Somnium Liberi

Eebbie · Subject: Re: Somnium Liberi Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:59 pm

"Yeah, I would, but since I don't think I'll be in your acquaintance any time soon, I'll refrain." He smiled toothily, chuckling at her dumbfounded visage. Clearly, she was unaccustomed to people of his caliber. "Look, toots. I just saved your life from some psycho-maniac drunk. And what do I get? Chided for being impolite." He clicked his tongue, "I ain't the only one who needs a lesson in manners."

"Why... Who in the world are you!?" She demanded irately. What a frustrated, callow—

"My name is Johnny." He grinned again.

"He's lying." Kiden murmured in her head, "I don't like him. Now, go. Home!"

MoyashiSizexX · Subject: Re: Somnium Liberi Sat Sep 19, 2009 3:59 pm

"Fine, be that way then. Good Bye." Feeling immature she stuck her tongue out at him before having herself led out of the alleyways by an irritated Kiden. Rita felt betrayed by the Child, he could've prevented the whole thing and everything would've turned out just fine. Tomorrow she could've woke up and done anything in the world she wanted, only to be annoyed again by Gregory. Who would be alive and well.

As Rita sprinted out to the streets everything started to come back to her. Each tiny shop had a name, and every corner had it's place again. Even the small park on the corner was something nice to see. It set her on a new level of safety just to be standing at the very spot she was. Reluctantly she turned in the direction of 'home'. Off in the distance she could just see the gates of the estate. It was there that she would stay, and live very quietly, slipping out when it got to hectic.

She started the dreadful walk, guilt building with each step. When she was close enough to the gates to make out each individual curve of the black metal is when she stopped. Rita inhaled deeply, exhaling the same shaky breath. She flattened her hair and brushed off her skirt. Nothing had happened, just tell yourself that over and over and soon you'll believe it. One more full breath before she got a normal walking pace going.

Rita discovered she hardly had the strength to push the gate just a little bit forward. She turned and pushed with all her might. The gate didn't open soundlessly, scratching against the cement drive before it budged just enough for her to slide in. So much for going in unnoticed.

"Your father's home, I sense his child inside." Kiden said before going silent again. Did that mean it was just him? Rita felt like maybe someone was looking out for her, letting her safety be spared by her loving father. As long as he didn't bring up the subject of Gregory or marriage, she was safe for days. Whoever that person was that made sure she could bare to live another moment, she thanked, before literally flying up the drive, her feet hardly touched the ground as she ran. Inside her chest her heart was beating faster and faster. Preparing herself to be the innocent Rita everyone remembered her as.

"Father--" Rita turned on the handle of the door and shoved it in with her shoulder before stumbling into a small scene. "Is something wrong, father?"

Two people occupied the space in front of her, blocking the view of the spacious living room. If she'd have come in any further it would've meant toppling over them. 'They' happened to be an older man and woman, whose faces looked to composed to be naturally calm. If that was even possible. They were both rather well put together, a full out suit for the man and an expensive looking dress. It looked like one of the designs her mother had shown her weeks earlier, said it would be the next big thing with it's light flow and curve around the body. The one man turned to say "It's nothing. Do tell me, how has Gregory been dear?"

Without skipping a beat, she stared directly into the man's eyes and answered with an honest voice. No time to practice the deceit she'd lay on everyone. "Last time I saw him was in the garden, he proposed again. I would say he's been good, but rejection is not a friendly thing you know. I do wish he would stop doing that to himself..." It was too fast, and there was still a hint of falsehood. Dammit.

"I see, well, it was nice seeing you Richard, tell Annie I said hello! Excuse me..." He gently pushed past Rita to exit through the front door she'd been blocking. As soon as they were gone Rita tackled her father in a huge embrace. Playing the charade the excited self she should be.

"Welcome back father, you're here early! How was business?" Behind Rita's mask of giddiness was the side she couldn't hide from her father. That side of her was the one that saw Gregory be murdered in the shadows. Why was he back so soon?

Eebbie · Subject: Re: Somnium Liberi Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:25 pm

Erik chewed his lip as he dragged the corpse out to the city limits. He could slip by the gate keeper and in to the forest with out a problem. But still, he hesitated. This had always been his problem with dumping bodies.
One would drag a corpse— a body that used to breathe, and feel emotion— out in the wilderness, and leave it there to decay. No burial. No tombstone. Just wilderness. In some twisted, horrific aspect, Erik prayed one of these days he'd slip up. That he'd be the one killed and left for the maggots. But his reflexes were too honed; violent reaction was simply habitual.
He sighed, and dragged Gregory away from the gates, over to a hole in the wall hidden behind a bush. Perhaps a bit too ostentatious of an exit, sure, but it got the job done. He struggled to get the body through the hole, but eventually, he found himself dragging the battered corpse through a small brush and to a river that flowed parallel to the city. He hauled Gregory in to his arms, murmured a brief prayer, and dumped the body in the water. It drifted slowly, slowly until it was gone.

"You back in the biz now, eh, Erik?"

Erik immediately turned. His ex-boss stared him back in the eye. Shark Malone was a big guy; no one took him for granted. An ex-cop turned bad was what Shark was. A dark-skinned, boorish guy with an attitude to match. Over the years, hard, powerful muscle had been replaced with fat accumulated from all the fine dining and exquisite food. The man was the king of the underground, and he was the closest thing Erik had ever had to a real father.

"I got carried away Shark. That's all." Erik responded, checking behind the large, darkly suited man before him. He was alone.

"What'd he do? Try to mug yah?" Shark chuckled as he came to stand on Erik's left. That was Shark for you always needed a right hand man. Too bad Erik wasn't up for the part.

"He tried raping an annoying brat." Erik muttered, "I wouldn't have cared, but Dee got worried."

"Dee? Ah, that's right. She's that cousin of yours." Shark nodded, "Cute little thing, if I remember right."

"Yeah, you remembered right." Erik confirmed, "You remember what you promised me Shark? You'd never touch her."

"Yeah," Shark grimaced, "I remember. Yah also promised you'd be with me until I died. But, lucky for you, I'm a man of my word." Shark looked out thoughtfully over the riverbed, "She'll never know. I respect you enough to know it's important."

Ah, that was what he loved about Shark. He was the King of Mobsters and Gangs, but he had honor. He had a heart, and he understood how things worked. That's what made him the best kind— of the worst sort.

"Shark, I didn't want it to end like that. I would've stayed, even if my father had died, but you should've sent someone else. Why me?" Erik turned to face the hulking man, unintimidated by his large physique. He'd gotten over any form of fear he had of Shark long ago.

"I thought you'd want vengeance. A chance to dish it out tah him." He shrugged, "I was wrong." He shoved a meaty hand in to his pocket and fished out a cigar. Hanging it on his lips, he searched his person for a lighter.

Erik pulled out two dark, stone knives and crashed their blades together. A few small sparks flew out and landed on the head of his cigar, and it began to smolder, "I hate my father. But like you always say, Blood never crosses blood."

He chuckled and inhaled deeply from the cigar, lavishing in the short silence, "Bunch of bullshit that was." He chuckled as though he had thought of something humorous. Erik glowered when he continued, "But I suppose I did. Now you're under constant follow." He sighed, "Life's one hellova bitch sometimes, Kid."

"You said it. Nico kicked me off StarnCo. today. Somehow, I managed to live." Erik said bluntly. Shark looked at him in surprise.

"Dumbshit... Never told him tah kill yah." Shark hissed beneath his breath, "Sorry about him. Nico never was as good ova right hand as yah were. Yah were like my son, Erik, yah know that? Never met a kid quite like yah." Shark shook his head slowly.

Erik stared at Shark's profile. A familiar scar stood out against his murky dark skin. His cigar still hung loosely from his mouth, the tip burning away slowly. His beady black eyes focused on something on the other side of the river. Black hair slicked back; a few tresses looked lighter, grayer than Erik had recalled. He turned back and tried to see whatever it was Shark saw, but couldn't. In all that man's years of good eating and bossing people around, he'd never lost the ability he'd possessed from when he was young; the man could just sense things. He knew when there was a threat or when someone lied. He just always knew.

"Then get him off my back; it's getting kind of annoying." Erik said, shrugging as he lowered down to sit on the bank.

"You got to live for something, Erik." Shark said abruptly, pulling his cigar away from his mouth. His voice was grave sounding, and almost sad, "If you ain't coming back to me, find something to latch on to. You're a guy who was meant for something Erik. Something bigger than petty assassinations and running away from your enemies. You were meant to do something amazing. I'll be damned if you don't do it." Shark grunted, looking down at him.

"Then what? What do I do, Shark? You know all the gossip. You know everything. I don't. I don't have the key to the world, or the city. Shit, I can hardly make enough to keep the key to my apartment. If there was something I was meant for, you point me to it. Because sure as hell, I can't think of it." Erik growled back. Shark always used to mutter about how Erik would've been damn better at being a cop. Shark's best quality was also his worst. He had a damn sense of justice he just couldn't shake. Somehow, he still managed to rule the underground.

"I kill because I can't change who I am. But there are people in this world who shouldn't live, and I'm making sure they don't get another chance. I'll come up soon; all my karma's bound to hit me up soon. But this is what I feel I was meant to do." Shark nodded slowly and replaced the cigar on his lips, "Now you gotta find your calling, Erik."

"If you wanted justice, why not stay a cop?" Erik looked up at him, angrily. Being a mob boss wasn't what Shark as meant to do if he seriously believed justice was his calling.

"Tried it, son." He sniggered, "Too many restrictions. Too many people saying you can't do this, you can't do that. Being in this world; no matter how bloody it is... It lets me do what I have to, in the way I think it should be done." Shark gazed down at him, "That's why I do it."

"Then me?" Erik said, "I don't fit assassination. I'm no hotel tycoon. I'm not some politician like my dad. I'm nothing this place has to offer! What do I do then?" He stumbled as he stood, angrily streaking his cheeks red.

"Erik."

Dafyette sounded out for the first time. Immediately, a feeling of calm spread through him. Normally, he would reject the feeling, but right now, he allowed it to swallow him up. He drank in the peace and tranquility she provided.

"Don't know what to tell you, son." Shark shook his head, "Wish I could." he paused, "What about your Dream Child? Mine pointed me in the direction of justice. I had never thought about it before he'd brought it up, but it was true. Try asking your Child." Shark waited expectantly.

"You're a weird man, Shark Malone. The only man who ever gave me sensible advice." Erik sighed and shook his head. He placed a hand on Shark's shoulder and squeezed it, "But you know I never bought in to the Children. Bunch of bullcrap if you ask me."

"Ah, that predetermined destiny always had you wigged out." Shark laughed, "I remember well, my boy." Shark clapped a beefy hand on Erik's shoulder to return his gesture. "Here," He fished something in a small leather pouch out of his pocket, and handed it to Erik, "Maybe this will be a good start to your new life. You don't deserve my help, but I like yah too much tah keep it from yah."
Erik took the small pouch, but didn't open it.

Turning, Shark smiled, "See yah in the next life, kid." And with that, vanished in to the trees.

Erik stared after him. The man had always been a little off center. A step ahead, but a step behind. Shark had always fascinated Erik, but he could never pinpoint quite what it was. Maybe it was simply too many qualities the man possessed. Maybe it was just Erik.
He swiveled and looked back at the water. A small trout swam by quickly.

He looked down at his palm, to the small pouch. He slowly pulled the strings on it, and dumped it's contents in to his palm. There lay a small locket and a note. The note was addressed "Maggie Balmer".

His mother's real name.

MoyashiSizexX · Subject: Re: Somnium Liberi Sun Sep 20, 2009 12:03 am

Rita's father was one who held a high head. Being the head of a major bank chain does that to you. Most people thought of him to be short and fat, always waddling around. He was actually a very lean man who stood tall over most of his clients, with a head of gray curls. Everyone thought of Richard as a good guy.

"Why am I so early? Everyone else is just late, very late." He chuckled, a deep throaty laugh. He peered directly into Rita's eyes and smiled. "You didn't miss me too much now did you?"

He leaned over just enough to land a kiss on Rita's forehead, and ruffle his daughters hair. Rita always assumed that his own Dream Child was one of pure joy, but still wanted to succeed no matter what. She wondered how that all worked out in the end. Not that it ever bothered her, in fact, she loved what her father had become. Be it his Child made him that way or not.

"Only as much as last time, and maybe the time before." Rita pulled up her fingers to start counting, teasing Richard now with every count.

He combed a hand through his curls, he knew how much Rita wished he could be home more. Whenever he was here she felt like a whole again, without her father it was like a big chunk of her personality had hidden itself deep away. He would probably only be home for a few days before leaving again, and Rita would be left with the empty feeling that always accompanied her father's absence.

"So how is my little Rita, your mother didn't give you too much trouble I hope? You haven't tried to escape or anything." A perplexed look on his face caused his furry brows to fold even closer together. Making one line across his face. It was only once before that she slipped out of the house, no one ever let it go.

"She's getting better, you could say." Don't ask about Gregory, please oh please just leave him out. She picked up the sides of her dress and swished them back and forth. "She made this while you were away, I do think I may just love it."

"Good, well it's getting late. Off to bed you go." He kissed her one more time before sliding her away. Closing the conversation just like that.

"Night, tell me all about your trip tomorrow when you're awake." Rita waved her hand before opening the door to her room. The first thing that greeted her was her now made plush bed, just waiting for her to dive on top and sink into the ocean of puff. Which she did anyways before groaning into the down comforter.

She dozed off slowly, no need to change out of her clothes or wrap herself up in sheets.