Mandy Roe: Search for the Truth

"If it isn't real enough, then give it up, don't lock it down."
-(No) Faith in Fate

Mandy Roe had always been a normal student.
She lived with her best friend and went to school every day.
There were no particularities in her life. She knew that as much. But students always liked her for her cheery disposition and the way she stood up for people.
But after a traumatizing encounter with one student she thought she'd helped, her life changed forever.
After putting up a fight, she was backed to a corner and was very nearly killed by the sociopath.
Until, for some reason, Thanos Venge showed up.
Thanos Venge was a very common name in Eastbrick, Colorado.
A hooded vigilante with particular methods that answered to vengeance quests.
She thought it was a bunch of bullshit.
Who makes people pay to be protected?
But... He arrived anyways for her. As if he knew she'd be there. That he knew who she was.
There were no payments or requests. He just arrived and up and saved her.
The only two words he told her was. "Be Safe." before running off into the dark hallways of their school.
The police arrived later to question her that night.
"He saved me..." Was all she could say.
Her best friend, Reese Morrison came to pick her up. She cried in his arms because she thought he was hurt, But he was safe.
"Thanos Venge came to the school and saved me, Reese." Reese responded only with silence, choosing only to continue comforting her.
The next morning, she went into more detail on Thanos with Reese at the breakfast table.
She could tell that Reese could tell she had a new obsession.
"Look, the guy's like Aiden Pearce from Watch_Dogs as far as I can tell." He said.
"But haven't you ever wondered who this guy is?" She didn't sense it, but Reese went a little rigid.
"I guess... Haven't we all? Why the sudden interest?"
She sets her spoon down. "Like I told you a million times. The guy saved my ass. He didn't even charge me."
"Don't you think maybe he was just feeling a bit charitable?" He replied.
"Oh come on  Reese, after what happened, I want to find out everything I can about this guy. If possible, who he is."
He scoffed. "You're starting to sound like Jeanette Mars."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh what do you know."
Again, he went rigid. He did seem like he knew something far more than Mandy could fathom. But she couldn't tell.
"You're oddly pessimistic about this and it's weird! Come on, can't you use that talent you have where you suddenly have dirt on people? Can't you find out who this guy is?"
"The guy's a hacking genius, Mandy. So  I pry a little more than someone should when I notice things and I know my way around a computer. Doesn't mean I could possibly outsmart this guy and have his information on my lap."
She sighed. "Fine. But you're washing the dishes." She got up as quick as possible and dumped her plate on the sink before Reese could protest.

It was a Saturday and on Saturdays, she and Reese would occasionally visit their friend, Terrence, who was shot into a coma by his own father.
But today, after what just happened, she asked Reese if he could go alone. He agreed and left for Eastbrick Medical at noon.
When he's gone, she called the only other person she knew could help her try and make sense of things.
Jeanette Mars.
Jeanette was the first person who Thanos publicly saved. Before that, she'd already started her own investigation on Thanos Venge after he got a drug dealer related to her Uncle's case convicted, surfacing new information for the said case.
She'd been trying to find Thanos to thank him, but after being saved, she knew that wasn't enough.
Mandy sat on a bench at the park.
Jeanette arrived, wearing a pink trench coat and a scarf, her long hair slightly hidden by a beanie. Mandy had to admit, she was extremely trendy.
"Thanks for meeting me here." She said to Jeanette.
"Not a problem." She sat next to her. "So what's up? We don't exactly hang out. Why do you suddenly want to talk to me?"
Mandy pulled out her phone. She didn't tell Reese this, but she had taken a photo of Thanos sprinting to his exit. She had always been really crafty with cameras. Thanos had been hit by a brief flash of light from a window and she had the chance to take it.
"Wait, this is at school. Who is this? Why were you at school in the middle of the night?"
Mandy sighed. "You're probably going to hear about it in the news or at school on Monday. But that's Thanos Venge. He saved me last night from Quentin Meeks."
Jeanette shot right up. "That was you?! Of course I know about it, but they hid the name out to protect the student from being harassed! That's what the police does."
"Okay calm down." She said. Jeanette relaxed.
"The reason why I called you here was because I know you're the first person who got so close to finding out who Thanos is. He saved you and for some reason you refused to take his offer to find out who he is. You've been trying to find out who this guy is for almost a year now. I want your help."
"My help?"
"Yes. I want you to help me find out Thanos Venge is."

-Author's Notes-
Hey Guys! I know what you're thinking. WHAT?! Another expansion on Thanos Venge?! We've already got enough as it is!! Hehehe. Well this is sort of an experiment. Just give it a chance.
Thanos Venge, Over and Out.

Thanos Venge: A Dance with Danger

"So take a look at me now."
-Dakota(Stereophonics)
~V~
-Eastbrick Police Department-
Detective Brackett enjoyed reading about the cases Thanos Venge made.

From what he knew, Thanos took quests to exact vengeance upon people who deserve it.

He's heard a lot of good things from cops and citizens alike.

Yet there were still some people who don't trust him. Vigilantism wasn't exactly smiled upon in the law.

His partner, Feal Ross believed this man was not to be trusted.
"Burning the midnight oil, Jer?"
Brackett sipped his coffee and gave Feal a thumbs up.
Feal, though seemingly unkind, is a good person at heart. As Brackett believes at least.
The man gave him his trust after all.
Co-Workers have told him how hard it is to earn it.
From what he's read from Feal's file, it wasn't hard to believe.
Orphaned at the age of 14 with his younger sister, killed his foster father for self defense when the man tried to rape his sister.
He had a small circle, and he believed that the law would win.
Which is why he finds it hard to believe in someone like Thanos Venge. Granted, his work is mostly in the revenge field, he's wiped at least 13 percent of the crime rate going on within Eastbrick area and 3 percent within the nearby states in America.
"What's your story, Thanos Venge..."

~V~
"I'm sorry. You're going to go what?"
After the grizzly encounter with a Drug Syndicate where he very nearly lost his own life, Reese had become fearful and wanted to learn how to defend himself without the constant aid of his connections or skilled fighters.
Just having a Stun Gun wasn't enough. He had to learn how to use it. Or any weapon, for that matter. Or he'd be killed.
And he had to start...
"I'm going to buy a weapon or two. Self defense."
Mandy, who was cooking pancakes, gave him a skeptical look. He had always just freely borrowed her Stun Gun when he'd go out late at night.
She was fine with it. As far as she knew, Reese just liked going out a lot.
A little too much, now that she thought about it.
She had long told herself that she trusted Reese. But now she was getting a little suspicious.
Was he doing drugs? Was he in hot water to need weapons for self defense? He had no known enemies after all. Then again, Reese had so many secrets, she probably couldn't count them. His eerie ability to make information come out of nowhere and the way he never seems to run out of money has also crossed her mind.
"You know you can tell me anything, right? Why the sudden interest in weapons."
Reese had been afraid of the days when Mandy would start asking questions. He had once sat an entire night in his room to ask himself whatever he'd say if ever Mandy got suspicious.
"I uh..." Reese stuttered a little. He had never anticipated that he'd want to buy his own weapons before since he had always worked by planning. So the question was a little difficult. Then he quickly thought of something. He rubbed his head, as if he were embarrassed.
"I almost dropped your Stun Gun in a manhole." Mandy turned the stove off and placed the pancakes in two plates.
Mandy believed him. She didn't want to think there was something wrong. In fact, she was sort of glad. Her Stun Gun, Raichu as she named it, was a gift from her Older Brother. He was a thousand miles away from her and on her birthday, her overprotective brother gave her the Stun Gun.
If she lost it, she'd be devastated.
"Well.. I'm glad you were honest." Was he? She didn't mean it, but there was a sort of tone in her voice that said otherwise. And Reese felt bad about it.
He couldn't tell his best friend that he hacked into people's personal information for a living, nor could he tell her that he performs espionage and cruel punishments on people who don't deserve where they are.
He sighed and poured himself some coffee. It was Saturday and Mandy had convinced him to visit Terrence on some Saturdays after experiencing dark dreams and abrupt awakenings.
To her credit, it was kind of working. The days he'd find himself waking up in sweat was lessening.
But it still didn't change the fact that Terrence was in a coma and Terrence's father was on the loose.
He had promised Terrence long ago that he'd find him justice and he wasn't making any progress.
"So after visiting Terrence, you're going to go buy some weapons, right?"
Reese nodded.
"Good. You can buy me milk on the way home. I just used the last of it on the Pancakes"
Reese groaned and smacked his head on the table. That's what he gets for bringing home extra maple syrup from his last job.

~V~
Terrence looked the same. Maybe a little thinner.
Reese always wondered how the people in the hospital could feed unconscious people. But he didn't dare ask. He felt that the truth would scare him. He'd learned long ago that the medical field was where true horror comes from after his older sister who worked as a nurse, Michelle Morrison, brought him to work.
Thanos took out his notebook and read to Terrence whenever Mandy would go out with Mrs. Sanders to buy lunch or whatever.. His way of talking to him.
"I met E.R. a few months ago. It was so surprising." He flipped through the boring stuff and found himself telling him about his fight with a Drug Syndicate.
"I thought I'd die, you know." And he went on, telling him his decision to learn to fight.
"I always said I was going to find your dad. After that night, I just realized how dangerous life is... I could die if I faced him now with just Mandy's Stun Gun... I sound so stupid."
The door opens and the new nurse, Elise, entered with a set of medical tools Reese could bother to know, but chooses not to because his sister's done a bang up job on slipping every medical term she knows into Reese's head.
"He's going to be okay." She says
"You're always so optimistic, Elise."
She sets her tray down and smiles. "In a world full of death and destruction, sometimes the simplicity of believing everything will be alright is all we need to keep going."
Mandy returned with food and they ate lunch, Mandy went home first and Reese went off to Aragons at Lance's recommendation.
The man arrived just seconds before Thanos could enter the shop.
"Oh good. Thank God I caught up to you."
"Lance. I just got here. What's up? You didn't have to come weapon shopping with me."
The man put his hands in his pockets. "You're an 18 year old entering a weapons shop. Even if you are Thanos Venge, you're going to look suspicious buying weapons." He had a point.
They entered and immediately, Thanos picked up a Stun Gun that had about 5 million volts in power. It was labelled with the brand Stun Guns R Us. Aragons must import some of their weapons.
He then gathered cans of Tear Gas and Mace and put the weapons in a basket.
He found himself staring at a Taser. The one that shot probes. He took that too.
"For a renowned Hacker Vigilante, You're very basic." Lance said.
"Shut up. I can leak your private life into the internet if I wanted to. I'm not a fighter."
Lance stretched his arms. "You're going to have to learn unless you want what happened last time to happen again."
The shopkeep was curious as to why Reese was buying weapons this many.
He kept mum when the kid approached with Lance Garro. When he bagged the weapons, the shopkeep's curiosity intensified and he finally asked the boy
"What do you need all those weapons for?"
"I'm a paranoid person." He handed the shopkeep, Russ as read in the name tag, the money in total.
Russ took out a card and gave it to Reese. Lessons in Self Defense.
"If you ever want to get some lessons."
Before Reese could leave, his eyes lingered to a gun. A very familiar gun.
It was a Taurus 9mm. The same gun that Terrence's father used.
"Do you keep records of who buys stuff here?" It was something he couldn't disclose, but Russ felt it was necessary. Plus, it looked like Lance was sure to shake the shopkeep down if he didn't tell them anything.
"Dated?" he ask.
"October 8, 2013."
Russ read through a record and found one Taurus 9mm purchased.
"I can only give you the number though."
Russ gave Thanos the number and he walked off.
It was a long shot that this would be Terrence's father. But it was all he had. He wanted to believe.
Elise's words circled his head.
In a world full of death and destruction, sometimes the simplicity of believing everything will be alright is all we need to keep going
The two exit the building. Lance offered to take Thanos home.
"What are you going to do with that number?" Lance asked. "What was all that about?"
Thanos hesitated. "I don't just do this vigilante stuff for people Lance.  Even I have my reasons."
He pulled out his phone and opened up an app. He dialed the number and waited.
In good fortune, he hit the jackpot. The phone was owned by Terrence's father.
He traced in, though had trouble because he guessed the phone was off.
"Lance, don't bring me home. Can you bring me to where this is?" They followed the directions his phone gave them and arrived at a brick wall just behind the Starbucks a block away.
An Iphone 4 with a prepaid sim. He was lucky he had an IPod Touch that used the same chargers this kind of phone had.
"Give me your secrets..."
Lance asked him back to the car. But they passed by the way to Thanos' apartment.
"Hey, where are you taking me?" He asked the former Sniper for the Black Ops.
"You'll see when you get there."
"But I've got to finish this-"
He looked at Thanos. "I'm forever grateful for what you did for me and my sister Thanos, but I've done you a lot of favors lately, I think you should see this one out for me."
Thanos sighed and waited for Lance to bring him to wherever they were going.
They arrived at an alley.
"Woah, are you going to kill me?"
"No stupid. Get out of the car."
He followed Lance to a door at the end of the alley. Inside was a air conditioned shooting range.
"What the-" Before Thanos could continue, Lance pulled him into an aisle.
"Here." Lance thrust something cold into Thanos' palm.
A gun.
"Lance. This is a gun."
"Well duh, captain obvious."
"Dude, I can't use this. Its-"
"I'm worried about your safety. You live a dangerous life for an 18 year old. If you get into another one of those situations, I don't think a stun gun or a can of mace can stop someone with a machete or a revolver. And I'm not going to be around all the time to save your ass."
Thanos stared at the pistol. It was small in frame and had a weird 4 barrel design.
This was a COP .357 Derringer.



Thanos knew guns. He'd studied them whenever he was bored. But never did he think about using one. The only time he used one, it was out of sheer luck.
"You're going to have to learn to protect yourself. You can't expect every plan you make to work."
He stared at the gun. Images float in his head.
That insane look the drug lord had in his eyes before he could try and kill Thanos.
Terrence's father pointing the Taurus 9mm at them.
The gunshot that put his friend into a coma.
Suddenly, it wasn't so hard to hold the gun up. "Fine."

~T~

Lance very firmly made Thanos recall his latest scuffle that he nearly lost hadn't he miraculously picked a gun up and beat the proper gun maintenance rules into him. The right way to hold it. And if that wasn't enough, he taught him some self defense unarmed. He demanded Thanos to come every Friday afternoon after school for an hour.
And before he left, he gave him one more thing. A black special ops Combat Knife.
"It kept me alive in most of my missions. Keep it safe."
He never imagined having to walk home with something so lethal.
Thanos stopped by a convenient store to buy milk before returning home.

~T~
Monday morning was calm.
There was a plate of bacon waiting for Reese. Mandy was putting on nail polish before she ate.
"Where were you yesterday?"
Reese froze in his seat. Mandy was never concerned with where he'd go. But it did occur to him that his actions would eventually catch up with her. He had to think fast.
"Uh..." He stammered. " I was at Mercer's place."
He waited. He waited for Mandy to say 'Doing What?'
But she didn't say anything, only continue to paint her nails. She wasn't cautious yet, he thought.
"Again, you can tell me anything, okay?"
Perhaps she thought he was doing drugs. "Yeah. Thanks Mandy."
He couldn't tell her that he was at a hacker friend's place. cracking the phone he had found the day before and charged.
When it opened, there weren't a lot of things. The messages were mostly from phone bills. Nothing else. Any personal messages were deleted.
But the call log only had one number.
The background check that he did identified the owner of the number as Warner Lowell.
He was a domestic wife beater but the wife refuses to tell the police.
He worked at the local Vinyl store.
"T. What are you going to do next?" asked Paul, his hacker friend.
"I intend to collect." and he began planning.

~T~
Nothing entered Reese's head today.
Only that he was closing in to Grant Sanders. He was going to nail him to the wall soon and Terrence will be avenged.
So it took Mandy some time to snap Reese out of his stupor to get him to notice some of the members of the basketball team harassing one of the kids by the lockers.
Mandy hated bullying.
And she knew the basketball kids. They were usually nice. Why they would do this is beyond her.
"Well, Reese? Let's go!"
"Y-Yeah." He followed her to the scene and watched as Mandy get in between.
"Okay guys, leave him alone."
"Aw come on Mandy. He started it."
The kid, Quentin Meeks was a quiet kid who didn't really talk too much. He didn't seem like the type to initiate.
But Reese knew. Back before Mandy arrived in Eastbrick High, the basketball team were a much more aggressive bunch. He and Terrence watched them toss Quentin into a trash can and harass them for 2 years straight. It was usually three of them, though they've grown out of it.
"Well stop it, okay?"
The basketball team walked briskly away and Mandy turned to comfort Quentin.
"Are you okay?"
He pushed her out of the way. "I didn't need your help!"
"What was his problem?" Reese asked. Mandy could only shrug.

~T~
Today was the day. He was going to get some answers.
Mandy stayed in school for a while longer to finish up a project. Thanos took this chance to get ready to face Warner.
Stun Gun, Mace, Knife... Check. Then there was the gun.
He hid it in his locked drawer, but the way his missions were going these days, he felt the need to bring the gun along. Besides, if the man didn't say anything, he was going to be forced to use violence.
His phone beeped. A new request.
From Quentin Meeks.

A girl, Mandy Roe, got in my way today. She ruined everything.
Please take retribution. Please kill her.
-Quentin Meeks

This kind of threat to his friends made him shiver. He knew exactly what happened and he didn't have time for this nonsense.

My background search reveals she did nothing wrong to you. To ask me to take a life simply because she did something you didn't like is an immature way to resolve your problems. Please seek psychiatric help.
-Thanos.

He didn't reply.
That made him nervous, but it might mean he gave up.
He sighed and stared at the gun again.
"Only if I need to..."

~T~
The local Vinyl store was a musty old place.
No one usually bought here and instead went to the cool music store at the mall. How was this guy paying the rent?
Thanos pulled up his hood and approached the counter.
"Yes?" The man reeked of alcohol. This was Warner Lowell. The only man that had any clue where Grant Sanders would be.
Thanos activated the voice changer hidden in his scarf. "Tell me, Warner..."
The man looked alarmed.
"...Where's Grant?" The man stood still for a few seconds and turned around.
"Who?"
"You're not fooling-" Warner swung around again, a fire poker in his hand.
Thanos ducked as the man struck. He hit the magazine stand.
Thanos pulled out his mace and shot the man with the spray. He brought his arms up to protect his eyes from the spray.
He then threw the poker at Thanos. "Oof!"
Warner made a break for the backdoor.
Thanos immediately followed.
The room was a recording studio.
"RAGH!!!" Warner came up from behind Thanos and struck him with a baseball bat. Thanos braced himself with what little time he had to react and skid to the floor when the bat made contact with his arms that shielded his head.
The burly man began raising the bat overhead, ready to strike at Thanos. Thanos swept his leg and Warner falls.
He took out his stun gun and zapped the man. The bat flew out of his hand.
Warner jabbed his foot on Thanos' face and he gets up.
He was a persistent one.
Warner reached for the harpoon hung above a set of records. He was set to keep kill Thanos if it meant keeping mum about Grant's location.
But Thanos wasn't going to let that happen.
Before the man could even take the blade out of the rack, the records set below the harpoon burst into shards.
Thanos aimed the Derringer at Warner. "Don't... Even think about it."
The man dropped the harpoon and raised his hands above his head.
"Please... I don't-" He didn't even finish. The taser probes stuck to his gut and electrocuted him unconscious.
Thanos, with the Taser on his other hand, sheathed his pistol. "Good Night."
He dragged the man into the soundproof recording room.
This was finally it.

~M~

Mandy set down her bag on the table and took out her things to work on her homework.
Just as she retracted her notebook from her bag, a letter falls out with it.

Meet me in school at 8 P.M.
I have your friend, Reese, and I’m going to break
his neck if you don’t come.
Come alone, and don’t call the cops.

The letter contained a picture of Reese's favorite necklace. It had drips of blood.
Mandy hesitated. This could be a prank, she thought.
Reese wouldn’t go down like that.
She picked up her phone and dialed Reese’s number.
“Come on… Pick up. Pick up.”

~T~
Meanwhile…
“Where is he?!” Thanos had his current victim tied on a leash and crushed under a TV.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I-I'm innocent-"

"Don't give me that bullshit! No one's innocent, least of all, you." Then, Reese's phone rang. It was Mandy. Thanos had been called by her at different times during his missions. And at those times, he'd ignore it and she'd just call back later. Most likely for dinner questions. But the call kept going, but he still didn't answer. On her third call, he had disconnected her and put his phone on airplane mode. Thanos didn't have a lot of time. He had to interrogate this one. He had been the one person that Terrence's dad called after he dumped a body off a cliff. 

He couldn't lose the chance to find a new lead to the man who had shot his best friend into a coma.

"I know Grant Sanders called you after he murdered that girl! I saw his phone! You were his last call after he tried to hide the phone behind a brick! An innocent kid, his own son, is in a coma because of him. Now tell me where he is or I will jam this record piece on that hand you beat your wife with and stick my stun gun up your mouth!! You have 5 seconds!" He still sticks the stun gun he had recently bought on the man's mouth anyways.

"1...2...."

~M~

Mandy was distressed. Reese wasn't answering his phone. It was normal, she knew. But when someone makes a threatening letter and your friend doesn't answer, you get really worried.

"The Morrison house." She dialed Reese's parent's house.

"Hello?" Reese's older sister, Michelle, answered the phone.

"Mich! Hey! It's Mandy. I'm just calling to ask if Reese is there. He hasn't come back yet."

Mandy crossed her fingers that he was there and that she didn't have to lie to his nice, older sister.

"He didn't come to visit." There was a change in her tone that was obviously concerned.

Mandy faked opening a door and greeting a fake Reese, all so Reese's family wouldn't be concerned. Reese had made her swear on her life that she must never, under no circumstance, tell his family any bad news about him because they might all come from New York to try and find out what happened. Only if he dies, he said.

"Ohhh. Reese's home! He just went Christmas shopping!"

Michelle sighed in relief and said goodbye on the phone.

"Whoever this guy is has my friend."

She buried her face in her hands to contemplate what to do.  She was in complete duress.

Then, she turned her head to her dressing table. Her Stun Gun, Mr. Raichu, and her Mace Pepper Spray, Mr. Koffing, stood side by side around her clutter of makeup.

"He said to come alone, not unarmed." She grabbed her coat, tucking her weapons away in her coat pockets, even a Boxcutter she chanced upon, and started out the door, ready to save her friend.

~M~

Mandy came to school, just as the letter had asked of her.
It was dark. It wasn’t really her thing to just sneak into school unnoticed.
If whoever had sent that mail was around, they had made a great effort to evade security before they locked up.

"There you are." A chill went down Mandy's spine.

"You."

It was Quentin Meeks. The odd boy she had saved just a while ago from the basketball team.

"Where's Reese?!" She demanded. Her hands already clutched on the boxcutter in her left pocket.

"Where do you think?" He shows the necklace, the blood still there.

"What did you do to him?!"

"He's not here, dumbass." He said. "He just dropped this at class."

"Then why'd you call me here?!" She shouts. As she did, he produces a wide knife from his sleeve.

"To kill you."  He says in a sinister voice with an equally sinister smile.

"But... Why?"

He pinches the bridge of his nose and looks at her in the eye. "You were in the way." He takes out three safety pins.

"I was going to kill those guys. 6 years of torment. They may have stopped but those years destroyed me, and I could've ended them with this untraceable poison. But no. You jumped in and made them back off.  Now they're gonna keep terrorizing me since I initiated yesterday. And all of my poison was only until that afternoon. Do you know how much I saved up for those? Now I have nothing." He tosses the formerly poison pins to the ground, then looked at Mandy.
"I can at least get my revenge on you." And he started for her. She turned and ran. He was faster.
He slammed her to a classroom door and pointed his knife on the tip of her chin.

"Now then..." Mandy thrashed about and took out the Boxcutter.

"Get off me! GET OFF ME!"

She stabbed the Boxcutter on his right thigh. He let out a bloodcurdling scream and let go of her. She ran as quickly as possible to the opposite hall, immediately seeing how quick he had locked the doors.

"You shived me!" He shouted and it echoed throughout the floor.

Mandy didn't care and immediately attempted to hide in her locker, but ditched that thought, knowing he'd probably guess that. So instead, she hid inside the locker next hers. Her friend, Kelly Sean's. She had vacated the locker and gave the code to Mandy for her personal use. 

"I know you're out there Mandy! I'm going to kill you!" He said in an creepily cheerful way.

He stopped and checked the supply closet.

Nothing.

Then, he had an odd sense to check the lockers.

"Come out! If you do, I'll try to make this as quick as possible." He began walking to Mandy's locker, took out a piece of paper that probably held Mandy's code. She thanked the darkness that it impeded his work.

Though 'Oh my God' and 'Oh Shit' was the only thing she thought, she suddenly remembered about the emergency phone she stocked on Reese's locker. She could probably make him turn around for a split second and she could fight back.

As he finished entering the code, Mandy dialed her emergency phone's number in the hopes that it had battery.

And it rang. The Hanging Tree ringtone echoed the area.

Quentin laughed and approached Reese's locker. "Gotcha" he said

"Right back at ya." Mandy whispered, and she burst out of the locker, crouching, and jammed her stun gun at his leg. He fell rather quickly and she zapped him by the heart.

When he was face-up, she sprayed her mace at his eyes and ran away as fast as possible to the second floor.

"Thank you Veronica Mars the Movie"

She muttered

"Get back here you bitch!" He shouted.

Fat chance. Mandy thought to herself

~T~
Warner, despite his reputation as a wife beater, was a sob story. He didn't take pain to kindly despite constantly inflicting it.
After being scraped by broken records and being tazed on his cheeks, he was ready to talk.
Though he didn't have a lot to offer. It was a start. Grant called him only to confirm the girl, his colleague, was dead. Grant was just supposed to relay an ok to their boss.

Now on the location:

Grant was somewhere in Eastbrick because the guys that made him kill that girl was established here. But he wouldn't tell Thanos who he and Grant was working for. He told him to just kill him.
Instead, Thanos called the police.
Detective Brackett answered. "Eastbrick P.D. How may I help you?"
"I have evidence of Warner Lowell beating his wife. I've compiled it in a file. He's being held in his shop."
"Who is this?" He asked.
"I think you know, Detective." Thanos turned off the burner phone and tossed it in the trash.
As the sirens echoed the outside, he began his escape.
He took his phone out of Airplane mode and readied to call Mandy.
But there were 3 messages from her.

>Reese, Please answer the phone. Some creep said he has you hostage. I don't believe him.
>Come on, please. Answer your phone.
>If you have my friend's phone, I'm going to school right now. Please. Don't hurt him.
"Oh shit." Reese ran faster than he ever ran before.

~M~
Mandy hid in the second floor Boys bathroom. She thought Quentin would make the mistake of checking the girl's bathroom first.
She was petite so she hid under the sink cabinets.
But it surprised her to find him checking the boys bathroom first.
All that entered her brain was Shit shit shit shit shit.
But she was relieved to find him peeing.
He approached the sink. "Damn... That bitch really did a number..."

And he left.

She took 4 seconds before deciding to get out.

"Damn. I forgot to call 911."

Just as she was about to take out her phone, one of the bathroom stalls open.

"You can forget about it"

She gasps as Quentin tackles her. The phone skids out of her reach. 

"You know, you do kinda look hot." He snatched her up by the hair. It was painful. 

She tried jamming her stun gun at him, to which he responds by slamming his head on hers.

"Nope, nope, nooo. Heh heh.." The stun gun also flies out of her hand.

"Say, are you a virgin?"

With her free hand, she resorted to scratching his face. He didn't like it.

He punches her and she skids right next to the stun gun.

As he approaches, she swings the stun gun at his gut. Though he takes damage, he slaps it out of her hand and places her in a chokehold.

"How does it feel to know no one will save you? Your little saving the weak act wont save you after all. Any last words?"

"How about go fuck yourself?"

Quentin could only turn around before hearing the gunshot and feeling the impact the bullet from the Derringer Thanos shot him with enter his sides.

Mandy gasped for breath and coughed.

Thanos led her out into the hall and gave her her phone. "Call 911."

"You're... Thanos Venge."

"Be Safe." And he ran off.

~T~

"He saved me." Mandy said to Detective Brackett.

"Who?"

"Thanos Venge..."

Twice in one day...

Detective Brackett certainly wanted to find out more abot Thanos now.

"Mandy!" Reese Morrison, the girl's friend, the detective thought.

"Are you okay?" He looked like an ordinary kid... Though how did he get there so fast?

No. The Detective felt he was just being paranoid.

Thanos Venge... He was a crafty one.

Eastbrick Series

Hey! Haven't seen you all since... Uh, September?
Well you know theater has kept me busy. Now that its over and its sembreak, I want to kickoff my return to this blog with an announcement.
From the title, you may know Eastbrick as the city dear Thanos Venge lives.
Well, some of my stock stories use Eastbrick as a setting you see, and it got me thinking.
Instead of just putting into detail the life of Thanos, I'd make a full circle society around him.
Of course, despite having their own story, they won't stray from Thanos.
It's his world after all.
Besides, I'm prone to making crossovers. At least now it won't be so unrealistic.
These are lives... Fictional as they may be.
Here are some series I've started off in my mind:

Eastbrick P.D. Series. - I've already introduced Detective Brackett from my recent Thanos story and he'll be deeply involved in his life.
Eastbrick Medical Series: This was originally just a one shot about a kind nurse. Since it used Eastbrick as its setting, I thought I'd give the medical world a whorl.
Eastbrick High: Detailing the lives of teenagers away from Thanos' circle is a good way to see the things that happen in Thanos' life in passive point of view while also dealing with their own drama.
Eastbrick Reporting: A blogger character will be a heavy new asset I plan on bringing into the Thanos Venge series and he'll be handling the Reporting section.

I have Loooooots more, but the rest are key storylines and you'll have to wait until I invest more into the story to see this in fruition.

That's all from me tonight. I'll see you again.
-Thanos Venge. The real one.

Drop

It was a 7 O'Clock run

I open the door, late

Or so I thought

Embarassment fills me

As I enter the wrong class

Next door over,

My classroom is dark

No prof in sight

An 8 minute interval

And we're gone

Tick tock, my friends count

Bags on our shoulders

Its our free cut

Or so I thought

Our tiny professor waddles in

Last minute too

Smug face on his stupid face

God, we need a break

The Pains of Writing Fiction #1 - Pilot Woes

Today I stray away from writing the Fiction within this blog and going to the pains of writing Fiction. This has been one of my realest posts I've posted in a while, the last one being the one about Paramore. I COULD just post this up in The Daily Baggage, but let's be honest. No one reads shit from that so its pretty much dead haha.
So thus begin the first entry into my journey of Fiction.

Don't let the title fool you. I LOVE writing stories. They're the only thing I've got going for me.
But even if you love what you do, you'll eventually come to a point where you get frustrated and unsatisfied with what you've done. Despite it being what you really want to do.
I'm a college student, and college students tend to either be lax or really REALLY busy. I'm one of those people in between. I don't study enough to overachieve, but I don't neglect myself to score mediocre below averages. I've got my highs and lows and I've got enough free time.
The first thing you think about writing, career wise, is that it doesn't seem like such a life sustaining career. It's a gamble. Will you sell hard like Veronica Roth? Or will you vanish into thin air?
I've always thought of being a Novelist from just when I was a wee Sophomore in High School. Back then, I treated it as a joke though. I didn't seriously get into books until I was a Junior. After watching Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, I wouldn't shut up about it and so my Oldest Sister challenged me to read all 7 of them(I'm proud to say I finished them all within a week. Granted, I stopped paying attention in class to finish her books.)
What sealed the deal was when a friend of mine lent me her copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It's now my Favorite Book Series.
After the day I finished Hush, Hush, I dug up the notebook I used to write and doodle(Yes, it was originally a semi comic, semi story) the story and got in front of my laptop to start writing it. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed every single keystroke.
It wasn't until I was in Chapter 3 and a senior that I started to neglect the story. I must have been heavily distracted. If I still had ADHD, I'd probably never get past chapter 4.
I resumed it in College, doing whatever I could to continue. Tragedy struck when my laptop was stolen. Damn that asshole.
I had to restart with what little I had. What little I managed to save in my sister's old laptop.
So I rebuilt in from the ground up, and there I realized a lot of mistakes I did before. Sometimes a tragedy is also a blessing. When I lost my laptop, I gained a stronger will to continue, and a New Good Friend who listened to me go on and on about the Laptop I lost. She's such an amazing person.

Now I go to concentration. I'm proud to say I'm currently on Chapter 18 of my first novel. I never thought I'd reach a number after 7 actually since the laptop that was stolen had up until only chapter 5.
I'm a guy and a geek. I immensely enjoy watching TV Series and playing Video Games.
My laptop is loaded with games and shows. And I have a PS4, so that's another thing.
There's always this point in writing my chapters that I'd stop and grab the nearest fun thing and just do that instead. In other words, I get bored.
Which is weird. When I get back to it, it doesn't seem boring as it was a few hours ago.
That leads to this entry's final point.
The heart. To write something, you must have an idea. The story in itself, I made when I was a naive High Schooler who was heavily influenced by Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy.
Now, its more than just a scribble in a notebook. It's my pride and soul.
This story is what I plan to gamble my life with. But there's a problem... Even in real life, people experience this. You can't express what's in the heart.
As one can't express their feelings, I can't express the heart of the story or what's going to happen in the right words. It gets to me.
Same for all the unfinished stories in this blog. There are a lot of them that are incomplete, no?
That's just it.
I know what's going to happen... I just can't say it out loud.
Well that's all for today's woes and stuff.
I'm Thanos Venge.

Today's song is Now by Paramore.

Thanos Venge: Prying Eyes

"You're always on display
  For everyone to watch and learn from
  Don't you know by now? You can't turn back
  Because this road is all you'll ever have."
-Fences(Paramore)

It didn't surprise Thanos how much coverage on the news he'd garnered from avenging people, but they never seem to be able to find out anything about him.
He'd made sure of that of course.
CCTVs were very easy to disable. Any information on him from the net was very well protected. He's made many walls to block out anyone trying to catch him or are anyway affiliated with the cops.
Hackers have also tried to make their way in, seeking to siphon information Thanos had gathered and the money he made.
As a hacker himself, he made it as painful as possible for hackers if they ever tried. The punishment being their gadgets being destroyed by a cyber leech Thanos created if they've ever gotten past the second wall. And then he'd track their IPs, hack their email account, and post porn all over their social networks to humiliate them.
Of course, that isn't without help.
He's got his connections after all.
Now. It DID surprise Thanos that someone, directly from his school too, was trying his best to attempt unveiling him. At least, it surprised him that it took someone THIS long.
He had already deduced that the person would be good with computers and had a sharp mind, but that was just common sense.
This person was called EyezOnU on the web.
He had one day sent a message on Thanos' site saying.

"Im goin 2 find oit who u r."

At first, Thanos laughed at the guy's horrible grammar. He assumed he wasn't much of a computer expert, but made precautions anyways. EyezOnU was subsequently banished from Thanos's website.
Thanos then took a quick look at the guy.
No Facebook, No twitter. No Instagram.
His email address was also a blank profile.
BUT, he did make the mistake of using it as his MySpace email address.
"Jeanette Mars... Oh, that nosy bitch from my Physics and English Class.... I hope she isn't related to Veronica Mars or anything. She'd be like a sleuthing legacy."
So Thanos took it from there and checked Jeanette more. She used a separate account for other things. JeMa@yahoo.com
That's where he found her Facebook and Twitter.
And oddly enough, she had perfect grammar. Was it to try and throw him off? If so, she did a really horrible job at it.
She was also Reese's friend in Facebook. And the only time he had interacted with her is to ask if she saw his hat.(She didn't)
It was midnight and Reese had class tomorrow, so Thanos decided to turn in for the night and use his real life to try and elude Jeanette.

~V~

"Mr. Morrison, please refrain from sleeping in class." said Ms. Rayne, the sunny replacement of Tatiana Gravels.
Reese wiped his eyes and looked at the lesson.
Reese slept for two purposes. To look like he didn't like to pay attention so Jeanette wouldn't suspect him... And to catch up on his sleep.
Jeanette was seated two tables away and Reese couldn't risk her eyeing everyone and landing on him.
His phone buzzed.
It was a job. He couldn't answer it right now even though he should, but Jeanette would spot him looking at his phone and he'd know that she'd assume something.
Fortunately, there was an FB notification from Mandy, who was fiddling with her phone.
Reese checked that and felt Jeanette's eyes land on him. Then she sighed when she saw Facebook on Reese's phone.

Mandy Roe:
"Geez, Gravels may be gone and Rayne is nice enough, but this subject will never change.
It's Boooooring."
3 Likes.

Make that 4.
Or 5.
Actually, make that 15 likes.
Then, Mandy's older brother(a College Sophomore) commented.

Logan Roe
"Shouldn't you be listening to your teacher?"

and Mandy replied.

Mandy Roe
"Shouldn't YOU? Mind your own Biz big bro."

Jeanette could already feel her blood curdling to find most of her other classmates on their phones, getting in on Mandy's action.
One, because she can't eye them.
Two, because she's also a good student.
But that was the perfect distraction Reese needed to answer the vengeance request for today.
Looks like he's going out to New Jersey tonight.
And he scoffed.
He hated New Jersey.
There's absolutely nothing there.
And maybe the one who gave the request also hated New Jersey if they're sending Thanos to deal with some poor sap there.
The request merely asked for the victim to be dangled on a tree and...
Forced to eat Maple Syrup?
What's this person got against Maple Syrup?
Most importantly, was the requester from Canada or something? Thanos had his share of odd requests... But this probably takes the cake.
"Looks like I'm going to the Supermarket later." he whispered.

During lunch, the loudspeakers on the walls activated as Jeanette's voice(hidden poorly through a voice changer. But it seemed to work on the poor morons, other than Thanos) chimed.
"Citizens of Eastbrick Colorado. The public Vigilante by the name of Thanos Venge had been roaming the streets, serving Justice upon those who deserve it. Vigilantism isn't something we should all try and achieve... But it is our duty, the citizens, to find out what we do not know and through achieving this knowledge, we may not only reveal the identity of this person... But thank him.
He deserves that much."
And the line went off.
Students were silent, and then whispers echoed within the cafeteria.
"They have a point. I mean this guys been cleaning up bad people out of the streets... Sort of."
"But he does it when he's paid. I'm afraid to even try asking for help and not paying."
When Reese heard that, he already knew that anyone who withholds money from him was getting a one night only date with Mandy's Pepper Spray and a hangover at an abandoned warehouse.
He wished no one would dare try it.

~V~
"Reese?" What horrible timing.
Just as Reese sat at the subway train, Jeanette Mars was seated across him.
"Um... Hello, Jeanette." he said awkwardly to the girl trying to unfold his truth.
Jeanette was a Dirty Blonde with Silver eyes. She wore a pink coat and army boots.
Despite being his pursuer, she's actually a kind and compassionate person. But some people hate her stubborn nature and she's made a few enemies herself. She's naive, curious, and goes to lengths to a fault.
"What are you doing at this time of night?" she inquired.
Reese didn't have to think twice, really. He was going to the supermarket. He didn't really have to give out the fact he was buying so much Maple Syrup for a request.
"I'm going to the Supermarket. I live together with Mandy you see. It's my turn to do the errands.
She nods.
"What about you? Where are you going?"
She manages an oh before smiling. It was a little sad, though.
"I'm going out to find my Uncle. He's been gone for a while now, but I'm really close to finding him. He's made a lot of terrible decisions in life and I feel like he's in a lot of danger."
Reese wanted to know why she was desperately trying to find him. So he made a subtle excuse.
"Why are you trying to find Thanos Venge, Jeanette? Don't lie. I saw you exit the P.A.'s office. And that voice changer wasn't very good."
She tilted her head down and a tear went down her cheek.
"I want to thank him. If he hadn't caught this guy from a week ago, I wouldn't have any information to go by..."
"And you didn't think to just ask for his help?"
"I think I blew it. See, I sent this message saying I would find him. Then he blocked me. I guess he must be paranoid."
That he was.
And it was now Reese's stop.
"I have to go. I hope you find your uncle, Jeanette. See you in class."
She waves goodbye and he walks on to the Supermarket.

~V~
"Don't ask me, dude. Just doing my job."
Andrew Tuts was suspended upside down a tree and Thanos Started pouring Maple syrup all over him.
"Aaahh!!!" Apparently, the guy hates it. And so Thanos hates him too.
What kind of monster hates Maple Syrup?
"This would be a really funny Instagram post if I had an Instagram" Yet Thanos pictured him anyways.
There was no reason he couldn't post it on his website or put it up on his laptop.
Thanos' phone chimed as Thanos poured the last of the Maple Syrup at the guy.
"I think you'd agree that no one's going to care very much about you. Seriously. It's just Maple Fucking Syrup."
He turned his back on the now unconscious Andrew and checked his phone. It was another job.
But it wasn't one that he'd take.

"We know you were the one who sent one of our men to jail and we're all going to find you soon."
Thanos scoffed before he continued reading.
"But let me offer you this job so we'd reconsider. We'll even pay for it." The sound of money was something Thanos couldn't refuse to.
"There's a girl who's been nosing around here, trying to find her uncle who used to work for us as in our Drug Syndicate. If she exposes us, we're all going down. So my offer of 3000 Dollars."
Thanos stopped.

"Kill Jeanette Mars."

Thanos dropped the empty bottle of Maple Syrup.
Not only did these guys ask him to find his classmate. But they asked him assassinate her.
He was very sure they'd never find him, but...
He was a vigilante, but he wasn't a murderer.
"I don't murder people. I most certainly not work for criminals either." He sent back.
There was a quick reply.
"Fine. We'll kill her ourselves. And you're going down with her." Thanos blocked him and all his associates out of his site and quickly ran to the subway.

~V~

Reese had no fucking idea what to do.
It wasn't like he hadn't received requests for him to hurt people before, and they're normally light hearted in nature.
But this was the first where people wanted him to kill.
It surprised him it took someone this long, actually...
But it was wrong.
Beyond wrong.
But what was Reese supposed to do? He can't just simply call the cops. He'd be blowing his cover.
He couldn't be facing them himself either.
Thanos planned ahead. He's not able for sudden fights.
He was good with the Stun Gun. But he only ever needed to use it when he was in immediate danger or if he needed to incapacitate someone.
He didn't have any killer skills. He didn't even know a single fighting style. Well he did learn some Aikido with Mandy and Terrence. And that was on a whim.
Everything he knows was from TV or what little he practiced.
But... He couldn't just leave her for dead. So he tracked her phone.

~V~
Jeanette had apparently been lured to the old burger joint at Mane Street at Eastbrick.
She was getting closer and closer there. He knew she was being lured because only drug addicts go to that burger place.
There was only one person he could call to help him at this time.
The guy he had helped a year ago find someone who framed his sister for murder.
Lance Garro, an ex sniper of the Black Ops back in 2005.
Lance were to tranquilize anyone who was close to killing Thanos or Jeanette. He could shoot at glass just to distract them too.
Ok... Thanos was ready for this... Was he?
Jeanette entered the burger joint, optimistic to see her uncle.
"Uncle Jan?" She sat a booth and took a look at the menu. It was a typical looking menu.
Then her uncle arrived. He was a fair looking man in about his late thirties. Jeanette stands and hugs him.
"Oh... I missed you." Her uncle didn't say anything. "What's wrong?"
Her uncle looked at her. "I'm sorry."
From across the street, Lance texted Thanos 'Now.'
As he did, the uncle steps away from Jeanette and some men appear, guns in hands.
She looks at her uncle in disbelief. Tears welling up.
"Why?" He looks away and takes a briefcase from their suited leader.
"Get this in your little head young lady." Said the leader. "People will pick money over everything."
She struggled as a man restrains her.
The leader gives a menacing wipe on her face as he laughs.
"Such a pretty face. Sad to see you go... You should have walked away on your pathetic uncle."
He aimed his revolver in between Jeanette's eyes.
Jeanette shuts her eyes, waiting for the shot to end her life.
But it doesn't come.
The men are hysterical as the lights suddenly shut off. What was going on?
One screamed as a Stun Gun's electricity strikes their neck, then falling to a kick to the head. Thanos,  with night vision shades on, had begun.
Another tries firing at Thanos. It hits a cookie jar. The shards fall as he is hit by a stool on the head.
One manages to grab Thanos by the hand, but releases him and falls unconscious when a sharp Tranquilizer bullet hits him in the back.
Another shot hits a bottle and the man beside it turns around and fire rounds at nothing.
Thanos kicks him in the shin and Zaps him in the eyes and finally on the heart, knocking him unconscious. Jeanette's uncle tries escaping, but falls to the ground when a Tranq bullet hits him in the but.
Thanos assumed no one was left standing and approaches Jeanette. He turns on the voice changer and hides his face with his hood.
"Are you ok?" Jeanette, who had hid under a table, screams. A bullet shatters some condiments. Lance's warning was almost a second too late.
The leader hacked at him with a Machete, missing only by an inch.
Thanos got up, as the leader swiped at him furiously. Lance repeatedly tried to shoot the man, but missed. He was too fast.
Thanos ducked and tried tazing him. The man held Thanos' wrist as the stun gun hits his sides, effectively lessening the damage. The man shoves Thanos to the side and dodged another bullet.
Thanos attempted to stand, but is grabbed by the neck.
"I don't know what shit you're playing, but don't think I don't know who you are, Thanos Venge."
He smacks the Stun Gun from Thanos' hand as he attempts to crush Thanos' neck.
"I told you we'd get you soon." Thanos wasn't one to give up so easily. He picked up a fork from the nearby bar and jammed it at the guy's shoulder.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" He punches Thanos and takes out the fork from his shoulder.
Thanos tried to grab his Stun Gun, but the man was getting closer.
"You wondering how I can find ya? I've trained my whole life for things like this. I can hear you loud and clear." He takes a stool and breaks it with his leg. A jagged stick was all that's left.
Thanos attempts to reach for the Stun Gun. It was still too far. Lance had stopped firing, because they were at the back of the counters and his view was blocked.
"You should have stuck behind your computer, kid. You're no match for me." He got closer, and then, Thanos felt something in his hand.
It wasn't Mandy's Stun Gun, though.
It was a gun.
He looked back to the guy, who was getting closer and closer. Then he raised his hand.
"Die!" In panic, Thanos aimed and fired. The man dropped the stick and groped the bullet wound with his hand. He falls and began to squirm in pain. It wasn't a fatal shot, but it was enough.
Lance takes up his rifle and watches Thanos. He was also to watch in case any of them gets up, just in case they try to escape.
Thanos got up and grabbed his Stun Gun. He leaves a fat envelope and a letter on the counter and calls the police.
Jeanette stands up wanders the burger joint.
Thanos stood still. Jeanette couldn't see him, but she felt he was there.
"Thank you."
Thanos stifles a 'Heh'
He activates the voice changer. "I can turn on the lights and you can see my face for yourself. That's what you wanted, right?"
Jeanette went rigid. Was it finally her chance?
Thanos held up his phone, ready to open the lights, when she turned around from him.
"Stop. Don't." Thanos retracted his phone. "I want to find out who you are... by myself."
She smiles at her savior. "Go. The police will be here any second."
Thanos hightailed as the cop sirens blared.
He was long gone when the Police had entered the crime scene and the lights went on.
Lance also takes his leave from the building across.
Detective Jeremy Brackett opens the note, reading the details about the men who attacked Jeanette, arresting everyone.
"Another Thanos Venge case?" Feal Ross, Eastbrick Police Department, inquires.
Detective Jeremy nods as Feal instructs a stretcher for the Leader.
"This Thanos guy's bad news, I tell ya." Feal lights a cigarette and smokes it.
Detective Jeremy waves off the older cops suspicion. He know Thanos' heart and actions are in the right place.
"He may be a Vigilante, Feal... But I believe in this guy."
Feal scoffs and exits the joint as Detective Jeremy stares into the streets. Not noticing Thanos' eye from the alley across.

-Author's Notes-
Ok, it took me a little while to finish this, but I've got to say. This is currently my favorite Thanos Venge story.
I hope you enjoyed it!

Skies: What We Fight For

"I Took Infinity From The Sky and I Made it My Own
  But not for you to turn into your personal property
  I...I will outlast the turning of time,
  But I know that you're,  know that you're scared of me
  And what I can achieve, But I won't be waiting"
-Fountainhead(Hands Like Houses)

It was my first time entering a club. My best friend, Gavin Russo, who just finished the last of his Finals yesterday invited me out, even though he knew I never drink anything stronger than a Sprite. I haven't seen him in a while so I agreed to it.
We're at the bar side and people are dancing here like packed rats. Gavin's been trying to egg me on to drink alcohol.
"Come ooooooon Martin. We're 19 years old. We didn't turn legal to sit around and play Call of Duty everyday." Tsk. I'd appreciate it if he left my gaming tendencies out of this.
"I just don't like the taste of alcohol." Or the smell, for that matter. He's already had about three shots and his breath smells like sake. They serve it here and he loves it.
"Come on, lets just watch the people dance or something." I'd dance, but the limited space and how I have this tendency to step on other people's toes are stopping me.
Then again, he wasn't listening to me and full on just ordered more drinks.
"Here." He handed me this strange, Gatorade Blue, drink. "It's called a Hawaiian Kool Aid. I know you don't like the stuff I like, so I thought I'd try to appeal what you want! I mean you eat anything sweet you could grab almost to the point of diabetes anyways. Give it a chance!"
I gave him a stern look and then a look at the tattooed bartender. He was serving burning drinks to some kids.
Eugh. God no.
"No." He frowned.
"Try it." I just stared at him. That was when he gave me that serious do it or die glare.
"Martin Jacobs. You will drink that 23 Dollar drink or so help me I will destroy your Playstation 4 when you're asleep and when I may or may not be drunk. And I won't feel guilty for it"
Ok! Fine!
...He'd seriously do that if I didn't. He once destroyed my 3DS. He paid for it a week later though when I gave him a massively cold shoulder.
I grabbed the blue drink and sipped it.
It was sweet... But I could still taste the Alcohol in it. And it wasn't weak.
"I am not going to get drunk with this." I was bluffing of course. A drink like this, I might get drunk. He's been trying to get me to drink so he could see me drunk. The only other time I drank something was at a Party my popular twin sister, Stacy, held when we graduated High School. Gavin was already passed out and someone apparently spiked the punch with Alcohol. I was already drinking a glass of strong Scotch because my sister forced me to. I had to get a chaser, because I was getting woozy so when someone handed me Punch, I never really knew if it were spiked or not. Long story short, I got drunk. And Gavin was too passed out to see it first hand.
From the pictures and stories from a friend(And the puke on the floor), I was pretty crazy.
But the biggest proof was that I was naked in my bed with Lyra Sanders when I woke up(Hangovers suck. Losing your Virginity unwillingly and Unknowingly? Even Suckier).
That was pretty much the last time I drank alcohol. Until today.
"Ugh... It isn't as sweet as it is nauseating," and I set it down.
Gavin gulped down the next shot in his hand and groans.
"You're no fun. Maybe I should have just brought Alexandria or Jack or any of my other college friends."
That was the thing that stung the most about my friendship with Gavin these days. Back then, we stuck together like glue.
I was the shy guy who loved video games. He was the one who was always out there- Especially at night.
I don't really know what he saw in me that he decided to be my best friend, but we were totally opposites. Especially the drinking part. Even before Stacy's Party, he'd been the alcohol happy.
(Somehow he keeps in shape though. Must work out enough to keep away beer bellies.)
When College rolled in... Well, lets say communication wasn't as strong as before. He'd been hanging out with his College friends(They do seem nice.) more than me now and he seems to be fine with it. I can't say I'm not the same. I've met some pretty great guys that had been with me throughout my years in college, but I don't forget easy.
And to think we went to the same college too.
It was just us the first few weeks. Then we made a few friends, but we were still together. Then we just sort of... Grew apart.
I guess it's true what they say. Nothing lasts forever.
"Why'd you become friends with me in the first place?" I asked. It wasn't a threatening question or a guilt trip. It was an honest query. I scratched my head and looked at my phone. It was 10 PM.
"It's not as if I doubt our friendship. It's just... We're so different. And I never questioned it before because we always just stuck together. But these days, we never seem to see each other, or talk. I hate to say it, but it's like we've grown apart."
I realize I've been talking in my normal tone and remembered we're in a club. I doubt he could have heard any of that. Did he?
I turned his direction to check on him. His cheeks were red from the alcohol and he has that relaxed smile that could only mean one thing.
He's drunk.
It was facepalm time. I should have guessed he'd be drunk from so many shots by now.
It just surprised me it took him this long to start.
"Forget it." I say. "I didn't say anything. I'm going to the bathroom."
Which was where? With so many people here, it was hard to see where I could possibly go. Then again, I didn't really need to use the bathroom. I just wanted to go somewhere quiet and relax my mind. Maybe catch up on Final Fantasy Record Keeper on my phone.
Besides. I can't leave the poor guy by himself here. He's drunk and he's going to piss a lot of people here if I don't get him home later.
So thus began my trek through the masses.
But it didn't even begin.
Gavin caught me by the wrist and brought me back to the bar.
"You're not... *hic* going anywhere."
Ugh...
"Maaaartin, stop being a kiiiiljoy." He murmured. "Then again.... That's what I like about you."
What? What kind of fun person wants a killjoy friend?
I could go to the bathroom now, but let's hear what his drunken stupor would have him say.
Gavin places his chin to the bar and plays with his shot glass.
"I could... go... *hic* be friends with  the assholes or the other alcoholics or druggies back then... But thats *hic* pretty stupid. You can't always be friends... with someone who's like you."
He turns his head to me and grins.
"You just get me Martin. *hic* hahahaha... Even if I'm the biggest asshole in the world, you seem to care enough to go out of your way and come with me to this shtinking bar..."
"It's a club and you don't want to say that in front of the nice bartender." I reprimand him. The bartender smiles and wipes a shot glass.
"Whatever." He wipes his eyes. "The point is... *hic* You could be the biggest geek I've ev*hic*er met, but you have heart. *hic* The guys are nice, but they just *hic* won't always have that *hic* history we've had. And the Physics of course."
I held back my laughter. "You meant Chemistry, right?"
"Bah! Barte... Barte... BAR GUY! Get.. *hic* another shot of... two of... Belgian Ale! Wait.. No! Rum! no!!! I want whiskey."
The bartender starts pouring.
"Wait, no-" I began.
"It's just Iced Tea kid. Don't worry about it."
He slides two into our direction.
I gave it a whiff and fair enough. It was Iced Tea.
Gavin took a shot and didn't seem to notice the difference in taste.
"Let's get you home." I say. I gave the bartender a big tip(He was really happy about it) and carried Gavin to my Toyota Vios.
His apartment was on the third floor of the Frigid Luxury Apartments Building on room 312. The most prestigious Apartment in Gallows City. I forgot to mention. Gavin's family is loaded. I've been here so many times(Especially when Gavin's friends would ask me to bring him home) that the staff and neighbors practically know me.
"Need help with him today Martin?" said Mikey the Guard.
"It's fine. I got him." I also have keys to his apartment. Mr. and Mrs. Russo trust me enough to give me a key and keep an eye on him if ever he gets into trouble
His apartment room was a bit messy. Oh right, it's a Thursday. His apartment's never clean on Thursdays.
"Night Gavin." I placed him on his bed and began to leave. I checked back. He was snoring.
Hey! That's my copy of The Last of Us that I lent him two months ago! I forgot all about it.
... Yoink!
I locked the door and began my way down to the parking lot and then into my car.
The Vios revved finely and I started to drive.
I stay at the Dorms at Gallows University. I've got my dorm room all to myself... Or so I wish. My roommate, Aron, always seems to be away.
Ugh, that Kool Aid thing just gave me some sort of hunger aftertaste.
I need a snack. Thank god there's a 7-11 out here in Gallows.
Cheetos are the first things I pick up and a can of Sprite.
This was a real party if you ask me.
I paid the cashier and left.
Cheetos. Your cheesy puffs will be mine!
My car was my second haven after my Dorm room. Whenever I feel sad or angry or bad, I just sit here and listen to I The Mighty and eat or play some video games. It's gotten me through a lot of tough times. And out of the house we used to call home.
So I stayed at the parking and binged on the snacks as I turned up the volume for These Streets are Alive.
"Help Me Stranger! I'm Begging for More!
 You've got plenty to spare but you just stare at the floor!
 Help Me Stranger! These Streets are Alive!
 I'm a Capable man! Just got lost on this-
*Bump*
What the hell?!
What the fuck was that?! Did something just bump into my car?!
I'm parked! How could some moron hit me? A drunk moron?
I opened the glove compartment and took out my flashlight and my Switchblade.
I don't just collect video games. I've been collecting weapons for as long as I could(Though the Pepper Spray was a gift from my Sister), and I'm happy to say these things have saved me from many things.
Muggers, Thieves(Ha that was a really funny one. Try stealing my phone. Tasers are really painful.)
Now... The question is... Do I go out? Or do I just drive away and not care if I hit someone.
It was now or nothing.
 I checked the rear first. No damage.
Phew.
"Meow" Wha?! My knife was outstretched only to find an orange tabby cat. "You scared the shit out of me kitty." It jumped inside my car as a hand comes into my sight.
"Oh... Crap!" This... person... was wearing a hooded sort of  garment that was sun themed. I checked closer. It was a girl.
"Miss, are you ok?" She didn't reply, but suddenly grunted and got up. I checked my car. Unscathed.. Whoo.
Wait, where's she going? "Miss?"
Then a bloody moan came out of nowhere. The girl did a 180 and began walking back to my direction.
And then it came. It had gleamy silver eyes and it was shaped like Red XIII from Final Fantasy 7. It had a crescent moon etched on its head.
"HOLY....SHIT!" I could handle muggers, bullies, or any human that I think isn't built like Dwayne Johnson or Chris Hemsworth. But that things a fucking monster! If it looked anything like a Heartless from Kingdom Hearts, I may have considered trying to kill it. But this is Final Fantasy level and I'm not exactly what you'd call someone who can handle monsters, even if I WERE the rational type!
"Lady, we have to get out of here now before-" She ignored me and took out some sort of whip...blade. It was like Seven's weapon from Final Fantasy Type-0.
She twirled into the air and swung the weapon at it. The pointed edge lodged itself onto the creature and it died.
"Oh my god!" I shouted. Then from out of the darkness, another hooded person arrives. His clothes were now Moon Themed
"You cannot escape Teme. The Lunaris will win and we will achieve Deep Night!"
She retracted the weapon and clutched her sides. I didn't notice it was bleeding before.
The man produced a spear like weapon and deflected the girl, Teme's whip attack.
And then I ran.
Not away, but to my car. This guy was human.
"The Solaris will not stand in our way, Teme. The moon's light. It shall be-" And he began to convulse to the floor when the Taser Probes hit him.
"We should cuff him." I say.
Teme's reply was much different.
She kicked the guys weapon away, pushed me into my car and got into the drivers seat.
"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
She started the ignition and began to drive. I The Mighty's Speak to me blared into the stereo.
"Buckle up, kid."
And we began to drive deep into the City of Gallows.


~Author Notes
I'm back! After a long time of no stories, I've finally finished one I like!
I've had this idea for a few days now and I really wanted to start it.
This will be a three to four part story(Though I hope I finish it. I never seem to finish stories these days. I've got a lot of drafts that are waiting to be finished XD)
So enjoy the beginning of the Skies series.
What We Fight For.