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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/EighthMovement|Eighth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT ADanceOfAngels |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Howlin' Pack! ==
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| − | The Basement...
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| − | ... was a ''mess! ''
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| − | Apparently, above the house, everything just... caved in. The old house that was there... and other things. The Basement was ''big'', as big as the old house used to be, and windows and half-walls dottted it.... the scent of hashish filled the air, as did that of coffee and tobacco. Oh, and sex. Always the scent of sex. He saw some cushions and pillows around, many of them from the old heaven house, and a few nets scattered... some with people sleeping in them. 'Comet' Mia, She Who Count Jump Very High And Fall On You slept soundly, snoring, redheaded bangs falling over her face, hiding a little scar on her rightmost cheek. Badger was doing the same, some girl Moon had never met on his arms. Black Badger, poor guy of southern descent, northern blood giving him blue eyes on his black complexion and shaved head, never told anyone his real name, and insisted his' sounded tough. Another two of the sleeping ones were not from the Pack, but from the Tanner Shining Red Axes....
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| − | ''Apparently'' all were sleeping still...
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| − | ... ''almost'' everyone....
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| − | But for those smoking pot behind some walls...<br>
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| − | ... but for a couple fucking somewhere out-of-sight, who are not known to him, as well...<br>
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| − | ...but for Hanna and Blue trying to sneak up on Moon from behind...
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' ''Home. ''
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| − | The sight was familiar, even if all the faces were not. Everyone was out though, one way or another. He gave half a thought to kicking Badger awake just to have some company, but the southern kid was spared from a rude awakening today. Moon's ears perked up, straightening out high on his head as he caught the sound of footfalls behind him. Through the pungent scent of sex and smoke hanging in the air, the aroma of something both earthy and feminine drifted up his nose. And of course it would be damn hard to miss that cheap fucking cologne Blue always wore.
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| − | "Y'know," he said, speaking to the empty air in front of him, grinning out the side of his mouth. "They say it ain't too good idea ta try ta pull a dog by the tail. Ya wanna test it out?"
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| − | * "... bastard." She says, with a pout, kicking something on the ground, a brick flying past Moon.<br><br>"''Told'' ya it wouldn't..." Blue started, before being sharply cut by her.<br><br>"''Shush'' She says, before elemental-shining fingers touched his hair. "What if I do, huh?"<br><br>"The basement is not that closed that I couldn't hear yer party, ya probably canna even run now, can ya, old man?" She giggles as she holds it...<br><br>Blue's voice is just a whisper in the background... "You are ''crazy'' girl..."
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Fighting down the distracting urge to beat his leg against the ground as she ran her fingers through his hair, Moon shook his hand free and turned to face the two punks. Tilting his head to the side, he gave them both a long, hard stare.
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| − | "What, ya heard and ''didn't'' fuckin' come up ta join in?" he demanded in a voice thick with disgust, shaking his head. "Sheeyit, thought I raised the two'a ya better'n that What the fuck this gang gonna come to when ya gotta take over for me?"
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' Blue... blushed, almost, not knowing quite what to say...<br>
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| − | "We... errr... ya know! Thought it was yer stuff so... you know... it'd be all awkward!"
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| − | "He thought ya'd bite his head off, actually, some others did too." Hanna says, laying against a wall, arms crossed below her impressive bosom, almost pushing it up. "And I thought it'd be all weird. And we ain't! Ya'll live forever, right?" She says with a smirk.
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Ya, but I fuckin' hob-nob with royalty 'n shit now," he said, sticking his nose in the air and sniffing dismissively. The look of superiority was somewhat ruined by his eyes instinctive and unshamed inclination to look down at Hannah's bolstered bosom. "Ya think I'm gonna keep comin' back ta this dump forever ta drink beer with ya lot'a losers? Fuck man, they got all the ''good'' fuckin' hash up in high-town."
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' "The hell ya are, ya are the Boil. Bet the royals can ''smell'' that in ya!" Hanna says, walking closer and kicking his leg for good measure. " If it's so good, then let's party together! Crash those palaces like we did the Glass Spider's? His guys ''still'' give us odd looks, ya know!"
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| − | "Lady has a point!" Cask, one of the Axes, said, getting up a little groggily. "'s not like we gotta too many around 'ere anyway, eh?" The large southern-skinned boy says, before waving. "Oh, and hey. I'ma part of the joint now. blame Blue if ya wish."
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| − | In reply to that, Blue tried to hide somewhere behind Hanna, who joined her hands to her chest, closing her eyes in a mockery of dreamy-like. "Oooh, see, I am a ''lady'' too! Guess I can put on frilly fruity dresses and go to their parties with ya, eh Moon? Eh? Or maybe dress in a swimsuit like yer gal..."
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| − | Badger begun to got up to chuckle, while Cask did the same, waving dismissively. "Fine, fine, ''bitch'' has a point. Forgot we're in the Pack 'ere." He says humorously.
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "She'd probably try ta eat ya if she saw ya dressin' like her," Moon chuckled, leaving it up in the air just how he meant that. Be damned if he knew himself. "Sides, these parties are real serious shit, y'know? Ya gotta remember ta stick ya pinky up when ya drink and say 'please' before ya grab a handful of ass."
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| − | He gave Cask a side-long glance a moment, but shrugged his inclusion into the group off. The Axes had been part of the gang-army he'd lead once and nearly neighbors to the Pack for a while now. Close enough that they knew each other, just not so close to keep them chewing on each other over turf. It didn't really phase him much having a few of them around. Sides, the man was making a good enough point...
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| − | "Don't think we're gonna find no parties 'n shit today ta crash, but what the fuck?" he shrugged broadly and grinned. "Lets go pay the high horses a visit. Maybe we can find Blue a skirt ta hide under."
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' "Yeah, we are bitches alright." Alice's Ice said. Blonde hair, eyes of pure ice, they said. More than normal, a sign of the wyld that touched her... she had once told Moon she saw the world all blue, and had even forgotten what colors were like. She was sweet, after she had drunk enough, but before... "Ladies faint, ya see. Dat's why yer Axes gals were so boring. Bitches bite ya ass."
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| − | Cask smiled, "Ya can bite mine ''anytime'' darlin'"
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| − | "Man, ya guys are whipped too, eh? I'll bring an axe to ya too, then." She retorted, as the girl with Badger begun to get up... she was an Axe, as well, and took offense. "ey! We Axe gals are ''sharp'' gal. Sharper than yer teeth..."
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| − | Then Moon talked of paying a visit, and then all stopped, and looked at him... Badger yawned, and walked closer.
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| − | "So, we're going to da high society?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Less ya rather stay in the fuckin' basement 'n watch the ladies rip inta each other."
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| − | Which wasn't as exciting as some people seemed to think it would be. Not like the sort of half-naked oil-wrestling things some of the pleasure houses use to do. Gang-girl fights were mean and brutal and usually lead to someone getting shived. Particularly when Ice was involved.
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| − | "Sides, probably plenty'a places up top ain't been looted yet. Rich bitches can afford ta hire some bully-boys ta keep an eye out on the gate in," he shrugged. Not to mention that the Garrison usually patrolled Highlane double even when things were peaceable around. "I seen what these fuckers eat like every day. Betcha the Heaven House girls will pass out lovin' like candy if we can find a kitchen ta raid for 'um."
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' "What are we waitin' for, then?" Alice asked, going to fetch her coat over a rack... as Badger got up, ran a hand down her long, volumous snow-white hair, and Blue got one big bag, smiling at Moon, more confident now. "Yeah! Raid! Raid!"
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| − | As they prepared, Hanna looked up at Moon, then at everything around them...
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| − | "Ya didn't say. Liked?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Moon looked around too, a smile starting for form on his face only to give way to a tiny frown. "... where's the pool table?"
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' Hanna looked at Blue...<br>
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| − | ... who looked at Alice....<br>
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| − | ... who looked at Badger...<br>
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| − | .... who looked at the wall, realised he got the hot potato, and sighed.
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| − | A sigh that ended a short, but awkward silence...
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| − | "Well... um... we kind of... you know..."
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| − | "We kept meaning to get it, but the days went by, and we, um..."
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| − | They looked at each other, never to Moon... "... we kinda forgot." they said in unison.
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| − | "But 'tis still there! Really!" They all said in unison, and whispered, in the same chord...<br>
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| − | "... ''I hope! ''"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "... you ''fucks''," Moon growled softly, giving them ''all'' a dark glare. He sighed in disgust. "A'ite, we're gonna go get the fuckin' pool table, ''then'' go hit Highlane."
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| − | Food and fun could damn well wait. This was a pool table they were talking about. ''The'' pool table. It was Serious Business.
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' They moved out soon, then. Moon found out they had a new way to get out, through the rubble they had found a tunnel out... it lacked in prettyness, still, but Hanna said she'd give it some 'female touch' later. Out, they walked, and Moon heard about how they had been... the survivors of many other gangs joined up with the Pack, either because their gangs had ended, or because they had changed too much, or just because the Pack had kicked such a serious ass during the rebellion.
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| − | They came upon the Heaven House... it was amazing. It was still whole, without marks of fire in anything but the garden, without the marks of Selina's blast... it was whole, good as new. Whatever the Fae had done had kept it... "We're still wonderin' what ta do wit' it. Vivian's still the owner, of course... she's thinking of setting up 'nother house, or just a nice house for the girls, or to herself..." Badger tells him as they walk closer, the Axe-girl wrapped around the black boy's waist.
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' Moon could sense movement within the House, however....
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| − | The scent of a boy, and of a girl...
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Amazing. Totally fucking amazing. Moon stared up at it with a moment of swiftness passing through his heart. Home. His real home. He'd thought it had been gone. Transformed to a temple, then burnt to the ground for good measure. It had felt like someone had been trying to cut his heart out when it had happened. That they'd been trying to rip the city out of his soul. But... here is was. Whole and unscarred. He put a hand on the breast of the statue above it's door. Tradition. Memory. Moon smiled... and then he sniffed.
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| − | "Did ya send anyone out ta keep an eye on the place or somethin'?" he asked, glancing back over his shoulder at Hannah and Blue. The scents weren't familiar, but then they did say that more folk had been joining the Pack lately.
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' Hanna looked up at it... and Blue stepped foward, voice low...
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| − | "Nah, we didn't. We figured nobody'd dare to touch it, with it being our turf 'n all."
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| − | He knew Moon's eyes. He may be the new one there, but he did catch those things fast...
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| − | "Someone there?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: '''"Couple'a someones," Moon confirmed, pulling Ebb and Flow out of his pockets and pulling the heavy gauntlets on. It was probably just street kids looking for a place to crash or even just a warm corner to fuck in. But after all the times he'd been jumped in the past, he'd be damned if he wasn't going to take precautions. "Hannah, go circle round back with someone and make sure they don't try ta break out the rear. Rest'a ya just keep an eye sharp."
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| − | He grinned over his shoulders as he tugged the smashfists tight across his hands. "I'm gonna go say hi."
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' The Alpha with his fangs bared. The power that oozed out of him. Hanna felt it and grinned at him, even as she felt a shiver. She cracked her knuckles, as did Cask. "Leave somethin' for ''us'', handsome." The Earth Aspect said, her skin still human enough. She wanted to feel the punches in her face if they were to come, too... especially now that they felt so much less, that she felt them for such a short time.
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| − | Alice's Ice smiled, but did nothing else but hang back, as did Badger.
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| − | And Moon had the space clear to walk foward, hearing the noises from within...
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Only two of 'um darlin', might have ta settle for sloppy seconds."
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| − | Giving the Pack back a grin, Moon put his hands on his hips and sized up the building in front of him. Breaking down the door wasn't really an option. Not ''this'' door, at least. Which was a damn shame, since nothing quite made an impression like a door exploding off it's hinges. He settled for the next best thing.
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| − | Grabbing the handle and throwing the door open with enough force to make it slam against the wall. The sound was like anvil falling off rooftop, but it was a whisper next to the roaring growl that the Lunar unleashed as he stormed through the front. "''WHO THE '''FUCK''' IS IN MY GODDAMN HOUSE?! ''" His caste mark flared in frozen moonlight, Essence writhing in the air around him.
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| − | '''The Pack: ''' The House seemed to shake.
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| − | In front of him, a ''boy'' - no other description could be applied to the young man in front of him, a boy of blond hair and blue eyes with clothes that looked pretty, but dirty and ragged, holding a large piece of wood in his hands - a broom, apparently - was shaken up with the door as much as the house...
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| − | But before Moon could really take in the sight, he jumped up to Moon, the impromptu staff behind him to try and strike...
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| − | ''"Hyaaaaah!!!!" '' He shouted, and behind him, Moon could see a girl, younger than him and of similar looks...
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' ''... well, shit. ''
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| − | First thought. Last thought. There had been a lot of things Moon had been expecting. Punks screwing on the table. Dead-fuckers waiting to jump him. Even a couple of street dwellers taking a dump in the corner or something. ''This''... hell, it had been so long since he'd ''seen'' kids that were actually kids and not god-kings or whatever...
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| − | It was enough to say that Moon was still standing there staring in surprise as the plank of wood came swinging down towards his head.
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| − | '''????: ''' It ''breaks'' over the Lunar... sending splinters everywhere.
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| − | And yet, he doesn't seem fazed. In the least.
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| − | The boy stops, surprised, for almost as long a moment, before throwing the remaining piece of wood in his hand to the Lunar's face...and as that just bounced harmlessly away, the young boy assumed the silliest fighting stance Moon had seen the whole... well, in a long, long, long time, fists barely curled over each other... but with conviction at least, the same conviction that made him ''not'' back down from the silver-laden man.
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| − | And when his words came, they were tinged with that determination, and a little bit of tentative fear...
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| − | "A.. ar... are you... Moon?"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: '''Holy shit! It talks!
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| − | ... wait, of ''course'' it could fucking talk. It was a kid, not a goddamn bowl of pasta.
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| − | "Naw, I'm the ''other'' fuckin' street punk who glows silver," he snorted, picking a splinter of wood out of his hair and examining it a moment before tossing it away. He gave the boy a considering glare, making sure to look past him to the young girl silently hiding in the background. "What the fuck ya two doin' here?"
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| − | '''????: ''' The girl nearly jumped as his gaze set on her, hiding behind a couch. She was something like ten winters... the boy was a little older, thirteen or something. Hanna was not much older, of course, but there were ages and ages, and the boy was not one of those that looks much older than his age at all. His eyes sharpened, determined like the purest forge-steel as they looked up to the Lunar, pointing a finger to him, trying to find his voice... "I... I..."
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| − | "I... I WILL TO JOIN YOUR PACK!" He says, in that way we do when we feel.. that way. Shout, say it all, do not think. Thinking is bad. But at least, it was tempered with determination. "I can fight!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "What?"
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| − | ''A'ite, that really bares repeatin'. ''
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| − | ''"What?" ''
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| − | ''Good job man. ''
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| − | '''????: ''' The boy is shaking! Nervousness! Fury! Rightfulness! Fear!
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| − | Cold swear runs down his face as he points his finger, trembling, his eyes wide...
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| − | "You heard me! Do... don't mock me! I... I want to join your pack! You are the toughest ones 'round here, right? Right? I am tough too! I'm good enough for it! I... don't look at me like that! I am strong! I am!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' This... this really wasn't how this shit was supposed to work. The gangs just picked up the street kids who turned up around where they stomped. They let them hang around their turf, tossed them some food every now and then or some coin if they had a win-fall. There were ''steps'' you were supposed to go through. The kids didn't come ''looking'' for them! They weren't a fucking ''service! ''
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| − | "Who the fuck ''are'' you?" he demanded, barely able to stop himself from taking a step away from the boy. Some part of him felt an instinctive urge to run from this situation, flee back to the gang and face this with his people at his back. But fuck all if he was going to loose face because of some snot-nosed kid!
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| − | ... yet.
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| − | '''????: ''' The kid beast against his chest, proud! "I'm ''Duncan Silver! ''" He says! "And I've been living on the streets since the rebellion! I beat a zombie!" Which he threw a bunch of stones at above a house, but there's no need to make it seem like less, right? He still beat a zombie! "I heard the Pack were the best and baddest 'round, which means I gotta be with you to keep my sis safe! And I will!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' This was... shit... and it... ''shit! ''
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| − | "'''HANNAH! '''"
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| − | Alright, she'd laugh at him. She'd tell everyone and they'd laugh to. Fuck it. At least they'd be laughing at him after the fact, when he'd fell justified in slapping them all silly. He needed some back-up here though.
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| − | "Look, kid," he struggled as he waited for his unofficial second to show up. "It just... it ''don't'' fuckin' work that way, y'know?"
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| − | '''Hanna: ''' Hanna comes cheerfully, and he can hear the cracking of her fingers... as the girl walked in the room, the marks of her elemental essence, the scales of diamond that appeared in some parts of her body seeming to gleam, and she was just finishing tying up one of her crude leather gloves. "Yeah?" She called, even before she stepped to his side. "Where're the fucker... s?"
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| − | She stopped, then, looking at the boy...
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| − | "''Cute! ''" She said, giggling. "Didja get lost from yer parents or somethin'?"
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| − | '''Duncan: ''' "''No! ''" The boy said, stepping back, and trying to... not look... at Dragon-Ladies... ample... round... big... pretty.... tits... ''I'mnotlookingI'mnotlookingImnotlookingImnot... oh, damnit, I'm looking! Stop! Try to compose yourself! You are a grown man! '' "I'm ''not! '' I don't need my parents! And how doesn't work that way? You're the ''Pack'', aren't you? Everyone says you are the baddest of the bad... you must take on the strongest, right? I am, I am!!!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "We got us a ''situation'' darlin'..."
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| − | Moon began as she stepped through the door, only to be cut off by her enthusiastic exclamation and the boys very rapid and very adamant jabbering. The Lunar hunched as the boy went on, a feeling that was almost akin to pain rising up his spine. Grimacing slightly, he rubbed the back of his head with one gauntleted hand.
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| − | "And... yeah thats kinda it."
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| − | '''Hanna: ''' "Oh... um." She is... taken aback, much as Moon is. It is not that she doesn't want to laugh. But when he says that with ''such'' conviction, it is hard to... find it funny. "See... he's right, it... it doesn't work that way. You're cute and all, but we dun take mascots... much... and even if we did, it's... different!"
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| − | '''Duncan: ''' "I'm not cute! I'm no mascot! I'm strong! I can fight!" He closed his fists again, as if trying to show off muscles, his face filled with righteous ''indignation! '' "And I'm talking to the big Moon! You're a big-boobed mean..."
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| − | '''''Smack'''''
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| − | And the boy was hurled across the room, landing on the sofa his sister hid behind, and as he tried to get up, he was so dizzy he just fell down.
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| − | '''Hanna: ''' "... ''don't''."
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| − | She shrugs, turning to Moon, "Sorry, he just got a whole lot less cute." She was sensitive about it, after all. So very sensitive. And sensitive ''in'' it, too "And for your information, those ''suck''. I wish they were small. Big targets, hurt like ''hell''."
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| − |
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| − | '''Duncan: ''' "... I was gonna say big-mouthed..." He calls, from the ground, trying to get up...
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| − | "''Swear'' I was gonna say big-mouthed..."
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "That would'a gotten ya smacked too," Moon told him, coming over to give Duncan an arm up. In so much as bodily lifting the boy off the ground and sitting him upright on the sofa could be called an arm. "And fuckin' rightly. Ya gotta watch what ya say ta ladies, y'know? Least wise while ya still in arms reach..."
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| − | The last sentence was spoken with a teasing grin back to Hanna, but he couldn't really hold it. And as much as he would have normally loved to have a conversation about Hanna's breasts (''he'' had no problems with their size), there was just no shaking the problem of the kid from his mind. Moon glanced back at the girl - Duncan's sister, wasn't it? and motioned for her to come over and join her brother, giving Hanna an expecting glance as well. Passing a silent order to usher the girl. He wanted to keep both of them where he could see them, just so one or the other didn't go running off until he figured out what the hell to do with them.
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| − | "Now," he sighed, sinking onto his haunches in front of the sofa as he waited for the girls to join them. "Lets all calm the fuck down, keep some goddamn civil tongues in our mouths, and figure this shit out from the start, a'ite?"
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| − | '''Duncan: '''She comes out from under the sofa, and, shy like a field mouse, finds her way close to her brother, snuggling against him and getting the boy all blushy and embarassed. "Er, um... see, this is my sister. I need to protect her. And it is a real jungle around here nowdays, and we don't have any money anymore, so, so.... I have to join the pack!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Ya ain't from the streets," he said. Statement, not question. Even if the kids clothes had been stolen, his attitude sure the hell hadn't been. "Where ya folks man? Family? Friends? Ya gotta have people ya know 'round."
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| − | '''Duncan: ''' "They're dead..." The girl trailed off, her soft voice little more than a whisper, hiding her face a little more after she spoke. Her brother shot her a chastising glance, angry that it might them seem like two poor homeless kids! "Father was a glazier, can't find his friends, their houses got burned on the fire, too. Met some friends... some people who joined together on a little shelter, our part of the town was all broken down... but got hit by gangs. So I've just been trying to lay low... and even the gangs respect you, so I gotta be with you!"
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Ain't ''no one'' ya got? Like, people who don't live 'round here or nothin'?" Moon tried, though he wasn't expecting a good answer. Usually it was all or nothing for folks bellow a certain rung in the ladder around the Boil. There wasn't usually any family to fall back on or places to go beyond the city.
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| − | Kids' dad was only a glazier. Not a bad business or nothing, but no where near the industrialist or merchant-man Moon had expected. Must have just liked to dress his kids real well.
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| − | "Hey Hanna," he called softly over his shoulder, giving his head a tip towards the door. "Go drag the rest'a those dumb fucks in. Let 'um know it's all clear in here, a'ite?"
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| − | '''Duncan: ''' "Couldn't find anyone." He said with a shrug. "I looked... can't even find where half the places I knew are...." He said, a little less sure. "Ain't got anywhere else. Gotta look for my friends later, but I'm not going back to those places without help. Not before she's safe!"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Hanna: ''' Hanna nods, "I'll be right back, then." She was more at ease with the boy now. Hard not to be, with such a sad story, one many of them knew very well. Well, not that well, since it is not the same... Boil never been hurt so bad. But still, very much familiar. So, with a gesture to pull her long white hair back from her face, she turned around, and walked out.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Moon let out a sign and tugged the bandana off his head to run his fingers through his hair, palm bracing on his brow. What the hell was he supposed to do about this? They were a goddamn ''gang'', not an orphanage! Sheeyit, they take in this kid and word got out about it, they'd be flooded by every street rat from here to Winlandia!
| |
| − | | |
| − | ... but shit, they couldn't just ''leave'' the kids. Had to be ''something'' they could do...
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| − | | |
| − | Moon clicked out of the side of his mouth thoughtfully, staring up at the two a moment before his eye began to wander to the house around them. Place was still in pretty damn good condition. Tables, chairs, sofas; didn't look like anything had been swiped. Probably meant all the beds were still upstairs. The girls hadn't mentioned coming here to get furnishings or nothing.
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| − | | |
| − | "What do ya think'a this place?" he asked them suddenly, his eyes turning back to the two kids, mouth splitting in a grin. "Pretty fuckin' nice huh? Betcha didn't know I grew up here, huh?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Duncan: ''' "... it... it's very ''pretty'', yes!" His sister chimed up, all happy at least to look...
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| − | | |
| − | While Duncan himself just nodded, digesting the words...
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| − | | |
| − | "You... you grew up here? But isn't here a... house? A house of... ill repute?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "And what the fuck ya think ''my'' repute is?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Sheeyit man, I'm a fuckin' ''gang'' leader. Ya really got any idea what that means?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Duncan: ''' "Yeah, but, but.... you know! You punch people!" He made some gestures, "You are all tough and powerful and wicked cool! Even gangs like the one who broke our shelter are afraid of you! The... the house is a whorehouse! It is not ''tough! ''"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "''Pleasure'' house," he corrected sharply, giving Duncan a scolding glare. "And bein' tough ain't got shit ta do with where ya live. Theres fuckers use ta be up on Highlane that I stepped careful 'round for long while and livin' there is like one fuckin' step away from walkin' round in a pink dress..."
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| − | | |
| − | Of course, the Highlane Pink Power Posse ''did'' walk around in pink dresses. And it was an all-male gang. That really had a lot more to do with his keeping his distance from them than any amount of bad-assery they could have been packing under those skirts. Kid didn't really need to know that part though.
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| − | | |
| − | "Sheeyit man, just look at ''me''," he said, giving his chest a tap. "I'm tellin' ya this is where I fuckin' grew up. It's a fuckin' pleasure house. Ya really gonna turn 'round and try ta say it means I ain't meanest mother fucker in this town?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Duncan: ''' He looked... then looked around. "No, but..." then he saw his face, and gave him an emphatic shake of his head, "No, of course I won't say that! And... I guess. Me too! I'm just a child of a glazier, but I got myself mean moves!" Of course, a place full of... girls! And all full of frilly dresses! And he could still ''smell'' the perfume there! Seemed like the place for a tea party, not for a kickass, damnit!
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' His sister giggled a bit, looking up at Moon...
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| − | | |
| − | "I bet they took good care of you, too!" She said, before twiddling her thumbs when she realised she had spoken.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Could say that," he agreed with a slanted grin. Not that he'd really go into detail about ''all'' the ways they took care of him.
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| − | | |
| − | Hey, he was a bastard, but even had limits on the things he was comfortable saying in front of kids.
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| − | | |
| − | "Whatcha name darlin'?" he asked, tilting his head as he looked at the girl. Shy little thing, that was probably the third word she'd said this whole time. "Ya got one, don'tcha?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''The Pack: ''' She looks up at him... a little sweetly, very much scared. "Dana." She says, her voice barely above a whisper again. "Dana Silver." She says with an emphatic nod. A moment of awkwardness broken by Hanna and the others storming in, Blue and Ice and Badger and Cask and everyone else, talking, laughing, moving as a walking party as they always did. They looked upon the children, with cries of 'cute!' and 'bother', and Hanna looked at the alpha. "So, what do we do? Go get The Table?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' And Moon... smiled back. Not his usual fang-baring grin. Not the usual look of sex and violence that made up so much of who he was. It was a small smile. A fond smile. The sort of thing only Fiona and Kanti before had managed to sneak out of him.
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| − | | |
| − | There was a damn hard truth to face. In this world of bloodshed and violence, mad-gods and god-kings, albino bitch generals and sexy assassins... Seventh Moon, bad-ass of the Boil, Chosen of Luna, street-punk supreme... was a fucking push-over when it came to little girls.
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| − | | |
| − | "It's a nice name darlin'," he told her softly. His palm nearly engulfed her head when he placed his hand on her, but he was gentle as he could be as he ruffled her hair. He looked a Duncan, his eyes growing a bit more stern for the boy. "Don't worry man. We gonna take care'a her, a'ite?"
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| − | | |
| − | The gang came filing in before the kid could give him an answer, but Moon didn't really need one. He'd made his choice. And yeah, was probably pretty fucking stupid. But hell, no one had ever accused him of an excess of brains.
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| − | | |
| − | "Nope," he answered, rising back to his feet and turning to face the gang. Hunched, his hands in his pockets, he gave them all a glare that meant business. "Change'a plans people. Ice, Badger, take ya asses upstairs 'n see how the rooms look. Beds, sheets; all that shit. Make sure no one swung by and cleaned 'um out. Blue, ya head down stairs 'n see how shit looks. Make sure there ain't been no fuckers usin' the place as a toilet 'n shit and clean it either way. Take down the art 'n shit we swiped. Gotta put that back up at the new House anyway."
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| − | | |
| − | "Hanna," he tipped his head to the girl on the sofa behind him. "Want ya ta stay here 'n keep an eye on Dana, a'ite? Rest'a these fuckers are comin' with me ta Highlane. We gonna see what we can dig up food wise ta bring back here..."
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| − | | |
| − | Yeah, no freebies from the Heaven House girls. That would have gotten some groans, but he raised his glare a notch to forestall any protests before they could happen and began physically shoving them out the door. "Just get ya asses movin', a'ite? Someone try ta find a goddamn handcart or somethin'..." Moon stopped by the doorway and looked back over his shoulder at Duncan, an irate and exaggerated frown joining that glare. "What? Ya think bein' part'a this gang means ya just get ta sit on ya ass back here starin' at Hanna's tits while the rest'a us work? Get ya ass movin' man, before I ''kick'' it all the way up the fuckin' hill."
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| − | | |
| − | * They all nodded, and moved... but not disciplined, of course. They talked and giggled, remembered old times, and stopped to do other things during it. Ice and Badger went upstairs to check on the state of the beds and sheets, Blue sighs and goes downstairs, Hanna picks Dana up and allows her to piggy-back on the busty girl's behind. They all begin to move... and Duncan stares up at Moon. "So, I'll get to go with you? Already?"<br><br>"..."<br><br>"''Wooohoooooooooooooo! ''"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Don't go gettin' ahead'a yaself man," Moon said, a big hand dropping on the boy's head. Nothing said 'dampen your enthusiasm' quite like a palm bigger than your face. Still, the Lunar couldn't quite stifle a grin and mused Duncan's hair. "Think'a this as kinda a test. Do good 'n we'll talk 'bout it, a'ite?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Duncan: ''' His azure eyes ''sparkled'' as he ran out of Moon's hands and out in the world with a ''jump! '' "Then let's gooooooooooooo~!" He shouted, jumping up... and making the few people of the Pack still around look at him a bit oddly. Ok, he was adorable... but... um.
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| − |
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| − | * It was kinda boring, really...<br><br>Getting to Highlane and breaking in and getting whatever food and other stuff they could find... what was not much. See, the places that were empty, but whole and closed, still had much... but any place very broken and burnt had so much less. But there was still something... what with all the dead, there weren't ''that'' many scavengers.<br><br>And then, when Moon was getting out of one of those broken houses, a figure ''crashes'' into the house, breaking through the glass and running towards Moon... he barely sees the sillhouette clad in copper and with auburn hair, looking at them all... "Oh! Great! Kids! You '''gotta''' hide me!"
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| − |
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| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' It hadn't been much of a trip so far. Getting into Highlane, getting into the houses... there was no one trying to stop them. No guards to duck, no servants and home owners trying to chase them, no attractive aristocratic ladies begging not to have their honor violated while actually doing everything they could to temp some violation. It was kinda fun, everyone getting together and showing Duncan how to sneak past fences and walls, how to jimmy doors and cellar windows, what to look for on a break-in and what to ignore. Still, even the novelty of that wore off. The ''thrill'' of doing something wrong just wasn't there without them!
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| − | | |
| − | So, the sudden shattering of a window and the appearance of the copper-clad figure into their midst was less cause for alarm and more one of celebration. With a little more umph than he needed, Moon chucked the expensive looking vase he'd been eyeing as a gift for Selina over his shoulder, where it shattered into the wall, and cocked his head to the side. "Ya know, I ain't seen what they been wearin' lately, so maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty fuckin' sure we ain't wearin' garrison uniforms man. Who says we gotta do anythin'?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' The figure came more into the light, and it was... a girl, actually! Well, quite the tomboy, actually, a girlish frame hidden under very unflattering clothes and holding a bundle of.... stuff.... on her back! "That's ''exactly'' it! You aren't wearing garrisson uniforms! ''They'' are!" She points out the window to something past sight, but Moon can hear the sort of movements and shouts of search parties... "... and I need to hide from them! So, um, just stay around and tell people you ''didn't'' see me!"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' ...
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| − | | |
| − | Moon stared at her a moment, then looked around pointedly at the rest of the Pack, themselves carrying around bundles of illicit goods for the cart they'd stashed out back. His own pockets were stuffed full of someone's jewelry, rattling as he tapped a hand thoughtfully onto the bulge. "... and, uh, what the fuck makes ya think they're gonna listen ta ''us''? Really hate ta let ya down on that sweetheart, but we don't exactly ''live'' here, y'know?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' "... oh. That." Metallic eyes look around for each and every one of them... and sighs. "Thought you were just some rich kids trying to look tough. Oh, rusty, can't I catch a fucking break?" She goes by Moon, picking some golden collar from his pocket non-chalantly, then looking out the door... "Sooo... I guess we gotta ''run'', then?" 'least I get some distraction!' she seemed to beam.
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Yeah, I guess we ''do''," Moon sighed, just as nonchalantly running a hand over her ass as she passed him, before grabbing the back of her pants to hold her in place. He gave her a smirk and a shake of the head. "Though we ain't gonna be no fuckin' distraction. And ya ain't taken that bobble without payin' for it, neither."
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| − | | |
| − | Out of all the damn houses in this berg, why did she have to crash into the one ''they'' were in? Sheeyit, hadn't even finished looting the place yet. Fuck knows if there was anything in the kitchen. They'd sort of gotten side-tracked. "A'ite people, ya all heard the word. Lets pack up and get the fuck outta here."
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| − | | |
| − | The Lunar raised his voice, leaning to the side, and dragging the metallic-shaded mystery woman with him, to shout up the stairs. "GARRISON! Lets get movin'!"
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| − | | |
| − | * And so they did!<br><br>If there is one thing the Half-Moon Howling Alley Pack knows how to do, is to avoid the garrisson. Up there with Fucking Your Shit Up and Stealing All Your Stuff. It didn't take a moment and they were all running like mad, Duncan the last one of them all, trying to hold to bags too big and slowing himself down as the group made themselves scarce in the moonlight, the torches of the garrisson closer and closer...
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Naw, man," Moon said as he caught sight of Duncan, holding back a sigh of despair. Honestly, kids these days! Didn't they teach them ''anything? '' Reaching down, still keeping a tight grip on the mystery girls pants, he tugged the bag from Duncan's hand and spilled it out onto the floor, smearing it's contents across the carpet between them. "Never haul more'n ya can carry at a run. Sure as shit never try ta take more'n ya can ''walk'' with. This ain't a contest 'bout who gets the most, a'ite? Now grab some shit and get movin'!"
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| − | | |
| − | * "Right, right!" He said, picking what he could and rushing after him... as the girl tried to get away from Moon, trying to push him away... "Hey, ''leggo!! '' How can we run away like that, damnit? And watch the hands!!"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Tagging behind Duncan to make sure the kid didn't fall behind, Moon chuckled to the girl as he pulled her along. "Seem ta be doin' fine on the runnin' so far."
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| − | | |
| − | She was making a damn lot of noise though. Garrison had to already know they were in there, she had jumped through a window to get inside, but that didn't mean they had to leave a goddamn trail for them to follow! When the girl's fighting got too much, he didn't hesitate to simply hoist her up bodily, slinging her over his shoulder like a sack, legs in the air before him and head dangling down behind. It put her rump somewhere beside his head, which, tomboy or no, wasn't a bad prospect. Pushing Duncan along faster with his other hand, the Lunar broke into a trot towards the exit where the cart and the rest of the Pack waited. "Ya always this fuckin' loud when ya hit a place or ya just doin' it ta show off?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' "Hey, hey... noooo, wait, what are you...!" Without much resistance - none that mattered to Seventh Moon, at any rate - the auburn-hair tomboy got slung over Moon's shoulder, one hand tightening around her bundle, another hitting his behind inneffectively... "Damnit, leggo, you crazy brute! Damnit, kids those days don't have any fucking respect!" Despite her claims, she looked very much Moon's age, and not any older. "And I don't have to be ''silent'' silly. I won't get caught a-ny-way!"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Naw? Not even if I striped ya down ta ya unmentionables and tied ya by ya ankles ta a doorknob?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' ... and then, she pauses.
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| − | | |
| − | Moon can feel her ''freezing'' on his grasp!
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| − | | |
| − | The breath gathering on her chest, pressed against his back(larger chest than it looked, too)
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| − | | |
| − | And then, after a second of silence, she replies. "... well, maybe, but you wouldn't '''dare'''..."
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| − | | |
| − | ''... right? ''
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' A chuckled answered her, one deep and full of sinister mirth. "Ya'd be surprised what I'd dare, darlin'. Ain't like I got anythin' ta lose by leavin' ya here ta keep 'um off ''our'' asses, y'know?"
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| − | | |
| − | Out the back, Moon stopped pushing Duncan along and scooped him off the ground, dumping him neatly into the back of the wagon among piles of sheets and footstuffs and other brika-a-brak. "Ya keep an eye out the back man. Gimme a shout if ya see 'um followin'."
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| − | | |
| − | Double-timing it to the front of the handcart, Moon suddenly swung the girl off his shoulder, whipping her around through the air a moment before dumping her into the cart as well, her legs sticking up in the air over the back. Moon grinned down at her as he took hold of the cart handle. "Comfortable darlin'? No? Well, least it beats a doorknob."
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| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' "Oooff!" All the air knocked out of her and dirty bronze boots hiiiigh up the air, she looked up at the Lunar with the most indignant face, her stuff falling there and breaking a bit to reveal the jewels and jade inside. She was really stealing... quite a loot. She looks up from between her legs at him, though, crimson lips curling angrily as she points her sleeve to him... and many mechanical copper scapels mounted on what looked like... metallic tentacles, almost... come from it, shining just slightly with essence, reaching almost to Moon... and then, lower. "Now, give me one reason for me not to do something really naughty." She grins, Her other hand picks the bundle, pushing it to her chest as if it was a baby. Moonney... and stufff....
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' Moon couldn't say he was too surprised. The eyes, the color... if she wasn't some gods groin-spawn, then she wasn't completely human anyway. Then again, neither was he.
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| − | | |
| − | Looking down at the stranger young woman, Moon returned her smile with one of his own. "Can't say I can think'a any reason not ta do somethin' real naughty, but I can make a good one towards lettin' me be the one ta pick what naughty thing is gonna get done..."
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| − | | |
| − | The light came bright, cold and silver. So cold it burned, the brand on his brow threw it's light in a circle around her, painting her bronze features silver. Moon pulled himself up straight, till his head was haloed by the distant face of Luna, yellowed behind the Boil smog, his eyes glowing a matching shade as though it's light shone down through him. "That one good 'nough?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''????: '''She looked up at him with... something. It was hard to read her face. Surprise, a little bit. Awe, some bit as well, some fear... imagine that! And certainly respect. The strange mechanical-essence scalpels returned to her sleeves, and she made quite a frustrated face. "... so you are him. Y'know, I thought you were... taller, or something. Stronger. And aren't you supposed to have a frickin' tail or something?"
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: ''' "Yeah, they ''told'' me I was supposed ta have a tail. I ''tried'', but just couldn't grow my back hair that fuckin' long," Moon sighed despairingly, turning his back on the girl and trotting off with the cart in tow. Where the hell had the others run off to? Sheeyit. That meant finding a place to lay low for a bit, with only Duncan the Wonder Boy and Tentacle Girl for company.
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| − | | |
| − | "Heard I could jump ta the moon too. Don't listen ta 'um 'bout that. I tried. Kept missin' the moon and hittin' my head on the sky."
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''????: ''' They were all gone, and things were... silent.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Duncan paced closer... and saw the lights. And so he stopped, looking at them....
| |
| − | | |
| − | So... so...
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| − | | |
| − | ... strange.
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| − | | |
| − | "Pity. I like tails, they are ''cute''. The other Lunars I met had tails. You have to... get a tail!" She pointed to his face...
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| − | | |
| − | And then, Moon begun to hear shouts...
| |
| − | | |
| − | And see the light of torches. Garrisson people coming closer and closer...
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| − | | |
| − | '''Seventh Moon: '''"Yeah, I'll be workin' on that..." Moon said, but distractedly. He heard them coming too. The Lunar looked back over his shoulder at the flicker of light and cursed softly. "First things first though..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Moon raised his arms, closing them over the bronze girl's ankles, her feet sticking out bellow his arm pits. "Hey, kid! Hang on tight!"
| |
| − | | |
| − | The dimming light of his caste mark suddenly flared back to life. It's light scythed through the shadows ahead, illuminating the road ahead. A clearing, a garden, a fence, and then a high wall around the estate. Good, he wouldn't have to work too hard. That meant he could focus on showing off. His escape route, such as it was, clear, Moon ran. Wind tore over the two in the cart behind him, howling mad as he dashed across the clearing. They reached the garden, a wave of mud and withered flowers splashing out around them. The fence was on them before the dirt had even settled and Moon leaned back onto the cart, presenting feet-first as they coasted along the ground. White painted and wooden, it exploded as he crashed into it, one plank of wood still caught under his feet. It slapped onto the ground as he lowed himself back down. Slicked with mud and the smooth worn pathing stones of the walkway that sprouted from the ground, the Lunar balanced on the plank of wood and gave in as the cart, still racing behind him, shoved him along.
| |
| − | | |
| − | At least until the hit the wall. Jamming his heel onto the ground, Moon jammed the fence post into the ground between the paving stones and pivoted about against it, spinning the cart around. Up the wheels went, still trying to race forward even as they left the earth and with one mighty grunt, the Lunar sent it soaring. If anyone had happened to look to the sky at that moment, they might be struck by the strange shadowy image passing before the moon. A strange sight, that of a small figure huddled into the basket of a cart with a larger one behind, cartwheels spinning as though it carried them across the sky.
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| − | | |
| − | What went up had to come down though and the cart carried Duncan and his nameless companion towards the earth considerably faster than they went up. Whistling air swept past as the distant ground of the next yard over started to rise towards them at a despairing rate, trees ripping past as they sailed down!
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| − | | |
| − | And then moments, perhaps ''seconds'' from crashing... the cart came to a stop.
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| − | | |
| − | "Think that's good 'nough ta get me a tail?" Came a voice from bellow. The cart wheels had nearly broken off in his grip, though he sure as shit wasn't going to mention that. The ground behind Moon had been dug out in trenches deep enough to sink him to his knees, bits of boot leather scattered through the dirty piles. Still, everyone was alive and he grinned up at them from the side of the cart, shit-eating and shameless.
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| − | | |
| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/EighthMovement|Eighth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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