u_can_have_it_4_a_song | For Services Rendered [Jesse]

For Services Rendered [Jesse]

The base camp outside the tomb has grown with each of Jesse's visits, the people there carefully packing each relic, carting the day's haul to somewhere in the Nexus every evening. Better cameras have been procured, a whole portable photo studio's worth of lights, tripods, high-grade lenses.

Today, when Jesse arrives, Schön waits beside a number of polished sandalwood boxes, some large, some small. "Good morning," the thin man calls with a smile. "At last, I've something to reward your patience: the pieces you requested are in."

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"And then some." He offers his hand in a shake, since he recalls it being okay as of last time. "An' if y'all ever got another job that needs an undead touch, you know who to call. Whole thing was kinda fun, all told. And I'll prolly be needin' reloads on them holy bullets one of these days."

The hand is shaken firmly, and with enthusiasm. Whatever fatigue had been gripping the thin man at the beginning of all this seems quite gone now. "One can only hope. I shall be happy to keep you in mind, Jesse, and do think of me, should something arise that you need."

He pauses, then when the handshake is done, adds, "alas, in the enthusiasm, I neglected one small caveat. As these are works of magic, they need magic in order to work. If used in places with little or no magic, the enchantments may be forced to draw upon themselves, diminishing until they are no more. Thankfully, anyplace with demons will have magic in abundance."

"Aww, well, that's reasonable. I can keep 'em hung up in my place and use 'em in the Nexus proper, though, right? Seems like a magical place as any. And that's especially the place where I'm gonna be shootin' down demonic varmints, assumin' they show up again." Now he kinda hopes they do.

"Does wearin' them just to look slick and show my buddies count as usin' 'em? Cuz I'm gonna have to at least a little bit."

"I cannot think that a little display could do much harm," he answers. "Let your peers admire, and the enchantments may renew themselves in the rich magic of the Nexus."

"Oh, they recharge? That's good to know! I was frettin' that they'd drain and never get their powers back. Hell, that all suits me just fine. Keep me from wearin' 'em all the time, if nothin' else. Gotta save 'em for those special occasions." Those being demon-killing occasions.

And the occasional wedding, perhaps. "If their enchantments should drain entirely, I could make no promise that a return to magic would spark renewal, but while they live, they live."

Jesse nods. "Still reasonable. Keep me on my toes an' not use 'em all willy-nilly unless there's demons what need their heads stomped in.

"I gotta say, Schön, some folks in the Nexus see y'all as a shady character, but yer tops in my books. Gonna have to tell folks that say otherwise that yer deals come out the other side above and beyond."

"Alas, that part of my reputation comes largely from people who acted carelessly with the bargains made, who would prefer not to blame themselves for the consequences to which they come." He smiles, adding, "but I am pleased to have your voice on my side. Thank you, Jesse."

"When you do a solid by Jesse, y'all got a friend for life and unlife. You call on me and I'm there with bells on. And that's the truth." He thumbs where his nose should be, smiling wide and showing all those missing teeth. "Y'all ain't the only one open to doin' favours.

"Man, all this stuff, though. I'm gonna need to go get one o' mine to help me haul it back." He laughs, tilting his hat back off his forehead a ways as he looks over the stack of material payment. "That's not a bad thing, mind."

"That is a comfort to know," he purrs. "I shall take care not to abuse the privilege."

Joining Jesse in looking over the assortment of boxes, Schön remarks, "we have a forklift." By the smile, it's probably a joke.

Jesse guffaws. "Any more and I woulda had to! Hey, sit tight and keep an eye on the stuff, would ya? I'm gonna go grab two of my boys an' have 'em help out with takin' 'em back. And I want 'em to meet the guy who's been so kind to donate all the goods. That fine by you?"

"I would be delighted," he replies, all smiles.

"Great! I'll be back in two shakes." He puts up both index fingers in a 'just wait' gesture and runs back towards the portal to the Nexus.

It's a few minutes before he returns with two tall and burly undead in tow. The pair look like a couple of grim fellows, all green skin, scowls and stubble. Jesse, meanwhile, is still his usual friendly, cheery self.

"Okay, boys. This here cowpoke is Schön. Fella from the Nexus what helped ol' Jesse out with gettin' this swell kit. Stuff that ain't gonna let another time like the demons happen again. Schön, this here is Biff an' his hubby, Billy. Two o' my best builders. Can make ya a wall or a foundation faster 'n a duck jumpin' on a june bug."

One of the zombies offers a meaty hand for shaking as well as a grunt. The other just starts gathering up the boxes after a nod is given. Seems the couple aren't much for talking. (And they are indeed a couple, should a closer look be taken at their left hands; both have matching wedding bands. Aw.)

Schön shakes the offered hand with a smile and no sign of discomfiture. One doesn't do business for long in the Nexus if one can't be civil to all manner of folk. "Biff, Billy, charmed to meet you both, and congratulations. Best wishes on your time together."

The one getting the handshake, Biff, gives the barest tick of a smile. The other, Billy, coughs nervously and hurries in getting things together. Jesse, meanwhile, is all grins and slaps Biff on the shoulder.

"These two cowpokes comin' and askin' me like they need permission to get married in my gang. They should know we take any excuse to party, an' who cares if love happens after death? Someday, we're gonna have the cure and that part won't even matter." Jesse's still excited over a pair of his crew getting married, don't mind him.

"I told 'em I'd only need one of 'em to carry this out, but they don't go nowhere without the other. Ain't it sweet?" Jesse is going to make Billy explode with how much embarrassment he's heaping on. The cowboy can't help his excitement! Biff pats a consoling hand on his spouse's shoulder.

"Truly, love conquers all." In someone else's mouth, those words might have sounded droll and insincere, especially given the thin man's dry, subtle wit, but on this point at least he seems quite sincere.

"Perhaps they sought your blessing more out of respect?" he muses. "The metaphorical patriarch, as it were."

Both of the men nod. That's exactly it. Jesse puts his hands on his hips, scoffing.

"Aw, y'all know you don't gotta do that! I mean, yeah, I appreciate it. But like the man says; love conquers all! Now you two git outta here. Just pile up the stuff in my place an' I'll be sortin' through it and showin' it to the rest when I get home."

Boxes in tow, the pair leave again, back towards the Nexus portal. Jesse is all grins. "Still ain't over it. Two o' my Rotten hitchin' up. S'great. Like-..." His smile falters a little. "Like we're still people..."

"And why should you be anything else?"

"Cuz of the undeath. Cuz so many folks don't see us as anythin' different than what's chewin' up our world all mindless an' hungry. That we're just-...Just walkin' corpses. Rather than people with a sickness. A real bad sickness that we want cured."

Schön tsks in disapproval. "A superficial trifle. The more fools, they, not to see past it."

Jesse sniffs and tugs at the lapels of his new duster. Trying to shake of that brief moment of melancholy. "Can't blame 'em either, of course. Like I said, 'bout 90% of our world is overrun with critters what look like us. Real nasty zed problem. And I ain't gonna lie, a lot's changed for us too, bein' undead now." He shrugs.

"I guess what I'm tryna say is thanks for-...You know. For that too. Treatin' us kind and like anyone else."

"As far as I'm concerned," he replies, "you are like anyone else. And you are welcome."

"Goes a long way with us. If you need anythin' you think me or my Rotten can provide, you just give a holler and we'll come runnin', y'hear?" He offers his hand for one last shake.

"Me, I better be gettin' back to the homestead and gettin' all yer gifts squared up. Gonna be some soldiers real happy to see those pins especially. An' I'll be givin' 'em all the instructions on magical things like you told me."

"I shan't forget," Schön promises, shaking Jesse's hand again. "Farewell, and may your tools serve you well."

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For Services Rendered [Jesse]

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