cynicalbaron

[cynicalbaron]

Creating plots with the zigzag method

I’ve learned this method years ago and I’ve been using it ever since. The zigzag plot creator starts like this: 

An crescent zigzag. 

You can have as many up and downs as you want. I’ve drawn six to keep it simple. Alright, this zigzag is your storyline and every corner is an important event that will change everything:

Every down represents a bad thing happening to your main characters, taking them further away from their goal. Every up is a good event, taking them closer to their goal:

So, when the zigzag goes down, something bad must happen. When the zigzag goes up, something good must happen. The reason why we drew a crescent zigzag is because every down must be worse than the previous, and every up must be better than the previous. As the zigzag advances, events become more serious and relevant. 

Let’s apply the zigzag method. My storyline is a detective trying to catch a serial killer in a futuristic city. Minutes later, this is what I’ve got:

Start: Detective, our protagonist, is just promoted

Down #1: Mass suicide happens in town, detective gets the case, the whole town thinks it might have been a religious suicide act, but detective suspects that someone single-handed killed all those people

Up #1: Detective finds clue about a possible killer

Down #2: A bigger mass murder happens, a true massacre, it’s a definitely a murder

Up #2: Detective finds the killer’s trail

Down #3: Thinking he is ahead of time, close to catching the killer, detective ends up dead in another mass murder

Up #3: Because of his notes and discoveries, the police is able to find the killer before they leave town

From this point on you can play with zigzag as much as you want. For example, changing the orientation of the zigzag for a bad ending:

Lots of ups and downs:

Or just a few:

It’s up to you (see what I did there?).

You can plot any type of story with the zigzag method. It’s a visual and easy process for a very complex task.

[cynicalbaron]

The State Fair

It’s October and the Georgia humidity is still thick enough to choke a man.  Between this and the blinding lights above the arena, the heat in the show barn is stifling.  There’s a steady hum of electricity and tension in the barn.  The din that engulfs it is made up of sheep being sheared, competitors racing to get ready, a steady twisted string of conversations, announcers are posting class orders, and of course the regarded opinion of the judge, barely audible on the crackling, decade-old intercom.  

That’s all that matters today.  The judge, Babe, and his animal.  At least that what Dick would say.  This is what he’s worked all year for, the Georgia State Fair in all its glory.  Babe’s heart is trying its best to climb up his throat.  He hadn’t thought much about State, Babe honestly thought it was going to be a cake walk.  So seeing all of the competitors when he first arrived dampened his spirits about as much as the sweat rolling down his back soaks his shirt. 

He never stood a chance.  Babe shakes his head, doing his best to loosen the negative thoughts.  Two more classes.  As the judge makes his way through every single animal, taking his sweet, sweet time, Babe wrings Lola’s lead rope in his hands.  The sheep, to her credit, doesn’t move.  Babe knows he needs to calm down before he gets into the ring.  Gene had pounded that lesson into his head a thousand times.  

“If you’re nervous, then she’s gonna be nervous.  Then she’s gonna move and then you’re gonna start fidgetin’.”  At this point, Gene would walk around Babe and Lola with his eyes cataloging every mistake, tell them what was wrong and make them do it, until they got it right .  This would continue for at least an hour every day, sometimes it was until Gene was satisfied.  Babe’s arms and back would hurt from where he had been frozen in position, bracing Lola.  They had been practicing night and day, rain or shine for this since May, There was no way they came to get last place.

The crackling of the intercom snaps Babe back to reality.  As the judge gives the placing and the last class of showman leaves the ring, class three is starting to enter. As he stands in the darkened alley way, Babe catches Gene’s eye as he’s about to enter the ring.  Eugene mouths something at him before turning and being whisked away into the arena.  “Laissez les bon temps rouler.”  Let the good times roll, Babe doesn’t understand how Eugene isn’t affected by the heat, or nerves for that matter.

As Gene’s class enters the ring, Babe’s is called on deck.  He is ushered behind the show ring, where all sorts of pens are set up.  People are whisper shouting names trying to organize the kids, showmen are trying to make last minute touch ups, and parents are running kids through last minute showmanship questions. Babe and Lola are as alone as they can be, Babe’s mother couldn’t take off and the rest of the gang is either showing or at school . 

“Heffron.  Edward Heffron!” The ring assistant is lining the showman up in order. 

“Here.” He raises his hand and moves towards her. 

“You’re behind Reyes.  Remember that when you go in the ring.”  As Babe finds his and Lola’s placement, the anticipation starts to build.  This is it.  In a few minutes everything Babe has worked for this summer will have been well worth it.  There’s a pit in his stomach and his heart still feels like it’s on a trek through his throat.  

Babe doesn’t hear when the judge finally starts calling out placements, the ringing in his ears mutes everything else.  Nor does Babe manage to see Eugene leaving the arena.  As the judge takes a minute to collect himself, Babe can’t help but worry.  Some of these people have paid at least a thousand dollars for these sheep.  Lola, as much as Babe loves her, is only $250.  Gene has told Babe the exact same thing every time he voices his concern. 

 ‘Money buys status, not good structure. You can change everything else.  But the bones, Heffron. The bones are what matter.  Other than that, it’s all the same. You can take a $100 lamb and beat a $1,000 lamb any day of the week if it’s good enough.’

Those words aren’t exactly comforting, but they’re the only thing he has, as the judge turns towards Babe’s class and with a tip of his hat, the judge beckons them out.  Babe look’s around one last time for anyone he knows, until he mets Gene’s eyes.  A small sweat-soaked smile and a thumbs up is all Gene gives before looking back towards the ring.  As he swallows his fear and spit, Babe takes a deep breath, slips off Lola’s halter and cupping the underside of her jaw they walk into the blinding light of the arena.  

Don’t panic, don’t fidget, don’t take your eyes off of the judge.  This and more make up the mantra that Babe keeps repeating.  Breath.  He’s done this enough times with Eugene for it to become muscle memory.  Eugene,  that’s it.   Just pretend the judge is Eugene.  It’s not hard, they both have the piercing eyes that latch onto every mistake you make.  Babe’s middle of the pack in a class of 16. He doesn’t have to be first, hell, doesn’t expect to be first.  But Babe refuses to be last.  The group circles around the judge and starts setting up.  The judge goes through the class once and discards three people.  Twice, Three times, and somehow Babe has made it to the top half of the class.  His arms ache and Lola’s starting to chew at his shirt sleeve.  Another deep breath, they can do this, they’ve made it this far.  There’s no reason to stop now.  The judge is coming down the line for what Babe hopes is the last time.  It’s been over thirty minutes, it’s not uncommon, but it doesn’t stop the ache in his arms or that he can’t move to wipe the sweat out of his eyes.  The judge walks back towards the front of the ring to get his microphone. The intercom hisses to life.  This is it.  Everything Babe’s worked for, Eugene’s worked for, everything every showman in this ring has worked for, right out of reach.  Finally, Finally, Babe’s hard work is over.

    He’s not first, but he diffidently isn’t last, at least according to the seventh place ribbon in his hand.  Everything runs together after Babe gets his ribbon, he moves on muscle memory to go shake the judge’s hand.  It isn’t until after he’s been ushered out of the ring and Gene slips the halter back onto Lola and leads both her and Babe back to their county’s pens. Gene’s saying something the whole way there, but Babe’s still in such a daze that it isn’t until he’s in bed tonight when it finally clicks.  

   ‘I told you, didn’t I Babe?  I told you, you’d be fine.’

Tags:

@gottapenny

[cynicalbaron]

Lipton: We saved our best idea for last.

Shifty: If it's our best idea, why did we leave it for last?

Luz: Because we didn't know it was our best idea until our other ideas turned out to be terrible.

[cynicalbaron]

Winters is the kind of farm kid that everyone at school forgets is a country until he causally mentions some type of idiom, like knee high to a grasshopper. Change my mind.

[cynicalbaron]

Honestly, I think this is the best thing I've seen in a while and would pay good money to read it.

i found my old file on all the headcanons that got delated with my account so i will randomly post them again. So here it is, the headcanon that “some of the boys are vampires”

Web almost had a depression because he couldn’t see his reflection anymore and Lieb has to keep sending him messages like ‘baby, you look finer than Ryan Gosling in the Crazy stupid love’ at least three times a day; 

Muck just dedicating himself to being a vampire like 100%; 

I’m talking he bought himself a fucking coffin; the cape; he even does his make up so that he have those bloody lips and gloomy looking eyes; he has the fake vampire plastic teeth ok

Penkala nearly shat himself as one night Muck jumped out of the coffin; 

Lol, Toye and Bill being like ‘WELL SINCE WE CANT DIE, LETS SHOOT AT ONE OTHER FOR AIM PRACTICE”; 

Smokey low-key being bummed out because vampires don’t actually sparkle in the sunlight; 

But hear me out - Babe not knowing he is a vampire; 

Like he will just sit there, with the company, staring at the food and be like “Gene, I want something else” 

“Like what” 

“I have no idea, maybe Chinese or something” 

And he will be kissing Gene and hiss at him “I love you, but your cross is just not working for me, it annoys my for no reason”; 

And the best is like “I AM SUDDENLY SO FUCKING FAST OMG” that quickly escalates to “HOLY SHIT HOW DO I STOP MYSELF” and he fucking slams into the tree; 

When Sobel is looking for them, all of the vampires just turn into the bats so they could hide from him; 

Also, in some matter of accident, Sobel was ‘attacked by the swarm of bats’ like fifteen times;

Luz being pissed at his boyfriend and spraying him with holy water; 

Harry being pissed off that half of the company, including his two best friends Nixon and Winters, can’t go to his wedding because ‘they are allergic to the air of the church’; 

Hoobler has to be watched 24/7 because the idiot once managed to stab himself with wooden stake and almost died; 

Nix is the oldest vampire, he was the first to start turning the company because he refused to watch any of them die so young; 

Even with all their powers, some of the vampires still can’t compete with Speirs in races or training because he is just best at everything; 

Muck didn’t talk to Cobb for a month after he drunkenly asked him if ‘When Faye is on her period, he wants to kill her’ 

Toye got shot in front of Sink and there was literally a 10 second pause before Toye finally realised that he should fall on the ground and start, like, dying

Dog company got their weekend passes revoked when they all went to Sink and gave him a ten minute consipracy-theory-presentation that half of Easy are just bunch of vampires in disguise

[cynicalbaron]

If anyone would like to see any of my Alternate Universes or head cannons written, or if there’s just something that y’all want to see my take on it please let me know.  I know I haven’t posted recently, but everything has cleared up and I can know focus on this.  Thanks for sticking with me.

[cynicalbaron]

Just thought y’all should know

If there is anything that I have posted that y’all would like to see me write, I am now in a position to do so.  Feel free to request any of prompts I have posted or that y’all want to see.  I would love to hear from any of you.

[cynicalbaron]

I like the idea that if the HBO war boys were creatures they would be the inverse of their aesthetic.

-Just imagine the utter disaster either Hall or Julian would be as young Hunters. Maybe they hear of some killings out in the a rural area and go to investigate.  This leads to them running into Winters, who is internally freaking out because these are children, but they are kind of on the trail of Dick’s coven so something’s got to happen.  Dick ends up talking his way out of the first close call, but when the hunters end up staying at Lipton’s Dick has to spend the rest of the time that they are in town making sure Bill and the rest of the coven don’t try and eat Hall and Julian.

-Eugene and Lipton like have a meal together about once a month, where they just rant about the idiots in their pack and coven, respectively.  There’s only so much either one of them can take before they chew someone out literally and figuratively.  Eugene can only take so much of the new vampire that Bill turned coming on to his property uninvited, before he starts putting wards up.  Lipton doesn’t even know what Speirs is, just that his courting rituals are quite messy.  

-Nixon is somehow a makeshift pack leader.  In his defense, Nixon never wanted this position and he’d be quite happy with out it. He does his best to ignore the way some of the guys look up to him and doesn’t really act as though he’s in charge or as if he cares about them. That is until some hunter rolls into town looking for the pack or the coven, then Nixon can get very devious and protective when it comes to what he considers his.

I will add on to this at a later time.  As always feel free to like, comment, or reblog.

[cynicalbaron]

I know we still have four more days until October, but you know what?  I haven’t posted in a while and this is where inspiration hit me, so it’s what y’all are getting.  But I am sorry for not posting recently and I will try to make up for it.  If there is anything y’all would like to asks for or would like to see me post, feel free to ask. 

-Alright, I’d like to believe that Skinny ends up buying this ramshackle shotgun shack that nobody in town will buy because everyone swears it’s haunted. But, hey, Skinny’s broke and trying to afford college.  The fact that he can see and speak to ghost and that living roommates suck, are really the selling points.

-Now, Liebgott and Webster somehow end up haunting the said shack.  They both hate each other and when they end up arguing, they shake the walls, literally.  But as much as they hate each other, they always band together to scare off any potential buyers.  So when Skinny shows up with his handful of boxes to move in, Joe and Web put their grudge on hold and make Skinny’s life a living hell.

-This means that when Skinny puts the only glass dishware he as on the shelves in the kitchen, they all fly off.  There is static every night and Liebgott and Web will make noise all night, just so Skinny can’t sleep.  At this point Skinny get’s creative; paper plates, bolting bookshelves into the wall, moving all electronics as far away from the bedroom as possible, etc.

-I’d like to believe that Skinny just doesn’t want for them to realize that he can see and hear them.  So Webster and Liebgott have no idea that Skinny can hear their argument until Skinny turns the corner yelling at the top of his lungs about how he has an exam tomorrow and if he fails it, he’ll find a way to kill them again.  

-This leads to everybody ignoring each others presence for about a week. Until Web starts asking for small things like leaving the TV or radio on so the him and Joe have something to do a night other than sulk around the house. Skinny is happy to oblige as long as they promise not to break anymore dishes. 

[cynicalbaron]

JROTC AU

Because I have a Drill comp. tomorrow  and am having to get ready this is what I’m doing. I know that all I really turn out is AU’s but you know what, I don’t care.  As always feel free to Like, comment, reblog, request, or ask.  

- I’d like to believe that something happened half-way though the year or worse half-way into a competition and Lip some how ended up in charge of the Toccoa High School Drill Team.  The guys love him to death, but they don’t know how well he will do under the pressure of a competition, not to mention that Lip himself is sick with the flu.  Jokes on them when Lipton’s color guard and regulation drill end up winning first and second place respectively. He also is the guy to bring a snack bag for the guys, full of fruits, cheese, and other little things.  Lipton might also be sweet on the Raiders’ commander Speirs, Lip is always trying to include him into conversations and such.  But one thing’s for sure, Lipton’s the only person to successfully snatch Speirs by the arm and say that he has to do a drill comp. the next week.  Only to then find out that Speirs is horrible at close hand drill..

I will add on to this in the future, but feel free to give me your thoughts.

[cynicalbaron]

4-H AU

I know I haven’t posted in about a week, and the reason for that is what inspired this AU.  It’s Fair Month, and nothing is going to low down until around late October.  As always feel free to ask questions, request, like, or reblog.  Let’s get on with it.

County:

-Winters at age 15 ends up being the president of the Livestock club.  His mother helps run the club and is on the fair board as well.  The Winters’ and the Roe’s are who every body calls when something goes wrong. Nobody expects Dick to show market sheep, seeing as how competitive it is.  He probably breeds sheep for himself and sells the extras to new showmen at a bargain price.  Before and during the day of the show, Dick spends his time helping everyone and making sure the kids know what they are doing.  As much as Dick is willing to help and be your friend, the moment he goes into the ring for showmanship, everybody knows he’s there to win.  

- The only reason Nixon meets Dick is because Nixon’s family owns Nixon Stock Equipment.  Nixon’s family always donates to the Livestock club for a tax write off, and it was always Dick’s job as a kid to entertain Nix when their parents were discussing donation money.  Dick ends up roping Nix into 4-H and eventually into getting show rabbits.  Anywhere Nix is Dick is bound to be too, and vise versa.  This and the fact that everybody likes how laid back Nix is, is what gets Nixon the position of VP in the Livestock club.

- Liebgott is the only person that is allowed to pick on Webster and Cobb needs to get that through his head. Joe is the one that has to drive Web to shows because their families know each other, not Cobb.  Web’s family ends up providing quail and giving Joe’s little sister a rabbit.  In Joe’s opinion Web’s not that bad as long as he doesn’t talk too much about his rabbits or books.  Liebgott just wants to show his goats and hand-full of hair sheep and be done. 

- Roe’s mother is the local vet, so when anything happens they tend to be called.  It’s not an uncommon occurrence for Eugene to be woken up at 3:00 am so he can help his mother. Even before Eugene’s family moved, he was still showing the AR-La-Tx show circuit which is why he knows Bull. Eugene shows market sheep and is Dick’s biggest competition so much that the other kids won’t even enter the competitions.  Between Gene’s intensity and Dick’s smiles and both of them knowing what they are doing, the competition can last up to thirty minutes.  Eugene also does vet science talks and has gone to state for them.  The most memorable on is the talk on Necropsy, in which Gene had a stuffed animal that he had stuffed with fake organs and blood.  Let’s just say it and Gene’s cousin, aptly called SNAFU, made an impression on the new showman, Babe Heffron.

- Bull shows Hereford cows and pigs.  He has a reputation for helping all of the younger kids and always having a certain few that he will always pick up on show days.  Bull has shown all across the southern US, and has quality animals to justify going so far to show.  Bull is always happy to help bring or unload animals at the fair.  The boys can all ways tell when he’s unloading animals at the fair because there is about ten cow, about 7 pigs, and of course Johnny Martin’s two goats, and only about five of those animals are his.

As always feel free to reblog, ask, or comment.

[cynicalbaron]

Here are some more unrelated prompts, that I can’t write about until November.  As always feel free to comment or send me a request.  Y’all don't realize the amount of time I waste.

- Winters is the first one in the group to get their drivers license and has the largest vehicle.  Of course this leads to as many guys as possible packing in to Dick’s car.  Everyone jokingly refers to Dick as the groups’ ‘soccer mom’.  Dick ends up chauffeuring people to afterschool activities and weekend events.  The most he’ll make someone pay is $5, and that’s if he uses a ton of gas.  The only con to riding to school with Dick is that he likes to get there early, so be ready to go by 6:00.  Nix hates this with a passion.

-Bill is stuck somewhere between friend, older brother, and second father to his friend group.  Toye and he are the ones that are keeping this friend group alive.  When Spina hasn’t eaten or slept in two days because of how hard he’s studying, it’s Bill and Joe having to pick Spina up and carry him to bed.  They keep a running total on how many times Julian almost steps out in front of a car.  The highest so far has been 15 times in a week.   Babe always seems to be forgetting his jacket and some how tripping over air.  As much as Bill finds Luz endearing, Bill can only stand breaking up so many fights, before him and Joe finally leave Luz to the consequences of his actions.  By the time Bill meets Frannie and settles down, he’s already tired of being a father and quickly reaching his mid-life crisis in his late twenties.

-Leckie is on the high school newspaper team while Webster works on Yearbook.  It’s not that these two can’t get along, it’s just that they can’t get anything done.  They are both slightly over dramatic writers, who think that they each are right, when it comes to their writing styles.  Put them together outside of the literature classes and they can tolerate each other much better.

- Luz might have loose lips, but Nixon is omniscient.  Any information that uttered in the same room as him, Nixon will immediately file it away.  Later he’ll check to make sure that, the information isn’t just rumors.  It’s not that he means to eavesdrop, it just that people don't always notice him, and if they’re going to talk that loud, then they must want everybody to know.  It’s amazing to watch someone’s face as Nix sets them up to be caught in a lie.   It’s something that Dick can never grasp, how Nixon pulls it off.

[cynicalbaron]

I get that with superpowers people always try to make Speirs as some kind of super soldier but guys, Pathokinesis or the ability to manipulate emotions.  The fun you could have with this is unbelievable.

- Speirs and Lipton are running through a warehouse that they were doing surveillance on because it was housing some sort of illegal product.  Now Lipton may or may not have powers but right he’s been shot in the side and he knows Speirs has a reputation for getting himself out of tight situations.  But Speirs also has a reputation for being unpredictable.

- When they find a hiding space that fits both of them and Speirs’ finally sees how bad Lip’s hurt, Speirs knows that neither of them can fight their way past the handful of armed guards.  Fortunately though, the guards are in Speirs’ line of sight and that’s all he needs. 

-Lipton’s trying to stop the bleeding and keep quiet, when he hears the first scream followed in rapid secession by a shot.  When he looks over to see if Ron’s moved, Lipton sees the exact opposite.  Speirs’ has locked himself into place and his eyes don’t seem to be leaving the panicking guards.  Honestly, Ron’s so rigid that if Lipton tapped his shoulder, Ron might just fall over. 

- After a few more rounds of screams and shots and Speirs finally moves to grab Lipton and proceeds to get back to base.  It’s later that night after Lipton has finally been treated that Speirs ends up back in his room to discus what happened today.  When he finally explains that he sent some of the guards into a paranoia episode and others Ron had increase their fear hormones so much that they we’re on the brink of having a heart attack. 

-Ron that's that Lipton will start staying away from him after what Ron told him, but Lipton just seems to be Speirs’ permanent partner.  It’s not something that Ron’s ever had before and he’s starting to like it.   Lipton, to his credit, just takes the discovery of Ron’s powers as explanation for why everyone around Speirs, but the higher ups are scared of him.

As always feel free to use and add on to.  If anybody writes about anything I have posted please tag me in it.  I would love to read it.

[cynicalbaron]

Hello!! As another HBO War writer, I just wanted to say I really dig your stuff and it’s really really rad!! Honestly, your Dixie Mafia posts gave me some ideas🌻

Thanks. If you end up writing anything based off of it, please let me know, I would love to read it. I can't really start writing anything until late October.

[cynicalbaron]

If anybody wants to ask questions or to send my prompts feel free. I honestly would like to hear from whoever is reading my stuff.

[cynicalbaron]

Ok so here’s a new band of brothers au I came up with while at work:

The Toccoa Circus is owned by Lewis Nixon, a man who has no idea how to run a circus but does so anyway ((I have backstory already written as to why this man owns a circus lmao)).

The ringmaster is our very own Dick Winters. His natural ability to captivate audiences and help lead acts is extraordinary, with a voice that commands authority without being demanding. His movement is fluid and graceful, making him look like he belongs in the middle of the ring. He’s a natural at this somewhat ridiculous job he’s fallen into ((which is included in before mentioned backstory)).

Lipton and his husband Ron are brought in to help by Dick, toghether they work the animal act. There’s no caged lion, or tortured elephants, and definitely no dancing bear. Instead, there’s just six highly trained dogs. The show they put on is amazing, with tricks and jumps, and an impressive amount of obedience being shown. Audience members are enthralled by the sheer ability of the animals, eliciting gasps and cheers every night without fail. They prove a crowd favourite quickly.

Harry and kitty are also friends of Dick. The pair are dancers, who often come on between acts just to spice things up a bit. The couple are so perfectly attuned to one another, so closely linked in life, love and work, that they often freestyle their act. They perform lifts with striking accuracy, throwing each other around like neither of them weigh nothing, hitting the ground running wherever they land. They can dance to just about anything, often mashing up their peices with varying different types of music just so they can change mid-performance. Dick is often left mesmerised, often so is the audience.

Skip, Malarkey, and Penkala are aerialists. They’ve been together on the trapeze since they were teenagers, when all of them had first joined the circus. They’re natural in the air, cutting through it like a knife through butter. Throwing each other like the other weighs nothing, flipping from one another’s hold with ease. They’re graceful and delicate, making everything about their act look effortless. They leave every audience in stunned silence. They join Toccoa Circus because their current boss is a dick. Winters and Nixon are much nicer, offering better conditions and more money—they really can’t say no.

Luz and Perconte find themselves wrapped up in circus life after Luz tries to nab Lip’s wallet. Both Frank and George have been performing street magic and illusions since they were kids. A lot of what they do either includes stealing someone’s wallet, or leaving them distracted enough so the other can grab the wallet. When Lip witnessss their impressive skill set, smiling as he listens to them bicker and bounce off each other, Luz jabbering on in any one of his voices, Lip knows straight away they’re what the circus needs. The audicne are left stunned and wallet-less every night. ((Though they do get the wallets back this time))

Babe, Toye, and Bill asked to join the Toccoa Circus. They’d ended up watching one night, their motorcycles parked outside and they’d known straightaway what was missing. The three of them perform the most daring, deadly, and dangerous bike stunts together, always leaving the audience on the edge of their seats, gasping in shock and horror at the many close calls. Joe nails the wall of death every night, getting the bike on just the right angle with ease. Babe jumps through fire, while Guarene does flips no problem. They’re definite crowd pleasers.

Shifty, Talbert, Grant are picked up from the side of the road by the Toccoa while they’re out on the move. Talbert and Grant have complete trust in Shifty as they’re strapped down, often to giant targets, the single greatest shot there ever was, Powers never miss. Knives or guns, they’re always capable of goading out gasps of terror from the audience as they perform.

Roe originally just came out to enjoy a good show, but inexplicably ended with his hands covered in Babe’s blood. That’s when Nixon and Dick suddenly realise—shit, maybe we should get a doctor—and so, Roe is hired there and then. He’s happy, it’s never a boring day when he’s with them and there’s always something/someone to fix up. He also does a few shows of his own, but never very often. His shows usually include him showing off some of the Cajun healing his grandmother had shown him, but it’s rare he gets on stage and he prefers it that way.

Bull and Martin work security, they protect the acts, the people, and the grounds simultaneously. They’d went away only to come back and realise that their boss had fucked up. They don’t mind though, between Nixon and Winters, they get paid and fed, they have a place to sleep, the company’s easy— they’re happy.

Okay so this is what I’ve got so far, plus a bit of backstory that’s saved in my drafts. But I’m actually really into this au? Like I actually want to write something for it at some point, I think it would be fun to play around.

((It’s late and I’m tired so apologies If this reads bad, it’s unedited and a little rushed))

[cynicalbaron]

Dixie Mafia AU Pt. 2

It has been made aware to me that I left out some of the boys and with that comment about the Midwestern guys, I plan to do this AU Justice.  These past two days have been the most anyone’s ever noticed my post, so thank y’all very much.  Now let’s get to it.

-Sidney ends up running supplies and information along the gulf. I'd like to think that Snafu runs into Sid outside maybe the VA and over heard Sid saying he really needs a job. And, yeah Snafu's cheese has slide off his cracker and is now on the floor being eaten by rats, but he knows an asset when he sees one. Sid is the one that recruited Sledge. After the mafia ends up employing a group of thieves know as the Solomon Four, they stick Sid with them to keep the boys honest.

-Walt helps Ray and runs information up and down the east coast. Just like Julian and Sid, Walt's easy demeanor and good looks tend to keep him out of trouble. Don't let him fool you though, Walt rivals Shifty and Mclung when it comes to shooting skills. While he might pick up an assassination gig or two, it's not his favorite thing. Ray and he deicide to screw with the FBI surveillance team that has been assigned to them.  Brad and Poke don't find it nearly as funny as Walt does, when Ray walks over to their car in the middle of the day and asks how much sugar they want in their coffee.

- As mentioned before, Leckie’s squad are a group of thieves and their damn good at what they do, it doesn’t matter if they are robbing a bank or priceless artwork.  Leckie is the brains of the operation, Chuckler can con his way into or out of any situation, and they both like to keep an eye out for a place to hit.  Hoosier can hold his own against somebody and he tends to be the resident pessimist who finds all of the flaws in the plans.  Runner is a getaway driver with talent, he can also double as a hacker, and tends help keep everything running smooth.  When they first get Sid, they are a little more than miffed, Then they realize the boy has a god give ability to steal anything and nobody suspects him,

- Webster and Christenson make a great pair of forgers.  Web can’t paint to save his life, but give him a historical paper document or bonds and he can give you a exact copy in about two weeks.  Web ends up running a fake identity ring. Christensen will spend hours at museums trying remember the smallest details.

Feel free to add on or ask questions.