chiffon, the belt and hem fringed with yellow. The top was nothing but a simple wrap around my upper torso, again made of violet and yellow chiffon. My upper arms and forearms were decorated with gold bangles, and my hair embellished with an ornate golden comb. I decided to go barefoot as I often did, and shooed away the Drones who’d helped get me ready. I snitched the visor I’d been wearing at the beginning of my performance and put it on, trusting my other senses to guide me to Jamie. Leaving the dressing rooms, I made my way into the common area of the inn, which was now illuminated with soft purple light. I headed to the table I’d seen the Drone sitting at, moving silently and gracefully.

“Hail, darling,” I said kindly upon approach. “Is d’is seat taken?”

Character(s) Used;; Medusa
Words;; 900
Muse;; Pretty nice! Woot!
Thoughts;; Jamaican accent dialogue still drives me nuts, but otherwise I really missed writing with Medusa.

[phrostphyre]

Jamie sat nursing his beer in the booth he sat in, observing the entertainment much less than the crowd. No one had noticed the exchange between the owner and himself in the back room. Jamie took this as a good sign, but continued to observe everything around him. He slid his dirk slightly out from his sheath. He had felt a prickling between his shoulder blades, and years as an expendable asset had taught him not to ignore that sixth-sense. As a result, when Jamie felt the shoulder blades being prickled, he drew steel or ran. Running would do no good this late at night; drawn steel would be the way to go.
Jamie watched the exotic woman dance with the snakes, more as a formality than anything else. He was curious about how someone could willingly touch snakes, but he mentally decided that each to their own, and apparently her own happened to be snakes. It was her choice to make, and Jamie wouldn’t worry about it. He would, however, worry about the odd look he felt being sent his way from the dancer. He saw her try to pass it off, but the quick mind was running at lightning speed. Exotic dancer, human, in the same bar as myself at the same time, glancing at me quickly, and then looking away. This isn’t good. Damn, she’s a higher up!” The mental synapses in the mind of the man fired like flame bursts from a dragon. Scuttlebutt in the Hive stated that there was a Shrike in the Hive that was exotic, human, and apparently cared more for respect than fear. Jamie, as a natural leader, though he didn’t know it, understood this subconsciously. This subconsciously understanding business caused him to be fearful, and when the Shrike herself appeared and asked about a seat, Jamie swore at himself long and silently, while answering her. ”Madam, I beg forgiveness for not noticing your approach. Please, be seated. I am James Fraser. Slowly and silently, Jamie slid his dirk back into the sheath, hoping she wouldn’t notice the movement of his arm.

[dantieduurden]

Dantie could not have been any more annoyed at the days events. He had been turned down by the elf army due to the fact of his rage and hatred inside of him that all but consumed him stating that they did not need another war breaking out due to one persons emotions getting in the way. And so he had gone to the nearest tavern to drink away his worries. Ed was gone, the riders had refused him, and now his own people refused to allow him into the army. Could the day get any worse.

And so he had come to the Black stalk conerclub to drink away his worries and pains. Tomorrow would be a new day, and he would strike out on his own to get back at those who had wronged him. The world was his enemy now, an so like all things against him, he would find a way to destroy it.

As he walked in purple lights were on in the club and he quickly took a seat on the opposite side of the the room the stage was at. Two tables away from him was a man with red hair who seemed to be absorbed in some other matters with what appeared to be one of the dancers.

As a waitress walked up to his table Dantie ordered the strongest drink they had and a meal. Today he would enjoy himself, tomorrow he would get down to business. As the waitress left Dantie let his hand fall to his sword strapped to his side, he kept it as a reminder. That he may have been the top of his class, but he was not good enough for the riders or the elves to accept him into there ranks. " They shall regret refusing me. He said to himself as he looked at his blade.

Inside Dantie's mind a battle was raging as the remains of the normal Dantie was destroyed and crushed by A. Dantie and his army. It had been a bloody war, but with Ed's death A. Dantie had grown so angry he had killed his counterpart, leaving only the chaos of himself left inside his mind.

[Emma]

Though I could not see the flame-haired Drone from beneath my visor, I felt his panic upon my approach. I didn’t think I’d ever met Fraser in person- in fact, I heard he was rather terrified of Shrikes. Considering the rumours we took so much care to spread and our reputation, I didn’t blame him. Males in the Hive were often the submissive sort- or at least had the very clear knowledge of keeping their heads down when the opposite gender was around. I listened to Jamie nervously scraping his boots against the floor, and the barely distinguishable noise of metal against leather. A blade returning to its sheath. He was wary of someone other than me, then. I smiled pleasantly down at him as he stuttered out a cautious reply, and graciously took the seat opposite of him.

“N’worry about it, dear.” Upon hearing the rapid footsteps of a waitress from nearby, I snapped my fingers. “Another flagon.”
“Yes, ma’am.”

I turned back to Jamie, still smiling kindly. I could still feel his anxiety despite my warmth towards him, so I knew I would have to calm him down at least a little bit before I could make my proposition. I didn’t doubt he would listen to my every word, especially when I properly introduced myself to him, but he would need to have a clear head for the mission I had planned out- especially after the very nearly tragic failure it had suffered the previous month. Extra precautions would be taken to ensure its success. The Queen would have my head if it didn’t. Folding one leg over the other and placing my adorned hands on the table in front of me to prove that I was unarmed, I relaxed my entire body. Then, as a flagon was placed in front of me, I introduced myself.

“James Simon Alexander Fraser,” I said slowly, letting each odd name roll off my tongue. “Me name’s Medusa.” I paused upon hearing him stiffen in his seat, and couldn’t help but grin, showing my teeth. “Ya’ve heard of me, then. Take it easy, sweetheart, you ain’t in any trouble. I’m-”

I broke off suddenly, feeling a new presence within the room. I bowed my head, listening to the Essences within me, and deigning not to remove my visor unless it was absolutely necessary. I enjoyed making challenges for myself, and I wanted to see how I performed without the aid of eyesight. I did not possess any uncanny abilities beyond what Nyx had given me at birth, but I felt a person within the Cornerclub that was so angry and so conflicted that he had a literal aura about him. He sat down close to Jamie and I, and ordered alcohol and a meal. The hostility about him was very palpable, and I knew there was no possibility of him being human. I sat up a bit straighter in my chair and kept my ears open just in case, but otherwise gave no indication that I’d noticed him.

“I’m only here to talk, dear.” Leaning forward just slightly, my smile now devious, I listened closely for Jamie’s reaction. “Are you busy tonight?”

Character(s) Used;; Medusa
Words;; 530
Muse;; AWFULAWFULAWFULAWFULAWFUL.
Thoughts;; It... it's ghastly. O.O I just... horrible.

[Kite]

*The Black Stalk Cornerclub. A silly but extremely useful little building was hopefully going to be accepting their business now along with their protect, and to that end he had sent Jamie along to make the proprietor allow our shipments to arrive within there for the time it would take for the next in line to pick it up.

What a coincidence that, after she had sent him to do the job, she was called by the Shrike Medusa to finish the job we had started with her Ward.

As she enters, she casts about the room with her eyes and mind, allowing the feelings and presences to wash into her to see any strong feelings or familiar presences. She feels four of these that stick out to her. The first two she notices are those of strong conflict, flaring like beacons to her. The first is the bartender, shaking in fear of some sort of bladed weapon and the Hive, although she can not glean what bladed weapon, and she smiles from that. Obviously, Jamie had done his job, and done it well. The second one was one of supreme turmoil, suffering, and most of all hostility. The second mind felt like a mind that needed to kick some ass and take some names, and naturally she kept away from that presence as she moved across the room to the last two presences, the ones she recognized.

As she approaches the booth that they both reside in, she sees that one of them is dressed as an exotic dancer and the other is dressed as… well, him. Her mouth forms a smile as she moves to the booth and leans on the end of the table closest to her as she approaches, looking first at the red-haired little man and then at the beautiful ebony “dancer”.*

Good evening Jamie, Medusa. Are we ready to do some dastardly crime?