The town was the color of tree sap, oozing out from the edges of the horizon, flowing out from the sun that spawned them and all the way across the sky till it hardened to darken and form the buildings and blocks that made Twilight Town. And the contents of that town were just as sweet. And the sweetest of this town was also the newest. The aroma attracted many from the accompanying streets and apartments and they got to taste it first hand once they got there.
The Bistro sat comfortably amongst the other shops, but it stood out by being even taller and wider than many of the others, with an elaborate setup and design authentic to its origin. The incredible funding helped in regards to that, but funding was nothing without happy customers and good word of mouth. Of which there was also no shortage of.
There was an indoor and outdoor to it; accommodations for all tastes. And many floors to go with it, the higher you went the more of the town you could see. The outside was preferred by many as you could take in the sights easier in a more personal manner.
And there was always help to be had in maintaining the customers happiness.
Three hats bobbed between the tables outside. Red, Blue and Green always in that order. They waddled their way each one in step with the other through the tables and all the happy people eating at them, save one who sat murkily in his seat. Yet they paid him no mind, not yet.
They came to the front of the restaurant before the main doors and under the sign that read 'Le Grand Bistrot'. The one in red who lead the procession stopped and turned around and the other two moved to flank him. But he was not the first one to speak.
"Oh boy!" Dewey spoke up excitedly " Uncle Scrooge is gonna like all the work we put in!"
"You bet." Louie nodded in agreement.
"But there's still so more we can do." Huey added "Let's ask if we can put up some flyers around town or something." he suggested, but the look on the other two seemed like they were in a different state of mind.
"Says you." Dewey said dismissively.
"I think we've done enough, already." Louie added in a similar tone.
"That's what you say," Huey squeaked with energy still in him "but if you ever want to own this restaurant like I do, then you'll take the initiative."
" 'Initiative' he calls it." Dewey said.
"I bet he can't even spell it." Louie added. Both laughed at their teasing while Huey remained on the other end of it.
"But I knows it when I sees it." Huey stated. And at that moment he saw what was no doubt some initiative. For between his two brothers, he saw another patron sitting at a table. There was no food before him, only a dark bottle with his hand on it. The man himself was portly, dressed like an old fashion sailor though it could just be normal for him and looked to be as old as Uncle Scrooge. He may have just as many adventures as him as well, but it looked like it had worn the old man down as opposed to their great uncle. "Here watch this." he said before he waddled past his brothers, stopping their laughter as the two turned to watch him and approach the weathered old man slumped forward in his chair.
"Huh?" What?" the two let out together as Huey stopped before the man.
"Good day sir." Huey said politely up to the shadow of the man, hardly reaching up to the armrest he slumped against as he looked up to him. The man's arm obstructed his face as he held the bottle, but he seemed to stir and more white hair poked up over the arm, but no sign of a face. Slowly it seemed to turn from behind the arm, and he saw eyes poke up and over it to look at him. Then slowly the arm retracted and lowered as the body of the man fell back to the chair. And Huey for the first time saw the round sullen unkempt face.
"What's that?" he asked tiredly, his mouth wet only from the drink.
"I just wanted to know if I could fulfill any service for you?" he said kindly.
Immediately the man shook his head and his hair swayed with it "No!" he lashed out. Huey was startled by this and backed away and was prepared to walk away to the further amusement of his brothers. That was his plan until the man beckoned back. "Wait matey!" he called, his voice still rough but less violent towards him. By this point Huey wanted to go back to his brothers but he could not back out of this either. For he knew Uncle Scrooge wouldn't.
Warily, he crept back towards the man, who faced him more now and concentrated on him even further.
"You from here lad?" he asked before a deep breath. His voice calmer now, but sounding tired.
"I'm here helping my uncle." Huey answered.
"You know this place?" he asked just as swiftly.
"Well enough, sir."
"That'll do." he said before he reached into his pocket and produced a shiny golden coin "Here." he placed it into Huey's hand.
"Wow!" Huey exclaimed. His initiative had paid off already.
"That be fer you." the old man pointed with one finger off the bottle to him. "You go snooping around now.." he pointed off into town, but kept his eyes on Huey and took another breath "and if you come by a man with one leg or a man with a scar broadside his face," he paused for another shorter breath "you come running back to the captain, you see." he said pointing to himself "Understand?" he nodded.
"Oh yes sir!" The young boy exclaimed and hopped up and down.
"Good." he rasped "We'll make a proper ship mate out of you yet. Now go!" he waved him off to enjoy his drink more.
He saw the red clad duck return to two others in blue and green. He couldn't hear much, but heard bits about 'initiatives' though it didn't interest him. But even hearing them repeat what he told them made him on edge. Of one legged men and scarred faces. But perhaps it got him two extra sets of eyes. And that would be for the better.
He had been on shore leave here for a few weeks after leaving a previous world and found decent enough lodgings here in the town. The room was serviceable but large enough that he could hide the chest bearing his initials.
WB
Captain William Bones or Billy Bones as they called him. But he saw no sign of them here, not yet. But how long it could stay that way he could not tell. The map to the treasure was hidden inside there. And what's his was his. They weren't going to take that away from him. Not his old shipmates. All he had to do was keep giving them the slip.
The three boys scurried off with more excitement than they entered. Red blue and green in that order as they ran past each table and dispersed beyond it into the town of Twilight.
With them gone, Billy Bones was content to wait and here from them. To sit and think and drink and enjoy his rum.
He sat hunched over in his seat, the bottle he held so tight in his left hand it might as well have been a part of his body. He brought it up to his mouth and drank greedily from it. The drink overflowing at his mouth and running free at the edges of it. He separated the two with a mushy 'pop' of the bottle and set it back down, rattling on the table.
He let out a tired pained breath before he settled back into his chair.
But something jolted him upright in his seat. His eyes as wide as dinner plates, his face as white as his hair.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He heard it scraping against the floor. The moving of a cane to carry it's owner across the ground.
Billy Bones looked over his right shoulder, thinking it louder and coming from that direction. But as he turned his head over and his hear went further he left it was now louder from the other side. So to his left he turned frantically, but he saw nothing coming his way. But he continued to hear it growing louder.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His nerves were getting the better of him now and he began to shake. The cold feeling that would normally cause it followed shortly after. The bottle still in his grip began to rattle against the table as he shook.
He centered his head and vision again as he seemed to have no way of telling where he was coming from, but he knew who it was.
'Pew.' he thought dangerously 'Blind Pew.' His old shipmate, come for him at last. The taping continued, growing louder.
Slowly, but without uncertainty his free hand moved in towards his shirt and then down towards his buckle, towards the flintlock pistol he had there. But right as he reached his hand to touch it the tapping stopped short. And in his seat Billy did as well.
"Good day to ye sir!" an elderly sing song voice called out, so suddenly yet to harsh to his ears that he fell back into his seat in shock. Breathing deeply Billy saw that it was no blind beggar who was beside him, though he was likely the same height due to Pew's habit of reaching out ahead and low. But he did bore a cane, meant for walking just the same as he. "Hope everything is to yer liking." Scrooge said agreeably from his side of the table, adding another tap of the cane at the end, but it only made Billy Bones shiver more. Scrooge looked him over some more and saw that he was still prying onto the bottle. And that it had in fact been the only thing he had ordered and tasted since arriving at his bistro. "Ah" he sang "I'd find that goes best with sum food." he advised.
Billy popped the bottle from his mouth and then wiped it off his sleeve. Scrooge half thought he would try licking the stain off of it, but he instead let the arm fall limply to the armrest. He let out another breath as he looked over the aged mallard.
"This be fine." he said with a voice like salt as he caught his breath and stilled his fears. He could tell that Scrooge was one he could not frighten easily. Nor could he be incensed as easily as the boys. "Need to get my strength back." he stated.
"Ah" Scrooge nodded "Well.. whatever you order will be yours, so long as you can pay." Billy said nothing but nodded "And that goes fer yer room as well." Scrooge pointed the cane to him as he brought the bottle to his mouth which caused him to pause in doing so. He looked to Scrooge disheveled and confused, but Scrooge just peered at him closer.
"You own the lodgings as well?" he questioned easing the bottle back down.
"Aye." Scrooge nodded. Another question stirred in Billy Bones at that moment. That perhaps he could get some use out of Scrooge, even more than those boys.
"Be you-" he shifted upwards in his seat as he shrugged his shoulder up "be you many customers?" he asked.
"As many as you see here." Scrooge happily tapped his cane. Billy's eyes shifted around the very crowded patio outside and towards the inside where he could see the silhouettes of just as many people. He began to shake again.
"Be there any-" he began but was cut off about to inquire about more one legged men by the name of Silver, bling beggars like Pew or scarred men.
"Captain!" a young voice hailed him. Billy turned to see the three young boys running towards them with Huey in the lead yet again, a frantic excited look on his face.
"Boys!" Scrooge said from beside the table as they stopped before him "What's gotten into you?"
"The captain here sent us on a job!" he told.
"Ah" Scrooge let out agreeably "Picking em up whenever ye can. That's the way to do it lads." he said congratulating them and Huey felt all the better for it. But remembered why he came running back in the first place.
"Uh Captain." he said turning to him calming his voice considerably, but there was a hint of nervousness as well.
"Yes." Billy shifted further in his seat to him "What is it mate? What do you have for me?"
"Well.." he began "We didn't see any one legged men," he said and a wave of relief came over Billy who slumped back into his chair, the way the boys found him, not the way he spoke to Scrooge. "but we did find someone with a scar across their face."
All at once the fear came back to Billy Bones, and he went bone white again. Something that was noticed by all who looked at him in concern.
"Captain," Huey said concerned "are you alright?" Billy began to shake and turned down to Huey. And another name crossed his mind.
'Black Dog.' he thought gravely.
"Wh-where was he?" his voice trembling like he was "What was he doing?"
"Well.." Huey shrunk a bit "we found him in the sandlot." he began "He caught us peaking at him and wanted to know why we were snooping around looking at him. And when we said someone was looking for him. He said he wouldn't have to look much farther. So he's on his way here now." that was not what the old captain wanted to hear. And one thing he knew was that he wouldn't be here for it.
"And I'll shove off then!" Billy said as he erupted from the table. His burst awkward and sudden and his legs were wobblily looking as if he may fall down at first. But then he made his hurried scamper towards the inside of the Bistro.
"Hey!" Louie called out as he and Dewey came to Huey's side. "What about us?! We helped search too! Where's our coin?!" but Billy Bones didn't hear them or didn't care enough to answer.
"What's mine is mine!" he declared if only to himself, repeating it as he reached the door he turned back. He grabbed ahold of the open door to steady himself on it "Send 'em away mates." he called back with a wave "I was never here!" he said before he disappeared behind the door to hide away in the Bistro.
Puzzled and strange looks overcame the three boys and their great uncle at the strange and erratic actions of the older man. Their eyes concentrated on the door in the same confused silence. But a voice called out from behind.
"Hey losers!" a young arrogant voice called out. Scrooge rolled his eyes and then dropped them into his hand. He turned around along with the boys to see standing beyond the rim of his patio four young ruffians.
The Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee. The leader of which had a distinct scar across his face. And it was he who did the speaking.
"So where is coward who doesn't come out to see me himself?" Seifer said as he pounded a fist to his chest.
"Weak." Fuu said after him.
"Yeah that's not cool y'know." Rai added. Beside them Vivi waddled around applauding them.
"So where is he?" Seifer asked looking around the patio and all those seated there.
Scrooge's brow furrowed and he waddled forward past his nephews "Hoodlums!" he called and then raised his cane to point menacingly at them "I've heard enough of you!"
"Tsch?" Seifer let out unimpressed staring down at him "It's you I came all the way for?"
"It's not!" Scrooge refuted "But it's me you'll have to deal with now! This be fer paying customers only." Scrooge scolded pounding his cane to the floor "and I wont be having you causing a ruckus here."
"I don't back away from a challenge." Seifer said confidently.
"Why don't you better yerselves and get a job lad? I'll even offer you one here." Scrooge offered slyly "So long as you keep in line."
"Tsch" Seifer let out "I've no time for that."
"Lame." Fuu said monotone after him.
"Someone's gotta protect these streets." Seifer boasted.
"Hm" Scrooge huffed poking his bill up "Selfless work." he said with a sneer "But that means you have no reason to be here and I'll see you off." he said taking a step forward and snapped "Go on. Git!" he waved his cane and hands to them. They stepped back at his initial approach and then stood off against him once he drove them further from the restaurant.
"This was a waste." Seifer said with a shrug as he put his back to Scrooge and walked away, all the others followed his example. Scrooge stayed where he was and watched them leave, making sure they rounded a far off corner and left his sight before he turned back to his nephews.
"Wow!" "Good job Uncle Scrooge." "You really showed them!" they clapped as he returned to them.
"Twas nothing." he said with a tip of his hat followed by a chuckle as he rejoined them. He then turned to Huey "Huey lad," he said and the boy perked up "why don't you go in and check in on our newest customer?" he said pointing to the Bistro with his cane.
"Me?" Huey asked surprised.
"O' course" Scrooge nodded "Twas you who approached him and brought this on." he said with a chuckle and his brothers joined in at his expense, coming back to this yet again.
Realizing he could only do what was asked Huey hung his head and turned off to go and find the captain inside.
"Wow. I almost forgot about him." Dewey said.
"Not me!" Louie proclaimed "I wanted my money as well!"
"As do I." Scrooge said with a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to him. "I wouldn't let him skip on a bill now." he finished with a chuckle and the boys laughed with him.
Storming away from the Bistro Seifer lead the way with Fuu, Rai and Vivi following behind him.
"Yo that was weak ya know." Rai said with an exaggerated wave of his hands.
"Worthless." Fuu commented.
"Total waste of time." Seifer said holding his head high "What kinda chickenwuss calls me out for a fight and doesn't show?" he said as he came to a corner.
He turned the corner as the other three cheered him on yet stopped short when he bumped into something. Or rather someone.
Seifer stumbled back from bumping into a tall black wall. Only it wasn't a wall, but a man. A man in dark clothes and a dark tricorn hat on top of his head that black unruly hair seeped out from. His face wasn't long, but round. His face wasn't clear but dark in stubble and temperament. He had a solemn broodyness about him. That and something else. The figure was dark save for a white scar that struck from along his right eye down across his face to his left cheek, looking like a bolt of lightning. He looked down to the four with a plain face, not showing any emotion.
Seifer let out a grumble, now that he was in his way. After missing out on one fight, he was ready to pick up any he found.
"Hey, watch where your going old man." he barked. A faint hint of amusement came over the man's face as he stood over them, but he hardly changed his demeanor or even moved. A shadow seemingly growing out of his dark presence the longer they were beneath him. He said nothing, but that only made Seifer angrier. "You don't see people walking here?" Seifer said after he received no answer.
"Blind." Fuu stated backing him up.
The man, however, said nothing to them. With a darkened glare he continued to look down on them silently. Vivi fidgeted beneath them, feeling anxious the longer this went on.
"Got nothing to say?" Seifer asked. He still said nothing. "Tsh. What another waste of time." he shirked around him and walked away. The three passed by him, much as how they had before. Seifer leading and the other two following. Only Vivi waddling ahead looked back to glance at the man who he found was staring back at him making him scurry away faster. None of the others realized it they were watched as the man's head turned to watch them go.
Once they rounded the corner, he heard them for a short while longer, hearing them still as their voices echoed back down the alleys and the streets. Once they were finally silenced Black Dog turned around to continue down the street ready to continue the search of his own.
Continuing around the corner, he was prevented from rounding he came to the wide open area of Twilight Town. The part where the trams swerved neatly between shops, people went about their daily twilight soaked lives. And where he would do more snooping.
Trudging into this clearing he paid no one any mind and no one dared look his way. He looked like a bit of night coming early for the town. He heard the bells from the tram sound as he walked past crowd.
He paused as the tram came by, allowing it pass slowly before him, going as still as a statue as he waited. Before it did he set his eyes on a small restaurant nestled at the corner of the yard. A glint in his eye when he saw it as a darkness shrouded him as he waited for the tram to pass. The tram passed and when it did his set looked at it again. It looked quite popular and full of people. If he didn't find who he sought there at least, he may hear something of him, so tucking his hands in his pockets, tugging his coat around his neck he made his way over there.
Dressed in all black, Black Dog moved like a shadow through the sunnier, happier crowd. He continued creeping by them until he came to the one lone table on the patio outside and took his seat there. He eyed everything around him skeptically and when no one objected or dare even notice him he took his seat.
His body was in the seat, but his head continued to swivel. To be on the lookout for one man in particular, or any one who's seen him. His head was turned the other way so he did not know that he was noticed now, by a green clad young duckling hoping to get what he was owed. Not unlike Black Dog.
"Good day sir." the young squeaky voice called and the sailor turned back to see the young duck standing beside his seat "what can I do for you?" he asked.
"Glass ah' double rum." he replied. No 'Hello'. No 'How do you do?'. Just straight to the order. Louie scurried away from him as if frightened which he certainly was, once he got sight of that scar. He remembered what he was told to look out for after all but thought better of saying anything, since it only lead to trouble. When he returned, it was with a bottle as big as he was. He raised it up high to place it onto the table taking a deep congratulatory breath as he did, though he still did not impress the black clad sailor.
As Louie did all that, the man's head and eyes rolled to look around. His gaze returned to him when Louie returned shakily to the stand with a glass and grabbing the bottle he poured into it. As he finished it, Black Dog reached down to take the filled up cup with his left hand. As he retracted it, his right hand dug down it disappearing into his black pocket cutting off his skin. When it reveled itself again, it reached out a coin which he traded off for the drink as he discarded it onto the stand letting it rattle out.
Elated that he had what was promised to him Louie slapped his hand down to stop it from doing so, effectively silencing it. As he did so Black Dog took a deep gulp from his cup before settling it back down before his face as he looked down to the boy. He let out a refreshing but quick well deserved 'Ah' before speaking.
"This here's a quiet town. Much company mate?" he asked gruffly.
Now while Louie had been at Twilight Town for a while, but he didn't know this place as well as he did Radiant Garden. Even before that Uncle Scrooge told him to never lie. So he answered as best as he could. Because Scrooge told him otherwise it was bad for business.
"Enough sir." he answered tough a bit hesitantly. Whether the man heard that or not he wasn't sure since he couldn't see his face as he looked back over his shoulder. Or dare look him in the eye. There was something unnerving about him and his eyes would keep trailing to the scar.
The man occupied himself with looking around again "Who be the owner?"
"Scrooge Mcduck sir." Louie answered "He's my uncle."
"Where is your uncle?" he asked quickly, intently turning back to him as soon as he answered him.
"Just dealing with a problem inside." he answered.
"Hm." Black Dog mused with pursed lips. He then set the glass and himself down on the table as he leaned forward. "What's yer name?" he asked.
"Louie sir."
"Well Louie," he said with a wry dark chuckle attempting to be friendly "you seems a likely lad. Ever notice a seafaring man around these parts?"
"We get all kinds to the Bistro." he answered happily, knowing that to be true judging by what he heard Uncle Scrooge say and what he saw of the Bistro itself.
"Any kind that calls themselves Captain William Bones?" he said as his voice went darker, frightening him further, any hint of friendliness gone from him.
"Bones sir?" Louie repeated and then shook his head knowing for sure that was no lie.
"Hmm." the man let out again, calming from that sudden outburst "No matter." he said before standing back up "Fill er up." he said again and then looked about the place as the drink was poured. Not realizing he sat at the very table the man he searched for just slipped away from.
Character Appearances: Huey, Dewey, Louie, Uncle Scrooge(Ducktales), Billy Bones, and Black Dog( Treasure Island 1950), Seifer, Fuu and Rai(FF8), Vivi(FF9)
