Someplace Chump:
Winning second place still made Riesgraf happy when he looked at the group picture in the didn't need to cut it out of the events page of his father's paper to preserve the memory. Since Leo got a photo for him when he was at the award ceremony. Seeing the minor article around a black-n- white picture brought a smile to his face.
"Are you done yet?" Zapp asked, "Some of us need the race forms."
"Dog or horse?" Tayla asked with a hand lifted to Sonic.
"Both," Zapp thought it was a good day, "I feeling lucky."
He ended up watching Sonic hand her what he wanted for a quick look then toss it to him. Handed Sonic one of her tea cakes that Lady Taliyah bought from a Chinatown bakery. Each one was shaped like a flower native to the region with sweet bean filling. Small enough to fit into the center of her palm when she picked up another one.
"Why are you looking?" Zapp asked Tayla.
"Get enough money to buy a gift for dad," She bit into her tea cake, "Don't have enough this month after personal expenses and bills."
"Want to share your picks?" Zapp edged off his seat.
"No." She took another bite.
Zapp fell off his seat as the sound echoed through the empty workplace before someone noticed. That someone was Riesgraf folding his father's paper and placing it on a conference table. Who did his version of a small dance when he walked away to join Tayla.
"Do I want to know why Zapp is kissing the floor?" He asked.
"I wouldn't share my possible betting picks." Tayla fed Sonic.
"Want to throw him a bone?" He reached Sonic.
Up his arm the money went when he carried his eaten tea cake with him as he went. Stopping when he got onto his shoulder to stand on his little feet and finish eating. Not really caring for someone who was always treating his friend like a rug or a rag doll.
"Since that is a no," He took a seat next to her, "Fancy a game?"
He nodded his head toward his father's Prosfair board laying set on the usual table. Set up for the next game that Klaus usually played against his son or Stephen.
"Zap," Tayla called to Zap, "If you can win one game against Your boss's eldest, I'll give you my selections."
Up till Klaus stepped through the elevator doors with lieutenant Law following him. Zapp would play a losing game to amuse Tayla and quiet Riesgraf the whole time. How he struggled to basically get around the moves a teen was pulling on him. Left him to make the most ridiculous facial expressions when Riesgraf played.
"Care to share why Zapp is playing?" Klaus asked Tayla.
"My inter blood breed's way of entertainment," She explained, "Pass the boredom and get Zapp to bother me. Why?"
"He's never been one for this type of game." Klaus noticed Sonic.
The monkey sat on his son's shoulder and watched the game take place before his little eyes. Not once flinching when he seemed to solely be interested in pieces moving.
"Checkmate," Riesgraf won, "Sorry."
Zapp would have thrown a temper tantrum about the game being rigged due to Tayla being a Blood Breed. Ready to throw the boar and the pieces all over the place in protest. He hadn't seen Klaus watching him and Riesgraf the whole time. He quietly withdrew to his seat with a stressing smile appearing on his face. His eyes also taking in the sight of a HLPD officer also had him trying to keep smiling.
"Something wrong with the officer?" Zapp asked him.
"Just tying up some loose ends," Mr. Law looked to Riesgraf and Tayla, "One that led to a dead end."
Stopping a drug that went by the name of Devil Hoof with the same effects as a drug called Angel Scale. Just the body alteration came with added measure, nobody saw coming. For five whole minutes a person goes through a painful series of muscle spasms. Twisted and cracking joints in all directions that not many live through. Became troublesome when Libra was brought in to help stop the spread. Why Mr. Law was here to check in with the progress Libra was making in the field.
"Anything we could do?" Tayla asked.
"No." Klaus nodded his head.
"Really dad?" Riesgraf reclined in his seat, "This case sounds a lot like the case you had when Angel Scale was out there. Between Zapp's whining about people he encounters and Chain's own comments."
"Hey!" Zapp was offended.
Tayla rolled her eyes while mentally agreeing with Riesgraf about people she came across. Their blood alone carried an awful taste when she drew samples out for lab tests. Since lingered in her taste buds upon recalling as she tried not to throw up.
"Meaning you may have to repeat the same move again, " Riesgraf sat back in his seat, "We both know mom wasn't happy about hearing despite Kk being there."
Tension in the air was snuffing out Zapp 's newly lit cigar when he eagerly waited for someone to crack. He wanted to see Klaus physically put Riesgraf in his place with one punch. Since Klaus ended up staring at his son the whole time. Not uttering a single word out of worry and frustration from what his son was pointing out.
"I will allow this one time," Klaus hoped he wouldn't come to regret his decision, "We don't know if he'll want to face you."
Zapp couldn't believe how Klaus could cave into Riesgraf like that as he got up from his seat. Staring at Riesgraf just removing his cigar from his lips and blowing smoke rings.
"I forget you have guts." Last thing Zapp told Riesgraf.
Tayla didn't understand when Zapp walked off with some excuse he came up with. Mr. Law was left reeling as he tried to figure out what just took place between parent and child. Which was explained to him later by Tayla when she escorted him back.
8*8
Sitting upside down with an ice pack balanced on his head caught Zapp's attention when he came to office. A chance to knock the boss's kid down a few pegs surfaced. Over to the sitting area Zapp would walk with an ambush plan forming in his head. Biting into his cigar with smoke huffing out of his nose from excitement.
"Hello friend." A voice had Zapp looking toward her.
Opposite of Riesgraf was Smadar in a blue, knee-length skirt (with tights) and white shirt (with a blue string tie), and brown boots. Her hair was in a braided updo with a blue with straight posture and her hand tucked in her lap and staring.
"I am Lady Smadar Ketilríðr from the house of Taiwo," she proudly introduced herself, "You must be Zapp Renfro?"
"You new?" Zapp asked, looking her over.
"You the perv," She countered with a question of her own, "That I've heard about?"
She would have asked him more questions about Zap that she was warned against by Lady Taliyah. Riesgraf ended up moving from his seat when he shifted into an upright position.
"She's a certified knight," Riesgraf tells Zapp, "Watch it."
He then did a backward, one handed, roll off the chair with his other hand catching the ice pack. When he landed onto his feet in their limited space he had to move. Asking sure to not tip over the coffee table when he stretched to his full height.
"So you heard of me?" Zapped asked, impressed.
"Horst." Riesgraf mumbled.
Smadar laughed since she knew the English translation of the word that Riesgraf called Zapp. Somehow ruined the mood that Zapp was trying to set with his charm. He wouldn't get the chance to reignite when in walked Lady Taliyah with a pastry box. On one of her shoulders was womanly- looking sonic monkey.
"Everyone," Lady Taliyah greeted whomever was in the office, "You all remember that illegally run petting zoo? Well your father pulled some strings and we now have a little friend for Sonic."
"She got a name?" Riesgraf asked.
"Lovely," Lady Taliyah recalls, "Your father allowed LeClaire to name her."
She ended up walking over to them to put down the pastry box that got Lovely moving. She flipped open the box and went for the custard filled donut. Covering her little face in crumbs and powdered sugar with each bite.
"Such a curious species of monkey," Smadar took in Lovely, "Whats Is It called?"
"Sonic Speed Monkey," Zapp answered rather annoyed, "Only found in Hellsalem's Lot and known for moving at the speed of light."
"If you haven't noticed," Zapp recalled the last time he saw Leo, "Leo also has a male with him."
The silence that filled the air as Zapp's eyes shifted from Smadar to Lady Taliyah tookplace. His room on the reduced bust line of a once swollen chest. Kinda made him upset since he liked that feature of Lady Taliyah.
"Really?" Riesgraf asked Zapp, "Smadar hasn't been here one day, you're already ogling my mom in front of her."
"Does this happen often?" Smadar looked between Zap and Riesgraf.
"Quite," Lady Taliyah took off her coat, "Usually when Tayla or Mizu are here it's much worse."
"Why do you put up with it?" Smadar didn't understand.
"I can handle his womanizing, radical, prepubescent, delinquent ways," Lady Taliyah walked toward the coat rack, "Kinda makes my day."
Zap smirked when he started his heated staring contest with his lighter in hand. On the verge of flipping the lid when he found that hand encased cacoon. Crystallized strings formed layer after layer over that keep.
"I win." Riesgraf proudly announced.
Zapp spent the better part of the time struggling to free his hand as he openly cursed Riesgraf's existence. Smadar would not lend him a hand as she watched him SLOWLY free his hand. Coming to an understanding on why Lady Taliyah thought he was amusing.
8*8