RP: 188604 [Corgan's Angels x Psychopomp Crossover] Close Encounters

[ArsenicJohn]

Outskirts of Osman City
Sally Tanner's Farm

Corgan pulled up to the small house on a red motorcycle with Rosalyn clinging to him. Someone passing by would never have guessed this house would be the site of an alien abduction. The house was typical of 188604 construction, functionality coming before aesthetics. It showed clear signs of wear. Some of the damage had been patched with different types of wood. One section of the roof seemed to have a piece of metal from the White Lament's initial crash nailed to it, although he couldn't be sure.

He turned off the vehicle and pulled off his helmet. "This is the place," Corgan announced, hopping off of the bike. He put his helmet in a compartment on the back and turned to look at the house. "Sally Tanner lives here with her four sons. Don't know much more than that."

Corgan sighed. "She might not be too happy to see a couple "aliens" right now. Stay here for a minute."

He checked to see if his badge was visible and then walked up to the door. "Sally Tanner? This is Corgan Garret, I'm the new High Sheriff." He called out.

An old woman's voice was audible from behind the front door. "I knows what ya are. You's one of them ale-ee-ums what took my son!"

Corgan shook his head. "Ma'am, that wasn't us. I-" He heard a click behind him. The unmistakable sound of a shotgun being pumped. He raised his hands. "I'm going to turn around and show you my badge." He said. Slowly, Corgan turned around to see a young boy leveling a shotgun at his stomach.

The kid was too short to aim any higher, but he looked stronger than most of the children Corgan had seen around here. He had short brown hair and blue eyes. "W-why'd ya take Eli?" The boy said, bottom lip quivering.

Corgan grabbed the shotgun and jerked it out of the kid's hands before he could react. The boy gasped and fell to the ground. "Don't point a gun at someone unless you're willing to pull the trigger." He said. Then he popped open the gun and dropped the shells on the ground. "Sally, I have your boy's gun. Would you come out here now so I can ask you some questions?"

The door swung open and Sally ran out, throwing herself between the kid and Corgan. "Don't hang 'im, Sheriff! He don't know no better."

Corgan handed the old lady the shotgun. "Didn't plan to. I'm going to do things different than Arccos, ma'am. If you tell me what happened then maybe I can find your son."

She stared at him in confusion. Apparently, she believed him, because she composed herself and got to her feet. "Come in." Sally said, grabbing her son's hand and pulling him inside the house with her. Corgan followed, gesturing with a hand for Rosalyn to come with him.

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farm

Rosalyn enjoyed the ride out of town, feeling the engine roar underneath her as she admired Corgan’s abs. Wonder if he’s done did stuff like this with other girls? she thought, laying her cheek against his back. Interesting second date though. Crop circles and alien abductions? Only thing that could make it better is it turning out to be a Neko and we get to ‘interrogate’ her.

Fantasizing about the future ahead, she almost didn’t notice when they pulled up to the farmstead. Kind of quaint, but can’t judge too harshly. Living conditions on the planet aren’t that great to begin with, can’t imagine how a single mom can have a decent living out here. Especially since I don’t know what a decent living looks like, she thought with a chuckle as she dismounted.

The android was dressed a little more modestly then she was used to, wearing a red haltertop, denim skinny jeans, and a leather jacket. Could have kept the black bra instead of switching, but its daylight business hours. Might as well look a little respectable. Don’t know what Sally will react to an out and out prostitute questioning her about her missing son. Hmm, sounds worse when you put it like that.

“Don’t push her too hard,” she said, as the Colonel walked to the door. Watching the door herself as he knocked on the door, she didn’t notice one of the kids walking around and attempt to stick up the Nepleslian. Oh, shit, she thought, involuntarily taking a few steps forward before she noticed he had the situation well under control. Just goes to show how little combat training I have. She shook her head in annoyance as followed Corgan’s unspoken instructions and followed him into the house.

 

[Zack]

The woman would lead her son over to the corner of the one room home. The wooden house seemed dusty all the way through... living this far away from the mountains meant a lot more sand storms. Whole towns were known to be burred and people disappearing forever because of bad weather was all too common.

With the Kid safely in the corner of the room where she could see him, the woman began to explain her situation.

"He was just gone...

Now, I know what you're thinkin', Just some other kid got himself dead in a storm?

I tell you there was no storm that night. Could see the stars clearly. Not the sound of the storms anywhere. Then just the brightest light. A single loud noise. Balls of fire in the sky and such just like you're people's flyin triangles. Couldn't find him the next day...

It has to be your people. No one else can do that."

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farm

Rosalyn tucked one hand in her pocket as she walked in behind Corgan, looking like she was used to walking into stranger’s houses. As she listened to Sally’s story, she looked at the other kids, giving them a small smile before looking back at their mom. Hopefully that comes across right as friendly instead of ‘You look like tasty kids,’ she thought, forcing herself to not roll her eyes. You’d think we had brought up how Nekos are the best in a Nepleslian Marine barracks with the reception we’re getting. Looks like we got a really bad image problem.

“Thank you for telling us this, ma’am,” she said, once the local was done talking, “Like the Sheriff was saying, we’re going to do our best to find your son and bring him back to you.” Hopefully in one piece and no worse for wear. “Can you tell us what your son was doing before he got abducted? It might help us narrow down the suspects and get Eli back sooner.”

 

[ArsenicJohn]

Sally Tanner's Farmhouse

Corgan walked into the house, having to crouch a bit to get through the doorway. He stood next to Rosalyn and listened to Sally's story. It did sound like the boy could have been taken by someone from off-world if her story was true.

He would have to check the abduction site to be sure. Not that he thought this woman could have anything to do with the disappearance but he couldn't rule it out. The aliens did it would have been the perfect defense if a jury of Sally's peers was required to determine someone's guilt.

Corgan looked around the room. The rectangular bloodwood table in the center of the room had space for two on each side and one at either end. The kid fidgeted nervously in the corner, noticeably fidgeting more after Rosalyn's question.

Sally gave a shrug and sat down at the table. "Don't rightly know. Was s'posed to be in 'is bed," she said. "Next mornin' I go check on the chickens and they ain't been fed. Eli never forgets his chores, not like his good for nothin' brother Orville. 'Specially since Bob died." The silver-haired woman spat.

The Sheriff nodded. "I heard your husband died in the war against the Osmans last year. Sorry about that, ma'am. We should have stopped it sooner."

She snorted. "You ain't to blame. Bob was a fool to join that Grant nutjob. 'Course, he was right about the aliens, 'ceptin for the tentacles and fangs part."

"The Brigadiers say you have four sons. So Eli's missing, and I assume Orville isn't here. What are your other son's names, and do you know where we can find them?" He asked.

The woman thought about it for a second, chewing her lip. "Orville's the oldest. Likely out whorin' at that Acme's place, the Cockpit. Eli's the second. That boy was going to be somethin'. Not like me and Bob and the rest." She sighed. "Next one's Gerald. Should be out in the corn field. You met Irving. He was only tryin' to protect m-"

Corgan cut her off. "I know, don't worry about it. I'd do the same for my mother."

Her worried expression relaxed. "So you aliens have parents. I 'eard you hatched from eggs like chickens."

He ignored her, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Could you tell me about this pattern left in your field?"

She stood up and walked to the door. "You wouldn't be askin' me these questions if you was in on it." She said, turning to Irving. "Stay here, boy. Gonna show the Sheriff what happened." The door burst open before she reached it.

An unusually tall and well-built blonde boy walked in, smelling of alcohol. He looked at Corgan and then Rosalyn, then his mother. "The hell is goin' on here, ma?" The boy said, his gaze lingering on Rosalyn. Anyone could tell he was undressing her mentally, which gave Corgan a pang of irrational jealousy.

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farmhouse

The Cockpit, huh? Rosalyn thought, keeping a straight face as she mentally chuckled at the name. Got to love euphuisms. And technically all the biological people come from eggs, but I don’t think that’s an appropriate topic right now.

Giving Irving a friendly nod, she got up to follow Sally, but stopped when Orville barged in. Hmm, this is new. How do I take advantage of the situation without freaking out Mom too much? Letting her natural smirk take over, she slipped her jacket off, revealing her naked shoulders. “Just the local law enforcement looking into your brother’s disappearance, Mr. Tanner,” she said, draping her jacket over a shoulder. “Know anything about it or you been busy elsewhere?”

 

[ArsenicJohn]

Sally Tanner's Farmhouse

Orville leered at Rosalyn, much to the chagrin of his mother. She couldn't say anything, the boy was grown. That didn't stop her from glaring at him. He ignored the look, smirking at Rosalyn. "You don't look like any copper I ever saw," he said.

The young man turned and looked up at Corgan as if he had just noticed him for the first time. "Shit, you's big. The hell do you want? Wasn't enough that you killed my daddy and took my brother, you come back for the rest of us?" He said, stepping closer to Corgan.

Corgan raised his hands, palms out. "Not here to cause trouble, I'm trying to find your brother."

Orville snorted derisively. "Tell ya everything I saw if ya let your girl give me a ride, Sheriff."

His mother stormed over and grabbed Orville's ear, dragging him over to the corner. He gasped in pain and walked with her. "That's enough outta you, boy! Ain't about to let you talk to a lady like that in my house. Watch yer brother while I show the Sheriff the circle they left." She said, releasing his ear.

He glared at her but didn't say anything. Sally shuffled over to the door and picked up a long bloodwood stick resting against the wall. "Let's go, 'fore that pervert can embarrass me anymore," she said, then flung the door open and walked out, leaning on the stick for support.

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farmhouse

Rosalyn’s smirk broadened as Orville was manhandled to his corner. Don’t antagonize him too much, Rosey, she thought. Trying to find his brother after all. “I’m new around here, so I can understand when you don’t know what a detective looks like,” she said, returning his lecherous leer with an amused smile. “Let us know if you change your mind about telling us what you saw, Mr. Tanner. Any piece of information could be the one that lets us get Eli home safe and sound.”

Resisting the urge to give him her card, mostly cause she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of being right about her other profession, the android just nodded to both of the Tanner boys before turning and following their mother out of the house.

“Mrs. Tanner?” she asked once the door closed behind her, “How far is it to the crop circle?”

 

[ArsenicJohn]

Sally Tanner's Farm
Devilcorn Fields

Sally glanced back. "Just over yonder." She said, turning back to gesture towards a spot down a hill to the right. Corgan noticed for the first time the strange color of the corn as they walked down the hill to the side of the house. There were several one hundred acre fields of thick purple-husked corn. He had never seen this particular crop before, although he hadn't spent much time outside of the city.

"Interesting color," Corgan commented. "What do you call that stuff?"

The woman gave him a puzzled look. "Ain't you ever seen devilcorn before? Yous have been here going on two years." She said, shaking her head. "You been holed up in that city too long. Devilcorn grows slow, it's a bitch to harvest, and it tastes like air. Still, it's food."

The group walked in silence the rest of the way, arriving at the edge of the field in a few minutes. Rows upon rows of purple corn stalks slightly taller than Corgan obscured their view. "Watch where ya walk, the husks'll tear your clothes up and cut bare flesh to ribbons." She grumbled, leading them into the field.

The old lady deftly dodged and weaved, gliding through the corn effortlessly. Corgan glanced at Rosalyn and shrugged. "Just stay right behind me, I can make a path. My skin's tougher." He said, waiting for her to catch up before he followed the woman, shoving his way through the thick stalks. Every inch felt like fighting against a current.

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farm
Devilcorn Fields

“Thanks, Corgan,” Rosalyn said, putting her jacket back on and stepping behind the taller Nepleslian and keeping close as the devilcorn swung back into place behind her. Wonder if these circles are the real deal or not, she thought, Would have been difficult to walk in and flatten this stuff with boards and calculators like you could with regular corn.

Not to mention, it’d be difficult to see the circle from the way we came in. “Mrs. Tanner,” the android asked over the other detective’s shoulder, “How and when did you notice the crop circles? After you noticed your son hadn’t done his chores?”

 

[ArsenicJohn]

Sally Tanner's Farm
Devilcorn Fields

"Not right away. Me and the other two boys, 'cept that fool Orville, were doin' our work and Eli's share. We went lookin' for him right after. It was Gerald what found the marks in the field. Twas a mir'cle the whole field didn't burn up." Sally explained as they walked deeper into the field.

The growth was so thick, Corgan almost barreled into Sally when she stopped. They had suddenly emerged into what looked like a clearing. A large, elongated area with a near half moon-shape on the end of it was visible because the devilcorn had been crushed. At the other end, on either side, were two large circles of flash burned corn. Corgan bit his tongue to keep from laughing. He stepped aside to let Rosalyn through.

Sally sighed and looked at Corgan knowingly. "Go on, have your laugh, I did too til I realized Eli'd been taken."

He looked at her and shrugged. It was his intention to say he didn't think it was funny. When he opened his mouth, the only thing that came out was hysterical laughter. After about a full minute of laughing, he cleared his throat and forced himself to be serious. "I apologize, ma'am, but I was expecting... more of a circle," Corgan said, looking around the field of smashed corn.

 

[Acewing13]

Sally Tanner's Farm
Devilcorn Fields

As Rosalyn followed the Corgan and Sally into the 'crop circle', she grinned as she took in its peculiar shape. Looks pretty familiar, the pleasure android thought, shaking her head as the Nepleslian couldn't keep himself from laughing. "Control yourself, Detective," she said, taking a few steps into the clearing, "It's not like you don't see something similar on the walls of the average public restroom."

"Anyway," the android said, looking over at Sally, "Besides this being something like a crop circle, do you have any reason to assume that your son was abducted by unfriendly aliens? Did Eli leave any kind of trail?"