[Story] The Future History of Jakob Pettersohn (11/Jul/09 - Final Chapter)

[Sunblink]

 

That is all.




If you want something of more substance though, you are very much aware that I already adore this chapter, and that I already adore what you've done here, and that I already adore Daryil (he's awesome), and that I already adore Keaton's villainous bitchery. XD Ah Keaton, you're such a nasty girl. But she's my bebe.

Good work as always, good sir. *tips hat*

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tapewolf]

If you want something of more substance though, you are very much aware that I already adore this chapter, and that I already adore what you've done here, and that I already adore Daryil (he's awesome), and that I already adore Keaton's villainous bitchery. XD Ah Keaton, you're such a nasty girl. But she's my bebe.

Thanks again.  I still only have about 1/3 of the followup chapter but there are a number of ideas I'll need to run past you at some point...

For some reason the image of a tri-winged Daryil standing there wearing striped boxers makes me giggle insanely.

That was a fairly late addition.  In an earlier version, the robe simply disappeared until I realised I had a stark naked fox, which kind of gave me the jitters.

Earlier, I had also planned a throwaway joke where Jakob and Ashley see Daryil running down a corridor yelling "I am the way and the life!".  Ashley thinks he's lost it completely, but Jakob realises where his copy of The Ruling Class has gone. 

[Gabi]

Seen the video. Isn't he a bit too... blond?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

In 1972, there was still a heck of a lot of people who believed, devoutly, that Jesus was Aryan, or thereabouts.

Despite being born in an Arabic region to local, devoutly Jewish parents.


Sometimes the stupidity, ignorance, and blind out and out racism of the human race depresses me.


Good story, though, Tape. It ranks up there with Making Money, which I was reading just prior to - equal laughs from both.

[Sunblink]

Earlier, I had also planned a throwaway joke where Jakob and Ashley see Daryil running down a corridor yelling "I am the way and the life!".  Ashley thinks he's lost it completely, but Jakob realises where his copy of The Ruling Class has gone. 

Now I really like Daryil. Really. XD

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Dannysaysnoo]

over the course of the weekend i read all the way through CJP and this and i have to say, holy shit, these are awesome!

thank god that daryill didn't lose his darling. Imagine what he would have done?

[Tapewolf]

over the course of the weekend i read all the way through CJP and this and i have to say, holy shit, these are awesome!

Thanks.  One of my goals in writing these was to see if I could put together a fanfic that did justice to DMFA.  I made a few mistakes, but hey, it was the first time I wrote fiction for about 15 years.

thank god that daryill didn't lose his darling. Imagine what he would have done?

It would have been very, very bad for Keaton, who I might add isn't out of the woods yet.  And you've just given me an idea 

One possibility which I had pondered was to kill her and shove her into one of the android bodies, which would render her mostly harmless.  Keaton would never agree to that of course, but it would make an interesting threat.

[Dannysaysnoo]

One possibility which I had pondered was to kill her and shove her into one of the android bodies, which would render her mostly harmless.  Keaton would never agree to that of course, but it would make an interesting threat.

What if Jacob stuffed her into a soul-gem and hooked it up to some kind of vision screen, so you could see the inner workings of the gem?

[Tapewolf]

What if Jacob stuffed her into a soul-gem and hooked it up to some kind of vision screen, so you could see the inner workings of the gem?

It would kill her body, which would be a very rude thing to do to a guest character 
And by the way it's 'Jakob'...

[Dannysaysnoo]

What if Jacob stuffed her into a soul-gem and hooked it up to some kind of vision screen, so you could see the inner workings of the gem?

It would kill her body, which would be a very rude thing to do to a guest character 
And by the way it's 'Jakob'...

i've always hated c's and k's.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... of course, you could always have Daryil fiddle her memory to have her -think- he did that. ;-]

[Alondro]

Tapewolf, you do realize I'm going to have to steal you for my animation company.  If my first two projects get done, I'll need writers for full-length works. 

*has his dungeon half-dug already!*   

[Tapewolf]

Tapewolf, you do realize I'm going to have to steal you for my animation company.  If my first two projects get done, I'll need writers for full-length works. 

Heh, I'm honoured, but writing something feature-length could be hard.   I'd be the first to admit that I'm more adept at adapting existing ideas - after all, that's what CJP and Future History are, a new spin on an existing concept.  If I do the world design as well, I'm usually stumped for stories

Anyway, here's the next chapter.  Thanks again to Keaton for vetting her character's dialogue.



Chapter 20 - Aftermath

Oh gods... oh gods... thought Keaton in a mad panic.  He knows, he knows I tried to have him assassinated and then take his lover's soul and they're gonna kill me right here, pinned to the floor and shot several times in the head while he laughs that's what Cross loved to do and now he's right here in this room and they're gonna execute me I just hope it's quick

"No, Katherine," said Daryil, answering her unspoken question, "You're not going to join your family." 

The jackal whimpered, as the horror cut through her like a chill wind.  Or a knife.  They weren't even going to kill her.  Daryil was going to rob her of her very soul - just like he had done to the Ti'Nera succubus who had killed his last love.  Like she had done to Beings...

"Let's be honest," he continued gravely, "Your deeds do warrant death - and possibly more.  It would be fitting and just to push you into that crystalline torture-chamber of yours.  But, as Jakob well knows, I believe the wicked deserve a chance to clean up their act.  I give that chance to you.  But know this: if ever again you seek to harm so much as a strand of Simeon's fur, you shall know the full force of my anger."

She looked up at him, but did not reply.  It sounded like they were going to let her live?

Daryil snapped his fingers and the armoured door swung open, despite the inconvenient fact that it remained locked.  Dorcan fell into the room, followed by Azrael and at least three panthers.  The doberman struggled to his feet, took one look at the fox and fell right back on his knees.  The panthers froze, uncertain what to do.

"Forgive this intrusion, oh Lord," Dorcan whimpered, prostrating himself as if in an act of worship, which for all intents and purposes, it was.  Daryil, taken aback, looked down at himself and the hip-wings went away.  "At ease, Dorcan," he said.  Hmm, this is one thing I didn't bank on.

Sneaking a glance at the fox incubus, Dorcan slowly rose and glanced at him as if he wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, but he still looked almost as frightened as Keaton did.  Azrael, by contrast, looked mildly surprised, as though he was wondering why Daryil had taken so long over his transcendence.

"Who's the meathead?" Keaton asked, staring at Dorcan and forgetting the danger she was in.

The doberman glanced back at her with distaste.  "So she's the intruder?"

The jackal gave him a strange look in return as she realised that he had a Being mind-shield instead of a proper incubus one, even though both sets of his wings were plainly visible.  This could mean that he was young and untrained like Daryil's loverboy (perhaps he had two boyfriends?) but with the prospect of her death still in the air, she was not in a particularly understanding frame of mind and took it to mean that he was a less-than-intelligent specimen of their race.  Probably another one of those inbred scum.

Slightly embarrassed by the fact that the doberman's muscular frame was his fault, Daryil coughed softly to try and change the subject.  It worked, because the two 'cubi suddenly froze, the fear returning to them.

"Settle down, kids..." he said.  "Dorcan, this is Keaton.  Keaton, Dorcan.  You should both calm down, as stress can be a killer.  Well, for you, at least," he added, looking at the succubus.  What did he just say?

"My Lord," Dorcan began nervously, "I mean no disrespect, but why... are you here?  What about your trial?  Your defence?"

"Oh, that," he said dismissively.  "I presented a particularly convincing argument and they acquitted me."  Jakob looked as though he'd been struck in the face, and turned on the nearest wall-display to check the headlines.

"Did you use your new powers, by any chance?"  he asked slowly after a few moments, the amazement on his face turning to horror.

"Just a bit.  Well, maybe some..."

"Legal history was made as the judge ruled himself in contempt of court..." Jakob read out.

"Well, perhaps I overdid it..." Daryil admitted.  "I'm not used to them yet."

"No further updates on Wils... Oh!  Snell has been arrested."

"What?" Ashley yelped.

"No, not about that...  He assumed the form of a supermarket cashier at BunnyMart.  Apparently he made off with hundreds of PIN numbers using his thought-reading powers, and thousands of dollars in checkout takings..."

"Well... if we've got all the ugly stuff out of the way, I think it's time to kick back and relax," Daryil said, and began to hand out lollipops.  Keaton took hers without hesitation - the incubus was plainly cuckoo but if it was on his say-so that she was going to keep her life and her soul, there was no way she was going to rock the boat.  However she noted with a brief flicker of interest that Dorcan refused his.
"I suppose I'll have to organise a party to celebrate," Daryil continued.  "Feel free to invite your families."

The doberman looked up with a guilty start, and slipped out of the room.  The fox smiled at him softly.

* * *

In one of the lesser-used common rooms, Dorcan approached the comms screen and after some hesitation, keyed a number into the display.  A few moments later a Doberman appeared on the screen.
"Weysberg two-four-double-oh-eight-one," he said, "Mordrith speaking."  Seeing that he was talking to another incubus, his own headwings suddenly appeared.  Like most of his kind, he had the appearance of someone in his early-to-mid twenties although his real age could be anything up to a thousand centuries.
"Oh my gods," he whispered.  Then: "Julei... come here... quickly!"

"What is it?" the speaker was a female husky.  One glance at the screen and she let out a yelp of shock.
"Dorcan?" she said.  "Oh my gods..."

"Don't get too carried away, dear," the doberman replied, his eyes narrowing.  "He may be one of Them.  Dorcan, if you don't mind me asking, what present did we send you for your eighth birthday?"

"A bicycle... a red one," he said, closing his eyes.  "With a white saddlebag that broke off when I tried to put too many rocks in it..."

"It is him," said the husky.  "But... you were... you're... dead..."

"There were rumours," the doberman interjected.  "It was said that you came back three days after your execution.  But the body was still in the grave, so we took it as a cruel hoax..."  He sniffed.

"They dug up my grave?"  Dorcan sounded extremely affronted.

"Yes.  It was horrible... but Dorcan, it's been four months!  Why didn't you call us?  Why didn't you call your parents?"

"I'm really sorry," he replied guiltily.  "I've been so busy, what with one thing and another I clean forgot.  Oh, and one of the reasons I'm calling you now is because I forgot their number again."

"That's Dorcan alright," the husky chuckled.  "Only thinks to call us when he needs something..."

"Well if you must know, I... forgot I died."

"You forgot...  Never mind.  How did you escape, though?  Who's really in the grave?"

"The corpses is mine," the doberman replied.  "My... employer... used a soul-transference process."

"Soul-transfer?  Into what?  Another 'Cubi?  You morphed into yourself?  What's your base form like?"

"Grandad,"  Dorcan began, "I don't know quite how to put this, but I'm not a 'Cubi anymore."

"Dorcan, you know I hate being called- what did you say?"

Dorcan happened to be shirtless at the time.  Sometimes he did this anyway, as 'Cubi often do - most regions having a dress-code where only trousers were mandatory - although it was something which Jakob personally found a little distasteful for some reason.  Right now he was bare-chested because he had anticipated this moment.  As he had done for the rat at Jakob's behest, he placed his fingers on the secret part of his ribcage and opened his chest.  His grandfather stared at him in astonishment.

"Well I'm buggered," he said at last, and his eyes narrowed again.  "Dorcan... tell me what play we saw at the winter festival when you were eleven."

"I... don't remember,"

The other doberman emitted a sad sigh.  "I thought it was too good to be true."

"Gods," Dorcan exploded, "It was centuries back!  Can you remember what shirt you were wearing on this day half a millennia ago?  Look... how about we just meet face-to-face?  You can scan my mind and see if I'm really your grandson..."

"I'm afraid not.  If you're really one of Them, it could be ruse to get up close so you can kill us."

"So I have to convince you first?  Fine.  You want me to remind you about the time you had too much ale and tried to hit on my mother?"

"Okay, okay, okay," he replied hastily, "I believe you.  Perhaps I'm getting paranoid in my old age," he smiled cynically, "but you would too if you'd seen what I've seen.  Very well, I'll give you an address to meet me.  You don't know how badly your death affected us.  I would very much like to believe that you're really my late grandson back from the dead, and if I find you aren't, I shall- oh my gods."

He stopped.  Dorcan glanced round to see Keaton standing in the doorway.
"Do you mind?" he snapped, "This is a private call... Mordrith?  What's the matter?"  His grandfather was in a state resembling panic.

"She... she's one of Those!"

"One of 'Them'?" Dorcan asked, puzzled.

"Not Them, Those!"

"Mordrith, what the hell are you on about?"

"Her clan..."

"Jyraneth," Keaton put in, with relish.  She was used to hate and to some degree fear, since the Jyraneth clan had had many enemies in their time.  Sometimes the name alone could inspire terror, and from his reaction it seemed that she had hit the spot.  The jock was evidently a Kamei'Sin or one of their allies.

"Yes, those!  Run, little Dorcan!  She has come to kill us all!  No, wait... I remember you!  Kate, wasn't it?  No... Katherine..."

"You know her?"  Dorcan looked somewhat surprised, which meant a lot since he was more-or-less immune to that particular emotion.  Keaton looked astonished.

"Not really, no," the elder doberman continued, his panic vanishing like mist in the sun.  "She was one of Salem's children.  A tough nut, unlike her poor dear sisters..."

"What do you know of my family?"  Keaton demanded in a forceful tone.  As she spoke she glanced at Dorcan and her expression changed.  She had never seen him topless before and now that she was, her eyes locked onto him.  He had an athletic build and on his chest was the clan symbol.   It wasn't quite the same, but running through the centre of it, her eyes traced a pattern that she had known ever since she was a puppy.  Not one of the hated Kamei'Sin shits like Simeon, it seemed he was a...

"You... you're Jyraneth survivors?"

"Almost," Dorcan said, with a sad smile.  "I was born after the massacre.  In any case, I died earlier this year.  I'm one of Jakob's resurrectees."

"Then you're like Joshua?"  That would explain the mind-shield...

* * *

"Where did Dorcan go?"  Jakob asked.

"Oh, he's just remembered that he forgot to tell his parents that he's alive,"  Daryil smiled.  "And before you ask, Keaton is following him."  Jakob looked unnerved.

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"She'll hold for now.  Too afraid of me taking her soul to cause any real trouble, but we will have to think of a more permanent solution."

Jakob glanced back at his leader uneasily.

"Daryil... are you sure you're okay?  I mean, the transition you've been through is very, very dangerous...  Are you quite sure that the power isn't going to go to your head or something?"  And please can you stop reading my mind...

"Now you know what a Being feels like," he grinned.  "Okay, I'll leave off doing that.  And don't worry!  I'm fine."

So much more than fine... he thought.  So many new possibilities...
Jakob left, somewhat relieved.  It was a good job the wolf couldn't see the smile on Daryil's face as a new idea occurred to him.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

*giggle*

That look in his eye bodes ill for someone. ;-] In the nicest possible way, of course. Daryil will be "just trying to help" and "I didn't mean any harm" etc etc...  but it's all going to end up neck deep and sinking for Jakob...

[Tapewolf]

Daryil will be "just trying to help" and "I didn't mean any harm" etc etc...  but it's all going to end up neck deep and sinking for Jakob...

You know, I think he would see it that way. 

Anyway, Ive just realised that they've pretty much ignored Keaton, so I have revised Jakob and Daryil's conversation at the end to reflect this.

[Dannysaysnoo]

DAym, you just released a Chronicles chapter, you must be working overdrive.

[Tapewolf]

DAym, you just released a Chronicles chapter, you must be working overdrive.

Actually that's one of the reasons the CJP chapter was delayed, because I was on a roll with this.

[Sunblink]

I still love Daryil. Absolutely love him. XD Because him passing out lollipops was absolute gold. Gold, I tell you, gold. For some reason, I can perfectly see her staring at her lollipop in absolute horror, then, when nobody's looking, dropping it, as though it were infected with this horrible acid.

I seriously can't wait to see the next installment. Once more, this was a great chapter with nice, solid writing. I loved it.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Dropping it? Or holding on to it until he's out of reach? After all.. if she took it... she's got to be scared of him enough that she doesn't want to offend him. ;-]

[Dannysaysnoo]

I still love Daryil. Absolutely love him. XD Because him passing out lollipops was absolute gold. Gold, I tell you, gold. For some reason, I can perfectly see her staring at her lollipop in absolute horror, then, when nobody's looking, dropping it, as though it were infected with this horrible acid.

I seriously can't wait to see the next installment. Once more, this was a great chapter with nice, solid writing. I loved it.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

I actually see her devouring it with a vengeance. who doesn't love lollipops?

[Tapewolf]

For some reason, I can perfectly see her staring at her lollipop in absolute horror, then, when nobody's looking, dropping it, as though it were infected with this horrible acid.

Pity you didn't mention that before.  Daryil would know, of course, but I love the imagery 

I seriously can't wait to see the next installment. Once more, this was a great chapter with nice, solid writing. I loved it.

Thanks!

I actually see her devouring it with a vengeance. who doesn't love lollipops?

Well, the assassin left his...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

As I mentioned to Keaton:

"Hi, Keaton. Nice to see you again. Did you enjoy the lollipop? Would you like another one?" ...

;-]

[Gabi]

It seems that Dorcan can be quite pathetic. But it was a funny scene.

It was also interesting to see the variety of Keaton's emotions.

[Tapewolf]

Thanks again to Keaton for her great help with the Jyraneth background.

Chapter 21 - Escapism

Meanwhile, Keaton's reunion with some of her surviving clan-mates was a less-than-happy one.

"Yes, we were Jyraneth," Mordrith scowled.  "But we rejected the rule of that loony old hag!  Her madness led the clan to ruin, as well you should know, Katherine."  He sighed.  "I didn't get on well with my clan-brothers, but Salem was alright.  Too blinded by the Lady to see sense, though."

"Don't you dare criticise my dad!"  Keaton yelled.  "You abandoned Her teachings to save your own worthless pelt!  He had faith!  He stuck with Her word right to the end..."

"And look where that got him!" the doberman shouted back in reply.  "He's dead!  Our clan is dead and your precious 'Queen' is too!  Barring you, who apparently lived through the attack, the only survivors were the ones who were out of the city at the time or those with the sense to flee before the gods could punish us!"

* * *

Mordrith was a kind and gentle man as Jyraneth went, but he was still extremely superstitious, something which Dorcan found rather trying at times.  Not that he could help it of course, having been brought up under the reign of a tyrant so crazed that she had been expelled from her original clan.  This might have been a rather boring footnote in the annals of that clan if she hadn't had a large number of supporters, and all too soon she had formed a clan of her own, who venerated her as the mouthpiece of the gods themselves.

Mordrith, who had taken leave of the clan's raiding parties to raise a family, had privately begun to question her edicts. Why would the gods, who had created Beings in the first place, demand that their own creations be slain, even down to their very souls?  If they were created in error, surely the gods would have corrected it themselves instead of leaving it to the whims of others?

He had also read books of history which claimed that the 'Cubi race had itself been created - and not by the gods, but by a lesser power, such as the Fae or the Dragons.  Their race was a late addition, long, long after the first Beings had appeared.
The Jyraneth were notorious for the raids which they carried out with religious fervour - killing, looting, raping and enslaving all Beings who did not fall under the protection of a Creature strong enough to defend them.  Like most young Jyraneth 'Cubi, Mordrith's childhood dream had been to join the exalted ranks of the Raiders, but now, fourteen centuries older and wiser, he could only conclude that the raids which had brought him so much excitement in the past were violating the wishes of the gods, not obeying them.

The clan's reverence for children?  Now that was something he could agree with, something he could understand himself from the first moment he had held young Neremath wriggling in his hands, so frail and so tiny!  Killing children, even Being children, was a great evil indeed, but where do you draw the line?  Each Being whose life they claimed had also been a child once, and compared to him, they were children still.  In any case, each child they spared was slain anyway when the clan returned years later.  What was the point of it all?   He'd had enough.

And so, one morning in the black days following the accidental slaying of a child in a raid gone wrong, Mordrith had taken a sturdy packing crate to the square and begun to preach.  An air of gloom and dread hung all around the city which even Jyraneth herself had done little to assuage, remaining mute and despondent within her splendid tower.  Some began to fear that the end of the Clan was at hand and in this atmosphere, when a respected member of the Raiders began to preach salvation, people stopped to listen.

Some listened some out of curiosity, respect for his great deeds as a Raider, or out of genuine fear that the gods were punishing them for the child's death.  Some were hecklers who thought him an amusing crank.  Most simply ignored him, turning a deaf ear to his lunatic ideas that Beings were the chosen ones and that only by treating them with kindness and respect would the gods spare the clan.  And some went straight to the tower where the Lady herself dwelt to inform her advisors of the blasphemies.

Jyraneth's rage had been almost unbounded.  At least one of her advisors had died and the others had written a death warrant for Mordrith.  He would die in public, bound and helpless like a Being in the very square in which he had preached.  His soul would then be destroyed by the Red Queen herself in front of the faithful, and his wife, Julei - surely corrupted by the foul taint of her husband - would get the same, with the exception that her soul might be spared if she recanted prior to her execution.

Somehow Mordrith had anticipated the horrific fate that his ruler had intended.  When they broke down the door of his house to restrain him with the enchanted manacles, it was empty.  He had already summoned a warp-aci and fled with his wife and children.

It was fortunate that the advisors had not publicly announced Mordrith's fate or there would have been another head on the floor of the meeting chamber.  Nonetheless, they did have a bit of a problem.  At length it was decided to issue a proclamation that Mordrith and his wife had both been destroyed in secret executions for treason.  The fact their children had disappeared as well would not raise too many eyebrows since the children of criminals were normally placed in the care of an allied clan until they were considered adults.

The city authorities had just begun to put some of these notices up when the Kamei'Sin unexpectedly poured into the streets, slaying all they could find.

* * *

Dorcan closed his eyes in frustration.  They were still arguing louder than ever.
"This was supposed to be a private call!" he yelled and the VU meter bars beneath the wall-display pegged into the red.  Silence fell.

"Thank you.  Now, Mordrith... will you consent to meet me face-to-face?"

Mordrith's face was twisted by conflicting emotions.  He was desperate to think that his grandson lived and only by meeting him could he verify that.  But at the same time, part of him was convinced that it was a plot to kill him.  This part won out.

"Yes," said a voice behind him, his wife, Julei.

"No!  It could be a trap!"

"One of us goes.  If you won't, I will."

"Very well," the old doberman said, "I shall go.  But I shall go armed.  And Dorcan, you shall come alone.  If you are truly my grandson, you shall have nothing to fear."

"I'll have to get permission from my employer..."

"Yes, the nice Mr. Cross," Keaton put in helpfully.  She was not disappointed by Mordrith's reaction as he began panicking again.

"CROSS?!?  As in Johan Cross?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention - he's my employer.  Only don't call him that, he doesn't like it..."

"Oh my gods, Dorcan... have you gone crazy?"

"Calm down!  I've been working under him for almost four months now and he's nothing like the legends at all.  He grew out of that kind of stuff like you grew out of raiding!  And I might add I was raised from the dead by his own son..."

"But it's said he betrayed the clan!"

"Rubbish.  He'd only just left SAIA at that time.  The madness didn't come until decades afterwards..."

Keaton turned away, fighting back tears.  She knew full well who had allowed the Kamei'Sin to enter Harla'Keth - and given the circumstances she would have done the same.

Struggling to get her emotions back under control, she watched impassively as Dorcan and his grandfather haggled over the terms and conditions of their meeting.

* * *

The decision to flee came suddenly.  Perhaps it was because she came from a clan with a high affinity for the emotions associated with disgrace and humiliation, but Keaton was unable to shake the conviction that Daryil had lied about sparing her life.  She had got it into her head that he was exacting a slow and terrible vengeance for her attempt at murdering him - and his lover - so it was only a matter of time until he got bored with tormenting her and moved in for the kill.
Escape was easier said than done, however, since the base was heavily fortified and patrolled by creepy feline robots.  She was only given minimal access in the security system.

Expelled from SAIA and originally brought up by a clan who thrived on brutality over knowledge and wisdom, she had never learned to teleport under her own power like Jakob could and to make matters worse, they had somehow prevented her from being able to summon Xianxi, her warp-aci.

As she sullenly followed the doberman back to the recreation room they ran into Daryil himself, who received a respectful wave from Dorcan.  The saffron jackal averted her eyes and tried to pretend she wasn't there, but it didn't stop the fox from pressing a set of lollipops into her hands as he went by.  Why is he so insistent about these? she wondered suspiciously.  Are they some kind of... oh f__k, he's trying to poison me!
She stared down at the sweets in her hand with a look of mute horror.  As soon as the tri-wing was out of sight she was seized by the urge to fling them as far away from her as she could, or cram them into the nearest receptacle she could find.  But he'll know... he'll kill me...  She stuffed them into her pockets, ostensibly for later consumption, and hurried on after the doberman.

* * *

Jakob sat in the common-room, trying to unwind.  One of his less trustworthy companions from an adventure more than a hundred years ago had broken in and tried to steal Simeon's soul.  Then Daryil, who had been under arrest, had ascended into something catastrophically powerful.  All in all, it had not been one of his better days.

What disturbed him most was Simeon's inability to defend himself.  When Jakob had first met the kid, he had been a remorseless killer, responsible for the deaths of at least seven other 'Cubi in a misguided attempt to avenge his parents.  Now he was basically helpless, as Keaton had aptly proven.  While Jakob disliked violence he was also well aware that self-defence was a necessity.

Daryil did this to him.  Why?

* * *

At one of the many junctions, something small and black floated past Keaton.  It was upside-down and it looked like the answer to her prayers.

"Psst," she said.  "You.  Warp-aci.  Get me out of this madhouse!"

"What's in it for me?"  Kirian asked, opening one eye.

Keaton was taken aback.  A warp-aci was a servant, more of a slave.  You summoned them and they obeyed.  If they disobeyed, or if they failed you, they would suffer - and be quickly replaced with another who wouldn't.  Haggling with them was a completely new concept to her - and more to the point, a problem - as she didn't have any means to pay it.

"Lollipops," she replied suddenly in a moment of inspiration and drew out a handful of them.  The little creature's eyes bugged with glee.

"Naughty," said a stern voice from the corridor.  Keaton almost died, frozen where she stood for what seemed like an eternity until she suddenly realised that the grey fox standing behind her was not Daryil at all.  It was another incubus that she'd never met before, and he was actually talking to the warp-aci.

"I've told you before never to take candy from strangers," he said.  Kirian sagged and draped itself around around his neck like a feather boa, making apologetic mewling noises.

"You're Keaton, right?" Niall said.  "Dad would like a word with you."

"Daryil?" she asked with a sinking feeling.

"Nah, Jakob.  You'll find him in the common room," he added, and turned to go.

* * *

"Good Evening," said the deer, "In the Wils case, a new piece of CCTV footage has just been released by the local police force, depicting what they believe to be the last moments before-"  There was a flash of grey fur, a cry and a thump.  The picture wobbled slightly as something hit the camera.

"In other news," Daryil said, dusting himself off as he settled in the newsreader's chair and put his feet up on the desk, "Daryil, head of Daryil clan... excuse me," he added, as the stag crawled angrily back on shot and attempted to grab him.  Without turning, the fox pointed a finger at the deer, who froze where he knelt, a look of shock on his face as two bright lights briefly appeared in front of his eyes.

"I'm sorry about that.  Now, in other news, Daryil - that is, me - has ascended to tri-wing status."  The hip-wings appeared and the studio was suddenly filled with voices from off-shot; cries of horror, profanities and tearful pleading for their souls to spared.  Daryil smiled kindly, and raised a hand for silence.  "Worship will not be necessary, although it would be nice if the fifth of this month could be referred to in future as 'Daryil's Day'.  I shall be gathering all the members of my clan together for a celebration in three days time.
"...but now, back to the rest of the day's news," Daryil said, gently hauling the still glassy-eyed deer back into his chair.

Jakob stared at the screen in abject horror.  "They'll crucify him."

* * *

"...but now, back to the rest of the day's news," Daryil said, gently hauling the still glassy-eyed deer back into his chair.

"I resign," said the wolf, staring at the screen.  He was almost in tears.  "I have struggled to keep law and order in this city for more than fifteen years, and now he... he is going to ruin everything I have worked for.  I give up."

"No, sir," said one of the others.  "Please reconsider!  A truce... surely we can reason with him..?"

At that moment the office manager entered the boardroom with a small package addressed to the chief.  In it was a bag of lollipops.

* * *

"...but now, back to the rest of the day's news," Daryil said, gently hauling the still glassy-eyed deer back into his chair.  The image froze.

"It seems we were too late, gentlemen," said the ferret.  His voice was not quite steady.  "The time for diplomacy has passed.  We cannot risk leaving it to chance anymore, and we will have to consider more... more drastic measures than we have been considering up to this point."

"I don't like it," said the fox, "but I believe you are correct.  We are out of options.  He has got to be stopped."

[Dannysaysnoo]

Hmm, some late night reading?

Oh, Daryill! you so crazy! Making your own holidays and impromptu jobs in broadcasting!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"He's trying to poison me!"

"but now, back to the rest of the days news"


Both classic lines. ;-]

[Gabi]

Interesting way to handle the changes of scene.

And the background of the clans was interesting too.

Hmm... what's with all the lollipops?

[Tapewolf]

Interesting way to handle the changes of scene.
And the background of the clans was interesting too.

Thanks.  As I say, there's been some pretty in-depth collaboration with Keaton to make this work.

Hmm... what's with all the lollipops?

I think it's some kind of peace offering.

"He's trying to poison me!"
"but now, back to the rest of the days news"
Both classic lines. ;-]

Thanks.  My favourite line in this was when she tries to bribe Kirian, although the part expanding on Mordrith's backstory was probably the most engrossing to write.

"The decision to flee came suddenly" is the opening line from Ch.9 of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Hmm... what's with all the lollipops?

I think it's some kind of peace offering.

Heh. Either that or he knows just how much it messes with her head, and he's enjoying her confusion and panic. ;-]


I thought that line sounded familiar. I should see if I can find a copy of F&L and watch and/or read it...

[bizun]

I just swallowed all of it in two-evenings' time.
And it left me a bit hungry.
keep doing, nice job!

Particulariy, I liked the part with BSA agents. Strange, whrerever they get cameo, everybody wants to hurt them...