The Bleak Streets of Twokinds: A Twokinds Forum Noir Story

[Windwaker]

Man, I just watch Av's sig nowadays.

It took me a while, but I finally figured out what it's for.

[TinyVoices]

People need to stop bumping, or there's going to be some serious bonking goin on.

[Insomniac]

Word in the [BLEEP] board is that Av managed to get a few more paragraphs written on his recent trip to St. Louis. Not sure what that means about when the next update can be expected, but there ya go. As for the hopegasm this bump may cause some, I simply say...Youmad, bro?

[Sable Dove]

iMad

[Insomniac]

iMad

*kisses* Love you too, Dovey.

[alex3192]

this may be a necro, but I hope it isn't, I really like this story, but I'm curiose as to the events that this story is about. (the actual events...)


oh, and not to troll or anything, because I'm as excited about this story as the rest, but... trolololo

[Schrodinger]

It's actually very hard to write a narrative about a immutable thing like a forum.

[DariusL]

I just discovered this story and read it all, and this is a true masterpiece. I just can't stop thinking about L.A. Noire while reading it.
Now I just want moar!

[avwolf]

Well, it's been almost exactly a year... If that isn't terribly depressing, I don't know what is. Oh, and Schro, you probably wanted "mutable."

---

"A Kansas City Shuffle?" Windwaker inquires, puffing slightly as he jogs to catch up with my sudden burst of speed.

"Yeah, like Goodkat said: 'Everybody looks right, you go left.' Sable getting shot at was just to draw me away from Lupe, and keep me away." I start scanning the street for a vehicle. On a thoroughfare this major I should even be able to hail a cab. "We have to get back to Wynni's as soon as possible."

"So you think there's going to be trouble?"

"Double-dubya, I'm sure there's already been trouble." I manage to wave my way into a cabbie's attention, and Windwaker and I clamber into the back of the yellow conveyance.

"Where to, bub?"

"Get us to Wynni's diner."


The cab drops us off in front of Wynni's place, and it's clear that my streak of never being wrong is apparently holding: there has to be trouble happening. A big mess of people are milling around on the street around the diner, and enough of a crowd is crammed inside rubbernecking to make it really obvious where the action was. I've joked before that I only have an "outside" voice, which is inconvenient for whispering secrets, but being able to project volume comes in handy in situations like this.

"Hey! Clear the way!" I put on my best mod voice and open a pathway through overapplication of decibels. I spare a thought for Windwaker, who's so tight on my coattails he and my heels ought to get a hotel room, but I'm much more concerned about what's going on. Wynni would never allow trouble in her diner. I push the door open, shoving my way through more forumites. I see Wynni first. The jukebox's cheerful melody is a striking counterpoint to the angry mother tiger, a rolling chuff issuing from her throat; the sort of noise that frightens people without them being able to actually hear it, like the rumbling of an orange-striped feline volcano. I could almost see my reflection in her fangs, bared and bright. She has the Spoon leveled across the diner's bartop. Loquacious is in my grip almost unconsciously. My muscles go tense, like the strings of a cello, all set to play a funeral dirge. I shoulder my way through to the front of the crowd. I'm not sure if it's the loaded handgun or the fact I look ready to use it at the slightest provocation, but everybody seems to be quite ready to politely get out of my way. I finally get a good look at Wynni's opponent and groan.

"Hey, Wynni," I choke out, "How are things going here?"

"Avvie, darlin'," the tigress returns in greeting, "Just about to learn a troublemaker about respectful behaviors."

"About that..." I turn to the man across the shotgun barrels from Wynni, sliding my iron back safely in its holster. "Gabriel, did you come in here waving your enormous gun around, instead of politely asking Wynni to check on Lupe? 'Cause this reaction of hers is exactly why I asked her to look after him."

"Er..." The enormous man actually looked sheepish for a moment, before baring fangs in a confident grin, "I was concerned Mr. Lupe would be in danger, and a Creoshan doesn't take their responsibilities lightly."

I sigh through my teeth. Trust my luck to end up with a couple trigger-happy, overly protective folks trying to watch over the same man by pointing their overpowered firearms at each other. I set my hands lightly on the barrels of each weapon. If either of them chose to fire, it'd be a mess. The Spoon's a twelve gauge shotgun, and would rip me and half the crowd some fine new internal scars at this range. Gabriel had to be carrying a .750 Nitro Express or something else that'd ordinarily qualify as anti-materiel, and whatever it shot would probably just go through the wall and kill Lupe right out if he fired. Lupe and anyone else standing in a line a block-and-a-half long. "Look, we're all friends here, this was just a...misunderstanding. Please, cats, put the gats down." Both of them give me a suspicious glance, not quite willing to let everything slide yet. I put my authority behind my words. I'm not really Ranked higher than Wynni, but she'd understand the strength behind what I said, even if she didn't need to follow it. "Please. Down." Gabriel nods to himself.

"Certainly, Avwolf," the newbie acquiesces and relaxes the two-foot-long heater.

"Alright, Avvie, if this boy was really sent by you..." Wynni allows the Spoon to point in a safe direction and lets out a deep breath, no longer growling like a furry Bagger 288. She looks back up at Gabriel. "And you, youngster, should learn some better manners. Some folks don't consider it right friendly to have a hooligan waving a gun around. If it happens again, I may have to take a switch to your backside." Gabriel blushes. I can't really blame him; I wouldn't want Wynni irritated with me either.

"Thank you. Thank you both. Now, can either of you tell me how Lupe's doing? I don't think he's out of the line of fire yet." Now they both look bashful. Something tells me that isn't a good sign.

"I had not had a chance to check on the man before being stopped," Gabriel finally volunteers, "A Creoshan does not fail in their duties, but I would like to claim extenuating circumstances."

"Wynni? When was the last time you saw him?" I ask.

"Mmm," she ponders a moment, "It's probably been since early this morning. I was about to check on him again when...Gabe?...came in and we let ourselves get a mite carried away." I bite my lip. I don't need to say anything here, I'd just make the situation worse, and we'd just been in "worse."

I stick with the simple: "Let's go check on him now, then." We head toward the back of the diner, the crowd finally starting to disperse now that there isn't the spectacle of impending violence to hold their attention. Wynni knocks politely on the door leading to the room she has Lupe holed up in.

"Lupe, darlin'? You mind if we come in?" There's no answer to her call. We give it another try before just opening the door. No wonder Lupe didn't answer: he wasn't there. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I settle for swearing quietly. Wynni gives me a dirty look for the profanity, but doesn't chastise me. Apparently she agrees.

I take a quick stock of the little backroom, sparsely furnished, but homey enough to be comfortable. Lupe's no where to be seen, and there's nowhere to hide in this little room. But there's an open window. And a note on the bed. I can't imagine it has good news.

[DariusL]

An update!
I like Gabriel's cameo, it really fits him.

[aj]

I shall let schro find a "awww yeah updates" macro.

But that's me right about now. Welcome back (?) to writing Av?

[TinyVoices]

Well, it's been almost exactly a year...

I don't feel bad about taking 3 months to write my last chapter anymore.

Gerg! Can't wait til the next update! But do your things, first. I know that my chapter updates are about to become uncertain as well.


Now, what would the forum do without ya, though? Defused a situation with just a few calm words.

[JediGuy]

Y'know, I googled what the hell "Creosha," was. First thing that popped up was him, no lie.

Still, I like the loud, boisterous (if a little filled-with-hot-air) type you've got settled on Gabe here. Couldn't pick a better one for a dude who has more guns on his profile than some small countries do in their armies.

[Ravenous222]

For whatever reason I had not read any of this story ever haha. I had some free time on my hands and decided to check it out. You got me hooked good sir I didn't know you made a story this good with the fellow forumites as characters, it's very well done!

[Insomniac]

*lets out a long held breath of anticipation in an explosion of air* WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good to see an update at long last, baby! Keep up the outstanding work Avvie!