TavernTales 11: Ace of Time

[BreakABone]

Well took a mini-braincation so no writing nor transcribing for almost a week. A nice change of pace. Gives me time to think about things... details aren't important. Anyhow, back for some more storytelling, and also got a surprise which should hopefully be up tonight.
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Ace of Time
The bees stopped buzzing. The flowers no longer flowed with the wind. Even the wind itself stood still. Time had frozen. And at the end of this frozen picture was a lone figure, observing his handywork.

He removed the gloves from his hands, the sweater from his chest and the cap from his head. "It is nice to get out of such stuffy clothes." Underneath it all, he wore a finely tailored suit. He removed a pair of sunglasses from his pockets and put them on his face.

"If I had known I would have been able to stop this silly bickering, I would have done it sooner. Now who do I help?" The figure thought to himself.

Before he could draw any conclusion, a voice shouted at him in confusion, "Who the hell are you and what the hell is going on?"

The figure turned to the source of the voice, "I can explain what's going on, but as for who I am. That's a complicated question. I can tell you where it all began."
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On the eve of his 13th birthday, a little boy wandered around his house in a state of excitement and anticipation. He would finally reach the next plateu of his life becoming a teenager. His parents had planned a huge elaborate party for him and all his friends and family were going to be there. How did his parents expect him to sleep knowing what the next day bought?

His parents sent him to bed almost an hour ago and when they finally thought that he was asleep they snuck off into their rooms to discuss last minute details. The boy did not mean to eavesdrop but he overheard his dad telling his mom that he would pick up the realy special gift bright and early, and that he should be back before the party is over. The boy's mother complained that he should have gotten the gift sooner, but the father countered that he did not want the boy accidently discovering his gift early. The mother had no option but to concede to his point.

The boy tiptoed away from his parent's door even more excited now. The ideas of what this surprise gift could be consumed his mind for the next 3 hours. Finally, the sleep overtook his body and when he opened his eyes it was the next day.

On the table next to his bed, there sat a lone card which had to be from his parents. On the cover of the card was Jimmy Bucker, the boy's idol. One of the premier secret agents in fiction. The card had the usual blurb about best wishes, love and hoping to see many more. The boy appreciated the card, but he knew he would be reading dozens more like it throughout the day.

He stood the card on his dresser and began to get dressed. As he finished getting dressed, his mother entered the room with a tray full of his favorite breakfast items. He munched down on a little of everything and kissed his mother goodbye. His friends had made plans for the day before his party.
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The party was everything he expected it to be. His closest friends and his family giving him gifts and money that he would waste in the weeks to come. He thanked everyone personally with that smile that lit up even the darkiest rooms.

Now, he waited for the main event. The party would be over in a little less than 30 minutes so he figured his father planned to make a huge entrance with his final gift.

While he was not nervous, he watched the door and the clock hoping that his father would not miss the end of the party. Then guests began to leave the party, his mother tried to convince them to stay, but could find no reason for them too. It would be difficult to explain why her husband was late to his son's party. When all the guests were gone, the mother and son remained in the living room waiting for the father to arrive.

He never came. The boy fell asleep in his mother's arms for the last time that night. She awoke in the middle of the night. It was her husband, he could not speak long but informed her that he would not be returning and that one day her and his boy would forgive him. He sent his best to his son and hung up.

The mother stood paralyzed with the phone in her head not believing what she just heard. As the realization began to hit her, tears streamed down her cheeks.

The noise woke the young boy now who came to his mother's side. He asked what was wrong, but she could only cry. He hugged his mother and told her everything would be okay. "Daddy will be home soon." The mother only wept louder now.
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It was a different story, but eh. Trying something new for origins. you can figure out who the little boy is or stay tune for the next section.

[Fyacin]

Yay! Tavern tales is back. Cool story.

[Fox 6]

Woah thats deep :P

[Acebot44]

Haha I like it

[Ginkasa]

*didn't know this existed until now >_>*

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by Ginkasa

*didn't know this existed until now >_>*

Then you have plenty to give feedback on. and also input on what you want your character to be.

as for the story, I had the chapter written but it was just not up to my liking so when get a chance will re-work it.

Dont know how much today since only two people at work.

[BreakABone]

Another day. So it is raining like heck out here and all my residents decided to take a stroll. i'll do rain when I have to so shall write this over course of the day.
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2
The young boy sat on his bed. He thought back to just two years ago to this day on the eve of his 13th birthday, how excited he was to be entering his teenage years. That never came. His 13th birthday left him in a state of chaos. Too young to be the man of the house, but too old to be a child without responsibilities. He had to step up to the plate and skip the fun years.

It would have been easier if he had the support of his mother, but she was lost to him on that day as well. She spent the first month sulking in her room, and when she finally did emerge she began to drown her sorrows in the bottles. The young man remembered returning home from school on several occassions to find his mom passed out in front of the TV.

He did all he could to control his life, but he was too young to take on many tasks. He made ends meet at school by having his friends share lunches with him. A lot of the neighborhood parents took pity on him and would invite him over for dinner. When their kids grew too old, he would get their hand-me-downs. The young man could not complain.

But now as he sat on his bed looking at another lonely birthday, he held in his hand a letter that would once again change the foundation of his life. While the neighborhood families were kind to him, their charity began to take a toll on them. It was finally decided that Child Welfare would be called in. The letter in the young man's hand was an order to his mother to give up custody of her child.

The young man intercepted the letter because he knew that it would drive her deeper over the edge. He also could not face the sad realization that had slowly been creeping up on him. As the months went on, he recognized that it took longer and longer for his mother to identify him. Her only child, her baby boy, taken away from her memories by the evils of the bottle.

The young man took the letter and tossed it down on his bed. He silently wept to himself that night. Life had dealt him some crappy cards these first few years.
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Had it been 3 years already? The boy now a man in his own eyes thought as he landed in California. The day of his 15th birthday, he was placed into foster care, but they could find no families within the state who had not heard of his tale so they shipped him out as far as possible. He spent the last three years of his life jumping between foster home to foster home.

Finally on his 18th birthday, he realized that enough was enough. He plotted and schemed and then charmed his way onto a flight back to California free of charge. He would make a new beginning for himself in the place that had taken away everything from him.

It would began his journey here in the airport. He stopped off at a local retail to pick up some basic items he would need. Included in this shopping trip was a deck of cards. It was a cheap method to entertain himself for a bit. He opened up the deck and drew a single card. The card was an Ace of Hearts. Ace... he liked it... a new name for a new beginning. He put the card inside his wallet. He would keep it with him where he went.

On that night in the airport, Ace was born. The young boy who was forced into adulthood too soon was quickly forgetten. He would not show pity or self-doubt for himself anymore.

"Get ready to live!" He told the city as he looked down at it from a terminal.
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Well, that was a lot better than the original draft I came up with. I think I will post just for comparisons sake.

[Acebot44]

You know whats eerily creepy about this story? One day, about 4-5 years ago, I was walking home from school and on the sidewalk there was a face down playing card. Before I picked it up to take a look at it, I called out "Ace of Spades." I picked it up and yep, I was right, and have carried that card in my wallet ever since....

[Fox 6]

Well Earl is obviously stalking you....

[Teuthida]

I think I enjoy these pre-hero character moments more than the superhero bits.

[Fyacin]

I like them both.

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by Acebot44

You know whats eerily creepy about this story? One day, about 4-5 years ago, I was walking home from school and on the sidewalk there was a face down playing card. Before I picked it up to take a look at it, I called out "Ace of Spades." I picked it up and yep, I was right, and have carried that card in my wallet ever since....

Aww I was going to go with Ace of Spades, but thought losing your parents dealt more with the heart.

Originally Posted by Fox 6

Well Earl is obviously stalking you....

Don't creep the guy out.
I stalk everyone on GT... equally.

Originally Posted by Teuthida

I think I enjoy these pre-hero character moments more than the superhero bits.

I enjoy writing the superheroics stuff more because I feel it is easier. Writing character moments that seem worthwhile is a lot harder. One of the reasons hated the first draft.

Originally Posted by Fyacin

I like them both.

Good on you.
And one of these days your reading will pay off as you will make it into the story.

[BreakABone]

Here is a fun fact for you thanks to Bube, there has been a total of about 43-44 pages written in this story. Quite nice for a pet project, that oddly has not even hit its stride yet.
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3
Ace now in his mid-20s. Or so he remembered. He had been so many people at so many ages that he began to lose even himself. That day in the airport was really a rebirth for him.

As he sat in his apartment, he reflected back on the last few years of his life. He started off with petty scams and a quick wit. It got him far. As he could remember it, he had become the CEO of at least 5 major businesses, he had worked in every aspect of the airfield nearby, he was an Army General, hell he was a heartbeat away from being Senator. He had been Ace at first but then he expanded his base using the playing cards. Jack Diamond, Spade Kings, Al L. Heart and so many more.

However, the name Ace always held a special place to him so he always came back to it.

Then there were the women. Good god, was there the women. He began to plot the geographically density of California with his black book. Twins in Los Angeles. Starlets in Fresno. Single mothers in Bakersfield. No matter where he went, women just wanted to throw their clothes at him. It was a good life. While a little piece of him yearned from that stability, he was having too much fun to give it up though.

For a bit of stability in his life, he adopted himself a red panda. Where as most people would have went with a dog or a cat, Ace needed the challenge. He flew over to Japan and pretended to be an important businessman. He had to use his "contacts" up and down Japan, but he was able to obtain the pet. Getting it back into the country proved to be an even greater challenge, but once again Ace proved that his ability to read people was second to none. It also helped that the airline assistant was a female.

Ace glanced at the clock, it was time for him to get ready for work. While he enjoyed the jet setting life style, he found his true calling accidently. One of his "associates", who called himself a friend, begged Ace to fill in for him one night at his bartending job. Ace never forgetting what alcohol took from him, but the friend kept begging. One of his few lapses in judgment, Ace agreed to take over for a single shift.

But it was like magic. It just clicked for Ace on that night. He worked the entire room like it was his own family. He chatted sports with the fellows. He flirted with the ladies and even some of the guys. He seemed to find a special connection with everyone in the room.

The drinks... they just came naturally to him... so he hoped. But no one complained, and the tips were large so he knew he was doing something correct. The owner asked him to stay, but he could never screw over an associate, but he had to have it in his life.

He applied to a few bars in his area and they all jumped over themselves to get him. He found that he was well known for a single night. It helped that he now collected a loyal fanbase. He used it to his advantage. He remained at a single bar no more than a month. Jumping around allowed him to meet new people. Make new connections. Life was good.
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Now he worked The Long Hand. It was one of the more shady bars he had worked in, but it made for some interesting clientle.

One night while closing shop, Ace swore he saw a familar figure staring at him through the bar doors, but in this town a lot of people looked familar to Ace.

Ace thought nothing of it, but as he exited the bar he turned around to meet a face he would never forget.

"Dad?"
"Son, I have a lot...."
Ace did not nor could he hear it. The world around him began to spin in a fierce fury. The cars in the streets came to a sudden halt. The street light remained on yellow and his dad mouth remained open in mid-sentence. Then it started going dark. Ace phased in and out of consciousness and saw that the world was coming alive again. Then he was out.
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"Listen, I did not ask for your life story. What the hell is going on here?" Ace's thoughts were interrupted by the other figure with him.

"Let me think about it." Ace wanted to remember afterwards, but this was not the time it seemed.
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The end of this part. Me thinks.

[Fyacin]

Ah, more cliffhangers!

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by Fyacin

Ah, more cliffhangers!

The funny thing is never really bothered to continue Ace's story, but I guess I have to at some point.

and a taste of my writing process. I will show you folks the original draft for part 2 of his story and you could be the judge.

What a difference two years had made. The boy once again sat in his room on the eve of his 15th birthday deep in thought. It was just two years ago that his entire foundation was rocked.

His father abandoned his family which forced the boy to leapfrog past his teen years into the role of adult. His mother spiralled out of control shortly after the abandonment. She began to hit the bottle hard and it began to take its toll on her. By his 14th birthday, the mother barely remembered her own child.

Now the boy held a letter in his hand, it stated that government would take him away from his mother due to neglect. How fitting that he would be removed from his home the next day on his birthday. Two birthdays, two parents.

His mother would be checked into an alcohol rehabitilation clinic. He wondered if he would be allowed to visit. He threw the letter on the bed and wished himself a happy birthday.
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The boy, now a man, neared his 20th birthday. He found himself outside one of those shady bars he seemed to be drawn to. As he stood outside, thinking of his plan of action to sneak in. He thought of the last 5 years. How he had bounced around from foster home to foster home. How he had finally had enough and decided to go out on his own.

Being on his own was not easy at first. Not until he met a kind elderly couple that took him off the streets. He found that he had a certain charm that drew people to him. He began to manipulate this charm to get his way. He charmed and conned his way across the United States. Along the way picking up a lot of skills in his many fields.

He would be an airplane pilot one night and the very next night he would be a cashier at a huge retail chain. He was a lawyer, doctor, Senator and so many positions in between. He stole from the rich to line his pockets and scammed the poor to get around.

Basically as it goes, I write once in my notebook at work.
Then like a week or two later when I get a chance to write it up on GT. In that time, I can see much further into the story and change around original details.