Sabotage.
"I'm tellin' y'all it's Sabotage!"
Casing the stage, there's not a ton I can do other than sneak on an' do what I promised. Sabotage. A classic thing from ages ago when Verosika an' I would bum concerts off bigger bands. A classic. I smile and sneak towards it. My hands on my pistols and peeking out. Seems like her hellhound is the only security she's got. My human disguise got me teeterin' an' totterin' 'cause my tail's MIA.
She begins her concert, the crowd getting pumped up in th' horny way. I smile an' slip right on in as a backin' track almost. She don't notice a thing. I plug my guitar into the amp on stage, cuttin' Verosika off. Strumming like a man possessed, I slam into a solo, she looks at me with a glare that'd kill a man. My music makes things completely different for these folks. They blink and look up at me, my fingers flash like lightnin', my hands burn like fire, she rolls her eyes and I smile.
"Come on, Darlin'! Y'scared t' join in?!" she bristles an' I grin wider, "Aww, you mad?"
"Furious." she snarls.
"Good." I grind right into the solo. We were Hell's most famous duo back in the days when we were young n' stupid. I close my eyes with a smile, openin' them to see the people all goin' insane like I'm grindin' out noise rock.
She wrenches it back into her control, singing Vacay to Bonetown but I rip it back with a solo that'd make Dragonforce blush. Sweat, tears, and fire all fly off me and the crowd goes absolutely wild, her groupies bein' bucked off an' IMP pickin' off the targets they need. The Hellhound, Vortex, was bein' dogpiled by a whole bunch of 'em. I laugh an' look at Verosika, her eyes wide and looking back at me. I smile with a shit-eatin' grin. Everything devolves inta chaos with a fish monster eatin' Moxxie cause of that shitty alcohol she drinks.
Millie goes sicko mode, Blitzo pickin' more an' more off.
Verosika rages towards me, lookin' like she always did when she'd yell at me, her finger goin' in my face. Her hot pink glare burnin' so good and so much that I almost wanted to make it all go t'bed and just get us a hotel room so I could see those cheeks goin' fuschia.
"Kreiger, what the fuck were you thinking?!" she snarls, "You…"
"Longtailed, trigger happy, inconsiderate, soul-suckin' hick." I finished for her, smilin' like I wanted her to know I was done with her barbs, "You know I can read you like a book." she crosses her arms and she hisses, her hair frizzing.
"Listen, I made you where you are today. I saw you and made you into something good. Saw something in you and you're here being a pain in my ass." she growls.
"One problem baby, I was the one who made you the popstar, you just took my shit and stole it, and now you're ridin' off my melodies. Just like how you rode my purple cock." I almost don't wanna make her angrier, to fold and let 'er walk all over me.
"That's also a lie an' you know it." I loom over her, "Trailer park, Lust Ring, we were in high school, we used ta love each other! I wanted ya t' remember those days! THOSE WERE THE BEST OF MY DAMN LIFE!"
Verosika surges toward me, her hands wrappin' around my guitar. My mind registering it. No. No no no. No.
She grabs my guitar with a vengeance, rippin' it out of my hands an' bringing it over her head, "Well here's what I think of those days!" she screams, slammin' it over an' over into the nearest wall, the pavement, strings and tuners flying, frets shattered, body in splinters.
"They were shit! SHIT! ALL OF THEM! YOU WERE HOLDING! ME! BACK!"
Three final hits an' it's a ruined pile of scrap. Flashes of memory snarl into my brain, my mother standin' with my ruined guitar…
My mind spirals, my eyes widen, my disguise wavers, my horns threaten t'grow right outta it an' run 'er down like a bull in a china shop. She stands an' flips her hair, gasping an' huffin' something fierce. My hand grips the cool metal an' leather of my pistols. Gun in the face. Click the hammer. One pull and her pretty brains are all over the wall.
"Pick it the hell up an' get in the goddamn portal." I growl. She gets down on the sand and gathers it up, almost lookin' regretful. She better be. Verosika shakes, tears at the edges of her eyes, she breathes fast. My breath comes out slow and harsh. My pistol's cool, smooth metal beckons me to fire it.
Blow her away.
I remember how we ran away. Her father with a similar gun, her soft hand grabbin' my arm an' aimin'...
My hand shakes. Don't look an' blow her away.
It's just a guitar. She broke it.
She don't deserve it. She broke us.
I love her. She ruined you.
I grab her shoulder and lead her toward the temp portal I set up to get me back, I use them with rights from my Pa.
We walk through the maze of backways, my tail whipping around in the air, my skin changin' back into the lavender I loathe. But she never once complained about it. But here we are. Together again. And all I wanna do is show 'er exactly what happens t' guys who cross me. But. The mature thing t'do is just let it go. She can fix it, she's got the cash. I sigh an' holster my pistol.
Verosika's eyes glance at me, "Sorry."
"Yeah. You should be."
She sighs, "We're fucked up, aren't we?" her hand brushes against mine, I don't let 'er grab on. I wrench m'hand outta her range. She looks up at the sky, the bluish purple of Lust glowin' down on us.
"Why are we…?" she looks at me as I sit down on a ledge overlookin' the city.
"You remember that promise we made? In our old apartment?" I smile, tone heavy, "I wanted t'marry ya when we got big."
She sits down beside me, "Yeah…" she huffs, gettin' out a pack of smokes an' lightin' a cig.
I laugh bitter and loud, "An' all I get is just… shit after shit. Piled here. Like… like it's goin' outta damn style!"
"I was happy with us. I was happy when it was us, on our own. All just… worth nothin'." I curl into a little ball, "I wish I was a good man for you. But you wanted more, I just…"
Tears sting my eyes, my gaze locked with hers, "I just wanted you. My brain ain't wired for the Incubus shit. I just look like one, I… I just want…"
"I want my own life, Verosika, an' I still love you. I ain't right, I ain't sane. I get it. Just… god, I dunno what to do."
Verosika blows out smoke, "So… you're asking me? The popstar who can barely keep herself together?"
"No, I'm fuckin' ventin'. There's a difference," I snarl softly, "All my life I've been yanked around by my parents. My dad still uses me t'take out rival companies an' my Mom is a total bitch!"
"So? Just shoot her." she shrugs, "Seemed really easy when you capped my dad."
"See, that's the issue here." I huff, "I'm usually separated from m'targets. No family, no friends, you saw me! I was shakin' the second I pointed my gun at'cha!" she blinks, takes it in, then nods.
"Your mindset about your parents, about… me. It's holding you back, isn't it?"
"Just tell me I'm on the right track, please? Please, tell me I'm doin' this right." I beg. My tail whips through the air, Verosika sighs.
"Listen, the only way you'll know is when you get out there and do it, Kreiger. You don't need someone to tell you what to do." she stubs out her cigarette and touches my cheek, guiding my gaze to her.
She smiles sadly, "I guess I'm not part of that if I broke your guitar…" she kisses me on the forehead, "Find something that makes you happy."
She gets up and starts to walk away. In a flash the cool plains night of Wrath seeps into my bones, I head back into my father's little farmhouse, goin' up t'my room an' puttin' my guns away.
Then I hear the whir and buzz of Pa's gatling tail, "Yahahahaha! Git some! GIT SOME!" I sigh and settle in, it don't matter to me none if my Pa is gettin' action. I need a way out. I can't grow if I'm bein' sent out to bloody my hands morn' noon n' night.
When I was little, I'd fall asleep to his gatling tail, and jus' like that I was out like a light.
I curl into a little ball, my head swimming with drunk thoughts. 'Oh Kriegie…' I shove my face into my knees, my tail batting the bed. 'Don't cry. Don't cry. You're a star, baby.'
You betrayed him.
No, I didn't. He wanted to hold me down.
No, he loved you.
So? He's a great fuck. He's wrapped around our little finger. He's so… I see his smile, hear his laugh, hear him say Darling. Seeing him on stage again beside me just… god, what did I do? I get up, stumbling to the mirror, seeing my bleary eyes and messy hair.
Disgusting.
I touch my face lightly, remembering how he'd hold me. How he…
A gun clicks out of nowhere in my mind, I'm staring through one eye, one swollen shut with Kreiger standing over me, his tail wound protectively around me, my father standing there with his hands up.
"Y'touch her again, I'll fuckin' murder ya." Panic fills me at the memory, grabbing his arm and it fires at my father, bringing him down, I smile.
"Verosika?" he asks, "Y'okay, darlin'?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
We killed our father with him, do you really think we should let that go?
He's sleeping so soundly, his tail wound around me, his eyes closed and his hand slowly going through my hair, I couldn't help but nuzzle into him despite the pain it might've caused him. He got into another fight, his body more dark purple than lavender. Sewn up and dried blood all over his bandages. Kissing them better. Like a child I guess. Maybe I thought I could help? He shifts and buries his face in my hair, I giggle and close my eyes.
He's solid, he's here. He's here and I'm with him. It feels… cold?
Empty. The bed is empty. You're holding pillows.
I don't notice the tears, the jolting cries. God, I want him back. Why'd I chase him away? No… it wasn't me. I hold the pillows tighter, I didn't want this. I wanted Kreiger to stay. Why'd he go?
Because we abandoned him. We were selfish and kicked him down to Wrath when all he's done is try to help us!
Maybe I should drink more. Maybe I should just make it go faster. Maybe fuck someone? No, no. He's… he's not… god, he's…
Kreiger's voice begging me to tell him that he's on the right track echoes through my mind. Reminding me of what he wanted all along.
He just wanted you, and you killed any chance of him ever coming back.
It felt good to be on stage with him again. How his lips tasted of coke and liquor, how he held me so close and so tight, how he'd always smile and drape himself on me. Now all I see is the hurt in his eyes. The shaking of his gun, the fury quickly burning to life in his eyes. Just the sheer rage he had deep below. The shattered remains of the guitar mocking me and making him break down. I bury my face into the pillows and sob, just raw and hurt.
His charming little tail wags, his fake cool guy act making me laugh, how everything was so simple, but here I am. At the top of the world with no other way back down unless I burn everything back down.
I still love him.
Fuck.
The office overlooks the rest of the Lust Ring, it's gaudy and all over the place. Lilim Discorde, the top talent agent in Lust. Krieger's Mom. She leans against her desk, white hair fluffed out and dark purple skin shining almost blue in the blacklight of the room.
"Verosika!" she greets, standing up and walking towards me with her arms outstretched, "How are you, my dear?"
My head pounds harder, forcing a smile, "I'm doing just fine, Lilim…"
Lilim smiles wider, "Even after that disastrous concert in the human world? I'm proud of you for handling that issue,"
That expression of abject horror, of fear, of sadness flashes in my mind. Kreiger holding his gun to my head, quivering like it has nothing better to do than that. Gritting his teeth, conflict in his eyes.
I almost wanted him to pull the trigger. Yeah, Blitzo might've been a self centered ass but even HE was better than sitting here watching Lilim preen and pomp around like the primadonna she used to be. Kreiger wanted nothing more than me. That's the killing blow of it. Just the idea that someone like him, not even a moment's hesitation in anything he did for me. He killed, he bled, he got beaten, shot, stabbed, all of it for me.
"Verosika?" she asks, "Hello? Earth to Verosika." Lilim's hand waves in front of my face, her crimson eyes reminding me somewhat of Kreiger's. The sharpness of it. God, every waking moment is gonna be filled with him, yeah?
I grab my flask and down some Beelzejuice, glaring at her, "Yeah? What's up?"
"Well, you do have an appearance tonight, something about a talk show about your newest album from some executive pricks in the television sector."
"An' lemme guess, another porno?" I huff, "Come on, Lilim, I don't do those anymore."
"Right, right." Lilim bats her forehead gently, "I totally spaced."
Everything sort of fades into a dull roar as she goes on and on about shit I could care less about right now because every second little Kriegers come into my thoughts cooing and hugging me and telling me deep fried country nothings.
I still love him.
Fuck.
I walk the road in Greed, dodgin' glances from the mob folk an' headin' towards a local hole in the wall that doubles as a spot for assassins to get marks. I lug my bag in behind me an' settle in at a booth, seein' a guy in a dirtied suit, a crumpled hat, and one horn, his head tilting. In the low, darkish green light he lopes over, his eyes darting around, hands clasped around something. Once he gets closer his lips stretch into a warm-ish smile.
He gets up, his black hair sorta remindin' me of that little guy Millie was married to, Moxxie. His tail is loose, draggin' along the floor as he wobbles over to the other bench in the booth. He clambers on top of it an' gulps in some air. His stiff, wet hair and glowing yella eyes make me wanna give him my coat t' warm hisself up with. His body shivers.
"You're… you're Black Hat Kreiger, right?" he asks, his voice soft, drawling with the accent of most of the mobsters here, "Can ya hide me? I just needta get ta Imp City…" he's clutching a small once-white shoe.
"I need ta see mio fratello…" he mumbles, "His name's…" he closes his eyes and gently breathes out, "If ya don't wanna bring me, just take this an' tell my brother that Maxie sent it. His name's Moxxie."
I smirk, "I'll getcha there, t' tell ya the truth, Maxie, I'm headin' there m'self."
He holds out his hand, "Alright then. Thanks."
I take it, "Don't mention it, I'll getcha to yer brother safe n' sound."
He smiles and we sit, getting drinks. Who knew the little dude had a brother? This should be cake.