This is part of my contribution to DS's "Sound of Bells" storyline. I thought it better to post it here, rather then in his thread as its my work. He's read it and given his OK. I would have had this out earlier, but my connection has gone wonky.
Preparations
Word had been spread out through the various channels that RedThorns was hunting certain items and that any who 'procured' those items would be rewarded. As normal the closer to the due date, the greater the posted reward was, but conversely the greater the risk that someone else would come along and claim the reward. There was whispers that if one was discrete enough, and managed to get the particular item that RedThorns wanted without alerting anyone else, and deliver it at the right time, the reward would include a Favor.
And it was a known fact that having a RedThorns bestow his Favor on someone was something rather special. He never forgot a Favor, and he always followed through with them. And Favors, as such knew little bounds.
Thus it was that with several weeks to go, you could find several parties quietly scouring both Paragon City and Rouge Isles for the items that RedThorns had requested.
Currently about midway down the list of requested items were as follows:
- Sakura Wood
- Arachnos IDs
- A dozen blood red roses.
- A sword
- A fiery glove.
In a "disused and apparently abandoned" warehouse a bunch of thugs quietly stripped some KoA of their weapons after a short but brutal "aggressive negotiation" on the virtues of continual breathing. A supply cabinet elsewhere was likewise being raided by some opportunistic individuals.
In a prize-winning garden in St. Martial, after careful selection, thirteen roses were carefully plucked and dipped in ... coloring... provided by the gardener before being put into careful storage.
In Grandville, NightMarshall, one of RedThorns known seconds, was pretending to be a building support, watching the traffic from under an awning when a shadow detached from the building across the way and made its way over to him.
The shadow flicked three IDs out like playing cards, which NightMarshall took and made a show of holding each up to a "light", as if checking diamonds, to check how good they were. In reality he was examining them with his "metal-sense" and reading the details off them. They were valid Arachnos IDs, Current and running the latest set of codes, and would probably suit RedThorns' needs. Mentally he shrugged, it would have to do. Holding them all in his right hand at once he passed them around his back, into his left hand and then brought them back out to the front. Now there were six IDs in his hand. Behind his visor he grinned as the shadow that was Sable Kat did a slight double take. It was one of his various 'party tricks' that he had down pat. They didn't call him the Fixer for nothing.
He pocketed a set and then looked at the set remaining in his hand... /Just there... flip that bit and nudge that one.../ and smiled widely. /Perfect./ He handed them back to the shadow, and muttered, "You did good Kat. Now put them back where you found them. Without getting caught, and then I might let the Boss know."
Sable hiss something rather rude under her breath and then vanished up the wall. NightMarshall chuckled. There were times when being a Villain was so much *FUN*, it should be criminal.
-----
One Week Later
-----
Victor contemplated the box sitting to one side of his study carefully. It was a masterpiece. Solid polished Sakura wood, with various flower and petal motifs and an ancient script engraved at key locations. It was solid in that it not craftboard and then simply veneered; but rather whole pieces of wood joined together using a Master's touch. It was truly something special, particular considering its size, that of about a man's forearm in each direction.
Red Fortunata flashed into the room, hovering in mid-air. Behind her, there hung a bundle of draped in cloths.
"Do you have it?" he asked.
"I do." She smiled, bringing the bundle forward. The cloth fell away, and Victor gasped. It was exactly what he needed. Putting his hand under it, he levitated it above his hand and spun it around.
"They are like little sapphires..." he whispered watching the light play and catch over its surface. "Does it have..."
"Yes it does."
"Perfect." Victor smiled. With a few small hand gestures, he floated it over to the box and installed it into it and almost reverentially closed the lid. Another few gestures and the rest of the gift assembled itself, items floating as if on invisible hands and paper folding to razor-sharp creases.
After a few minutes they both stood back and considered the goods sitting on the table before them.
"Still missing a little something..." mused Victor, stroking his chin.
"A lock?"
"The lock." Victor turned to the blades lined up against the far wall of his study. There was blades of all sorts of shapes and sizes and ages, some even still with "discoloration" on them. Collecting blades and relics was as much a hobby as gardening was one of his hobbies. Casting his experienced eye over the blades, he pointed to one in particular. It seemed to call to him in particular.
"That one." Julia nodded smiling at his choice. Fate would smile on the selection. She had seen it.
A brief exertion of mental will later and the blade was placed just so and the gift was complete - perfect. The entire assembly was then lifted up and placed into a slightly larger box and wrapped. NightMarshal got called in and Red Fortuanta told him what scanners would be pointed at it and he whipped up confounders that made the contents of the box look harmless.
Finally it was ready.
Preparations
Word had been spread out through the various channels that RedThorns was hunting certain items and that any who 'procured' those items would be rewarded. As normal the closer to the due date, the greater the posted reward was, but conversely the greater the risk that someone else would come along and claim the reward. There was whispers that if one was discrete enough, and managed to get the particular item that RedThorns wanted without alerting anyone else, and deliver it at the right time, the reward would include a Favor.
And it was a known fact that having a RedThorns bestow his Favor on someone was something rather special. He never forgot a Favor, and he always followed through with them. And Favors, as such knew little bounds.
Thus it was that with several weeks to go, you could find several parties quietly scouring both Paragon City and Rouge Isles for the items that RedThorns had requested.
Currently about midway down the list of requested items were as follows:
- Sakura Wood
- Arachnos IDs
- A dozen blood red roses.
- A sword
- A fiery glove.
In a "disused and apparently abandoned" warehouse a bunch of thugs quietly stripped some KoA of their weapons after a short but brutal "aggressive negotiation" on the virtues of continual breathing. A supply cabinet elsewhere was likewise being raided by some opportunistic individuals.
In a prize-winning garden in St. Martial, after careful selection, thirteen roses were carefully plucked and dipped in ... coloring... provided by the gardener before being put into careful storage.
In Grandville, NightMarshall, one of RedThorns known seconds, was pretending to be a building support, watching the traffic from under an awning when a shadow detached from the building across the way and made its way over to him.
The shadow flicked three IDs out like playing cards, which NightMarshall took and made a show of holding each up to a "light", as if checking diamonds, to check how good they were. In reality he was examining them with his "metal-sense" and reading the details off them. They were valid Arachnos IDs, Current and running the latest set of codes, and would probably suit RedThorns' needs. Mentally he shrugged, it would have to do. Holding them all in his right hand at once he passed them around his back, into his left hand and then brought them back out to the front. Now there were six IDs in his hand. Behind his visor he grinned as the shadow that was Sable Kat did a slight double take. It was one of his various 'party tricks' that he had down pat. They didn't call him the Fixer for nothing.
He pocketed a set and then looked at the set remaining in his hand... /Just there... flip that bit and nudge that one.../ and smiled widely. /Perfect./ He handed them back to the shadow, and muttered, "You did good Kat. Now put them back where you found them. Without getting caught, and then I might let the Boss know."
Sable hiss something rather rude under her breath and then vanished up the wall. NightMarshall chuckled. There were times when being a Villain was so much *FUN*, it should be criminal.
-----
One Week Later
-----
Victor contemplated the box sitting to one side of his study carefully. It was a masterpiece. Solid polished Sakura wood, with various flower and petal motifs and an ancient script engraved at key locations. It was solid in that it not craftboard and then simply veneered; but rather whole pieces of wood joined together using a Master's touch. It was truly something special, particular considering its size, that of about a man's forearm in each direction.
Red Fortunata flashed into the room, hovering in mid-air. Behind her, there hung a bundle of draped in cloths.
"Do you have it?" he asked.
"I do." She smiled, bringing the bundle forward. The cloth fell away, and Victor gasped. It was exactly what he needed. Putting his hand under it, he levitated it above his hand and spun it around.
"They are like little sapphires..." he whispered watching the light play and catch over its surface. "Does it have..."
"Yes it does."
"Perfect." Victor smiled. With a few small hand gestures, he floated it over to the box and installed it into it and almost reverentially closed the lid. Another few gestures and the rest of the gift assembled itself, items floating as if on invisible hands and paper folding to razor-sharp creases.
After a few minutes they both stood back and considered the goods sitting on the table before them.
"Still missing a little something..." mused Victor, stroking his chin.
"A lock?"
"The lock." Victor turned to the blades lined up against the far wall of his study. There was blades of all sorts of shapes and sizes and ages, some even still with "discoloration" on them. Collecting blades and relics was as much a hobby as gardening was one of his hobbies. Casting his experienced eye over the blades, he pointed to one in particular. It seemed to call to him in particular.
"That one." Julia nodded smiling at his choice. Fate would smile on the selection. She had seen it.
A brief exertion of mental will later and the blade was placed just so and the gift was complete - perfect. The entire assembly was then lifted up and placed into a slightly larger box and wrapped. NightMarshal got called in and Red Fortuanta told him what scanners would be pointed at it and he whipped up confounders that made the contents of the box look harmless.
Finally it was ready.