Rain On The Streets And Booze Down The Throat

[blue_badge]

It was 2:30 in the morning and the rain was pounding on the roof, which didn't do wonders for my throbbing skull. Those goons thought they'd had me in that back alley- a quick word from Precious was enough to change their tunes, permanent-like. Nights like tonight reminded me why I liked Precious so much- she was a quick speaker, but her words had

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[vonperfect]

... ... ...

... who are you, and what have you done to Scruffy?

[blue_badge]

von Karma. It'd been a few years since the whip-wielding wench and I had crossed paths- my back still carried the scratches to this day. So did my heart.

"Awfully ugly night for a pretty little thing like you to be up and about." I muttered, holstering Precious and staring out at the wind-swept streets. All base flattery, of course. I knew firsthand how ugly dames like the esteemed Franziska von Karma could get.

[vonperfect]

... Gumshoe, we saw each other a few weeks ago. And what is with the foolish narration?

[blue_badge]

I blinked, wiping the crust out of my eyes with one hand. I was, for the most part, used to von Karma's usual bitching and yelling, but this comment had caught me off guard like a Polish hat vendor in a scorpion pit. "Narration? I'm not following, Franny. You writing a book?"

Hey, at least I'd gotten her to call me by my name. It was certainly a step up from "Scruffy".

[vespa_alien]

*also narrating out loud*

Gumshoe's reverie was interrupted as the door swung open, and the light from his one small window landed on a woman whose body said you'd had your last scotch for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean.

[blue_badge]

I looked up as the door opened, proving to myself once again just what DID kill the cat. Great. Another woman come to prove to me that God did exist, and He had a thing against caucasian male detectives. She had eyes like firebrands and an expression to match. I couldn't wait to hear what kind of job she had in store, but from what I could tell, it was going to end with my head splattered against the pavement like so much Jackson Pollock.

[vespa_alien]

The left third of her mouth twisted upwards in something like a grin, while the other parts of it continued to show their skepticism in Dick's lauded abilities. After she paused for a moment, the world pausing with her, she opened her mouth and provocatively poured out the five words that would toss the rest of his week into yet another drunken stupor of mystery and adventure: "They say you're the best."

[blue_badge]

I hated it when my morning started out like that.

A sigh escaped my lips, shortly followed by a stream of scotch headed in the opposite direction. "They say a lot of things."

[prayfortomorrow]

Mii~ What happened next nano desu~?
*Rika is following Gumshoe around because she wants to hear the end of the story*

[blue_badge]

It wasn't until my personal Amber Alert started going off that I realized I was being watched. By a kid.

As a rule, I didn't deal with kids. You might think it would be hard for me to avoid them on an island like this, but after watching that blonde idiot get seven flavors of shit beaten out of him, I had no desire to be marked as the population's personal punching bag. Society had enough of a grudge against me as it was.

She had hair the color of a midnight wave, and eyes that had never even heard the term "contact lenses". "It's pretty late for you to be up, kiddo." I leaned on one leg, cricking my neck. Talking to anyone younger than 20 just reminded me how fast the years were catching up. "You lose your mommy or something?"

[prayfortomorrow]

Mii?

Nuh-uh. Rika doesn't have a mommy... I don't think... I forget...

But I was following the strange man because he was telling stories! Rika likes stories nano desu!

[blue_badge]

I was the first one to admit that "strange" didn't even begin to cover me, but the only stories I told were the ones that kept me out of the slammer. She sounded like an orphan. This city churned them out faster than a bomb at a PTO meeting. "Listen, kid, I don't think I can help you out with your mommy. Not every guy out at this hour is as nice and friendly as me, so why don't you get your cute little head back home where it belongs, alright?"

[magicbloomers]

[Trucy walks into the room, resisting the urge to narrate herself as she does so, but not resisting the urge to lower her hat over her eyes to shadow her face.]

The deal's off, detective.

((Is the girl mentioned Trucy or Maya, by the way?))

[blue_badge]

[[I was thinking Maya since she seemed more upset, but it could go either way.]]

The level of estrogen in the room was rising with every minute. I'd long since stopped asking what it was about me that made me so goddamned magnetic to the opposite sex- especially since half of them were half my age.

I recognized her as a friend of Wright's. I wasn't sure what deal she was referencing- I made so many in these backwater streets it was a wonder I wasn't a licensed loan shark. I never did have a taste for breaking knees. "If it ain't my favorite little magician. You gonna stand there all night, or pull up a chair so we can converse like the decent human beings I know we aren't?"

[magicbloomers]

((Nah, she would be. Either way, she means her telling him to be a PI, not specifically Mr. Wright))

[Trucy waited patiently for Gumshoe to finish talking, and then sat on the edge of the desk]

Talk is cheap, Dick. It's not gonna get us much in the way of Welch's, so let's make this real simple.

I'm hanging up the hat, and if you know what's good for you, you'll do the same. Those disappearances lead to nothing but trouble.

[blue_badge]

"Am I finally drunk, or did I just hear you say you're hanging up the hat?" I shook my head and sighed. "Never took you for a quitter, Truce. And mind you, I took you for a lot of things."

[yo_yo_mercenary]

Wow! This is cool!

[blue_badge]

I wasn't in the mood for idle chatter, so I tossed the nun a look that could- and had -boiled eggs still in the hen's stomach. "Listen, babe, out of the 24 hours in each day, this is the only Happy Hour I got. You mind not ruining the illusion for me?"

[yo_yo_mercenary]

Oh, really? I think I'd be better company than that drink of yours~

[blue_badge]

I'd seen her type before- she'd break your nose just as easily as she'd break your heart. "Thanks but no thanks." I growled, one thumb rubbing Precious possessively. I raised her up with one hand and my good buddy Jack Daniels with the other. "I got all the company I need right here."