Bodies drop, hit the floor

[talks_to_nisse]

Who: Kai and Sindre
When: 21 June, late evening
Where: What ought to have been safe turf.
What: Who can keep alliances straight?
Rating: A for At Your Discretion, for language and violence

Comments

[danskannabis]

Holliday had a reputation as a sharp shooter. I knew I could always count on him to keep my back covered, whether against the cowboys or the once law-abiding men turned lucid at the threat of danger. He had an eye for angles and precision I had always dreamed of and never could quite obtain, even in my years of training as a Marshal. He became my right-hand man after Morgan's murder, replacing him and aiding Virgil in my necessary arsenal against the likes of Johnny Ringo and Curly Bill, the cowboy uprising a ruthless affair that still reigns in the eaves of my conscious to this day. The times that Doc saved my ass are scattered amongst the number of stars in the sky, and I'd be damned if I could count them all. I always appreciated him, but never fully until after his passing. A friend of McMaster's recounted a time with Doc that occurred while we were on the ride for Curly Bill. His words stay with me to this day as a vital memory of my friend, a badge of honor in name of his respect, his valor, his courage

[talks_to_nisse]

The first swing of my knife brought the hilt in contact with the closest man's temple, and he went down hard. I didn't get a moment to see what happened to him after, though, 'cause then the rest were on me and I didn't need the sudden stinging in my arm to know that at least one of them was swingin' metal too.

Ain't a one of 'em that could take me, one-on-one, even with the knives. An' as much as I'd rather not kill 'em so as to not make this thing with Thaddius worse, facts were just too many of them to make that a consideration.

So I kept my back to the wall, strikin' at whatever presented itself, trying to turn their numbers and the cramped quarters to my own advantage. They was too close, too eager for blood, and it didn't take much to tangle 'em in each others swingin' limbs.

It wasn't enough, though. If I'da been fresh, maybe, maybe I'da stood a chance. But I wasn't, an' they knew it, and though I did my best I was still taken hits. But damned if I wasn't takin' 'em down with me

[danskannabis]

Oh, like hell.

Shot one fired, singing into the air with a siren's fury. It was a warning I regretted to give, but I'd be damned to see a man out numbered in a fight that was clearly unfair. "Ain't none of you daisies," I barked, a coldness in my voice I had almost forgot it could harbor. "Ain't any'a your mothers teach you to a fair fight? Fuck if this is the slums, you all are goddamn gentleman. You want to fight fucking unfair?"

Shot two fired, screaming into the air with a banshee's howl. Shot three game next, aimed for the leg of the brat on the far left, knicking him in the ankle. Slinging my arm up sharply the hammer clicked, a thunderous noise in an atmosphere that had suddenly run stagnant. The barrel made it's rounds between them all at the level of their roughed up temples, and I felt my teeth clench just as my stomach twisted in disgust.

"I'm your Huckleberry. And this is just my kind of game."

[talks_to_nisse]

Fuck me sideways til I cry.

I'da smacked that upside his idiot head for that stunt, announcin' himself like that. Y'want the best odds on gettin' out alive? Hit quiet, hit fast, and hit simple.

Two things was stoppin' me, though. One was the no few numbera bodies between us, and the other was the fact that the damn fool stunt actually worked. Two scattered at the first shot, and I marked 'em as the only two with any fuckin' sense. Some'a the others hesitated, but when one went down all but a few scattered. Those few tried to pull at downed members, and I respected them for that, even as I sliced at the nearest one to send them running

[danskannabis]

It had been a foolish move, but go figure -- I was full of them. Grade A fuck up indeed. Thankfully though, whether it was the grace of God or my dad smiling down on me all the fuckers started to scatter as the bullets sang and the string bean got the fight back in his sails. He peeled through those stupid enough to stick around with deadly precision, sending them to the ground like rocks into a still pond

[talks_to_nisse]

I'da almost forgotten 'bout the other man--yeah, I know, stupid damn move, add it to today's list. Leastways this way I forgot about someone who was on my side. Or weren't on their side. Either way, less likely to be shooting at me.

But when he started haranguin'--a good word, one of my fences was like a damned dictionary, trying to get me new ones on account of mine gettin' overused--the goons on the ground, I remembered him right quick.

Takin' one of the heavier bags I pulled off a downed man, I tossed it at the other one. "Got a good sense'a timin'," I said to him. "'m grateful for that."

[danskannabis]

I put ol' Doc back in his holster where he belonged from the get go, the emptiness of cold air against the sweat of my palm leaving something right hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I probably looked sore (I felt like I probably looked like a kid who was just told Christmas would be piss poor sorry) as I glanced up to the man who's ass I just saved, bare recognition making that final resounding strike home.

He was in fact the kid that stopped 'round with Berwald on occasion. I never got much more than a snatch or two at his face or figure when he'd come by, but sure enough he met all the details. "Not a problem," I muttered in tired reflection. "Just doin' what was right."

[talks_to_nisse]

I shot the kid a sardonic look. "An' you an' I both know just how many people'd do just that," I tossed back. Noddin' at the bag that had fallen shorta the kid, I added, "If'n y'don't want it, toss it back. Bad luck to leave coin just sittin' there to waste."

Peelin' back my sleeve to get a look at my arm, I grimaced. Not so deep as I feared, but I'da preferred not deep at all. Ain't nothin' I could do about it hear, anyhow. Ain't a clean drop of water or stitch of cloth in sight.

Turnin' back at the kid, I gave him a good lookover. "Y'r the kid near the glassblowers, ain'tcha. Berwald's neighbor. Seen ya over there coupla times, when I go by."

[danskannabis]

"Keep it, keep it. We got enough cabbage and potatoes to last a little bit. Not to mention with all the whistling the neighbors to the right of me do, it'll be gone in no time." I stooped a bit and tossed it back over him, begrudged to let money slip by me so easily but damned if I'd take it. String bean probably needed it ten times worse than me.

Now call me a daisy, but I've never been much for the sight of blood. The moment that guy reeled his sleeve up I winced, blanched, felt my stomach turn -- That's a daisy for you. His question almost caught me off guard and with all the grace of a foal learning to walk I pasted together a sentence in reply.

"That'd be me," I smiled a bit crookedly. "The name's Claus. Or Kai. Most people use Kai. You.. used to come over right regular on Mondays. Haven't seen you around the last little bit."

[talks_to_nisse]

I glanced askance at him as he tossed it back, but I ain't gonna argue if someone's givin' money away. Scoopin' it up, I tucked it in with the rest. Never count out on the street.

The kid's name tugged at a memory, but I'll admit his last line caught me off guard. Sure, I keep a general eye on those who wander in'n'out of Berwald's place more regular than some, but I didn't realized I'da been missed.

I tried to act like the statement didn't hurt me none, but with my blood pumpin' and all wired up from the fight, I knew it shone out on my face. So instead I shrugged an' told the truth. "I ain't been welcome the last little bit."

[danskannabis]

-- That didn't seem like Berwald.

Sure, he had his moments. He wasn't the biggest talker to begin with, and I wasn't one to pressure him into speaking when he didn't. There were times when the silent man reminded me much of a bear coming out of hibernation -- Sure, I knew he was a gentle giant, but.. Well, he was tall, I was small, I was fairly certain he could impact a good amount of harm on me if I did something he disliked.

"Well, fuck. I say that you are welcome in my half," I replied with a shrug. "Why do you feel unwelcome? I thought Berwald liked your company?"

[talks_to_nisse]

"Ain't a feelin'," Sindre replied. "It's a fact. He said I wasn't welcome, so I stayed gone. He knows how to get in touch if that changes, and he ain't."

Kai's offer was nice, but I didn't think I'd be takin' him up on it. Still, I didn't say that; ain't polite to shoot down the kid that just saved your ass. I simply thanked him for it; I got some manners in me.

[danskannabis]

The thanks wasn't necessary; but it was appreciated. Especially considering the amount of karma I had amassed in my life could probably buy me an ear of corn, but not an ass saving from the fiesty end of someone's knife. "You want I should talk to him about it? He kind of listens to me."

Yeah, like a snowball can stand a chance in hell.

-- Another thought occurred to me then as I looked the thief over, not meaning to stare though.. there was a bit of something egging me on. "You got a little brother or anything?" I asked with a fair amount of curiosity in my voice. "I met someone yesterday that looks an awful lot like you. Got a bad sense of name picking."

Damn yoooooouuuuuuu for wrecking the joke XD

[talks_to_nisse]

That's how come the name Claus sounded familiar. Valdi said some kid with that name'd been riddin' him for a poor name choice. Not that I disagreed--sure, commonplace names were good for aliases, but y'had to pick what y'could actually pull off.

Still, that didn't necessarily mean I was gonna let him off completely with that.

So I just grinned, and in response said, "Don't think I mentioned, but my name's Rick."

/terrible Kaj is terrible, sob

[danskannabis]

-- He had to be joking.

I hoped he was joking.

... Was he actually serious?

My eyes grew twice their size I could've sworn, as I just stared at the string bean like he grew a second head. "I hope to God that you aren't serious," I replied, not meaning to sound rude though I'm sure it came off that way. The statement to supplement it didn't help much. "Because goddamn, if you are in fact a Rick then someone should slap your parents (dead or alive they might be) for putting that name to your face. It doesn't fit."

/we love you anywaaaaaaaaaaay

[talks_to_nisse]

I just shrugged, tryin' to keep the amusement from my face. "Ain't like everyone's parents get it right on the first try, is it, Claus?"