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The Mustache and The Beard



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Wed Sep 12, 2018 2:21 am
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soundofmind says...



The woman looked to Amy with an expression of disappointment. "See? That's about what we expected from him. We wanted to let him go, but it sounds like he'll only be trouble for us if we do."

Amy bit her lip again, looking over at Ari through the side of her eye. Did he really want her to take the deal? He wanted her to be safe, but he also wanted James safe, which she understood. But that made it complicated if she'd ever want to see him again... if he was going to make that difficult, then would she be losing them? She had only just met them. Was this going to be her goodbye?

She looked back down at the floor. She knew Ari had to save James. They were close friends, and of course, she wouldn't object to that. But now she didn't quite know what to do with herself.

-<>-


Bella scoffed. "Daughter of one, actually."

-<>-


"So killing's off the table, but maiming is alright, right?" Hoss asked, looking back at Rita.

Rita looked up from her bed at Hoss with a distasteful look of disgust but didn't object. "You're one screwed up man, Hoss."

Hoss only grinned, returning his gaze to James.

"Save it for when you take him though, will ya?" Rita groaned. "Hell, he's in my room, I don't need you making a bloody mess."

"We could always move-"

"Oh my gods, shut it, you big fat lubber! I'm going to sleep! Just make sure he doesn't escape while I do!" she demanded, flopping back onto her bed of many pillows.
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 3:53 am
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Featherstone says...



Go for it. Please take it please take it pleasepleaseplease, Ari thought, trying to convey that with his pleading gaze. They could get her out if she wasn't dead, but right now, it was too difficult.

--<>--


"Yeah, well, f*** it."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:13 am
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soundofmind says...



Amy let out a nervous, shaky sigh.

"Okay I'll stay," she said quietly. "I'll stay."

The woman and the man exchanged glances, and the woman walked up to Amy with a surprisingly gentle look on her face as she began to untie the ropes.

"I'm glad that's your choice. You'll be safe here," she said with a smile, loosening the ropes around Amy's waist. Amy let out another sigh. This time because she could just... breathe better without them around her. It didn't take long for her wrists and ankles to become free and she sat in the chair, feeling a little clueless about what to do next.

"You hungry?" the man asked.

Amy looked awkwardly over at Ari. "...I guess."

The man got up, offering a hand to lead her. She took it hesitantly as he began to lead her out of the room. "We'll go get you fed. We should still have something warm," he could be heard saying as they left and the door closed behind them.

And then it was just the woman and Ari staring at each other. The woman who soon became named.

"I'm Ramona," she said stiffly. "And we really don't want to hurt you. You could have it nice with us. See your girlfriend Amy still. All that."

-<>-


Bella rolled her eyes. "You're still determined to kill her, then? Geez, woman. I'm not even keen on werewolves but I know a person when I see one."

-<>-


James was uncomfortable for a long list of reasons, but one of them being that he had resorted to curling up in a ball in the center of the cage in efforts to be as far from Hoss's reach as possible. He didn't trust Hoss to keep his word as Rita dozed off and he didn't look forward to whatever taunts Hoss had in store. But most of all he had no idea how to break free from the iron cage. He didn't know where Rita kept the key, but if he had to guess, it was somewhere on her. Probably in a place that would not be polite to reach for if she ever did get close enough. And he had a feeling that negotiating was out of the cards for him. He never had been able to convince her to do something she didn't want to do if she'd set her mind to it, and especially now with their basis of trust pulled out from under them, he knew if she never listened to Liam, she wouldn't listen to James. Or Tiberius. Or whatever they wanted to call him.

He hugged his knees tighter, trying desperately to come up with some feasible plan, but if they never let him free of the cage and transported him like this all the way to the kingdom, he didn't think he would ever get free. Not unless he was able to lure a merciful soul his way, and that was solely luck based. Not than any of his escape successes had been anything more than luck anyway, but it was too big of an uncertainty to bet on.

He did consider... if he saw Bella. If she came to see him. She might let him go while the others weren't looking.

That being a very hard maybe.

So all he could do was hope Ari was somewhere, somehow figuring out a way to get to him. Because he had nothing.
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:30 am
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Featherstone says...



"It ain't nothin' 'gainst ya, but James is me friend 'n I'd give me life fer him, 'n him fer me," Ari says.

--<>--


"A monster's a monster."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:42 am
soundofmind says...



Ramona let out a sigh, plopping her chin into her hands.

"I thought you were gonna say that. I mean, I would've said that maybe a month or two ago, until that whole Diamond heist went south. He was one bad move away from getting on Rita's bad side, so, I mean, thanks to you, this happened."

-<>-


Bella looked down at Tasha with a condemning glare. "You're really why everyone things monster hunters are the vultures of the earth then, huh?"
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:50 am
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Featherstone says...



He looked down, genuinely guilty. "I didn' mean t', I just ain't seen 'im 'n I got overexcited 'n all, 'n I just fergot t'at people lied a bunch, ya know?"

--<>--


"Oh, yes, that's just great, coming from a thief."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:01 am
soundofmind says...



Ramona looked up at Ari with a pout. "You do realize we're gonna have to keep you tied up here for like a day or two right? At least, until Hoss is far enough away with James. 'Cause Rita really wants that payday."

-<>-


Bella looked down at Tasha with a rueful smile. "Oh, and who would you accept criticism from out here in the outlands? We're all scum. Don't act like you're above it. I'm just one step about you. At least I don't terrorize teenagers."
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:04 am
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Featherstone says...



"She can try all she wants, she ain't gettin' nothin'!"

-<>-


"I kill monsters to protect people," she retorts. "They're all the same despite age."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:16 am
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soundofmind says...



Ramona pursed her lips and sighed through her nose. "See, you say that, but you're still stuck here so... where's the lie?"

-<>-


Bella scoffed, leaning back in chair. "Forgive me if I think differntly," she began, voice dripping in sarcasm. "But I'm pretty sure a wolf who can talk and think like a human, and shift into a human form as well, is a person. Not a monster."
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:18 am
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Featherstone says...



"Don' underestimate me," he growled.

-<>-


"I'm pretty sure the minute they start killing that changes and all of them do at one time or another."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:25 am
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soundofmind says...



Ramona looked up, a little surprised that Ari had it in him to be intimidating. Even in their drunken fight he'd somehow been... clownish, at least to her. Though that could've been the alcohol that was in her system.

"That's why we tied you up so tight," she said. "And why I'm here to watch you. Don't underestimate me either."

-<>-


Bella raised her brows and smacked her lips, a wry laugh escaping her. "I'm sure they haven't killed as many as you have of them."
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:27 am
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Featherstone says...



He could only hope Amy could find some way to get him out, because for all his strength, he couldn't break chain. He glared a her with a fierce gaze, mouth set in a determined line.

-<>-

"Then you haven't met many monsters."
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:40 am
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soundofmind says...



Ramona returned his glare with a bored gaze.

"So uh... you like Amy, huh? Have a thing for wolves or something?"

-<>-


"Oh, and you have?" Bella asked doubtfully. "Please, do tell. I'm itching to hear a real story for once. Lia-Tiberius was always making sh*t up anyway apparently..." she looked down at the ground bitterly, mumbling the last part.

-<>-


Amy downed the soup at inhuman speed as the guy watched her from across the table. She told herself she'd take longer so she had more time to think up a plan, but the more the thought, the more all she could think to do was go back into the room when they passed it, chomp down on the ropes, and muscle their way out of there. As she plopped the bowl back down on the table, having treated it like a cup, she licked her lips.

"I promise... not all werewolves eat this sloppily," she assured him. "I just uh - I have terrible manners."

The guy smirked. "No worries."

Amy couldn't meet his eyes. "U-uh, yeah. Okay."

"Do you... feel more comfortable in your wolf form? Is that a thing?" he asked.

Amy had to keep from frowning. She really hoped he wasn't going to ask her to shift just for entertainment. "It depends, really."

"On mood?" he continued to pry.

"No just uh. Depends," she answered vaguely, looking down into her bowl, wishing she hadn't eaten so fast.
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.






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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:43 am
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Featherstone says...



He shrugs. "I didn't know she was a wolf or nothin' but she's super sweet 'n real loyal 'n brave 'n Uri loves her!"

--<>--

"None of your business," she answered curtly.
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


he/him/his





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:52 am
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soundofmind says...



Ramona shrugs as well, nodding. "Mm, fair, fair," she mumbled. "Uri's the big cat right? He's cute. Or she? Is it a she?"

-<>-


Bella rolled her eyes, letting out a disgruntled sigh. Tasha was absolutely useless for conversation.

"Well then god, at least ask me something then. Silence is gonna drive me nuts."
Pants are an illusion. And so is death.









Remember: no stress allowed. Have fun, and learn from your fellow writers - that's what storybooks are all about.
— Wolfical