August is a month for Prompts #13
8/13: Etiquette
A fleet of sleek, expensive, black vehicles lined the trail that climbed up the winding driveway, to the castle at the top of Pillar Mountain.
In the middle of a basin at the top of Pillar Mountain rests Ivory’s Castle. The secret location of the annual Ura Ball which is the highlight of the year for Tucy’s most affluent socialites. Powerful and wealthy Individuals gather to compliment one another, to brag about their accomplishments and to stir up rumors about each other, all while maintaining civility.
The sound of metal striking glass rippled through the main hall and bounced off the seven ivory pillars that earned the structure its name. The guests cringed and all turned their gaze to the stage.
“Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! As you all know, I am Sheila Gasser of the Muse Council,” she said to the crowd. Her white dress hugged her every curve, her elbow length gloves were like painted silk and her jewelry glistened like stars.
“On behalf of my home planet and King Barci-Lowgenya we welcome you all. We ask that you remember this ball is like Earth’s “Switzerland”. Therefore, no fighting. no weapons, no bets and most certainly Nooooooo murder.”
The audience chuckled at her last rule. One man in particular didn’t find her amusing, Captain Mine of the Hummingbirds leaned against the wall in the back of the room stirring a drink.
“You look angry,” Jack whispered, her black velvet dress elegant along with her white crown and black lace veil. Her accessories were few yet they complimented her look. She was a mystery to all, she earned their curious eye, mumbling chatter, and unseen ire.
“I wouldn’t say angry dear, more perturbed.”
“Everything is going to be fine,” Jack assured him.
“A week’s worth of etiquette classes wasn’t enough,” Mine snarled, “They’re going to blow our cover. Look at them dear.”
He was right, Jack turned to the crowd of people and the anomalies amongst the black tie crowd were all members of the Hummingbirds. Quartermaster Tonja Storm refused to wear a dress and lurked behind Captain Mine in a red tuxedo and sunglasses. Old man, Hudson was asleep on a couch snoring abnormally loud. Kyan Titan, the brute of the crew had torn off his tuxedo sleeves and was busy flexing for a gathering slew of giggling women. Jack’s brow wrinkled and she stomped towards them.
“Captain Mine Captain, N.B.L.M’s gotta go tinkly tinkle,” Belinda chimed. The three lime colored eyed girl looked adorable in her white and black chiffon ball gown. However, the people around them saw a four armed girl with pale blue skin and grimaced.
“What is she?” A long nosed one said with a nasally tone pointing in Belinda’s direction. The people around her turned to only be greeted by Mine and Tonja’s glare. They all scattered like mice and Belinda whined.
He crouched low and whispered in her ear. “How does that sound dear?”
“If you say so Captain Mine Captain,” Belinda said with a shrug. She turned on her heel and marched away with a small blue puppy-like creature in her arms.
“Captain Mine,” a small golden girl with cream colored hair in a black satin gown sang uncharacteristically. She weaved in and out of the people nimbly as if dancing.
“Molly dear,” Mine said with a wrinkled brow. He turned and noticed a man with a bald head and Ill-fitted tuxedo stampeding through the crowd behind her. She dipped between him and Tonja and started trembling.
Mine raised his arm before the man and impeded his pursuit.
“Can I help you?” He growled.
The man looked at Mine as if he hadn’t noticed him and said, “I want the voskia girl.”
Mine’s eyebrow inclined questioningly and he looked at the large rotund man, “Excuse me dear?”
The man seemed to get flustered and said, “Alright buddy, how much for the voskia girl? She’s got a dome larger than any other I’ve come across. She is an Athena voskia? How smart is she?”
Mine’s rage was piqued instantly, however before he could respond Tonja’s hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up at her and she smiled down at him.
“Molly Seuz is a person and not for sale.”
The man wanted to argue, but when Tonja spoke her voice was as smooth as butter and full of sizzling malice like acid. Sweat gathered on his brow instantly, his face contorted into a hideous smile and he backed away.
Mine mumbled something, “...stupid etiquette… stupid switzerland.”
“I’ll kill him later,” Tonja whispered.
“I’m over it,” Mine said before he started to snatch and chug one drink after the other
from the trays of serving robots.
The party dragged on and Mine grew increasingly miserable, he hated everyone around him except his Hummingbirds of course.
“Please sir,” Saddensen’s voice boomed in the crowd, “I am not for sale.”
Everyone turned to the tall, Olympian gold skinned man with powder pink hair. His tuxedo was tailored to fit his impeccable body. He raised his hands with no contest and backed away from the fat man that offered him nomi bills. The crowd murmured as Saddensen refused the man’s offer.
“How uncouth,” a woman jeered.
“Disgusting,” a weasel looking man spat.
“How dare he,” an older woman gasped, clapping her hand to her mouth.
Mine smiled; he was happy to hear the disgruntled guests and knew his next action would be applauded. He summoned his giant cleaver, Mae and began to twirl it between his fingers. He was happy to hear that the others found the man repulsive. However…
“Who let the Goldie in?”
“Someone brought their goldie to the ball?”
“Ew, a voskia guest?”
“Get out Goldie!”
Mine clenched the grip of his emerald encrusted cleaver as raged consumed him. His aura flared threateningly. He had heard enough, he was about to hurl Mae into the crowd when a woman shrieking snagged everyone’s attention.
The building started to shake and the crowd rushed away from the windows. A violent and thrashing golden fluid had suddenly flooded the basin. A giant tidal wave formed and rushed towards Ivory’s castle. As the guests panicked and rushed toward the doors, Mine started to laugh deviously.
“Captain Mine, what do we do?” Jack yelled over the screaming crowd.
“Trust your captain dear,” he snapped his fingers as the golden wave crashed through the glass windows and burst through every orifice of the castle. Mine, Tonja, Kyan, Jack, Molly, and Saddensen all appeared on the roof of the castle safe and dry.
A tumbling cackle echoed from overhead and everyone looked up to see Belinda soaring on N.B.L.M’s back.
“I told you to make sure he went to the bathroom before we left the ship,” Jack called up to her.
“N.B.L.M said you can’t control the ocean that resides in his bladder.”
“That wasn’t very polite,” Molly said.
“I could careless. The etiquette of the ball sucked anyway dear,” Mine said, “Let’em all drown in piss.”
A thick fog rolled in around the Hummingbirds on the roof and a girl with bright blue eyes wearing a loose fit black gown appeared from within. Gilda gripped a jewel encrusted scroll in her hand and gave it to her captain.
“Mission accomplished Cap.”
“Very good dear,” Mine said, “Time to go.”
Snap!
The Hummingbirds arrived, they partied with the scum at the top, and managed to be on their best behavior while conquering the day as usual.
However, the question is... What mission was accomplished? What did they steal?
Find out in Part 2 on Day 17 in Heist!
***
Stay Tuned…
Mine Imagination: Flight of the Hummingbirds
By: T. M. Ashley
M.I Flight of the Hummingbirds is the debut by T. M. Ashley, which features a six century old mastermind that was banished from space and time and is now free to do as he pleases and find his way home. Read the Prologue here:
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