Pact witht he Devil (YenpointFive and tenn)

He raised a brow when she mentioned that Thyme had more magical charms than anyone else she knew. "Wait, has magic started being a common thing?" Chuck would have been damn surprised if that had been the case. He didn't even believe in that sort of thing until he could play the guitar like it was a part of him. Well, that and when he started running into mages in Hell. Apparently no, you did not automatically go to Hell for using magic but you can get yourself in trouble really easily with magical powers.

He didn't argue when she pointed to her bag, picking it up and waiting for her. "A woman after my own heart. You wear boots like that all the time by the way?" He asked, clearly finding some enjoyment in her chosen dress. Chuck really wasn't the sort of person that went to great lengths to hide his interest in someone, or the sort that let things like needed to get to know someone get in the way of checking out a cute girl who looked good in leather.

"Onward and upward then." He said, pushing the door open and wincing suddenly. "Was the sun always that damn bright?" He asked as he shielded his eyes a bit until they got adjusted, though he didn't seem particularly happy about it afterward either.

She laughed. "Wicken is the particular magic that Thyme is into. Its a ... religon surprisingly." She said lightly laughing as he went and got hte bag, she turned off all the lights and looked at her boots and grinned. "Darling - I dress to show myself off. I understand it is currently one of my greatest assets." She pointed out and locked up the house behind them.

Leading him to the car she unlocked the trunk. "Believe me, These boots are a favorite of mine. But not my only... pair of shoes." She closed the trunk as the suitcase was put in.

Then she moved getting behind the wheel. "Come on! Time to go see a Lady Witch and see if she's got some advice." She waited, Long enough for the man to get in and then cranked up the car, rolling down the windows, her car didn't have air conditioning. Backing out of the Driveway and heading for Thymes. the book across her lap. As she shifted gears and moved into town. "We'll have to talk about what you set for second Guitar, because until we get more than just us - I'm second. And I can play but... I didn't make that deal you did." Rachel said softly as she glanced at him. "We'll hit the bars on our way out west, try out songs and get used to eachother, and get some cash to keep going." She smiled. She was going out west with a man who was... well far more likely to get her where sh ewanted to go than not. And now that he wasn't Barbeque she liked what she was looking at. "And get you a wardrobe that's not my Ex's."

He rolled his eyes a little bit. Religion was not exactly something Chuck put much stock in, mostly since he had a better idea how Heaven and Hell worked than almost anyone on Earth and he still wasn't sure if there actually was a correct religion. "Well, it was either going to be that or your voice." Chuck admitted simply, clearly not too worried that he might offend her by overlooking some other good point. Chuck didn't exactly think too heavily about what he said before he did so, but on the up side that meant he was usually telling the truth.

He hopped into the car as she put her stuff in the trunk, seeming very fine with the idea that they might be going miles from here on nothing more than the contents of the car and their own skill and fortune. "Damn straight we're going to need another guitar. Don't get me wrong, my fingers and your voice are a force to be reckoned with, but those two alone don't really a band make." He said truthfully. "We may have to scrounge a bit to get a legit gig." He noticed her voice drop a bit when she mentioned that she hadn't made the deal he did and began to smirk in a way that suggested either malevolence or insanity, neither of which ought to be put past Chuck.

"Don't worry about that Rebecca... I didn't get where I am today without a bit of scheming. Maybe I can't teach you to play like I can, but given the fact that your voice is already top of what can be expected from a mere mortal, I was thinking, maybe all you need to do to surpass the top is learn another language." The word came across first as a sort of gutteral hiss or growl but somehow her mind formed it back into English. Even still, it was like a throbbing bass note inside of her brain. "I actually need to ask Thyme about that. I rather doubt she has what I have in mind, but maybe she can point us on the right path." Whatever his plans were for her he seemed to be willing to leave them at that and remain cryptic about it.

Rebecca looked sidelong at him when he said that. "And what Language in a gutteral hiss are you suggesting I learn?' she asked as they hit the parkinglot infront of the Magic store and came to an abrupt stop before she climbed out. "Come in if you like, don't if you dont' want to." before walking away from the car and into Thyme's shop. "Thyme! I need to return this."

The woman behind the counter was a beautiful woman in her own right, wearing gold, silver, precious stones. All of them had some form of magical property. "Why?" She asked curiously.

"Because It tried to summon a demon out of my Fireplace." Rachel said dryly.

Thyme looked shocked. Summoning magic was bad business - period. She didn't even dabble in it. "Oh my..." she took the book and flipped through it, Rebecca finally stopped her at the right page. Thyme read it through a couple of times. "huh..." she said and closed it. "Well, what kept you alive?"

Rebecca pointed at the man. "He stabbed the demon then climbed out." Thyme nodded a couple of times. "Now we're headed otu west to become Famous." Thyme gave another nod and then she reached below the coutner to the beautiful weapons on display and picked up a dagger handing it to Rebecca.

"Keep that on you - ALWAYS." She told her and hten pulled out another decorative beautiful sword. "This one is for him." she tapped it lightly. "I Bet he knows how to weild one." She smiled. "Cute number." She told Rebecca. "at leat you got a nice looking treat out of hell. Normally their all ugly."

"Angelic." He answered with a smile. "Works basically the same way as Demonic. It comes out like whatever language you think in but instead of sounding like a hell hound's cry it sounds like a symphony in each word. I've only heard it once or twice but if you want to make your voice do what my fingers do, it'd be a good place to start." He told her. Sure, her voice and his guitar skills were already going to be enough to propel them to the top but if you were going to get in trouble for surpassing mortal limits you might as well go all out with it.

He froze at the threshold of the shop for a good couple of seconds before taking a deep breath, shutting his eyes, and stepping inside. The change in the way he carried himself was obvious from the second he stepped in too. He looked... hungover, for lack of a better description. "Good magic..." He grumbled softly. There was to be little doubt that if he was actually a daemon he probably wouldn't have been able to walk into the shop. As it was he just didn't do particularly well with the setting.

When she handed the sword to him Chuck he gave it an experimental swing. There wasn't much in the way of style to what he did, he wielded it rather like it was a machete but watching him hold it you'd have thought that the heavy blade was weightless. "Thanks, for the sword and the compliment. I don't have cash but if you'd care to talk over payment plans I'm sure I could come up with something." He said with a little grin as he looked her over. Chuck definitely didn't have much in the way of shame.

Thyme smiled. "You're taking on protecting my friend from hell - I think thats payment enough for a spelled blade." She assured as she watched the two. Folding her arms across her chest. "And I'm not your type Handsome." She assured him. "She is though." She pointed at Rachel (her names Rachel. I'm not sure how I put rebecca originally) Who wrinkled her nose at Thymes blatant matchmaking.

"He watns me to learn Angelic." She told the woman.

"I have a book on it." Thyme said without much hessitatin.

Rachel stared at her. Thyme smiled and shrugged. "What? you're walking around with a very damned man. And you find Me owning a book on Angelic Verse weird?"

"YES!" she poitned. "he climbed out of my fireplace." She threw her arms up.

"Yes... well that book obviously has some que in Demonic in it.." She stared at the book hard. Then she shifted pulling a book with a beautiful white cover and lace. "here." She said pushing it to Rachel who stared at it dubiously. "No summong in that one. Promise." thyme responded and the woman picked it up slowly examining the pretty book.

Chuck rolled his eyes a little bit. "If you don't have wings and claws you're far closer to my type than I've been dealing with on a regular basis." He said, though he didn't exactly respond to her suggestion that Rachel might be more up his alley. He was already quite aware that he had a bit more in common with Rachel.

Chuck tried not to laugh at the exchange. Thyme obviously was smart enough to know the difference between High-Angelic and Low-Angelic. It was all magical in its own way, but High-Angelic, and its demonic counterpart, were reserved for spells. You didn't bumble through sentences in that language for fear that you might sear your flesh from your bones in a pillar of holy light.

When she promised that the book wouldn't summon anything up Chuck gave her a slightly quizzical look. "I should hope not. I highly doubt that angels are much less likely to kill me than demons are and I've got no experience killing them."

Thyme smiled as she looked at him tilting her head, the thick pile of necklaces shifting slightly with the muscles. "I doubt they'd be terribly inclined to kill you either. That whole redeeming your soul thing. Its what they do after all." She shrugged a little. "Basic Angelic shouldn't be to hard Rach, You managed a higher Demonic without knowing it. You should be able to master Angelic and know what your saying without to much effort." She handed her a necklace as well. "But just in case you find some random high anglic in there. Wear this." She then tapped the counter. "now! Off you two go. Public eye and so on and so on. Rachel has my number if she needs information or advice of the... not from hell Variety." She grinned.

Rachel rolled her eyes hooking the necklace around her neck. The pendant hit write betwee her bussom. "Lets go Chuck, I've gotta get you the start of a real wardrobe."

"Yes she does - Matt wasn't exactly star material." She waved at them as Rachel headed for the door.

He gave a soft grin that seemed far sadder than a smile ever should, a quick glance to the side making absolutely sure that Rachel wouldn't see the look he was giving Thyme. "Can't save something that's been sold." He pointed out very matter of factly. "I'm not even sure what's inhabiting this dead flesh, but it's probably not my soul." He pointed out, clearly having said all he intended to at this point. Thyme could probably realize that Chuck didn't want to get into the specifics of the eternity he'd bought himself infront of Rachel.

Chuck wasn't sure of who Matt was and frankly he wasn't the sort to ask. If Matt wasn't important that was the fact of the matter, if he was for the wrong reason, Chuck would beat him down with his bare hands whether the man brought fists, knives, or guns to the fight. Still, he felt he ought to weigh in on Thyme's comment. "Give me a good recommendation." He suggested quickly. It wasn't as if Rachel would be surprised by the fact that Chuck wanted to get into her pants.

"Alright. You are going to spring for leather right? I don't know what the kids are wearing these days but I know at least one person whose still Hell Bent for Leather." He said with a smirk, giving Thyme a little wave as they left. Chuck was one of those people who never really bothered with contact info but would never forget an important person as long as he lived.

The Witch smiled ever so slightly. "Things sold can be bought back." She assured. Thyme grinned at Chuck. "Glowing." She said with a wink. Chuck couldnt' run out on Rachel - well she supposed he could, but if he'd stuck around this long he was gonna stick around for a hot minute. Fast and furious. As they left Thyme waved at them. "When you need to buy it back handsome you come running!" She called.

Rachel laughed softly. "If by spring you mean cheep leather Jacket - then sure." She said as she climbed back into the car. "I've got... gas money, we've got groceries and I have a spare... 50 dollars until we hit hte first bar that will let us set up for some live entertainment." She told him point blank. "Hate to brek it to you Chuck, You're stuck in Matts left overs until we've weeded them out of the wardrobe one piece at a time." She lifted teh shirt off his chest and let it drop again.

As they Drove Rachel shifted. "Thyme liked you." She told him. "Guess she sees some good in that Hell-bent of yours." She grinned a little pulling into another parkign lot. "Alright... Lets... see if we can find you something. Figure you want a coat first as ... well your leather coat was in tatters."

He watched Thyme carefully. His eyes showed nothing that ought to hide behind a human's iris and he wasn't sure her eyes held a promise of anything better. "Just remember..." He said softly. "I'll never age. I'll never change my mind." He smiled as he stepped closer. "You want to take me up on that offer when you're feeling a younger than you really are thirty years for now, I'll pay my dues, you'll save my soul." Chuck promised. Whether or not Chuck was offering sexual favors to Thyme to be redeemed in as many years as she pleased or joking, no one was liable to guess. He also wasn't going to go into a discussion of what she thought she could trade for a human soul. Frankly, he wasn't sure he wanted to know about that.

"We're getting leather if you've got to strip for it." Chuck said as they left. "It can be hand-me-down, old as the hills, I'll wear a RAF war jacket if it takes it, but I'm getting some fresh leather against my skin." He said with a tone that suggested this was a bygone fact. "And while I'm dishing out ultimatums, pick your favorite Judas Priest song, we're doing a cover." He informed Rachel as they left.

He shrugged a bit when she suggested that Thyme saw some good in him. He wouldn't necessarily deny it but he couldn't exactly figure out what it was that she did see. He didn't bother on the jacket as they stepped out of the car, rather focusing on the song. "I'm thinking we go with Metal Gods." He said simply, clearly of the opinion that she'd have some idea of the discography of Judas Priest

Rachel smiled a little listening to him. "Sure." She could sing Judas priest, it was not a band she was particularly fond of so any song would do. It was something he seemed to want. Though with their particular situation - she had a feeling it wouldn't matter what they where singing people would come regardless. "Any other covers you want to do?" She considered it herself, if there was any in particular she wanted to do.

Stepping into the second hand store she went for the Jackets starting to look through them for something that would A: Fit him, B: fit the image of Metal Rocker - bomber jackets probably wouldn't. C: She could afford.

"Should Probably look at Alice in Chains as well." She observed as she glanced at him holding up a black leather Jacket - not quite as hip as the one he had had before, but intact and not military bomber jacket. "Hows this?"

((One of the hard parts of this is that I keep thinking up stuff I'd want to cover and having to go 'crap, Chuck was dead when they released that album))
"I'm thinking we cover some Ozzy while we're at it." He said. She was probably right about their ability to draw a reasonable crowd with any song they happened to play. Chuck could have probably made Twinkle Twinkle Little Star kick a fair amount of ass if he put his mind to it.

Chuck took the jacket from her when it was offered. It had a few worn spots but then again, this was a second hand store. If the half incinerated thing he'd been calling a jacket when they first met was any indication he'd probably wear this one till it was shreds too. "How do I look?" He asked, grinning like he already knew what the answer was.

"Who now? Bear in mind, I died in 1990." He said. She'd have to get him caught up on twenty plus years of music that he'd missed out on. Till then, Dio, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden were more the speed that she'd be stuck with.

"Crazy Train." She responded when he mentioned Ozzy. Chuckling a little as he examined the jacket she'd handed him. Honestly knowing Rachel she'd try to make Twinkle Twinkle adult. She'd managed it with a few of the other Lullibys.

She gave a little whistle at the coat. "Better than you did barbiqued." She responded lightly as she checked the price. "You're next piece of leather has to wait until we get some cash from a Gig." She told him. She'd been living gig from gig for years. She'd learned to piece. "I can make my Ex's clothes a little more rocker worthy though." She mused.

Walking off. "Alice in Chains? They're a Metal band. I believe I have a couple of their CDs out in my car." She told him. THey weren't much later she didn't think than what he was mentioning. "We'll get you caught up. I'm a music Junky." She promised as she took him to the counter to pay for the Jacket and then back out to the car. "There's a bar I hit when I had to come back this way they'll give me another shot at their mic." She told him.

Chuck's response to her suggestion just involved throwing up the horns, which was probably as good as a thumbs up when it came to the undead metal head.

"You think that was gnarly should see what I look like without a lower jaw. That sucked." He said with a little laugh. Clearly Chuck wasn't too terribly worried about the blood and gore that apparently came with being a walking corpse. "Don't worry about it. Blue jeans are still the universal pants, right?" He asked, seeming perfectly willing to accept that until such time as they could get some actual leather pants. He wore the jacket out, clearly thinking more about what their next move would be like. Clothing was done and his mind was on to bigger and better things.

Chuck grinned a bit when she mentioned that Alice in Chains was a metal band. "I assumed they weren't classical composers." He told her. He was willing to guess that she'd only picked a few years after his death. "Well let's get us a gig." He said with a smile. "And a beer." He added, not one to miss out on all that going to a bar could mean.

She laughed softly as they settled back into her car she reached between the seats stretching into her back seat for the sleeve of CDs. Soon settling back in to flip through the CDs until she found the one with Man in the Box on it. "Ironically you'd be singing." Sh e pointed out as she slipped it into the player and it began its heavy pulses into the car. "I have some Synthetic stuff that isn't to far from metal thats fun." she added as she put the case down and started the car.

Heading out. They could get several hours under their belt before they got to the bar. And that would put them a little closer to what they needed to do. "We'll hit the town the bar's in about 5 pm. Figure we'll get the gig squared away to start around 8, the two of us can do some practicing. There should be enough proceeds to get a room for the night." She also figured it'd top off her tank (The car was not gas efficent) and it would get some uncooked boots for him probably. She could do some cut work to make the pants and T-shirts more Rocker based.

She shifted the CDs in her lap Handing it to him. "As the CD ends put another one in. Lets get you caught up on some of the musical indevors going on."

One thing she'd noticed by now was that Chuck didn't wear a seatbelt. Then again, considering that being thrown from a car and breaking every bone in his body was only a minor setback there wasn't really too much of a reason he needed one. "I shall do my absolute best not to make an ass of myself." He said with a smug grin, clearly of the opinion that he could do no wrong. "Hey, I'll try anything once." He said as he flipped through the box, choosing largely by cover art or coolness of name.

Admittedly, the first few albums Chuck picked were artists who would have been famous when he was alive but it wasn't hard to guess what the important factor in the choice was. They were all published in 1991 or after. Chuck was catching up on bands he liked before he was dead. They never went more than a few moments before another CD was in the player (except for the first time when he tried to rewind the CD). He devoured music like a crack addict looking for his next hit.

"I'm going to like the future." He concluded as they neared their destination. "We're going to really need to pick up a drummer somewhere though. Also, I figure we can switch the guitar we do have between us. I sing, you play, I play, you sing. I'll avoid going into that weird Hell trance solo thing I do until the end because once I do that no one's going to want me to hand off the guitar." He said. It may have been brutally honest but in truth, only one of them had musical skill outside of normal human capabilities... for right now.

She looked at him for a moment. "I have an Acoustic and an Electirc. And they sound decent together." She told him. "So you can have one and I can. No problem." She assured the man as he flipped through her CDs. She had Everything from Country to Heavy Metal, Classic to Classical. She had learned early that everything could and did influnce everything else, Which meant that you could learn from everything and She had personally nothing against anything. Even rap and HipHop found their places in her CDs.

As they drove she shifted pulling off into a gas station about 3 hours in and got out stretching and Moved. "Want a Coke or snack?" She asked curiously into the door as she pulled her money out of the Pocket of her jeans. She had enough to fill up and get a drink/candy combination and it was back on the road and some fast talking to get to the bar and get a gig.

He'd forgotten about the acoustic guitar. "Works for me, but we really do need to get a second electric once we get some attention drawn to ourselves." He said. For the time being they could probably fly a bit under the radar and skim a bit of cash to work with. This was a problematic period though, still much too early for their deaths to be heavily questioned if Hell happened to catch up to them. Admittedly, he did feel a lot better with a sword on his person. He wouldn't have said no to more guns though.

Chuck hopped out of the car when they stopped, stretching his legs a bit as well. "I would do sinful, vulgar things for a Coca-Cola right now." He said with a bit of a grin, glad to see that soda apparently hadn't changed too much from the last time he was alive. When she returned to the car he'd pulled the acoustic out of the trunk and was sitting in the passenger's seat once more, working over some of the songs that he'd heard. He clearly had a good memory and what bits he forgot he just filled in with whatever he liked, which usually made for a pretty good cover anyway.

She chuckled some as she popped open the 20 ounce Coke for him. Handing it to the man. "You do make quite the good looking picture against my beaten up car." She said lightly a Cream Soda ini her other hand along with some Bugles. She loved the things. Watching him as the car finished pumping. He was cute. And if she didnt recall the whole dead and chased by hell element she was attracted. He needed out of her ex's clothes to finish up the picture.

"There's a Notebook full of Lyrics from As close to Metal as I've ever sang all the way to Synthtic if you want to start working." She responded. He was the music man now. Before she walked around the car, put the gas pump up and got in. When he was seated she started up the car and reset the Miles - then they where off again for the last 3 hour leg of the jounry.

TennTenshie said:

She chuckled some as she popped open the 20 ounce Coke for him. Handing it to the man. "You do make quite the good looking picture against my beaten up car." She said lightly a Cream Soda ini her other hand along with some Bugles. She loved the things. Watching him as the car finished pumping. He was cute. And if she didnt recall the whole dead and chased by hell element she was attracted. He needed out of her ex's clothes to finish up the picture.

"There's a Notebook full of Lyrics from As close to Metal as I've ever sang all the way to Synthtic if you want to start working." She responded. He was the music man now. Before she walked around the car, put the gas pump up and got in. When he was seated she started up the car and reset the Miles - then they where off again for the last 3 hour leg of the jounry.

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He grinned in response before taking a swig of the coke. The reaction was almost instant and she could practically see the shiver that ran down his spine. "Ohh god I've been missing caffeine..." He commented, taking another swig before screwing the top back on. Chuck seemed to be happy pretty much constantly, his good humor brought on by the smallest of things. Then again, for a man who'd spent the last 20 years in Hell you could imagine how every little thing might seem better than it had when he left.

When she gave him the notebook he flipped it open on his lap and set about finding a set of lyrics that he could fit a tune to. When he had something that worked he fished a pencil out of somewhere in the car and started scrawling guitar tabs in the margins of the notebook. Here and there he'd sing along, though most of the songs didn't quite sound right using his voice. Still, it gave him a better idea of the tune that they ought to follow. Here and there Chuck seemed to slip out of what your average person would call "conscious" and instead enter the trance again, at which point there was usually a haunting solo.

She liked listening to him as he toyed with the guitar, and worked up some music for the lyrics she'd written down. Though she was pulling into the parking lot by the time he came back from the next trance. "Let me go sweet talk a barmanager." She told him. 'Feel free to come in." She added as she climbed out of the car. Pulling her mass of black curls into a ponytail as she walked into the building.

Coming in she looked around the not quite open yet bar. She had discovered that when the owner was in the doors where unlocked. "James!" She called looking for the man.

"Ah if it isn't miss Rachel." He said as she walked in.

She grinned. "I'm heading back out west - need to make a little money. Have some entertainment lined up?"

"I have a guy who's due in at 11. I bet I can squeeze you in prior and perhaps at the same time."

She made a slight face but she hadn't planned this trip. "Hey, 5 to 11 isn't a bad window."

"No its not. Just a little slower and less drunk." He grinned. She laughed nodding. Looking to see if Chuck had come in. "I have back up this time." She told James.

Chuck's eyes unclouded and he looked around the car. He came to the conclusion that they'd been waiting in the parking lot for a little while and said nothing about it, though Rachel could assume from the smile that he was grateful for not being left in the car to play out the rest of the song without an audience.

"I'll defer to your inhuman qualities on this one. We can't all be outrageously good looking." He said as he hopped out of the car. Chuck kept the guitar slung on his back. As far as she could tell he felt more comfortable with an instrument strapped to him.

When they entered the bar he waited long enough for her to start speaking and then took a seat. In Chuck's defense he was planning on behaving. That wasn't to be though. He managed to let both of them say their piece before he spoke up. "Hi. I'm Chuck." He said, offering his hand to the barkeep, who he was assuming was also the owner. Rachel could already tell he wasn't going to behave himself. "I haven't met the man I'd open for, save for Ronnie James Dio. We'll give him a shot to play alongside us or open for us. We aren't opening for him." He said simply. Even with what Rachel knew from briefly knowing Chuck she doubted he was joking. Also, it was somewhat up to guesswork as to whether or not he knew Dio personally. Chuck had sort of forgotten he had a sword strapped to his back and might be a bit more intimidating than usual.

James blinked as the man said that. "Chuck." He shook his hand. "I'v got a schedule made for this kid ot play from 11 to when he's done or we close. You have to take the rest of it up with him." He responded. "You..." He pointed at the sword now. "Planning to wear that the entire time?" He was doing his best to stay calm in the situation.

Rachel eased an arm around Chuck's shoulders. "Who's going to want to play after us Chuck?" She asked curiously. Laughing some at his insistance that they wouldn't open for someone else. Resting against his back as she looked at the man. She had no problem playing the pretty arm candy - specially considering she was stuck with Mr. Chuck indefinately as it stood. "We'll handle your second act. Promise." She winked at James who nodded slowly.

Chuck rolled his eyes when James suggested that he had a schedule. This guy clearly had no idea who he was talking to. When asked about the sword Chuck got a wicked little grin. Under normal circumstances he'd have probably been agreeable. Daemons couldn't try to drag him back to Hell in front of this many people. Right now though, he was keeping the sword. "Yes" he said, still grinning as the word seemed to reverberate in a way that normal language didn't.

Chuck looked over at Rachel as her arm slipped around him. His arm looped around her waist, clearly seeming to enjoy having a beautiful woman close to him. When she suggested that no one would want to play after him his smile went downright evil. "That..." He began slowly. "Is a very good point." He said, looking back up to James. "You've got yourself an opening act." He said simply. Cruel though it was, Chuck's ego more or less demanded that they play well enough that the poor kid following them would look like he'd taken his first guitar lesson sometime that week by comparison