the villain

arthur mernick. what makes you scream at night. ugh, no, not like that.

[queen-isis-khalid-blog]

That ain’t somethin’ I ever wanna see again.

[miscreantmernick]

"Let's just hope you don't have nightmares about it."

"Oh."

[hunter-michael-kromer-blog]

When will animals get that I don’t enjoy their company?

[miscreantmernick]

"Have you tried telling them? Perhaps in a song? Ten out of ten Disney princesses would recommend."

[motor-baby-nathan-deactivated20]

What would you do if?

 You and the one you love are locked in two separate rooms with a nothing but a red button and a timer that will go off in one hour and no way to communicate with one another. If you push the button you blow up the other room and save yourself. If no one pushes the button by the end of the hour both rooms blow up and you both die. What do you do? How long do you wait? Do you think your loved one would want you to save yourself so that someone would survive and live on? 

What if the death was by poisonous gas and would and be long and slow? Would it change your answer?

[miscreantmernick]

"Me and the one I love? Sweetie, have you hit your head? Are you mistaking me for one of your school friends? Just who the hell do you think I am?"

[notdeathexactly]

"Not fear, dearest. Annoyance. Your biggest annoyance. Unless you enjoy being annoyed?"

"I came up with that one in the 15th century, but thanks." Moira replied. Her siblings tended to underestimate her, which she didn’t mind. She couldn’t have nightmares, at least not Arthur’s kind, but the only one she could imagine was them knowing all the ways she conceived their ends. It didn’t matter if it was her nature, it still hurt her. 

Typical Adam hangups per usual. You didn’t have to be a Fate to predict that. “Oh well.” she said affably. “Your loss.” This was her usual approach to her grumpier brothers and sisters, though it tended to backfire. 

[miscreantmernick]

"Touché. Which I guess is why you're around?"

"And I haven't heard of it?" Arthur feigned offense. "Blasphemy." Were this Amy he'd been dealing with, chances are he would be covered in holiday cheer of various colors by now, all glitter and fluff, no argument that could compete. Thank whatever god there was that this sibling knew her grounds, at least. 

[queenofthenight-evangeline]

Aw, not a fan of Christmas cheer, Artie?

[miscreantmernick]

"Oh, that's rich coming from you, Evie dear. Not singing with the choir this year?"

[catalinacvsta]

Karina smiled. ” Just the person I wanted to see.” This should be fun. Taking the last sip of her glass of wine, she placed the glass down and shook her head. ” I won’t. But, would you believe me if I said I was talking about your ass. Now, do me a favor and turn around. “

[miscreantmernick]

Arthur almost chocked on his own tongue, eyebrows slightly raised, when she spoke. Hardly surprise at her statement, but the audacity that the succubus had to voice it. He blinked once. He should have seen it coming from Karina Humbert. "Oh, darling dear," he said. "You got the wrong twin."

[freyjakaradottir]

"Isn’t she? Miss Goody-Fucking-Two-Shoes. Can’t stand it." Dalia was, after all, Thais’ least favorite siblings. "No, not normal. And Amy cries because she’s the only member of this family who s shows you- or me,for that matter, any real affection." The others had long since given up.

"Too many idiots." Replied Thais. "Ira? I wouldn’t mind messing with her. Doesn’t seem to understand how easily I could ruin her life, or that I have once already."

[miscreantmernick]

"I'd say Adam shows affection," the words came out coated in disgust. "Although I don't blame you for not thinking about it."

"Don't you already mess with her on a daily basis? Woman's got a stick so far up her demonic ass she walks like a scarecrow."

[mistressmernick]

"Be a bit more observant— it is nearing seven feet."

"No, someone will die for presumably unrelated reasons."

[miscreantmernick]

"Why thank you, Kader. That is actually the most useless comment I've heard today, and a 17-year-old made a point to remind me the new 50 Shades trailer came out."

"Presumably."

[beislazaro]

    He hadn’t expected to see Arthur, but he surprisingly didn’t mind the intrusion as much as he normally did. He did, however, mind the veritable insult the other had just slung at him. “Excuse you?” Pat-slapping the human’s face as it whimpered, he took a step towards him, “And what the fuck makes you think this one’s not lasting? I’ve had it for three days and it’s still alive.”

The demon looked back at the human, “Have I gone easy on you?” a grin cracked his face as the whimpering lump of pathetic flesh shook it’s head before Lazaro turned back to Arthur. “What do you want?”

[miscreantmernick]

Arthur lifted his hands in a surrender sort of motion, although coming from him, it was almost as mocking as the smirk on his face. "Hey, La-La-Lazy, not an insult," he stated, eyes darting between the demon and the human. If nightmares had a taste, he could almost feel it creeping up at the corners of his lips, the ones the boy would have about this very moment, the ones that preceded it, and the ones that would follow. That is, if he survived. "I'm just saying— he's human. Whether you'd like it or not, he's not gonna last long, or as long as, say, an annoying little succubus or vampire. Imps are a pain, too, but I've learned how to deal."

What did he want? 

Chaos, mass suffering of babbling idiots, and a bottle of scotch. 

"A good show," he said instead, shrugging. It was against their unspoken, pathetic rules to interfere anyways, so Arthur figured— might as well. A bottle of scotch? Make it two. "Tell you what, horny. I'll buy you a drink after you're done with Mr. Cry and Shit My Pants. Or, Hell, bring him along! I don't know what Sinsational's' policies are for bringing in torture pets into the bar. I guess we can find out."

[scarlettaiden]

“Fucker. Yes, I wanted to catch up with my favourite Mernick. Is he around?”

"Oh shush, it’s only early." She smirked, lifting the glass to her lips. "Do you not approve? You’ve played a hand in this, you should bask in your handy work." 

[miscreantmernick]

"No. Pierre is, as I'd expect you to know, floating on a cloud, probably passing over India as we speak. Probably writing on his diary about the miserable life he leads."

"Oh, I approve," he nodded. Truly, he couldn't care less. "Talking to you without inhaling 98% alcohol and bleach really makes a difference."

[freyjakaradottir]

"Obviously." Replied Thais. "Huh. I thought this smacked of Amy and Dalia. Help the sales, my ass." She leaned back against the counter. "Worldwide chaos- maybe not the best idea. Who do you have in mind?"

[miscreantmernick]

"Dalia is such a piece of work," he said, mostly to himself. "I told her I didn't give a shit about her feelings and that her happiness meant nothing to me, and she smiled. I'm not entirely sure how feelings work, but that's not... normal, right?" But then again, normal was hardly a word commonly used to describe their family. And smiling— well, there wasn't typically much of that involved at all, also. "At least Amy has the decency of crying when I do that."

"So many idiots," he mused, tapping his chin, "just two of us. Hmm. I already messed with Ira earlier this week, might let her rest for a day or two. I'm feeling kind. That, and I fear if I do something else too soon, she might actually burst into our shop and grace us with her presence. Or worse— give us a bad review on Yelp."

[notdeathexactly]

"You do that, Artie dear, and I will sic Amy and Kader on you. Amy for holiday spirit and Kader for fateful interference. Seasonal injuries have a mighty big footprint.”

She nodded to a box on the desk filled with tell-tale red felt. “I’m sure you’ll look very handsome.”

[miscreantmernick]

"Oh, wow. You've found my weakness. The biggest fear of everyman is their little sisters. Congratulations, really." 

"I'm helping you out," he added after a moment. "Death by Christmas tree. Add that to your resume." His eyes followed where hers landed, and as the view registered, he let out a groan. Arthur's first instinct was the natural comment of how, of course he'd look very handsome— he'd look handsome in anything. But, that would consequentially imply Adam did also and that was not something he wanted coming back to him. In short, being a twin sucked. "I'd rather be Adam for a day. And you know that included being in at least ten other people, also. No. Nope. Nope-ty, na-nah. Get a fucking grip."

[scarlettaiden]

"Don’t tell me they didn’t wait for you to put the star on?"

[miscreantmernick]

"Annie, did you really comeback just to make me regret not drowning you the last time we spoke? But at least you're not hangover— this time. I'm proud. Good on you, sister."

[freyjakaradottir]

"Someone is going to be driven to suicide for this."

[miscreantmernick]

"Surprisingly better idea," he admitted. "Although, evidence tells me this is on our sunspot of a sister Moira. Apparently, it 'helps with the sales'," he made a point of overdramatizing his airquotes— for effect. "So unless we want worldwide chaos," which admittedly, he wouldn't be completely opposed to, "we'd need a new target."

[notdeathexactly]

"Oh Arthur you know you have no say in that matter."

"It helps with sales. Relax."

[miscreantmernick]

"The tree or the dying? Because I'm sure I can find a way of knocking this thing down, and I'm sure I can find a way of it accidentally hitting a few happy customers in the head as it falls. Oopsie."

"Fuck the sales. Next thing you'll be making me wear a hat. And I thought Amy was the one I couldn't trust with holidays."

[miscreantmernick]

"So I talk into Elsewhere this morning and I'm greeted with the horrendous view of a six feet tall Christmas tree."

"Someone's gonna die for this."

[rhinatempest-blog]

"No, I haven’t," Rhina replied. "But why? Don’t you find it amazing rather than pathetic? The human race as a whole are trying to survive and learn and live and develop, so much so in fact, that when the Earth is reaching its end and the last humans are left, they’re the ones who would have lived their lives more thoroughly, more beautifully than any immortal created. Isn’t such a short life better than filling quotas and what not?"

Rhina nodded at his explanation. “Oh, of course, yes.” A smile flickered onto her face as he continued talking about the part they both contributed to. A bubble of laughter escaped her lips as she recalled the masquerade at her club, the truth potion had certainly done its job. Sure there were some awkward conversations here and there, but the hard hitting, full fledged secrets that had come tumbling out some of her patrons mouths were note worthy. After all, what did a witch love more than a bucket load of secrets. 

"Oh just colour me curious, Mr Mernick," Rhina replied at his small accusation. "Hm, would you really? Aren’t you bound to all the beings of the planet, just as they are to you? If fear, death and destruction overpower the world you wouldn’t be sitting relaxed, you would be everywhere. You would be out trying to establish a harmony, well, your family as well. 

Rhina laughed. “Ah, I’ve got it all in here,” she said tapping the side of her head. “Now its just a question of who to tell; maybe those who are not scared enough to actually approach you.” 

[miscreantmernick]

Arthur could, of course, see her point. Her point was his. He understood it. It was the truth. However, the beauty she urged for him to see, the one hidden between each syllable she spoke— that beauty was invisible to him. Be it for who he was or any other reason, to him it was simply how it was. As flat as it sounded. 

"It's life," said Arthur finally. "Balance. It's good you think it's beautiful, because it's doesn't seem like it's about to change any time soon."

The notion others had of him and his family never failed to amuse him; as it seemed, they always got a detail or another terribly wrong. Usually, it had to do with his intentions, not so usually with all else. A mocking grin was how he first responded to her assumptions; perhaps he'd let her have them. Yes, why ruin it all?

On second thought— perhaps not. "Contrary to popular belief," he tilted his head, "I can do whatever the Hell I want."

"First off, I have no hand on death, destruction, and whatever else you mentioned. This," with his two index fingers, he motioned to the space around them, "isn't my plan. I'm nightmare. If people are dying— I will sit back and relax. It sucks! Well, I'm assuming it does. But, guess what I can do about that? Nada. But, not that people can start dropping dead anyway unless 'I-don't-have-a-life' Pierre loses his mind and decides it's time for a drastic population drop. Nice were the times of the Plague."

He shook his head disapprovingly, "Witchy, witchy. Don't make me super-glue those juicy Jolie lips together. It'd be a pity to lose all that injection money because of your bad decisions."