Being a Saint
A/N: This is my first story. I want to thank all of my friends that helped me get this here. I also want to thank MangoSupaStar, a great Beta Reader, who took time to help me by reviewing my story and offering a lot of helpful advice. Thanks to all of you.
Story Outline
The focus of the story revolves around the minor members of the Third Street Saints, mainly a four person crew (Artemis, Dice, Mongrel and Chaz) and some of their closest friends and allies. The main characters from the game – Johnny Gat, Carlos, Shaundi, and the Boss/Protagonist (in this version represented by a female Chinese/American mix) – are only peripheral characters with which they rarely interact (although there will be more interactions with Pierce as they are part of his crew).
The time period starts in Saints Row 2 shortly after the Samedi Mission Veteran Child where the Boss kills Veteran Child at the On Track night club. No Brotherhood or Ronin missions have been started story-wise, yet.
The following merely tries to show a little glimpse into the lives of the foot-soldiers involved in the story – the poor unfortunates who take the most casualties yet get the least amount of credit and fame. This is their story and this is what it's like 'Being a Saint'.
Disclaimer: I own nothing – not Saints Row, not Johnny Gat and the rest of the Saints, not even my house (the bank owns it, my house that is - I'm still paying it off).
Episode 1: Chaz's First Mission
Part 1 (Stilwater, April 08, 2011)
Dice was applying Pretty Princess Pink lipstick when Artemis's cell phone rang. In the mirror mounted on the wall, she saw Artemis's reflection about fifteen feet behind her own. Artemis answered his phone, listened for a few seconds then nodded. Trying to hide her curiosity, Dice went back to primping herself. She crinkled her little pug nose and made a big show of smoothing her purple baby doll tee while straining to listen to Artemis's end of the conversation. To say that this was difficult would be an understatement.
In the lower level of the Saints Main Hideout, the song 'Gansta Bitch' was playing on the radio and nearby some of the Saints were laughing and commenting on how hot Shaundi was and what would be the best way to get into her pants. On the mid-landing near the broken angel statue two of the female Saints, Molly and Stella by the sound of it, were dancing with one of the female strippers to the hoots and calls of a couple of guys. Closer still one Saint was boasting to nobody about how good the shit was that he was smoking and how good it was to be hooked up. Through it all, Dice tried to make out Artemis's words.
"Right," Artemis muttered, nodding again. Something… "District, north of…" something… "Not a problem, Pierce. Yeah, I got the crew with me. It should be a…" four or five words she couldn't make out… "Not to worry." Dice was so distracted that she didn't notice Tommy's approach.
"S'up, darling!" Tommy yelled as he slapped her on the ass.
Dice jumped and let out a quick squeak.
"Whoa, babe, whoa!" Tommy laughed. "Didn't mean ta scare ya!"
"Tommy, you useless limp-dick, puss-wad!" Dice screamed. "What the fuck's your problem? God you are such a loser."
"Aw, don't be mad, Tommy will fix it all up for you!" Tommy laughed again and spread his arms wide as if to give her a big hug.
"Back off, ass-smear!" she yelled. She took a half step away from Tommy and punched him in the arm.
"Ow, babe. No need to get rough… yet." Tommy made a wide grin that sickened her as he stepped toward her. "We can go upstairs if ya wants ta wrestle."
Dice backed up a full step from him and swung again, harder than before.
"Ow!" Tommy's jovial tone dropped as the solid blow landed. "The fuck's your problem, bitch?" His smile was replaced by a sneer. He straightened up as his hands balled into fists.
Dice tensed and a wave of heat flashed over her. She had been waiting for an excuse to smash Tommy's smug face into the floor for a while and it looked like she finally had it. Tommy was about five-ten, a full eight inches taller than her own five foot two inch frame and easily outweighed her by fifty or more pounds, but she didn't care. The leather of her black fingerless gloves crinkled as her fists tightened.
"Swing, you smug ass," she thought to herself. "You'll miss and I'll mess you up! You'll be on the floor in 2.5 seconds and your blood will be polishing my nails."
A heavy footfall behind her made Tommy look up. Tommy's sneer vanished and he paled a little.
"There a problem, Tom?" came a smooth, heavy voice.
"No! Dammit, Blake!" Dice's mind raged as she recognized the voice behind her. "I want'em to swing at me! Swing, Tommy you shit! Swing! I want to mess you up!"
"No problem, Mongrel, heh, none at all," Tommy grinned. He opened his hands as he held them up. "Just a little funnin', ya know?" He stepped away from Dice. "Just a little funnin'..."
"Good. We'll catch up later, then, Tom? I want to talk to Dice." Tommy nodded in agreement, hastened down the stairs and quickly joined the guys hooting at Molly and Stella.
Dice turned and stared hard into the clean-shaven face of the blonde haired, blue-eyed Saint behind her. It was Blake… Mongrel to the rest of the gang. He was six foot three inches tall and weighed around 205 pounds. He looked lean, but nearly all of it was muscle. He was her best friend in the whole world although at this moment she was quite upset with him as her pout showed.
"Put the Gertrude lip away, Dice," he scolded softly, returning her look. "We don't fight with the rest of the Saints except in the Pit. Save that for the other gangs."
"I could've taken him," she protested.
"I'm sure you could."
"Fuck you, ya condescending bitch," she mumbled. Mongrel stared hard at her. "Whatever…" she said shrugging and went back to primping herself. She glanced in the mirror to see if she could find Artemis. He was off the phone and talking to Chaz in the far corner. She scowled at the reflection. "Great," she thought, "Tommy's crap made me miss the call and I didn't even get a chance to beat his ass."
"Don't scowl, Dice," Mongrel said behind her. "You look fine."
Dice smiled and glanced at her reflection as she fluffed her dark blonde hair, currently cut in a very cute short shaggy bob that she was growing out. She did have a nice figure - toned yet definitely feminine even in her cargo pants. Her hazel eyes locked on Blake's reflected in the mirror. She posed with one hand on her hip and another behind her head. "I know it!" she exclaimed, then blew his reflection a kiss. Mongrel sighed and shook his head.
"If you two are done making out," Artemis interrupted as Chaz and he approached the pair, "we got work to do."
"We get to hurt somebody?" Dice exclaimed, a smile coming quickly to her lips.
"Yes," Artemis replied. "Pierce says the boss and Gat want us to check out the northern part of Shivington in the Projects District. Some squatters are there – possibly allied with the Samedi and the Boss wants'em to move on."
The smile on her face vanished. "Ugh, Shivington… seriously? And what does 'move on' mean? Like, dead?"
"No," Artemis replied. "Stilwater's finest are canvassing the Projects District, so the boss doesn't want any gunfire. She just wants a little - let's say lesson - taught to the squatters. That means no heavy artillery, just bats and clubs on this one. Pistols brought as back up for emergency purposes only." Artemis looked pointedly at Dice. "Got it? Emergency purposes only."
Dice's face took on a perfect look of innocence. She gently laid a hand right below her throat as if taken aback by the implied accusation. "Of course, my dear Artemis," she said sweetly, trying to mimic the voice of a southern belle. "Why else would I use them?"
Artemis rolled his eyes. "Outside, people," he ordered. "We need to arm up. The boss wants it done before midnight."
Dice glanced at the clock hanging near the stairs. It was 8pm now, not much time left.