Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

 

Family
[Turning Point]
CW: Violence
Perspective: Opera

 

Your group shuffles out of the work room, anticipation in your body keeping you more than awake.

Now's the time.

Bucket: Good morning-

Geezer: We gotta talk.

Bucket:.. I figured as much.

Bucket: Go ahead.

Geezer: Gonna be honest, nobody’s liking how this ship is run.

Geezer: Doesn’t feel right letting you make the calls when everyone else has more personal stake at hand.

Bucket: That’s why I’ve been selected as the lead for this, having some distance. Whether I agree it’s the best route to take or not… I’m unsure.

Bucket: But under the current circumstances, I will not move.

Geezer: I’m not giving you the option.

Geezer: Opera?

Opera: Mutiny.

Bucket looks down at the cat and frowns.

Bucket: I don’t think you want this-

Opera: No, I really fucking do actually.

Bucket:... And you’re announcing this directly. I see…

Bucket: I don’t follow-

Geezer: I’m formally challenging you to a duel, keep it civil.

Bucket: Why should I accept this?

Geezer: Because if you don’t, it’s about to be ugly. Standard procedure, Opera is my second. You’re allowed to invite anyone as your own. Freestyle, the usual rules regarding duels out of dispute apply-

Bucket: I’m aware, I’ve looked into them while here considering how important they are to the culture of Plaza.

Bucket: But you’re ignoring my main point.

Bucket: What bargaining chips do you have?

Bucket: I can simply say no.

Geezer: Cause it’s going to get less than civil otherwise.

Bucket: A threat?

Geezer: A warning, for legal reasons.

Bucket: Mm..

Bucket: I’d rather not if I’m honest, but..

Bucket: I’ll stand my ground and entertain this. I pick Bern. Any location in mind?

Geezer: The beach is right outside. 

Bucket: Fair enough..

Bucket: This is acceptable.

They start toward the exit, grabbing their large sword resting close to the entrance.

The noise it makes gives everyone else in the room a certain ick immediately.

Manzana: You sure you really want to do this?

Geezer: Gotta. Don’t stand my ground now, it’s on me if things go wrong later.

Geezer: We gotta stick to out plan though. Can’t let it get out of hand.

Opera: Just checking in but.. You really got a plan to deal with them?

Geezer: Yeah.

Opera: I don’t want you hurt for nothing, if you want I can lead.

Geezer: Best this way. I got the information game on my side. You gotta play second so you can get a good read on the situation-

Bern steps out from the other room.

There’s a certain look of guilt on her face.

Bern: Right here you know.

Bern: Least you can do is let me head out before you start scheming.

Geezer: Ah..

Bern: Just wanna say ahead that like..

Bern: Whatever happens next..

Bern: I’m just doing a job.

Opera: You don’t gotta-

Bern: For your sake? Yeah I do.

Bern: I…

She lets out a strong sigh of frustration.

Bern: Just. Good luck, alright?

Bern: I’m not going to give less than my best. You shouldn’t either.

Opera: I… yeah. Okay.

Bern closes the door on her way out as she heads over to coordinate with Bucket.

Opera: That felt weird, right?

Opera: Like..

Fenton: Yeah no it really did.

Fenton: I’m down if you are but…

Geezer: Already committed to this, I’m not backing down.

Opera: Yeah, same.

Fenton: Sounded like a warning to me.

Manzana: It is.

Manzana: If we pull through with this, we’re going to have to fight my…

Manzana: Ali. There’s no getting around that.

Geezer: If you’re worried, I’m not going to let you get dragged in.

Manzana: You’re not going to-

Geezer: Not if we don’t have to. With someone like her? We get in and book it. If we gotta cut our losses and dump it all in the ocean, we’ll do it.

Manzana; I was worried you were going to fight her for a sec…

Geezer: If I gotta, I gotta. But don’t believe in trading lives like that if we can avoid it.

Geezer: Everyone lives.

Fenton: Yeah.. would like that this time.

Geezer: Got a few tips on where it’s being stored. Might not have to wait til the auction if we’re lucky.

Opera: You really found something?

Geezer: Yeah. Can’t be putting all our eggs in one basket, you know that.

Geezer: We’ll prep for every possibility.

Geezer starts toward the door. You give Paige a little pat on the head before following behind.

Opera: Ready to go?

Geezer: Yeah. Mind’s warmed up, don’t wanna waste that.

Fenton: I’m on first aid, try to keep it to a minimum.

Geezer: Plan to.

Fenton: Opera?

Opera: Won’t be the one needing it but… prep enough for all four.

Manzana: What about me?

Geezer: Save your energy, you’ll have your time.

Manzana: Mm..

Despite the foggy skies, the light feels intense in your eyes.

Your group heads straight toward the beach, the shape of your opposition in the distance growing more clear as you approach them.

Bucket: Had a bit of a huddle I imagine.

Geezer: Little bit of a pep talk’s never hurt anyone. You’ll live.

Bucket: Mm.

Bucket: You’ve taken good care of my mother in recent years I imagine..

Geezer: Least I could do for her. Know she misses you every day.

The dog’s face seems to struggle there.

You keep your hand in your cloak, watching the two intensely.

Bucket: You know I can’t return, not yet..

Geezer: You can make time. Gonna tell it to you straight though.

Geezer: You don’t drop by more, someone’s gonna drag you back.

Bucket: Who, you?

Geezer: Nah. Someone who cares even more. Someone you owe an apology.

Any cool the dog has maintained, any sense of divine dignity starts to show its cracks.

Their assistant slides into the conversation before it goes too far.

Bern: Look, love wrestling as much as anyone else but…

Bern: Let’s get this going, yeah?

Bucket: Mm… in positions?

Geezer: Aye.

Everyone clears the main battlefield, keeping enough distance to avoid getting caught up in the scrap.

You stay close enough just to make out the action.

Fenton: Bad weather for something like this, no?

Opera: You roll with the punches.

Fenton: You’re a marksman though, seems like a problem.

Manzana: It’s magic in nature, that’s the point.

Manzana: Bucket’s a illusionist, hard to get a clear read for anyone except for them.

Fenton: Hardly sounds fair…

Manzana: Yeah..

Opera: I’ll make it work.

The rabbit gives a gesture.

Geezer: Seconds, countdown!

Opera: Three!

Bern: Two!

Opera: One!

Bern: Go!

You witness Geezer walk up patiently through the thickening fog, it swallowing him more and more before-

You hear the sound of clashing metal, denting and folding as large sweeping swings of a blade tear the mist before…

The fog dissipates. The sword in a pathetic state flying off and crashing into the shifting shoreline..

The rabbit taking the dog to the ground and giving them the pummeling of a lifetime.

You look over and Manzana, eyes in genuine awe and fear.

Opera: What’s going on? That a trick or-

Manzana: No it’s…

Manzana: The illusion’s gone…

The dog continues to struggle and flail as Geezer continues to flail away, only managing to escape the cloud of sand and bruises by the skin of their teeth.

Snares and knots of silky wire only unbound though being torn apart by incredible amounts of effort and brute force,

As Bucket scrambles to their feet clumsily, Geezer continues to pace toward them. They shift their gaze over to Bern who seems to be having a hard time watching, before looking back at the rabbit.

There was a feral intensity you'd only seen back in that void. A reminder of a fiendish anger you always hope you never have to see again.

Bucket: She prepared you to kill me..?

Geezer:  Nah, I’m after bigger game.

Geezer: Get up.