The First Age

The night after Pyotr had met Jensen had been as bad as he had thought it would be. He had to deal with the sickness and spent more time throwing up than anything else. He wasn't aware that the sickness had been driven from him, and the only reason he got sick was because he was anxious about getting sick. He didn't think much about how the whole ordeal with sit with Marcus.

Now that he had fought the sickness away, Pyotr had time to think about it, and Marcus wouldn't be very happy with him. He wanted him to keep his abilities secret, but now two other people knew what he could do. It was that damn block. Why couldn't it be something simple like he could only use his Luck when he was happy or something? Why did it have to be unpleasant?

He was back at work waiting tables. It looked as if there were some high class people there and it gave Pyotr an idea. Maybe he could find out some information for Marcus. He could use his position to spy on people, but most of the time, people quieted as he approached their table. He would have to try to listen the way Marcus listened. He would have to use his Luck again, but that meant he'd have to embarrass himself. Pyotr sighed as he finished get dressed in his work uniform. He had a feeling this would be a bad day.


Edited by Pyotr Grigory, Sep 4 2014, 12:29 PM.

Pyotr was dressed and ready to go, his thoughts on how he could help Marcus today - and how he could actually embarrass himself without getting yelled at or losing his job. The thing was, he was doing really well too. His confidence was higher than ever and he didn't really want to get embarrassed, but felt compelled to have something to give Marcus the next time they met.

Pyotr closed his locker and breathed deeply. He was ready to go when he heard footsteps coming into the room. There were at least two individuals approaching, maybe more. The rest of the staff was arriving for their shifts. Pyotr checked his pockets and apron to make sure he had everything he needed when he heard a voice.

"Heya Pyotr"


Pyotr sighed again and thought, God, not today.

Yegor walked into the locker room with Raul and Stanislav. He wasn't in the mood to work today but eh. Gotta do what you gotta do, right? Probably wouldn't be too bad. As long as those douchebag higher ups didn't complain too much. Bastards, always acting like they were better than him. He shrugged. Then he saw Pyotr standing there facing his locker and he smiled. Heh, now this might be fun.

"Heya Pyotr!"
he said in a friendly way, clapping him on the shoulder. "How's it going man?"
He glanced over at Stanislav. The guy had opened his locker and had pulling his Adidas track suit jacket over his shaved head. "Heard the boss was pretty proud of you the other day. Got to serve at the Ascendancy's table. Nice, man."
He paused, then casually asked. "Didn't something get spilled though?"



Edited by Marcus DuBois, Sep 4 2014, 11:05 AM.

Fucking Yegor. Pyotr had known Yegor for awhile and they didn't get along. To be more specific, Yegor enjoyed finding things to harass Pyotr about. It had been going on for years. The problem was, the guy was popular and often people followed his lead.

Pytor looked back for a minute and saw that Raul and Stanislav were with him. Typical. Those two followed him everywhere. Yegor did what he usually did, pretended to be friendly before finding something to quip about. In this case - Anthony's accident at the Christmas Dinner.

"I didn't spill anything - someone else came to my table. The Ascendancy was pleased with my service."


Pytor turned back to his locker, but his gaze fell upon Stanislav as he removed the top of his track suit. Pyotr had never seen the Gopnik topless before. Pyotr's eyes lingered for a bit admiring the way...

Pyotr completed the turn of his head. Shit!
Pytor thought. He'd just given Yegor ammunition.

Yegor listened to Pyotr's whiny explanation and rolled his eyes to Raul. When he looked back he saw Pyotr totally checking out Stanislav. He burst out laughing. To Stanislav, "HAHAHAHAHA! Dude, Pyotr's checking you out!"


He slapped Pyotr on the back. "Heh. So you like guys, huh?"
He put on a sad face. "Got no love for me? Huh?
Then he smirked. He wasn't going to do anything to the pansy- he wasn't going to lose his job- but he could embarrass him about.

Pytor was embarrassed and felt his luck surge into him. He wasn't embarrassed for what he was, he was embarrassed that he had gotten caught. Yegor and his cronies laughed. Stanislav moved towards Pyotr, and Pyotr tensed up, but Yegor stopped him with a hand. Yegor was smart enough to know that a fight would get them all fired, and content enough with verbally harassing him. Everything in him wanted him to lash out at Yegor with the power, but he didn't. He would use it to help Marcus - he could deal with the asshole later.

Yegor made more derogatory comments at him. Pyotr didn't answer - feeling too embarrassed to come up with anything to say. He wanted to hit the man though, but Raul and Stanislav would join in the fight - especially with Stanislav wanting to hit him. As Yegor spoke, Pytor heard more footsteps approaching. He racked his brain to think of who else was scheduled today - it was Pavel - the new guy. Great - another person to make fun of him.

Pavel's glare at Yegor and his gang spoke differently though. "Leave him alone, Yegor. It's not the double-zeros anymore. No one cares, and it's not like it's any of your fucking business anyways."


Pavel gave Pyotr an encouraging look and Pyotr returned the look with a slight nod of gratitude as Pavel moved to get ready for work. It wasn't often that people stood up for him, and Pyotr stood a little taller at that. It felt good to not be alone.

Yegor heard footsteps and then saw the new guy, Pavel, glaring at him. "Leave him alone, Yegor. It's not the double-zeros anymore. No one cares, and it's not like it's any of your fucking business anyways."


Yegor gave him an insolent grin. "Just messing with him man."
He really didn't care all that much who or what Pyotr wanted to stick it in- or be stuck, for that matter. It wasn't a big deal. But guys like Pyotr- weak, spineless, bumbling- for some reason just being around them pissed him off and he couldn't help himself. Little bitches just running around, scared. Scared of him.

Sometimes, though, he thought he was doing them a favor. Pick on them enough that they either grow a thicker skin- hey the world was a cruel place and people needed to learn that young so they could deal with it- or stand up to him. If Pyotr, right now, told him off, stepped up to his face, then Yegor would give him a real smile- a genuine one- and would have clapped him on the shoulder. A man would stand up to him.

Instead, when he looked back at Pyotr, he could see the sullen resentment behind his eyes, but, as always, Pyotr refused to meet his gaze, shifting his eyes, looking down. His shoulders hunched.

Disgust welled up in Yegor, filled him with it. His eyes were filled with contempt. Softly so only Pyotr could hear, lip curled, he said "Come on man. Don't be a pussy."
Stanislav watched, as did Raul and Pavel. Loudly he laughed and looked back at Pavel. He wasn't gonna lose his job for this mincing baby. "Pyotr knows we're just having a little fun with him. Don't get your panties in a twist."
He mock-good naturedly softly punched him on the arm. Ok, maybe not so soft. He still was disgusted. But Pyotr could take it, he was sure. "Don'tcha man?"
The contempt was still there.

Yegor hit him on the arm, feigning a good-natured buddy punch. It kind of hurt, but Pyotr resisted the urge to bring his hand up to run his arm. He didn't need to give Yegor more ammunition. He was glad he had to be on the floor soon. Getting some information for Marcus would get his attention on other things.

Pavel standing up for him though made him feel bolder. Pavel was slightly turned, watching the situation unfold. If things went wrong, he would stand with Pyotr. He felt the confidence he had at the Christmas dinner come back.

It was still difficult to meet Yegor's eyes. "Go away Yegor. I don't want to deal with your shit today. I have tables to wait on."


Pyotr grabbed rest of his stuff and moved to get to work. He had better things to do than to argue with Yegor.

Wonder of wonders, the little pussy wormed up his courage and after a moment, met his eyes. "Go away Yegor. I don't want to deal with your shit today. I have tables to wait on."


Yegor stepped to him, chin out, looking down at him, challenging in his eyes, daring him. "Yeah? You don't, huh?"
He held the moment, saw the panic in Pyotr's eyes. He wanted to look away, Yegor could tell, but he didn't. Then his face broke into a sneering smile. He still didn't like the guy, but he'd give him a pass this time."Just messin with ya, bra."


He stepped back started walking to the back where his locker was to change.

[Pyotr modded with permission]

Yegor let him pass, and Pyotr immersed himself in his work. The embarrassment had gone away and Pyotr had lost hold of the power. In order to spy for Marcus, he would have to embarrass himself somehow. It made him frustrated.

Embarrassing yourself on purpose, as it turns out, is rather difficult. It became easier when one of his customers was the spilled spaghetti man.

"Nope. Not doing this today - I want another table."


The reminder of that day and the fact that the man not only remembered it, but was calling Pyotr out on it, brought red to his face in embarassment and he could feel his luck flowing through him again.

He tried the trick Marcus had done, but realized that he had never seen it. When Marcus had first used it, he had been instructed to focus on his work as if it wasn't happening, and the second time, Marcus had approached him from behind. Pyotr had no idea how to do it.

Spilled spaghetti man was now seated at one of Yegor's tables. He gave Pyotr a mean glare as he sat. Yegor was bringing out some wine for another table - both a bottle and some glasses. Pyotr, although frustrated that he couldn't use his luck to spy for Marcus, felt the need to use it anyways, and he could do a simple thread of air. He posisitioned it low to the ground a few feet ahead of Yegor. As Yegor met with the thread, he fell, appearing to trip over his own feet.

The wine bottle broke on the floor and Pyotr noted that it was an expensive vintage. The glasses, however, landed right in the lap of the spilled spaghetti man.

"Goddammit!"
the man shouted as Yegor quickly began utter apologies and the manager came out to see what the issue was.

Pyotr felt a clap on his back and turned to see Pavel. "Karma's a bitch isn't it?"


Pyotr smiled at that. "It is indeed."