Valparaiso Denizens

The Valparaiso Denizens were tired. The Godfather of the Veritas and the Lawless Land -- known formally as The Tyranophant -- had already kicked their asses to high hell and back with his Godly powers against their crotchety power of darkness they'd stolen from the daughter of the Dark One. Now they were ass out on the streets having to deal with the Mechanica all of the time, which were a bunch of machines more ruthless than they were. At least, about their order and protocol.

But there was no order or no protocol in the Lawless Lands. That's how it was and that's how everybody liked it.

At least, all the Valparaiso Denizens.

They'd tried fleeing to the Olde Witch City and came up with squat, being either seduced to death by the Witches that lived there or being homeless BECAUSE of the Witches, or even worse... Having all of their energy drained from them until they were nothingness. They'd seen Fred go. That's how he went -- sucked all the juice right out of him.

Somehow, Hobo Joe was still alive and among the survivors of the Valparaiso Denizens. No one knows how the hell that bastard kept himself alive all these years, even BEFORE the great gentrification done by the Mechanica. Sure, the Valparaiso Denizens could live in the shadows and the darkness and abide by the rule of fear about the Mechanica, but that just wouldn't be living for them. They needed to be free to do as they pleased, even if what they pleased was more than indecent. They were still people.

Finally, an older, more finely dressed man said, "This ain't gonna cut it," as he looked out into the empty, barren plains of Rue, the Warrior's Wasteland. "We ain't gonna die out here like these chumps whose blood-land we walk on!" But, being thugs and bums and other types of lowlifes or bottom feeders, the Valparaiso Denizens knew next to nothing about MAKING a city. Only OCCUPYING one. Even the once wealthy business tycoons that were corrupt living in the city were out on their asses, unable to provide for themselves and unaware of how to start from the bottom... Since all of their gain was ill-gotten.

Yessir, it was a bad situation for the Valparaiso Denizens, but... They'd seen worse. From their own kind. Then again, reviewing the scenario... Maybe they hadn't.

???: "Heh Heh Heh... Ass Out, Is Ya?"

A familiar, yet also unfamiliar voice spoke out to the bunch of Lawless Ones from the distance, pulling up on them in the gaudiest limousine made of pure platinum, with wheels of diamonds and extending so far across the land, it would seem to be able to fit each and every one of them in its interior. Granted, this was a vast exaggeration, but that's what it was like for the one, the only...

He stepped out of the back door of the beautifully stylish vehicle, gatorskin shoes polished and shining brighter than the diamonds on the wheels of the limo, itself. His pants, made of bills, bills, bills, stacked up high around his thigh and with so many zeros on them one would think them to be from the Zero World, itself.

Before his face was seen, his shining cane of pure gold with a golden serpent wrapped around it and the image of a pyramid at its orb would touch the ground, escorting the flashy man wearing a money green sports jacket with a dollar sign zipper adorned upon it out and into view. It was none other than...

Dr. Money!!!

Dr. Money: "Don't Cry, Chirrens! I Got Whatcha Need Right Chyeah!!"

He flashed a few billions of dollars before their eyes and smoothed back his lush, slicked brown hair, eyes literally having dollar sign pupils.

Dr. Money: "That Is... If You're Lookin' To Work A Certain Job For It..."

The flashiest dude in the universe had the gall to drive up next to the broke and the homeless with things so gaudy that they were almost ready to kill him and steal them right as he stepped out of the car. A few of them had their hands on their guns... But they also knew that this man wouldn't just be here unarmed, and he probably had some sort of weird Godly power like the rest of the Rulers around here, despite being very normal and human looking underneath his luxury.

The older man, who seemed to be the mouth for the Valparaiso Denizens, responded to Dr. Money, "Yeah, we need them bills. So what? You lookin' ta make us WORK for it?" That didn't rest well with the Valparaiso Denizens at all. They were not accustomed to any type of work unless it was thuggery or sex. That's all they knew.

But, being the greedy beasts that they were, they were impressed by the way Dr. Money showed up, and they weren't exactly kept from being persuaded by those zeros. They all looked to each other, mumbling and grumbling some things, before word got up to the older man about what they thought about this prodigious offer. "What are you talkin'?" he finally asked, crossing his arms and trying to keep from salivating at the greens he was seeing before him.

Dr. Money smirked, withdrawing his bills into his palm from whence they came -- seemingly spontaneously, at that -- and chuckled lightly, placing his other hand on his cane's top. "Simple, Really..." Dr. Money started to say, the flash in his eyes making a 'CHA-CHING' noise that was QUITE the audible. "... Become My Cutthroat Personal Guard." The tinted windows of the limousine slid down a bit, revealing the dark shades of men in black as well as their 'pieces' they kept on them for protection and intimidation, just the same as the Valparaiso Denizens. "You Wouldn't Believe This, But I'm Runnin' Low, See, And, Well... Youse Guys..." He paused, extending an arm out to them, "Youse Guys Are Juuuust Perfect For The Job!" He laughed a bit. "All Yas Gotta Do Is Act Natural-Like. Be Yourselves! Just... With A Bit More Polish On Ya And Yer Skills."

Dr. Money slipped a hand into his sports coat, tapping his cane's top a bit, the sound of his ring on his finger resounding a bit with every tap, "Ya See, I'm Whatcha Call A 'Void Bo$$' In This Here Veritas. Okay? We 'Void Bo$$es' Run The Show In The Background Whilst The People You See Before You -- Your Average Gods And Goddesses -- Run The Foreground. Now, Not Too Many People Wanna Be Part Of The Background, Ya See, But There Are... Benefits To Working With Us That May Particularly Pertain To Your Interests..." Dr. Money's smirk widened. "Money. Girls. Power. Control. Everything Youse Guys Want RIGHT NOW At The Tip Of Your Fingers." He coughed," ERHM, FORAPRICE." He placed his cane before him and his other hand atop it again, closing his eyes. "Ya See... The Void Bo$$es Are Short Some Members And, Well, Youse Guys Are Short Some... Well, Everything. Sooo, I, Being The Superboss Of The Void Bo$$es Thought... Youse Guys Could Work For Us In The Shadows, Take Back Your Land From The Mechanica, And, Well, Do Whatevah Youse Guys Want!"

It all seemed like a dream come true, but there was still... That price to pay. "All We Need Is..." Dr. Money paused, for dramatic effect, "Your Souls." His voice became deep and serious at the notion, and his eyes opened up with a reddened shine to them. "You Will Work With The Soulless Beings Known As 'Zero Worlders', Who Lost Their Souls For Doing Very, Very Bad Things In Their Lifetimes..." Dr. Money gave a fake sniffle. "... So, We're Putting Your Guys' Souls On Ransom For A Job Well Done, Ya See?" Dr. Money tapped his cane on the ground a few times before continuing with fervor, "You'll Keep Your Souls In Your Body And Retain Your Beings As Valparaiso Denizens, -- Unlike The Zero Worlders, Who Have Completely Lost Their Souls From Their Bodies -- But You Will Still Be Under The Direct Command Of The Void Bo$$es." Dr. Money's eyes narrowed. "Call It Insurance. In Case Youse Ever Think Of..." His eyes gleamed, "... Turning On Your Bosses." He knew they didn't know what it was like to be a Zero Worlder, and he wasn't going to tell them what that was like... They could just experience it if they ever decided that they would turn a hand to the Void Bo$$es.

Dr. Money: "So... We Got Ourselves A Deal...?"

The Valparaiso Denizens were desperate, and it didn't sound like a bad deal. Some of them had already been snatched up by the beings they stole the power of darkness from and hadn't come back. They understood that this would be a much better deal, despite their souls being on the line.

"We ain't got much of our souls left anyway," the older man sad. "You got yourself a deal, pal." The Valparaiso Denizens all mumbled to themselves about what was next and how they were going to be treated, so the older man that was the mouth for them asked, "What's the first thing we gotta do... Boss?"

Dr. Money gave a prize-winning smile and instantly a flash of light would consume the Valparaiso Denizens as well as he, himself, in the gleam. His gaudy limousine as well as whatever associated with him were all taken by the flash of light.