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Post by Dante on Jul 28, 2010 2:14:35 GMT -5
That'll be something to watch out for when reading the story, sure enough.
Edit: How's that for a compliment, Tiago - this thread is five pages long and you haven't even started posting the fic itself yet.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Jul 28, 2010 6:24:15 GMT -5
I wonder if this hidden thing will be an object or a concept?
And five pages it is! Good work.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jul 28, 2010 7:42:06 GMT -5
@dante: Oh well, I'm just really glad everyone's been enjoying YASoUE so far, thank you all for the awesome feedback.
@sherry Ann: You'll see! And thanks!
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jul 28, 2010 8:38:07 GMT -5
I'm going to have to make sure I pay extra close attention to the details in every chapter now. ^_^ @sherry Ann: I suppose the 'thing' could even be a person, maybe. After all, many things have proven to be possible in the world of A Series (and Yet Another Series) of Unfortunate Events.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jul 30, 2010 17:07:25 GMT -5
Guys, I have an annoucement concerning the release date of the first chapter of TCC, which I previously said it would be posted July 31st, it will actually be availabe next August 1st due to my being out of town and without steady internet access. I'll post the first chapter FIRST thing when I get back. I humbly apologize! - - - - - Get greedy
August 1st
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Jul 31, 2010 10:14:17 GMT -5
Thank you for the head's up regarding TCC, Tiago - you're so sweet and considerate! Don't worry, though, as these things happen, and, really, an extra day to wait is nothing. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we'll all be here, waiting eagerly for the debut of Chapter 1, when you get back. ^_^
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Post by JTB on Jul 31, 2010 17:10:19 GMT -5
Looking forward to it, Tiago!
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Aug 2, 2010 13:55:45 GMT -5
Chapter One The concept of luck is well known to many. People who are lucky enough to know what having luck is actually like probably have no idea how hard it is being someone who goes through life without ever having much of it, for an instance, the Baudelaire orphans. Violet, Klaus, Sunny and Beatrice Baudelaire hadn't know much luck in their lives, specially Beatrice, who became an orphan shortly after her very birth. So far, they had very few portions of luck, specially when they were on the verge of losing everything - their own lives included. But it would be wrong to say that they were not lucky, at least to a certain extent. They had been lucky to have made out of Funeral Factory Fulfillment alive, as well as many dangerous places before that. They were lucky to have survived yet another fire at Montague Manor, and they were very lucky to not have been at Anwhistle Aquatics when the tidal wave hit it. They were that lucky, but I'm sorry to say the Baudelaires were in for a rather unlucky period of their lives, because of all places the wheel of fortune can take you, the worst place would probably be Luck Island. 'Luck Island?' Klaus, asked, consulting an atlas of the City's coastal area. There was indeed an island called Luck Island off the shore of the city. The atlas was outdated, having been inside the Elizabethan Whistle for so long, and it still displayed the location where Hotel Denouement once stood. 'I thought we were heading for the Casanova Casino?' 'We are.' Lars confirmed. He had placed the Elizabethan Whistle's direction on auto-pilot, and the yacht crossed the seas leaving a foamy white track behind it. Violet, Sunny and Beatrice were in the kitchen, with Sunny cooking, Violet fixing a coffee machine, and Beatrice playing with Wayne's bat whistle. 'Casanova Casino is on Luck Island. It is a gambling resort where the rich go to unwind, win and sometimes lose lots of money. I also know it to be crawling with mobsters from Italy, or so I've heard. It's best that we maintain a low profile if we want to retrieve the sugarbowl from Esmé Squalor.' 'I still can't believe she has it.' Violet said, as she closed the lid of the coffee machine. 'After so much time and effort spent guarding it...And Elizabeth, and Wayne, and all the volunteers aboard the Anwhistle Aquatics...They're all...' 'Don't finish that sentence, Violet.' Lars Gabriel said. 'Pessimism does not become any of you. Trust me, Elizabeth and Wayne are safe. I can't tell you where they are, but you'd be surprised what Wayne's bats can do. I couldn't train them to do any of it to save my life... Anyways, we have to think positive if we want to get out of Luck Island alive, with the bowl.' He added, and then set in a comfortable blue velvet armchair. 'We're entering enemy turf, Baudelaires.' Turf is a word which here means 'place of one's dominance' and one in this case, a family of wealthy, dangerous criminals. 'The Casanovas are from Italy. They're mobsters, and they don't play around. You stand in their way, they make sure you never do it, ever again.' Lars said, with a grim look on his face. 'One of their own gave me this.' Lars said pointing to the scar that crossed his face. If his face were a clock, it would be 4 in the afternoon. The scar was not very deep, but it was the only thing ruining what would be otherwise a completely attractive face. The Baudelaires barely knew Lars - the events at Anwhistle Aquatics took less than a day - but they already felt pretty close to him. Going through such horrible things as what they had gone together at the sea station brings people together faster, and Lars had proven he could be trusted. 'I don't know where that devil is now, but I get a bad feeling he might actually be here.' said Lars. 'Here?' Klaus asked. 'Yes. It seems we've arrived at our destination.' As Violet, Klaus, Sunny, Beatrice and Lars went up and out of the yacht onto the upper deck, they saw the sillhouette of a shore, and not far from it, the lights from what looked like a town built on the ocean. Raising their eyes from such unique sight, they saw it. Casanova Casino stood, and the Baudelaires were very surprised to see that the Casino was shaped like a heart. A very large sign with lights that spelled out 'CASANOVA CASINO' could be read, even from such a distance, and they all realized just how big the Casino really was. The area around the casino was shining with bright lights, and as night fell, this gave the sky around the casino a red tint, making the casino seem that more ominous. Pillars of red light moved around the casino, and the Baudelaires were again surprised to notice the heart shapes that appeared in the clouds as the lights hit them. Everything was red, red like blood. Before they could fully aprehend the view, their views were blocked as they approached the harbor. 'What is this place?' Sunny asked. If the Baudelaires didn't know better, they would say they were in Venice, Italy. The town which they arrived at was identical to the postcards the Baudelaire parents had sent them when went to Venice a few years back, and even Beatrice was no stranger to the gondolas, the canals, the doors that seemed to lead straight into the water, the bridges...'Is it.. Venice?' A bewildered Violet asked Lars. ' Little Venice, actually. This pretty much sums up just how wealthy the Casanovas really are. They had a replica of Venice built, for when they would feel homesick.' Lars explained, with a disgusted look on his face. He clearly did not think big of the Casanovas despite their wealth and fame. 'Choppa!' shrieked the little Beatrice, startling everyone else aboard the Elizabethan Whistle. She was pointing up, towards the sky, and Sunny did not need to translate Beatrice's speak when they all looked up. A red helichopter was flying in the sky, and it heard a big heart symbol with two C's inside it, and another symbol the Baudelaires could not quite make out as the helichopter flew by. 'Esmé.' Violet said. Whatever had happened at the Anwhistle Aquatics after they left, Violet was sure that helicopter was sent there to pick up the three vicious villains, Esmé Squalor, Captain Stubb - formerly known as a butler and Foreman Ferguson before that - and Carmelita Spats, and their not-at-all-villainous captive, Cindry Fulfillment. 'Are you sure?' Sunny asked. 'It's bound to be her. It's coming from the same direction as ours.' Klaus uttered. The chopter approached the Casino, and got out of their view. 'It's probably landed. Quick, we have to find out if it's really her, and if it is, we need to infiltrate the Casino and find a way to steal it back.' Lars said. He went to prepare the Elizabethan Whistle to make port. As the Baudelaires looked at the ominous landscape before them, their only thought was that they would need all the luck in the world to survive this place, and I'm afraid to say that they indeed needed all luck to escape Casanova Casino.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Aug 2, 2010 14:49:29 GMT -5
Escape Casanova Casino?
Great first chapter. It seems there are equally rich families on both sides of the schism.
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 2, 2010 17:02:43 GMT -5
I agree, that was a very excellent first chapter. I especially enjoyed the explanation of Lars' scar, which adds that much more uniqueness to his character. Personally, I find scars to be very sexy. I loved as well the descriptions of Casanova Casino and the helicopter that - I shall assume with everyone else for the time being - is carrying everyone's favorite fashionable villainess. ;D I'm looking forward to the next chapter, and I can't wait to meet the Casanova family!
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Aug 2, 2010 20:34:05 GMT -5
Chapter Two 'He's taking too long.' Violet Baudelaire said as she waited in a seaside café in one of the few dry areas of Little Venice, Luck Island. She was accompanied by her brother, Klaus, and her sister Sunny, and their adoptive sister, or daughter, Beatrice. The four Baudelaires waited their volunteer friend, Lars Gabriel, as he had went to fetch them new disguises. They couldn't enter the casino in the clothes they doned without being instantly noticed, and being noticed was the last thing they wanted. 'Can I get you anything else?' Said a young waitress, as she approached the Baudelaires' table. She drew out a red pen and a heart shaped notebook. They noticed her uniform was red and made with a heart pattern fabric. 'Excuse me, miss, but why is this place so empty?' Klaus felt compelled to ask. They had been waiting for the past couple hours just outside the tiny café, and during the whole time, only two couples had come there. 'Oh, this place is fuller during the day. At night, no one wants to leave the Casino.' she said. 'Oh, wow. Must be a hell of a place.' Klaus added, trying to find out whatever he could about the place he was about to infiltrate in along with his sisters. 'It is. No one who come here ever wants to leave. Unless, of course, they lose everything, and they end up working here, or are sent back to the continent on the Fortune Ferry.' the waitress girl said. It was really a quiet night if a waitress could be spending time talking with customers instead of waiting tables. 'Well, here's the menu again,' she said, placing a heart shaped booklet on the table. 'If you want anything else. I'll be there, call me if you need anything.' and saying this, she left and went back to the bar. 'I'm not sure I like this place.' Violet said, as she skimmed through the menu. 'Why? It's a nice little café, and it has a lovely view.' Klaus added. 'Not this place, I mean this whole island. How come we have never heard of Luck Island?' 'It says here on the menu it was a secret surprise project, a gift of Italy to our country, and that it was just finished.' Klaus said, pointing to a side note on the menu with tidbits about Luck Island and Casanova Casino. 'Oh, look!' Sunny said, poiting to the corner. Lars was there, carrying a red bag. He made a sign and the Baudelaires left their tab money on the table, rushing to his side, but carefully. 'I don't mean to be whiny, but what took you so long, Lars?' Violet asked. 'Sorry, I had to get too many things. I also needed to steal...money.' Lars said, the look on his face denouncing expectance of disapproval. 'Steal?' As the Baudelaires had previously experienced, it was often in the life of those who are noble that they would need to do villainous things to survive, like setting fire to a hotel, lying to one's parents, or not answering calls from friends, or as they would soon find out, cheating in a game of roulette. 'Yes. In the Casino, you have to have entrance money, or else they kick you out. I have all the money we'll be needing, if we need to gamble our way there.' 'Gamble?' Klaus exclamated. 'Not any of us know how to gamble, Lars. Violet is hardly old enough to gamble, and so am I. Not to mention Sunny and Bea.' 'I'll teach you everything you need to know. I didn't tell you how I knew so much about the Casanovas, did I? How else do you think I would have gotten this?' said Lars, pointing to his scar once again. 'I lost everything at the roulette. It was rigged, I later found out, but it didn't matter. I couldn't prove it, and one of the Casanovas then decided to teach me a lesson for telling others about it.' Upon seeing the expressions the Baudelaires' faces had assumed, Lars added, 'Yes. How do you think they have become so wealthy? Many of the games and machines are rigged. You have to be really good to survive here. Otherwise, they will rob you of your every last penny.' 'That's an absurd.' Violet said. 'We've never gambled before, I don't know how we could do it without getting in debt with mobsters.' Now more than last time the Baudelaires felt they were in a crossroads in their lives. Except all roads now seemed to lead to their demise. 'We probably won't have to gamble. Here.' said Lars, opening his red bag. 'I've stolen uniforms of the Casino Employees, and two dresses for Sunny and Beatrice, they'll pose as my daughters. You can change in that small alleyway over there.' Feeling the least confident they had ever felt, each Baudelaire orphan grabbed his own uniform. Violet's had a label with ' Roulette Dealer' on it, while Klaus had a red uniform with a label marked ' Blackjack Dealer'. They all took turns in changing in the dry alleyway behind the café, and each put their original clothes inside the red bag. Lars simply tossed it on the canal, and the bag sunk with a bubbling sound of water. They didn't feel like protesting, as the clothes they were given back at the Anwhistle Aquatics were pretty worn-out and the new ones felt fresh and clean. 'Now let's ride a gondola to the Casino.' Lars said, as they headed to the area where many small venetian boats known as gondola floated. 'Is the Casino on water too?' Klaus asked. From what they had seen at sea, they couldn't really tell. 'No, the Casino is set on dry land, it is at the very center of this island. All canals in Little Venice lead to a single canal that leads straight to a harbor in the middle of the island, from where we can go up to the Casino by land.' 'You seem pretty familiar with this place.' Klaus said, not knowing how to feel about it. 'Bad memories die hard, Klaus. Now, let's go.'
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Post by Christmas Chief on Aug 3, 2010 5:21:27 GMT -5
This just gets better and better! I wonder how Violet and Klaus will do as they pose as dealers; that certainly sounds like an interesting scene.
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Post by Hermes on Aug 3, 2010 10:54:41 GMT -5
Excellent so far!
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Post by Emma “Emmz” Squalor on Aug 3, 2010 11:04:11 GMT -5
Fabulous chappy, Tiago! I liked the story behind how Lars' got his scar. Knowing how it occurred, I imagine it makes him feel less guilty about having to steal from the casino.
From the looks of things, excitement and suspense are just a chapter away from unfolding!
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Aug 3, 2010 14:31:18 GMT -5
Chapter Three After riding the gondola through the canals of Little Venice, the Baudelaires arrived at a harbor like area, and dismissed the gondola and it's gondolier, a word which here means 'captain of a very small vessel used in Venice, Italy' a tip. As they climbed the stairs, they heard many noises, music, laughter and other sounds they couldn't quite make out. Arriving at the top of the stairs, they saw a large square, and across it, a hedge fence that seemed like a wall. In the middle of it, a gate, shaped like a heart. There were metal spikes coming out of the hedge fences, and they followed the shape of the heart gate. Looking up, the heart-shaped building with it's ominous red, and the windows which were too, shaped like hearts. On the top of the building, a gigantic casino sign with lightbulbs that blinked in alternance, spelling out 'CASANOVA CASINO'. Columns of red lights swept the night sky, surely being emitted from the casino's grounds, turning the sky a dark red. The overall atmosphere of the place was that of a place where anything can happen. There were two men by the gate, two male security guards wearing red pinstriped suits and heart-shaped dark glasses, which struck the Baudelaires as strange, it being nighttime. 'What are you employees doing here? No one is allowed to leave the casino at night, you know it! I don't think we can let this slide for free!' said one of the security guards. 'Yes, certainly not for free, if you know what we mean.' 'You bet I do.' Lars reached his back pocket and removed a couple dollar bills from it. Folding the bills, he put his hand out as if he was intending to shake hands with one of the two guards. The guard smiled, and shook hands with Lars, at the same time withdrawing the money, and quickly stuffing it into his jacket's inner pocket. 'Well, I guess we can forget about it. I've been having memory loss as of late, haven't I, Tony?' said the guard. The other guard called Tony smiled. 'Yeah, me too, Pauly. I guess it must have been all those heartinis, eh?' 'Heartinis?' Lars asked. 'Yeah, the new in type of party drink. It's a martini served with heart-shaped jelly in it. Mighty good. Please, proceed.' The two so-called security guards opened the gate, and Lars and the Baudelaires crossed it. They arrived at another large square, this one more striking than any other square the Baudelaires had seen, and they had seen a squared covered by a multitude of crows. In the middle of the square there was a tall fountain with a gigantic sculpted heart. The fountain was illuminated by bright red lights, and all around the square, trees that had been trimmed to resemble hearts. Across the square, the large entrance to the casino could be seen, and on either side of it, behind the spiked hedge walls, several heart shaped trees, and a little further, heart-shaped archs of a shiny red material. 'We should best head for the Casino. Now remember, Baudelaires. This is no place to be kidding around. If we get split, let's agree to meet at the back, in the courtyard.' Lars said, as he led the Baudelaires around the fountain and across the square. The entrance to the casino was a heart shaped door, in a checkered, heart-like structure. Whoever planned they casino went a tad overtop on the 'hearts' theme, the Baudelaires thought. 'This is it. Be careful.' Lars whispered to the Baudelaires as they entered the Casino. They first arrived at a room where several security guards stood, in order to frisk newcomers. Frisk is a word which here means 'to do a body search on another', which is usually very unpolite if you do ask the person being frisked for permission beforehand. Violet, almost a full-fledged woman, felt particularly uneasy about being frisked, and Klaus certainly did not want anyone laying their hands on his sister. Thankfully, the security guards were just as susceptible to bribery as their previous colleagues were; with a money-filled handshake, Lars settled the matter. The security guards opened a set of double doors, and the Baudelaires followed Lars in. 'This is it, Baudelaires. Casanova Casino. You'll never find a place filled with greedier, bloodthirstier people, not in the West Coast.' Lars whispered, as he led the Baudelaires through a series of tables. Several gamblers gathered around, and the Baudelaires could spot a few who had big greedy smiles on their faces, and some who looked absolutely mortified; the losers. Gambling was not for everyone, and all the Baudelaires took mental notes not to get themselves involved with it, not as long as they didn't absolutely have to, which, if you are familar with the Baudelaires' luck - or lack of -, you know will happen sometime into this story. 'Those are the Poker tables. Poker is a very hard game, it's like a cult. If you're bad at it, it will end you. ' said Lars, pointing to a series of tables in the eastern most end of the large salon. A multitude of gamblers tried their luck, and soon Lars pointed in another direction. 'Those are the Blackjack tables. Blackjack is fairly easier, and there's a sure fire way to win, but if you get caught doing it in this casino, they break your legs.' 'Brutal, aren't they, the owners of this place?' Klaus felt compelled to comment. He didn't want to be there, nor did he want any of his sisters there either, but they had to. It was not their choice. The sugarbowl was somewhere inside the casino, and the Baudelaires would not leave without it. 'Brutal? That's an understatement. I hope we don't have the misfortune of meeting Don Casanova's three Knaves.' 'Knaves?' Sunny asked. 'Knaves are another way to refer to the Jack cards in the playing cards. There were four, but the fourth Knave hasn't been here for a while. You see, each person in the Casanova Family - that's how they call their gang, not just the biological relatives - receives a rank according to the cards and games. Don Casanova is the current King, but if I heard correctly, he's stepping down.' Lars said, using an expression that here means 'retiring'. 'You seem pretty well informed about this place, Lars.' Violet commented. She was not too sure of what to make of Lars' expertise on the Casanovas. 'You'll understand In time.' Lars said, poiting again towards his scar. 'Yeah, about that, Lars. Shouldn't you cover that up with a V.F.D. disguise kit?' Violet said. They were walking between the Blackjack and Poker table sections, all the while gamblers screaming, winning or losing. The casino was a very noisy place. 'I know. I brought this.' Lars said, removing a make-up kit from a V.F.D. disguise kit he apparently carried in his travel bag. 'I'll go apply it, stay here, the lot of you. I don't want you getting lost in here and running into the Casanovas. I hope I can stay with you in your journey for long, Baudelaires. I'll be right back.' said Lars, running off towards one of the restrooms of the casino, on the opposite side of the salon. Violet, Klaus, Sunny and Beatrice soon found themselves alone in the middle of a large casino, a place full of adults behaving like children as opposed to real adults, and this distressed them greatly. Not only were they alone, they had two enormous missions to accomplish at the Casino. 'Great. Now Lars has wandered off and we're all alone.' Klaus said. He quickly regretted saying so, as saying it only made the Baudelaires feel more like they once were, at the mercy of something that was much darker and powerful they could imagine. 'I don't know what we're supposed to do.' Violet said. Her female intuition told Violet things were not bound to go necessarily well, specially now that Lars had wandered off. They would meet him again, sure, but when? The thought of Lars disappearing from the Casino sent shivers down Violet's spine. But the shiver was cut short, when Violet saw something very interesting.
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