Fifth Sin: Performance Past And Present (Pt. 5- Conclusion)
--- Mercer ---
“Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!!!” An ecstatic clapping echoed as he found himself on a theater stage, the seats empty save for the applause Clockwork standing in the front row. “Such a beautiful performance!”
He couldn’t help but chuckle as he climbed to his feet, finding himself in an odd place emotionally both empty and overjoyed simultaneously, before taking a tired bow towards his audience of one. “I’m glad you liked the show…”
“Liked? I Loved it! I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I gasped! What more could an audience ask for?!” Clockwork asked as Mercer made his way to the edge of the stage.
“A conclusion to the Mists?” He suggested. “I was expecting something a little… more than that ending if I’m being honest. Did they sneak away somewhere else or… what?”
“Ah, the vermin… Don’t worry!” Clockwork laughed as he pulled a jar of white mist from behind his back. “I’ve already caged the rats.”
He stared at the jar part of him wondering if the playwright was putting on his own little performance, before from seemingly nothing a bloodshot eye opened within the mist, disappearing as it blinked shut.
“Truthfully, when I contacted you… I was expecting something a little more… Spectacular!” Clockwork confessed, offering him the jar. “Unfortunately, the vermin disappoints even now…”
“Shouldn’t this thing have turned into a Boss Creep or something? That’s how these things usually work when you kill the lesser creatures.” He frowned, taking the jar from the eldritch playwright and noting how it was cold to the touch, a layer of dew clinging to it already.
“That was the twist I was expecting.” Clockwork admitted, his body taking on a disappointed sort of limpness. “Best theory? An amateur challenged a master in the art of violence… and as we both know on the stage… art always wins!”
He considered it himself for a moment, before coming to a logical conclusion. “When we started the ‘performance’ your theater cut it off from the Bleed and the greater Mists in turn. Then with me not reacting the way it wanted, it essentially starved out before it could grow into a proper threat.”
“If you must give the boring answer…” Clockwork shrugged, the expression exaggerated on his puppet body. “I almost wish you’d let it fester a little longer… allow it to grow into a proper co-star!”
He let out a brief laugh at that. “I’m sure that would’ve been something, but given how I still have to deal with a Royal of the Mists…” (This isn’t anywhere near over…)
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“This is merely… an amateur warming you up for the real performance!” The thespian realized, an excited smile growing into his voice as it echoed through the theater. “A wetting of the appetite before the true feat begins!”
“Yeah, something like that… though given how jarring this little fella probably alerted them I’ll have to move fast if I want to keep them from escaping.” Mercer sighed, still able to feel the ache from his ‘performance’ even if some of the pain was dampened by the effects of the two eldritch entities in the room differing healing abilities.
“I wouldn’t worry about that too much.” Clockwork rasped, tapping three of his four fingers on the top of the jar. “Like seeks like and I’m sure this little actor would love to return to its troupe if given the chance.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time I followed a rat back to its nest.” He figured. “Though those rats were usually a little more… corporeal.”
“Consider it a fun challenge. A new experience to expand your creative limits!” The eldritch entity suggested before spreading the arms of his puppet wide with a smile to his voice. “It’s what I do with corporeality.”
“Fair enough…” He shrugged, after all he wasn’t too worried about the thing actually escaping the jar. While Clockwork may’ve enjoyed chaos, the eldritch entity preferred giving others the tools to create it and seeing what they did with those tools than simply causing it himself. (Plus I doubt he wants this thing reinfesting his stage…)
“That said, I suggest you take something of a break tonight.” Clockwork told him, giving him a once over. “You need your rest if you are to perform for the Way. Let your foil run now that you can track them.”
“I’ve been through worse.” He reminded the eldritch entity as he set the jar down and started picking up the discarded bits of his equipment from around the stage. “Besides, are you saying that because you’re concerned about me or because you want the Royal to grow into something I’ll have to bring the big guns out for?”
“Can’t it be both?” Clockwork laughed, the sound echoing through the theater before his raspier voice whispered,“Though speaking of big guns… How is the Renegade’s Rhapsody treating you?”
“Well enough.” He answered, picking said gun up. “It does its job, but I’m not going to lie and say I don’t want its other half to balance it out.”
“Hmm, I suppose you did capture the vermin, and if you’re satisfied with the work then…” Clockwork admitted, before pulling a gun that mirrored his own from behind the puppet’s back and offering it with a half bow. “Then there is no reason to cruelly leave the paramours parted.”
Reaching out he grabbed the gun by its grip before noticing he couldn’t make it budge from Clockwork’s hands.
The eyes of Clockwork’s mask stared out like the abyss. “I trust you’ll take time to properly acquaint yourself with your newest tool before setting foot upon the stage, yes?”
He narrowed his eyes at the eldritch entity, knowing that whatever he said the anarchistic arms dealer would accept his answer. (Though there’s no need to be pissing off the guy I get my guns from.)
“I’ll let the Royal go… for now.” He wasn’t against letting non-humans roam the way, his current company conclusive of that fact, but given how intentionally harmful or not the Royal was leaving bits of the Mist behind that made it something he needed to have words with. (But dealing with it tonight won’t get rid of whatever Mists are already here, if anything it might make them more aggressive…)
“Fantastic!” Clockwork cheered, releasing his otherworldly grip on the gun and letting Mercer take it. “I can’t wait to see how you hunt this creature through the way! I hope it runs.”
“I’m sure it’ll be an awe inspiring sight.” He scoffed, less to mock and more because he wasn’t looking forward to fighting what was arguably royalty to an entire hell dimension, especially after the emotional ringer a lesser put him through. (I’ll have to make sure I’m ready for that…)