[Story] Chronicles of Jakob Pettersohn (01/Jun/08 - Final chapter)

[James StarRunner]

Ahh! Finally caught up! Took a little longer than I hoped. I am very impressed with all the details and research you did. Very nice history so far.

[Tapewolf]

Ahh! Finally caught up! Took a little longer than I hoped. I am very impressed with all the details and research you did. Very nice history so far.

Thanks.  One of the things which I'm a sucker for in writing is research.  This is peculiar since I was totally useless at it back at University.  Anyway, glad you like it.

[Tapewolf]

Chapter 29  (I wasn't very happy with this one.  Chapter 30 is better IMHO)

"Remove your coat, please," said the guard.  I complied and they began to list the possessions they found in it.

"One yo-yo, one packet of in-ear defenders, one pencil (broken), half an apple, a box of ammunition and a revolver.  Other personal effects: one necklace with two pendants - probably soulstones - one ring, silver, one gold watch."

"Now, if you could resume your normal form, please?" he continued.

"I... I'd... rather not," I replied.

"Come now," he sighed.  "Please don't make this any harder than it already is.  We have spells that can force you to revert, although the process is quite painful.  In addition, the fact that you refused to cooperate may also be used against you in your hearing.  So please, revert to your base form."

Screwing up my eyes, I placed my wrist in my mouth and made the reversion, letting out a scream of agony as the tattered, broken headwing reappeared.

"Oh gods," said the guard, as the blood began to splatter on the floor.  "Can we get him fixed up?"

A few minutes later I was sat in a chair, the pain having reverted to a fierce ache that stung each time I moved my head.  The healers had done a good job, but it still hurt like hell.  Nonetheless I had other things to worry about as the hearing was about to begin.



"Is your name Johan Cross?" asked the Angel.

"No, sir, it is not."  I replied.  "I am Jakob Pettersohn by birth."

"Very well.  There was a period some centuries ago, when a shadowed figure who called himself 'Johan Cross' took control of the city of Ha'Khun.  While no-one knows for sure what he looked like, there are persistent rumours that he favoured the appearance of a grey canid incubus.  He was often said to have worn a dark leather trenchcoat, much like the one you are wearing now.  Would you care to explain that?"

"It is a Hallows Eve costume," I replied.  "I usually wear it then, as Cross still brings a shiver to the spines of furrekind."

"But it is spring.  Why did you choose to wear it today?"

"Because it is intimidating, sir."  I replied.  "My brother and I set off to film some rare wildlife, which unfortunately took us to a Being-controlled area where 'Cubi are not considered welcome.  In addition to its unnerving appearance, the lining contains a thin layer of bulletproofing."

"To be frank, I find this hard to believe," said the Angel.  "I will state my case.  I believe that you are Johan Cross, the crime lord of legend who slew countless thousands of Beings."

"May I ask why this would be your concern if I was?"  I queried.  "Although I am personally fond of Beings, Creature rampages are hardly uncommon.  Why should the council be concerned?"

"Because Johan Cross killed Creatures too," the Angel smiled unpleasantly.  "And I shall endeavour to prove that you are he.  First, the firearm you were carrying."

"It's an airgun," I replied.  "A prop for the costume.  I swore never again to carry a lethal firearm and I have kept myself true to that word.  The mechanism has even been adjusted so that it will only discharge at about one-third power."

"Do you expect us to believe that?" he replied.

"It shouldn't be a question of belief, sir," I said irritably.  "Firstly, the ammunition.  You did check the ammunition, didn't you?"

"Er," he stuttered.

"Fetch the ammunition," called the 'Cubi delegate, passing a contemptuous glance at the Angel.

"Now," I said.  "Open the box."

"It's a trap," whined the Angel, casting a protective barrier around himself as he gingerly opened the carton.  Three colourful spheres fell out and rolled around the table.  He looked at me questioningly.

"Paintballs." I said, as the green one rolled off the table and burst.  "Real ammunition contains an explosive charge, these do not and if you care to put the right kind of ball-bearing in the gun that should work too.  Heck, feel free to shoot me in the hand if you still need to see it proven," I added.

"I shall ask you directly," he snarled.  "Are you the Johan Cross of yore?"

"Very well," I sighed.  "Yes.  In times gone past I took the name of Johan Cross, and did many wicked things.  I am not proud of that point in my life and have been trying to forget it."

"He may be lying to gain notoriety," pointed out the Succubus delegate.  "He would not be the first, either."  The Angel grunted skeptically in reply.

"I don't see why it matters," I pointed out.  "I didn't do that much, all things considered."

"Lies!" cried the Being delegate.  "You slew tens of thousands, and ate countless souls!"

"Do you deny this?" added the succubus.

"Indeed I do.  In my wicked reign I killed, let me see, twelve?  Twelve people.  If you wish I can list them and will admit to being guilty of their deaths.  I have never eaten anyone's soul, although I admit I did serious damage to the souls of two demons.  These souls are still encased within the pendant that I was wearing when I was arrested.  I am not proud of this deed."

"Twelve?"  Asked the Angel in open disbelief.  "This is outrageous!  It is a documented fact that thousands of so-called 'dissidents' were slain!"

"Indeed, this is a matter of record.  What say you, Mr. Cross?" prompted the 'Cubi.

"Mr. Pettersohn, and I deny it.  I slew twelve people, as I have stated.  I feel it is more than likely that your records are at fault.  May I ask where your figures come from?"

"'The Disappeared' by Markuz DeTrulen.  A respected historian of Ha'Khunn."

"I thought so.  But if you read it more carefully, you will note that it does not say what happened to them.  It is true that many thousands of malcontents disappeared during my reign, but I did not kill them."

"So, they simply vanished into thin air, did they?" said the Angel sarcastically.

"Pretty much.  I used an intradimensional portal.  They were deposited in a secret location out of harm's way."

"Do you believe this fairy-tale?" scoffed the Angel, facing his fellows.

"I will grant you it seems unlikely," said the succubus.  "But I will give him the benefit of the doubt.  Anything less would be an affront to justice."

"Thank you, madam," I said.  "Of course, I do not expect any of you to take me at my word.  The legends of my excesses have become mythical and the true facts are known only to a select few.  Indeed, it is likely that I am the only living witness to the entire tale.  I therefore offer proof.  If there is one among you skilled at teleportation, I will be happy to provide the location where my enemies were sent."

"I have a warp-aci.  How do you propose to provide her with the location?"

"If I lower my mind-shield you should be able to read it from my thoughts.  If you can then insert the memories into her mind, she should be able to take you there.  Alternatively I can take you there myself, although I get the feeling you would hesitate before extending that much trust."

Eventually a compromise was reached whereby I was handcuffed to the succubus while wearing an amulet that suppressed my shapeshifting ability.  About fifteen minutes later we reappeared by Warp-Aci, accompanied by a Demon whom I had personally banished all those centuries ago.  He was willing to act as a witness if in return the court would teleport him to his family on the mainland, thus ending his exile.

Questioned by the Demon delegate and cross-examined by the Angel and the succubus, the story he told matched my description almost exactly, which left the Angel fuming.

"I submit that Johan Cross slew the leader of his own clan, and ate his soul, in a foul bid to increase his own evil powers and take command of his own clan!" he said loudly.  There was total silence, except for a gasp of pure astonishment from me.

"This is a grave accusation," said the succubus.  "The soul-murder of another incubus is a most serious matter, let alone the assassination of a clan founder, no matter how obscure.  What say you, Mr. Cr- Pettersohn?"

"I deny it of course," I said indignantly, waving at the Angel.  "This fool has no idea what he is talking about.  May I ask where such a ridiculous notion came from?"

"It is a sworn statement from one Noram Yoaks, a resident of Ha'Khunn.", said the Angel proudly.  He clicked his fingers and a rather subdued looking feline Being entered.

"A Being?" I said, incredulous.  "May I ask how many generations before his birth this alleged event was supposed to have taken place?"  The Angel looked extremely irritable.

"He has a point," noted the succubus.  "Well, Mr. Yoaks.  What say you?"

"It was told to me by my grandfather, who heard it from his mother," admitted the feline.  The Angel, having a short muzzle, covered his face.

"Does he even know who my clan leader is... I mean 'was'?" I asked pointedly.  The succubus glanced at him in askance.  The Being looked at his feet and did not reply.

"I do not think he does," I replied.  "May I call a witness, milady?"

"I do not see why not," she admitted.

"Good.  Then I call upon Daryil, leader and founder of Clan Daryil," I said.  The succubus looked positively alarmed, the Angel nonplussed.  I could see that the succubus knew of my leader's reputation and would rather not have called upon such a volatile personality, but on the other hand she could not sensibly deny what could be the ultimate proof of my innocence or guilt.  In any case she quickly decided that it was worth the inconvenience to show the Angel delegate up for a fool.

With an expression of foreboding, she sent a message and a few minutes later, Daryil appeared, a flowery hat balanced precariously upon his headwings.  He gave me an affectionate look.  I waved back uncomfortably.

"My illustrious leader," I began, kneeling before him completely straight-faced, "I am accused of murdering you and devouring your soul in order to assume control of Clan Daryil.  Your murder allegedly took place somewhere between one and four hundred years ago.  Do you recall this event in any way?"
The Mythos delegate began to giggle uncontrollably.

"No, my child," he replied, equally seriously.  "I do believe that I would remember being murdered."  I thought could hear the Angel crying softly.  The Being had slipped away.

"Thank you Mr. Daryil," the succubus said primly, evidently wishing that he was somewhere far, far away.

"Objection," said the Demon delegate.  "We accept that Daryil is the leader of his Clan, but we have not had any proof that the accused is of that clan also."

Reluctantly I dropped my trousers, exposing the mark of Clan Daryil to the court.  They nodded in agreement as Daryil revealed his own marking.

"Are there any further charges?" asked the succubus, as Daryil left.

"Yes!" shrieked the Angel.  "I accuse him of the murders of the Angels Zarach and Page, latterly known as Azrael."

So, it all becomes clear, I thought, chiding myself that I hadn't seen it coming.

"Zarach was one of the twelve I slew," I said.  The Angel looked triumphant for a moment.  "I submit that this was a lawful execution as patron of Ha'Khunn.  He sent many men to assassinate me and even killed some of those who failed, deluding the others into believing that they had died by my hand."

"Interesting," murmured the succubus.  "Have you proof?"

"Ashley Daryil and Fa'Lina would testify to this," I said, "As would a certain incubus by name of Tarit, the sole survivor of Zarach's killing spree.  I brought him back to the Academy where Fa'Lina's staff were able to revive him."

"Fa'Lina was not available to attend this hearing owing to her workload," said the succubus.  "But she is able to accept visitors briefly."  She vanished, presumably to the Academy and returned about twenty minutes later.

"It is as you said," she stated, to the Angel's dismay.  "I have here a sworn written statement from Headmistress Fa'Lina to that effect."

"That leaves the question of Page," he resumed coolly.  "I submit that you murdered him in order to assume control of the city of Ha'Khunn."

"How dare you," I snarled, my voice cracking.  I was grasping the table hard, my face twisted into a mask of hatred, my hackles raised and my hands trembling.

"Calm yourself, Mr. Pettersohn." said the succubus.  "Do you deny the charge?"

"In the strongest possible terms do I deny it," I said with a supreme effort of self-control.  "He was my dearest friend and mentor.  His murder plunged me into insanity for three hundred years during which I left no stone unturned in my quest to bring justice to his killers.  It was during this madness that I killed my twelve victims, steeped the city in terror, exiled thousands and invaded the neighbouring realms when diplomacy failed.  Page was my best friend and I will not have his memory stained by this evil accusation."
The Angel stepped back a pace or two.

"Do you have witnesses?" asked the succubus, noting that I was clearly overcome with emotion.

"There were no witnesses to the murder," I said, calming down somewhat.  "Only the demons who perpetrated it and they died by my hand.  It took three hundred years to claim them all.  After their executions I was ashamed by what I had become and fled the city.  The wounded souls of these demons reside still within the chain I usually wear.

"Ashley Daryil can testify to my feelings afterwards, though, and Daryil himself believed that Page and I were lovers.  This was untrue," I added quickly.

The succubus was clearly unnerved at the prospect of having Daryil back in the hearing, but she came to attention as I spoke again.

"I do not think a witness will be needed," I said dully.  "If you have a scrying crystal I can show you the event itself."

The succubus looked at me curiously for a moment before clicking her fingers.  A crystal was brought forth, although with a projector, since only about three people at once could look into the crystal itself.
Within minutes the last minutes of Page's life appeared upon the wall, forcing me to relive that terrible event once again.

Great, said Page, with his head in his hands.  Look what you've done!  I'm dead and you've turned the ruler of my city into a psychopath.  You realise that he won't rest until the others are dead too?
I'm sorry.. said the weasel, unable to take his eyes off the staring, mutilated body on the floor.  I'm so, so, sorry..
You're lucky he wasn't thinking clearly.  He could quite easily have destroyed your soul.  We can only pray he doesn't think of that when he manages to catch your companions.
Can we go now? asked the polecat.  His corpse is making me feel ill.

I ended the spell.  The silence was total. 

"Mr. Pettersohn, we hereby acquit you of all charges of murder, both bodily and spiritual," announced the succubus, after a brief consultation with her peers.

"There is one remaining issue, however." she added.  "According to your earlier statement, you left Ha'Khunn once you slew the last of Azrael's murderers, is this correct?"

I nodded.

"Then we find you guilty of abandoning your realm without filing the appropriate paperwork," she continued.
"The fine will be two million gold dollars to be paid up-front or in instalments, as you prefer."

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"I do believe I would remember being murdered."

*bweeheeheehee* :-]

[Paladin Sheppard]

Yeash talk about greedy 2 million?!?!

Great chapter JP!!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I have this sudden image.

"You take credit cards, right?" *waves platinum card*

[techmaster-glitch]

HAHAHA! 2 mil 'cuz he didn't file paperwork!! Oh that is rich! The perfect comedic ending to a serious trial!

You weren't happy with this chapter, Tapewolf? I liked it. Good work! can't wait for the next one 

[Tapewolf]

Yeash talk about greedy 2 million?!?!

I blame the Angel, personally...

HAHAHA! 2 mil 'cuz he didn't file paperwork!! Oh that is rich! The perfect comedic ending to a serious trial!

It could well be an accumulated fine over the 70-80 years since he ran away.  One option was that it was a fine because he left the hot tap on, but the Beings would have seen to that.  Besides, it really had to be the Council's fault so that he has a cause to resent them slightly.

You weren't happy with this chapter, Tapewolf? I liked it. Good work! can't wait for the next one

I don't know.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I'd already referred back to it in the FCRP, but when I actually came to write it I had this terrible feeling that I was out of my depth.  Not least because we know virtually nothing about when the Being-Creature Council was formed or how the sessions are conducted.  It became extremely hard to write without it becoming boring, since most of the things which it refers to have already been described earlier in the series.

Chapter 30 is about 85% complete - all the key elements of the story are in place, it just needs editing and there are a few gaps between sections to cover.  I may delay it anyway to give me time to work on chapter 31 since I only have a vague idea of what's going to happen and 32 is completely blank.

[Gabi]

They had to get him for something, didn't they?

The accusations were to be expected, but the interrogation of Daryil was priceless.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I feel I should point out, here, that he -didn't- flee the realm. He handed it to someone he felt was capable of looking after it, no?

In which case, it's not -his- fault that the paperwork wasn't filed - assuming that the person he handed it to didn't file it, and it ended up misfiled somewhere...

I mean, if you die, you're not going to get done for not filling in the paperwork telling the appropriate office that you're no longer running the country, now, are you?

[Tapewolf]

I feel I should point out, here, that he -didn't- flee the realm. He handed it to someone he felt was capable of looking after it, no?

Yes, I've worked through this angle of it.  He basically told them to look after the realm for a bit while he went off to sort something out, and then promptly absconded.

In which case, it's not -his- fault that the paperwork wasn't filed - assuming that the person he handed it to didn't file it, and it ended up misfiled somewhere...

In that case it's technically Ashley's fault.  Looking at ch.22 again (I was going to quote it) it seems that he left the realm to Ashley until he returned.  Ashley somehow deduced what Jakob intended to do and went to join him.

I mean, if you die, you're not going to get done for not filling in the paperwork telling the appropriate office that you're no longer running the country, now, are you?

Page did die, but he provided for a successor, i.e. Jakob.  Jakob left it to Ashley, Ashley dropped the ball.  While the assumption has always been that Jakob left the city for the Beings to run, the main reason for having a Creature patron is to protect the place from other Creatures.  My assumption would be that the Being faction in the council would have something to say about deliberately leaving a city unprotected like that, hence the idea for it being a crime.

In all honesty it seemed a bit silly, but it had a nice punch and as Gabi says, he had to get nailed for something 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

In all honesty it seemed a bit silly, but it had a nice punch and as Gabi says, he had to get nailed for something 

Indeed. To quote Tom Cruise, "That's more than you had on Capone." :-]

[Tapewolf]

Chapter 30  - (Thanks again to Keaton for the use of her clans)

As I made my way down the street I was distracted by the pleasant odor of a bakery.  It brought back many happy memories of my long-gone youth, so almost without thinking I turned and strode inside, giving a courteous nod to the feline assistant behind the counter.

He looked at me curiously, but I ignored this and scanned the rows of pies and puddings.

"Three blood pasties please," I said.  There was no reply.  Looking up I saw that his fur was standing on end.  It was the bounty hunter.

"Oh my gods... please... please don't kill me..." he whimpered.

I stared back at him.  "Well, well," I said.  "That's quite a career move.  Probably a good one too, if I'm any judge.  Many Creatures have a soft spot for baked goods so you'll be in a quite a good position should there be any unrest.  You'll certainly live longer than you would as an adventurer."

"Please, Mr. Cross... "

"I don't like to be called that.  I'd like to think that my days of crime are behind me.  Call me 'Mr. Pettersohn' if you must.  Besides, if I wanted you dead you wouldn't have escaped in our last meeting I might add, so please stop grovelling or you'll attract attention.  And that would make me angry.  Now, how much for the pasties?"

"'Cubi don't eat... food..."

"Shhh!" I said.  "You'll blow my cover.  As it happens we don't need to eat, but most do continue to eat for pleasure at least on occasion, and it's often pastry."

After some effort I eventually managed to calm him down enough to actually serve me, and left relatively quickly before the baker himself could see me and learn from the hunter that I was really an incubus.  Placing the food in a zero-tau field to keep it warm, I set off into the forest where I was due to meet up with Izak and Snell, an outlaw incubus whom we had arranged to interview.

The forest was safer so I reverted to my base form and made my way east.  I was still about a mile away from my destination when I suddenly realised that the birds had gone silent.  There was just a wisp of a stray thought so I became invisible and threw myself aside.

"F---," snarled a voice as a crossbow bolt thudded into the ground about a yard from where I had been standing.  If I hadn't dodged it would have pierced my heart.  The invisibility spell prevented me from seeing as well, but I have acute hearing and I quickly pinpointed the location of the voice.

In a nearby tree, a young wolf crouched upon a branch and began to reload his weapon, scanning the area for his target.  Becoming partially visible, I could see him from below, and he hadn't noticed me yet.  He didn't notice the faint flash of darkness as I teleported immediately behind him.

"Boo," I called and he fell out of the tree.

For a while I was afraid he'd broken something, so I hopped down from the tree myself, parachuting down with my wings and gave him a once-over.  He looked dead, but closing my eyes I couldn't see his soul so he was evidently still alive.  In any case I was in no mood to take chances so while he lay there stunned, I cut through the strings of his crossbow with my tentacles.

Probing mentally, I discovered that the fall had disrupted his mind-shield and I was able to get into his nervous system while he was still dazed, yanking him back to full consciousness and preventing him from escaping at the same time.

"And so it ends," he sighed, gazing up at the imposing figure looming over him as I stood there in my trenchcoat with my arms folded and a rather annoyed expression on my face.

"Nah," I said.  "I want to talk to you first.  Then we shall see what we shall see.  So.  Exactly why did you try to kill me?"

"Because you're an incubus," he replied instantly.

"And you're a Being.  So what?  That's a pretty feeble excuse for hiding in a tree and taking pot-shots at random passers-by."

The wolf looked at me strangely as I pulled him to his feet, and then with an air of defiant resignation he began to speak.

"It's quite simple," he said.  "I was seven years old when they came.  They burst into our house.  There were two of them, a succubus and an incubus.  I was playing under the table when they arrived, otherwise they would have killed me too.  When I sleep I can still hear the screams of my parents."

Now he was grinning in a way eerily reminiscent of the twisted smile I used to use myself.

"I never found out who they were, but I swore to the Gods that I would avenge them in the only way I can."

"So you decided to declare a one-man war against an entire race?" I scoffed.  "For all you know one of your parents could have been a 'Cubi too."

"No!" he yelped.  "They were Beings!  They were killed by 'Cubi, so I plan to take down as many of you monsters as I can before I finally go to join my parents in death."

"You might not get the chance," I replied doubtfully.  "If you keep playing this silly little game of yours, it's only going to be a matter of time before you run into someone who doesn't balk at soul-eating.  The True Death is probably not the fate your parents had in mind when they raised you."

He stiffened for a moment, but quickly recovered himself.

"So," I said.  "Let's hear the bad news.  How many have you killed, and were any of them grey canids like me?"

"Seven," he replied, "and no."

"Could have been worse.  Especially if you had killed my kin - then I might, in my grief, have forgotten my preference for peace and you'd be spending the next few thousand years in a beer bottle."  I paused, considering him.

"Are you sure your parents would be happy that you've wasted your life slaughtering 'Cubi who were probably innocent?" I asked.

"Innocent?" he laughed.  "Don't give me that.  No-one is innocent."

"I guess not.  You aren't and I know for sure that I'm not, although the gods know I've tried to put that behind me.  I like Beings, and I'd rather not fight you, even knowing you're a murderer.
"Perhaps you haven't realised that there is generally an inverse relationship between your ability to kill a given 'cubi and how much they deserve to die.  The ones who do deserve it will be strong enough to kill you without batting an eyelid.  Unless you get lucky, the only ones you'll actually be able to kill are the ones who choose not to fight back."

I studied him curiously.  "Anyway.  You were ambushing me, so whatever you were up to it means that someone else tipped you off that I'd be coming.  I want to know who and why."

"One of our agents saw you enter the forest.  We don't want demon scum roaming around as if they owned the place, and I happened to be patrolling the area so they radioed me the instructions to take you down."

"...and who's 'we'?"

"We call ourselves the Burning Feather."

"Oh, I see.  Some local anti-wing group.  Now we're getting somewhere."

"Our mission to to keep our town free from predators.  That means Creatures.  Perhaps our methods are a little harsh and uncompromising, but the law alone isn't working and if it keeps the rest of us safe from monsters like you, I'm all for it."

As he spoke, his fingers drifted unconsciously to a locket which he wore upon a chain around his neck.  Suddenly I grabbed for it, tugging it over his head.  There was a brief swooshing sound, and the canid stood there with a shocked expression of sheer horror as though I had suddenly stripped him naked in the middle of a busy street.  His wings were topped red, with green primaries.

"I think I'll keep this," I said, stuffing the locket into my shirt.

"Give it back!" he shrieked, a shrill note of panic in his voice.

"Say 'please...'"

"Give it back, you bastard!"

"No.  You will never get it back if you're going to be like that.  Then you can go back to your precious anti-wing group.  That should be fun to watch!"

"They'll kill me!" he whimpered.

"Of course they will.  I figure it might help you see the error of your ways.  Mind you it would be a bit too late by then because you'll be dead, but perhaps if you tell me what I want to know, I might change my mind and let you keep your little trinket."

He whimpered again.  For a moment I felt sorry for him, but I quickly remembered that I was dealing with a murderer.

"Start with the wings," I prompted, dangling the locket in front of him and then snatching it away.  "Aren't you supposed to be a Being?"

"I am a Being," he said.  "Both my parents were Beings.  Winged Beings, but Beings nonetheless."

"Very well.  So tell me about their murderers.  What were they like?  Any distinguishing marks or features?"

"They had marks on their shoulders... not tattoos, actually cut into them.  Sort of hard and angular..."

"Like this?" I asked gravely, passing my hand over a patch of exposed earth.  It shifted until it formed an angular clan marking.  He nodded, unable to speak.

"Jyraneth clan," I said.  "Believed to be almost extinct.  They were an extremely brutal clan, even for 'Cubi and their leader was insane."
"Criminally insane," I added, remembering that my own clan leader was a bit nutty.
"But why would they kill just two people amongst a whole town of Beings?  It must have been a hit, surely.  But that would only make sense if they were targetting Creatures..."

"Stop saying that!  My parents were Beings!" he cried.

"Apparently Jyraneth clan didn't think so.  If they were mistaken it was a better fate than your parents would otherwise have suffered.  They were well-known for their habits of almost compulsive soul-stealing."

He moaned.  "They were going to but they decided against it and they said that e-eating them would taint themselves and then... then... Aaaahhh!"
He screamed, and fell down clutching his head.  I knelt by the writhing figure, gently turning him over. 

"H-hurtsss..." he croaked.  "Feels like... my head... gonna burst.."
He was eerily close to the truth.  It happened a few moments later.

"I'm dying... aren't I?" he added feebly, as he saw the lines of sorrow and pity written across my face.

"I'm sorry," I said, pulling him unsteadily into a sitting position.  "I thought you knew."
He wobbled slightly, and steadying him, I guided his hand to the back of his head.  A heart-rending scream rang through the woodland as his hand touched the feathers.  It was the cry of someone whose life had just been cruelly destroyed.  The sound of a hunter who realises that he's been preying on his own kind.

Oh Hell, I thought.  SAIA are going to have another mental case on their hands.

"It'll be okay," I murmured, "Come on... don't go crazy on me."

"I killed them," he wept.  "I killed them all.  I didn't know what I was doing.  I didn't know they were my brethren..."

"You wouldn't be the first," I said, sitting next to him.  "You know, one of my students summed it up rather poignantly... what was it?  'Whoever you were died when your 'Cubi heritage asserted itself'.  You may find it helps you come to terms with it.

"Now, what would Jyraneth want with your parents?" I mused.  "From the sound of it they were after revenge."  I glanced at the locket.  Opening it up it contained two photos, one for each of the young incubus' parents.  His father had a pale green tattoo on his cheek.  Oho, I thought.
"Kamei'sin clan.  Definitely revenge."

"What?"

"Your father was an incubus at the very least.  I can't tell about your mother.  It's not like a Kamei'sin member to marry a Being, so my guess is they were both clan members who eloped."

The young wolf looked up at me, blinking.  This was all going over his head, but I couldn't really blame him.  Sometimes the headwings emerged painfully like mine, and it was obviously the case for him as well.  It didn't matter that much - he had plenty of time to come to terms with it.

"Have you decided... what you are going to do with me?" he quavered.

"Yes," I said, snapping the locket shut and handing it back to him.  "But first, tell me your name."

"Simeon," he replied.

"Right then, kid.  I'm going to take you to Fa'Lina's Academy.  SAIA, it's called.  They have people who deal with this sort of thing as part of their job, and right now I don't have time for this.  I'm late for a filming job in the forest."

Helping him stand, I took the young wolf firmly by the hand.
"What do I have to do?" he said.

"Do Nothing," I answered, and we both vanished.

[techmaster-glitch]

Wow. Nice chapter. I particularly liked the beginning when Jakob met up with that bounty hunter who tried to kill him before, and now said bounty hunter works at a bakery! That's good stuff. And another head case for SAIA...heh, good stuff.
Good job as ever, Tapewolf.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I enjoyed it.

I have just one comment - if the crossbow bolt thudded into the ground, it would have, at most, hit Jakob's feet.

Or am I totally misreading that line? Usually you'd aim somewhat higher, no? In which case it'd whip through where his body was and thud into the ground somewhat offset from where Jakob was standing, depending on how far away the crossbowman was, and the angles, etc...

[Tapewolf]

I have just one comment - if the crossbow bolt thudded into the ground, it would have, at most, hit Jakob's feet.

This is true, if pedantic.  Your interpretation is what I meant, although reading it again it does sound rather like he was aiming for the feet.  I'll probably revise that slightly.

[Gabi]

Yes... good stuff indeed.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I have just one comment - if the crossbow bolt thudded into the ground, it would have, at most, hit Jakob's feet.

This is true, if pedantic.  Your interpretation is what I meant, although reading it again it does sound rather like he was aiming for the feet.  I'll probably revise that slightly.

Extremely pedantic, yes. :-/

Apologies for that - it just read as if you'd been so well focused for the whole thing, and then slipped a bit there. Plus I was, uh, just a bit tired last night.

I particularly -liked- the "boo" :-) It's so well in tune with his world-view and expressed regret for killing anyone...

[Tapewolf]

I particularly -liked- the "boo" :-) It's so well in tune with his world-view and expressed regret for killing anyone...

In the earliest versions, he cut the branch off the tree with his tentacles.  Then I got the idea of him creeping up on his would-be killer and scaring him.  As you say, it matches him perfectly.

[Tapewolf]

Chapter 31

When I finally made it to the clearing, I found that Izak and Snell had left me a note.  It consisted of two other words: "Pizza Hovel".

Rats, I thought.  I've just come that way.  They must have come past while I was in SAIA.  Or perhaps they teleported.

'Pizza Hovel' was a marvel of architecture.  The designers had taken every care to create the impression, both inside and out, of a massive, decrepit shed.  In reality the panels of rotting wood were made of enchanted fibreglass, the green algae painted on in breathtaking detail.  The kitchens and toilets were immaculate, betraying the reason that they hadn't simply made the whole thing out of scrap wood in the first place - they'd never have complied with the health and safety regulations.

Entering the establishment, I quickly spotted Izak and a black feline - sans wings, obviously - so I ordered a Pepperoni Perversion and sat down with them.  The Nagra SNN in my pocket started running in case Snell said anything cool... if need be I could come back later and film some blurry stock footage of the pizza place to use with it.

"This isn't my base form, for obvious reasons," he said, with a sly grin.

"Indeed," I acknowledged.  "But have no fear on that count.  This is a documentary, not a trap.  But anyway... what is it that you do?" I asked.  "What makes you an outlaw?"

"Housebreaking," he replied.  "There's no-one better, if I may say so myself."

"Excellent," I said, grinning with delight at the filming possibilities.
"I would like a demonstration, if that's alright, on camera.  I can blur out your face if you wish, or you can rely on your own disguises.  As I said, I'm looking for some interesting footage, not an arrest."

I had recently acquired an Ampex digital video processor and I was still exploring the possibilities it offered.  Show off, thought Izak, letting his guard down for a moment.  I was about to admonish him when my pizza arrived, distracting me.  Alas, the curse of an incubus attention span.

"Have you anyone in mind?" he asked.  "As a target, I mean?"

"No.  You can just pick a house at random.  Or several, come to that... an easy one and a hard one, for example.  I have only two provisos.  Firstly, we are not going to kill anyone..."

"Right," he said instantly.

"...secondly, we are not going to steal anything.  I just want a study of your techniques."  He looked mortified.

"I can make it worth your while," I added hastily.  "I have a big budget.  Fa'Lina is considering some kind of 'lockpicking and security techniques' module at the Academy, and if the film attracts interest, we might want to hire you as a guest lecturer too..."

"Deal," he replied.  "Meet me at the k-"

Snell's reply was cut short by a tremendous crash and the sound of an explosion from outside.  "DEMONS!" shrieked a voice from the streets.  I ran to the window and looked outside.  Magic flew through the air, shattering windows, maiming, killing.  "Oh my gods," I sobbed.  "Why does everything have to go to pot today?"

"Protect the bakery!" shouted Snell, in a panic-stricken voice.  A cloud of black feathers erupted from his back and his head.

"What about protecting the town?" snarled Izak, as he and I broke disguise as well.

"No!" shrieked Snell, "The bakery first!  They make the most amazing maple and pecan pie-"

"Protect here," I snapped.  "Unless there are more 'Cubi living here in secret, there are three of us.  Three incubi alone cannot defend an entire town!  You two stay in the Hovel and try to organise... I'll take care of the baker."

* * *

The baker's apprentice was alone once again, until I burst through the door in full incubus form.  "Was something wrong with the pasties?" he gabbled, before noticing my expression - grim and purposeful.  He promptly freaked out again and began waving a large knife at me.

"Put that down, you fool!" I snarled.  "No!  Better still, hang onto it.  The town is under attack!  Where's the baker?"

"Ho, ho, ho!" said a deep voice from the kitchens.  My wings fluffed out as I saw a blur of motion, improbably fast for such a large person.  I threw myself to the floor as a large rolling pin sailed through the doorway, smashing the window behind me.  A fireball quickly followed it, igniting the cakes.

"Demon!" I shrieked.  It seemed I was too late.  They had already topped the baker, but if I was quick I might still be able to save his apprentice.  Again.  Fortunately I had demon blood in me as well, so I sprang up.  My reflexes were nowhere near as good as a pureblood demon, but they gave me an edge over any Being.

I cast a fireball back at my foe, tentacles extending improbably.  I morphed them into a fist and bashed him in the head several times.  Only when he lay in a stupor did I realise that my assailant was actually the baker.

"Why do I get all the mental cases?" I screamed, and pointed at the apprentice.  "You!  Bring that fat loony's medication and help me take him with us.  We have to go!  NOW!  Or we will all die!"

It took all our strength to carry him to the Hovel.  We had to drag him some of the way, trusting that his demon hide wouldn't be too badly bruised.  Above all, we had to move fast, dodging bolts of magic.  I set up a deflection shield, but there was no way we could have survived a direct assault.

At the Hovel, they had barricaded the door.  I made frantic gestures through the window until Izak saw me and rushed to open it.  The demons were closing in fast but we just about managed to drag the demon baker indoors.

"I'll kill you!" yelled one of the the demons as I slammed the door in his face.

"I've got a better idea!" I said brightly, through the letter-flap.  "Why don't I kill you?"

His rage battered my mind shield.  "You should see a counsellor," I retorted.  "Your blood-pressure must be sky-high by now!"

He tried to break the door down.  Remarkably, it held fast.  Well that's new, I thought, and for a moment I found myself reminded of the cubs's tale about the three little wolves.

"Page Simeon," someone said, breaking me out of my reverie.  "We're going need all the help we can get."

The Burning Feather? I pondered with amazement.

"Simeon isn't responding," replied a doberman.  He was carrying a small radio.  The doberman cut a burly figure in light armour, and he radiated command.  It was pretty obvious he was the leader of their cell.
The doberman's tail was docked and his ears were cropped.  I had never really understood the ear-cropping thing.  Traditionally it had to be done to puppies to make the ears stand up, but this was illegal nowadays unless there was a clear medical need.  There were no laws against cosmetic surgery for a consenting adult though, and some of the more tough-guy sorts would have their ears altered magically.  In some circles it was a bit like getting a tattoo.

"What do you mean, he's not responding?" the other guy snapped.

"I mean he ain't f---in' responding," the doberman snarled.  "Little sent him to take down some big grey wolf incubus prowling the forest..."

"Oh, him?"  I said loudly, "he won't be returning," The doberman spun round to see a tall grey wolf incubus in a black trenchcoat smiling that smile.  He took a step back and drew his sword.

"You!" he snarled.  "So you got him?  May the gods rest his... soul..." he faltered, suddenly realising that Simeon might not have a soul anymore.
"He was a good marksman and you'll pay for his death!"

"He was a good marksman all right.  He was also an incubus," I said.  The doberman froze and I knocked his sword to the floor.

"You didn't know?  Nor did he until about two hours ago.  Somehow he kind of lost heart when he realised that you'd been sending him to kill his brethren, so I sent him away for a little re-education.  He'll be back in a few centuries.  It's probably for the best since he was very distraught and might well have turned on you."

"You lie!" snapped the dog, but he made no move for the sword.

"It's true," I said.  "I thought you might like to know that he's safe, even if he won't be returning to your little anti-wing group.  Now.  I don't like you, and you evidently despise me.  But needs must so we will have to work together on this."

"What do you propose?" he asked, guardedly.

"First, how many of you are here?" I asked.

"Most of us," he replied evasively.  "This is our headquarters."

"Oho," I said.  "So the pizza place is just a front?  Well, that explains why they can't get through the door, at any rate."

"Well done," he said.  "It's magically armoured.  As are the walls."

"I wouldn't place too much faith in spells," I pointed out.  "They can probably be neutralised.  Let's just hope they don't know too much of that kind of magic."

"You think they could?" his ears drooped.

"I'm sure I could if I wanted to, but I'm not about to try right now.  We're in this mess together, remember.  Now, one thing we need to know is how many of us are Creatures."

"We're all Beings," he snapped.  "This is a Being town."

"Right," I said sarcastically.  "Like Simeon, you mean?"

"He was an exception."

"And the baker was too?"

"What the hell are you talking ab..." he snarled, his voice trailing away and his expression changing to one of fear when I removed the baker's ring.  As I did so, his wings popped out.  They were feathered... uncommon for a demon, but not unheard of either.  Most likely there was some angel blood in him as well.

"I think we could do with a few more exceptions," I said.  "Now.  Tell me again why you chose a pizza restaurant for your HQ?  And how did you manage to build a hideout into a franchise?"

"Their founder is bankrolling us," he said with a sneer.  "Most Creatures don't eat, so it's in his interest to keep Being towns Creature-free.  Gives him more potential customers.  A restaurant is the perfect place, since only Beings are ever going to visit it..." he trailed off as I began laughing.

"Well, it's obvious you're a Being," I chuckled.  "The most magical Creatures don't need to eat, but most of them do, for pleasure if not as part of their disguise.  The one place Creatures are most likely to visit if they're randomly passing through is the local place of food."

His eyes had a haunted look.

"Don't worry," I said.  "You've been perfectly fine until today, haven't you?  And once we've sorted these bastards out, things will return to normal again.  Now.  We're going to need to round up all the Creatures we can find.  We've got your crazy baker, myself, Izak and..." I glanced around.  Snell was gone.

"IZAK!"  I yelled.  "Where the heck is Snell?"

There was a frantic pounding on the door.  I ran to the window and looked out.  Snell, the outlaw incubus, had rounded up all the Beings he could find and was trying to herd them into the Hovel.  Izak rushed to open the door for him, but the demons were in hot pursuit.  There was a rush of bodies as the door opened, and Snell was holding it open in an uncharacteristically random act of kindness.  As the last of the refugees entered, he dove for the door himself only to be caught by a fireball.

He crumpled and lay still.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

well, -that- was entertaining. ;-]


Can't wait for the next chapter. And I love how the guy bankrolling the chain is likely a Creature, too...

[techmaster-glitch]

Oh, boy. Now things are going crazy. I see a big brawl in the next chapter!

One question: Who the hell is Snell?

[Tapewolf]

One question: Who the hell is Snell?

Check this chapter and the previous one.  That's all I'm going to say - any more would compromise the next chapter 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... I have a number of questions about Snell, and, in fact, Simeon, and his whole situation.

I'll sit on them for the moment, though. ;-]

[Gabi]

Interesting turn of events. And I find Pizza Hovel to be quite an original place, even if it didn't work out as it was meant to and its name bares a striking similarity to a well-known franchise.

Poor Snell. Just when he was trying to do something right...

PS: read my fic.

[Tapewolf]

Late, but finally ready.  Those who follow the Brotherhood of the Machine RP may notice a resemblance.  This one was written first, though.



Chapter 32

We dragged Snell inside and slammed the door.  There was a horrible smell of singed fur and clothes, and he was bleeding from the head.  Mind you, he was very lucky to be bleeding at all... a direct hit would have killed him outright.  As I watched, his fur faded from black, the feathers changing to white.  His features changed only slightly.

Clumsy, I thought.  I'd have changed species if I still lived a life of crime.

Snell opened an eye and caught sight of his hand.  "Oh... no..." he moaned, realising that he'd reverted to his base form.  I stood there in sheer amazement, staring at him.  A snow-leopard with pure white wings and golden hair.

"A...Azrael?" I gasped, the words coming out before I could stop myself.  He gave a cry of terror and his fur puffed up.
"Lord Cross...!" he hissed.  "K-keep away from me, you maniac!"

"Damn it," I said angrily.  "Pull yourself together!  I've just been through all that with the Council."

I glanced around.  People were staring at us, at me.  I didn't need to be an incubus to realise what they were thinking.  They were all wondering if the bigger threat was the demon mob outside, or the soul-devouring monster trapped inside with them.

"Look," I said, exasperated.  "I'm not into that weird stuff anymore.  I came here to tape a documentary, not torment Beings for kicks.  I mean, live and let live, right?"

"What about your 'laws'?" one of them spat.

"My laws?  The ones about making Beings and Creatures equal within the realm of Ha'Khun?"

"No, the ones saying that it is your duty as an incubus to destroy us!"
He would have used a more mocking tone if he'd dared, but we held the advantage.  For while they outnumbered us, each one of us could take several of them - killing both body and soul - and without our help they had little chance of escaping the demons outside.

I looked at him blankly for a few moments.  "First I've heard of it," I admitted.
"Thinking about it, that's probably some clan-specific thing.  Seriously... there are only about thirty thousand of us in the entire world and we're scattered throughout it.  Who could enforce laws on such a sparsely-distributed population?"

Our argument was interrupted by a sound from the roof.  "Not good," I said.  "It sounds as if the Big Bad Pig has decided to climb down the chimney.  Now, you guys seem to have done an impressive job of armouring the walls and the door, but did you pay as much attention to the roof?  Is there anything up there they can break?"

"The window!" one of them said.  "We had to replace one of them... did we get the enchantment renewed on it?"

"Where is it?"  I asked, dying to know why an unbreakable window needed to be replaced, but realising that there were more appropriate times.

"In the kitchens," he replied.  Suddenly there was a crash as the window was kicked in.  We dashed into the kitchen.

High above us, the demon was struggling.  The window was just a shade too narrow for him to get through easily, so all we could really see was a pair of legs waving up by the ceiling.
Looking below, I immediately saw a way of saving ourselves, eerily similar to the grotesque fate of the Big Bad Pig.  But I could also see the flaw in the plan, and besides, it felt too much like murder.

Izak and the doberman leader of the Burning Feather had fewer inhibitions.  "Don't!"  I said urgently.
"Whose side are you on?" sneered the dog as they opened all the lids.

"Get back!" I yelled up at the demon.  "This is your only warning!  Get back or you'll die!"

He laughed loudly and unpleasantly as he finally made it through.  The three of us turned tail and I slammed the door shut, wondering what it was made from.

Moments later there came the most blood-curdling shriek as the demon fell into the deep-fat fryers, cut short when his head was submerged.  I pray that I never hear the like again.

"Do you realise what you've done, Elrük?"  I asked the Doberman quietly, as he whooped and slapped my brother hard on the back.  He spun round.  "How did you know my-"
"Incubus," I reminded him almost on reflex, the whole of my attention taken up by something behind him.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression, until he followed my gaze to the small window set in the kitchen door.  An expression of horror dawned upon his face as he noticed a small series of fires were starting to take hold.  What they had done had not only killed the demon, but also splashed a large amount of superheated cooking fat throughout the kitchen.  Their actions could very well have killed us too.

"I hate to say 'I told you so,'" I began.  Then the sprinkler system kicked in, drenching us as well as the kitchen.  I had been afraid of that.  Indeed, we might have made it if this hadn't happened.
With the lid off, the water sprayed straight down, directly into the banks of deep-fat fryers.  Hot fat erupted everywhere and the entire kitchen was ablaze in no time at all.

"You enchanted the outer walls, but what about the internal partitions?"  I asked.
Elrük began to whimper softly.  "I take it that's a 'no'," I said, trying to mask my growing concern with flippancy.

Snell rose groggily as the water soaked through his fur.  I almost told him to lie down again, but what was the point?  At least he'd die on his feet.  Or perhaps he had a Warp-Aci.  I certainly couldn't teleport us out myself because the place was warded against it.

"A fire?" he said, his voice becoming harder and less slurred.  "Let me at it."

"Immolation is never the answer," I began, thinking he was still concussed, and I guess, trying to humour him.

"Ice magic," he said.  "I'd make a piss-poor snow-leopard if I didn't know some tricks."

He got up unsteadily.  "I need to reach the sprinklers."  I gave him a leg up, and moments later the water stopped - he'd frozen a blockage in the feeder pipe.  Fortunately the flow came from the kitchen.  If it had flowed the other way, it would have made matters worse.

The door into the kitchens was now hot to the touch.  Snell touched it anyway, and frost began to appear on the window.  In the meantime, I located the main circuit breakers for the  kitchen and threw them.  It might have been a bit late by then, but on the other hand, it  might just save our hides.  When I came back, he had cast some kind of protection field upon himself and was striding boldly through the flames like some unearthly messianic figure.

The power now cut, he touched the fryers with a paternal hand almost as though he was making some kind of benediction, wing-tentacles serving to bless the other pair.  Then he stuck his hands inside.  His eyes glowed faintly for a moment and the fat froze instantly into a hideous, congealed mess.  The demon was still in it.

"The hotter they are, the faster they cool," he coughed, staggering back through the door before stumbling and collapsing back to the ground.

"Are you okay?"  I asked.

"Smoke," he spluttered.  "Should be fine..." 
Izak laid a hand upon him which glowed briefly.  Apparently my brother knew more healing spells than I did.  But then he'd stayed on at SAIA.

Meanwhile, blocking the water lines in the dining area had had an unforeseen benefit - it had increased the pressure on the sprinklers in the kitchen.  With the fryers themselves now inert, the kitchen was returning to a state where we could enter it once more.  But the damage had been done.

The structure, weakened by the flames was now held together entirely by the enchantments, which were never designed to protect charred wood and molten fibreglass, and the demons now had a more-or-less clear run at it unless I could somehow block them.  This must have been how the window was broken... they were only enchanted against external damage.  At that moment there was a crash from the kitchen and the door suddenly burst open.  A demon strode through, killing the nearest Being with a sweep of her clawed hands.

Snell - still not fully recovered - leapt up and grabbed at the demon, placing one hand upon each side of her head and emitting a hoarse yell.
The demon crumpled backwards with a look of surprise and annoyance on her face.  She had died instantly as her blood froze, rupturing every cell in her brain.  I imagine it must have been a painless way to die, but nonetheless I have never been able to look an ice-mage in the eye ever since.

There was another crash from the kitchen, another demon entering from the roof.
That was one advantage - a quick glance told me they had given up on the front door.  But before I could do anything useful with this knowledge, we had another visitor from the kitchen.  To Elrük's amazement and my surprise, he was challenged by an unlikely looking lad, an unhappy-looking dog fox.  With an air of resignation he left his wife and strode over to the demon, who laughed out loud.

The laughter died in his throat as he was struck by a hail of magical fire.  It didn't do much damage, but his expression changed to one of pure rage and he prepared to smite the challenger with a burst of energy.  But nothing happened.  The demon stared and was promptly cut down by a hail of fire and ice from the fox and his mate as they flickered slightly, and for a moment I thought I had seen a flash of skin, like they had suddenly gone bald.  But I had expected something like that.  No normal Being would have dared.

"Help me with the door," I told them, and pulling the corpse away, began to invoke a ward with their aid.  "Don't worry," I said quietly, "I won't tell the others what you are."
"Thanks," he replied, the relief evident in his voice.

I glanced back at Snell, who was sleeping.  This was not normal for 'Cubi, but on the other hand, he had just taken a real beating and even his metabiologically enhanced body needed some rest to recover from an ordeal like that.

Hoping that I had not just made a critical mistake, I opened the front door and just beyond the warding, began to construct a portal as swiftly as I could.

When it was done, I dived through, finding myself in the forest as I had intended.  I turned back and peered desperately through it.
"RUN!" I yelled, "Through here!"  I couldn't hold the portal open for long, and in any case I had to shut it before the demons could get through or it would all be in vain.

Little came through.  Izak with Elrük helping him carry Snell, the two Weres, the baker's apprentice dragging his master, and maybe twenty others.  Then the demons finally did what I had feared - they stopped trying to break down the door and smashed their way through the wall just next to it.

There were people left in the restaurant, but I just couldn't keep the gate open.  With a look of agony and despair, I let go and it collapsed to nothing.
In the Hovel, the front door became a front door again.  I don't know what happened after that.  Perhaps there were other Creatures among them, perhaps they did manage to evade the demons.  I would like to think so, but deep down, I can't bring myself to believe it. 

What I do know is that however many people once lived in that town, less than thirty survived.

Izak and Snell tried to console me.  Even Elrük, who pointed out that I had tried my best to save a town that had hated me, something he would never have expected an incubus to do on account of mere Beings, but I could not shake the feeling that I had failed for about three weeks.

* * *

Snell had agreed to help make the documentary, and Izak and I were to meet him again in the forest clearing just as we had tried to do before.

Reluctant as I was to return there, I realised that only by doing so could I get out of my rut and with luck, get over my feelings of guilt.  Survivor's guilt, I suppose.

Arriving with a complete set of equipment, we chose another town - one which Snell had burgled before in the past - and set off to do the job.

We had just reached the treeline when a Stun spell took us from behind and everything went black.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Jakob just never seems to get a break, does he? :-/

[Tapewolf]

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Notes on this story:  I once witnessed South Mimms service station being completely destroyed by a fat fire which started in 'Julie's Pantry'.  The sprinkler system - assuming there was one - did not go off while the fire was still small enough to contain.

Jakob just never seems to get a break, does he? :-/

I actually wrote this one with the premise that Jakob has actually been doing too well.  Most of stories end with him victorious to some degree, so I figured it was time for something less clear-cut.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Notes on this story:  I once witnessed South Mimms service station being completely destroyed by a fat fire which started in 'Julie's Pantry'.  The sprinkler system - assuming there was one - did not go off while the fire was still small enough to contain.

Oh, I wasn't referring to the fire - fat fires are -evil-. I was referring to the stun to the back of the head...

[Tapewolf]

Oh, I wasn't referring to the fire - fat fires are -evil-. I was referring to the stun to the back of the head...

I guessed that.  I was going to mention the service station in any case...