Someone Stole Sandor's Shoes!

[Shmibli7]

"What... In the... He-" Kimber said, a bit more drunken, in response to Sandor's dancing.

"KO....sovo. What is he.... What is he..." He pointing limply at the avian.

 

[Kurt]

Sven slowly nursed the beer, listening to Sandor's crazy singing. "Hey when we going?"

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

Sandor shuffled to his Venomian friends, sitting at their table in dismay.

"Worlds are turning and we're just hanging on
Facing our fear and standing out there alone
A yearning, and it's real to me
There must be someone who's feeling for me"

Teresa once again joined him in singing.

"Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be"

They sang the chorus, hopping onto another empty table.

"Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
Where's that higher love I keep thinking of?"

"Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love
Bring be a higher love
I could rise above on a higher love"

[Shmibli7]

At this point, Kosovo and Solomon were completely in shock and awe. What was this unexpected song and dance routine that had suddenly come into being?

"God, Kimber keeps weird friends." Kosovo said out loud.

"Can you blame him?" Solomon said. "Kimber isn't the kind of person most Cornerian citizens would enjoy."

"True." The wolf replied. "Nevertheless, they're still weird."

They looked over at Kimber, who was now howling with laughter at Sandor's routine, completely intoxicated.

[Naza Sutera]

The Buick vaulted to a screeching halt in front of the bar. "I think this is it," Amelia said. She wasn't sure, as she had lost the minivan after getting caught at a red light a couple blocks back. She reached for the door handle to open the door. "Again, tell me why we are doing this?"

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

Korben followed Amelia to the front door after getting out of the car. He placed his hand on the handle, where Amelia's hand was lying. "For Alex," he said. "And, he'll p-p-p-p-probably p-p-pay us." He opened the door to a spectacle. Sandor and Teresa singing on top of a table. "Alright then," said Korben.

[Naza Sutera]

Amelia followed behind Korben, not knowing what to expect. It was her day off from work, and all she expected to do was to have lunch with her boyfriend. Now she has embarked on a whole new journey, like Aladdin and Princess Jasmine Magic Carpet Ride, a whole new world seeing things she had never seen. And she did. Because when she walked into the bar behind Korben, she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.

"Is he singing Steve Winwood?"

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

Korben nodded 'yes', still dumbfounded by Sandor's and Teresa's behavior. He walked into the bar and sat down. The singing duo recited the song until the end a few minutes later, with the music fading away. By the end, they were sweat and panting, and bowed. Some of the patrons clapped, not knowing what else to do.

"Thank you!" said Sandor. "I'm here on weekends too!" Korben cleared his throat to grab Sandor's attention, which worked. "Ah, Korben! You finally caught up!" Both Sandor and Teresa approached Korben. "So, here's the deal. You and your girlfriend help find my shoes, I pay both of you 5 grand when you say 'yes', and I pay both of you another 5 for helping me find them. What do you say?"

[Shmibli7]

Kosovo, Kimber, and Solomon turned to see the two from the car as they entered the bar.

Kimber, in his drunken state,  layed his eyes upon Korben and whispered curses in Venomian.

 

[SF Redd]

"I don't know what's worse: trying to find a job, or working for this lunatic." Sholt muttered with a confused expression to his brother as Sandor and Teresa finished their routine.

"Oh, come on, bro. Lighten up a little! This means that we don't need to make any cutbacks! We have a little breathing room with this money!" Korr tried to quell Sholt's qualms. "So he's a bit quirky, that doesn't matter, I'm sure he's an alright guy." He finished. He looked over to his new employer, who was talking to a pair of people. "Let's go talk to the guy. We don't even know his name!" He suggested.

"Hm... alright, fine." Sholt hesitantly agreed.

[Naza Sutera]

Amelia made this confused facial expression where she narrowed her eyes and raised her eyebrows. "...Some shoes? Are they, like... Diamond-encrusted and gold-plated or something, to where you will pay someone ten grand to find them?"

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

"They...." began Sandor, with an ominous pause, "...are MINE! AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS!" His yelling silenced much of the bar. "I will pay you, lady. A whole lot. If you say 'yes'."

"Fine," said Korben, stretching out his hand to receive his coin. Sandor gave him a roll, and Korben stuffed it into his blazer pocket.

[Naza Sutera]

Amelia watched as her boyfriend accepted a roll of cash money, eyes widening a bit at the wad of big ones. She though the whole thing was stupid, this guy running all over town like an idiot, him and his friends almost carjacking her... But when she saw a fat roll of money being handed to Korben, she had an instant change of heart.

"I'm in."

[SF Redd]

Sandor's outburst stopped Korr in his tracks for a second, but nevertheless he continued, with a disgruntled Sholt not far behind him.

"So, I'm Korr, this is my brother, Sholt." Korr announced when he reached Sandor. "What do we call you?" He asked as he held out his hand, offering a shake.

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

Sandor took out yet another roll of credits: it seemed like some writer was instantly forming these stacks of cash in his pockets. He gave this roll to Amelia.

"Here you are, dominatrix of Korben!" Sandor shot back in the brothers' direction as one of them spoke to him. Brothers? One of them must have had a different parent, or is adopted.

"Brothers?" Sandor questioned. The two did not look alike at all. Nevertheless, Sandor shrugged his shoulders, and gave the one holding out his hand a firm handshake. "My name is Sandor Kalocsai. You may call me Sandor, Alex, Mr. K, or Daddy. I prefer the last one." Sandor smiled.

[SF Redd]

Korr was off-put by that last remark, but he was professional, and acted as such. "I... Uh, yeah, we're brothers. Sholt's family took me in when I was born." He explained. "And, uh... I... think we'll stick with Sandor." He half-chuckled.

Sholt stayed silent, just watching. He was still wary.

[Naza Sutera]

Amelia turned and examined the two "brothers" her new employer was currently talking to. She looked them from head to toe, giving them a rather intense up-and-down treatment. "And who are these goons?"

[SF Redd]

Sholt heard a comment from the person Sandor had just spoken to. 'goons' she had called them. "Goons? Goons!? Why don't you tell that to the people whose lives we saved on Zoness and MacBeth during the Aparoid invasions!" He responded, particularly impassioned, as what she said struck a nerve.

"Whoa, cool it, bro!" Korr tried to calm him down. "What's she supposed to say when she meets us in a place like this?" he asked. He walked over to the woman. "Hi, I'm Korr, and this is Sholt. Forgive him, he's not much of a people's person." He greeted as he held out his hand once more.

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

"Mercenaries," Korben informed Amelia in a low voice.

"Hello, Korr," said Sandor. He tilted to eye Sholt. "Hello, Sholt." Sandor grinned. He turned his attention back to Korr. "You two are going to help me and the others look for my shoes. I'll inform you all once we're outta here, though. I don't think these people like me after the stunt I pulled..." Sandor began to edge towards the door before being stopped by a group of unfriendly looking Vlach thugs. Their ringleader, a sniveling serpent named Paul, stuck his forked tongue out from between his scalie lips. Paul wore a dark blue track jacket over a brown shirt, along with worn blue jeans and old boots. His friends were similarly dressed, and all of them wore Ogniemite religious medallions. Sandor raised his right eyebrow.

"Alexandru Kalocsai!" Paul hissed.

"Paul Something!" retorted Sandor, forgetting Paul's last name.

"Oh, you got my name half right! Like how you got me only half my money?!" Now, Sandor owed Paul extortion money the former obtained for the latter from a series of convenience stores in Sar Town. Sandor and the store owners agreed to only give half of their due to Paul: something that would have severe consequences. The stores were vandalized, the owners beaten, and Sandor slapped with a big red target on his back by Paul's gang of scoundrels. "You know, Alexandru, you shouldn't be so arbitrary when dealing with other people's money! But, I'll just have to carve that piece of advice onto your forehead!" Paul and his gang drew out their blasters.

"Woah! Woah! Woah," yelled Sandor, attempting to defuse the situation. He walked towards an empty chair. "Maybe, we can - " Sandor instantly threw the chair at Paul. "BAR FIGHT!" screamed Sandor. Like clockwork, the patrons devolved into brawling animals, attacking both each other and Paul's gang. "Guys! Let's scram!" Sandor made a beeline for the door. Korben grabbed Amelia by the arm and followed suit.

[SF Redd]

With his arm outstretched, the last thing Korr expected was a bar fight to suddenly break out. He saw his new team running out of the bar, and was flabbergasted at how quickly things escalated. Sholt sped past Korr, tapping him on the shoulder as he did so to bring him back to reality. Korr then followed after the rest of the group.

[Naza Sutera]

Amelia was dragged out of the bar and into the parking lot by Korben just as the bar fight broke out. She nearly tripped and busted her ass while running, as her heel had gotten caught in a crack in the sidewalk, and quickly regained composure. Already, she began to wonder if it was a good idea to help this lunatic find a pair of shoes. Even if he is paying her ten grand.

[Shmibli7]

The trio of Kimber, Kosovo, and Solomon made their way out of the bar as the patrons were busy beating each other senseless. Kimber looked at the fight and sighed as he wished to join, but turned and got inside Sandor's vehicle.

He then sunk into his seat and layed himself out into a strange position, his drunkenness forbidding him to sit up straight.

Kosovo and Solomon took their seats and awaited what was to come next.

[Kurt]

One second he was enjoing his beer, the next thing he knew the bar was in an all out brawl. Casually he paid for his drink and walked out, dodging a pair as they scrambled for a weapon of some sort. "You! Cop!" The tender yelled at him, "You gonna help stop this?!?"

"Nope, not on duty." He said as he walked out the door, seconds before the bartender was knocked out.

[Arminius H O Fiddywinks]

Teresa hopped into the driver's seat of her van, and started the vehicle. Sandor entered after her. "Let's go!" he yelled, forgoing putting on a seat belt. Korben, meanwhile, pulled Amelia back up and hurried the both of them to her car.

"We should f-f-f-follow them," Korben suggested as they approached the vehicle.

 

~~~

 

Bohdan is watching a children's program on the television with Salamon, who is sitting beside him. Elizabeth has already left. Salamon is laughing at the bright colors and silly sounds, while Bohdan looks down on Salamon. Suddenly, however, the screen shuts off. Bohdan, frustrated, gets up. "Cornerian engineering at its finest? Bah" He walks toward the television to see what the problem is. But then, out of the blue, a voice could be heard.

"Bohdan," says the voice. Bohdan stops in his tracks. He looks back to Salamon, who is extremely battered, bruised, and bloody. A dagger is impaled in his chest. "Bohdan, have you forgot about us?" Salamon asks. However, Salamon's voice is not that of Salamon, but of Wladyslaw, Bohdan's deceased brother. Bohdan stumbles back towards the shelf the television sat on. "Honor my final request, Bohdan. Do not forget us." Bohdan, in sheer, manic terror, takes out his pistol and aims it at Salamon's head. He fires.

 

Bohdan awoke from his nightmare with a small gasp. He sat up from a slouching position, and noticed that Elizabeth and Salamon were playing with blocks with letters on the floor. Bohdan was panting, which caught the attention of Elizabeth.

"Theo, are you all right?" she asked. Bohdan stared momentarily before standing up and walking to the bathroom. He shut the door, and looked in the mirror. Bohdan had shuddered with every breath he took, and he turned on the faucet, and splashed some lukewarm water on his face. A few drops fell onto his shirt. He turned off the faucet and wiped his face and hands with a towel. He sighed. Staring in the mirror, Bohdan saw someone who looked similar to his brother. Someone who has not fulfilled his brother's final wishes. Someone who is ashamed for that. Bohdan stumbled back onto the door, and slid down to the floor. He heard knocking on the door, but ignored it. "Bohdan," Elizabeth said through the door, "what's wrong? Bohdan?"

[Shmibli7]

Kimber sat in his unusual posture, looking at the ground below him. In his state, he was getting a delusion. Walt. His former commander. The locust seemed to be crawling through the bottom of the vehicle. Kimber then put his fingers into the shape of a blaster and said "bang" quietly. The false vision of Walt then exploded against the floor, his skull pierced. Kimber then chuckled devilishly at his good work.

"Hey, Ko-" He suddenly was caught off guard when he saw Kosovo looking at him strangely. 

"You see? He's... Never mind." Kimber said.