Re: The Phenomenal Fracas! (GBS2G6): [Round One: Afterparty]
03-15-2011, 11:38 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by granolaman.
Tamerlane felt the warm presence of the crossbow in his coat. He had climbed ten levels since testing it on a hapless crewman and the weapon still radiated hints of its power. Behind him, a well-dressed man in an ant mask followed without word. An expectant ahem escaped his lips.
“What.” He stopped and turned to the tag along.
“Well?” Fourth answered with apparent indignation. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“Thank you?” disbelief flickered across Tamerlane’s face, “Am I supposed to be the gracious performer forever endeared to my doting patron? Should I thank you for the chance to battle for my life against gods and monsters? Or perhaps I should simply be grateful for the rare opportunity to bask in your presence.” He pulled out the crossbow and pointed it at the smaller man. “After all, it’s not every day I meet a supposedly immortal entity.”
Fourth’s gaze followed the weapon’s aim and up to Tamerlane’s eyes. The intensity of his venomous glare matched the sand man’s.“It wouldn’t hurt to show a little awe and gratitude to someone a hundred times your superior. I’m just helping.”
“Helping? If you really want to help, you’ll bring me the serpent so I can exact my revenge. Then maybe I’ll show some gratitude.”
Fourth broke eye contact and stared at his feet, fidgeting ever so slightly. “Well, Second said we aren’t supposed to interfere directly…”
“Hm, just as I thought.” Tamerlane shoved the crossbow back into his coat, “You’re useless to me.” He spun on his heels and continued up to the next floor. The atmosphere of the decks was beginning to change. The hallways were becoming more posh and the guests were appearing more fancifully dressed. He was also beginning to attract more stares from the passengers. Behind him, the ant masked man huffed at the insult and disappeared in a melodramatic puff of smoke. Tamerlane grunted and climbed up to the next deck.
This deck was different. Rather than being just another slew of cabins, this deck housed the first floor of a two-story theatre stage. Advertisements for a variety of shows lined the entryway, but the theatre appeared deserted at the moment. Tamerlane approached the stage and breathed a mental sigh of relief. Up in the rafters was a pair of weight bags used to move the heavy scenery and rigging. He focused and drew a sizable amount of sand from the first bag. A groan sounded from the pulleys and an enormous backdrop crashed to the stage.
“That’s the set to ‘The Vagabonds’ Trials.’”
Tamerlane turned and saw Fourth standing in the rows with a playbill in his hands.
“It’s about two lost souls,” he continued, “one of light and one of dark, and how their different journeys still mirror each other across time and space. Slow bit in the second act, but otherwise a tolerable play.”
“What are you still doing here?”
Fourth walked up to him and handed him the playbill. With the flick of a wrist, the bill transformed into an elegant map of the zeppelin. “Miss Finch has gotten herself into trouble up on Deck 45. If you were to ‘find’ her, your Syvex would no doubt come running right to you.”
“I thought you said you weren’t supposed to interfere.” Tamerlane smirked, taking the map.
“Second said I’m not allowed to help…” A devilishly wicked smile grew across his face. “But then again, Second isn’t here anymore.”
Tamerlane felt the warm presence of the crossbow in his coat. He had climbed ten levels since testing it on a hapless crewman and the weapon still radiated hints of its power. Behind him, a well-dressed man in an ant mask followed without word. An expectant ahem escaped his lips.
“What.” He stopped and turned to the tag along.
“Well?” Fourth answered with apparent indignation. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“Thank you?” disbelief flickered across Tamerlane’s face, “Am I supposed to be the gracious performer forever endeared to my doting patron? Should I thank you for the chance to battle for my life against gods and monsters? Or perhaps I should simply be grateful for the rare opportunity to bask in your presence.” He pulled out the crossbow and pointed it at the smaller man. “After all, it’s not every day I meet a supposedly immortal entity.”
Fourth’s gaze followed the weapon’s aim and up to Tamerlane’s eyes. The intensity of his venomous glare matched the sand man’s.“It wouldn’t hurt to show a little awe and gratitude to someone a hundred times your superior. I’m just helping.”
“Helping? If you really want to help, you’ll bring me the serpent so I can exact my revenge. Then maybe I’ll show some gratitude.”
Fourth broke eye contact and stared at his feet, fidgeting ever so slightly. “Well, Second said we aren’t supposed to interfere directly…”
“Hm, just as I thought.” Tamerlane shoved the crossbow back into his coat, “You’re useless to me.” He spun on his heels and continued up to the next floor. The atmosphere of the decks was beginning to change. The hallways were becoming more posh and the guests were appearing more fancifully dressed. He was also beginning to attract more stares from the passengers. Behind him, the ant masked man huffed at the insult and disappeared in a melodramatic puff of smoke. Tamerlane grunted and climbed up to the next deck.
This deck was different. Rather than being just another slew of cabins, this deck housed the first floor of a two-story theatre stage. Advertisements for a variety of shows lined the entryway, but the theatre appeared deserted at the moment. Tamerlane approached the stage and breathed a mental sigh of relief. Up in the rafters was a pair of weight bags used to move the heavy scenery and rigging. He focused and drew a sizable amount of sand from the first bag. A groan sounded from the pulleys and an enormous backdrop crashed to the stage.
“That’s the set to ‘The Vagabonds’ Trials.’”
Tamerlane turned and saw Fourth standing in the rows with a playbill in his hands.
“It’s about two lost souls,” he continued, “one of light and one of dark, and how their different journeys still mirror each other across time and space. Slow bit in the second act, but otherwise a tolerable play.”
“What are you still doing here?”
Fourth walked up to him and handed him the playbill. With the flick of a wrist, the bill transformed into an elegant map of the zeppelin. “Miss Finch has gotten herself into trouble up on Deck 45. If you were to ‘find’ her, your Syvex would no doubt come running right to you.”
“I thought you said you weren’t supposed to interfere.” Tamerlane smirked, taking the map.
“Second said I’m not allowed to help…” A devilishly wicked smile grew across his face. “But then again, Second isn’t here anymore.”