Just a step from the edge, just another day in the world we live

[whatsbackup]

Who; Ronan and the Guardian/deputies in Everglade
When; Wednesday, the 18th
What; Meeting his potential fellow deputies!
Where; Guardian office, Everglade
Warnings; Probably none?



[ For the past week since he arrived in Genessia, Ronan's been staying in a rathole motel in Everglade, just...watching people. If he's going to be a deputy to the Guardian of this city, he's going to need to know how it works, and he needs to know a lot. The flyers around, protesting the ban of necromancy, caught his eye first. Necromancy? Seriously? When Ted had told him to be prepared for the occult, he hadn't been kidding. It was enough to make a small-city detective feel out of his depth, even if he'd been a spook for a few hours before getting resurrected somehow and carted off, well, here.

Still, being a cop was what he loved most about life, and was the one thing he had left after Julia's death, and that what he damn-well planned on doing. If this place was a madhouse, it needed as many people as possible to keep it in line, and he felt like he was up to the task.

At least he hoped so. He took a week to get his bearings as best he could before he headed to the offices Ted had told him about. It was time to make an appearance, after all. He'd used some of the money he'd been left to get some new clothes, but they were still street attire for a detective: a button down shirt, vest, his fedora. This set just didn't have the bloody bullet holes, which was probably better for business.

He'd even shaved for the visit, though his trademark fedora was still perched atop his head, and his bad-boy swagger as he entered the building made it look like he didn't have a care in the world. First impressions, right? ]

Comments

[whatsbackup]

Ronan looked to this newcomer with an arched eyebrow. He'd heard what she'd said, though some of it didn't really make much sense to him. He figured he could sort it out eventually. This was a meet-and-greet, not an interrogation. If he got the job, he'd fill in the details then.

"So, there are patrolmen, but they're not organized?" He shook his head. This town needed a lot of work. "And I'll take your word on the 'Hitwizards'. Sound important." He offered his hand to the new arrival to this conversation. "Ronan O'Connor."

[youfool]

"And here I am to spoil the joke." Thus, Ted appeared. Actually he was waiting in the background the whole time, eager for the exact moment at which he talked to all three of his deputies. That they didn't start killing each other was all he needed to assume peace.

"Honestly, and they tell me I go too far in my jests. Not having a police force! Of course we do. You wily women, trying to scare off my deputies. The least you could do is include me next time in your 'new guy' rituals." He offered to shake hands.

"Well, it's my express pleasure to inform you that we have police; we have manpower. What we don't have is a detective. Well, not an official one, anyway. Will you be providing us with one?"

[whatsbackup]

Before Ronan replied, he looked down at this hip and the Salem Police Department Detective badge there. He didn't even remember clipping it to his belt before he'd headed down here. He smirked slightly and gave a slight chuckle and a shrug.

"Hey, I showed up, didn't I?"

[youfool]

"So you did!" He clapped him on the shoulders. "Just sign on the dotted line, and you're hired." Ted would give him the guided tour of their humble office, showing Ronan the runes used to keep out supernatural ne'er-do-wells, the "Drunk Tank", a depository for dangerous McGuffins, and so on. He was clearly excited, for Ronan had saved him from the slow, agonizing death of estrogen poisoning. "Don't get me wrong, I love my girls, but they can be a bit...well, you know."

"Well, I've shown all I can of the office. You pretty well know everyone's names, I expect? Next thing to do is tour the town. Unless you've already investigated everything? I know how observant you detectives can be. The real fun is in Nova City, where I do my shooting practice. Do you like guns, Mr. O'Connor? None of my other deputies quite cultivated the taste for them."

Clearly this was the start of a beautiful friendship.

[whatsbackup]

There was one thing for certain: his new boss really knew how to talk. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not agreeing to monthly sacrifices or anything, am I?" He smirked, but nodded at Ted's question. This place really didn't seem so bad after all.

"I've been in town a week, just taking it in. If you know any place in particular I need to know about, I'm all ears."

And then his expression turned to what almost amounted to a real smile. "Yeah, I know my way around a gun, alright."

[skilledwithwords]

Levy gave him a stare. "Monthly sacrifices? What do you think we do here?" She had to ask because she had no idea what Ted might have told him. He was straight forward at times but he also lied about the most random insignificant things.

"Do I look like I do that?"

She pointed to herself and then looked over at Maria and Porrim. Did any of them look like they did that?!

[youfool]

"Oh, goodness no. We have you sign in blood for those."

They're called jokes, Levy. Like this one: "Oh I don't know Levy. Looks can be deceiving." Ted could only chuckle to the ground as his ladies leaped to prove his unspoken point about their up-tightness. Still, he didn't dislike their nagging ways. It made them funnier.

"You see what I mean? But don't worry, I've thought of everything. The deputy I've recruited before you has the express purpose of learning Levy in laughter. One day I know she'll come around."

Speaking of jokes, he wanted to see just how far he could go with his new buddy. Nothing ventured...

"Hah, I'll bet. I'm glad being shot so often hasn't dulled your enthusiasm for them." Making light of death came naturally in Everglade.

"But guns have come a long way in that futuristic utopia; you know they've made ones you virtually never have to reload? And wait till I show you the phasers, and the lasers, and the...mhm! Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are a few choice locations to familiarize yourself with; first off there's..."

And more explanation as he escorted Ronan off the premises, free from blue-haired sticks in the mud. There were the various neighborhoods, the seedy bars that were best left alone, unless one were desperate. And of course, don't venture outside of city limits into the fog. It's a good way to white out and find yourself in the hospital.

Two locations also stood out: Dracula's archway, the premise of his archenemy. "Mark my words, one day we'll burn that evil castle to the ground and salt the earth. But for now, try to endure the tensions of our cold feud." They ended on happier terms, stopping by the Rabbit's Foot.

"This is where our peculiar weapons are purchased for peculiar threats. Wolfsbane, charms and such. It's got the cure for what ails this city, nine times out of ten. The proprietor is a grizzly fellow, weathered and worldly. A bit gruff, but one can hardly blame him for that. I patronize him frequently; he is and will continue to be a stalwart ally in our fight. All right! Tour's over. Time to introduce you to the wonders of the postmodern firearm."

It's not that he disliked Everglade, but its toys weren't nearly as fun. No contest.

[whatsbackup]

Ronan did his best to follow along with his new boss's train of thought, which seemed to jump around quite a bit, even in the slow times. He made mental notes to check out all the locations Ted introduced him to along the tour, nodding as he did so. At least he wasn't brazen enough to think of exploring Dracula's arch alone, but the others, sure. He could handle it.

He might even have to dip into what limited funds he had remaining to stock up on some of those weapons. They seemed like useful things to have on hand, in case a werewolf decided to have you for breakfast or something. He wasn't keen on being eaten alive, after all.

When the tour came to a close, he looked over to Ted and nodded.

"So, now you're going to give me a tour of Tomorrowland?"

[youfool]

Truthfully there were a few locations Ted avoided. One was the Lowerarchy, and the Tartarus guild that nested within it, two locations Ted was innocently ignorant of. It's a well-hidden den of scum and villainy, yet it had the good sense to do more hiding than hurting. The other were the purely political houses, like the undead civil rights group. While Ted wouldn't have minded having a debate with them, just getting near the place meant a session in reflex-training by dodging rotten produce.

Oh, and of course the Guardians are paid so handsomely partly to provide for provisions like that. Ronan would have no trouble getting money for supernatural bricabrac, if he asked.

"Huh, I've never heard it called that before. Kind of tragic, really. A city so focused on its future and novelty, it quite forgot its present. But to answer your question, no! I'll leave that to more capable tour guides. I will show you my favorite buildings; the range, and the arms dealers. They have guns that shoot lightning! Tazers have come a long way. The unfortunate thing is that you need licensing for almost all of it, but come December I'll have wrapped up some business in that department. And the sidewalks move! You know the ones that run down the middle of airports? It's like that all the time. You move so swiftly there; appropriate for a land ever desperate for tomorrow."

[whatsbackup]

Ronan can't help but laugh at that one. "It's a themepark at Disneyland...or Disneyworld, one of the two." He shrugged and slid a cigarette from his shirt pocket, lighting it before he continued on his way. If there was a law that said he couldn't smoke on the street he'd have to talk to his new boss about changing it. He couldn't live without his smokes, after all.

He nodded his appreciation at the sound of the sights awaiting him. "Sounds like a blast. I'm in."