Holy Shit, Power Rangers!

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan always made sure to pay the required amount in full whenever a transaction was required. He did not like being disorganized or in debt...especially when it involved Hell.

The debt? About fifty souls. Fifty mostly-innocent lives... But then again, it was hard to find exactly fifty innocent people, and it was always better to pay a little extra where extra could be afforded. He didn't like most people anyways, so it was no skin off his back. Besides, maybe they could just consider it an act of kindness, if they could look at transactions like that in Hell. He wasn't entirely sure how that worked. He didn't ever plan on having to make another deal with anyone down there to find out.

Sylvan, posing as a slightly nervous and mildly lost bank customer, had set many small, timed charges earlier that day, and the days previous. Now, he was actually across town, in a modest apartment building, looking out his window and occasionally down at his watch. Avalon nudged his elbow. "Brought you your tea, Master..." She said, a small smile on her lips.

He looked up, blinking, and pushed his glasses up. "Oh, just set it down on the table. Our guest should be arriving any minute now."

Avalon giggled a little, setting the tray down as he asked. "Do you even know if he likes tea, Master?"

Sylvan shrugged. "No idea, but maybe make sure we have coffee around in case he'd prefer that?" He reached over to stroke her cheek and Avalon leaned into his touch. "Right away, don't worry."

Sylvan looked back to his watch and his window as she went back into the kitchen. "Three... Two...and one." On his count, a plume of smoke started floating up into the air, one that he could see from his high-rise. The transaction was done.

[rawful]

He didn't know why this was happening to him, all he wanted to do was to spare people the torment of being burnt. Was it so bad, was he not doing a service to society, to the world?! Apparently people didn't feel the same way, not while he was down there in the midst of his all, standing in the glowing bright consequences of whatever actions condemned him. If they knew how it felt, they would thank him.

They would know one day. The select few worthy of his treatment would feel the sensation of not feeling it at all. Needless to say, as the fires danced harmlessly off his body, it didn't mean he was going about unscathed.

Management had ways.

Amidst the heat of it all (Vesdel chuckled to himself) he would still emerge relatively unharmed, and he would emerge. It seemed Hell could not digest such a sour morsel, and consequently decided to spit him out, lest he make them sick.

He wasn't too fond of it himself. Between the damnation and the unrelenting torture, as he was unceremoniously deposited onto the carpet he felt a thrill, the thrill of being -alive- thanks to his genius and success.

"IT WORKED!"

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan, a little startled at the very sudden, fiery apparition in the middle of his previously lovely and mildly expensive carpet. Avalon, in the middle of making coffee, was in no position to help. Sylvan reacted quickly, setting his teacup down and hurrying to douse the flames with a quick water spell.

"Goodness! That was quite an entrance!" He laughed a little, surprised, and crossed the room. He was grinning, looking not only genuinely shocked but genuinely happy to see the man in front of him. "Vesdel, was it?" he asked, taking the man's hand without pause and shaking it in both of his own. "Very happy to see you in one piece, and, rather glad to have gotten you out of there, on top of that." He said, laughing quietly and releasing his guest's appendage. "I suppose you could use some clothes, hm?"

Avalon, as if on cue, had ever so happily stepped into the room, moving to stand at Sylvan's side. She was several inches shorter than he was, and her big brown eyes were very eagerly looking over their guest. Of course, there was a certain part of his anatomy they seemed to focus on more than anything else.

"I'll get right on that, Master..." She winked at the man, kissed Sylvan's cheek, and started away. "Back in just a moment!"

[rawful]

Vesdel felt just as startled as Sylvan, he felt very strongly about his upstart. Maybe it was the sudden (albeit pleasant) splash of freezing cold water, maybe it was the change of scenery, or the enthusiastic welcome by his host or,

"HYEAAARGH! I'M ALIVE!"

After a considerable amount of cowering in the middle of the expensive, minimalist, modern decor apartment, he began to grasp the exact meaning of his surroundings, and his condition.

Just because he was burn proof, it hardly mean the same for his clothes.

"Mahybe a t-tohwel firsssst." He said still soaked huddled in the middle of the floor.

[TempoPrestissimo]

"Oh, goodness, immediately." Sylvan took a step back, not having realized that he sort of soaked his guest along with the previously burning carpet. A quick flick of his wrists and a big, fluffy white towel appeared in his hands. With a gracious smile, he handed it to the man. "Here. I didn't mean to get you all wet, I'm quite sorry." And it was, really, a sincere apology. Sylvan may have been a bit off a mastermind but really, he had no reason to be a jerk to this man.

A moment later, Avalon reappeared, the clothes in her hands very neatly folded. "Found some~ These ones are okay...?" She looked to Sylvan hopefully. He glanced over and nodded. "Those should do fine, if they fit." He waited for the man to dry himself and Avalon held out the clothes to him for when he was done.

[rawful]

"Thanksss.." Vesdel took the towel and began to gingerly pat dry his cracked deformed paper thin skin. The clothes would fit him just fine, he wasn't a very size able person, and any extra baby fat he may have possessed was sizzled off of him a long time ago. But he was working getting it back.

"Oho thehy'll fffit jussst fahne." If Sylvan hadn't already seen him naked, he might have shyed away or asked for them to turn around, but it was a bit too late for that. It took some effort, to get dressed, Vesdel's range of motion was poor, and things like bending over or reaching turned putting his pants on into an awkward, clumsy show of getting dressed, leaning over the coffee table for support.

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan was uncertain how to help the man without making him uncomfortable. It was clear the man's injuries made fine motor control (and some more major motor control) an issue for him. That only made sense, what with the skin and muscle damage he had to endure. Still, intervening may only make the man more uncomfortable; Sylvan was a stranger, the man had just gotten out of hell, and having his impairment pointed out might just be plain awkward.

So Sylvan bit his lip, a little worriedly, and waited until he was done. Avalon similarly waited at his shoulder, toying absently with the button on the cuff of his shirt.

"Come and sit. You must be a little disoriented, after all, I rather hope my living room is a little different from where you have been recently." Sylvan joked quietly. "We will talk business when you have your wits about you again. Would you like something to drink? Tea or coffee? Or something to eat?" He sat down, gesturing for both Vesdel and Avalon to sit on any one of the couches that surrounded his coffee table. Avalon, of course, sat right next to him, in her favorite (and, really, to both of them) rightful spot.

[rawful]

"Aaaand done!" Vesdel said with a final snap of a button and a pose, quite obviously proud of his achievement. After just recovering from the accident, it was nice to be able to do things himself, he didn't want or need any assistance. In fact, Sylvan might have offended him more if he offered than if he didn't.

"They fiht jusssst fahne." They hung loosely off his frail frame as if he was dressed in a giant potato sack, but he seemed pleased with them all the same. In fact, it seemed his little visit down below didn't seem to phase him at all now. Strange...

"Coursssse we'll talk buhisssinesss." He landed with a fwump on the couch where Sylvan motioned for him to sit, and took a moment to shuffle right in there and place a sort of bum groove perfectly shaped like his ass where he'd be sitting from here on out. "'SSSs'what Ah'm hhhere for innit? Oh tea pleassse! Ahnd ah meal w-would be niccccce."

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan could not help but smile at his guest. Vesdel, despite his appearance, had a certain energy to him, seeming strangely childish in some ways. Sylvan was just as pleased as the man at his simple but meaningful accomplishment of getting dressed. He was not surprised that his clothes were a little large on the man. He wasn't very big, a bit over five and a half feet with a rather lean build... But the man was quite skinny, obviously needing a good meal.

"I already have one waiting, I just need to warm it up." Avalon said, smiling pleasantly. Sylvan leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Sometimes your brilliance dwarfs even mine, my dear." He said. He had offered the food without having planned for it, but Avalon, being the perfect little hostess she seemed to be, had thought of it well ahead of time, and she now went off to do just as she had said.

Sylvan moved the tea tray from the table next to him to the one between them. "Here, help yourself. Milk, cream, sugar, the lot of it." He gestured absently to the delicate looking dishes, crossing one of his legs over the other as he regarded Vesdel.

"On to business, then. I'll be blunt with you, my friend. I am looking to take over the world. I have some of the means to do so, and am amassing the rest. This, of course, will not be where we are working, but I figured that it would make the most sense to summon you to somewhere mostly normal." He said, with a bit of a smile.

"Now, you are a chemist, are you not? That implies skills that would be very useful to me. If you accept, you will have a place to work, any of the equipment you desire, a set rate of pay as well as a place to live. If you decline, then we will find a place for you to live out the rest of your years and we will vanish back into the darkness. I will not be sending you back to hell, or at least, I have no plans to do so." Sylvan had paid for him, after all. He had no desire to throw away his purchase, not unless the man did something very seriously idiotic.

[rawful]

The only indication that Vesdel was listening was the approving nod of his head. He didn't speak, he was preoccupied with the task of pouring tea with an unsteady hand. Most of the cream and sugar ended up down the side of the cup rather than in the cup, but it was good enough to drink, and most of it would follow suit, dripping down a gaping hole on the side of his mouth.

Having him as a dinner guest would be such a treat.

"If I accccept. You're cute." Obviously he didn't believe it, he even sort of half wheezed half scoffed at the idea, taking another messy sip of his tea, "Cohourssse I acccccept."

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan wasn't bothered by the somewhat messy display, though he theorized that Avalon might be, just a bit. He had certainly had a bit more time to adapt to, ahem, unsavory people than she had. Really, he would prefer to keep it that way. It wasn't her job to deal with other villains. That was why she had him...among other reasons.

Vesdel's comment was enough to startled a quiet laugh out of him, and he shook his head, holding his hands up defensively. "Thank you for the compliment, but you misunderstand. I just killed more than fifty people to bring you up here. I'm not going to toss you back so easily." He shook his head, and leaned in to pour himself some of his own tea. "But on the other hand, I am thrilled that you accept. I do not have many hard rules, mostly requests. If something bothers you or is getting in the way of your work, I want to know. I don't see much of a point in inner-team treachery or distrust. That will not get us to our ends, and considering how large of a plan it is, discontentment is not something I want to risk."

Avalon returned just then, holding a small tray with food and utensils on it. She set it on the table in front of him and went back to sit beside Sylvan. She was still brimming with happiness from her master's previous compliment, and she leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"My only absolute rule is that, without her permission, Avalon is not to be touched. Ever." The girl at his side giggled and shook her head at him. "Master! That sounds so rude! I can take care of myself...besides, he seems like a nice guy..." Her brown eyes flicked over to the man in question and she smiled at him rather knowingly. "I don't see any reason to be worried..."

[rawful]

Vesdel paused mid sip to to glance disconcertingly at Sylvan, and casually continued his sloppy tea drinking. Heh, this was the kind of crowd he was dealing with. He wanted to disbelieve this SO BAD, but he had seen shit that taught him better than to be doubtful. This man snatched him from Hell right under the devil's nose, an admirable talent for sure, who's to say he didn't just kill 50 innocent people?

His body count was higher than his own.

"Buht you can whhenehver you whhanna riight? Hai dohon't liihke bheing indebhted, but it's bettehr thhan heternal damnation, ssssso I'll plahay alohng. " He may as well, for a 4th degree burn victim, his options were slim, he'd spend his time rotting in an Extenda Care facility or living off disability in a run down apartment.

"Yessss yessss yessss..." He brushed off Sylvan's concerned about Avalon. A guy like him? He didn't think it would be a problem, obviously not noticing the passes she was making at him. "SSSso, Whhat now?"

[TempoPrestissimo]

Sylvan shrugged at his question. "I'm not sure how it works. I suppose if you are killed or you die you will go back? I am not certain any other magic would need to be involved. Maybe. When I find that answer in my reading, if you are curious, I will let you know." Sylvan did not like to be lacking information, but he appreciated being made aware of that lack.

Avalon, leaning against him comfortably, hadn't taken her eyes off Vesdel. He was a strange man. Hideously disfigured, but that wasn't the part she cared about. Sylvan seemed content to speak to him as an equal, as a necessary ally. But, the poor fellow looked very uncomfortable in his skin, and she could not blame him. Maybe she could find ways to make him more comfortable...

"Either way, I'm going to end up there eventually, so if I am less than a generous employer, I am sure you will have ample time for suitable revenge." Sylvan pointed out. He really didn't seem too worried about it. Hell really held no issue for him; he deserved it, and was sincerely interested in seeing what they were going to come up with. "But, for now, you can worry about finishing eating. When youa re done and we have cleaned up, I can take you to where you will be staying and working. Does that sound alright?" With that, he turned to Avalon. "You have class in a little while, don't you? I'd be more than happy to take you on the way." The girl would have been happy to take the bus, but more time with Sylvan was not something she would ever easily give up.

[TempoPrestissimo]

Charon:
“No, it can’t be Friday night, as much as I’d love to. I work all weekend, every weekend….” He sighed, dropping down to sit against the wall. What he said was true, though. Thusdays and Sundays, he worked behind the bar, Fridays and Saturdays, well… Same building, different job, better tips. The hallway was quiet, at the moment, he probably wasn’t disturbing anyone. One of the gyms had a class in it and the only other things nearby was a half-empty computer lab. “What about a coffee on Monday? “ He stretched his legs out in front of himself, folding his free arm behind his head. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise…” The next minute, he was laughing. “No, you can’t come see me at work, sweetheart.” He laughed. “Okay, text me after your next class, we’ll figure something out. Bye, honey.”

Rae:
“Hey! Hey you! You! Behind the counter! Hey! Hey!!!” Rae bounced up and down, waving frantically at the sandy blond man behind the counter. He knew she was there, he was just ignoring her for the hell of it. The place was just a little surf shop, small and tidy, and it was one of her favourite places to both hang out and bother the clerk as well as buy whatever sort of gear she wanted or needed. She was tempted just to flash the guy to get his attention, but she didn’t want Brand to fall on his face and get hurt. Instead, if he was going to ignore her then she was going to pester him. It was just the way the system worked.

[rawful]

Something Sylvan said must have broken the ice, because before his next bite of food, if he looked the better half of his lip seemed to twitch upwards into a smile.

It was true wasn't it? In sum, no matter what they accomplished in the end they were both going to the same place, except one of them would be faring much better than the other. After all, the entire reason he payed a visit to Hell was that he worked so God Damned hard to be Hell proof.

Sylvan must have worked in retail at least once or twice in his life, because Vesdel was sold.

"SSsoundsss fahair to me." He kept eating his food, trying to make sure it -stayed- in his mouth. "You're nohot waihting fohr me to finissssh ahre ye? Sshhe'sss got sssschool n all."