[MOC] Nexo Knights -- Aaron's Club Absinthe

[Grey Magistrate]

When the vampirates first threatened Knighton, King Halbert prepared a two-pronged response: first, sending Jestro on a covert mission to subvert the vampirates from within; and second, ordering his bravest knight, Aaron Fox, to construct a forward operating base deep in vampirate territory in preparation for a future Nexo assault.  The collapse of Knighton meant that assault never came, but the fearless Aaron refused to retreat from his exposed position.

 

Aaron has transformed his fortress into what he calls Club Absinthe, or what the locals have nicknamed Casablanca...or rather, Casaverde.  Used to a life on the metaphorical edge, Aaron is now on the literal edge of a warzone daily contested by High Priestess Pola's spider cult and Princess Macy's crusader army.

 

It is a shelter for refugees fleeing the warzone and seeking letters of passage to get through vampirate checkpoints and reach territory controlled by Princess Macy.

 

Even bots fleeing from Knighton's collapse have found their way to the Club Absinthe, including Chef Eclair...

 

...and Fancypants, who has a real talent for jazz.

 

High Priestess Pola is searching for one particular refugee: Queen Halbert, who went missing shortly before the brickpile shredded Knighton's war materiel and computer networks.  King Halbert foiled Pola's plans by sacrificing himself to redirect the brickpile to the sea, but Pola has a sinister idea: if she can capture Queen Halbert and use her as bait, perhaps the brickpile can be induced to halt its mad rush to the ocean.

 

Pola had ordered Captain Frederic to shut down Club Absinthe, but it turns out that Frederic is a corrupt bon vivant with a taste for absinthe.  In exchange for a daily bottle and an hour of good conversation, Captain Frederic agrees to let Aaron's refugee operation continue.

 

Aaron sustained his oasis for some time, harboring a steady stream of refugees fleeing the war.  But there was always the threat that one day the vampirates would crack down.

 

That day had arrived -- the day that Queen Halbert arrived.  Of all the absinthe joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into Aaron's.  Robin had used the Pandora Gate to teleport Queen Halbert to a random location, and by unfortunate chance she teleported to vampirate territory.  Jestro and Lavaria had infiltrated behind vampirate lines to rescue her.  Now they needed to get her letters of transit to reunite the queen with her daughter, Princess Macy.

 

But her arrival did not go unwitnessed.

 

Queen Halbert recognizes Fancypants and asks him to play her song, "As Bricks Go By", one last time.

 

Fancypants stops as soon as Aaron walks by, but he insists, "You played it for her, you can play it for me!"

 

The four of them -- Aaron, Queen Halbert, Jestro, and Lavaria -- sit down for an impromptu conference.  Jestro and Lavaria insist that Aaron help her escape as soon as possible.  But the queen is exhausted from constant flight, shellshocked from the loss of her husband, and unsure if she can face her daughter again.

 

Perhaps...perhaps the queen could stay here, with Aaron, helping the refugees.  Her kingdom is lost; everything is lost.  Aaron saved her twice, once from Infernox and once from Ruina; perhaps she could return the favor, and remain.

 

But Aaron insists she go.  "Inside of us, we both know you belong with Macy," he says.  "You're part of her work, the thing that keeps her going.  If that hoverhorse leaves the ground and you're not on it, you'll regret it.  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon -- and for the rest of your life."

 

Aaron turns away.  "We'll always have Knighton," he says.

 

There is no time to lose.  Aaron takes his guests outside and gives them the letters of transit, as well as his two personal hoverhorses.

 

But it is too late.  High Priestess Pola has already arrived, with Captain Frederic in tow.   She orders him to shoot.

 

He does.

 

Captain Frederic turns to the vampirate soldier and says, "Round up the usual suspects!"

 

And with that, the queen is off, guided by Jestro and Lavaria.  Aaron waves goodbye one final time -- "Here's looking at you, Queen."

 

As they watch the hoverhorses disappear into the horizon, Aaron says, "Frederic, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

 

 

The Fall of Knighton:

#1 -- Ava's Stone Embassy

#2 -- Lance's Lava Mine

#3 -- Macy's Fortified Chapel

#4 -- Jestro's Pandora Gate

#5 -- Axl's Spider Foundry

#6 -- King Halbert's Last Stand

#7 -- Aaron's Club Absinthe

#8 -- Robin's Vampirate Ship

#9 -- Clay's Chapterhouse Vigil

 

Spellbreaker:

#1 -- Lance's Lava Train

#2 -- Ava's Summer Home

#3 -- Macy's Campaign Headquarters

#4 -- Axl's Audience Chamber

#5 -- Jestro's Final Chapter

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Grey Magistrate
Updated the episode list

[Vindicare]

Great builds & a fun story! The little stable is very cool. I dig the bar & piano as well. 

[Fenghuang0296]

Beautiful design. Just one to - wait, there's a listing for a #9 now? Ooh. Interesting. 

[Grey Magistrate]

Thanks to you both!  Yeah, after getting to the end of this episode, I realized that I needed one more story to explain what happens to the vampirates now that their two leaders (Pola and Frederic) are out of the picture.

Speaking of pictures, here's how my kid thought that final scene with Pola and Frederic should have gone -- a ninja fight scene!