Post by Zane on Jan 26, 2018 17:06:17 GMT -5
Synergy
The Office of Lord of Creative Pain
Shortly after the departure of Fear and Pierce.
Zane and Donovan watch Fear and Pierce as Pierce storms out of the office with Deimos following behind. They stand in silence for a few moments afterward, both apparently mulling over what they’d just heard. After a few moments Donovan finally breaks the silence as he leans back in his desk-throne.
“It really is a shame that the trap door doesn’t work yet.” He opines.
Zane nods in reply.
“Yup.”
Donovan leans over his desk and frowns at the floor, then leans back in his chair and folds his arms across his chest.
“This has been disappointing day so far.” He opines. “First I had to be told that the trap door doesn’t work and then Pierce and Deimos had to sully my office with their undesired presence.”
Zane shrugs and looks at the now empty yet still open door.
“It was only a matter of time once you announced the brackets.” He says. “He’s been searching for a way to be relevant ever since PMN imploded and then he lost to a one-legged man. Naturally he’d insist on being involved in the Global Challenge. Even deluded people have goals.”
Donovan shakes his head and smiles.
“He is pretty deluded.” He says with a chuckle.
Zane nods.
“He’s about a real as the Emperor’s new clothes.” He replies.
Donovan grins.
“Too true.” He answers.
Zane walks around the front of the desk and crosses the room. He picks up the Chaos Championship and his half of the Co-Operative Championships and carries them back over to where he had been, then sits them on a nearby table.
“Speaking of Pierce and his new best buddy, seeing as you’re now retired, I presume there’s a plan for this defense.” He asks.
Donovan smiles.
“I’m glad you asked.” He says. “I do have a plan.”
“Care to share?” Zane asks.
Donovan smiles and rubs his hands together.
“Allow me to answer your question with one of my own.” He replies.
“Sure.” Zane answers.
“Very good.” Donovan says. “What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Pierce?”
Zane smiles crookedly.
“How close to ‘PG’ do want my answer to be?” Zane asks.
Donovan chuckles.
“How about ‘predictably boring’.” Donovan replies.
“That’ll work.” Zane answers.
Donovan momentarily looks at him in confusion.
“What?” He asks.
“You asked me to describe Pierce and then offered ‘predictably boring’ as an option.” Zane replies.
Donovan’s face screws up even further before it returns to its more normal expression.
“No.” He explains. “I meant that you should keep your answer ‘predictably boring’.”
“I know.” Zane replies. “But that description fits Pierce so perfectly that I just went with it.”
Donovan’s face lights up and he nods his head proudly.
“I like the cut of your jib.” He says.
Zane shakes his head and grins.
“Thanks.” He replies with a chuckle.
"What’s something else that’s boring?” Donovan asks him.
Zane opens his mouth but Donovan quickly cuts him off.
“Materials.” He says with a smile. “Not people.”
Zane snaps his fingers in disappointment.
“Damn.” He replies. “I almost got away with that one.”
Donovan shakes his head.
“Almost.”
Zane stands in silent thought for a few seconds.
“Trashing cardboard boxes is more exciting.” He replies. “I could test the trap door on the cardboard before we drop Pierce down it.”
Donovan’s smile disappears.
“The trap door…” He says. “I’m so disappointed in that. I could have dropped Deimos through the front one and then you could have hit Pierce with brick before he started babbling at me.”
Zane raises an eyebrow.
“A brick?” He asks.
Donovan looks up at him quizzically.
“You have a problem with hitting Pierce with a brick?” He asks.
Zane shrugs and shakes his head.
“Not necessarily.” He replies. “It just seems like maybe he should do something to earn that before being assaulted with a brick.”
This time Donovan shrugs.
“Maybe if you hit him just right, he’ll stop being so cardboard in the future.”
“Cardboard, huh?” Zane asks with a smile. “That’s a somewhat atypical metaphor for blandness.”
Donovan shrugs again.
“It works.” He replies. “Between him and Deimos, I’m not sure which one displays less personality.”
Zane grins.
“Deimos is Deimos.” He replies. “He’s probably just looking for something to do with himself after losing to Rydell at ‘Horizons’.”
“I could always drop him through the trap door once it works.” Donovan says irritably. “Maybe they’ll find someone else to bore after they lose to us on Monday.”
Zane picks up the Co-Operative Championship and looks at it.
“Maybe.” He says.
Donovan suddenly pounds his fist on his desk.
“Damned contractors!” He says. “Only they would be short sighted enough to hold up our trap door. Did you try to convince him that it’s necessary?”
Zane shakes his head, but doesn’t take his eyes off of the Championship. He runs his hand over the face plate and then looks at Donovan.
“Yes.” He answers. “I tried to get the contractor to work a little faster, but he said something to me about the wiring and the safety standards and I tuned him out.”
“Safety standards?” Donovan inquires irritably. “It’s a trap door. How does that say ‘safety’ in any way?”
Zane shrugs.
“It doesn’t.” he answers. “But you can’t explain that to some people.”
Donovan nods in reply. “Indeed.”
“All’s not lost though.” Zane continues.
“No?” Donovan asks.
“No.” Zane answers.
“Do tell.” Donovan continues.
“Well, due to the delay that the safety standards are going cause in the implementation of our trap door…”
Zane never gets to finish the statement as Larry skips into the room with Owen close behind. The two of them sit in the chairs that are across from Donovan’s desk-throne while Zane comes to stand behind him. Donovan looks disappointed that he won’t get to hear what’s going to come after “trap door” and then looks across his desk at Larry and Owen. Larry sits kicking his feel back and forth in his chair as Owen looks uncomfortably at the clearly perturbed Donovan.
“Is something wrong?” He asks.
Donovan nods his head slowly.
“Yes.” He replies. “You interrupted Zane. Now I may never find out what he was going to say after ‘trap door’.”
Owen exhales in relief and slumps in his chair a bit. Larry continues to kick his feet like a happy and oblivious child. Donovan looks at Zane, who looks down at him before he looks up and rolls his eyes. Donovan looks across his massive desk at his and frowns at Owen.
“You shouldn’t look so relaxed.” He says. “You interrupted me. I want to know what comes after ‘trap door’.”
Owen shakes his head and gestures towards Zane.
“Then ask him.” He says.
Donovan shakes his head “no”.
“I can’t.” He says. “The moment has passed. You two ruined it. Especially him.”
Donovan points at Larry, who freezes. Zane shakes his head.
“Relax, Donovan.” He says. “I’ll tell you later.”
Donovan keeps his finger levelled at Larry.
“I’ll be watching you.” He says menacingly. “I’ll...be...watching...you.”
Larry shrinks back in his seat with a look of stark terror on his face. He looks up at Zane, who waves a reassuring hand. Donovan thrusts his finger at Larry one more time and then drops it to his desk and laces his fingers together. Zane looks at him and Owen questioningly.
“Did you two want something?” he asks.
Owen straightens up in his chair and looks at them, while Larry continues to quiver in terror. Donovan keep his icy glare fixed on the quivering Larry.
“We saw Pierce storming away with Deimos doing… Deimos things a few feet behind him.” He says. “Pierce seemed annoyed for a guy who was ranting about getting a title shot.”
Donovan looks from Larry to Owen. He closes his eyes and shakes his head in disgust.
“That sanctimonious fool is never happy.” He mutters.
He looks up when Zane laughs contemptuously.
“What?” He asks. “Am I wrong?”
“No.” Zane replies.
“Then why did you laugh?” Donovan asks.
Zane leans back against the wall and shakes his head.
“I laughed because Pierce is a walking parody of himself.” He explains. “He bitches because you won’t hand him a World Championship chance that he hasn’t earned. He feels as if he’s entitled to it even though he hasn’t been relevant since some time before he was Gabby’s sloppy nine thousand and seventy-fourths...and that’s just an estimation, mind you. “
Donovan and Owen both audibly gag at the possibly intentional visual.
“Ewww.” Larry says from his chair.
Donovan looks over his shoulder at Zane with a look of disgust.
“I should take your participation in the Global Tournament away for that visual.” He says.
Zane shrugs.
“You could.” He replies. “But then you’d just have Pierce and Deimos back in here with Pierce bitching again that he should take my place and unfortunately for you one thing is still true...”
Donovan looks at him questioningly.
“What’s that?” He asks.
Zane smiles.
“The trap door still wouldn’t work.” He says with a shrug.
“Fiddlesticks!” Larry suddenly blurts out.
Donovan looks at him tiredly before he looks at Zane.
“What he said.” He says blandly.
The Office of Lord of Creative Pain
Shortly after the departure of Fear and Pierce.
Zane and Donovan watch Fear and Pierce as Pierce storms out of the office with Deimos following behind. They stand in silence for a few moments afterward, both apparently mulling over what they’d just heard. After a few moments Donovan finally breaks the silence as he leans back in his desk-throne.
“It really is a shame that the trap door doesn’t work yet.” He opines.
Zane nods in reply.
“Yup.”
Donovan leans over his desk and frowns at the floor, then leans back in his chair and folds his arms across his chest.
“This has been disappointing day so far.” He opines. “First I had to be told that the trap door doesn’t work and then Pierce and Deimos had to sully my office with their undesired presence.”
Zane shrugs and looks at the now empty yet still open door.
“It was only a matter of time once you announced the brackets.” He says. “He’s been searching for a way to be relevant ever since PMN imploded and then he lost to a one-legged man. Naturally he’d insist on being involved in the Global Challenge. Even deluded people have goals.”
Donovan shakes his head and smiles.
“He is pretty deluded.” He says with a chuckle.
Zane nods.
“He’s about a real as the Emperor’s new clothes.” He replies.
Donovan grins.
“Too true.” He answers.
Zane walks around the front of the desk and crosses the room. He picks up the Chaos Championship and his half of the Co-Operative Championships and carries them back over to where he had been, then sits them on a nearby table.
“Speaking of Pierce and his new best buddy, seeing as you’re now retired, I presume there’s a plan for this defense.” He asks.
Donovan smiles.
“I’m glad you asked.” He says. “I do have a plan.”
“Care to share?” Zane asks.
Donovan smiles and rubs his hands together.
“Allow me to answer your question with one of my own.” He replies.
“Sure.” Zane answers.
“Very good.” Donovan says. “What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Pierce?”
Zane smiles crookedly.
“How close to ‘PG’ do want my answer to be?” Zane asks.
Donovan chuckles.
“How about ‘predictably boring’.” Donovan replies.
“That’ll work.” Zane answers.
Donovan momentarily looks at him in confusion.
“What?” He asks.
“You asked me to describe Pierce and then offered ‘predictably boring’ as an option.” Zane replies.
Donovan’s face screws up even further before it returns to its more normal expression.
“No.” He explains. “I meant that you should keep your answer ‘predictably boring’.”
“I know.” Zane replies. “But that description fits Pierce so perfectly that I just went with it.”
Donovan’s face lights up and he nods his head proudly.
“I like the cut of your jib.” He says.
Zane shakes his head and grins.
“Thanks.” He replies with a chuckle.
"What’s something else that’s boring?” Donovan asks him.
Zane opens his mouth but Donovan quickly cuts him off.
“Materials.” He says with a smile. “Not people.”
Zane snaps his fingers in disappointment.
“Damn.” He replies. “I almost got away with that one.”
Donovan shakes his head.
“Almost.”
Zane stands in silent thought for a few seconds.
“Trashing cardboard boxes is more exciting.” He replies. “I could test the trap door on the cardboard before we drop Pierce down it.”
Donovan’s smile disappears.
“The trap door…” He says. “I’m so disappointed in that. I could have dropped Deimos through the front one and then you could have hit Pierce with brick before he started babbling at me.”
Zane raises an eyebrow.
“A brick?” He asks.
Donovan looks up at him quizzically.
“You have a problem with hitting Pierce with a brick?” He asks.
Zane shrugs and shakes his head.
“Not necessarily.” He replies. “It just seems like maybe he should do something to earn that before being assaulted with a brick.”
This time Donovan shrugs.
“Maybe if you hit him just right, he’ll stop being so cardboard in the future.”
“Cardboard, huh?” Zane asks with a smile. “That’s a somewhat atypical metaphor for blandness.”
Donovan shrugs again.
“It works.” He replies. “Between him and Deimos, I’m not sure which one displays less personality.”
Zane grins.
“Deimos is Deimos.” He replies. “He’s probably just looking for something to do with himself after losing to Rydell at ‘Horizons’.”
“I could always drop him through the trap door once it works.” Donovan says irritably. “Maybe they’ll find someone else to bore after they lose to us on Monday.”
Zane picks up the Co-Operative Championship and looks at it.
“Maybe.” He says.
Donovan suddenly pounds his fist on his desk.
“Damned contractors!” He says. “Only they would be short sighted enough to hold up our trap door. Did you try to convince him that it’s necessary?”
Zane shakes his head, but doesn’t take his eyes off of the Championship. He runs his hand over the face plate and then looks at Donovan.
“Yes.” He answers. “I tried to get the contractor to work a little faster, but he said something to me about the wiring and the safety standards and I tuned him out.”
“Safety standards?” Donovan inquires irritably. “It’s a trap door. How does that say ‘safety’ in any way?”
Zane shrugs.
“It doesn’t.” he answers. “But you can’t explain that to some people.”
Donovan nods in reply. “Indeed.”
“All’s not lost though.” Zane continues.
“No?” Donovan asks.
“No.” Zane answers.
“Do tell.” Donovan continues.
“Well, due to the delay that the safety standards are going cause in the implementation of our trap door…”
Zane never gets to finish the statement as Larry skips into the room with Owen close behind. The two of them sit in the chairs that are across from Donovan’s desk-throne while Zane comes to stand behind him. Donovan looks disappointed that he won’t get to hear what’s going to come after “trap door” and then looks across his desk at Larry and Owen. Larry sits kicking his feel back and forth in his chair as Owen looks uncomfortably at the clearly perturbed Donovan.
“Is something wrong?” He asks.
Donovan nods his head slowly.
“Yes.” He replies. “You interrupted Zane. Now I may never find out what he was going to say after ‘trap door’.”
Owen exhales in relief and slumps in his chair a bit. Larry continues to kick his feet like a happy and oblivious child. Donovan looks at Zane, who looks down at him before he looks up and rolls his eyes. Donovan looks across his massive desk at his and frowns at Owen.
“You shouldn’t look so relaxed.” He says. “You interrupted me. I want to know what comes after ‘trap door’.”
Owen shakes his head and gestures towards Zane.
“Then ask him.” He says.
Donovan shakes his head “no”.
“I can’t.” He says. “The moment has passed. You two ruined it. Especially him.”
Donovan points at Larry, who freezes. Zane shakes his head.
“Relax, Donovan.” He says. “I’ll tell you later.”
Donovan keeps his finger levelled at Larry.
“I’ll be watching you.” He says menacingly. “I’ll...be...watching...you.”
Larry shrinks back in his seat with a look of stark terror on his face. He looks up at Zane, who waves a reassuring hand. Donovan thrusts his finger at Larry one more time and then drops it to his desk and laces his fingers together. Zane looks at him and Owen questioningly.
“Did you two want something?” he asks.
Owen straightens up in his chair and looks at them, while Larry continues to quiver in terror. Donovan keep his icy glare fixed on the quivering Larry.
“We saw Pierce storming away with Deimos doing… Deimos things a few feet behind him.” He says. “Pierce seemed annoyed for a guy who was ranting about getting a title shot.”
Donovan looks from Larry to Owen. He closes his eyes and shakes his head in disgust.
“That sanctimonious fool is never happy.” He mutters.
He looks up when Zane laughs contemptuously.
“What?” He asks. “Am I wrong?”
“No.” Zane replies.
“Then why did you laugh?” Donovan asks.
Zane leans back against the wall and shakes his head.
“I laughed because Pierce is a walking parody of himself.” He explains. “He bitches because you won’t hand him a World Championship chance that he hasn’t earned. He feels as if he’s entitled to it even though he hasn’t been relevant since some time before he was Gabby’s sloppy nine thousand and seventy-fourths...and that’s just an estimation, mind you. “
Donovan and Owen both audibly gag at the possibly intentional visual.
“Ewww.” Larry says from his chair.
Donovan looks over his shoulder at Zane with a look of disgust.
“I should take your participation in the Global Tournament away for that visual.” He says.
Zane shrugs.
“You could.” He replies. “But then you’d just have Pierce and Deimos back in here with Pierce bitching again that he should take my place and unfortunately for you one thing is still true...”
Donovan looks at him questioningly.
“What’s that?” He asks.
Zane smiles.
“The trap door still wouldn’t work.” He says with a shrug.
“Fiddlesticks!” Larry suddenly blurts out.
Donovan looks at him tiredly before he looks at Zane.
“What he said.” He says blandly.