Being satisfied with Bishop’s recon mission, Elizabella hangs up on him so that she could pay more attention to the potential ally she was currently conversing with.
“As you were saying, Sir Nightingale.” Elizabella gestures for her guest to continue.
“Yes, your majesty.” Nightingale says with a polite nod. “Since your Rook helped break my friends out of jail I think that it’s only fair that we return the favor.”
“Well said.” Elizabella says as she takes a sip from the cup of tea on the table in front of her. “It seems like you have experience with making deals like this.”
“While it is true that the Shadow Union has its own goals, our progress has been slow and we need to keep busy in the meantime anyway. Might as well make allies along the way, you know. I scratch your back and you scratch mine and all that.”
“You have a good head on your shoulders, Nightingale.” Elizabella says with a small smirk. “You seem to know your place.”
“That I do, your majesty. “Nightingale says as he twirls a glass of wine in his hand before taking a sip. “No reason having foes in high places when I could just make a deal with them instead. The way I see it, this is just a mutually beneficial business opportunity.”
“Indeed.” Elizabella says as she signs a contract in front of her. “...There we go…Now our alliance is official…”
“Long live the Queen!” Nightingale says as he raises his glass.
Elizabella raises her glass as well and clinks it with Nightingale’s before they both finish off their drinks.
“Now that the paperwork is out of the way, let’s talk details.” Elizabella says as she folds her hands in front of her.
“Go right ahead.”
“Alright, as you may know, I am expecting an attack on the day of the Chess Company’s big party.”
“I am aware.”
“If you and your subordinates…”
“Family.” Nightingale corrects.
Elizabella rolls her eyes before continuing.
“...Fine…if you and your ‘family’ could show up to the party as a little…let’s call it extra security…that would be incredibly helpful to me.”
“That works for me. If you don’t mind me making a suggestion though, I think it would be a good idea for us to stay hidden until we are needed. I don’t think we’d be as much help if your adversaries know that we are present.”
“...I see…staying in the shadows…thematically appropriate…”
“Thank you. I could tell you’d be appreciative of good theming because of the chess theme.”
Elizabella nods.
“Do you mind if I ask you one question though, your majesty?”
“That depends on the question, but go ahead.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“For what?”
“For the party. What are we celebrating here? I just want to make sure so we could bring the right gifts if doing so is necessary.”
Elizabella gets up and walks towards her window and stares out of it. ‘Was it raining throughout the entirety of this meeting?’ The Queen thinks to herself.
“...It’s for my son’s birthday…” Elizabella says with a somber expression.
“Oh, so I do need to bring a gift?”
“...That won’t be necessary…”
Nightingale cocks his head to the side.
“What do you mean by that?”
“...Let’s just say…my son isn’t with us anymore…”
Nightingale gives a sympathetic nod.
“...He would have been the perfect successor…Unfortunately that passing of the torch will never…well…come to pass…” A scowl suddenly appears on Elizabella’s face. “Now I’m just left with a daughter who isn’t fit to be in charge of anything, let alone my company.”
“That seems to be quite the predicament. Despite these unfortunate circumstances, do you have an alternate successor in mind?”
“...No…nobody is even close to being as worthy as he was…with that being said, of all of my subordinates one does seem to be more promising than the rest.”
“Mind telling me who that is?”
“Even though I am happy with the terms of our alliance, that information is on a need to know basis.”
“Fair enough. I will pry no further.”
Elizabella glances over at the calendar on her wall.
“Only a week away now.”
“I might be out of line here, but part of me kind of hopes something goes wrong on that day.” Nightingale says with a devious smile. “Things have been rather boring lately and seeing those so-called heroes defeated might make for some decent entertainment.”
Elizabella lets out a small chuckle that slowly progresses into a bellowing evil laugh.
“It is great to be in like-minded company!” Elizabella says with a psychotic grin. “I’d love to see those wretches try to take me on! That would only make their deaths all the more satisfying!”
Ori yawns as she lays on a couch of the game room of the Shadow Union’s headquarters.
“I’m so bored!” She shouts out. “When do we get to do some fighting?”
Mezu briefly glares at the opposite Oni before he continues to meditate.
Joan suddenly gets a call.
“It’s the boss.” She says before quickly picking up the call. “Oi! How’d the meeting go?”
Nightingale fills her in on the agreement.
“Well that’s bloody great! I’ll let the other blokes know!” Joan says before hanging up.
“What’s up babe?” Piper asks her girlfriend.
“The deal went well and we have another job.” Joan says as she wraps her arm around the possum girl’s shoulders.
“Finally!” Ori exclaims. “We can kick some more ass!”
“It is about time!” Pierre says as he tunes his violin. “You swines have not been an appreciative crowd! I’ve been in need of a new audience!”
“...Works for me…” Billy says as he finishes up sharpening his scissors. “...I’ve been needing to break in my new shears on some fresh meat anyways…”
A bellowing evil laugh is heard from the back of the room as all the other villains turn their heads.
“Bloody Hell!” Joan says as she leans against the wall and crosses her arms. “I didn’t know you could come back from something like that, Noir!”
“As long as a single drop of my blood remains, I can come back!” Noir says with a demented smile. “It’ll take a lot more than that to get rid of me!”
“Holy shit!” Ori says as she jumps off the couch. “It’s been forever man! I thought you were a goner!”
“Let’s just say it wasn’t my time yet. Besides, I want to have a lot more bloody fun than that before I’m gone!”
Noir takes a deep breath.
“...Man, I can’t wait to tear those boy scouts to shreds…” Noir says he plops down on the couch. “It’s been too long since I’ve made someone else bleed…”
