Fables: Legends in Exile (IC)

[gagonthis]

Fables: Legends in Exile​

OOC thread here​

Bigby Wolf rose as the sun flooded his small apartment, the light refracting off the lingering cigarette smoke that pervaded his living space, illuminating the dirty studio in a hazy glow. He stretched as he searching around for some clothing, throwing on the first pair of slacks and long sleeve button up he found. He rubbed his eyes, hoping for a chance to wake up a little more before starting his day. As he checked the clock he realized he probably wouldn't get that time and with a sigh he grabbed his fedora and coat as he left his apartment for the office.

He arrived a few minutes later, running his hand through his unkempt hair as he sat down at his desk, checking his phone to see if he'd had any messages. He saw the blinking light and picked up the receiver, listening to his voicemail. The normal run of the mill stuff, the frog prince was eating flies again making the mundy's uncomfortable, Jack had been caught in another one of his fruitless get rich scheme's, and this was interesting, it appeared Charming was back in town, either he had worn out his welcome amongst the European gentry or he was running from something. Maybe both. Still as long as he was proper it was no business of the Sheriff. With a heavy sigh he leaned back in his desk lighting up another smoke. It had been a slow couple of months for the Sheriff of Fabletown.

Still things were likely to get lively in the near future. Remembrance Day was fast approaching, that one special day when citizens of Fabletown and the Farm again set their memories back to the old days, their lands before the Adversary had come with his armies and forced them all to flee here. For most it was a time of celebration, for some it was a time to stir the cauldron with ideas of marching the Fables back and fighting for their homes. For Bigby it was one big fucking headache. With a heavy sigh he took a long drag, waiting to see what the day brought him.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

Prince Charming

"And we totally have to be at the party tonight. Stacey will be there and you totally have to meet her, she's one of my best friends ever since high school, you know?" The voice came from a beautiful blonde girl that was currently sitting across the table from the dashing, handsome man who sat idly by as she yammered on.

Prince Charming's head was nowhere near being involved in the ramblings of the latest Mundy girl he'd seduced. He'd met her last night at a fashionable nightclub, fucked her in the coat room, gone back to her house and fucked her rotten all through the night. Charming was simply letting her buy him a fancy lunch before he moved on.

It was only when the cute waitress caught his eye when delivering his check that Charming decided to make his haste a little more suddenly than he'd planned. He knew that look in her eye. It was one that spoke to years of religious education and moralizing being thrown out the window, more than willing to go for a quick little tumble. She was an alluring lass, black hair, large brown eyes and a body that curved beautifully. Charming caught her eye again and saw her cheeks redden. He gave a surreptitious wink before turning back to the girl who was, in theory, his date. What was her name? Kate?

"Honeybuns, excuse me a second" Charming said as he dabbed his face with a napkin "Little boys room"

The girl barely stopped talking as Charming walked back towards the kitchen. He caught sight of his lovely little serving wench. She smiled as she saw him, a nervous, self-conscious smile.

"Just who I was looking for." Charming smiled "Is there any chance you could show me the bathroom?"

"Uh, it's right that way, sir" The girl's voice was a disarmingly high-pitched chirp that was at one dirty and innocent.

"Oh, I know where it is, I was just hoping for a personal tour"

"I probably shouldn't" The waitress looked back towards the kitchen with a nervous look on her face.

"Probably" Charming nodded as he stood closer

"I can't" She giggled

"Let's find out"

The girl nodded and quickly made her way to the bathroom.

some time later

Prince Charming sat back down at his table, looking as immaculately groomed as he'd looked when he left. Tryth was, he hadn't gotten terribly messy. Once he was in the bathroom he decided that the high-pitched voice of the waitress was, actually, grating and obnoxious. For his comfort, he decided better to stick his cock in her mouth than hear his name sullied by her wailing. His date(Christie? Kylie?) was on the phone and chattering away like nothing had happened. She hung up the phone and began gazingly longingly into Charming's eyes again.

"Dearest, I think I'd better be off if I'm going to run all my errands today."

"Oh." The girl looked disappointed "Still coming to the party tonight"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Charming said with absolutely no intention of going. "Oh drat, I seem to have left my wallet in another pair of pants."

"Oh. I can pay for lunch with my card." The girl volunteered eagerly

"A better idea. Pay for lunch with cash and lend me the card for the afternoon, just so I can get a little shopping done for the party."

"Oh..okay" The girl was less sure of this. But still reached into her wallet for the platinum card. "Just be careful with the card. Daddy doesn't like it if I put too much on it."

"Wouldn't think of it darling. Just a few trifling items and I'll meet up with you later on this evening." Charming pocketed the card and made his way towards the door. He'd buy a few new suits, that was for sure. Maybe visit Fabletown. As he made his way out of the restaurant he caught the eye of his waitress again. A little of his "gift" to her was still at the corner of her mouth. Charming chuckled to himself as he walked into the Manhattan street

 

[papillon24]

Red Rose

Red Rose made her way down the streets of Manhattan. Normally she never was able to get away from The Farm but she just needed a bit of personal time before the Remembrance Day celebrations. Besides it was a nice day out a a little shopping had never hurt anyone.

She turned a corner and out of the corner of her eye she thought she caught a glimpse Prince Charming strolling on the other side of the street.

No, that can't be him he hasn't been in town. she thought to herself.

She shook her head freeing herself from the image

When she looked back he was not in sight.

Gotta lay off the late night wine. It's messing with your head red

Red Rose made her way along the avenue to continue her shopping

 

[caela]

Cinderella, "Ella" to her friends, sighed happily as she flipped the sign on her shop door from Closed to Open. It never ceased to make her smile each day when she opened the shoe store to owned in Fabletown. After all there was nothing better than spending her day among the rich, heady scent of new leather and getting paid to do it. Her store, The Glass Slipper was her own little slice of heaven.

She'd taken her time and finally bought a building near the edge of Fabletown and nearly on the verge of "Mundy" Manhattan to make the most of the cross section of both Fable and normal human traffic. Having the mundy's shopping there only increased her profits. What mundy women were willing to pay for shoes was astronomical! A pair of shoes she might sell to another Fable for 100$ she could easily sell to a mundy woman for 400$ and she'd quickly learned to just leave the tags high while spreading the word among the other Fables that they'd recieve a much more reasonable price when they shopped then what was marked.

Humming to herself Ella set about doing the morning cleaning starting with her own favorite pair of shoes...the glass slippers for which her store was named. Everyday she polished and shined them and kept them on display as both a reminder and a gimmick. It was a reminder of who she was and where she'd come from, but the mundy's also fawned over them loving the connection to one of their "fairy tales".

 

[chronicle_tenko]

Boy Blue

(OOC: While I love him as a character, damn he's a tough sell.)

Blue had been sweeping the main floor of the office. Snow white did enjoy a tidy place, and if it was tidy she reasoned that her meetings would keep it that way. fresh coffee had already been brewed in preparation for a long day of work. Miz White was always busier around Remembrance day and it was a hard day for Blue as well. Poor lost Red. Across the sea in the homeland the adversary stayyed and while thier new home was enchanting in it's own way he still missed the old castles, the endless libraries, and all the people that had fallen or been left behind.

"A clean house and a clean hearth." The sweeping was done and the rest of his day would be soon. Only an hour or two left before he could go home. he had a promising engagement at a Mundy Club called the "The Sly Whistle" for a horn player. And he'd impressed them on the phone before, now only needing to show up and toot a few notes to assure him a place in the box. Hopefully it'd work this time.

 

[DracnKitten]

Gretel

The fair-haired and pretty-faced Gretel sat quietly on the steps of the Fabletown library studying. The sun lit her face adn the worn pages of the book she read. Unlike most of others she knew, Gretel was a morning person. Her pretty green eyes sparkled when she looked up from the bookto spy Bigby entering his office. Smiling to herself, she grabbed the cloth bag beside her and stood, dusting the butt of her dress off and tucking ehr book under her arm. The sun gave her hair a coppery light as she nearly bobbed across the street.

Gretel was the kind of girl who, were you to pass her on the street, seemed so very plain. Most people didn't even notice her. Her features, subtracting those always sparkling emerald eyes, were not fine or brillaint. She had an average nose, to too large or small, her lips were full but not too full, and not too red. She was fair skinned, but not too fair, and her freckles were only sparingly splattered across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. Sometimes, they made her look like a cild still, a girl younger than her early twenties.

Her body was slender, her breasts not too small or too large, her hips and waist had a nice even flow to give her a pleasant figure- but she hid it beneath her often plain cut dresses of nuetral colors.

Most people really wouldn't have noticed pretty little Gretel.

What made her stand out was her her disposition- Gretel happened to be one of the sweetest little things living in Fabletwon. Each morning she rose and prepared a breakfast for Sherrif Bigby, knowing that he had a tendency to neglect the early meal. And each morning she hand delivered it in one of the colorful little cloth bags she sewed herself.

She always said that it was her chance to start his day with a smile and a happy stomach.

Today was no different. Knocking on the door eveb as she stuck her head in, Gretel smiled at the sherrif as he hung the phone up.

"You really should stop smoking, Bigby." She smiled at him sweetly as she closed the door behind her, "I brought you bacon and eggs today."

And, of course - though it didn't need mentioned because she always backed a little piece of it - a gingerbread cookie.

Her voice was cheerful as she offered him the cloth bag, "I was going to bring you some fruit, but Churley had other ideas."

Churley was Gretel's recently aquired pet goat, "We'll try again tomorrow."

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"Fuck me, Fuck me, Ay Papi, Si"

Prince Charming repositioned the lithe body of the Saleswoman on his cock within the confining walls of the changing room. He'd had her pinned up against the wall and had been slamming into her but his legs had grown tired. He sat on the miniature bench in the room and began slam fucking the young Puerto Rican woman. Her large fake breasts, still encased in the white satin of her bra, bouncing lewdly in his face, her tight, confining cunt gripping his pistoning cock.

Charming had already selected and purchased his suits(Which would have been a great deal even if he were paying for them himself. He'd convinced the young senorita that she should let him use her employee discount) and now was engaging in some much needed sport.

"Ay, si, si" The girl(Maria? Julia?) panted and moaned as he fucked her, eventually coming to a panting, breathless climax. Soon after, Charming followed suit, cumming deep inside the girl.

"You have definitely earned you commission, senora." Charming said as he bit the young woman's shoulder, breathless.

"Oh? But we haven't even selected accessories for you, Senor." The girl giggled a response. Charming, however, unceremoniously removed himself from her and began cleaning himself with a hankerchief.

"No need, my lovely. There's a shoe store in the city I happen to like to frequent. Not a huge selection of men's footwear but they carry what I like."

"And are the women there as powerless against your advances as they are here?" The girl(Almost certainly Consuela) asked with a playful wink that, he noted, contained the slightest hint of jealousy.

"Quite the opposite, in fact." Charming said as he took in the delightful sight of her sliding her panties back on. "The proprietor happens to be an ex-wife of mine. Still, I do so enjoy seeing her when I'm in back in New York."

"Ex-wife?" She gave him a sly smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck "What could ever possibly make a woman want to give you up"

Charming shook his head as he grabbed he extricated himself from her grasp and took his suits.

"What indeed?"

It was short cab ride from 5th avenue to Fabletown but it was one that, unfortunately, drained Charming of all of his remaining liquid assets. He'd thought about asking the driver to pull over as he saw a delightfully long legged and firm breasted redhead(Who definitely looked employed enough to pay for his cab ride) but Charming thought the better of it. Truth was, there was a part of him that greatly enjoyed seeing his ex-wives. It was such a compelling change of pace for him to be around beautiful women who did not simply drop their panties at the sight of him. True, this meant actually paying for his shoes but, well, in the far back reaches of Charming's mind, he knew he had some sort of karmic debt to pay to those that used to call themselves Mrs. Charming. Giving Cinderella some business seemed like a small repayment along those lines.

The Cab dropped Charming off in front of the Glass Slipper and Charming entered. He could see Cinderella near the back of the store, polishing those lovely glass slippers and quietly walked up behind her.

"Pardom me, Madam. I'm looking for something in an old and tough leather and don't say your Step-Mother because I've heard that one"

 

[caela]

'Ella heard the door of her shop opening but she wasn't quite done polishing her slippers so she didn't turn around. At this hour it was really too early yet to be one of her mundy regulars -they usually dropped by after work- and most of the Fables weren't really morning people so she didn't know who it was but she liked surprises.

Usually.

"Pardom me, Madam. I'm looking for something in an old and tough leather and don't say your Step-Mother because I've heard that one"

Hearing that particular voice she was willing to change her mind.

Carefully she put down the slipper she'd been working on and slowly turned to look up at her ex-husband. Without a word she simply leaned close and sniffed and a look of disgust wrinkled her pretty little nose.

"I'd make you into a pair of shoes that my Step-Mother, Charming and you know it," she finally said and skirted around him not wanting to be any closer than she had to be. "You know where the men's selection is, find what you want and leave."

It was clear he wasn't going to get the service her shop was typically known for and while every other Fable in town got a huge discount, Charming was the one man she charged mundy prices for shoes. She'd done it at first thinking he'd eventually stop coming in (she didn't really cater to men anyway and only carried a small selection really, for those women who came shopping for their husbands) but it hadn't worked. He kept coming back every time some new girl had enough money to buy him a few new suits and he needed shoes to match.

"Oh and whoever she is, do her the courtesy of taking a shower before you go meet her. You've got two shades of lipstick on your collar and, if I'm not mistaken, I caught the scent of at least three different perfumes on you."

She almost said something else but the chime over the door rang and a tall, thin, mundy woman can sashaying through the door. Her long chestnut hair hung nearly to her waist and the first word that would flare into your mind on looking at her was, model. You wouldn't be wrong either. Ella had seen her on the covers of a few magazines but she could never remember the woman's name. In her hand was a pair of last seasons sandles and the heel on one was shamelessly broken off.

"Ella darling you must help me!" the woman cried holding up the sandles and looking about ready to cry.

"Of course," she said warmly, a gentle smile curving her lips as she took the sandles to examine the damage. They'd torn cleanly at the seem and Ella was fairly certain they were fixable but for now she knew they were replaceable. "Let me check in back my dear but I do believe I have a few pairs of these left. I'll be right back, why don't you make yourself comfortable."

Giving the woman a reassuring she smile she turned to head into her storage room and shot Charming a parting glance that clearly said, Leave my customers alone.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"Oh and whoever she is, do her the courtesy of taking a shower before you go meet her. You've got two shades of lipstick on your collar and, if I'm not mistaken, I caught the scent of at least three different perfumes on you."

Prince Charming looked wounded and raised his wrist to his nose, inhaling.

"Hmmm, well, I suppose it's the price of doing business. Seriously, Love, you musn't assume that when I come into your store it's for nefarious purposes. I simply frequent your fine establishment because it carries such a fantastic supply of footwear."

Charming could see Cinderella was about to reply in the same spirit she'd spoken to him earlier when the door chime rang and her attention was diverted by a customer. Charming's was too, as this particular customer was one of the tall, willowy beauties that dotted New York in such delicious frequency. He idly glanced over at the Men's shoes, noting a very nice pair of Gucci's that he'd probably pick up, as Cinderella talked to her distraught customer before turning again to face her as Cinderella made her way to her stockroom. He caught the vicious look on his ex-wife's face and returned it with one that both said that he wouldn't have thought of committing such a horrible offense and that he was tremendously grieved by the idea that he would.

And, then, with Cinderella safely in the stockroom, Charming approached the young miss as quickly as he could, sidling up next to her as she too admired some of the Glass Slipper's finer creations.

"You know ma'am, I know you came in to have a pair of sandals fixed but I just can't possibly imagine you in anything other than a simple and elegant pair of black pumps" Charming said, letting his blue eyes meet her green ones with a devilish smile on his face. His smile was met by a shy laugh in return as she began twirling a finger around in her hair

"Well, a girl does need to wear something on those more casual days, Mr....?" She spoke with an easy playfulness that, of course, let Charming know she'd had her interest piqued

"Armstrong." Charming returned "And you misunderstand me completely. What I was saying is that I'm currently imagining you in my head and you're wearing nothing but a simple and elegant pair of black pumps."

Another shy laugh and flip of the hair.

"And how do I look"

"Ravishing, my dear. Even that little birthmark only adds to your utter and delicious beauty."

This time it was a look of shock and surprise

"How did you...."

"A very vivid imagination" Charming took a look back to the stockroom door and, convinced Cinderella was still looking, Charming leaned in close to the girl, caught a whiff of a lovely perfume and whispered into her delicate ears

"I'm afraid Ms. Ella would be incredibly cross with me if she found me attempting to do the things I'm attempting to do with you, being a valuable customer and everything. There's one of those lovely coffee shops on the corner and perhaps you'd be willing to meet me for a cup, oh, say, in about 45 minutes? My treat, of course."

The girl gave a look to the stockroom as well and with a naughty, conspiratorial look on her face gave him a sly nod. Charming beamed a thousand watt smile before wandering back off towards the Men's shoes.

 

[caela]

Cinderella had seen most of the exchange from her storage room door and a small smirk played across her lips. She'd known that Charming would go for her customer - hell he went after almost anything that moved - he just couldn't help himself.

Time for Charming to learn a lesson.

"Here they are my dear," she singsonged as she emerged from the stockroom carrying a new pair of the same sandles in the girls size.

"Oh Ella, you're a miracle worker!" the girl gushed happily holding the box to her chest, "How much?"

"No miracle worker darling, just a woman who loves her shoes as much as you do and always keeps spares for emergencies like these. No charge today Annette," she said finally remembering the girls name. "But do hold on just a moment darling I need to check on my other customer before we fill out the short form for the replacements"

The girl gave her a happy smile which Ella returned before her face darkened and she turned her attention to Charming.

"Charming dear," she said, her voice taking on a sharp edge, "It really is tacky to be running around town with lipstick on your collar and smelling of more perfume than a department store. Remember to go home and shower before your date tonight and if you want those Gucci's I saw you eyeing you're going to have to pay for them yourself. I won't accept some girlfriends card and you know it."

She didn't even give Charming a chance to answer before she tuned back to Annette with a roll of her eyes and a sheepish smile, "Sorry dear, ex-husbands and all that."

Leading the shocked girl up to the counter she had her fill out a short form that explained why Ella had replaced her shoes and tucked it away into her counter.

"So now that you have your replacements, you'll have to break them in, do you have any plans for the day dear?"

She saw the girl glance at Charming and wanted to smirk at the way Annette's gaze hardened for just a fraction of a second before she shook her head, "Not today Ella. I had a lunch date but it just fell through. You on the other hand always come through in a pinch, why don't you come out with some of my friends and I tonight? We've rented a car and we're hitting all the hottest spots in town...it'd be fun and great for business, you can hand out some of those clever little business cards you have.

The girls will adore you! You have to come, say you will, Ella."

Ella couldn't help but to smile at the younger woman's enthusiasm - and what woman in Manhattan wasn't younger than even the youngest Fable?- and gave a small nod of her head.

"The shop closes at 7 pick me up here around 830 to give me enough time to run the books."

"Glorious! I knew I'd get you out eventually" the girl happily hugged Ella before sauntering out of the store.

"So Charming, did you find what you wanted?" she asked sweetly as she turned back to him.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

Charming

Charming couldn't help but roll his eyes and chuckle as he witnessed the exchange between Cinderella and Ella and, occasionally, himself. It wasn't until his ex had thoroughly convinced his lunch date that he was a bad bet and she'd sauntered out the door(and Charming, watching her walk out of the store, had decided that she was far too bony for his tastes anyway) that Cinderella finally turned her attention back to him


"So Charming, did you find what you wanted?"

Charming shook his head pitifully at her cloying smile.

"Cindy dear" Charming finally said "You're going to have to do something to get over that lingering bitterness. I mean, you and I both know that if I so desired I could run out of the store after that human skeleton and have her in the back of a cab. Even if not, there'll always be another Mundy girl who catches my eye and is helpless before me."

"But I worry about you Cindy, darling. I mean, Snow was damaged goods long before me and Rose and I get along positively swimmingly. But you seem so angry with me whereas I look back on our failed marriage with nothing but kind eyes."

Prince Charming moved in closer to her and put his hands on her waist and nodded towards the famous pair of glass slippers. He always was amazed at the depth of those lovely sky blue eyes.

"Don't you remember that first night, dancing at the grand ball. And then, later that night, in my sitting room and then later again in the bedroom." Charming sighed a longing sigh "How did we ever go wrong?"

 

[caela]

"Don't you remember that first night, dancing at the grand ball. And then, later that night, in my sitting room and then later again in the bedroom." Charming sighed a longing sigh "How did we ever go wrong?"

Ella glared up Charming and the only reason she didn't yank herself back away from his touch on her waist was because it would have appeared weak...as if she had to pull away or fall under his sway like every other woman he encountered.

"I try to forget," she growled softly and honestly. Not that she could forget. She'd loved him so much back then for a time they'd been so happy. Or she had thought they were anyway but eventually she'd learned that nothing seemed to make Charming truly happy except the thrill of the chase and there was no chase left when one was a wife.

For a time she'd tried to ignore his affairs and initially he'd tried to hide them from her, but when he'd started coming to her bed still smelling of other women she had to draw the line.

"And we didn't go wrong," she said finally taking a slow step away from him as if to prove to both of them that she was immune to his 'charms'. "You couldn't keep your dick in your pants and had the gall to expect me to welcome you with open arms when you came to me still stinking of your many and varied mistresses.

You love yourself more than anyone or anything else Charming which is why your marriages never last. Now buy your damned shoes and get the hell out of my store."

She hated the fact that he could still draw any sort of emotional response from her, even anger. In abstract she'd dealt with the issues he'd left her with as a wife but in reality Charming lived up to his name. He could be as charming as the fairy tales made him out to be and he'd been her first love, no matter how many walls she built around her heart against him he always seemed to know how to slip through them and draw some sort of response.

 

[gagonthis]

Bigby could smell Gretel coming before she even entered his office, the whiff of freshly made breakfast helping to wake him up a little. He looked up as she opened the door, the usual basket at her side. He favored her with a rare smile as she approached his desk.

You really should stop smoking, Bigby." She smiled at him sweetly as she closed the door behind her, "I brought you bacon and eggs today."

He'd known it was bacon and eggs before she'd even shut the door, though he was in human form these days his senses were still as keen as they were the day he'd tried to eat the pigs. That made him chuckle a little. "I can think of three fables living on the farm who probably wouldn't be too happy with the idea of me eating bacon." He didn't need to say anymore, everyone was quite familiar with his track record before the exodus, but the rules of amnesty said that no man, woman, animal or mythical beast could be held responsible for the crimes in the old lands, and Bigby had turned over a new leaf since coming to Fabletown. "As for the smoking... well let's just say things would be worse for me if I weren't smoking." His senses were constantly being overloaded by all the myriad smells of the city and surrounding himself in a cloud of smoke was one of the few things that helped him not be overwhelmed by the whole thing.

"So how is your brother doing these days?" Bigby asked, trying to be polite to girl as he began chowing down on the meal she had prepared. Bigby was often short with the other fables, but even he was taken by Gretel's friendly demeanor, and besides, she'd cooked him breakfast. Besides there was something in those green eyes.... he shook himself back to attention as he heard the sound of heavy footsteps outside his door. Before Gretel could answer his question the door swung open and a very tired looking Beast came running in, sans Beauty. "Sheriff... come.... quick." He breathed out, trying to regain some composure. "Mundy body... found upstairs... head missing." Bigby's eyes widened as he jumped out of his chair, snatching up his hat as he went to follow Beast out of the room, not waiting to see if Gretel was going to follow or not.

He sprinted up the three flights of stairs, following after the attractive man quickly assuming more beastly features the more distraught he became. By the time they arrived in the third floor corridor he was three feet taller and quite a bit less attractive. "Calm yourself down..." Bigby said as he approached the body, looking it over for several minutes from many angles. Finally when he was sure what he was looking at he swore under his breath. "Call down to Snow's office. Tell someone to bring me up the Vorpal Blade..."

 

[chronicle_tenko]

Boy Blue.

The phone began ringing. It was simply amazing how loud it could be. Blue walked to pick it up and almost hung up immediately. Bigby wanted the Vorpal Blade. Snow wasn't here though. and while Blue hd the keys to the treasury, could he really be trusted to go down there and get it? Or deliver it?

He was taking notes on a murder writing quickly while cradling the phone against his ear, a beheading and Beast losing his disguise. But who would wish to Kill Mundy's. Well other than all the obvious ones. names and dates flashed through Blues head and he finally picked the key up and ran down into the vaults.

The treasury was enormous, it always was, and Blue felt smaller each time he walked in. Some of the greatest weapons and tools of all of recorded history lay here. The Witching Cloak, The Wardrobe, the Magic Wand, And the Ring of Aladdin. Some blue knew and knew thier capabilities well, none quite like the Vorpal Blade though.

he picked it up reverently in it's sheath and took it horn in one hand and blade wrapped in swaddling cloth like a Bindle, to deliver it to Bigby. After locking the office he ran, Hopping trolley's and moving fast. Why Bigby's office had to be so far from Snow's he'd never know.

Finally out of breath and having sprinted halfway across Fable Town, Blue rested the sword on his knees as he brought it to Bigby, Finally offering it and taking the weight of it's murders of his shoulders.

"Here... Sir. And good morning... Beast."

 

[papillon24]

Red Rose

Red made her way along the street. The idea that charming was in town shook her a bit.

"I should go and see Snow" She spoke out loud to herself.

She raised her arm as she stepped to the curb.

A cab pulled up and she climbed in.

"Just take me to The Glass Slipper and I'll walk from there." She spoke fast but clearly.

With a jerk the cab took off and within a few moments they were in front of the store. The store had always been one of her favorites. Ella always had what she needed but today she had already found shoes downtown.

"One peek can't hurt"

She made her way to the window and looked in at the display. She smiled at the selection. Glancing up to try and get a glance of Ella she noticed something odd.

She shook her head. It was true. He was back in town. Charming had really come back.

she ducked away hoping that no one had seen her and headed down the road.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

Charming


"You love yourself more than anyone or anything else Charming which is why your marriages never last. Now buy your damned shoes and get the hell out of my store."

"Oh Cindy, Cindy, Cindy" Charming shook his head with sadness "You really do need to watch the bitterness."

Charming put his hand up to his mouth as if sharing a secret

"It really is starting to cause a wrinkle or two."

Straightening his tie, Charming decided to make his way towards the exit and caught a glimpse of none other than Rose Red. Now that brought back some fun memories. Rose had been one of his few conquests that had seduced him as much as he'd seduced her. And she'd been wild in bed in a way few women had been since. Why, he remembered one time in his stables where they'd been able to bend her in a particular fashion that......

And quick as it was there the thought disappeared from his mind as he looked back up and saw that she'd darted off for some reason. Ah well.

"And, funniest thing, Cindy. It turns out that I don't really need new shoes after all. Isn't that strange" Charming said, turning back to his fuming ex "Now, since you've ruined my lunch date out of pure spite I think I should be off to find a new one. I'll see you at the remembrance day ball, I hope. Ta."

And with that, Charming turned on his heels and made his way out into the street. There was a part of him that'd feel guilt and regret over the way he and Cinderella just couldn't get along but, well, that wasn't today. And it certainly wouldn't cloudy his mind after he saw the two blonde twins walk past him.

"Oh ladies...."

 

[gagonthis]

Bigby hung up the phone, knowing Boy Blue would be on his way with the sword, he turned his attention to Beast, trying to calm him down a bit. A few minutes of calming words and Beast had once again resumed the shape of the attractive noble again. He noted with some interest that Beauty was still nowhere to be seen and asked him where she was off to this day. He responded that she had felt like shopping and that he simply hadn't the energy to go with her. Bigby's eyebrow and suspicions rose. Beast had a bad habit of reverting to his monstrous form when his lady love was not around and he was usually seen as attached to her hip. He'd have to look into that more later he thought as he smelled Blue's approach. The young looking man paused to catch his breath before offering the sword to him. He and Beast exchanged pleasantries.

Bigby took the sword from Boy Blue, who did seem to be hamming the whole thing up. Sure the legendary sword of Jabberwocky fame was one of the most fearsome weapons the community of Fabletown had with which to defend itself, what with the whole "One-two, one-two and through and through snicker-snack" thing, any wound it left could be fatal. Still Bigby thought Blue was being a bit melodramatic about the whole thing and made a mental note to add him to the suspect list he was already compiling in his head. He drew the sword out, looking across it's sleek blade, that which had been driven deep into the heart of the mighty Jabberwocky, the tool of its demise. He felt the weight of the sword, holding it in two hands, palms facing upwards. Then to the surprise of both Beast and Boy Blue he brought the sword down onto his knee, snapping it in half. "Let Snow know the Vorpal Blade has been stolen and there's a murderer loose in Fabletown..."

 

[papillon24]

Red Rose

Quickly she ducked behind a tree as Charming came out of the store.

She heard him call to a couple of pretty ladies as he left. Twins from what she could tell. And blond twins at that

up to your old and boring tricks again,

An idea came to her. She rushed out from where she hid with bags in hand. She strutted towards him

we shall see about that she thought

"Darling, I've been waiting for you"

She gave a devious glance to the twins who scoffed and rushed off. she watched as Charming followed them with his eyes.

Red laid her hand on his chest letting it linger for a moment

"I'm sorry I had to do that but this lifestyle will kill you eventually. I'm just watching out for a friend."

 

[DracnKitten]

Gretel was suprised when Beast rushed into Bigby's office - and without his Beauty. She was even more suprised when he annouced a Mundy murder. She fololwed clsoely behind the men as they ran up the stairs, and when she saw teh body she covered her mouth.

"Oh Bigby!"

She remained at the top of the stairs, watching with wide eyes. She was silent as Bibgby studied the body, movign forward to lay a hand on Beast's arm and begin trying to calm him. She turned and looked at Bigby helplessly as he finished his phonecall with Boy Blue and let him take over with Beast.

Even as Blue could be heard running up the stairs, she moved out of the way, watching from beside Beast as Bigby turned his attention to the sword. The vorpal balde.

She tried not to think of the Jabberwocky as she saw it.

When the blade broke over Bigby's knee she covered her mouth again, and her eyes lost their twinkle for a moment at the idea of someone running loose with the deadly weapon. Fear wiped awayher sweet and innocent features for a moment, thenshe moved forward and tookt he broken sword from Bigby's hands.

"Who could have stolen it, from the treasury of all places." She looked at Blue, quistiningly- though not accusingly.

 

[caela]

"And, funniest thing, Cindy. It turns out that I don't really need new shoes after all. Isn't that strange" Charming said, turning back to his fuming ex "Now, since you've ruined my lunch date out of pure spite I think I should be off to find a new one. I'll see you at the remembrance day ball, I hope. Ta."

Ella's eyes rolled as he left her store at last. He knew she hated being called "Cindy" but she'd learned it was pointless to argue it with him...he did it just to annoy her. Of that she was certain. But then she also believed he came into the store simply because he enjoyed getting under her skin and knew it would bother her. Strange that he didn't need shoes? Not to her it wasn't.

"Not if I see you first," she muttered to herself before sighing and shaking her head. "You have to stop letting him get to you Ella girl. Giving him any reaction is just what he wants."

Putting Charming out of her mind she turned back into her store and totally missed the byplay outside between him and Red. If she'd seen Red run off his latest prey she would have chuckled at the irony of two ex's running off his current prey twice in less than an hour.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"I'm sorry I had to do that but this lifestyle will kill you eventually. I'm just watching out for a friend."

Charming again found himself rolling his eyes at this intrusion into his life.

"You know, Rose, I think it says something that's both remarkably revealing and very pathetic that so many of the women I've had in my bed seem so determined to chase others out of it."

Charming let his eyes follow the blonde twins as they walked away. Truth was, convincing sisters to go to bed together tended to be more trouble than it was worth. It was only after they'd turned the corner that he reluctantly turned his attention back to his former sister-in-law.

"And at least there's some legitimacy behind Cinderella's seething bile. She was my wife who I legitimately wronged. But you? You seduced me, young lady. And while that did make me a cad, it made you someone who would betray family."

"So, by all means, walk with me. It's so rare that I get to spend time with someone who I can feel morally superior to."

Charming gestured in the direction of Fabletown, where he'd decided he'd be headed next.

 

[LadyAria]

Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty

Briar stood on the street looking at the dress in the display window. The glass reflected her haunting green eyes which were exaggerated by dark rings. An intentional insomniac, she sat down the grande mocha double shot latter from Starbucks while slipping on over sized black sunglasses . She hated sleep. She hated it almost as much as thorns, spindles, needles and anything else that dropped her like a narcoleptic. However, she loved the red dress in the window. It was daring and flashy. Great for the nightlife she had adapted to since her divorce. Why be awake alone? She picked up her cup and went in to purchase the dress.

Thirty minutes later, she came out with three bags of slinky dresses, accessories and shoes. She flipped ope her cellphone to call her driver.

"Come around and get my bags. I'm want to get some lunch. (Pause) I've changed. White button up and black capris. No, I will not take off my shades. I don't care if I look like every other rich bitch on the street."

She snapped the phone shut. Despite her harsh tone, she loved the old driver like family. He'd kept her out of the gossip columns so many times she'd lost count. Pulling up, he frowned as he took the bags from her wiry arms.

"Your hair makes you look gaunt," he commented.

"I can get extensions if I want it long," she snapped. "Dismissed"

Once he was around the corner, she self-consciously fingered her short platinum bob. What did he know about high fashion. Skinny was hot. A little less perky, she continued down the street towering over most the passerbys with her heels making her 5'10 into a 6'4". She needed more coffee.

 

[papillon24]

"So, by all means, walk with me. It's so rare that I get to spend time with someone who I can feel morally superior to."

"Oh so now you feel superior to me. Well my dear, that is your opinion. Besides, the seduction is part of the fun, and the other part...well we won't go into that here." She gave him a devious smile. He nodded knowing what she meant.

Red walked next to him letting the warmth of the sun warm her skin. It was rare that the weather acted as it did today with the energy floating around in it. On her left arm she felt the weight of her shopping drag on her. The day had been relaxing, but despite all that it was a long one.

"Charming, do you mind if we skip this walk and sit at a cafe or something like that. There is one near my place on the edge of Fabletown. I'll pay, I know how you like that."

She nudged into him turning him slightly as she altered their course of direction

 

[LadyAria]

Briar Rose

Walking up to the cafe, she went inside to look at the dessert case. She bent at the knees and slump trying to blend in with the crowd. As the line moved, she could see all cakes. They were perched on silver lace covered pedestals. She was lost in a sea of temptation. Finally, she settled on a slice of lemon cake. The boy cut a thick slice and poured her black coffee. Sugar and caffeine, a 170 year old's best friend. She only looked in her twenties.

"No fork," she cowered when he sat the pointy silverware on the plate. "Just a spoon."

She took an open seat at the counter. Into the third bite, she saw Red Rose walking by the picture window. She started to jump up to wave at her when she saw Charming. All the wind was knocked out of her on sight and guilt stung hot. She prayed they would chose to waited on at the outside by a waitress. Meanwhile, she looked around for a second exit.

 

[DJ_Wordplay]

"Charming, do you mind if we skip this walk and sit at a cafe or something like that. There is one near my place on the edge of Fabletown. I'll pay, I know how you like that."

"Hilarious as ever, my dear but considering who you're currently shacking up with you're certainly in no condition to be criticizing anyone for being a freeloading ne'erdowell." Charming said, referring to the well known fact that Rose had been with Jack of all people for some time.

"And I do mind the detour, my dear, as I have grown determined to have my self a lunch date that involves me and my lunch date ending up back at her apartment, sweaty and doing things to each other that are illegal in a great many places. Now, you're more than happy to volunteer for that position, if you'd like."

Charming interrupted this with a wink and a nod.

"But failing that, I'm on my way to Fabletown proper."

The underlying truth to all of this, of course, is that being around Rose was something that always conflicted Charming. Sure she was fun to look at and he did hope that he'd always have another chance at her but she was also an acute reminder of cheating on Snow, which remained one of Charming's most inescapable memories of real guilt.