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An Indecent Proposal Pt. 1

Posted on Thu Apr 16th, 2026 @ 1:10pm by Watch Leader Frederick Hollywood

Mission: Findelion Watch - Villains
Location: Orlando, Florida
Timeline: 1919

Frederick and Aryel had decided on a somewhat fancy place for breakfast. The Inase Otsu Machiya Bed and Breakfast was a very nice looking, very authentic and very out of the way place to spend some time. The room from the night before was a higher end suite. He had rented the whole place out but that was just for security. The room had massive sliding glass doors that overlooked a courtyard garden. The door to their room was attached to a hallway that looked almost too big to be in such a small place. Even the bathrooms had a very Japanese look to them.

That morning the food was very tasty looking and far from anything one might expect in America. This included fish, rice, soup and even a nice tea. As she took a small bite of her grilled fish Aryel asked Frederick an odd question, “So I was wondering, why haven’t you done more of the things here that you did in Tera to achieve your goals?”

After taking a sip of his green tea and honey from the little ornate porcelain cup to clear his throat Frederick responded with a question, “What kind of things? I mean, I have built a lot here considering I am no longer a god.” While he half wondered where this had come from he had also expected these sorts of questions for some time.

Aryel had something somewhat specific in mind. She looked Frederick right in the eye with her golden orbs and moved a lock of her blonde hair out of her face. “Well why haven’t you tried to gain followers? I mean wouldn’t that help you and your cause?”

Frederick nodded, “Well for one I am not sure this place works the same as Tera in that way. More importantly there are a lot of cult leaders here at the moment and because of them that sort of thing is a little looked down on.” Of course that was putting it mildly in fact many of the cults had been hit up for the worst of crimes.

Aryel sighed although she could see the man she loved deep within this man he had changed in some ways. “Well I have no doubt you could do things better. I mean even as the god of evil for The Pantheon you never abused your followers...” Then she giggled a little bit, “Well unless they asked you but does that count?”

Frederick sipped some of his miso soup thinking about what she had said. Really she never asked him much. So he thought he could at least try. “Well what if we tried to make it something good. I mean in this world there seems to be more evil than good. More poor than rich, more suffering than bliss. So what if we tried to build something to change that?” Her words for some reason had really touched him and she was right he could do better. Not just for her but for this world he had taken residency in. After all, if he didn’t care he could go someplace else, maybe even back to Tera.

The little golden goddess smiled brightly at him. Now she could see his mind working the way it used to. Oddly she felt a little guilty for not posing the question earlier. She took his hand wanting to be a little closer knowing he would tell her many of the ins and outs of the thought process he was working through.

He noticed her hand felt a little warmer in this world or maybe for some reason he was colder. He loved when she touched him even just by accident and when she did it with meaning like now it could be a little breathtaking to say the least. He thought of many of the things he wanted to set right in the world in general. From poverty to hatred. Could he really do it? Maybe not alone but with her help, he felt hope that it was at least possible. She had been his champion before and here she was trying to get him to raise another banner. “Well I think we would have to go back and start things pretty early to avoid issues with the do gooders at this time...” after giving her a small kiss on the forehead he smiled...”I think we should start shortly after The World’s Fair in Florida.”

-----

So it was April 1919, originally Frederick had thought of traveling to 1920 but 1919 had a classy ring for a starting date. The next few weeks the couple spent many hours prepping for the big day, from renting out a building known properly as The Rogers Building and at this time was an English Gentleman's club. Frederick saw some humor in his first gathering being in a place like that, besides he really did fancy British Pubs. There were bigger buildings built at or before this time. Although nothing else was quite right.

Also they had thousands of flyers printed and handed out. They would often employ street people for this. They also ordered enough liquor to fill the bar but that was part of the negotiation to rent the place. He also added that he would only need it at most a couple of hours a week and only long enough to see if his love’s idea took form.

-----

Quite a crowd had shown up for the gathering. Some from various walks of life. He looked at Aryel sitting up from. She was dressed as a good preacher’s wife should be. He looked at her still for inspiration and courage. It had been a while since he had spoken in front of so many people. Frederick lifted his hands into the air as he waited for the throng of people to calm down. Then after taking a deep breath he began to speak,

“I know some of you have only come here for the food, and I welcome you.” In between his words he would pause and smile.

“Some of you have only come for the drink, and I welcome you as well.” He wanted to give the impression of a huckster like PT Barnum.

“Still others may have come for something more elusive, more unattainable and I welcome you as well.” He could swear he could see some of those in the crowd.

“Whatever the reason or reasons you have come to this gathering this evening I welcome you and thank you.” With that he gave a bow but he was not quite done with this section.

“First let me say I have always believed that gatherings such as this should be a bit entertaining. So let's make sure you all have some food and drink before I continue on right?”

The madman waved his hands and spoke strange words and suddenly before the large crowd in the space between them and the podium was a long table filled with food and drink, Not just any food, but at least one dish that would be considered a favorite for each of the visitors including himself and Aryel. Most of the foods were a little simple like pies or casseroles, some were a bit more high minded for the day like his favorite pizza, and he was guessing someone had been to Chicago as one of their world famous dogs had appeared. Aryel’s drink would likely stick out a bit as it was one of those frappuccinos that was mostly flavored foam from Star Buck's. Of course his answer to that was to just quickly go and get Ayrel a plate and then have the crowd come forward.

He had a band play a few of their top favorite songs from almost ten years before, thinking that would help them reach the widest audience. For example “Down by the Old Mill Stream” and “Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet” and also because he liked the title, “Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland.” Most of the people seemed to stay orderly enough and courteous to one another. Although at the same time a bit cloistered by status and associations.

Funny enough he had used airliners as a space saving idea. On the back of all the chairs but the front row were folding trays and he explained to everyone to keep them in the upright position until they sat back down. While Frederick tried to greet most of the guests getting food he also made plates for those of his guests that seemed either to infirmed or shy to come up and partake. Only once everyone had sat back in their chairs did he continue.

“We have been fed dogma from our childhood that I assure you is not true at all.” He looked around the room and some of the crowd began to clamor. The older women tended to shake their heads as though anything he said must be a lie. He imagined they might have even been sent by a local church group to check him out.

“Only the few deserve wealth," Now some of the crowd nodded. After all, at this time the poor were very poor.

“Only the few deserve health,” Some didn’t even seem to know what to make of that part just yet.

“And only the few deserve to be happy.” Even more of the crowd nodded although they looked around to see if people were watching or judging them.

“Am I right? We are Americans and we should know better. We should be better.” At that point some of the crowd cheered. They may have all been from all sorts of faiths but almost all of them believed in the promise of a better America.

“Some of us have been blessed with gifts and why shouldn’t we share them?” Again many of the people in the crowd had a hard time with this part and some looked to others for an idea of how to react. Of course a few who had empty bellies before didn’t care what it meant they cheered anyway.

“Someday your grandchildren will have a chance to change the world in such a way.” People seemed to generally embrace that concept nodding in agreement save for the previously mentioned detractors.

“And today I am going to give you the chance to see what that world will bring you.” Now many people became noticeably excited or anxious thinking maybe he was one of the people like those at the World’s Fair.

“If you are in need in any way I want you to come forward.” Some looked curious about this. Others visibly pained. Now the trolls in the audience began to murmur things like a false prophet.

“Simply ask, and if you are in need I will help you.” He nodded at them. His face filled with compassion and gentleness. Of course that was what he wanted them to see.

“I will consider anything you ask. Do not feel like your request can be too small or too great.” Oh yes he had taken some of his act from places like The Bible as well, and he could see some of the crones knew it.

“Some of you may have come because you or someone in your family is sick.” He looked at some of the people in the crowd that he believed might fit that bill.

“Others might just be having a hard time in these hard times.” Really that could have applied to almost anyone in the building.

“Some of you might have even lost someone you want to see if I can bring back.” Oh yes he could see the disbelief on most of their faces from that but on just a few the faintest glimmer of hope.

“Just remember this my friends, I will watch over you!” Then again he held up his hands in a dramatic fashion to get everyone's attention. After a few moments to let his listeners finish whatever bite of food or sip of drink they had just taken he continued.

“Now those of you in the second row and back will find an envelope much like this in the place your trays fold into. You will also find a pencil to write with there.” Then he pointed to Aryel. “My wife will be placing similar envelopes and a pencil to everyone in the first row.”

“Now if you are willing to come forward and ask for your heart's desire tonight, all you have to do is write your name down and what it is you want. Try to be detailed. If it's money I need to know how much. If someone needs to be healed I need to know who. Then we will have those cards brought forward and I will then have you brought forward if possible of course.”

Again he let them get back to it. Some simply began eating the fare again. Some talked amongst themselves. He could see a few faces tuck down and write something down. Once he saw the last pair of eyes return to the front he rang the side of his own drinking glass to try and bring the room back to order.

”I know some of you may be nervous or even feel as if by asking for my help that maybe your friends and neighbors will condemn you. Do not worry. I plan to stay in this place for a while. So keep what you have written and bring it back next week.”

“Some of you may just feel like you have been put on the spot and some of you still might not believe I am here to do what I say. It's okay to keep the pencil and paper and bring it with you if you ever come again.”

So only five envelopes made it to the front that evening. He looked them over carefully with a smile and then stopped time to take care of what needed to be done for his guests. He ordered them according to how spectacular he thought their requests might be.

The first two and most simple were people asking for money. One needing rent and the other had a farm that was about to be foreclosed by the bank. Like he had asked, both of those had given dollar amounts. So he would simply pay the man's rent at the apartment most likely for six months to start to be fair. For the farm he had a much grander idea. He would purchase the farm and only ask for a small amount if anything at all from the farmer per year as a lease.
The third card he picked while would not look special to the crowd would take some doing on his part. This man had lost his father’s watch. He would have to jump around and use locator spells to find that. Then he would have to sneak around and find it again with his mastery of time no big deal but it would be complicated to say the least.

The fourth card was from a boy's mother asking that he be cured of the Sleepy Sickness. He had to research that and when he did he was a bit taken back. He had never heard of Encephalitis Lethargica or its ravages on the human body. Oddly fixing that problem would be a little more simple than the watch. He would simply visit the boy after the meeting began and cure him and place him in the back room under watch until his mother came forward,

The fifth and final card was from a woman asking for her husband to be brought back to her. Unlike the other cards this one was more detailed. It mentioned he had died during the Meuse-Argonne offensive in October 1918 and that he was in a graveyard nearby. He smiled as he was quite glad someone had asked that. Sure it had some risks but he would simply steal the body, fix her loved one and like the boy keep him watched in the same way until she came forward.

TBC

 

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