#thread: sal and polly

[thxnymph]

Sal sighed. He rolled his shoulders before speaking. "Polly, this is Salome." The man introduced the blonde to the brunette. "She's a weapons dealer my family had ties with. Oh, and she's batshit crazy." Sal added the insult out of his own need, since every bone in his body disliked Salome. Sure, she was a helpful asset in their business but nothing more than that.

When Sal saw the hand come up, he stepped forward out of instinct. "Don't you fucking dare." The man threatened, coming between the two women. He eyed Salome, his glare was strong enough to rival hers. "You need to leave, Salome." His voice showed malice and he was prepared to help her leave, if it meant keeping Polly out of harms way. People in the restaurant began to stare, and Sal was sure Polly's cop friend would soon show up. That was the last thing they needed. "I mean it."

@relicuniques

[lem0ns-art]

Anon asked for Pacifica in “Friendly Fire” from the color palette meme and I thought this was such a Reverse!Falls color palette I couldn’t stop myself. About halfway through the painting though I realized how much she looks like Polly from Monster Prom, lol.  

Commissions Are Open!

If you would like to be added to my Sanders Sides tag list like or reblog this post if you would like to be tagged in all my future art posts like or reblog this post

Tag list:

@im-a-musical-nerd

@thread-in-reality

@words-bleed-on-my-tongue

@justanotherlatinfander

@valeandra79

@charcoalsdestiny​

@fantazyiskey​

@ididntdothatnope

@indi-is-random

@creepy-falsehood

@astumpzrock

@grayretries

@toomuchstuffnotenoughcreativity

@syndianites

@allaboutthemsides

@jade-dragon226-fan

@hamster-corn

@demun-life

@im-p-short

@fandomtrash2018

@deathshadowrules

@sals-corner

@nothingelsemattersme

@salad-says-hi

@confinesofpersonalknowledge

[umbrahighpriestofgiratina]

Heroes After All Chapter 4

Some old art I haven't shared in this thread yet: Our protagonists by @autobottesla, ordered by Spiteful Murkrow (I imagine Aaron doesn't have the cape yet but everything else is 100% accurate and 200% adorable) Polly and co. by the same artist except ordered by me and Polly and her Dunsparce by our very own @antialiasis! Well! Here's Chapter 4! In which we get to some worldbuilding on the Aaron end and peril on the Riolu end!

Chapter 4: All In The Type

    It was time for the first day of training.

Aaron kept staring at the training dummy. It seemed to stare back. He looked around at the other kids and their Pokemon preparing. He was alone. He looked back at the training dummy and his hands glowed with Auric power. He yelled, rushed at the training dummy... and tripped, falling flat on his back.

"...Good grief," he said.

He hesitantly got back up and rushed the dummy again. This attempt was more successful, doing decent damage to the dummy. Smiling, he looked around for his companions. Louis and Rook were slicing up a dummy, Callie and Munchkin were pelting one with Obscura bolts and fire, Atta and Stabby were gnawing and stabbing at one, and Eve... Weird. She was lying on the ground clutching her head, with Iuroidea tending to her. Did she trip too? Maybe-

It was then Aaron noticed a shadow looming overhead. With dread he looked up. There was a blonde boy with spiky hair standing on the head of a massive Onix above him, crossing his arms and giving a not exactly friendly smug smile down.

"You! You're the new freak kid, right?" he said.

"Uh... No?"

"Bah! You think you can fool the mighty Gabriel? I'll show you!" He snapped his fingers. An explosion of Psychic power happened at Aaron's feet, knocking him back as he yelped. "Ha! Too easy," said Gabriel. "Let's try some more." A strange construct that seemed to resemble a Psyshock but spear-shaped appeared by his shoulder and fired down at Aaron, with Aaron yelping and rolling over to avoid it. "You're a fun one. Most people just run away and I have to bother chasing them. Not that that isn't funny either."

  His Onix gave a strange whimper.

  "Easy, Patricia, we're almost done with this one," said Gabriel. "Lean down a little will you girl?"

  Patricia slowly moved her head down to ground level so Gabriel could get off, upon which he picked up Aaron by the scruff of his neck and held up his other hand, crackling with Psychic explosions, in Aaron's face. "You're just like the rest of them. Worthless. If you think you came here to have a good time, I'm here to teach you otherwise. Not any kid on the Auric Spectrum can be an Aura Guardian, and I'm gonna weed out the ones who can't. Like you."

  He dropped Aaron and stormed off, Patricia looking at Aaron oddly for a few moments before following after. Aaron was hyperventilating on the ground until he saw Callie and Munchkin peering down at him.

  "You okay?" said Callie. Or at least Aaron thought she said that, her accent was still always odd and unplaceable.

  "No."

  "Good! The Necrozmaists say adversity builds character!"

  She helped him up. "But yeah, Gabriel is mean. He makes the Aura Spectrum look bad!" Munchkin hissed at her in agreement.

  "What's wrong with him anyway?" said Aaron.

  "Apparently he was from a rich family and got protected from how people usually treat us. And his powers are really strong! So he thinks he's better than everyone else!" said Callie. "I'd like to teach him the might of Necrozma!"

  "Let's just try to avoid him for now..." said Aaron.

"Aww, okay," said Callie. "Come on, Ms. Carol is gonna teach us about type matchups! Maybe Munchkin can show off!"

Munchkin gave an excited hiss, and they all headed off.

  ----------------

  The Aura Guardian trainees and their Pokemon gathered around a young adult woman Aura Guardian with a dark uniform, long wavy red hair, and green eyes. She surveyed the group until all had settled and then spoke up... telepathically. 

  ~Alright kids! Carol here, and I'm going to teach you how to deal with type matchups! Who here has a Pokemon partner?~

  Everyone but Aaron gestured to their partner or held them up. Aaron fidgeted nervously before addressing Louis.

"Why does she only talk like that?"

  "She's mute," Louis said, whispering. "Can't speak with her mouth. Can't hear that well either. Something about an incident with a Pangoro. Don't know the rest, don't really care."

  Aaron nodded before his gaze shifted back to Carol.

  ~Okay then!~ said Carol. ~Now, as you may know, Pokemon have different attributes called Types. These affect the sorts of Aura Spectrum powers Pokemon can produce - way more of them and with way more power than humans on the Auric Spectrum! This is helped by the fact that Pokemon produce an additional energy called Infinity Energy to power up their Auras, which can only be sensed in trace amounts in humans. Pokemon types are strong and weak against other types, depending on the type and type combination, and to demonstrate that...~

  She paused, holding stock-still. There was a roar, and a Salamence descended from the air and approached Polly.

  ~Good girl,~ said Carol exclusively to the Salamence, scratching the dragon's cheek as she purred. ~Can you show off for these kids again?~

  The Salamence winked and gave a quiet "Sal!"

  ~Alright,~ said Carol. ~Now I need, hmmm...~ She combed her finger through the audience until she reached a boy and his Cleffa. ~You! Bring me your Pokemon.~

  The boy's eyes widened in shock. He looked around. Then, very hesitantly, he passed the squealing Cleffa to Carol. Carol placed the Cleffa down across from the Salamence, ignoring his "Clefs!" of protest. She quickly backed away.

  ~Becky! Use Outrage!~

  Becky the Salamence roared as her entire body glowed green with dragonfire and she charged the Cleffa. The Cleffa covered his eyes and braced himself for impact. The dragon pummeled the Cleffa with claws and bites and headbutts. When the dragonfire died down and the dust cleared... nothing. The Cleffa was totally unscathed. He uncovered its eyes, looked up, gave a "clef!" of surprise at Becky still being there, and ran back to his Trainer, who hugged him.

  ~As you can see,~ said Carol, ~Type matchups - as well as things like Trainer and Pokemon creativeness and cleverness - are what really makes a battle. Not Pokemon strength.~

  The gaggle of Trainees and their Pokemon started a bit before nodding. Carol smiled. ~But!~ said Carol. ~You will learn more in subsequent lessons! For now, you've got a history lesson with Polly! I'll take you to her!~

  She and Becky, along with a Gothitelle she summoned from her staff, herded the kids toward the mountain.

  ----------------

  Eventually the group of children were directed to Polly, alongside her Dunsparce and Metagross. Polly looked them over, then looked at Carol and her Pokemon. "You're good to go."

  ~Thanks!~ said Carol, and she, Becky, and her Gothitelle Lovegood exited.

  "Alright," said Polly. "Time to teach you new kids some stuff about this place. Kids who have heard it before, don't try to sum it up please."

  A few hands lowered.

  Polly started leading the kids up the mountain, going on some winding pathways with tall trees and various signs of wild Pokemon. Eventually, the group came across a cliff overlooking something Aaron couldn't make out at first. When he got there, however, he stared in awe.

  In the distance stood a mountain unlike anything Aaron had ever seen. It was massive, and shaped like a tree, clouds swirling around it. Aaron could barely make out glittering green crystals decorating the mountain's rocks.

  "Say hello to the Tree Of Beginning," said Polly. "Why is it like that?" asked Aaron.

  "Long ago, the people and Pokemon of Kanto and Johto suffered a great famine. They begged the gods for help, and their calls were heeded by a Legendary from another land, who created the Tree to ward off famine and pestilence. Its crystals absorb energy from sunlight, and its roots as a result fertilize Kanto, Johto, and beyond. The ecosystem around here depends on it."

  "Wow..." said Aaron. Some of the other kids oohed and aahed as well.

  "But don't dare venture inward; there are monsters inside the tree, and you know what they do to any human that visits?"

  "...What?"

  Polly suddenly got in Aaron's face with a wicked grin. "They eat them!"

  Aaron screamed. And screamed, and screamed, and screamed for an unusually long time until Polly said "Kid, relax, relax, they're not going to get you."

  "...Okay," said Aaron. The other kids giggled.

  ~Told you you shouldn't have done that~ said Metagross. ~Even if it was funny.~

  Dunsparce snickered. 

  Polly sighed. "Anyway, the other hazard of the Tree is the Mew that lives there. The Tree can't sustain itself, so the Legendary created a lesser Legendary, a Mew, to keep it in balance. But the Mew is... Mischievous. It's known to cause a ruckus and spirit objects and even Pokemon away to the Tree."

  ~Legendaries in general aren't to be trusted.~

  Dunsparce gave a hissy, irritated "sparce".

  ~For your information I do not mention that every time Legendaries come up, thank you very much.~

  Polly sighed again and gestured with her staff to the region beyond the Tree. "Beyond the tree is the kingdom of Rota. It was founded by refugees from the great war in Kalos about 2000 years ago, or 0 Skybreak. Since then they've grown to thrive, and are a valuable ally to us Genesis Mountain Aura Guardians. Any questions?'

  The children were silent. Aaron tried to think of something to say, but couldn't just yet.

  "Alright, back to the monastery, so you kids all can have lunch."

  She and her Pokemon headed down the mountain, the children and their Pokemon heading after. Aaron followed along quietly for a while, then noticed another kid didn't have a Pokemon partner either. Aaron moved closer to him and noticed he not only had pink hair but pink clothes as well. "Excuse me-"

  The other child turned his head toward Aaron, holding a finger to his lips and winking. Aaron blinked. A Pokemon made a noise in the forest, causing Aaron's attention to turn to it briefly; when he turned back the other child was gone.

  ----------------------

  "How long has it been stalking us?"

  "Days, now. Ever since it first killed one of our own, possibly further."

  "It seems to have acquired a taste for our kind's flesh..."

  "What do we do, Grandfather Alpha?"

  "Give me a moment to think..."

  Riolu was listening in to all of this from behind a nearby boulder. There was a predator stalking the Lucario pack and he wanted to know more about it. He also wanted to do something about it but he also knew he wasn't strong enough... Maybe if he could-

  "I sense an aura!"

  "Behind that boulder!"

  Oh no. Quickly he tried to get out of there, only to be grabbed by a Lucario and held aloft.

  "Okay, whose pup is this?"

  "...That would be ours."

  Riolu awkwardly gestured to his parents. His mother sighed while Ginji shook his head.

  "How much do you know, kid?"

  "There's a predator killing pack members... we need to stop it..." 

  "Let him go," said Grandfather Alpha. "There is no harm in him knowing the truth; we were going to tell the other pups eventually." 

  The Lucario placed Riolu down, and he shook himself off. Grandfather Alpha sighed. "Now where were we?" 

  "The predator?" said a Lucario.

  "Right. By the time anyone sees or Aura Senses it it's too late, but scorch marks on the remains it leaves behind indicate it's a Fire type. Therefore..."

  He pointed toward Ginji. "You're probably our best bet for taking it down."

Ginji pointed to himself. "Me? And I thought you all didn't want me doing anything important."

  "Those are the ignorant words of my children and their mates. This pack is family. No matter what."

  Rilou's mother beamed.The other Lucario mumbled amongst themselves.

  "You shall lead a team to take this predator down for the sake of our pack," said Grandfather Alpha. "I wish you luck."

  "Don't worry, that predator's as good as gone."

  Riolu looked between his father, mother, and Grandfather Alpha and then the other packmates, the latter of which were still grumbling among themselves, with concern.

  ----------------

  That night, in a small cavern, Riolu was nestled up with his mother while Ginji was keeping watch. Riolu slowly got up and approached his father.

  "Dad?"

  "Yes, son?"

  "Are you gonna be OK?"

  "Well, I never know for sure. What exactly do you mean?"

  "With this predator. Do you really think you can take it on?"

  "Oh, that thing? Sure I can! It's just another Pokemon, and we Pokemon have strengths, weaknesses, all that that can be advantages and disadvantages. If you know how to use those, you're golden." He paused. "At least, that's what my old Trainer always taught me."

  "Did you trust your old Trainer?"

  "...Yes. While he was alive, more than anyone in the world."

"That's a lot."

  "Yes. Yes it is."

  "I trust you, Dad."

  Ginji gave a bird smile. "Thanks, so-"

  A yell echoed. Ginji stood at attention. Riolu's mother bolted upright.

  "Riolu! Stay here!" said his mother.

  "We'll take care of this!" said Ginji.

  They bolted off.

  Riolu, naturally, waited a bit before following.

  ---------------------------

  He came across his parents in a battle for their lives. Nearby was a cowering Lucario. Before them was a large reptilian Pokemon, orange scales, large wings, and flaming tail illuminated by the moonlight. The Pokemon breathed jets of flame at Riolu's parents, Ginji zipping out of the way keeping him distracted with Speed Boosts, and his mother lobbing Aura Spheres at his head.

  The predator roared and rushed the two. Riolu's mother lept aside while Ginji vaulted and delivered a kick to the predator's face. The predator roared in pain, and deciding his quarry wasn't worth the pursuit anymore, flew off into the night. The young Lucario the couple had saved ran back off into the night.

  "Do you know what that is?" said Riolu's mother.

  "Shit. It's a Charizard." said Ginji. "Powerful critters. Think they're apex predators of wherever they claim territory of. Suspect he's as much showing the pack who's boss as he is claiming meals."

  "Do we tell the Alpha?" said Riolu's mother.

  "Certainly." said Ginji.

  They ran off into the night as well. Riolu quickly headed back to the cave, where the rest of the pack would be nearby. 

***

[thxnymph]

Closed Starter

@faithdevotion

The music of the club drummed in his ears. Sal ran a hand down his face, a sigh escaped him. His day was nothing short of stressful and exhausting. The man had to deal with a shipment gone wrong, take care of someone who was skimming off the top. Even in all his years in the family, and the business, it never got easier pulling a trigger. After a time, you just become desensitized to it.

Sal watched a stripper on stage. He liked what he was seeing. She was good looking, from what he could see from the distance between himself and the stage. But there was something that bothered him. There was something in his mind, telling him that the woman on stage meant something to him. That he knew her.

The show was soon over, and Sal was stunned as the same stripper walked past him. It was Polly. His ex-girlfriend Polly. Sal felt like his heart lodged into his throat. Never in a million years did he expect to see her, much less in a place like this. He wondered if he should approach her, but did he have a right to do that? Sal had broken her heart, betrayed her in the worst way possible due to his own stupidity. But he just had to talk to her. "Polly." Sal grabbed her hand, albeit slowly. "What are you doing here?"

[thxnymph]

Sal grinned like a madman when she said those words. The man rose to his feet again, not caring to dust his pants off. He wrapped his arms around her gently, trying to contain his happiness. "I'll make it right this time...." The man whispered in her hair, before gently pulling away from the blonde. Things were going to be slow, the process was a slow one but Salvatore would wait as long as he needed to.

But things turned sour when Salvatore laid his eyes on Salome. Salvatore had history with her, she used to be an arms dealer for them before Salvatore cut ties with her operation due to some incidents with the police. Needless to say, Salvatore didn't like her. At all. A question came to mind; how did she find me? There was no way that she just walked into the strip club that he just so happened to be in as well. The youngest Colombo did not believe in coincidences. Salvatore grabbed Polly's hand while stopping in his tracks as well. "Well that's just fucking convenient..." The man mumbled to himself. "Look, Polly. You see that woman over there at the bar? Do not talk to her."

It was unexpected to witness Sal drop to his knees, no matter if Polly was asking for a proof on how he'd attempt to mend things up. Her gaze slightly widened at the sight of him like that, her gaze falling on the sight of the necklace she'd gifted him on his birthday back when they were a couple. The sight of it brought images of their good memories in her mind, the way she made each occasion special even if he wasn't one to celebrate. Her brows furrowed as she listened to his words, each one that seemed laced with regret from her perspective. A heavy sigh slipped from her, briefly looking away as her eyes crystallized. His plea was enough for her to place a hand on one of his shoulders, her eyelids drifting shut to stop the tears from streaming down her face. "Alright, Sal. I'll give you that chance." She let out her decision in a whisper, concerned whether he'd make it right or not. But she had to try.

Salomé walked into the bar, her eyes studying the place as she walked past crowds, looking for the youngest Colombo. "I know you're here, Salvatore." She muttered to herself as she approached the bar. "Give me some Mojito." She ordered as she leaned against the bar. In the meantime, Ricardo was replying to text messages, growing concerned about Polly's absence.

[thxnymph]

Sal was stunned, to say the least. Up until this point, he had somewhat of a plan on how he was going to get her back. But she had him cornered. Salvatore Colombo was a prideful man. He held himself to a standard set by the men he grew up around, those that came from the old country and had some equally old ideals about what a man should and should not be. His mother changed those views with her teachings however, which in this case Salvatore was ever grateful for.

He cleared his throat, eyes cast down before he slowly got down on his knees. Pride did not matter to Salvatore when it came to matters of the heart. His pride is what ruined one of the best things in his life. He was ready to throw it all away, if it meant getting Polly back in his life. Salvatore was not ashamed of his position in front of her. The woman had seen him at his worst, and this wasn't even close.

Salvatore reached into his shirt, pulling out a golden necklace that she had gifted him. It was a birthday gift, and while Salvatore didn't normally celebrate it, Polly made him feel like the most special man in the world for that one day. "I am willing to do anything if it means getting you back." He held onto the necklace as his dark brown eyes stared up at her. "I fucked up, and not a day went by that I didn't think of you." His tone was normal, yet sounded heartbroken. "You're the last thing I think of before I got to sleep, you're the person I pray about each night. Please, just let me...let me make it right."

It was a difficult decision to make, given their recent encounter and the former feelings resurfacing with it. If he was the same Salvatore she dated eight years ago, then chances were slim on him getting another chance. However, there was the benefit of the doubt and Polly had shaped herself up in eight years, which made her think there was no reason to assume that Salvatore hadn't. "Actions speak louder than words, Sal. You'll have to prove it." If he was expecting to get either a 'yes' or a 'no', then he would be disappointed, but her words were the closest to a hidden affirmation. Like a test, he had to pass. But in this particular test, matters of the heart were involved. There were feelings deeply rooted in her that she knew if he failed to prove to her that he was a better man, then everything would be useless. Aware that she had him cornered, Polly decided to test if he meant what he said. Holding his gaze, she stood before him as her arms slowly fell to her sides. "Try to prove it now. Right now."

[thxnymph]

"Raphael has nothing to do with this." Sal reiterated. In truth, he was a little bit pissed off that she and Raphael slept together. But neither of them knew the relation they had to Sal, and Sal couldn't exactly blame them for that. Polly could go with who she wanted and sleep with who she wanted, they were not together. But Sal hoped to change that now. "Look, I know this came out of the blue. And it has nothing to do with the fact that you moved on or became a dancer..." The dark haired man sighed. "When we first broke up, I thought I was gonna move on too. But I didn't." Sal kept a distance between himself and Polly. "I can't stop thinking about you, Polly. Or about how much I fucked it up with you." The memories of that night haunt him like a bad dream. "I want to...give it another go..."

Polly followed Sal to the private booth passing by the crowd that was dancing and away from the dining area, being bewildered over the fact that the place had private spaces that could be booked for leisure or different purposes. She walked into the room as soon as he opened the door, noticing the dim light of it and the furniture — a large sofa snd a table — in it. Polly turned to face Sal as he began to speak, his words causing her to widen her eyes and experience goosebumps soreading underneath her skin. Words she never expected to hear. "Really?" She let out in a low mutter, sitting down on the sofa and crossing a leg over the other, hands falling to rest on her smooth thighs covered by stockings, fingers tapping slowly against the silk fabric. Her head turned towards him, contemplating his face. She wouldn't state it out loud, but being around him brought the good memories they shared together over and over, the same memories that made her miss him, but were stained with betrayal. "What made you suddenly decide that after eight years? The fact I'm a dancer or that I moved on?" She quizzed, a brow raising while she finished darting her questions. Polly could go on, but she would give him time to explain himself. As her head slowly hungto the side, her gaze narrowed at the thought of another question that was brought to her mind. "Or... was it what I had with Raphael?"

[thxnymph]

"A detective? Great. That's just lovely." There he went with the sarcasm again. "An honest cop? Now I've seen everything." While Salvatore was worthy was judging anyone when it came to honesty, he had seen first had how fast the promise of money made police forget their promises to protect the community.

Salvatore's dark eyes danced between Polly and the man she was with. He was going to be a problem. If he wanted to get Polly back, the presence of a cop was not going to be good. If Raphael was there, he would instruct his cousin to get rid of the problem. But he could not do that, not when Polly seemingly cared for him. "I need to talk to you." Sal stated bluntly, he was past the point of beating around the bush. "Can we please talk in private?"

Sarcasm. Polly spotted it in less than a second, coming from her ex. "I wish I was." She bit back at him with a forced half-assed smile. "I don't understand why you're so surprised. It's not like I don't enjoy being in places like these, and my work has actually given me so much freedom on that." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, cocking her head to a side while keeping her arms crossed over her chest. His question about Ricardo made her gaze narrow and glance quickly towards Ricardo, who was speaking on the phone with a colleague. "He is. I've known him for years now. He's a nice guy, very honest, caring and overall very smart. It's a shame I can't be fully blunt with him, though. Our jobs are different. He's a detective, so I don't plan to introduce you to him." Polly rested her elbow on the bar, a leg crossing over the other. She was dressed in a dark red dress, fitting for the evening. She stared into his gaze as he complimented her. "Why are you here? I'm way past the stage of believing that it's a coincidence we're in the same bar at the same time."

[thxnymph]

She did have a point. How was Salvatore Colombo gonna make up for everything that he has done? The man was good for a few things, like murder and fraud. But when it came to matters of the heart, he was completely lost. All he knew was that he wanted her back in his life, in his arms and in his bed. "I know that, Polly." The man stated. "And I know that I can never take back what I did. But I will spent everyday trying to make it up to you, if you'd only give me a chance." It was not a guarantee that Salvatore would succeeded, the man had a history of that. He would not blame her if she did not take him back, but that did not mean that it would not break him.

Polly listened to his reasoning behind his decision to rekindle what they had eight years ago, but the moment he spoke about the moment they broke up, she had to cut in. "Excuse me? You moving on?" Seriously?" Her gaze narrowed, speaking in a higher pitch of voice as she got up from her seat and took slow steps towards him. Such words coming from him angered her. "Let me remind you, you were the one that decided to end everything in the worst way possible, in the cruellest way possible." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, resting her palm against her side of her face. "And you decided to do it when I needed you. I really needed you, but you left me broken, hurt... and disappointed. I loved you. I really did, Salvatore." She took a deep breath, the last words slowly rolling off her tongue and making her voice tremble at the mention of it. There were ashes left from the fire the two formed, that was for sure. Deep down, she still did. "I went through shitty situations that led me to where I am now." Her arms folded over her chest as she stood before him, inches separating them. "How exactly do you plan to make it up for all of that pain you caused, Sal?" Her voice lowered, now soft, almost sounding like a mutter.

[thxnymph]

Sal didn't obey her wishes like she asked him to, he just couldn't. The man wanted to make sure she got home safe, especially after tonight. He leaned against a wall, playing with his lighter. He tossed it up and caught it, flicked it on. The man was lost in thought, thinking of what had transpired in the last few hours. It was never easy to kill someone. Even if they deserved what was coming to them, it was not for the faint of heart.

Salvatore remembered his father before he was outcasted. He explained to the young man what it meant to be a part of the Colombo family, and the blessings and curses that legacy would bring.

Sal was pushed out of his train of thought when he heard the door open and the blonde walked out. "Don't start, Polly. I never stopped caring about you. And whether you like it or nor, I'm walking you home."

"Salvatore." Words came out stern as her blue hues met his dark ones. Polly's expression changed the moment his offer was brought up. She didn't want him to do anything. Didn't want him to follow her or walk her home. Why would he, in the first place? She was keeping a calm and collected appearance, but deep inside she was battling with her feelings and thoughts about him. All, if not most of them, going back to the rage she experienced years ago when he betrayed her. "That won't be necessary. I can walk there myself, like I've been doing for years. Nothing has ever happened to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get dressed and leave." She then walked past him to return to the club and head straight towards the changing room, avoiding Andrew and his friends.

As soon as she was out, dressed in jeans and a blouse, she spotted Sal standing there. Her eyes narrowed at him before she huffed and walked the opposite way. "I don't get why you suddenly care about my safety. It even sounds like a cruel joke."

[thxnymph]

Sal wanted to pry and question her about her and Raphael, but that was not the time for that. That was the last thing she needed after a night like this, and he wasn't going to be an asshole. Salvatore truly didn't know how to process the fact that his ex was sleeping with his cousin. The fact that neither of them knew came to mind, and it truly wasn't something to blame. But still, his mind could not wrap around that fact.

"I'll walk you home." Sal offered, but truly he was hellbent on walking her home. He would have a stern talking to with Raphael about Polly, about everything really. "I won't take no for an answer. The streets are dark and god knows what schmuck was in that club before shit hit the fan."

"Alright. So we were complete strangers then..." Polly released a shaky sigh, fingers running through her blonde strands of hair. Now she had no reason to be upset with Raphael nor put any blame on him. However, the fact he was Salvatore's cousin changed things and he couldn't look at him the way she used to without thinking about him being her ex's family.

His question made her straighten her back and shook her head, gaze leaving him, as it was difficult for her to keep eye contact with him. "I walk home. It's only twenty minutes, so there's no need for me to use a car or whatever..." She still had to get her things from inside the club, which meant meeting Andrew again, and he'd sure want to talk to her about everything that happened, which she didn't want to. "I'll get my stuff now and go. There's no need to be here any longer for tonight, anyway."

[thxnymph]

She slept with him? She slept with Raphael? The questions rang through his mind constantly as she spoke. He was in shock. Sal did talk to Raphael about the woman he loved, and how much he fucked things up with her, but he never mentioned any names or how she looked like. Seeing her with tear shot eyes was something that he never wanted to see again, especially not when he was the root cause of it.

"No. He didn't know." Sal answered truthfully with a shake of his head. "I talked to him about you, but I never mentioned your name or what you looked like. There was no way he could've known." The idea that Raphael had slept with his ex (albeit unknowingly) made his blood boil. "Trust me, Polly, Raphael had no way of knowing it was you who I was talking about." The man reassured her, dark eyes looking into her blue. He wanted to wipe her tears away, but he had no right to touch her. "Do you have any way to get home?"

Andrew watched with a glare how the two left past him and his friends, his hand gesturing for them to lower their guns. He approached the dead body on the scene, a huff escaping him. "These fucks..." He muttered to himself. "I'll set up a new security unit from now on, make sure they don't ever come back here." He was pent up from the anger in him from watching the mess in the club.

Polly leaned on a wall out on the street, skull pressed against it and arms crossed over her chest as tears raced down her reddened cheeks. The unexpected turn of events was too much for her, and seeing Salvatore after so long and recalling the pain from years ago affected her again. The belief of moving on from an old flame had been crushed the moment she saw him. As she heard his voice, she wiped her tears with her index finger and turned her head to face him; her cheeks were wet from the tears, her eyes glistened but looking slightly red, and her nose had a red hue. "I'm not sure what to believe..." Her voice was broken and she couldn't help it. She sniffed, resisting the tears. "I was Raphael's informant for months. It was a mutual agreement. I was sure he only knew me from the club, but now learning you're family makes it all difficult..." She leaned off the wall, taking steps closer to him. "because we slept together constantly during these past few months, and I need to know if he knew you and I were something years back."

[thxnymph]

"Who the fuck are you calling arrogant?" Sal stepped forward, but the hand placed on his shoulder stopped him from doing anything brash. Sal had learned over the years to trust Raphael's judgment, and how important it was for him to not speak out of line or act recklessly. "Is that a threat, Mr. Wolf?" Raphael questioned, tone low and gaze narrowed. Raphael was already done with the club and it's owner, he just wanted a drink at this point.

Sal had his eyes on Polly as she left, eager to follow her. He noted her reaction to Raphael's proclamation that they were related. It was strange, and he wondered why. "Dark hole? What the fuck are you on about?" Sal intervened, confused at the man's accusation. "Get out, Sal." Raphael commanded and his younger cousin didn't have to be told twice. Raphael reached over, grabbing a bottle of champagne from the ice box that hadn't been tipped over. "Gentlemen." Raphael bid them good night, as he walked through the front door with the champagne bottle in hand.

Sal followed the direction that Polly took, and found himself out side the club. He found her...but she was crying. Sal moved towards her, unsure of how to react or if he should approach her or not. "Polly, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Andrew's gaze narrowed at Sal the moment he insulted back at him. "I see we got ourselves an arrogant one here." He clicked his tongue and was about to take a step forward when Raphael appeared and stood between him and Salvatore. Polly's arms folded over her chest, eyes now set on Raphael. Andrew listened to his explanation, his brows furrowing at each word he listened from the other. "Informant?" His head turned briefly towards Polly and then towards the dead body that Raphael pointed, before he requested in a polite manner for him and his men to lower the weapons.

"Family working together to mess up a business, right?" Andrew spoke a second after Raphael did. Polly froze and her blood left her cheeks, her gaze widening at Raphael's revelation. "C-Cousins?" Her eyes went from Raphael to Salvatore and she slowly shook her head, being in total disbelief. "What, you know the two of them?" Andrew asked her with gaze shifting towards her, but soon realized what Salvatore was standing before them. "Oh, right..." His lips pressed into a thin line and as his eyes went back to the cousins, Polly turned and walked away from them, heading outside the club. "Well... I'll address two things here before I grant you the freedom to leave and never return to this place." Andrew looked at the two of them, but first fixated his eyes on Raphael. "One, you don't fucking get to blame an employee of mine over the mess you made at my club, because it's your doing no matter who was involved. You used an employee of mine for your own benefit, you should be thankful I don't shoot you right at this moment." His gaze shifted towards Sal, realizing that he was going to get personal about what he was going to say, but he couldn't care any less. "And two, you stay away from her. If you're planning to lead her down a dark hole, or you try to cause any harm to her again, you're a dead man."

[thxnymph]

Sal turned to the direction of the voice, his hands remained at his sides. A couple of men with rifles wasn't going to scare him, he grew up around that crap. "Relax, asshole. I told her to hide so she wouldn't get shot." Sal's tone was disrespectful and filled with malice. "Salvatore, that's enough." Raphael's voice tore through the commotion, the man made his way in front of the owner of the club and his cousin. Raphael was a little pissed off, he wasn't going to lie. He wasn't informed that there was another person with his target, expect the girl he brought up there who was unharmed.

"Mr. Wolf, I apologize for the mess, but a high profile target was present here tonight." Raphael spike in a professional manner, unlike his cousin who still had a brash outlook on business deals. "Miss Rider was my informant for this target, though she failed to mention another person was present with the target. Hence, the dead body on your glass table." Raphael pointed towards the dead body. "Now, if you'd kindly put down your weapons, my cousin and I..." He placed a hand on Sal's shoulder. "Will be out of your way."

The nickname made her upset, her gaze shifting into a glare and her nostrils flaring from it. When she was about to scold him for it, Polly heard the glass being shattered and her gaze lifted towards the source of the gunshots, then towards Sal as he jumped on top of her and her back met the floor. Her head turned to a side and her eyes shut tightly, her pulse quickening over the uncertainty of what could happen. She wasted no time crawling towards the bar to hide from anything. She knew Raphael and Sal were behind this and she wasn't pleased with that at all but kept wondering how they knew each other at the same time.

As soon as the club was empty, Andrew stepped in with four friends carrying rifles behind him. The boss himself had a shotgun. The moment he spotted Salvatore, he pointed the shotgun at him, his friends doing the same. "Hey, asshole!" He called out as he approached the bar, tone gruff. " Hands up. Now." Polly lifted herself from the bar upon hearing her boss' voice, ignoring Salvatore's hand and walking over to Andrew to attempt to calm his temper. "Andrew, please. No more blood. No more deaths." It was a plea, released with agitation.

Andrew glanced at her, his anger fueling as he imagined Polly in the middle of this. "You better not have laid a hand on her, because I swear you won't walk out of here alive."

[thxnymph]

"I'm glad, that you're doing okay." As the initial shock was wearing off, Sal figured that he had no right to be interrogating the woman like this. "Yeah, I'm good." Sal answered plainly. Dark eyes drifted down, unsure of what else to say. He didn't have to say anything, because Raphael made himself known from the crowd. The cousins locked eyes, Raphael nodded and Sal returned the gesture. "Look, Polly. I need you to go behind the bar or something. Things...could get really ugly in a few minutes." His cousin was a ruthless man, but an efficient one.

The elder Colombo moved to the back, figure disappearing into the V.I.P section. Raphael Colombo moved in and out of kills like a ghost, nobody knew if he was really there or not. He could make it as messy or as neat as he wanted too. In this case, it needed to be neat.

It was a struggle to be around him after years of no contact. Things ended badly, so there was no reason to keep in touch, especially when the one that caused that was him with his betrayal. Polly was surprised to hear he wasn't at the club for any of the girls. Perhaps business with Andrew? Either way, she didn't care. Her brows raised and her arms folded over her chest, concealing her cleavage beneath it. "I take it you're not here for me either, given how surprised you are that I work here." She wouldn't waste the opportunity to make some cutting remarks at him, even if deep down she was glad to see him alive and well. The years have suited him perfectly and he was as dashing as ever from the last time they saw each other, but ahe wouldn't confess that openly.

"I'm alright. I've been having some good years so far. Nothing eventful." She shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her index finger. Polly couldn't complain. Being a dancer granted her days off and a better than average payroll. "I assume you're doing good on your end as well."

[thxnymph]

Sal was there to watch out for his cousin, since he was set to perform a hit on a specific target at the club. Sal was good at surveilance, and his job was to make sure no cops or anyone got in Raphael's way. That proved to be more difficult since Polly was standing before him. Sal was beyond shocked. He thought he would never lay eyes on her again, much less in a place like this. Salvatore had hurt her in the past, and he swore that he saw those betrayed eyes look back at him after all these years. "You work here?" Sal didn't have anything against strip clubs, or the people who worked in them. He was just shocked to see Polly there, the image he had over her from years back flashed before his eyes. A contrast to the woman he saw now.

His hand remained out for a second, before falling on his side. "I'm not here for them..." Sal corrected her with a shake of his head. He still couldn't believe it. Polly was as beautiful as ever, that outfit fit her perfectly. For the first time in his life, Sal could truly say he was speechless. "H-how....how are you?"

Once more, the Cherry Club ran by Andrew Wolf was crowded, filled with all sorts of guests, but the target Raphael had sought wasn't present any longer. It was a night for amusement and watching the ladies on stage to the sound of the music playing through the speakers. While Andrew was out for errands, the club ran perfectly under the girls' management. The star was Polly, as she was the one to lead the show on stage and attracted the most customers.

After the show ended, Polly walked out of the backstage area towards the public one to head towards the bar, body covered in a mix of sweat and glitter from the dance. She needed something refreshing mixed with alcohol to ease herself after the performance and to catch her breath. As she walked past the area where the booths were, she suddenly felt the grab of her hand, followed by a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. One she had wished she had forgotten, but she was unable to. She only hoped the voice was a sudden bad memory, a trick of her own mind instead of reality, but the moment her body turned to face the man that grabbed her hand, she realized it was no trick nor illusion: it was Salvatore Colombo, the one that she had been with for years and the one that crushed her deeply when their split happened.

Her body froze, her eyes widening as she quickly pulled her hand away from his grasp, finding it unimaginable that he was there, at her workplace. Seeing what she did after long years of not seeing each other. "Salvatore..." She let out in disbelief, nervously combing her golden locks of hair and pushing them to a side, her intense blue hues staring into his. They both had changed physically, but mentally, she still had to find out. Her back straightened, hands falling to rest on her hips. She assumed he was there to look at the ladies. What other reason could there ever be? "I work here." She stated while her eyes were still studying him. Good memories were brought to her mind for a few seconds, suddenly being overcame by the bad ones."If you want to book any of the girls, talk to them. They're free."