The Bleak Streets of Twokinds: A Twokinds Forum Noir Story

[Ory'hara]

Please don't toy with people on this topic. I can't say the same for everyone else, but I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter even more then my next birthday.

[Schrodinger]

Please don't toy with people on this topic. I can't say the same for everyone else, but I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter even more then my next birthday.

So am I.

[Windwaker]

Argh, do you know how much my heart leaped?

[Silver Seren]

I could force him to work on it, if you want.

[Schrodinger]

I could force him to work on it, if you want.

Please feel free.

[avwolf]

First, let me apologize for the extended downtime. It's been busy for me, but that's not a very good excuse. I've also been blocking kind of hard, which is why this update is about half the size I wish it was. But I obviously can't simply leave this thread alone, it's been trying to run away without me. Again, many apologies. I hope you guys enjoy this one, and I'm going to try very hard to keep from taking so long on the next part.

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The Rant Quarter's a tangled grid of broad boulevards and twisted alleyways that never seem to sleep. There's a little something for everyone around here, threads aplenty covering almost anything a body might be interested in. The tumultuous racket of lively discussion spills out into the streets, inseparable from the light streaming out the windows of the threads along the sidewalks. I can practically smell the scent of rhetoric in the air. It's been too damn long since I walked these byways. I shake my head. I've got to keep focused. I have a task here, and no matter how tempting the repartee, I can't afford the time. I make my way to a somewhat secluded square. It's quiet for this part of town, so there's only a half-dozen souls wandering around, showing each other photographs of little pixel art dragons like they're doting parents cooing over their toddlers.

The rattle of beans in a tin can announces my presence in the coffee shop. I close my eyes and let the sweet aroma of roasted coffee being slowly brewed wash over me like a tide of trumpeters heralding the Duke of Wakefulness. Or, in this case, the Duchess.

Verilidaine's the proprietor of this establishment, a fox girl of curly brown locks and green eyes, lending themselves to a piercing gaze almost as sharp as her wit. She drinks coffee slightly more than she writes, and the rumor is that she had to open this little shop to keep her addiction from bankrupting her. That's all common knowledge. What isn't so widely known is that her innocence is all a charade. Verilidaine actually has one of the more twisted minds in the forum, one she bends to great effect in the service of our local master of the socially unacceptable. You never know what sort of devious slash she's got running through the back of her head, just that there is one. Always. Scuttlebutt once claimed there was one with me in it, but most of that stuff seems to stick in her private collection and never sees the light of the moon. Ain't nobody I know's read it anyway. At least, nobody who'll admit to it.

"Av," she says to me, a smile clear in her voice, "What brings the voice of reason to this corner of the boards?" I open my eyes and saunter up to the counter. Verilidaine slides a coffee mug full of rich, black, Costa Rican brew to me and leans over on her elbows. "Get tired of your kingdom?"

"Aw, I'd never get tired of that, V. Though 'kingdom' is too strong a word. It's more like a loose affiliation of interested parties owing slight allegiance to the cause of debate I champion." I grin and lift the mug to my muzzle. "Black?"

"As your heart," she jokes, cracking a wide grin.

"Mmmm." I take a long sip from the coffee and sigh, "Damn, I needed this. It's perfect, V, thanks."

"So, what does bring you up here? You never stop around the Rant Quarter anymore." I might be deceiving myself, but I could swear there's a hint of hurt in her voice with her last comment. Before I could speak, she answered her own question. "I suppose you're here to talk to Sable." Verilidaine rolled her eyes slightly, probably in some kind of self-aware commentary on knowing what people are after. "Follow me."

Verilidaine slips from behind the counter and saunters through the coffeehouse, the strings of little white Christmas lights wound over the support posts catching highlights in her hair. Her tail swings to the swagger of her hips, her body moving in a practiced rhythm ground into muscle memory from years of rowing crew. I permit myself half a smile as I clutch the coffee and trail behind her. Not that we'd ever have anything between us -- our beliefs in how certain important emotions work just don't sync. That and I'm still a little sore about how she stole my last girlfriend out from under me...Damn near literally. She weaves around tables and chairs, reaching a little alcove, tucked away in the back. There, sitting in a comfortable, overstuffed chair, nursing a cup of some kind of mint cocoa, is Sable Dove, overlord of the darkest parts of a person's desires, master of the things you just can't admit in polite company.

[Bellyaches Method]

Holy crap do you know how long it took me to read this whole story? It's pretty good. :3 Can't wait for more!

[aj]

And here I was already to rant about people bumping the thread for no real reason. XD
===
So... interesting. Sable seems... villain-ish. Mafia-style almost. Or at least one of those people who have some sort of power or control.

Would he have a white cat?

[avwolf]

Would he have a white cat?

If he did, he'd melt it and watch it go down the drain. The inspiration for V and Sable's characters draws from The Spirit. I'm trying to keep the tone from changing (The Spirit has a much lighter tone than Sin City, which is a significant inspiration for the work as a whole), which makes writing this part a little more difficult.

[Silver Seren]

Would he have a white cat?

If he did, he'd melt it and watch it go down the drain.

The poor, poor kitty. It was so incredibly cute too. Gah!

Heh, it's funny that you would make Sable that villain though.

[Verilidaine]

*curls up on the floor giggling madly*

I almost didn't check this thread, thinking that it was just going to be more people spamming it and bumping. So, so glad I did.

Okay, you. When I'm not already running late for work I will come back and give you a more proper response.

[Silver Seren]

Av, I think you've thrown Veri off the deep end.

[Schrodinger]

Av, I think you've thrown Veri off the deep end.

He he he it's to be expected.

[JediGuy]

Av, I think you've thrown Veri off the deep end.

Pfft, Veri's been of the deep end for loooong while now

Great chapter, Av. I personally don't mind the relatively-short length of the chapter (Okay, well, kinda, because it's awesome), and really enjoyed the development of Veri's character. Hell, you even did a great job wit Sable for the few sentences that he's mentioned. I kind of see him ike a person who's "I'm not a 'bad' guy, but I'm certainly not a good one." (if that makes sense, heh)

[Schrodinger]

I kind of see him ike a person who's "I'm not a 'bad' guy, but I'm certainly not a good one." (if that makes sense, heh)

I too would like to see that.