"Been a while since we last spoke."

Curve giggled slightly, as the camera continued to shake. He tilted his head slightly, eyes flashing towards a nearby computer. Good. The hack was working in several TV stations all across Gothic, and boys across the country were making sure it was getting livestreamed into many more homes all across the U.S. Green eyes flashing back to the camera, his smile grew, and he spoke in light tones.

"A lot's been goin' on, hasn't it? The big election. I tip my hat to Mr. Donn, and Gothic's own Alexander Rook!" He set the camera down on a table, and clapped, pulling up a chair so that he could get a better shot. "Really, great thing they did. I've been a Donn supporter since the very start, y'know. Right up my alley. Us crazies have gotta stick together, right?" Curve cackled, as he grabbed a photo from the table. Flashing it in front of the camera, the picture detailed the White House, now painted black.

"Who woulda thought that just one check on a ballot would help take a crap on our good ol' USA, right?!" Laughing even louder, Curve picked up the camera. "I gotta hand it to Donn, tradition's ran it's course. Switching things up, I like it." Giggling, he opened a door, and walked into it with the camera. Within it, two men were seated, hands bound behind their chairs, with paper bags over their heads- bags that had the bright red smile that was so familiar with Curve's work.

"Now, I know that me, death, and your regularly scheduled Comcast run into each other way too often, my fellow Americans, but bear with me. These two boys here, they're protesters. Hate Donn, they do." Curve turned the camera to face him once more. "Peaceful protesters, until they get their hands on a loaded gun. Now, I have a few skills that can make it so that they become even bigger Donn fans than I am. Telepathy, torture, yadda yadda." He waved a loose hand up in the air.

"But where's the fun in that?" Giggling some more, he turned the camera towards the door, where his goons were coming in- gasoline canisters in hand. They started to pour the gas into the room, and Curve walked out, shutting the door behind him. "I'll leave that be for now. We've got another lil' tidbit to talk about. A Mr. Absalom Strix."

"Now, it seems that Mr. Donn and Mr. Strix are interested in meeting up, and making Gothic part of the good ol' US again." Curve grinned brightly. "And I'm sayin' this as the super criminal that all of you people know and love, the one responsible for death and destruction all over the world." He leaned into the camera, centimeters away from his face now. "Please, please do bring Gothic back to the Union. I miss you, America."

Giggling uncontrollably, he threw open the door that he had just closed, the flames framing a violently graphic picture.

"This is Alexander Donn's number one fan, sayin', so long for now!"

The feed cut out, now, and the video was posted all over the darker parts of the internet.

3.6 Miles out from Gothic Harbor. 12:07 AM. About a week ago.

Disclaimer

"What is it, boss?" The shrill voice rang out over the sound of ocean waves, practically a yell due to how loud the sea was. Then again, Gothic's waters hadn't been stable for seemingly forever, a trait that went with the bleak skies and usually depressing environment. On this particular night, rain was cascading down on the heads of Curve's crew, bright and matching yellow ponchos doing little against the heavy winds. Curve eyed the sea below them, a blackened mass of ink that seemed to stare back up at him with a cold, empty eye. Then, amidst the dark, a slight flicker of light, a flicker so quick that most men would have no idea what they'd have seen.

"No idea." Curve lifted a large diving helmet and screwed it onto his head, the nautical suit having been stolen from a museum. "I'mma find out." Without another moment's hesitation, Curve leaped down into the pitch-black water, in the spot where he had last seen the light. Upon entering the waters, he actually found the light to be much easier to find, and continued to sink down towards it- a purple glow that attracted his eye. Grin widening under his helmet, the clown soon landed on the bottom, and saw exactly what the thing was.

A rock, crystalline by the looks of it, with light surging through it every few moments. The rich velvet gem was lodged deep in the ocean floor, and as Curve bent down to grab it, he found a surprising amount of resistance behind it, and struggled to lift the thing. After a few moments, the Clown Prince decided to give up, deeming that he would have to rig the damned thing to the boat before it would budge. Turning around, he walked head first into a wall, and fell onto his rear out of surprise. Looking up, he saw a bubble around him, dark and purple like the crystal he had touched.

Curve's lips spread into a smile- or, rather, more of a smile than usual. Finally, actual shock, a real surprise where the mad Clown had no idea what to expect. When he started out as a criminal, he'd get this thrill only once in a while, before he met any vigilantes or when he'd strap a bomb to his chest. But now? A life of predictability. Raising his arms high above his head, he gave a mighty "Yippee" before the metamorphosis began, the bubble of purple soon becoming engulfed in light.

Several minutes passed, and the crew of the S.S. Smiles began to worry. Eureka, after the first thirty seconds without her beloved, started bawling her eyes out, but refused to leave, wanting the crew to 'have a moment of silence'. It was around this time that the purple light from below faded, and the waters started to bubble, until Curve sprang up out of the water like a dolphin- landing neatly on the deck, shivering from the cold. The diving suit had been abandoned once he realized it was impossible to swim in, and now the clown was wearing his (soaked) tuxedo. Eureka ran to him, turning him over, and realized that her beloved was unconscious.

Desperately attempting to awaken her boss, the young woman slapped Curve silly, until finally the Clown Prince sprouted up- vomiting water everywhere. Eureka immediately gave a cheer, and the other members of Curve's gang grumbled to each other, but moments later Curve was back on his feet, the sea water making his makeup run and turning his smile into more of a frown. "Take me back to Gothic. I've got places to see, people to kill..."

As the clown glanced in the direction of the city- the lights visible even from this distance- his emerald green eyes surged with light, energy coursing through his body as a mighty cackle emerged from deep within.

"A world to burn!"

Whaaaaat?

Curve has gotten a hold of one of many Divus crystals planted around the world. In case you didn't know. I hinted pretty hard at it around the Vine, but this blog is just to clarify, and have some actual, canon writing to go along with it.