Roman Torchwick knew the human mind very well. In his line of work, it was essential. People would attempt to take advantage of any situation they were in. Success came down to learning how people would attempt to take advantage of said situation and then exploiting said people. That, and making sure that it wasn't worth betraying you.
At least, that was how it was supposed to work. Roman understood people. Remnant, while being a cesspit of indecency and malice, was actually a reasonable place to exist in. So long as he followed the unwritten rules, Roman could lie, steal, and cheat through anything and still survive, without a doubt in his mind.
Such was his worldview when he first met that thing called Cinder.
"Restrain the customers," muttered Torchwick. Georgie, Dim, and Pete grunted and made their way through toward the three patrons of the First Haven Bank and Trust. Confident in his droogs, Torchwick strolled over to the singular teller and casually, in one fluid motion, hooked both the teller's wrists and held them over her head.
"Do you have any idea how easy this place is to rob at this time of night Miss..." Torchwick peered at the name tag of the terrified worker. "...Night? Miss Night?" Torchwick chuckled as she whimpered. "Don't worry. I don't plan on hurting you tonight. You can thank your lucky stars for that, Miss Night, ha haa.." Torchwick chuckled at his terrible joke. Miss Nights eyes widened even further as she screamed and started pulling away.
"Easy, EASY, starry eyes, I said I wasn't going to hurt you. I don't even need the bank's money. You might not know this, but your boss..." Torchwick vaulted over the counter and twisted the wrists of Miss Night until she and Torchwick were both facing the wall behind the counter. "...has a deal going with Sienna Khan" Roman popped open a secret panel in the wall and entered a 16 digit password.
"Please, just please let me go, she's going to kill me!" By now, Miss Night was shaking so uncontrollably, her words were chattering within her mouth.
"I said I don't plan on hurting you. But seriously, look at all that your boss has been hiding from you." Torchwick indicated a sizable sub-vault full of lien, dust, and scrolls. "Sienna Khan put at least half of his eggs in one basket. Now, this fox is going to have an omelet." "AAUGHHH!" shrieked Miss Night. "Okay, what is it now-w-wah..." Torchwick's words trailed off. Right next to him, the woman that Pete should have been guarding, had her had reached around from behind and was covering Miss Night's face, while her other hand pressed against Miss Night's back. As the mysterious bank patron's dress and ashen black hair swayed slightly from the air-vents, she turned, made eye contact with Roman, and smiled maliciously.
Holding Torchwick's gaze, the stranger's fingers seemed to heat up as her fingers sank into Miss Night's sizzling eye sockets like a grotesque bowling ball. Within seconds, Miss Night's hands, previously caught in the hook of Melodic Cudgel, detached as they ignited into ashes. A sense of surreal horror and primal fear pervaded Torchwick's mind as he stood petrified before the monster's eyes. It may have been minutes, or even hours before he managed to speak.
"S-So, are you here for Sienna Khan's stash as well?" The ashen haired monster tilted her head and paused before responding "I suppose...in a manner of speaking," all the while retaining her unsettling smirk.
After another pause, Roman asked, afraid to hear the answer, asked "A-and my droogs?" Slowly, without speaking a word, the monster raised an ash-covered hand and held it out, reaching his chest in what can only be described as a menacing caress. "Well," the monster whispered, "I'd say that right now, they're very, very close to your heart." With the gentlest of pressure on his collarbone, she lowered him until his face was two feet beneath hers.
After smirking some more, the monster suddenly stood up and turned around. Not waiting to see what happened next, Torchwick sprang to his feet and leaped over the counter. As he passed three ash heaps that remained of Georgie, Dim, and Pete, a wave of nausea rolled over him. Struggling not to vomit, he stumbled past and made his way to his Bullhead. Taking off, he started at a loud explosion. The blast rocked his ship, and as he squinted through the flashes of flame and smoke, he saw a single figure sway out of the bank. It almost appeared as though she expended an amused glance his way. Shivering, he sped as fast as he could to the nearest safe house.
Roman sat on his bed, rocking back and forth, clutching his chest. When he realized he was gripping the remains of Georgie, Dim, and Pete, he tore off his coat and threw it on the ground. With a clatter, something fell out of his pocket. Bending down to pick it up, he suddenly realized he wasn't alone in the room. Jumping backwards, he realized the monster from the bank was in his safe house.
"Hello Roman," the woman spoke softly. "I apologize for interrupting your grieving. Should I have come at another time?"
Roman froze. Something in his gut told him that if he asked to be alone, he would wind up another ash-smudge on his otherwise white coat. "N-n-no. My droogs didn't mean that much to me." He cleared his throat. "What can I do for you?"
The woman waited before answering him. "My name is Cinder Fall. In the future, I will have need of your services. As of right now you are, as you would say, my droog." Roman could feel his world slipping away. "I will be assuming direct control over the assets of your criminal organization." Leaning in, Cinder brought her hand up to the side of Torchwick's face. "You wouldn't deny me on this now would you Roman?" Slowly, she brought her fingers across his face and gently pushed on his eyelids. "I would be ever so...dissapointed in you if you refused me," she breathed in his ear.
Roman swallowed. Just barely, he was able to whisper "I'll help you."
Cinder eased the pressure on Roman's eyelids. "Good," she said. "You will be notified when you are needed."
I'll survive, thought Torchwick. I'll survive no matter what.
I want to try leading this up to where Roman gets nommed. I see Torchwick as a character in a Lovecraft story, one with themes of one's own insignifigance as the world falls away around them, after witnessing the monster incomprehensible... I might leave it at this though, unless people say otherwise. Anyways, leave me feedback in a review.