“I can still make this role work out,” Wheeler said to herself while standing before the scrying mirror between representations of the sun and moon at the real Clare Nova’s Crystal Cottage in Hooktip. “I will summon forth a helper from the shadows dark.”
Pitch Darkly suddenly appeared in the yard outside the door, with friend.
“Damm,” she uttered.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0505, Heterocera, VHC City
“The Musician said he wanted us to check this place out, Hucka Doobie. Oh wait, he’s started.”
Look at me
Who am I supposed to be?
Who am I supposed to be?
Look at me
What am I supposed to be?
What am I supposed to be?
Look at me
Oh my love, oh my loveHere I am
What am I supposed to do?….
“I’m not sure I like it as good as News and Views for a hangout,” whispered the bee-person to Baker Bloch while The Musician continued his crooning. “Nice song, though. Who is it?”
“Who else?”
—–
Buster opened his lid to listen better. “Damn. What’s all that racket up there? Wednesday afternoon already?”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0312, Heterocera, VHC City
“Catsocks (Catalpa-Tussock) sinkhole, Buster. This is where VHC City and its Chelsea hit a new low.”
“Deal with the etheric Plane of Vampires.”
“Plan-*et*,” Pitch Darkly amended. “Planet of Vampires.”
“Or just (an airplane) full of vampires,” Buster tacked on. ‘Or all three or any combo of two of the three.”
“Or none at all,” added Pitch Darkly.
“I always thought it to be a planet sized meteor, Pitch.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Buster.”
—–
On the opposite side of VHC City from the sinkhole, Wheeler was attempting to sit on a bench in a small Saturnia park with little luck.
On a large, smooth rock beside the bench she found a jar of fireflies and a book describing what appeared to be a town in the Lapara sim, also located on the Heterocera continent but considerably north of VHC City. Owner of the book (and town?): Clare Nova.
While she studied the text and photos within, Wheeler heard and then saw a tautly physiqued shark coming up the hill toward her from the direction of Saturnia’s Muscle Madness store. Not Clare but Orange, the brother. Yet another Nova.
Wheeler stood her ground and got ready to transform. Would this work?
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0310, Heterocera, VHC City
“Soo… are you really Baker Bloch playing the role of Pitch Darkly or Pitch Darkly playing Baker Bloch? Enquiring readers want to know.”
“It’s to be determined, Hucka Doobie,” answers the man in question. Baker liked staring out at the lively action in front of the giant, virtual hotel, but he had another role to play tonight and Hucka needed to be seated in the forward facing chair to effect the setting. Because they were not alone tonight. Tronesisia sat on a stool at the coffee bar, pondering what she had just done.
Her new vehicle was parked in the middle of the aleyway behind the shop. Aley-way.
Dramatization.
“Should we go up and talk to her?” asked Hucka Doobie, waiting for Baker Bloch to make the next move.
“Pawn to King 4,” he said, and walked straight to the bar, sitting beside Tronesisia. Hucka Doobie then joined them. No one Everyone ordered drinks. It was a sober affair.
—–
“There’s something about this place,” exclaims a flailing Pitch Darkly. Gravity all nonsense now, I suppose. Are we about done?”
“Yeah, 10 bottles for you and 10 for me.”
“That wasn’t the agreement. If you haven’t noticed I’m considerably larger than you. I’m 200 lbs. and you’re 50 soaking wet. So we’ll graciously say it’s a 4 to 1 ratio. That’s, let’s see, 4 for you and 16 for me.”
“12 and 8,” Buster Damm bartered in turn.
“14/6. And that’s my final offer.”
“Done.” Buster Damm spits in his hand and extends it to the flying Pitch, but the larger vampire’s dead ball era days were long gone. He’d take Buster’s word for it.
—–
“That’s disgusting Buster.”
“Thank you. Better go get rid of the car.”
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0307, Heterocera, VHC City
Using his universal pass-through, the littler vampire entered the house. “Buster Damm as I live and breathe, ha ha.” Pitch was use to his free comings and goings.
“Morning wine, Pitch?” Intervention Buster queried, looking at the bottle and full glass in front of him.
“Oh, this is just left over from last night,” Pitch explained. “You know how I am about cleaning up.”
“Who was the dame?” Jealous Buster asked with an edge, taking a seat opposite his bestest friend in the world. “Not that laconic bee woman again? I thought you two were Spitsville.”
“It’s Splitsville,” Pitch corrected. “But, no, it was Wheeler. You know, the lively one who bought the Key Store from Chuckles outside. Not a beaner. However she doesn’t own the shop any more. A wooden man bought it from her. Toys in VHC City, Buster. What’s next? Elves?”
“Hmm. What did you two guys talk about?” Had Jealous Buster skipped over a line? Didn’t matter. Pitch was a super duper pal and would play fair instead of foul if so.
Pitch hurled his morning spitball. “Sister.” He paused.
“Sister?” asked Stifled Buster back.
“Sister. Everything you see around you.” He waved his arm, indicating the house and its windows to the outer world. “There’s a place we should visit on the edge. Let’s call it that. The Edge. Won’t take long at all. A baseball field away at best.”
Nosey Buster had started scanning Pitch’s latest jottings, attempting to understand better. He reads aloud now. “‘The future fisher lives on the edge. Chuckles knows identity but won’t spill. Got that he owns a slavebot who is bent up inside. Coins. Squid and whale.'” Shaking his head, Thursty Buster reaches over and grasps Pitch’s glass of viscous wine, downing it in one take. “Let’s hit the trail,” he said, wiping his tiny mouth with his little black cape. No stain remained.
—–
“No one home, Buster,” Pitch says after calling. Curious Buster wouldn’t be denied. He deployed the universal pass-through again.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0305, Heterocera, VHC City
Wheeler heard the entrance bell jingle again. “Alright, I’ll be right there,” she said while trying to concentrate on making a key for Mrs. Cooper in Bemberg Apt. 11. She swears under her breath again. Twelve customers in 4 hours! And most wanting back orders. I should have thought more about buying this cursed little shop from Greentop before following through. The offer seemed so attractive at the time. I believe I’ve been tricked!
Wheeler turns to face the newest customer. Great, she thinks, another vampire. That’ll make almost half my customers so far. And this one looks worst of all. But then he said something Wheeler didn’t expect.
“What do you think, huh?”
She recognized the voice. “Baker?”
“Of course. It’s my new night time outfit so I can blend in here better. Vampires won’t attack another vampire.”
Wheeler adjusts her glasses. “They might want to be *friends*, though. Compare blood baths.”
“So…?” He extends his arms and turns side to side.
“It looks ridiculous, Baker Bloch,” Wheeler spoke honestly. “Besides, the streets are pretty safe here. If you haven’t noticed, there’s strong management in Bemberg at least. And probably in the other sim we won’t say the name of yet.”
“Working on it,” Baker spoke back. “Gonna spend some more time with the Oracle tomorrow on the problem. That and others.”
“Well, you did a good job linking Wegee with Key in this particular spot — that started the storyline flowing better. And then follow it up with OD. Speaking of which, talked to Greentop again yesterday. Did a tour of local fishing holes.”
“Oh? How’d that go? I see your clown face has cleared up. Visiting the country must have been good for you.”
“It was! But I need to get back to key making if you don’t have any other business here.”
“Guess not.”
“Go back out into the night,” she commanded playfully. “Attack those cats, those rats. Drink your needed sustenance. Then go back to your dark dank basement apartment and prepare for daylight. You do have a coffin? Because no one will believe you’re a vampire if not.”
“I thought you were suppose to hide your coffins — underground or in the attic or something.”
“I don’t know. You better study up on vampiring more if you’re going to disguise yourself as one. I’d ditch the whole concept if I were you. And: hope that was a freebie outfit.”
“It was the most expensive (vampire) one I bought,” Baker admitted. “57 lindens.”
“Well,” Wheeler breathes out. “I guess we’re both stuck with lemons. Mine a little more expensive than yours, but, there you are. Trying to adjust to a new town is painful.”
“I feel ya.” The thought crossed Baker’s mind just to pack it up and go back home. A small vampire said, “excuse me,” in a meek voice behind him, wanting to make his way into the shop to place an order.
“Town’s full of doors, Baker Bloch. I’ll give it that. If I wanted to stay busy, this is the place to be.” At least she’d hardly thought of Musician or Allen today. But a decision loomed. Above or below? Or… just leave altogether. She waved Baker goodbye as the littler bloodsucker pushed around him.
Filed under **VIRTUAL SL, 0004, 0212, Heterocera, VHC City
Sunklands 