|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 23, 2012 19:27:17 GMT -5
 Theme Song-------------------------------------------------- Vee applauded his most popular act, a story-telling frog roughly half his size and weight. "You hear that? They're cheering for more! Rahahaha! I love that sound, I can't get enough of it!" Vee continued as the largest crowd he'd ever seen, cheered and clapped bravo for an act he'd discovered, him, a washed up act from the streets of Illusia. There at that moment, he could honestly say his dream had finally come true. "Well, don't keep them waiting, get out there and give em' an encore! Rahahaha!" With that, the curtains swung open and the stage lights poured in. "VEEEEE!!" A bone-chilling cry called out, ripping the fishman from what may have been the best dream of his life before tossing him into a reality he wasn't prepared for. "RUN!!", Jacob cried out before he was dragged off into the night by a group of carny thugs.Blinded by a powerful light from the end of the alleyway, Vee attempted to react, but a devastating blow to the back of his head put him right back down. Falling to the street floor, Vee's vision began to dim. "How does it feel to be blinded-sided by a wooden plank? Doesn't feel too good does it? Ha! Just a little payback for what you did to me a few days ago. Ha!" The strongman from the night before goated Vee as he laid there, helpless. "In any case, we can't just leave a fishman like you laying in the street like this.. Ha! So we're taking you along for the ride."Vee could only see shadows at that point while the chilling words from the man he'd previously stolen from ended up being the last thing he heard before falling unconscious. |
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 1:00:42 GMT -5
"YEAAH!! STUPENDOUS SHOW! THE GREATEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN!!" The crowds roared as Vee stood on stage, bowing out of courtesy to the closing of his show, and the defeaning cheers following immediately after.
As Vee stood there, soaking in the success of his show after waiting for that moment for so long, a solemn expression remained on his face. Even if everything he'd ever wanted in life was right there in front of him, there was something inside of him that told him it couldn't be real, a gut feeling of some sort.
Large bug eyes fluttered open as if opening for the first time, in a long time. Staring at the ceiling of what seemed to be a tent, Vee pushed himself to a seated position, groaning at the effort. Groggy and suffering from an enormous headache, Vee found himself shackled to a concrete slab on the floor and surrounded by an environment similar to that of a large dressing room. 'Deja-Vu' He thought, remembering his first conversation with the story-telling frog, Jacob, his newly acquired companion which he'd stolen from the carnival.
There was something odd going on, whatever it was, Vee didn't like it. "HEY!? GET ME OUT OF.." Vee began, only to quiet himself. If he was where he thought he was, then calling for help there at that moment wouldn't be wise. Instead, Vee raised his iron shackles to his teeth and began gnawing vigorously.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 1:27:45 GMT -5
"Look at cha'.. Ha.. Like a caged animal.." Came a familiar voice just beyond the tents entrance. Pushing passed the curtains, the strongman entered. Slowly removing his large flamboyant cloak and tossing it to the side, the strongman faced Vee, fiddling with a whip at his side.
"Sooo.. Vee Menu is it? The man who could hold his breath forever.. That's you, right?" He questioned, removing a book from a dresser drawer and tossing it to the floor. "That book belonged to a man I once knew, actually I tried working for him once back in my younger days. I'd heard he'd been murdered a few months back and the only thing missing from his personal belongings was this here book, his most prized possession some said.." The strongman paused and eyed Vee with a smirk.
Vee stared defiantly back into the eyes of the strongman. There had only been a few people outside Ms. Becky's inner circle that knew about that night, about how he'd murdered his own ringmaster. Ms. Becky kept his secret safe and him as well in exchange for a favor here and there. To be in her debt only helped him in the long run, but he didn't believe the strongman had any desire to help him or use him in the same way. The strongman had leverage on him, that much was true. It was at that moment, Vee knew he wasn't supposed to be there. "I've never seen that book in my life.." Vee lied.
"HA! THAT'S THE SPIRIT! I love that look in your eyes and I really appreciate you not breaking so easily." The strongman wore a smile Vee didn't like and unlike their prior encounters, he was especially anxious and excited. "I'm really going to enjoy breaking you, Vee.. Ha! It's what I do best to get my acts to cooperate, whether they want to at first or not.. Now, I'd ask you to perform right off the bat, buuut I doubt you would.. Ha! So I'm going to beat the desire into you.. Besides, I want this so bad, you don't even know.." Stepping forward, the strongman rolled up his sleeves and started swinging the whip.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 1:46:26 GMT -5
Over the coarse of the next few days, Vee was beaten regularly, not just with a whip, but by the strongmans carny thugs. They would surround him before punching and kicking until he hadn't any energy left to defend himself. Although larger and stronger then most, Vee wasn't much of a fighter, nor was he given any hope of an advantage due to his shackles. They beat him until he begged them to stop.
There were nights when they'd release his shackles whilst he slept, allowing him just enough time to leave his tent and run several yards. But, in a twisted act to brainwash him into thinking he couldn't escape no matter how hard he tried, he was recaptured and punished severely each time. After several attempts, Vee began to lose hope. On the 7th attempt, Vee actually hesitated at the entrance of his tent several minutes before taking a go at it, only to fail like the 6 tries before.
The strongman had informed Vee 3 days into his capture that he wouldn't be fed unless he did something positive. Saying 'thank you' got him half a sandwich while saying 'thank you, sir!' got him a full sandwich. Any negativity and they would steal his food away and beat him if he resisted.
Vee had never experienced that form of torture before, or torture of any kind for that matter. He was a fishman who'd been sheltered for most of his life and hadn't the slightest experience on how to keep from breaking under such pressure. A baby in a grown-ups body, that's all he was. After realizing this, Vee believed he needed someone to take care of him, someone to feed and shelter him no matter what they did to him. If he was beaten for what he'd done, then that was his own fault..
After weeks of harsh punishment, Vee finally came to the conclusion that he needed the strongman and that the strongman was trying to help him. As bad as it sounded, Vee believed it to be true.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 2:11:04 GMT -5
A month would pass after Vee's discovery about needing the strongman to survive, 2 weeks of continued abuse before 2 weeks of good treatment. Due to Vee's newfound cooperation, the strongman and his carny thugs began treating Vee as if he were one of their own, save for the shackles which had been lengthened enough for the fishman to explore the entire tent. But, as time passed, the day for Vee's release finally came.
"Yo Vee! What's up my man, how are you doing this fine, fine day?" The strongman entered the tent, flamboyantly dressed in his large cloak as usual.
Vee sat over in his favorite corner, reading over a short-story he'd been working on. In the past few weeks or so, Vee had picked up a hobby writing fantasy-based stories to help pass the time. Throwing up a finger, Vee continued to read, but aloud this time. "The powerful tides swept the ship from one end of the ocean to the other, mountains eroded and continents flooded over, yet the ship did not sink. There was.. Hm.. There was.." Vee dropped the paper with a sigh. "Ah, and writer's block sets in.. What's up Byron?" He asked, finally revealing the strongmans name.
"Not bad, Vee.. Still honing those story-telling skills I see. I'm sure Ol' Jacob will love reading it in his act once you've perfected it.." Stepping closer to Vee, Byron jingled a set a keys in his face. "Today's the day, Vee. Are you ready to see the world again?" He asked with a huge smile tapered to his lips.
An expression of disbelief crossed over Vee's face. He'd almost lost all desire to leave the safety of his tent due to the viscious beatings, eventually purging a life outside the tent from his mind. But, as Byron spoke, Vee couldn't help but wonder. "Why?" He asked, confused, thinking it another trick like all the times before. "Why now?"
"You've earned my trust, Vee.. Now, you're free to wonder outside the tent.. As long as you promise to stay on the carnival camp grounds, that is.." Byron added in all seriousness. Kneeling down, the strongman unlatched the shackles binding Vee to the tents floor.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 2:28:15 GMT -5
Standing from his seat, Vee watched the shackles hit the floor before looking at Byron. 'This wasn't a trick..' He thought, looking towards the entrance. The fishman had the appearance of a dog expecting to be punished. With a worried expression and a trembling body, Vee stepped towards the entrance of the tent, nervously lifting up the curtains. Peering outside, Vee examined the smog polluted sky before glancing over the camps grounds. There weren't any thugs waiting for him like the times before, nor did he notice Byron reaching for his whip. At that moment, Vee turned to Byron and smiled. "Where's Jacob? I want to tell him the good news.."
"I'm surprised, Vee. You've been in this tent for going on three months and the only thing you can think of doing is seeing Jacob? How longs it been since you've seen the stage, the cheering crowds, the beautiful dancers?" Byron paused, staring at Vee. There seemed to be something he was trying to keep from the fishman, something about Jacob. "Why don't you come outside and see the world again, Vee! You can ride the rides and eat the candy again! Ha! Let's go see the show!" Byron added, making his way outside the tent.
Vee stepped out of the tent after Byron. The thought of seeing Jacob again was one of two things Vee desperately wanted to do while shackled for so long. But, if he learned anything from that time, Byron was always right. "I.. I would like to try some candy.. If.. If that's alright with you, sir." Vee responded pitifully while trailing after the strongman.
"Of course it is, Vee! You will be rewarded for your good behavior with all the candy you can eat, Ha!" Byron huffed, making his way from the tented area where the circus workers slept. "Let's start over here.."
Upon making his way after the strongman, Vee heard a faint sound in one of the nearby tents. "Vee.." It said, sounding very sick and very weak. As Byron rounded the corner of a tent, Vee side-stepped and peeked inside the tent from wence the voice came from. But as soon as he'd seen what was inside, he'd discovered someone was actually calling for him.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 2:48:40 GMT -5
Stepping inside the tent, Vee approached a large stand where something laid wheezing for air on top of it, gasping in a way an old man would right before he died. Distraught flesh and dried blood shrouded what looked to be a living, breathing creature in a blanket of gore. "Jacob?" Vee murmured, not sure what to make of the scene. It was strange, even though the fishman knew who it was, he was having a difficult time finding someone to blame for his condition. The creature laying there at his feet was indeed Jacob, but there was only one reason why he'd been in the shape that he was in. He refused to give in, he refused to accept Byron..
"Vee..? Is that you..? You'll have to forgive me, my eyes really aren't what they used to be.." Jacob coughed weakly, attempting to look his friend in the eye, only to look right passed him. The frog had multiple scars and fresh wounds all across his face, back and limbs. His eyes were greyed and hollowed as if someone intentionally blinded him. Not only that, blood was everywhere, carpeting the floor and the drapes, it was everywhere.
"I didn't let them break me, Vee. Not like last time.." The frog grinned as best he could, attempting to express his usual charm, only to fail miserably. "I never once doubted you. I knew you would free yourself and come back for me. Hurry and unbind..my shackles.. And we will leave this place..together.." Jacob reached out with both arms extending in the fishmans direction, using every last bit of energy to reach his friend.
Vee was at a loss for words as he stood there, watching and listening to his friends suffering. It was strange though, it didn't matter how much he used to want freedom, he no longer desired it. Such a thought scared him. Vee could honestly say he felt nothing for the frog there at that moment or how much pain he was in. Vee Menu had officially been broken.
Turning his back to the frog, Vee left the tent.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 3:32:42 GMT -5
"FAN OUT AND FIND HIM! HE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN FAR!!" Byron ordered his thugs to find the fishman after Vee's sudden disappearance. "I gave you a chance, Vee.. And this is how you repay me?" He muttered, retracing his steps.
Expecting the fishman had used his freedom to escape the camps grounds, the strongman was proven wrong when he saw Vee walking by himself. "STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, VEE!!" He called out, unlatching his whip.
Pausing, Vee kept his back to the strongman. His posture was relaxed and he showed no signs of fleeing. "Yes, sir?" Vee replied without turning.
"What's the meaning of this, Vee? Are you still trying to run after all I've done for you?" The strongman asked. Clutching his whip, he was prepared to strike Vee down if he had to. Not only that, he was prepared to give Vee the worst beating of his life if he resisted.
Finally turning with a smile, Vee looked the strongman right in his eyes. "It's been so long since I set foot from my tent.. What Can I say, I got lost.." He replied once more. Vee could see that his smile confused the strongman, hell it confused him as well. He'd just seen his only friend in the world dying right before his eyes, and yet, he still felt nothing. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He thought.
Byron glared at Vee in a manner to see if he was lying, eventually shaking his head. "Now, I let you out on account of your good behavior.. Running off like this, making me search for you.. Vee, you can't do stuff like that, ever.. Do you understand me?" He pointed his whip in Vee's direction.
"Yes, sir.." Vee nodded.
"Now, head back to your tent and start shackling yourself in.. I'll be in shortly to check up on you.." Byron ordered.
Nodding once more, Vee made his way back to his tent and disappeared passed its entrance.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 3:45:04 GMT -5
"More! Bravo Vee, Bravo! It's a masterpiece!" Roared the crowd as Vee stood there bowing atop the stage of his own circus. The audience was quite pleased with his shows performance more that night then any other. There at that moment, they all idolized Vee. But then, why was the fishman weeping?
Whilst bowing to the crowd, Vee's eyes watered over with tears while his expression was that of a man full of pain and full of sorrow. The cheering audience seemed to fade into darkness as Vee stood upright. Staring at the ceiling, an overwhelming feeling overtook the fishman, forcing him to scream out with everything his soul could muster. Such a cry should have reached the heavens, yet there was no sound and there were no gods.
Large bug-like eyes slowly opened as Vee awoke from yet another dream. "Jacob.." he murmured with tears in his eyes. Due to the extensive abuse Byron had used against him, Vee's mind was hazy and his emotions were broken. He felt nothing for his friends suffering and he felt nothing then. Then why was he crying..
"Vee?" Byron asked upon entering the tent. Stopping short of Vee's reach, the strongman examined the fishman. "Tears? What exactly are you crying for?" He asked, puzzled.
Vee was an odd sight there at that moment, no matter how big or how frightful he may have came off to a person, he was sitting there looking pitiful, crying for some unknown reason. Only he knew why, even if he couldn't 'feel' it.
Stepping to the side wearing his usual flamboyant cloak, Byron sighed. "Well if you're going to sit there crying like a baby, I'd best tell you the bad news now.." He began, looking Vee over in the mirror with his back to the fishman. "You remember Jacob, don't you? Well, he passed away this morning.. He actually looked dead the night before, but he'd hung on up until a couple hours ago.. Spirited little guy.. Even after all he'd been through, he lasted this long. I'm amazed actually.. But then again, his act was all washed up.." He continued, adjusting his hair before turning to face the fishman. "You're up next you know, next in line to take his place as my star attraction.. I have a whole line of acts especially designed just for you.. How often does a person see a fishman in person? They'll love you.."
The tears continued to fall well into the strongmans speech, only stopping after he explained Jacobs death. Vee couldn't hear anything else passed that point. When he saw Jacob suffering the night before, he couldn't bring himself to care. If only he'd reached out, he could've comforted Jacob in his moment of pain. And maybe, just maybe, they'd both be free.
In that moment, an onslaught of emotion came flooding back. Pain, sorrow, fear, greed, hate, they all hit him at the same exact time. And yet, the one that stood out the most was his rage.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 3:52:10 GMT -5
Clutching his chest with one hand and his forehead with the other, Vee began to shiver all over. His breathing began to escalate and his muscles began to tense. Taking to his feet, Vee let loose a roar so powerful, the tent rattled because of it. "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" He cried, prying at his shackles in a violent, self-destructive manner, his own blood trickling down his wrists as he tugged with all his might.
Byron's eyes grew wide as he staggered from the fishman's reach, both surprised and intimidated. "VEE! SIT BACK DOWN! I'M WARNING YOU!" The strongman ordered, unbinding the whip at his side before swinging it in the fishman's direction.
Vee seemed to ignore the lashes across his face and body as he continued to pry at his shackles. Like a wild animal he was, fighting to stay alive. Upon being struck a third time, Vee ripped his restraints from the floor before lunging at the strongman. Clawing and raking with his nails, Vee attacked Byron with all that he had. The two began throwing each other around, knocking over shelves, equipment and wardrobe holsters. Violent and ferocious, the two fought at a standstill until the victor came out on top. Byron the strongman..
"Starved and beaten for the passed several months and you think you could beat me? HA! You weren't a match for me before and you're no match for me now! HA!" He gloated as he pinned Vee to the floor with a hand at the fishman's throat and the other fending off his arms. "After all I've done for you! All the work I put into making you into an act for my show.. And this is how you repay me?! I should've ended you along with that frog a long time ago! You've been nothing but trouble!!" Byron shouted whilst attempting to choke the life out of the fishman.
Struggling to stay conscious, Vee's efforts to push the strongman away failed with each attempt. There was no way he could beat that man in a test of strength, especially not in the condition he was in. But to his surprise, Vee's sudden burst of emotion had given him power. He refused to give up!
Latching onto the strongmans arm, Vee pulled his hand to his mouth and bit down as hard as he could. What felt like an index finger and a thumb entered the fishman's mouth, whilst blood spilled down his throat.
"AHHH!" Byron cried out, removing his hand from the fishman's throat, hoping to pry his other hand from Vee's maw.
In that moment, Vee pushed with all he had, forcing the strongman to the floor before straddling on top. Without delay, Vee began trashing the strongman in anyway he could until a quick bite to the neck ended it all.
Pushing himself from atop the strongman, Vee leaned against a toppled dresser to catch his breath. With that, he watched as Bryon the Strongman laid on the floor bleeding to death. "That was for you, Jacob.." He muttered.
|
|
|
|
Post by VEE MENU on Mar 25, 2012 4:05:06 GMT -5
"Hurry! Over here!" A group of thugs shouted as they approached Vee's tent. The fishman's bellow was enough to wake even the dead, let a lone a bunch of carny thugs still drunk from partying the night before. If only they'd gotten there sooner, they could've saved their boss and prevented Vee from doing the things he'd done, but it was far too late for that.
Vee hummed softly as he looked himself over in the mirror, one of the few things left standing after his confrontation with the strongman, and surprisngly still intact. "La la la.. Do be do be dooo.. Ha ha ha.. La la la.." He went on, casually adjusting his new attire whilst dressing himself in the dark. Vee paused upon hearing the approaching carny thugs. Instead of being worried however, he merely smiled and proceeded towards the tents entrance whilst dragging the strongman by his feet.
"Hey, someones coming out!" One thug pointed, readying his weapon. Upon seeing who it was and who lay motionless at his feet, the thugs didn't know how to respond. Not only that, they were flabbergasted by what he was wearing.
Stepping from the entrance wearing Byron's flamboyantly decorated, purple and blue cloak, Vee drug the strongmans body out for all to see. "Well I guess you know what this means.." He spoke calmly, a smirk curling along his lips.
"Oh ya.. What's that?" A thug growled, unknowing on how to handle the situation. From the looks of it, they were all out of work and lacking a leader, so what the hell were they supposed to do?
Vee squinted, slightly annoyed and slightly aroused by what he was about to say. "It means.. YOU ALL WORK FOR ME NOWWW!!" Vee roared, the look in his eyes so terrifying, it caused several men to take a step back. "But then again, you can leave now if you desire.. But if you choose to do so.. I will find you and I will kill you.." He added in a dark tone.
No matter how anyone looked at it, Vee was dead serious. If he was strong enough to take down Byron, a well renowned strongman, then there was no telling what he'd do to an ordinary man. Vee had been through hell and back whilst in their care. They were no longer men in his eyes and they didn't deserve his respect or his mercy.
The men stood staring at the strongman before looking at each other and back to the fishman. "..You're the boss.." A thug spoke out with a defiant look in his eyes.
"Then get back to work!" He snarled, dispersing the group almost immediately. Vee didn't expect the men to respect him as they did Byron, but they would fear him. There was no excuse for what they did to him and Jacob, but if Vee could do something for his late friend, he would construct the greatest show on earth just to honor him.
[End]
|
|
