InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Proud"

Envy | Russell Livius (bringthemlow) wrote in forgotten_gods,
@ 2010-01-12 15:49:00

Entry tags:

envy, famine, war

Who: Envy (bringthemlow), Famine (malnourishment) & War (on_a_red_horse).
What: Finding peace in madness.
When: Tuesday afternoon.
Where: The Texas-Mexico border.
Warnings: Gee, a Sin and two Horsemen. I dunno.

Envy sat on the Texas-Mexico border like an over-sized vulture. He'd been there the better part of a week, watching, waiting ever since a brief and shining moment when his tether to Hell trembled. The Leviathan closed both its eyes again. The Hellmouth hadn't so much shut its maw as rolled over and gone back to sleep.

If Envy was still several steps to the left of stability, at least he wasn't feeling stalked.

On one side of the border fence, customs agents studied traffic warily. They watched for illegal prescriptions, for guns and things better left unnamed amongst polite company. The Sin plucked at them until officers turned to face border crossers with hot, hard eyes and unholstered weapons.

On the other side, Envy felt the wantwantwant of would-be immigrants. Their love and hate for America beat a frenzied tattoo against what passed for his heart. Sitting silent and unnoticed by the mortal throng, it was as close to calm as he'd felt in months.

At crossroads like these, battered by covetousness, Envy could almost, almost stop thinking.

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malnourishment
2010-01-13 04:21 pm UTC (link)

'Brother! I think it's high time we take a trip together.

War's words were music to Famine's ears. He loved spending time with his siblings when they weren't crazy or rather crazier than they normally were and fortunately he himself was relatively stable too at the moment which meant the world was mostly safe from disaster. It was safe from major disasters unless... no, not going there. Not yet.

Since War was still without a horse and the Black Rider's was a miniature horse, they'd taken his car. A sleek, shiny black convertible with enough space to store his sister's 'beauty case'. Her red curls were flying in the wind, the sunlight turning it into liquid fire and he took pleasure from the merciless dry wind that felt like sandpaper against his skin.

"Yes, you're hungry, I get it but what do you expect me to do? There's nothing here except dust!" If she hit him again, he'd kick her out of the car and drive off alone.

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on_a_red_horse
2010-01-16 04:06 pm UTC (link)

While still on the unstable side the Ride Rider was feeling something more like herself with each passing day. Malachi, the horse she had lost and then killed was getting closer each day. Seeking further 'stabilizing' influences War had sought out Famine and had been grinning like a Cheshire cat since.

"Is that a bird? I think that's a bird." War squinted catching sight of what looked like a vulture hunched over something dead. Pulling the rife from it's case she gestured for Famine to slow down as she looked through the scope.

"Lunch is...huh. That's not bird."

War pulled the trigger anyway.

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bringthemlow
2010-01-16 09:05 pm UTC (link)

Envy heard a distant pop, felt a change in the surrounding air -- not Heaven, not Hell, but something else altogether. Then there was the barest flash of pain before he was bleeding from the shoulder and hissing from between clenched teeth.

It wasn't so much the getting shot which set him off. Any Sin worth their salt could bear a bullet; it was the being interrupted that made him snarl and whirl around to search out his attacker.

And even that didn't take much -- as if the Horsemen of the sodding Apocalypse were easy to miss? He spotted them despite the distance, War's bright hair and self-satisfied expression set comfortably beside a bare bones form which could only be Famine.

Rotten bastards.

For a moment he considered walking over and greeting them. The blood staining his shirt made Envy's mind up for him. He settled instead for raising his good arm high in the air and flipping the bird.

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malnourishment
2010-01-16 10:11 pm UTC (link)

Bird? Famine pulled a face. He didn't want to eat bird again, especially not one of those that tasted like rot and decay. Looking in the direction War was aiming, he squinted his eyes a little. Envy?

"You're right; it's not. And you missed," he remarked, matter-of fact, pausing long enough for silence to finish swallowing the echo of the shot, and started the car again. "Shall I take you closer? Sit down, NRA Poster Girl, and put on your best maniac smile."

They reached the Sin in no time, arriving in a huge cloud of yellow-reddish dust which slowly settled and miraculously avoided leaving any traces on either Horseman or the car. It was very well-behaved dust.

"Yoohoo~"

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	on_a_red_horse 2010-01-16 11:09 pm UTC (link)
	"I didn't miss. I said hello." Bullets being one of the nicer ways War greeted people. With a smile that a crocodile would have envied the Horseman exited the car, rifle slung over one shoulder. The metal arm the heathen had made for her gleamed in the sunlight. "Hello, scarecrow. Practicing your vulture impression?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bringthemlow
2010-01-17 07:19 am UTC (link)

"In a good mood, is it? You missed all the vital organs." Envy's smile may as well have been bared fangs. He pressed a spidery hand to the wound in his shoulder and looked at the bloodied fingers which came away. After a moment's worth of indecision, the Sin decided to ignore the bullet wound altogether.

Hell was Hell and Horsemen were Horsemen. Licking his index finger clean, Envy reflected that at least it was an improvement over Gluttony's type of greeting.

"What in Satan's wailing Hellwhores are you pillocks doing out here? The under-fed illegals won't be available for skeet shooting for at least another two weeks."

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malnourishment
2010-01-17 06:17 pm UTC (link)

"It's nice seeing you too!" Famine chirped and hopped out of the car, stretching as he looked at the border fence.

A small sneer twisted his mouth. Illegal immigrants risked their lives to get past that border because they thought life was sunnier on this side. When would they learn that misery liked to cling and clutch and would follow them no matter where they went?

Nothing ever became 'better'. Once the downward spiral caught them there was only one way to go. Down, down, down - until they hit rock bottom and then the real misery began.

"I'm working on my tan." The Horseman lit a smoke and grinned. "The more interesting question is what you are doing out here. Got bored of Hollywood already?"

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on_a_red_horse
2010-01-18 11:12 pm UTC (link)

"We haven't spoken in ages, Envy. It seemed rude to go for a lung or a kidney."

When she was desperate and in need of a quick fix War made trips to the Mexican border. The tension, the way the guards and potential immigrants remained in a constant state of agitation never failed to soothe a small part of the Horseman's perpetual restlessness.

Such a flimsy thing this fence. War's gaze flicked from it to her companions.

"Let's tear it down."

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bringthemlow
2010-01-19 01:25 pm UTC (link)

"Hollywood's fine. It's the people in it I didn't care for." Which was possibly the most roundabout way he could possibly admit to avoiding his siblings, Pride in particular. But then, Sins and Horsemen didn't exactly sit down over coffee and play confessional, now did they?

Grimacing, Envy rolled the shoulder War shot. The bullet had gone clean through -- her way of a friendly hello -- and once sure that there'd be no lasting damage, he reached out with the opposite arm to pluck Famine's cigarette from between the Horseman's lips.

"Nothing says 'I love you' like a gut shot, hm?" Taking a drag, he grinned churlishly while smoke trickled down his throat in a warm rush. When he followed War's gaze to the border fence, something behind his eyes seemed to unwind itself.

"And hello to you, too, vile riders. I'm certainly game."

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malnourishment
2010-01-22 02:27 am UTC (link)

Too busy stealing glances at War's new arm - it was a strong and perfectly fine working arm and it looked fancy but it was still made by a heathen - Famine didn't notice the cigarette theft until it was too late. The corners of his mouth curled up and painted a curious little smile on his narrow face.

No matter how well they concealed it, neither of them could deny their true nature. They were predators, all three of them, exuding violence, destruction and decay.

"Don't hold back on my account," the Black Rider said in a sing-song voice, slipping his hands into his pockets. Since this was not exactly his area of expertise he was more than happy to let the other two go wild.

Maybe he'd pick something nice up afterwards. Something~

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on_a_red_horse
2010-01-25 01:27 am UTC (link)

"Hold this." War shoved the rifle into Famine's hands. She looked pleased when he didn't immediately fall over.

Picking up a rather hefty rock she made her way to the driver's side of the car. It was a bitch not being able to cross the invisible boarder that kept all deities landlocked in this country. War had tried once and had vented her frustration in the form of the Great Chicago Fire.

Turning the ignition, she released the parking brake and set the rock on the gas pedal. The car rocketed towards the fence.

"Ten points for adults, fifteen for children and twenty for a guard."

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bringthemlow
2010-01-25 01:23 pm UTC (link)

"So glad you stopped by," Envy drawled. He watched War go through the steps of taking out part of the fence, his attention focused on the car's progress while his shoulder continued to seep blood.

What effect he had on the aliens was limited at best. They were more Christian than your typical American, but the fence they couldn't see hindered much of Envy's influence. Still, you didn't get anywhere without trying.

While Famine held his sister's gun and War worked her wiles, Envy ducked his head with a nasty little smile. A moment's worth of slithering attentiveness, and when he raised it again his eyes were unfocused, elsewhere.

Further down where traffic waited patiently, border patrol sat up and took notice. They thought of their counterparts on the other side of the fence, men who made their living through graft. Men who took what they wanted, because 'law' was a subjective word at best. They thought of the illegals who made it past their watches, of the drug mules, the whores, the men who came across not to scratch out a living selling fruit or tending gardens, but taking the things any normal man coveted in his secret heart.

And though they'd never speak the words aloud, they envied those men.

One gentle push later, half of the American police had their guns at the ready and were ready to storm the crossroads. If they couldn't have the money or power which came with that kind of lifestyle, then no one could.

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malnourishment
2010-01-29 05:31 pm UTC (link)

Only the fact that War 'handed' her rifle over instead of tossing it at her brother, kept him on his feet. Famine lowered it until its butt touched the ground and let it lean against his legs, wondering what-

Oh, clever! Making sure he had his hands full so she could abuse his car. A small seed of protest dropped but fell on barren ground. It was just a car, after all.

Standing back, the Horseman kept grinning. However, as so often before when he was with those who had speed on their side, he felt a tiny little spark of resentment. He could cause harm and damage instantly when he wanted to, but it wasn't the natural course of Hunger and Drought.

And normally Famine was rather fond of the natural order things and subjected himself to them when he wasn't off-balance.

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