Work Text:
Clown sits relaxed on his throne, his masked cheek resting on his right fist. The tilted mask looks more threatening than normal. His eyes follow Ferre as he re-enters the castle with the unarmed men in tow. The Sheriff Cat locks eyes with the mask immediately while his Deputy’s head is on a swivel looking at the guards around the castle and whatever other details he deems necessary information for him. Clown couldn’t care less about the Deputy; his eyes are on the Sheriff. The man who asked for this meeting in the first place. Ferre leads them to the base of the dais before stopping them and stepping up a few stairs to be at Clown’s side, Lettuce bows his head in reverence to him, but just enough to acknowledge his power above him, not an inch more. It’s enough for Clown’s attention. For now. He continues to watch the cat in silence.
“Lord ClownPierce,” Lettuce begins with a lilt of question in his voice at the use of the title, “I thank you for allowing this audience.” Clown tilts his head more to the right in acknowledgement. Lettuce continues, “I was hoping to establish a direct trade agreement with you.”
“Now why would I,” Clown begins, tenting his gloved left hand on his chest in a dramatic way before turning it to point at the cat with his palm facing the ceiling of the castle, “direct trade with you?” Clown finishes.
“While I trust your trade with Merchant City has been…lucrative. I wish to discuss terms with you that would benefit your people and mine. Direct trade with my people may help your people in the long run.” Lettuce states.
“Do you have anything but empty words to trade with me now?” Clown asks, boredom clear in his voice.
“On my person now, no. But trading with The Law can guarantee no further intruders into your realm. We may better enforce the destruction of any and all nether portals our patrols come across. We may also be able to find you Overworld supplies that you might be lacking.” Lettuce continues to negotiate. Clown blinks slowly behind his mask, considering the cat’s words.
Clown sits up straight in his chair languidly, “It has been annoying to keep the players out of my realm. But I still require more.” Ferre and Clown look at each other for a moment, as if having a private conversation that only they understand. Clown sighs and stands slowly, picking up his mace from his throne as he does, “Let me show you something, Sheriff. But the Deputy must stay here.”
“As you say.” Lettuce states, nodding to Ace. Ace seems a little uncomfortable, but nods and stays where he is as Clown waves Lettuce to follow him further into the castle. Ferre and the rest of Clown’s guards stay in the main room, watching the deputy.
Clown guides Lettuce out of the main hall further into the castle, his cape settling into a soft sway on his back, “There is a harsh reality to this server. One that not many have come to understand yet.” Lettuce remains quiet as Clown unlocks a door for him, “The supplies on this server are dwindling faster than many think.” Clown motions for Lettuce to look at the potion supply barrels around the room.
Lettuce steps forward carefully and begins to look through the barrels. Netherwart is fine, but many of the other required potion supplies are dwindling to low stacks. Especially blaze rods, “What? How?”
“The mob cap for the most part has driven my blaze farms to extinction. Magma creams are following quickly. Some of the re-growable ones like Netherwart are fine. But when the blaze rods go completely, so do potions.” Clown states, watching the exploring cat, “The Invisible Mafia damaged our server beyond repair. My people are salvaging what is left of their supplies that the whole server hasn’t, but many supply depots are found detonated instead of looted.”
Lettuce turns towards Clown, his brows furrowed, “What does that mean for this server?”
“The server is dying. A slow painful death. I’m a pragmatist, there is no solution to the end of the server. But idealists like Parrot are what is delaying the death of this server.” Clown remarks, tilting his head.
“What do you propose then?” Lettuce asks, partially distracted by his own racing thoughts of solutions.
“I will trade with your Law predominantly, but I need good trades and I need you to do something for me that I have not been ever able to achieve.” Clown remarks, motioning the cat out.
“And what is that?” Lettuce asks, nervously.
“I need you to help the server die. I need you to kill Parrot.” Clown states. Lettuce is stunned to silence, his eyes tracing the unreadable mask.
“You want me to…kill Parrot?”
“I don’t just want you to. I need you to. It is the only way for the server to have a quicker death. Without him, the server will rot and die. Just like it needs to. So, do we have a deal?” Clown asks, holding his hand out to Lettuce, palm up.
Lettuce considers many thoughts at once before nodding slowly and grabbing Clown’s hand, shaking it, “Pleasure doing business with you, Lord ClownPierce.”