Off To Visit Mama

[Nightfall]

"Well, wait," Nightfall said. He had no idea why anyone would want to be a Sovereign, let alone try to extend their reign... which seemed odd, since the person represented the season, not vice versa.

"So how long have you been hiding? And who's the tool that got shot?"

[Forn Clakes]

"The tool as ya put it is a loyal subject of mine who fully knew the danger, taking over in my place not long after the Autumn Festival. YA REMEMBER ENN-EFF, THE ONE WHERE I LOST THE BET TO THE QUEEN HAHAHA."

The one where the diamond was the prize. The one that Nightfall convinced Al to drop out of. Something to do with alcohol making people slower.

[Frost]

Asia looks from Nightfall to Crunk, wondering what they were talking about.

"So you think one of the bonarchs is behind this?" She considers this for a few minutes. "All right then, what happens if you cobe out of hiding? You have to deal with the consequences to the broken pledge?"

[Forn Clakes]

"YEAH, I DO," Crunk hollahs, quite seriously. In response about coming out of hiding, the big Sovereign shakes his head.

"DUNNO GIRL, SHOT AGAIN NO DOUBT."

[Nightfall]

Nightfall listened, and words stirred around in his head.

Sovereigns.

"To every thing there is a Season," he murmured softly.

Public assassinations were about making statements; about inspiring fear. Then, there was the real Crunk.

"So you're afraid to come out of hiding?"

[Forn Clakes]

"WOULDN'T YOU BE?" he asks with a look of surprise. "THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH DESIRE I CAN POSSESS. THE DESIRE OF BEING SHOT TO SHIT AIN'T ONE OF 'EM, D'YA GET ME?"

[Frost]

Asia sighs. This isn't getting them anywhere. They need to find out who wants Crunk dead and who broke the pledge. Then a thought occurs to her and she looks at Crunk sharply.

"How can sobeone cause a Pledge to be broken unless it is you? I bean, who else was involved with this that could have caused it to be violated? A Pledge isn't broken unless sobething is done by the parties involved. So, how did it get broken?"

[Forn Clakes]

"NOT IF SOMEONE CAUSES ONE SIDE TO VIOLATE THE BARGAIN," he argues, voice raising slightly.

Not that Asia could tell.

Nightfall can though.

[Nightfall]

Thank god for the cookies. Mama must be a fortune teller, too. If it weren't for the home-baked goodness, Nightfall would be batty by the bizarre conversation.

Neither seemed to understand what he'd been suggesting... the culprit.

"Fear, fear, fear! The Sovereign that might want more time, the Sovereign of Fear," he says with exasperation.

"And Asia's asking WHO you made the Pledge with!"

What were raised voices amongst friends?

[Forn Clakes]

"HAL?!? NAH, HE'S LEGIT, I'M TELLING YA..."

Perhaps its the way he says it but Crunk does not sound convinced. However, it does steel him.

"OKAY DAWGS, YOU'VE CONVINCED THE CRUNK. I'LL COME WITH."

And with that, Crunk is up off the bed and heading to the smallish wardrobe where he pulls out a Beretta 9mm.

Plated in gold.