FESTE
Note: It's a duck. A duck.
RELATIONSHIPS
#1: Abernathy (Adrian Vorlaikal)
You'd think this would be the easiest to summarize, but it is not.
Feste's relationship with Abernathy is complex and multi-layered, like an onion. Also like an onion, it may make you cry.
On the outside, in public, Abby was Feste's patron. No one is actually sure what this meant.
Feste sought Abby out as the first person at the top of a long list of potential patrons. The Fool needed someone for whom he could actually be a Fool. That's just the way it goes, it's in the rules and the job description. Abernathy, made aware of this fact by extremely vague hints, eventually accepted, while becoming F's patron in an entirely different way by making him an informant for Interpol.
Feste, being Abernathy's Fool, shaped his zanies to cater to Abby's sense off humor, and whenever possible entertained him in person in his mysterious Fool ways.
Now, for people who don't speak Shakespeare, they were friends. Really good friends.
They were, too. With so much fellow-feeling, they couldn't help liking each other. And Feste, well-- Feste had finally found somebody to serve as his support. Every ship needs an anchor, a port in a storm.
They got to liking each other a lot more.
From there it becomes much more Complicated, with a Capital C. Andruw was diametrically opposed to social deviancy by upbringing, and realizing that he was, in fact, in love with a man was a bit of a shock, and he still isn't sure about it. He made a conscious effort not to acknowledge it and not to act on it, which only made things worse.
'Worse' set the both of them constantly on eggshells, with Andruw bewildered and uncertain of what he should do or feel and Adrian uncertain of how to handle Andruw.
Just when Andruw reached the 'screw this, I'm going to do it' point, Adrian Vorlaikal was killed by Domino in the destruction of Black SHIELD. (Dead. Gone to a better place. Kicked the bucket. Pushing up daisies. An ex-Abernathy. *bricked*)
It broke him. If it were not for Melissa, he would have done something drastic and horrible. But Melissa has kept him sane.
In the words of our Greco-Roman literary ancestors, Cupid is a stupid jerkface.
Second Little Indian: Kalinka
A secondary patron, Kalinka enjoys the Fool's foolery and encourages him with laughter. He enjoys making her laugh because it's easy, and through her he can continue building his mystery facade. Kali considers him a friend, and oddly enough trust him. They have girl-talk. He's all ears for secrets, but out of some respect for Kalinka, he never lets hers loose.
When they get along, they get along very well. When they don't, they get catty, and it's just bad. No, seriously. Don't get in between them.
Third Little Piggy: Bowie
Bowie met Feste before he was Feste, and because of this F accords him special respect. It's blossomed into a mutual respect by way of their common interest in liberating Europe. Since saving Bowie's life with a well-timed tip-off to the Hunters, Feste has come to find a steady, trustworthy friend in the Texan. He may not be able to speak to Bowie all that's in his heart, but he can speak his mind. Bowie is an honorary uncle to Melissa, and more than once has he offered his ranch as a safehouse. The Fool tries to spare Bowie his antics, but once in a while, Bowie may be found at the end of one of F's more elaborate jokes.
Four Something Something: Arago
Another person whose life Feste has saved, Arago does not appear to remember it in the least. F wastes no time in mocking him, and Arago threatens back. For all appearances, Arago hates Feste's guts.
Something else may lie beneath the surface, but the Fool has yet to show any interest in prying it up.
Five: Raffinato
Raffinato was a British Maverick cyborg who specialized in propaganda and terrorism. For a time, he picked Feste out as a target for terrorizing and information-gathering. He didn't get much information, but he did scare Feste badly.
As an individual, Raffinato meant little to Feste -- a horrible disgusting man -- but served rather as a symbol for all Maverick cyborgs. They're traitors, dirty traitors, invisible untouchable unstoppable out of the reach of justice. They could be around any corner, disguised as anyone, your neighbor your brother your priest anyone anywhere. They terrify Andruw-Feste to the core. He hates them. Hateses them, precious.
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN
They are few in number, but each and every one can rightfully be called an outstanding member of society, in the same way that bank balances are outstanding. They might be called Feste's friends, or fellow idiots, and there's truth to both statements.
These are people who are dangerous enough alone but when combined with Feste-- well, if you don't have a high tolerance for wackiness or being harrassed in bizarre ways, you should run. You should run very fast.
I don't know why they're called the Flying Dutchmen either. Maybe because it's a relationship. Aha ha ha I'm sorry.
Daryn
F's partner in crime, often the knight in shining armor to Feste's damsel in distress. Apparently, they understand each other very well and share many serious opinions -- but you'd never know it. Feste and Daryn can most often be heard playing off one another on the radio or tag-team needling someone, and most often found doing stupid-crazy things and getting arrested.
Feste also plays trumpet passably well for Order & Chaos, Daryn's band, and raises a fuss like no other whenever someone tries to kill Daryn. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Wait, Feste's a man.
Eh, close enough.
Hien
"Body of a Greek god, face of an angel, mind of a thirteen-year-old."
Hien has known Feste for his entire life minus three days. That counts for a lot. He lamented to F on the death of his parents and spoke of his anger and his inner Voice. Feste knows a lot about how Hien works.
A moment of frankness. Feste also thinks Hien is one of the most attractive people he's ever met.
Okay, back to vagueness now. The two of them have an inordinate amount of affection for each other, and they may be called good friends. F cannot help but feel as though he is Hien's mentor, and so he goes out of his way to teach Hien things, provide advice on any topic, and be vaguely fatherly in the young Strider's direction.
Hien once said that the Voice, his inner instinct, has never told him to kill Feste.
Glyde Loath
Every parasite needs a host.
At first a target for Feste's jibes, the Yakuza industrialist somehow managed to weasel his way into a higher esteem. F still makes fun of him, but now Glyde has the dubious honor of being part of the Fool's antics, a tool to widen the scope of his foolery. This is why it's rumored that they're paramours: neither of them are afraid to be obscenely flamboyant and perverse before the public eye.
Their actual relationship, like most of the rest, is complicated (little c). Before, Glyde was trying to win the gorgeous Fool over (and he still is), but Feste staunchly resisted all attempts to get into his confidence, abusing them in order to leech money. But then Abernathy died, and suddenly, Glyde was there, piteously concerned for the fool behind the Fool. Soon Feste became Andruw and, pushed to one limit, he began to spill exactly what was wrong with him.
Glyde's presence as a pair of open arms, ready ears, and easy money is dangerously tempting. He is a secondary patron already, having given Andruw Nisse a job in G.L. Industries and attention. The potential for this to become something else is certainly there. But that would be telling.
Tristan Blackwood
Tristan has known Andruw Nisse for a very long time.
Tristan likes explosives.
Tristan is a very scary woman.
And that's the way she likes it.
More to come when Tristan gets a player.
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