Post by Knight on May 30, 2014 15:10:16 GMT -6
"Have I gone mad?" asked the Hatter sadly.
"I'm afraid so," said Alice.
"You're entirely bonkers. But shall I tell you a secret? All the best people usually are."
Thus reads the poster on the wall behind the Mistress. Her eyes flicker over it and twinkle with amusement before returning to their search. She runs an appraising hand over a stout leather riding crop before releasing it. Behind her, Scott Knight casts a sidelong look at a row of mannequins clad in assorted leather bondage gear. The two are standing in The XXX Shop, an adult store (obviously) on Rampart St. Combichrist's "Get Your Body Beat" blares over the speakers, appropriately enough. The Mistress looks over a wall adorned with an assortment of riding crops, whips, and floggers. Knight shifts his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other.
Knight: What exactly are we doing here, m'lady?
The Mistress pauses, her hand hovering over another studded flogger. She looks over her shoulder with an amused smirk.
The Mistress: What's the matter, Scotty? Does this place make you uncomfortable?
Knight shrugs, then moves aside to let an older woman pass him in the aisle. As the elder brushes past him, a plastic package falls from her grasp. Knight is quick to stoop and retrieve it.
Knight: Ma'am, you dropped your...device.
The older lady turns to face Knight with a smile.
Old Lady: Why thank you, young man. Good to see there are still gentlemen in this day and age. You two have a good...ooh, look at the size of that thing!
Knight watches the woman shuffle delightedly across the aisle, but chooses to avert his eyes before she makes a selection. He returns to find the Mistress watching with a look of amusement.
The Mistress: You, my dear...never mind. Look, you saw what that Jarek bastard did to me last week. I considered my options, and decided that I should have means of fending off such advances when you are not around. Not to imply that you failed to defend my honor, of course.
Knight relaxes slightly, but still looks uncomfortable.
The Mistress: I simply realized that I could carry some "prop" in my position at ringside. Something that will deter the approach of undesirables. But so far, nothing has captured my imagination.
?: You should check out that gunmetal chain flogger on the top shelf.
The Mistress and Knight both turn to address the speaker. Knight moves quickly and purposefully, but slows his momentum as the pair see the man who spoke.
The Mistress: Oh, hello Victor!
The newcomer is a well defined man with an aura of confidence. Dark hair hangs over bright blue eyes that twinkle with a hint of mischief. He is clad in a dark suit that matches that of the man behind him. This man dwarfs even Knight. The flourescent light flickers off his shaved head and mirrored sunglasses.
Knight: You...
Victor: Victor Kross, in the flesh. How have you been, cuz?
The Mistress looks from Knight to Kross and back again. With a frustrated sigh, she presses a hand to Knight's chest.
The Mistress: Heel. I know not what it is that bothers you two, but the man is family. I would appreciate it if you show him the same respect you offer me.
Knight shrugs. Kross laughs, then glances over his shoulder to the bigger man. He indicates the larger man with a nod of the head.
Victor: You remember Cyrus, of course?
The Mistress: Of course. How have you been, Cyrus? And how is little Abigail?
The big man's stoic face actually cracks into a smile.
Cyrus: I'm fine, and Abigail is not so little these days.
The Mistress: Indeed...takes after her father, eh?
Cyrus: Better me than Uncle Vic.
Victor: Hey!
Everyone but Knight shares a smile at that. The Blackguard steps aside to allow a pair of brightly dressed young men to pass by. One of them clutches a DVD excitedly to his chest.
Man: I can't believe the had "Everybody In Through The Backdoor" so cheap! I love that Bobby guy...
Knight turns to watch the two as they walk off, hand in hand. He shakes his head and returns his attention to the group.
Victor:...just checking in on my investment, of course.
Kross is looking directly at Knight as he speaks. Scott arches an eyebrow but remains quiet. Kross chuckles and shakes his head.
Victor: Don't be surprised. I mean, who do you think was financing your flights to Minnesota every week? Hold that thought...SAINT!
From across the store, another man approaches. Knight recognizes him as the biker from the bar and nods in greeting. The newcomer, Saint, smiles back before taking a position next to Cyrus.
Saint: Hey man, how's it going?
Victor: You two have met?
Saint nods.
Saint: We played a few games of pool at the Dungeon the other day.
Victor: The Dungeon? You went without me?
Saint: You said you had business to attend to.
Victor: Ah, knew I should have gone out. Anyway, Lilith, seriously, look at this thing.
Kross moves past The Mistress and Knight and reaches up to the top shelf. He pulls down a metallic cat o' nine tails style floogger and holds it to the Mistress. She takes it from him and gives an experimental swing.
The Mistress: Not bad...Scott, turn around and let me try this.
Knight shrugs, bringing a smirk from Kross and Cyrus. The Blackguard turns his back to The Mistress, pulling up his shirt to reveal his tattooed back. The Mistress winds back, but is interrupted by another voice.
?: Hey, no testing products on bare flesh.
As one, the group turn to see a store employee at the end of the aisle. Victor laughs and reaches into the interior pocket of his jacket, withdrawing a bundle of bills. He peels off a hundred dollar bill and steps forward, handing it to the clerk.
Victor: Put it on my tab. And hold the change, in case she wants something else.
Kross stares hard at the clerk, who takes the offered cash and mumbles something about wrapping. Victor Kross smiles at the satisfaction of once again getting what he wants, then turns back to The Mistress.
Victor: Consider it a gift. So...what's on tap for this week?
The Mistress shakes her head, then looks to Knight.
The Mistress: Scotty, dear, who will you be crushing this week?
Knight: PKA, m'lady.
Kross looks to Cyrus, who passes him a smartphone. Victor looks at the screen, swiping a few times as he reads. He nods a few times before looking back to Knight.
Victor: The guy lost to Vanessa at the inaugural show...not exactly a stellar first impression.
The Mistress: Not everyone has made an impact like my Knight, to put it diplomatically.
Kross, Cyrus, and Knight all nod in agreement. Saint suppresses a snicker. Kross returns to his reading, cutting a glance sideways at Saint.
Victor: X, he looks like he wrestles a lot like you used to. Ooh...he even does his own version of the Morningstar Bomb.
Saint: If that's the case, it shouldn't be hard to break him. Guys like us will destroy ourselves if you give us enough time.
Knight looks to the smirking faces of all three men, then to his Mistress. She laughs as the clerk returns with a black shopping bag and wad of bills. Kross takes both, pocketing the cash and passing the bag to The Mistress.
Victor: I'd say you could give that thing a test run on Saint, since he's into that sort of shit...
Saint chuckles and shakes his head.
Victor: ...but instead I'll suggest we all find somewhere to eat. We have much to discuss.
The Mistress: I suppose we do. How did you know where to find us, anyway?
Kross chuckles as the entourage begin their exit.
Victor: Come now, Lil...you know I have eyes everywhere...
"I'm afraid so," said Alice.
"You're entirely bonkers. But shall I tell you a secret? All the best people usually are."
Thus reads the poster on the wall behind the Mistress. Her eyes flicker over it and twinkle with amusement before returning to their search. She runs an appraising hand over a stout leather riding crop before releasing it. Behind her, Scott Knight casts a sidelong look at a row of mannequins clad in assorted leather bondage gear. The two are standing in The XXX Shop, an adult store (obviously) on Rampart St. Combichrist's "Get Your Body Beat" blares over the speakers, appropriately enough. The Mistress looks over a wall adorned with an assortment of riding crops, whips, and floggers. Knight shifts his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other.
Knight: What exactly are we doing here, m'lady?
The Mistress pauses, her hand hovering over another studded flogger. She looks over her shoulder with an amused smirk.
The Mistress: What's the matter, Scotty? Does this place make you uncomfortable?
Knight shrugs, then moves aside to let an older woman pass him in the aisle. As the elder brushes past him, a plastic package falls from her grasp. Knight is quick to stoop and retrieve it.
Knight: Ma'am, you dropped your...device.
The older lady turns to face Knight with a smile.
Old Lady: Why thank you, young man. Good to see there are still gentlemen in this day and age. You two have a good...ooh, look at the size of that thing!
Knight watches the woman shuffle delightedly across the aisle, but chooses to avert his eyes before she makes a selection. He returns to find the Mistress watching with a look of amusement.
The Mistress: You, my dear...never mind. Look, you saw what that Jarek bastard did to me last week. I considered my options, and decided that I should have means of fending off such advances when you are not around. Not to imply that you failed to defend my honor, of course.
Knight relaxes slightly, but still looks uncomfortable.
The Mistress: I simply realized that I could carry some "prop" in my position at ringside. Something that will deter the approach of undesirables. But so far, nothing has captured my imagination.
?: You should check out that gunmetal chain flogger on the top shelf.
The Mistress and Knight both turn to address the speaker. Knight moves quickly and purposefully, but slows his momentum as the pair see the man who spoke.
The Mistress: Oh, hello Victor!
The newcomer is a well defined man with an aura of confidence. Dark hair hangs over bright blue eyes that twinkle with a hint of mischief. He is clad in a dark suit that matches that of the man behind him. This man dwarfs even Knight. The flourescent light flickers off his shaved head and mirrored sunglasses.
Knight: You...
Victor: Victor Kross, in the flesh. How have you been, cuz?
The Mistress looks from Knight to Kross and back again. With a frustrated sigh, she presses a hand to Knight's chest.
The Mistress: Heel. I know not what it is that bothers you two, but the man is family. I would appreciate it if you show him the same respect you offer me.
Knight shrugs. Kross laughs, then glances over his shoulder to the bigger man. He indicates the larger man with a nod of the head.
Victor: You remember Cyrus, of course?
The Mistress: Of course. How have you been, Cyrus? And how is little Abigail?
The big man's stoic face actually cracks into a smile.
Cyrus: I'm fine, and Abigail is not so little these days.
The Mistress: Indeed...takes after her father, eh?
Cyrus: Better me than Uncle Vic.
Victor: Hey!
Everyone but Knight shares a smile at that. The Blackguard steps aside to allow a pair of brightly dressed young men to pass by. One of them clutches a DVD excitedly to his chest.
Man: I can't believe the had "Everybody In Through The Backdoor" so cheap! I love that Bobby guy...
Knight turns to watch the two as they walk off, hand in hand. He shakes his head and returns his attention to the group.
Victor:...just checking in on my investment, of course.
Kross is looking directly at Knight as he speaks. Scott arches an eyebrow but remains quiet. Kross chuckles and shakes his head.
Victor: Don't be surprised. I mean, who do you think was financing your flights to Minnesota every week? Hold that thought...SAINT!
From across the store, another man approaches. Knight recognizes him as the biker from the bar and nods in greeting. The newcomer, Saint, smiles back before taking a position next to Cyrus.
Saint: Hey man, how's it going?
Victor: You two have met?
Saint nods.
Saint: We played a few games of pool at the Dungeon the other day.
Victor: The Dungeon? You went without me?
Saint: You said you had business to attend to.
Victor: Ah, knew I should have gone out. Anyway, Lilith, seriously, look at this thing.
Kross moves past The Mistress and Knight and reaches up to the top shelf. He pulls down a metallic cat o' nine tails style floogger and holds it to the Mistress. She takes it from him and gives an experimental swing.
The Mistress: Not bad...Scott, turn around and let me try this.
Knight shrugs, bringing a smirk from Kross and Cyrus. The Blackguard turns his back to The Mistress, pulling up his shirt to reveal his tattooed back. The Mistress winds back, but is interrupted by another voice.
?: Hey, no testing products on bare flesh.
As one, the group turn to see a store employee at the end of the aisle. Victor laughs and reaches into the interior pocket of his jacket, withdrawing a bundle of bills. He peels off a hundred dollar bill and steps forward, handing it to the clerk.
Victor: Put it on my tab. And hold the change, in case she wants something else.
Kross stares hard at the clerk, who takes the offered cash and mumbles something about wrapping. Victor Kross smiles at the satisfaction of once again getting what he wants, then turns back to The Mistress.
Victor: Consider it a gift. So...what's on tap for this week?
The Mistress shakes her head, then looks to Knight.
The Mistress: Scotty, dear, who will you be crushing this week?
Knight: PKA, m'lady.
Kross looks to Cyrus, who passes him a smartphone. Victor looks at the screen, swiping a few times as he reads. He nods a few times before looking back to Knight.
Victor: The guy lost to Vanessa at the inaugural show...not exactly a stellar first impression.
The Mistress: Not everyone has made an impact like my Knight, to put it diplomatically.
Kross, Cyrus, and Knight all nod in agreement. Saint suppresses a snicker. Kross returns to his reading, cutting a glance sideways at Saint.
Victor: X, he looks like he wrestles a lot like you used to. Ooh...he even does his own version of the Morningstar Bomb.
Saint: If that's the case, it shouldn't be hard to break him. Guys like us will destroy ourselves if you give us enough time.
Knight looks to the smirking faces of all three men, then to his Mistress. She laughs as the clerk returns with a black shopping bag and wad of bills. Kross takes both, pocketing the cash and passing the bag to The Mistress.
Victor: I'd say you could give that thing a test run on Saint, since he's into that sort of shit...
Saint chuckles and shakes his head.
Victor: ...but instead I'll suggest we all find somewhere to eat. We have much to discuss.
The Mistress: I suppose we do. How did you know where to find us, anyway?
Kross chuckles as the entourage begin their exit.
Victor: Come now, Lil...you know I have eyes everywhere...
