Post by Craven on Dec 17, 2014 19:15:23 GMT -6
Craven: Normally, I spend the days sitting in this car, watching people mill about outside the Pleasure Dome hoping I don’t have to get out and deal with anything. It’s not fun bouncing drunken idiots who tried to grope the talent without paying for it all over hell’s half acre before dropkicking them into the waiting arms of the local police, especially when you have no idea how delusional they’re gonna be or when they’re going to drop references for the Joker that so many have already done and act like it’s new and innovative.
He pauses to glance around the parking lot again before cranking the car up.
Craven: The worst are the ones who have no idea what they’re talking about but keep on going… and going… and going…
He pauses, shaking his head as he checks to make sure the voice recorder is working properly.
Craven: Like this guy the other night who came in and started screaming about how he couldn’t believe people really thought Ryan Leaf was the greatest quarterback of all time. He kept on about how Leaf got all this attention for all these supposedly great things he had done and it was sad and pathetic and gross that people kissed his ass while not celebrating the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or, his personal favorite, Brett Favre. He drove everyone crazy with this shit, just on and on, how could everybody love Ryan Leaf? How DARE they love Ryan Leaf? And he wasn’t trying to be funny or anything…
Shaking his head, Craven puts the car into gear and drives off down the road.
Craven: He kept up about how Ryan Leaf would destroy the team he played for because the poor Chicago Bulls just didn’t see it coming and how, he had personally seen this so many times before, like when Todd Marinovich played all those years with the Atlanta Braves and destroyed them from within or how Tim Tebow had been universally hailed as the greatest quarterback to ever throw a ball for the Montreal Canadiens. On and on, even going so far as to say Manchester United had better hope the Prime Minister of the United States of Belgium didn’t force them to sign Leaf or he’d destroy the greatest rugby league of all time by throwing too many strikes passed all the cricket batters.
He whistles at the level of profundity.
Craven: No matter how much anybody tried to argue with the guy that he wasn’t even in the same sport, the guy would not hear it. He was bound and determined to tell us all how Ryan Leaf was going to destroy our badminton league if we all didn’t follow him to freedom. He’d yell and scream about all these horrible, horrible things he’d seen and all these horrible, horrible things he’d done and how if we just listened to him, we’d be able to make it stop.
He pauses as he makes a turn.
Craven: I just sat there wondering, why are you bothering to argue with the guy? He’s a delusional lunatic, who can’t keep the facts straight, keeps changing them to fit whatever narrative he’s trying to put forward and misses facts and details at every turn. He’s not just wrong, he’s so ludicrously wrong that you have to wonder if he’s missing his medication and the saddest part is the guy is serious. He’s not trying to be funny, he didn’t escape from the asylum up the street, he’s not trying to scam us all out of our money, he’s just…
Craven shrugs, watching the building go by as he drives deeper into the city.
Craven: He’s just that guy. He comes back every week and every week he says the exact same thing and doesn’t understand why fewer and fewer people take him seriously the longer he goes on. He makes friends every so often and then turns on them screaming how they just don’t understand and the saddest part is, you know he used to be good. You’ve seen flashes of clarity every so often and then they vanish back into the ether, like he’s got some form of dementia that clouds everything for him, parts for a second and then swallows back on itself.
Trying not to laugh, he makes another turn.
Craven: And he looks normal! If you saw him, he looks like he’s fine. He even starts out talking relatively normal and then you get that one line that just says, “Oh, here we go again.”
Pulling into his driveway he nods to the recorder.
Craven: Kyle Travis, this is you. Now I know you’re gonna come back and babble some more because it’s what you do. God knows you’re gonna have just enough facts in there to make it sound like you know what you’re talking about so long as all anyone does is hear you as the adults in the old Charlie Brown cartoons, but if anyone tries to pay attention, they’ll notice really quickly, that you have no idea what you’re talking about. You mention things like the system here needs to change even though it already has, or you talk about how my girlfriend still does certain acts even though she’s been unable to do much of anything since September. I think my favorite was asking why Baron didn’t pick me when I’ve only worked for the man for a little over a month. I didn’t have a full-on job with them until Sharpe got hit by a car and even then, it took a bit to figure out exactly what it was going to be. So keep talking Kyle, keep babbling on, boring the hell out of everyone with your inane babblings of erroneous information you’re either too stupid to comprehend or too lazy to bother with actually checking out and realize, we did demand you be in that match, I have wanted a piece of you since it happened and just because nobody made a loud noise about it, doesn’t mean we weren’t there. It just means some of us realize it’s better to bide our time and think things through than to charge in and just hope yelling and screaming will be enough. I love the idea of this match because it means I get to take my time. I get to look you over, find the piece I want and then beat on it until it breaks because I don’t attack people I know won’t hit back. That’s your job and you’ve done admirably well at it if you wanna call attacking helpless announcers and showing yourself to be an old pussy, doing well.
Turning off the car, Craven nods almost sadly.
Craven: So go on, keep talking, Kyle, because there are precious few people who take anything you say seriously anyway and all we’re gonna here is the buzzing of the gnat that I get to swat at Cataclysm.
He turns the recorder off and steps from the car. As he steps into his home, he finds Skylar Hansen busying herself in the kitchen again. Having just come home, he watches her for a minute and then smile happily.
Craven: You really love being in here, don't you?
Skylar smiles as she turns to face him.
Skylar Hansen: I love cooking, what can I say?
Craven: Seem to enjoy having a full house to cook for too.
Skylar Hansen: I just like to see you all happy, and food is a sure fire way to make people happy.
She giggles.
Skylar Hansen: They say a way to a man heart is through his stomach after all.
Craven: And not through his chest with a knife?
She smiles and winks at him.
Skylar Hansen: Only the bad ones.
He cracks a smile, nodding playfully.
Craven: I’ll have to remember that.
Skylar Hansen: Though I'm not cooking dinner tonight, I'm baking cookies for you all.
Craven starts laughing heartily.
Craven: Brittany, Cindy and Rocket are gonna love you for that, I didn’t think you could eat an entire batch of cookies that fast but.. they proved me wrong on the last one!
Skylar Hansen: Which is why, I'm cooking two batches this time, and hiding a batch away, just for us to enjoy later.
Laughing harder, Craven just shakes his head.
Craven: We’re gonna have to make like four and use them as Christmas presents at this rate!
Skylar Hansen: Entirely possible, I could make up little baskets of cookies for everyone or something like that, buggered if I know what to get them otherwise.
Craven nods, biting his lip for a second.
Craven: They won’t be home for another hour, right?
Skylar Hansen: Something like that yeah, In time for these cookies to be coming out of the oven and cooling.
He nods.
Craven: Then I can cheat and give you a present early…
Skylar Hansen: aaww but I haven't got you yours yet... I thought I was the impatient one??
He nods again, stifling a quiet laugh.
Craven: Yeah but, I don’t think I can wait with this one.
Skylar Hansen: Oh really? Why’s that?
Swallowing hard, he sits forward on the chair.
Craven: Because if I wait, I might lose my nerve.
She raises a curious eyebrow at him.
Skylar Hansen: Lose your nerve for what?
He lets out a deep breath and hold up his hand, balled into a fist. He slowly turns it over to reveal a small golden ring.
Craven: I’ve had this for years… honestly never thought I’d really get to use it…
He swallows hard again and stares at the ring in his hand.
Craven: I never gave up but I never really… it was just…
Finally he manages to look up into her eyes.
Craven: I know you told me that Skadi and Ricky were gone forever…
Skylar can't hide the shock from her face.
Skylar Hansen: I did say that and I'll always say that.
He takes another deep breath.
Craven: Skadi…
He lunges from the chair and lands on one knee in front of her.
Craven: Will you marry me?
Tear fill her eyes and she beams.
Skylar Hansen: Yes, Rick, of course I will.
He fires up, takes her into his arms and kisses her passionately.
Craven: I’ve loved you since we were kids, I can’t imagine anything else…
Skylar Hansen: Neither can I, it’s all I ever wanted.
Craven slides the ring onto her finger and kisses her.
Craven: What name are ya gonna wanna use?
Skylar Hansen: Skylar Craven has a nice ring to it But could get confusing when it comes to professional stuff, since Craven is your wrestling name too. What do you think?
He shrugs.
Craven: Well, you’ve been just Skylar before…
Skylar Hansen: That’s true, I have.
She grins.
Skylar Hansen: Here’s to the future Mrs. Craven.
Craven: Our mothers will be thrilled, I'm sure.
Skylar Hansen: Indeed they would be. They'll be asking now when’s the babies coming.
Craven: IF they come... they come... if not, we've got a family right here already.
A few hours later, Craven walks back out to his car and sits down in the driver’s seat. he pops a pill and then turns on the voice recorder again.
Craven: You know that story I was tellin’ earlier about the delusional guy at the bar? Well, there’s these other two guys, they come around a lot too. They’re always together and they know each other so well they can finish each other’s sentences. They follow this girl around like they’re all family or something. It’s almost cute…
He shakes his head and checks his watch.
Craven: I’m always worried that they’re gonna start a fight because somebody says something nasty to the girl because nobody really knows if she’s their sister or if she’s fucking one or both of them. I’m not sure if it matters which just that the guys look like they’re a bit defensive and protective when it comes to her and believe me, I understand the feeling well. When Skylar first got hurt and then ran away from home because of it, I spent years trying to help her, to defend and protect her. She didn’t always let me but now, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
He nods, checks his watch and then pops another pill.
Craven: Likewise, Rocket, Sin, Brittany, they’re my family and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them and some people seem to only take that one way, but not you guys, right Ramiel?
He nods again, counting off the list.
Craven: Ananiel?
He nods a third time, clicking off the final name.
Craven: Sariel?
He leans back against the seat, closes his eyes and lets the pills work their magic.
Craven: Is there anything you wouldn’t do for each other? Is there anything you wouldn’t do for Joshua? For Maiko? For the rest of the Children?
He raises an arm and waves at the recorder.
Craven: And don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean just going out and assaulting people, I do mean anything. Would you give up revenge just to make sure they were ok? Would you take your lumps financially, emotionally, mentally and every other way because you knew to not do so would hurt them? Would you wait til the time was right and base your criteria for that word right on their well being, their health, their wants and needs and not make it all about yourself?
He nods.
Craven: Would you work any job, seeing nothing beneath you and watch them do things you know are bad because you know there’s nothing you can say to change their minds and so they need to do this to learn for themselves and all you can do is clean up the mess afterward?
He sits up and opens his eyes.
Craven: I know you think we owe you some sort of penance, Baron and I, and I know you’re coming for it but believe me when I tell you, we’re not gonna make it easy and we kinda feel the same way about you. You owe us for all the hell you’ve tried to put us through and now judgment day is upon us!
He nods as he cranks up the car.
Craven: Those tables are our crucible and when the night is over, we will see who has been judged worthy and who is found wanting! I’m ready to be weighed and measured… are you?
He pauses, smirks and suddenly starts singing softly.
Craven: There is a house in Sin City
They call the Pleasure Dome
And it's been the root of many a man’s misery
From wherever I may roam…
[/font]
He pauses to glance around the parking lot again before cranking the car up.
Craven: The worst are the ones who have no idea what they’re talking about but keep on going… and going… and going…
He pauses, shaking his head as he checks to make sure the voice recorder is working properly.
Craven: Like this guy the other night who came in and started screaming about how he couldn’t believe people really thought Ryan Leaf was the greatest quarterback of all time. He kept on about how Leaf got all this attention for all these supposedly great things he had done and it was sad and pathetic and gross that people kissed his ass while not celebrating the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or, his personal favorite, Brett Favre. He drove everyone crazy with this shit, just on and on, how could everybody love Ryan Leaf? How DARE they love Ryan Leaf? And he wasn’t trying to be funny or anything…
Shaking his head, Craven puts the car into gear and drives off down the road.
Craven: He kept up about how Ryan Leaf would destroy the team he played for because the poor Chicago Bulls just didn’t see it coming and how, he had personally seen this so many times before, like when Todd Marinovich played all those years with the Atlanta Braves and destroyed them from within or how Tim Tebow had been universally hailed as the greatest quarterback to ever throw a ball for the Montreal Canadiens. On and on, even going so far as to say Manchester United had better hope the Prime Minister of the United States of Belgium didn’t force them to sign Leaf or he’d destroy the greatest rugby league of all time by throwing too many strikes passed all the cricket batters.
He whistles at the level of profundity.
Craven: No matter how much anybody tried to argue with the guy that he wasn’t even in the same sport, the guy would not hear it. He was bound and determined to tell us all how Ryan Leaf was going to destroy our badminton league if we all didn’t follow him to freedom. He’d yell and scream about all these horrible, horrible things he’d seen and all these horrible, horrible things he’d done and how if we just listened to him, we’d be able to make it stop.
He pauses as he makes a turn.
Craven: I just sat there wondering, why are you bothering to argue with the guy? He’s a delusional lunatic, who can’t keep the facts straight, keeps changing them to fit whatever narrative he’s trying to put forward and misses facts and details at every turn. He’s not just wrong, he’s so ludicrously wrong that you have to wonder if he’s missing his medication and the saddest part is the guy is serious. He’s not trying to be funny, he didn’t escape from the asylum up the street, he’s not trying to scam us all out of our money, he’s just…
Craven shrugs, watching the building go by as he drives deeper into the city.
Craven: He’s just that guy. He comes back every week and every week he says the exact same thing and doesn’t understand why fewer and fewer people take him seriously the longer he goes on. He makes friends every so often and then turns on them screaming how they just don’t understand and the saddest part is, you know he used to be good. You’ve seen flashes of clarity every so often and then they vanish back into the ether, like he’s got some form of dementia that clouds everything for him, parts for a second and then swallows back on itself.
Trying not to laugh, he makes another turn.
Craven: And he looks normal! If you saw him, he looks like he’s fine. He even starts out talking relatively normal and then you get that one line that just says, “Oh, here we go again.”
Pulling into his driveway he nods to the recorder.
Craven: Kyle Travis, this is you. Now I know you’re gonna come back and babble some more because it’s what you do. God knows you’re gonna have just enough facts in there to make it sound like you know what you’re talking about so long as all anyone does is hear you as the adults in the old Charlie Brown cartoons, but if anyone tries to pay attention, they’ll notice really quickly, that you have no idea what you’re talking about. You mention things like the system here needs to change even though it already has, or you talk about how my girlfriend still does certain acts even though she’s been unable to do much of anything since September. I think my favorite was asking why Baron didn’t pick me when I’ve only worked for the man for a little over a month. I didn’t have a full-on job with them until Sharpe got hit by a car and even then, it took a bit to figure out exactly what it was going to be. So keep talking Kyle, keep babbling on, boring the hell out of everyone with your inane babblings of erroneous information you’re either too stupid to comprehend or too lazy to bother with actually checking out and realize, we did demand you be in that match, I have wanted a piece of you since it happened and just because nobody made a loud noise about it, doesn’t mean we weren’t there. It just means some of us realize it’s better to bide our time and think things through than to charge in and just hope yelling and screaming will be enough. I love the idea of this match because it means I get to take my time. I get to look you over, find the piece I want and then beat on it until it breaks because I don’t attack people I know won’t hit back. That’s your job and you’ve done admirably well at it if you wanna call attacking helpless announcers and showing yourself to be an old pussy, doing well.
Turning off the car, Craven nods almost sadly.
Craven: So go on, keep talking, Kyle, because there are precious few people who take anything you say seriously anyway and all we’re gonna here is the buzzing of the gnat that I get to swat at Cataclysm.
He turns the recorder off and steps from the car. As he steps into his home, he finds Skylar Hansen busying herself in the kitchen again. Having just come home, he watches her for a minute and then smile happily.
Craven: You really love being in here, don't you?
Skylar smiles as she turns to face him.
Skylar Hansen: I love cooking, what can I say?
Craven: Seem to enjoy having a full house to cook for too.
Skylar Hansen: I just like to see you all happy, and food is a sure fire way to make people happy.
She giggles.
Skylar Hansen: They say a way to a man heart is through his stomach after all.
Craven: And not through his chest with a knife?
She smiles and winks at him.
Skylar Hansen: Only the bad ones.
He cracks a smile, nodding playfully.
Craven: I’ll have to remember that.
Skylar Hansen: Though I'm not cooking dinner tonight, I'm baking cookies for you all.
Craven starts laughing heartily.
Craven: Brittany, Cindy and Rocket are gonna love you for that, I didn’t think you could eat an entire batch of cookies that fast but.. they proved me wrong on the last one!
Skylar Hansen: Which is why, I'm cooking two batches this time, and hiding a batch away, just for us to enjoy later.
Laughing harder, Craven just shakes his head.
Craven: We’re gonna have to make like four and use them as Christmas presents at this rate!
Skylar Hansen: Entirely possible, I could make up little baskets of cookies for everyone or something like that, buggered if I know what to get them otherwise.
Craven nods, biting his lip for a second.
Craven: They won’t be home for another hour, right?
Skylar Hansen: Something like that yeah, In time for these cookies to be coming out of the oven and cooling.
He nods.
Craven: Then I can cheat and give you a present early…
Skylar Hansen: aaww but I haven't got you yours yet... I thought I was the impatient one??
He nods again, stifling a quiet laugh.
Craven: Yeah but, I don’t think I can wait with this one.
Skylar Hansen: Oh really? Why’s that?
Swallowing hard, he sits forward on the chair.
Craven: Because if I wait, I might lose my nerve.
She raises a curious eyebrow at him.
Skylar Hansen: Lose your nerve for what?
He lets out a deep breath and hold up his hand, balled into a fist. He slowly turns it over to reveal a small golden ring.
Craven: I’ve had this for years… honestly never thought I’d really get to use it…
He swallows hard again and stares at the ring in his hand.
Craven: I never gave up but I never really… it was just…
Finally he manages to look up into her eyes.
Craven: I know you told me that Skadi and Ricky were gone forever…
Skylar can't hide the shock from her face.
Skylar Hansen: I did say that and I'll always say that.
He takes another deep breath.
Craven: Skadi…
He lunges from the chair and lands on one knee in front of her.
Craven: Will you marry me?
Tear fill her eyes and she beams.
Skylar Hansen: Yes, Rick, of course I will.
He fires up, takes her into his arms and kisses her passionately.
Craven: I’ve loved you since we were kids, I can’t imagine anything else…
Skylar Hansen: Neither can I, it’s all I ever wanted.
Craven slides the ring onto her finger and kisses her.
Craven: What name are ya gonna wanna use?
Skylar Hansen: Skylar Craven has a nice ring to it But could get confusing when it comes to professional stuff, since Craven is your wrestling name too. What do you think?
He shrugs.
Craven: Well, you’ve been just Skylar before…
Skylar Hansen: That’s true, I have.
She grins.
Skylar Hansen: Here’s to the future Mrs. Craven.
Craven: Our mothers will be thrilled, I'm sure.
Skylar Hansen: Indeed they would be. They'll be asking now when’s the babies coming.
Craven: IF they come... they come... if not, we've got a family right here already.
A few hours later, Craven walks back out to his car and sits down in the driver’s seat. he pops a pill and then turns on the voice recorder again.
Craven: You know that story I was tellin’ earlier about the delusional guy at the bar? Well, there’s these other two guys, they come around a lot too. They’re always together and they know each other so well they can finish each other’s sentences. They follow this girl around like they’re all family or something. It’s almost cute…
He shakes his head and checks his watch.
Craven: I’m always worried that they’re gonna start a fight because somebody says something nasty to the girl because nobody really knows if she’s their sister or if she’s fucking one or both of them. I’m not sure if it matters which just that the guys look like they’re a bit defensive and protective when it comes to her and believe me, I understand the feeling well. When Skylar first got hurt and then ran away from home because of it, I spent years trying to help her, to defend and protect her. She didn’t always let me but now, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
He nods, checks his watch and then pops another pill.
Craven: Likewise, Rocket, Sin, Brittany, they’re my family and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them and some people seem to only take that one way, but not you guys, right Ramiel?
He nods again, counting off the list.
Craven: Ananiel?
He nods a third time, clicking off the final name.
Craven: Sariel?
He leans back against the seat, closes his eyes and lets the pills work their magic.
Craven: Is there anything you wouldn’t do for each other? Is there anything you wouldn’t do for Joshua? For Maiko? For the rest of the Children?
He raises an arm and waves at the recorder.
Craven: And don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean just going out and assaulting people, I do mean anything. Would you give up revenge just to make sure they were ok? Would you take your lumps financially, emotionally, mentally and every other way because you knew to not do so would hurt them? Would you wait til the time was right and base your criteria for that word right on their well being, their health, their wants and needs and not make it all about yourself?
He nods.
Craven: Would you work any job, seeing nothing beneath you and watch them do things you know are bad because you know there’s nothing you can say to change their minds and so they need to do this to learn for themselves and all you can do is clean up the mess afterward?
He sits up and opens his eyes.
Craven: I know you think we owe you some sort of penance, Baron and I, and I know you’re coming for it but believe me when I tell you, we’re not gonna make it easy and we kinda feel the same way about you. You owe us for all the hell you’ve tried to put us through and now judgment day is upon us!
He nods as he cranks up the car.
Craven: Those tables are our crucible and when the night is over, we will see who has been judged worthy and who is found wanting! I’m ready to be weighed and measured… are you?
He pauses, smirks and suddenly starts singing softly.
Craven: There is a house in Sin City
They call the Pleasure Dome
And it's been the root of many a man’s misery
From wherever I may roam…
[/font]
