| .......... |
.......... C A S T |
.............................. Don |
.............................. Frank |
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After: --
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Tags: #frank #donovan #square #bandito
Frank 20-Mar-21 04:10 PM
Theodore Morgan 'Frank' Brown took his shenanigans right down Lightning Street. While it wasn't the safest place to be a Bandito, if any faction got pissy at him, it was easy enough to call him the other side's problem. No one could really tell how long he'd been 'back', but that was the nature of his vibe. Wearing a combination of olive green and dusty rose, the gangly man glided silently along the middle of the road, balanced on one rollerblade with the other out in front of him balanced on his back wheel.
He paused to—gasp! Deface a Mr Vendy, bending down to affix a few Sailormoon stickers to the glass display. He had his earbuds in, the faintest hum from the back of his throat, and a cased fiddle across his back.
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 04:37 PM
Lightning street was a good central point to observe the city from, at least before dipping into the districts. Donovan's battered, depressed looking SCPD car trundled slowly down from the direction of the grey district. The older man stared tiredly ahead as he sipped at the black coffee in his hand and then almost choked on it when he saw-!
WHOOP WHOOP!
He sounded the preliminary siren from the vehicle and sped up on his way over. What was this guy doing to the Mr. Vendy? Graffiti no doubt! - Oh. He slowed down by the Vendy and narrowed his eyes at Frank before leaning out of his window to stare at the- oh... just stickers? well that wasn't a crime was it?
He sighed and sagged back, almost disappointed "What are you doin' out here? Lookin' to piss people off huh?" he grumbled and stared at the stickers. "What the hell is that?" he jabbed a finger towards the Sailormoon stickers he could just about see, grimacing at them. Now wasn't Don just a ray of sunshine today? yikes.
Frank 20-Mar-21 05:00 PM
After carefully selecting and sticking a Sailormoon emoji sticker to the glass, he straightened up and considered a selection. First scanning the top row of free foods, and then checking his pockets for loose cred to see if he couldn't afford anything a little nicer. Drat.
"Holy mother've Jesus." The bandito whirled around on his wheels at the initial flash of the sirens, blinking wide eyed. Working vehicles were a Sight, these days, and he almost bolted before realizing it hadn't been dolled up in anything colourful—not Mafia, not UG, still the original SCPD 'look'.
He pushed his hat back as the copper approached. Flashing a big ol' grin, he tried to think of how to address the man (an actual 'cop'? Or was he just nuts). "Just decorating, errr off'cer." Well, that was about two steps up from the derogatory terms he could have expected. He followed that point to the offensive little sticker. "Stickers, b'y." He leaned down a bit to peer in through Don's window properly, pulling his glasses down to eye the interior and whistle low. "Not seen one o' dese dat wan't in da scrapyard." (edited)
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 05:10 PM
"Hmm. Can't take you in for stickers, but y' oughta take those off." he grumbled but then noticed Frank getting too close. He squinted and took a suspicious, slow sip of his coffee before setting it down in the cup holder. He leaned back "I'm goin' to have to ask you to back off 'kid'" but then the guy had the audacity to reach out and touch the frame and it were as if a flame had been lit under the squares ass.
He quickly slapped the back of that hand "Don't you touch her! I just cleaned 'er!" he snapped, apparently very protective of his baby. "And you'd better keep those ugly stickers to y'self" now he was paranoid the guy was going to try to 'decorate' the love of his life.
"She's a sole survivor" the 'officer' began more proudly "N' I keep her in tip top shape."
Frank 20-Mar-21 05:27 PM
Frank looked aghast, looking between the good officer and the defaced Mr Vendy. "Y'can't do dat, dey'd rip, off'cr." He mimed the motion with his hands and a quiet 'chhh' sound-effect. He'd ruin his stickers!
Frank didn't know how to keep his hands to himself in this instance, touching the car to see if it was real or some construct—"Ow!" The bandito recoiled, rolling away a foot or two on his skates to rub the back of his slapped hand with a pout. "Well, dere aint no fun in dat if y'don't decorate 'er a little, y'getme?" At least the beanpole stopped short of threatening his beloved vehicle with a sticker outright, instead muttering a, "t'was only lookin', b'y..."
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 05:42 PM
Don grunted and rolled his eyes at the mimed display and waved a hand dismissively "Then use hot water and a cloth" he looked at the poor machine again and shook his head. Even a Vendy didn't deserve that as far as he was concerned. "She isn't for decorating." he said more firmly, though the obvious concern leaked heavily from him. It wouldn't be the first time someone had helped him 'decorate' his girl. There were old marks on her from where he'd had to spend all day getting graffiti off the paintwork more than several times in his life.
"Looking is fine, touching not so much, I-"
His stomach growled loudly and interrupted his train of thought, loudly enough for Frank and maybe everyone within a two mile radius to hear (ok maybe not that bad). His cheeks flared up red and his eyes widened in mortified embarrassment before he cleared his throat. Coffee wasn't breakfast, ok body you win.
He huffed and stepped out the vehicle with the keys in his hands, leaving the door open as he headed over to the poor defaced Vendy to stand with his hands on his hips looking down at it. Hm. He fished around for his wallet and pulled it out to fish around only to grumble and frown before sighing and putting the wallet back away.
"You can sit behind the wheel if you promise not to put a sticker on 'er kid." he said with a nod towards the vehicle. Maybe it was to distract from the fact he was repeatedly pressing the order button for Vendy bars instead. Five of the suckers ought to keep him going until dinner right? ugh.
Frank 20-Mar-21 05:59 PM
With a single finger, Frank reached up to tip his hat back far on his head, all the more room to show off his brilliant smile. "Don't carry dat kinda stoff around. 'Sides, dat dere aint gonna last long, one o' dem bots'll get it eventually." Excuses excuses excuses. But he was more distracted by Harken's Sweet Ride.
Up until his stomach started making threats.
The bandito's eyebrows shot up over the rim of his sunglasses, staring in that awkward silence that spread between them before Don tried to recover from it. Frank rolled back to give him room to exit, trying to bridge that embarrassment with a physical wave of his hand. So, he forgot breakfast. Happened to—"Wot! Really!?" There was a very good chance this was a ploy to kidnap him. Being invited into a stranger's vehicle. A 'police officer'. "Tanks, b'yo!" You didn't have to ask him twice. He rolled forward to climb through the open door, clunkclunkclunking in with his heavy rollerblades. He whistled cheerily from the seat, and Don better believe he'd touch all of the buttons.
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 06:09 PM
Don wheeled about with a horrified yell, hands sinking into his hair before he thrust his arms forwards. Golden, umbral arms made of light shot forward from his own to grab Frank by the ankles and hold him still "The damn rollerblades kid! WATCH them! Blast it!" he carefully eased those feet into the vehicle manually if Frank hadn't automatically panicked upon being grabbed and then the ghostly arms would disappear.
The officer quickly moved back over to nervously examine the paintwork underneath the doorframe and grumbled as he headed back to the vendy to grab his bars with a moody huff "Goddamn ..." he unwrapped one of the bars and bit into it without emotion. Rumor had it that he liked the damn things but he didn't exactly look excited about it either.
"You've never driven one huh?" he asked, though he didn't sound surprised for obvious reasons. He'd return to lean against the open door and lean in now and then to point at the buttons "That one turns on m' music" he chuckled "That's for the fans... that indicates left or right... bah move over i'll show you." he waved a hand towards the passenger seat "And don't knock over my damn coffee with those rollerblades of yours."
Frank 20-Mar-21 06:46 PM
Frank started and stared at him with big eyes, all the more hilarious on a late-20s hit-your-head-on-every-doorframe beanpole of a man. He grabbed onto the seat behind him, teetering awkwardly with his feet suspended in the halo that Don had projected. "Swank!" He managed not to flail and kick something, and Harken lowered his Prized Blades into the seat of the car. "Must be a Riot at parties, eh?" It was hard to tell if that was sarcasm.
"Moved a couple o' dese way back when, just fer parts, y'see, 'aven't 'ad a go at too many still 'Operational'." He leaned in as Don started poking at buttons, nodding his head agreeably and adding in little 'I see's. Until Don waved him off, and he clumsily tried to climb from driver to passenger—very narrowly missing his seated coffee with a clunky wheel. These things weren't built for Cars.
"What den's yer deal, b'y? Patrol lookin' fer innocent folk t'slap ah—t'slap—" what was it "tickets on?" He sagged down low in his seat, knees up to his chin, but thankfully avoided doing anything distasteful like putting his blades up on the dash.
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 07:04 PM
"Can't say I get invited to a whole lot of parties here" he rolled his eyes, he knew it was a quip but his job wasn't to be 'fun' it was to enforce the 'law' that ...mostly seemed to exist within his own mind these days.
Don nervously watched him go over that coffee before sinking down into the drivers seat, slipping the keys casually into the ignition before taking another bite of his bar of compressed depression. "Did I give you a ticket, feller?" he looked over at Frank "No, so no I'm not out to bother innocent folk... not one of you out here is very innocent though are you?" he snorted and turned the keys, forcing the vehicle to struggle to life.
"What's your name anyway, son?" he asked as he turned the radio on, quietly playing some electro swing tunes for background noise. For now he didn't move anywhere, just leaned against his open window and ate his 'breakfast', he idly went over the functions of the vehicle to see if there was anything Frank wasn't familiar with from the few times he'd moved vehicles for parts. He flicked on the ticking indicators, the hazard lights, the main lights, the windscreen wipers, the fans, smiling subtly as he talked through them.
Frank 20-Mar-21 07:36 PM
Frank looked him over with a crooked grin. "Can't say I'd be da one invitin' yer to too many, eider." A pause, looking almost, almost sheepish. "No offense." But to be fair, Roller Banditos didn't get 'invited' to parties. They crashed them. "Fine, I getchya. Guess I'm in da clear, den, eh?" The vehicle started up with a noise, and Frank leaned forward as if he could see through the hood from here. He was in a giant, rolling death-trap. Sure, he'd ridden the trams but this was a different sort of rolling deathtrap.
He at least kept any comments regarding vendybars to himself (although he had many comments), feeling around for a button for the window so he could lean an arm out the passenger side. "Frank." Frank? Well, he did look a little like the notorious Funk Mafia boss. If he'd managed to get the window rolled down, the hanging arm would tap along to the tunes. Electro swing? He could dig. Appropriately ooing and aahing at the features of the vehicle. "Y'keep dis just for nostalgia?"
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 07:55 PM
Don snorted and looked away "I usually turn up anyway." much like the banditos, Don had been known to crash parties for entirely different reasons on a few occasions. He tapped his foot idly as he enjoyed one of his favorite tunes, 'catatonic', at least it seemed to make the second vendy bar go down more easily thanks to being a welcome distraction. "Hm?" he looked up. Frank huh? he eyed the younger man with sudden interest for a long moment and then shook his head. Coincidence, right?
"Nostalgia? no-" he puffed up a little indignantly before soothing himself, it was fine...kid just didn't know better. He took a long drink of coffee to gather himself and then shook his head "No. This is a work vehicle. For law enforcement." there was a reason Don was a bit of a laughing stock.
Degu 20-Mar-21 07:55 PM
Catatonic - Riff Kitten
Frank 20-Mar-21 08:10 PM
Frank snorted loudly, fingers still tapping along to the music. "Careful, yer soundin' like a regular bandito dere!" He picked up on that sentiment immediately. Harken would have to be careful, or he might get unintentionally rebranded! Don's scrutiny effortlessly rolled off the young man's shoulders; he was too busy adjusting his sunglasses.
"Y'gots sohm good tunes goin' dere, dough." Chin jutted towards the radio, followed by a subtle wobble—he couldn't help but nod along, even if he stopped to blow an amused puff at Don's explanation.
" 'Law enforcement'. Right. Good luck wit' dat."
Donovan P. Harken 20-Mar-21 08:15 PM
"You wish."
Wouldn't be the first time someone directly or indirectly propositioned him to join a faction, it'd happened enough over the last 35 years. The compliment to his music brought a rare smile to Don's lips, his face looking younger in that moment as he looked up and nodded "Thank you."
The good luck wish made him sour again though and look away "Hmph." a pause "could always become an officer if y' ever wanted to do something good, kid" he smirked and nudged Frank "Heaven knows SCPD has enough openings right now huh?" at least he tried to joke about it.
He wasn't exactly holding out any hope for Frank to agree though so he moved on quickly enough "You want to go for a drive in this thing?" he gently revved the engine with a press of his foot.
Frank 20-Mar-21 09:13 PM
Frank at least didn't quite have that kind of authority. The Banditos were a banishment. "Same's me fadder." Of course. The Daddliest music.
He fiddled with the window button, a quick up-down-up-down as Don nudged him. "PFFAH hah, yeah RIGHT, b'y. Dat'd go over well, eh? Social outcast, dot's whot would 'appen." Said The Roller Bandito. But then again, if you got outcasted by the outcasts, what then? But he was taking the joke in good humour, laughing and even shoving him back with an elbow.
"Wot!" The bandito sat up. "Where to, pops?" Arm was slung back out that window, ready to Live it Up and wave to familiar faces as they slow-drove by.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 03:49 AM
Donovan chuckled along. Social outcast was right "Sometimes the right road isn't the easy one, sonny." he said warmly despite the hard truth bringing him down. His life was a lonely one but in his mind it was the only right course of action.
Something Frank said to him came back though and he stared a little harder at him "Your pa, huh?...he a Bandito too?" he didn't want to ask directly the question swimming around in his head but maybe Frank would pick up on what he was wondering.
He seemed to take some pride in the way Frank seemed excited to ride in his car at least, and for whatever reason, today he was being uncharacteristically sociable. "Where do you want to go?" he asked as he put his seatbelt on. He stared at Frank for a moment before huffing "Belt or we're not going anywhere."
He'd wait patiently like a true grumpy gramps before finally driving them off down Lightning Street, one arm resting on the window frame, one hand on the wheel. "Apologies in advance if work calls, might have to dump you out" Aka. If he saw the expected daily dose of crime happening and had to get involved. (edited)
Frank 21-Mar-21 09:21 AM
"Sonny!" He'd been using 'b'y' and 'pops', he shouldn't be offended. Frank flitted a shifty side-eye at Don's question, and seemed to get what he was poking at, lips slowly pulling upwards in another toothy grin. "Aint nobody you know, b'y, y' can count on it." The city was only so large, so that seemed hard to believe, unless he was dead.
"Whaaa—" holding onto his hat, he hung his head out the window, peering around and trying to plan a destination. "Careful, might takes ya into the 'eart of banditos," he was all big talk, while... Dutifully putting his seatbelt on. "Dere's th' ware'ouses up nort', just inta Purple y'can hit." He pointed in the direction. 'Warehouses' was always a safe bet for finding Banditos, unfortunately. Twisting around to hang out the window further, he laughed. "Eh? Yer 'Chief' gonna calls ya?"
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 09:31 AM
"I find that hard to believe... been here since day one. You might be surprised..." maybe he did know him if the guy was old enough to have had a kid here, but he respected Frank's unwillingness to dive any further into it and moved on politely. "I go everywhere" he insisted when Frank said he might end up in the heart of Bandito territory, that wasn't apparently something that'd scare him away.
"Though, I'd prefer not to head into the heart of anything unless it's necessary." he drove the two of them, following Frank's instructions, seeming a bit more lax heading into purple at least. He soured a little at the mention of a 'chief' and shot a look towards Frank, grumbling deeply "You want ta get out kid?" he huffed but didn't stop. He rolled up towards the warehouses just inside purple and quirked a brow out the window.
"This where you're hanging out at the minute huh?"
Frank 21-Mar-21 11:23 AM
Frank was a cryptic little shit, and it showed as his smile got a bit wider. "Trust me." He didn't even have a relationship with him—not really. It was... Complicated. "I'll bet. Real shit-stirrer, y'sure y'aren't a bandito?" He was going to get thrown out. The dirty look Don shot him at 'chief' confirmed it. "Aright aright, I getchya." Frank raised both hands, palms out, a show of innocence.
"Ay. Aint bad, 'alf dose buildings gots power still, just gots'ta know 'ow te jury-rig, yeah?" He leaned far out of the window, removing his hat and waving it as if to grab someone's attention. The warehouses all looked empty and abandoned, but suffice there was probably a bandito or two hiding out. Nobody answered. He sat back down.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 11:52 AM
Don huffed "M' not a shit stirrer, son. I'm a man of the law." why was that so hard for these folks to understand? damn it! The ones born here had no idea what a real police force was like and it frustrated him to no end sometimes, they all just thought he was a damn loon.
Maybe he was.
He looked out the window when Frank tried to wave anyone down, squinting at the shadows and shady windows before humming "None of your buddies around? ...ah...what the hell... hands inside the ride" he said and looked at Frank, it might not have been worrying in itself until he accelerated alarmingly into the parking lot and flicked on his sirens. Poor Frank wouldn't get a chance to acclimatize as Don grinned and spun them around the car park, doing a few donuts loudly.
The sirens were deafening and after a moment he skidded to a stop and flicked them off with a wild glimmer in his eyes and a less wild grin. Okay maybe he was slightly unhinged.
Frank 21-Mar-21 12:49 PM
"Uh-huh, you was a twerp once, I'm sures of it, b'y." He pointed daringly. Don was a kid once. He probably got up to all sorts of trouble! Frank eyed the buildings, maybe seeing something Don wasn't, or maybe hiding his disappointed when no hooligans jumped out to accost them. "What? Why?" He didn't get time to figure it out before getting thrown backwards into his seat.
"WHOAH." The man was gangly, all arms and legs, but he was grinning ear to ear as they made circles. "Holy mudder'a...!" This guy was off his rocker. Frank thought it was hilarious.
That did bring some attention to them (though when it came to banditos, they'd likely been watching from the start), a few kids in green gliding out on blades. "Hey, gramps!" Harken had brought this on himself—a bunch of teens and twenty-somethings rolling up to Touch His Baby.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 12:58 PM
"Yeah, maybe I was but I was an officer at your age" he had grinned.
But then donuts happened and Donovan beamed, happy to have brought a grin to the 'kids' face at least... but then a small swarm of banditos approached and he tensed slightly. He wasn't a fearful man but they were approaching his baby. "Uh, hey" he offered a stiff smile and turned down his music slowly with one hand. Pulling the keys from the ignition he sighed deeply, trying to soothe himself.
Sure...they could touch the car, sure sure sure SURE sure.... just no stickers. He'd watch for stickers and paint and clumsy goddamn rollerblades. Opening the door he stepped out the car and leaned against the vehicle, slipping his cigarette packet out of his pocket (it was probably a mistake around these young adults but he wasn't thinking about that). Idly he flicked out a lighter and lit the cigarette hanging from his lips, puffing a couple of times before exhaling towards the sky.
"You all behavin'?" he asked them, knowing the answer already. Of course they weren't, they were Banditos.
Frank 21-Mar-21 02:15 PM
Harken was lucky it wasn't any of the older generation of Banditos. The kids were mostly harmless (when they wanted to be), even if the post-apocalyptic wardrobe (in various shades of green) and intimidating shades implied otherwise. There was a few "Vintage!" and "Wicked"'s thrown from the group. A girl rolled close to test his tires by bumping her blade against it a few times with a whistle, and a "aint this something, gramps!"
"Behaving? Hah, look who you're talking to, old timer," another chimed in, and Frank leaned out his own window to chuckle along. Hilariously, another rolled right up to Don (not reaching his chin, even in blades) with: "Don't you know that's bad for your health?" Followed by several more shouts of agreement from the few banditos that had come close.
For the most part, only about five had poked their heads out (who knew what the Given Population of Bandito was per square kilometre at any given time), and after giving a whistle, two disbanded, leaving three and Frank.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 05:13 PM
Donovan couldn't help it, even though he was nervous about is car being vandalized he still had to smile as a bunch of youngins came over to admire it. It wasn't even out of pride either, the older fellow just seemed happy to see them all enthused about something that wasn't crime. The girl who tested the tires made him tense but he bit back his concern ...just let the kids explore the car a bit, it's fine right? His cigarette nearly fell from his lips when he was called gramps though and he shot a look. I'm not THAT old! goddamn it!
Pops he could handle but- OLD TIMER!? his cheeks went a little red with frustration before he looked away to puff more heavily on his cigarette "You're all bad for my health" he retorted with a soft chuckle and a creased smile.
When most of them disbanded he let out a breath of relief and turned to look at the three that remained, chuckling "What? I suppose you three are expecting a ride as well?" he huffed, it was a joke.
Frank 21-Mar-21 05:37 PM
To a bunch of kids he was! A bunch of barely-twenty-somethings. Frank was the old one, and he'd been polite. "Wat, dey's only lookin' out fer ya. Yout's good fer ya," the curly-haired ray of sunshine retorted from the passenger's side. He idly poked around the inside of his car, the glove compartment, but wasn't really looking to steal anything.
The trio left behind, meanwhile, gaped excitedly at his sarcasm. "Y'mean it, pops?" "COURSE WE DO." The third one was already trying the back handle of the car, while the first bladed around to the other side to try that handle, the second patting the trunk as if he might hop up on it (he didn't, thankfully—a little tricky with blades on). It was at least partly a ploy, as he went to affix a little sombrero-sticker to his bumper instead.
Frank, who had propped his head up on a fist, arm still resting on the window, was chuckling good-naturedly.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 06:02 PM
Donovan had spent years spotting little things and it prepared him at least minorly for kids slapping stickers on his goddamn car. He might have been trying to relax but it wasn't exactly working, he was still watching the new trio rather closely.
He leaned over to check what the suspicious fellow down the back of the car reached out and immediately gasped "Hey!" a golden arm snapped out from his own, bending around the bumper to slap that hand away more roughly "If you want a ride in my car, no damn stickers kid!" he grumbled and eyed the kid with a very dadly stare.
"No stickers, all of you... got it? cmon." he shook his head and slipped into the drivers seat again, cigarette still dangling from his lips.
"Seatbelts on or we're not goin' anywhere." Frank knew the drill by now but these kids didn't. Three of them could cram onto the back seat and Frank could rejoin him in the front.
Frank 21-Mar-21 07:05 PM
When Harken admonished the kid, he recoiled with a shout, rubbing his hand. "Ease off, gramps, it's just a decal." He glared, pouted, and rolled over to join the rest of his compatriots.
Frank was a Respectable Bandito. It probably had something to do with making it to 27 without getting murdered. He leaned back out his side's window, arms dangling. "Ye's all good, duckies, pops 'as dis decorated just hows he likes it already, y'see? Leaves 'im be." He patted the frame of the car. See, decorated JUST to Don's tastes: Bland and grey. A Respectable Square.
The trio of banditos exchanged looks, but seemed to take Frank's authority, piling into the back of the squad care and fumbling around for belts. If Frank was with him, it probably wasn't kidnapping.
"Frank, I picked up a new pack." The kid in the middle fumbled around in her pockets for something, pulling out an unopened pack of cards.
"Wot? Sweet. Give 'er 'ere." The older bandito twisted around to accept the pack, regular old playing cards by the looks of it, and opened it up, shuffling through to remove something—a joker, maybe. The pack went in the pocket of his baggy coat, the single he'd removed was promptly scrawled on with a sharpy materialized from another pocket, and tucked into the breast pocket of the floral button shirt he wore beneath his sweater. With the capped sharpy, he pushed the grim of his hat back on his head, and pocketed that too. "Where to nows, b'y?"
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 07:14 PM
Don gave Frank an appreciative look, followed by a warm smile and a nod. Well...that was nice of him, keep the sticker toting monsters at bay.
He started the car up by turning the key in the ignition again and drove away slowly at first.
"You kids play cards huh?" he asked curiously as he looked over at the pack but he thought very little of it..it was just a pack of cards. The question that followed distracted him anyway "Where do you kids want to go?" he asked with a look back over his shoulder, speeding up to do a couple of donuts in the car park just to make them scream and laugh before he'd take the cruiser out onto the road.
"Probably best if we don't head too deep into Purple, don't want some angry Funksters messing with my girl" he patted the dash lovingly.
Frank 21-Mar-21 07:40 PM
The kid on the far left let out a quiet little snicker at the question, but Frank brushed him off. "'Course. Keeps yer mind sharp and all dat. 'Sides, just fun all a'round. Last deck got knackered, y'see. Y'ever play whist?"
The kids in the back squealed, a mixture of terror and delight and giving them no room for a proper answer to his question. "THAT WAS WICKED."
"Pff, you can probably outrun any purple."
"Fuck no, you seen those mobster? They'll probably scrap this heap."
"UG's not much better. Well, they might keep it. Sides, it'd be hella fun to ruffle the funksters with this."
"We're just a bigger target."
Frank leaned back to watch the argument, chiming in, "Research district?" With a shrug. They looked amongst each other and shrugged. It was boring, but safe.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 07:56 PM
"Ah the Funksters tolerate me on good days... you lot, not so much." he smirked and nodded over his shoulder at the little gaggle of Banditos in the back then got back to the previous question.
"I've played cards plenty aye" On his own... sure, he didn't exactly have a heap of friends and never really had.
"Research district" he agreed "Got a party to attend there anyway." he said with a bit of a smile "Though I can come back down this way and drop you kids off first if you need the lift." he turned back out onto lightning street and headed north for the square district, turning his music back up a little. But hadn't he said he didn't get invited to parties!? a mystery!... and not like the square district was party central anyway.
Empires - The Electric Swing Circus
Frank 21-Mar-21 08:42 PM
"Well, you're easy meat, gramps!" scoffed the third kid in the back. Not smart. But overly-stuffy old folk were easy pickings for most banditos. Frank shot him a little look from the front seat, and the kid piped down.
"Hah, we'll scoop y's up for a game, sometime, b'y. Banditos love cards." That was probably a little more Ominous than intended. 'Party' sounded ominous too, and Frank was just about to raise that point when Don turned up his music again. Two of the kids made faces from the back—suffice to say electro swing wasn't their cup of tea. Ugh, swing. Maybe if it had a little more wubwubwub.
Donovan P. Harken 21-Mar-21 08:47 PM
"Not so easy as you think, kiddos. I could give you all a run for your money, the other factions too" he smirked, unaware that Frank was pulling age-rank to shut them up.
"Yeah? Well, won't say no to a game...long as there's no funny business." of course there'd be funny business. He noticed the sour looks in the mirror and snorted. Well at least Frank seemed to like it well enough.
He rolled up by the old SCPD once they got back to the research district and smiled "Well...this is my stop. You kids want me to take you back to your warehouse?"
Frank 22-Mar-21 05:23 AM
Even Frank's look was a bit incredulous then. Sure, pops. But he kept his thoughts to himself, head still propped up on his fist. The kids in the back used every opportunity to stick their heads out the windows and whistle at passerbyers, either Squares or Roller Banditos. When they approached the SCPD, they got ready to split.
"No thanks, we gotta spot near here." They had a spot near everywhere. Just how banditos rolled. Assuming Don didn't lock them in, they barely waited for his wheels to come to a complete stop before bursting out of the back seats, taking off down streets on their blades.
It just left Frank, sitting casually in the passenger seat. "Yer livin' in dere, pops? Tought dat place wad' abandoned, straight up."
Donovan P. Harken 22-Mar-21 06:04 AM
Don chuckled as the kids burst off our the car and took off, he leaned out the window “you stay out of trouble!” He called after them with amusement, though he knew they undoubtedly wouldn’t.
Then there was just him and Frank. He turned to look at him and smiled more gently “not straight up, been living here since it all... you know” he shrugged “kept it cleaned up best I can but it’s a big building.” A pause and he made a show of checking his battered old watch “well I’ve got somewhere to be, but you’ve been real swell kid... if you ever consider getting on the straight and narrow you know where to find me, Hm?” Ah yes he supposedly had a ‘party’ to get to.
Frank 22-Mar-21 06:00 PM
"In your dreams, gramps!" Yeah, they were probably off to graffiti something. The squares in the area glanced Don's way, but if this was his usual haunt, they probably recognized the car. Although seeing a gaggle of banditos burst out of it was another matter.
Frank nodded, but didn't say anything to it. Afterall, he didn't know what pre-V-Day was like. "Dat dere's a big building. Any udder 'Es See Pee Dee' types about?" He couldn't imagine the banditos... and probably the squares he had to shoo out. "Na b'y. Yes can tink whatchyas want. I already do good." He smiled again, all sunshine.
"What, 're you kickin' me out, ar 's dis yer stop too?" Was he pouting? He was pouting.
Donovan P. Harken 22-Mar-21 08:33 PM
Don figured they were probably going to wreck the place, but as long as it was out of his sight he'd just have to worry about it later.
"Like me? ...heh um... one or two on a loose basis I s'pose. Used to be more but uh.. you know I don't blame 'em either, ain't nothing wrong with expecting a wage n' I can't exactly provide one." not like the government was paying them either, hah!
He sagged a little into his chair but then he smiled a little gently over at Frank "Could do more good." but he left it at that. The pout was a weakness, he felt bad in an instant and huffed "No this- this is my stop, actually."
So the party was..... in the SCPD building???
Frank 23-Mar-21 07:26 PM
"Y'eat or get eaten, tink dat's da sayin'. Not many want ta sit on a lonely mountain." Or... Building. Frank looked a little sympathetic. He wouldn't poke. His pout tugged sideways back into his characteristic smile, adjusting his bring pink shades. "Ay, guess I could." But he wouldn't. Bandito was where he belonged. He brightened.
"Yeah? You gonna shows me da place, b'y?" Frank pushed open the passenger-side door, sticking out one long, gangly, bladed leg to rest a wheel on the pavement.
Donovan P. Harken 23-Mar-21 09:24 PM
Donovan's eyes saddened at the mention of a 'lonely mountain', offering a stiff but sad smile over at Frank without comment before sinking back into the seat. He sighed deeply when the lad asked him for a tour, tensing and looking up at the building for a moment before just letting out a small laugh and hanging his head forwards. Well... at least Frank was showing an interest.. maybe he'd become a cop after all right?
"Alright, sure... cmon kid." he'd step out and wait for Frank to do the same before locking the car.
He'd lead him inside and describe each area. It was relatively clean, though long term efforts to remove graffiti were more than obvious. He showed off the overnight holding cells and then moved on up to the offices on the next floor. He showed each boring room but then one door had his name and title on it on a metal plate. He stared at the closed door and tried to turn Frank away "Anyway you don't want to see my place...that's mostly it."
Frank 24-Mar-21 06:46 PM
Don got metaphorically smacked in the face with a beaming ray of sunshine of a grin. Frank slid out of the passenger side, standing up to his full, gangly height and swinging the car door shut. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rolled around to the other side to follow him, whistling in an Appropriate Level of Bandito Enthusiasm as Harken showed off each room.
He waited about five minutes before trying to pick his pocket without him noticing, gliding along quietly beside him. (20)
Donovan P. Harken 24-Mar-21 08:22 PM
Don was now the wiser as he turned to walk away from his office.
He carried on back the way they’d come and towards the stairs “it’s been nice havin’ ya kid, but I really gotta go now heh... you goin to be okay out there?”
Frank 24-Mar-21 08:31 PM
Frank slowed down to roll a foot or so behind him, popping open his wallet and sliding the Old Maid card into the farthest back pocket he could find, behind all of the other cards. To help hide it, he stuffed several paper creds into the main body as well (likely noting in dismay where all his funds were going). Enough for something a little better than the basic Vendy Bar. And a couple packs of smokes. It was very likely that he'd stolen the credits off someone else, but it was the thought that counted!
"Ahright, I get the hint, b'y." He was laughing as he rolled back up beside Don, moving to shove both hands into the pockets of his coat again; he let the wallet slip from his fingers just as he did so, to land with a very audible slap against the floor directly behind Don. Carried forward by the momentum of his blades, he waited to turn with the detective to investigate the sound. "Looks like y'dropped yer wallet, pops. I's tink I'll be all right." He executed a quick turn, so he could face Don as he continued to roll backwards away from him. "I'll sees ya when I sees ya." With another sunshiny smile, he tipped his hat like some Mafia gentleman and picked up speed to depart.
Donovan P. Harken 25-Mar-21 12:58 AM
Don was utterly unaware of everything going on behind him, his mind was elsewhere now and to be fair he did let his guard down within his 'home'. The wallet was easily removed and fiddled with and he didn't notice at all until he heard it drop. He turned his head and stopped walking "Oh- right- thanks" nothing in there was worth stealing so he hadn't for one moment worried that maybe Frank had taken anything from it. He knelt to pick it up "Are you sure you don't need a lift ho-" he looked back and noticed Frank was...gone.
He sighed and smiled, shaking his head before trying to tuck the wallet away. He paused as it didn't fit so easily into his pocket that time and he noticed it felt a little fatter and heavier than before "huh?" he rumbled and pulled it back out. When he found the credits in there he sank back against the wall and slid down it a little, bringing a hand to his face as his eyes stung with tears. It might have been to hide the card maybe but for all he knew it was the nicest thing anyone had done for him in many years and it was overwhelming...and today of all days. He stifled a stiff, dry sob and turned to head into his office/home where a tattered couch lay in the corner with a pillow and a blanket facing a desk stacked high with papers and documents.
One table, however, today had a pink cupcake on it and a tiny candle sat beside it. Behind it ...a picture of a woman holding a baby wrapped in pink. "Happy birthday, my little bluebird." he said softly with tears streaming now down his tired cheeks. Kneeling in front of the little table he lit the candle and sang softly in a deep gravelly voice that cracked with tears 'We'll meet ag-gain, don't know where, don't know wh-when...but I know we'll meet again s-some sunny day...keep smiling through, j-just like you, always do... till the blue skies drive the d-dark clouds far away...'
[FIN? ;-;]
Moderators: AJ_89 Steven (played by Robo-Craig) QnQ Hide Miyagawa (played by Monoclejack) Chroma (played by lewsey)
