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High On Life (And Also Drugs) [Armorend]

Started by Eckhart_Von_Musel, June 04, 2017, 06:59:09 PM

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Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Um..." Randal began. "He doesn't seem too bothered by it... I think I'll just tell him." Nodding his head, he continued. "Yeah! Tons of bad magic! Zantaric is like, where the bad guys live." He puffed out his chest a bit, a hint of pride in his voice. "I have bad magic too, but I don't use it that much, y'know? Taza tells me that I should enjoy my childhood and not get caught up in the bad guy stuff yet."

Randal suddenly spotted a man in a chef's hat walking down the street. "Hey, I bet get that guy knows!" Running up to the man, he tugged on his jacket. "Hey mister, where do I get pierogis in this city?"

The man looked at him in disdain. "Eh? Where do you think we are, Zantaric? There are no pierogis here, eat tortellini like a normal person."

Randal's ears flushed red. "O-okay." The chef walked away, and Randal looked to Kartuun, hopes dashed. "Um... is there anything you wanted to eat?"

Armorend

Kartuun stood and watched as Randal was shot down by a rather rude man. "Me? Ahh... I love eating freshly-glazed rolls. And chicken!" He beamed at the other.

He looked around, then grabbed Randal's arm and walked off with him. Randal had, albeit reasonably-so, cut off their conversation for a moment to ask the man about where to get pierogis, so Kartuun ended up trying to restart it as he looked-out for a sign indicating a tavern. Preferably one with rolls, chicken, or some combination being advertised.

"So you want to get into being a bad person?" Kartuun looked to his companion, once-again curious about the boy's intent. "Isn't that... Y'know, bad? Like won't you get in trouble?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"I love chicken!" Randal said enthusiastically. "I once had this broiled chicken in peanut sauce, it was really good!" His mouth watered at the thought. "Oh man, this is going to taste so good!"

When Kartuun asked his question, Randal shrugged and tried to explain it the way Taza had. "Well, you know how when you play a game, you normally play against somebody? Like, when you play checkers, you might be red and the other guy is black?" He grinned. "Well, I'm gonna be the other guy! You can't play the game without me after all!"

Armorend

"Oh." Kartuun nodded but said nothing else in reply to Randal's analogy. He wasn't really... Sure, how to react to someone saying they wanted to be the kind of person his own parents had warned him to look out for.

Finally, they came across a tavern. Kartuun breathed in. The scent of food was wafting even outside the building. "Mmm... Let's go in!" He held open the door and let Randal step in first, as the two of them made their way in, finding it to be only somewhat-crowded due to being some time past noon. Individuals looking for something to eat had found it, and it was still far too early for an evening meal.

The two walked over and sat down a table, getting the occasional funny look from some of the other patrons due to being two young individuals who were unattended.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

The tavern smelled amazing. Upon sitting down, Randal took in his surroundings. There were a few large men at the bar guffawing about something, and an elderly couple sitting across from the two boys were giving them dirty looks. Randal thought it was perfect, and beamed at his friend from across the table.

"So, do you like marbles?" he asked Kartuun excitedly. "Because I really like marbles! I have these two-"

"Can I start you off with something to drink?" a nasally voice asked, cutting him off. Looking up, Ramdal saw the unhappiest looking waitress he'd seen in his life.

"Ah, just water thank you." Randal replied. Taza didn't let him drink juice, which she claimed was just sugar water. The waitress nodded and looked at Kartuun.

"And for you?'

Armorend

Kartuun paused briefly, considering his options, but decided he could afford to spend just a little more. "Ah... Could I have milk, please?"

The waitress had an exasperated look on her face and acted as if the time it took him to decide was an entire year. "Will that be all?"

"No, we'd like to order food as well... If that's alright." He replied meekly, wondering if it was his or Randal's being there that was creating her very-visible, near-lethal levels of annoyance.

"Sure. I'll be back." She said, walking away to get the drinks while the boys sat. Once she left, Kartuun responded to Randal.

"Well I dunno if I like marbles. I never really played with 'em... What were ya saying about those two you have?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"What!" gasped Randal. "You don't play marbles?" He shook his head in disbelief. "It's only, like, the most fun game ever!" Randal crossed his arms. "When we're finished eating, I'm teaching you how to play."

Randal cleared his throat. "Anyway, I have these two that are made of-"

"Here." the waitress interrupted again. She haphazardly placed the glass of water onto the table in front of him. She then did the same with Kartuun's drink, nearly causing it to spill. Looking at the two boys impatiently, the waitress's eye twitched. "Have you decided on your food yet?"

"Um..." Randal said hesitantly. "I'll have the chicken drumsticks please."

The waitress turned in the direction of the kitchen. "ONE BIRD!" she yelled to the cook. She turned to Kartuun, glowering unhappily. "And for you?"

Armorend

Kartuun felt a little put-off by the waitress' strong, standoffish attitude, flinching when she nearly slammed his drink onto the table. Looking around to the few other patrons in the tavern while she was fetching the drinks, she seemed to bear a similar stance towards everyone in there.

"Could I get the same thing as him? A-and some rolls, please..." He instinctively braced himself for  her yelling.

"MAKE THAT TWO BIRDS! An' an order of BREAD!" She turned and walked away, saying "It'll be out shortly..." In a more-exasperated manner, as if she was not only walking away from these two, but from this job, a poor temperament to have when she would immediately be "returning" to the job whenever she next addressed a customer.

"Jeez... My parents never told me to speak badly about people but I really don't know why that woman works here if she's so angry about it..." Kartuun spoke quietly, not wanting to catch her ear, even as she was across the tavern and addressing another patron. He shook his head a little. "Anyway! I wouldn't mind learning how to play marbles. But, what were you saying about those two of yours? Are they made of gold, or magic or somethin'?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Happy the waitress was finally gone, Randal grinned at the boy. "You can't make a marble out af magic, silly! They're made of-"

Randal froze, and peered behind Kartuun. A man in an apron had just entered the restaurant, and Randal could have sworn he'd seen him before. Right before the man entered the kitchen, his eyes met Randal's, causing the boy's hair to stand on end.

It was the addict from earlier that day.

"Wait, what? Does he work here or something?" Randal thought in a panic. "K-Kartuun? I think, maybe, we should..."

His voice trailed off as the waitress approached them with their food. She smiled sweetly at the two boys, something Randal found to be deeply unsettling. "Here you are! Two orders of chicken drumsticks!" The waitress beamed. "Enjoy!"

As the waitress walked away, Randal looked at his food, then at Kartuun. "Um... I don't think we should eat this..."

Armorend

Kartuun had already felt concerned when he saw Randal meet eyes with a familiar-looking man. It looked like... Oh. His concern levels rose, and said concerns were confirmed when Randall proposed they leave.

Then the waitress came. Never before had Kartuun felt so utterly unnerved at someone acting nice. He looked down at the food which appeared mostly normal. But with the man from earlier working here, something felt extremely off.

"Yeah, I agree. Let's uh... Let's go." Kartuun pulled out enough money for the drinks, since he and Randal had at the least partaken of them, and stood up, hurrying with the other boy toward the door. Kartuun tried opening it, but found it wouldn't budge. "Nghh... I... It's locked!" He spoke quietly, not wanting to draw attention, but not knowing that attention had already been on them since the drumsticks went on the table.

"Well, well, well, trying to leave so soon?" The addict and cook spoke up, drawing the gaze of the two boys, who dreaded turning around but did so with the desire of not being snuck-up on.

"Without even eating first?" The waitress chimed in.

"Y-yeah... You're a criminal! You almost hurt my friend here!" Kartuun's legs wobbled a little as he spoke back toward the pair. Before, they were able to run. Now, short of breaking the door down and causing a lot more commotion, they were cornered.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

The two boys stood up and hurried to the door. "Maybe he didn't recognize us." Randal thought hopefully. "Or maybe he can't do anything because he's at work!" Randal's hopes were dashed when when Kartuun tried to open the the door. "What do you mean it's locked?" he whispered. "What if somebody wanted to buy food?"

"Well, well, well, trying to leave so soon?"

"Without even eating first?"

Randal's head whipped around to find that both the addict and the waitress had cornered them. Kartuun was clearly just as frightened as he was, but the boy still talked back to the adults, voice shaking. "Y-yeah... You're a criminal! You almost hurt my friend here!"

"Wait a second." Randal thought. "I'm a criminal too! I don't need to put up with these jerks!" Reaching into his pocket, Randal took the pill he'd tried to sell the addict and swallowed it. Staring defiantly at the two adults, he frowned angrily. "We're not hungry anymore."

Suddenly he rushed at the addict, grabbing the man's hand before he could react. Both Randal's and the man's eyes glowed a rainbow of colors for a moment, then went back to normal.

Shaken, the man proceeded to punch Randal in the face. The boy shrieked in pain and collapsed. "What the hell was that supposed to be you little..." the man began, then slowed down. Stumbling, he too collapsed onto the floor. He began to mutter incoherently, and then giggled like a child.

Slowly trying to push himself back up, Randal looked at Kartuun and beamed. His nose was bloody, and one of his front teeth had been knocked out. "I... I told you I had bad magic..."

Before Randal could say anymore, the waitress would launch a magic missile at him. "You little shit! What did you do to him!




Armorend

"Randal!" Kartuun cried out for his friend who had just been battered by the addict; he wasn't sure what to do, as the boy was now closer to the waitress, and the man, who was now acting very bizarre.

He heard Randal speak up, albeit weakly, to confess the way in which he had incapacitated the addict. Then the waitress spoke up, as well. Her sight was focused on Randal, the one who had 'assaulted' her boyfriend, and she appeared poised to put him down. Kartuun, in spite of wondering whether it would be enough, knew he had to do something.

He reached around to grab the corner of the blanket, yanking it from its position as his mantle, then balling it up and hurling it forward. "Finniss! Don't let her hurt Randal!"

The barmaid's attention shifted away from Randal as she saw a wadded-up blanket flying towards her, before it had even reached the height of its lengthy arc. "Wow, a baby toy?" She aimed at that, preparing to cast the rather basic offensive spell at the blanket. "Even if it is a magic blanket, I can vaporize it easily!"

Of course she didn't account for, in a matter of seconds, the shift of the object from an amorphous blanket, to an armored figure appearing to do a cannonball in the air, before arms and legs extended outward. The legs hit the ground with a metallic thud, charging forth, made easy by the tall figure's strides, and grabbing the woman, wrapping around her arms and bringing her onto the floor.

Kartuun got a rag from one of the nearby tables that the maid had been using and hurried to Randal with it, wiping some of the blood away, tearing up at the sight. "R-randal? Are you... Are you okay?" Of course the obvious answer was 'no', but for someone seriously injured like Randal, to ask a more serious question about his condition would be beyond someone inexperienced like Kartuun.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

The waitress yelled in shock as the blanket turned into what appeared to be some kind of knight. "What the fuck is that! Who the the hell are you two?" Finniss proceeded to tackle the woman to the ground. Try as she might to get free, the waitress didn't have the strength to push the knight off of her. "Cocksuckers! I swear, when I get free I'll strangle the both of you!"

Still on the floor, Randal slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. Kartuun had managed to find a rag, and was wiping the blood off of Randal's face with tears in eyes. Randal smiled weakly. "Hey... don't cry, okay?" he said, although he was clearly still in a lot of pain. Blood trickled out of his mouth when he spoke. "I've been hit worse, so I think I should be okay."

"I hope." he added silently to himself.

Looking up at his friend, Randal tried to give him a reassuring look. "Could... Could you take me back to the hostel I'm staying at? I... I think it was called Adventurer's Refuge or something." He wiped his bloody nose with his hand, whimpering in pain as he did so. "Taza... I think Taza has medicine. She'll know what to do."

Armorend

"O... Ohhh..." Kartuun couldn't do much more than look on and groan, internally wincing at the blood flowing from Randal's mouth. He had never encountered someone this badly hurt before. He sniffled and nodded when Randal tried to assuage his negative feelings, wiping away tears with his sleeve.

He listened intently when Randal finally spoke up, nodding his head in understanding, wiping as much blood off the boy's face as he could. "Alright." He spoke quietly, handing the rag to Randal as he walked to the door and tried to open it, having forgotten it was locked. "We need to get out of here... Finniss, get the door, quick!"

At its young companion's call of its name, Finniss' head turned toward Kartuun, still holding the waitress. After Kartuun gave his order, and helped Randal out of the path between Finniss and the door while saying "C'mon, over here for a second...", Finniss stood up and faced the door. However, as it stood, it brought the woman up as well, carried under-arm with her own arms still held down.

"Rgghh... Let me GO!" She struggled futilely against the armored figure, who simply redoubled its grasp on her to ensure it wouldn't slip. Then, it took off, charging at the door, lowering the arm not carrying the woman to bash the door open.

BANG! Finniss collided with the door, nearly knocking it off in one go. However, it wasn't open yet... The waitress' heart sank as she heard the door to the place she derived her livelihood from get bashed. It sank even more when this armored... THING took a few steps back, charged again, and the door burst open, allowing light from outside into the tavern.

"Great job, Finniss! Put her down and get us out of here!" Kartuun sat next to Randal as the knight scooped them up just as it had earlier, again to save both of them, and made its way outside. Kartuun turned to Randal. "Can you tell 'im where to go? I don't know where that place is..."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Kartuun seemed shaken, but his blanket had everything under control. At the boy's command, the fabric knight stood up - waitress still restrained in it's arms- and battered down the door. "This is so cool!" Randal said excitedly as he was picked up. He again grinned through the pain. "I wish I had a Finniss..."

The fabric construct bolted out the out the door, leaving the waitress behind. "You shits!" Randal heard them shout after them. "I'll get you for this! Just you wait!"

Randal giggled- there was an odd humor about a full grown woman getting shown up by two kids and a blanket. When Kartuun asked for directions, Randal pointed in the direction they'd come from. "It's right where we met each other! I had just walked outside when I bumped into you."

Armorend

"Oh? Great!" Kartuun tried to smile, knowing Randal was still hurt but at least tried to feel his way through the pain. After he gave directions, Finniss changed paths accordingly, dashing down the road and drawing a good amount of looks from concerned and surprised people who weren't used to that much excitement rushing by them in one fell swoop.

Kartuun's eyes fell back to Randal's wounds as Finniss neared the destination. "D-does it still hurt? A lot, I mean... I couldn't imagine being as hurt as you look..." The knight slowed down and stopped as they reached the place Randal and his friend, if Kartuun recalled correctly, were staying.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Randal gave Kartuun a grin as the blanket reached their destination, eyes watering as he did so. He was missing one of his two front teeth, a bloody hole in it's place. "It's only my entire face! I can still walk and stuff, I think." As Finniss slowed to a halt, Randal squirmed out of the knights grasp. "Come on!" he called to his friend as he darted inside the hostel...
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Taza sighed as her informant left the room. It looked like they had come here for nothing- a criminal group known as the Soot Wolves dominated the city to point where there simply was no point in trying to break into Arca's drug trade. Rubbing her forehead, she was about to lie down for a nap when there was a knock on her door. Opening it hesitantly, she was greeted by Randal, along with a boy she was unfamiliar with. Randal's face and shirt were covered in blood, which sent the Thanati woman into a panic.

"What happened? Who did this to you?

Armorend

Kartuun stood beside Randal, blanket hanging from his shoulders once-again. He looked to the older individual, a concerned look on his face.

"I-it was this crazy couple in a tavern we went to! Randal was tryin' to sell something to some weird addict who tried to attack Randal, so I had my blanket change and save Randal and get us away. We went to get something to eat and the tavern had this really rude waitress who started acting nice when the addict guy actually walked in. Randal said we should try to leave so we did, but the addict was gonna try to attack both of us before Randal stepped in and did... Something that made the guy act weird but also ended up having him get hurt too. The waitress tried to use magic but I used my blanket again to save us and bring us here."

He caught his breath, eyes watering a little as he mentally recounted the events while very quickly running through them, then shifted his gaze toward Randal. "Pl-please help him and make him okay..."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Taza stared wide eyed as the strange boy recounted what had happened. "Oh my god, I never should have let him go out by himself." she thought, mentally kicking herself. "What was I thinking? I'm an awful guardian." Nodding hurriedly, she motioned for the two boys to come in.

Randal looked at her with an embarrassed look on his face. "I didn't mean to! It was-"

Shushing him, Taza sat him on the bed. "We can discuss what privileges you'll be losing after we get you patched up." Looking at the other boy, she pointed to a bag in the corner of the room. "There's a small box of medicine in the front pocket, can you fetch it for me?" Turning back to Randal, she shook her head. "What were you even thinking..."

Armorend

Kartuun nodded and obtained the requested item for Taza, walking it over to her, looking at Randal's injured form. Watching her tend to him made Kartuun wince internally, still frankly glad he wasn't hurt at all, let alone as badly as his friend.

At the same time, though, all he could do was reflect on what had happened once-again while Taza did her best on making Randal better. He said nothing. Not that anything he could say would help the situation. Then he had a brilliant thought, though.

"Are you gonna go back and do something with the people who hurt Randal?" he inquired, not normally one for revenge but also thinking that the more mature individual would be able to do SOMETHING about them, even if it wasn't exactly violent.

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