Ambition..

[VEE MENU]

Theme Song

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"NOW WATCH AS FLAME BECOMES TOOL TO ANSWER ITS MASTER'S WILL!" Vee cried out, amping up the meeger, scattered onlookers sitting on the battered benches inside the main attractions tent, surrounding a small, poorly lit stage. Taking a cheap bottle of flammable fluid to his lips with one hand, Vee raised a lit torch with the other. Taking in a mouthful, the fishman immediately spewed the horrible tasting fluid over his head before lighting it afire with his torch, creating a breath of flame several feet above his head.

Two spectators clapped while the others watched the back of their eyelids. "Bravo, Vee! Yay, more, more!" Called out a familiar voice.

Large, bug-like eyes scanned over the embarassment of an audience he then performed for. Most of the people there were bums or passing travelers looking for a place to sleep that night. One or two of them smelled of piss and shit while a snaggle-toothed old man sat high in the bleechers laughing wildly at everything Vee did, no matter what it was.. "Crazy old fool.." Vee muttered.

Turning to prepare his next act, Vee froze upon turning to lay eyes on an empty chair where an old marionette should have seated. Stolen, not misplaced, he thought. Clutching his fist, Vee stared disheartedly down at the ground as a single tear trailed from his eye.

[VEE MENU]

"Oh, Vee.. How has the world been treating you?" Came the familiar voice from earlier. A short elderly woman approached the fishman from behind in what seemed to be an effort to coax his troubled mind.

With a quick sniff and a pass of his hand across his eyes, Vee turned to greet the old woman with a carefree smile. "Ms. Becky, what a pleasant surprise!" He opened hands in a gesture of friendship. Staring down at the woman, Vee knew better then anyone that Ms. Becky wasn't there to talk about his circus, she was there for business, nothing more. "So, what brings you to the Cirque Du Libre?"

A grim expression crossed the elderly woman's face as she looked the fishman in the eye. "The business's on my turf are refusing to pay up.. They're seeking protection elsewhere, from a man known only as Knightly.." Ms. becky spoke, getting right down to business. Taking out a piece of paper with a list, she handed it to Vee. "I want you to pay a visit to the places on that list and I want you to WRECK UP THE PLACE!!" She roared, lunging at the empty chair and breaking it into several pieces with small, powerful hands. "YOU GOT THAT VEE?!"

With a nod, Vee couldn't help but follow orders, he was still in her debt afterall. Besides, noone ever said no to Ms.Becky, ever.. Turning from the stage, Vee gave a gruff sigh upon laying eyes on the snaggle-toothed man, still laughing at him. With another disheartened expression, Vee exited the tent.

[VEE MENU]

It was dark out that night, darker then usual and raining like none-other. The stench of the Cirque du Libre seemed to wash away as Vee ventured from the circus grounds and onto the long, haunting trail towards the city. Ms. Becky had picked a bad time to present obligation, he had way too much on his mind that night. Then again, such a task would prove to be distracting, enough to take his mind off the Cirque du Libre and how much of an embarassment it was. Opening his clenched fist, Vee examined the list.

Stopping in front of a small building just inside Ms. Becky's turf. "High's Bakery.." He spoke, reading the sign. It was unfortunate for such a simple business to be first on his list, the fishman had a lot of steam to blow off so he wouldn't hold back.

Snatching up a trashcan from a side-alley, Vee hurled it through the glass door, shattering it and spilling glass all over the floor inside. Stepping into the bakery, Vee made his way to the back to ensure he was alone. The way in which he moved seemed ominously casual, like he'd done it before or was hoping someone would be there, someone he could relieve frustration upon. To his luck or dismay however, he was all alone.

[VEE MENU]

Vee moved back to the main room of the bakery before scouring for something to break, but paused when he'd felt the bottle of flammable fluid brushing against his thigh. Removing the bottle from his large, flamboyant cloak, Vee began pouring it on the floor and on top the counters.

"La, la la la.. La, do be do be doooo.." He began to sing. It wasn't like him to burn down a building or to go above and beyond what Ms. Becky had asked of him, but that night was different. For one reason or another, Vee wanted to take something from the bakery's owners. If he couldn't succeed with his circus, then all other business's were forfeit.

Bringing the lighter he'd used to light the torch from earlier from his inner cloak pocket, Vee lit the fluid on fire before walking out the front door. Backstepping into the street, Vee watched as the flames grew more and more rampant, scorching the furniture and the walls alike, the rain outside the only thing keeping it from spreading to the next building. For a moment, Vee actually found peace in the destruction of another persons business. Their dreams and ambitions were ended so easily, yet his heart lifted by the sight of it.

Stepping from the front of the High's Bakery, Vee darted off into the night.

[VEE MENU]

Stopping just outside a pub several blocks away from High's Bakery, Vee examined the list. "Papaya's Pub.." He spoke, making his way towards the front entrance. The lights were on, meaning there may have been people inside. If by some small chance they were, they would've been drinking their troubles away like Vee should have.

After some consideration, Vee couldn't bring himself to skip the pub only to come back when it was closed, because that night was different. The embarassment of the Cirque du Libre was far too much to stay his hand that night, and he didn't care if he'd hurt others through his inability to control wildly fluctuating emotions, he didn't care if he beat them to death. The pub would burn that night, just like the bakery before it.

Pushing the door to the pub open, Vee scanned the well lit room. He spied a bartender, a large, balding man cleaning a glass in the corner behind the counter and a second man, dressed in a professional black suit, hunched over the counter.

Slowly moving with ill intent, Vee made his way behind the patron sitting idly at the bar. Standing directly behind the suit wearing man, Vee reached out.

"Vee Menu.. The man that could hold his breath forever.." The suited man spoke calmly, taking a sip from whatever he was drinking.

[VEE MENU]

Vee froze and lowered his hands before responding. "That man is dead, long forgotten with the cheers of an audience that used to love and adore him.. So do not speak that name again.." Vee muttered darkly. It was odd how everyone and their mother knew of him, yet as of late, they used such information against him and never in his favor. Staring at the man from behind, Vee wondered what he would try whilst using his name like all the others before him.

"Do not worry, brother.. We are of same blood, of similar..ambitions.. We both desire to see our business' grow, to see our dreams fulfilled. Yet times are hard.. Getting by on our own makes it even harder to move forward, does it not? That's why I propose a chance to remove cock from ass.." The man turned, revealing himself to be a fishman like Vee, a bit smaller, but a fishman nonetheless. "You work for a human that holds past crime over your head to make you do things she'd dare not dirty her hands with.. Aren't you tired of being indebted to a woman who's only purpose in your life is to control it?"

"I'm afraid you misspeak.. Brother.. Ms. Becky helps me in ways you do not understand. She was there for me when noone else was.. She keeps me safe.." Vee Spoke.

"DON'T BE A FOOL!" The fishman raised his voice only to calm himself. "Ms. Becky only uses you for her own selfish desires. Has being in her company produced fruit on your side? Has it given you wealth, aid in the persuit of fortifying your precious circus? Does she even care?" He continued.

Vee was quite surpised that the other fishman knew so much about him, and about his relationship with Ms. Becky. It was strange, everything the other fishman said felt like words from his own heart, though too frail to give words on their own. Glaring at the other suspiciously, Vee finally parted his lips to ask. "Who are you?"

The suited fishman simply smiled. "I'm you Vee.." The other replied.

[VEE MENU]

"M...Mr. Knightly? Are you okay?" Asked the bartender from the corner of his bar.

Large bug-like eyes twitched as if waking from a trance, recapturing the now empty stool before him. Glancing around, Vee no longer saw the fishman he'd been talking to, nor was there anyone else there but the bartender and himself. "What happened to the man I was just talking to? He was sitting right here" He spoke impatiently.

"There is no other, Mr. Knightly.. It's just been you and I for the passed five minutes.. Do you want something to drink? You were talking to yourself.." The bartender replied.

"What? No, I'm not thirsty.." Vee answered. Rubbing his head, Vee felt different from before, his mind was cloudy and his thoughts were jumbled, yet everything was clearing up. Was he going mad? "And why do you keep calling me that? Mr. Knightly?"

The bartender eyed the fishman wearily. "You sir.. You're Mr. Knightly, the man whom we pay for protection."

Glaring at the bartender, a sinking feeling overtook Vee. He somehow knew who the protection was for, but had to ask anyways. "Protection from what?" He swallowed.

"From me.." Came a soft-spoken voice from the entrance of the pub, a crack of thunder sounding immediately after.

[VEE MENU]

Large bug-like eyes trailed from the bartender to the little old woman standing in the doorway of the pub. Confusion was written all over Vee's face. There was something not right about the situation he was in. The bartender calling him Mr. Knight, Ms. Becky's turf war with a man known by the same name and his recent conversation with..himself? Just what the hell was going on?

"I had my doubts, Vee.. But I always suspected.. The very fishman I allowed under my wing to protect and to nurture turns out to be the same bastard fighting me for my own turf.. WHO THE HELL DO YOU TAKE ME FOR!?" Ms. Becky roared.

"Ms. Becky, please! I don't understand, what's going on?" He pleaded with both hands outstretched. "I haven't the slightest clue who this Knightly is.. I came here to carry out your orders, that is all!" Vee continued.

"Oh ya, Vee? Then what is that in your hand?" Ms. Becky accused.

Looking down, Vee's eyes widened in disbelief. "Money? This isn't mine.. Where did this come from?" Vee asked, turning to face the bartender.

Arming himself with a baseball bat, the bartender pointed it at Ms. Becky. "I told you before! My business with you is done, Ms. Becky! Mr. Knightly here is all the protection I need.."

Tiny footteps sounded as Ms. Becky raced forward before lunging at the bartender behind the counter. Swinging hard, Ms. Becky managed to break his baseball bat in half before knocking him into a corner with a single punch. The entire pub trembled as Ms. Becky closed the distance and swung once more, delivering a devestating blow to the bartenders chest.

[VEE MENU]

Upon hearing the bartender cry out in pain, Vee's mind began overflowing with memories he didn't think himself in possession of. He saw himself making deals with the local business's and he saw himself using said funds to keep his circus from going deeper then it already had. He'd been gathering 'protection' money from business's he knew would pay since they'd been paying others already. Ms. Becky's own personal clientel.

It was then that he remembered his time under Byron's abuse hand and of his friends death that his psyche began to break completely. Vee's mind had been warped, allowing the presence of another.. No, not another.. A symbiote of the mind, a clash of his own ambitions and of his own fears to make them a reality. It was at that moment that Vee and Mr. Knightly truly became one. Ambition and the assertiveness to do anything to achieve ones goals, Vee was reborn.

"MS. BECKY!!" Vee snarled, removing the bottle of flammable fluids from his cloak before tossing it at the little old woman. Watching the bottle shatter and douse Ms. Becky in flammable fluids, Vee couldn't help but smile from ear to ear as he removed the lighter from his cloak pocket.

Looking up from behind the corner, Ms. Becky examined her drenched clothes before eyeing Vee in a contemptuous manner. "After everything I've done for you? You would betray me in such a way?" She asked in a kind, soft-spoken voice. "HOW DARE YOU! I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!!" She screamed, leaping on top of the counter to get at the fishman.

"You did help me, Ms. Becky.. You helped me learn to be just like you.. I TAKE WHAT I WANT AND HURT ANYONE THAT GETS IN MY WAY! RIIIGHHT!?" He roared with a vicious look in his eye.

Tossing the lighter, Vee set the elderly little woman aflame.

[VEE MENU]

With Ms. Becky finally out of the picture, her turf was divided amongst a group of neighborhood gangs and mafia groups. Not only that, Vee's killing of his ringmaster was swept under the rug and forgotten. Without anyone left alive to pin the murder on Vee, he was truly free and able to do as he pleased. Though things continued to prove difficult for him and his failing circus. Not only was he low on income to support the Cirque du Libre, but he hadn't the acts necessary to keep it afloat.

At first, Vee tried buying rare items to lure in a decent crowd, but without funds, he resorted to theft. He even went so far as to steal high quality sheets from the fabric store, using them to redecorate the innards of his circus' main attraction tent. But alas, Vee's business continued to fail. In a city like Illusia, the rich get richer while the poor get poorer.

Standing at the docks, Vee looked out to sea. His ambition to create the greatest show of all time still burned at the back of his thoughts, it was the only thing keeping him going most days. After giving some thought, he believed if he were going to stay in Illusia, his dream may never come true.. But, if he ventured out onto open waters, he may yet find spectacles the world had never seen. Maybe then it'd enough to forge a show worthy enough for greatness. Although, such things would not come without a price, he may have to steal to get where he wants, he may have to hurt people.

Large bug-like eyes trailed along the horizan before falling upon a ship in the distance. From there he could see a flag hoisted high above its deck, a jolly roger was what the world called it. A flag of bones and creativity.

"Pirates.. Hmph.." He muttered with a scowl. Upon saying it however, his heart lifted and angst seemed to slip away. "Yo Ho.. Yo Ho.. It's the pirates life for me.." He hummed softly with shifty eyes and a devious smirk curling along his lips.

[End]