Thread: Empire - City of Lost Cause (Black_Out and meomeo)

Mark had been back and forth on this commute countless times over the past few years. Normally he was prone to tossing his head back, reclining and burying his face under a paper. Stuffing his ears with headphones while some mellow music drowned out the churning of the train. It was a nice way to catch up on some much needed sleep until the attendant would come by and give his shoulder a firm shake and let him know they had arrived at the Empire Central Depot. That didn't seem quite so likely to happen to today. Obviously the blonde blue eyed beauty was way out of his league. It didn't take much to realize that, but he could swear that she was actually flirting with him. He couldn't help but almost immediately notice the lack of a wedding band on her ring finger. Then there was the way she had said the word pleasure when he had asked what was bringing her to Empire City. He had practically stared at her lush lips when they parted and let that word roll out. The echo of it in his mind sent a shiver down his spine and made the faint hairs on his arms stand at attention. Oh, well, yeah, I'm in town for a three day business trip. He managed to squeak the sentence out as he curled his index finger under the collar of his shirt and wrestled to loosen the knot of his navy blue tie. His eyes wandered down to the folder sticking out of her purse and then back up to her blue eyes that swallowed his attention. Sorry. I..I'm Mark, Mark Gingham. His shoulders turned as his right arm reached across himself and he extended his hand for a formal greeting. He smiled and nodded, shaking briefly if accepted, and then quickly drawing his hand back to his lap. Jesus, I'm married. I got two friggin kids. He chastised himself, but the devil on his shoulder kicked the angel off his opposite shoulder and told him to go for it. You know, if your looking for any company, uhm, here's my card. He peaked down at his brown dress pants and stuffed a hand into the pocket and tugged his black leather wallet out, flipping it open and producing a simple business card which he offered to her. I'm staying at the Royal Riveria, what about you? His lips curled into a pleasant yet nervous smile. She probably thinks your some kind of creep and is just being sweet, you idiot. The angel had returned from it's banishment and Mark cringed, folding himself back into his chair carefully. Just don't look so overly fucking eager you retard. The devil scolded him again . She's obviously interested, she didn't even make a peep when you touched her boob, duh. Mark took a deep breath to calm himself and when the cabin's waitress came by he offered to buy Vallie a drink and got himself a can of soda and some pretzels and salted nuts to munch on. For the next hour he made pleasant conversation. Told her about his gig at work. Which sports teams he followed. He was a passionate hockey fan and was ecstatic that the Capitols had finally hoisted the Stanley Cup. All in all, Mark was beginning to find himself less and less nervous about talking to the young woman who abruptly had plopped down next to him. He seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, and the tidbits about her own life that she would share. He even found himself laughing at some of her comments, and much to his surprise the travel on the sleek chrome train went by much quicker then he typically recalled. As the spires of Empire City rose through the view port window he even felt a sense of regret that they were almost at their destination. His gaze didn't linger on the city like it sometimes would though, he had far better things to concern his eyes with then the trash strewn slums the train was whizzing through. An abrupt murmur began to rise. A few heads leaned forward after an attendant came scurrying down the aisle from the adjacent coach car. She had a wild eyed look of fright in her brown eyes and her face was pale. Her long strides were carrying her past the rows of curious first class passengers and just as she was passing Vallie and Mark, the reason for her panic driven flight came into view in the wake of her hasty retreat. It was a man, tall and lanky, dressed in a tuxedo that looked like it had been plucked out of the garbage that very day. Stains decorated his attire, a long tall black top hat with a dent in the side sat askew atop his head. A frenzy of long black greasy hair shifted with his every movement and an immense flowing red scarf was wrapped around his face, leaving only his beady little mischievous green eyes to be seen. His mode of motion was an odd and frightfully unsettling thing as metal tipped dance shoes tapped and kicked at the floor, creating a showman like rhythm to his swaying fluid movements. With one dextrous snap of his wrist he grasped one end of the thick red scarf that fluttered down around his body and sent it flying through the air. It stretched impossibly so, elongating to lengths that it just shouldn't reach as it cracked with the sound of a steel bar against the back of the attendants head and sent her tumbling down to the floor with a short lived grunt. She was still breathing, just a few rows past Mark and Vallie as the assailant stopped in his tracks and swept his hat up off his head and offered up a quick flourishing bow. Nimble fingers twisted it about then as he held it out, upside down to the passengers in the first row of the car while black polished tap dancing shoe of his right foot perched on the outer arm rest of a plump business man who didn't seem to thrilled. Spare some change for the homeless? His long thin lips slid into a smirk as he jammed the hat in that shocked mans direction as he looked further down the car. Let's go, wallets and jewels people, the Vagabond's not here to entertain for long. Mark felt a gulp in his throat as his hand clenched against the wrist of Vallie. Just, just do what he says. He whispered as he started to dig his wallet back out. Last edited Oct 30, 2018