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 Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:30 pm
Burbling from Poseidon stirred Fish into wakefulness. The room was still dark - the alarm clock on the dresser was dead, so he didn't know what time it was. He got out of bed with the slow, quiet manner of someone who didn't want to wake up anyone else, and it worked well enough. Dwayne didn't stir.
He tried the lamp, but it was dead, so he rummaged around for his clothes in the dark. It would all be horribly mismatched, but when your wardrobe consisted of assorted wetsuit parts that wasn't hard to do. Given his godly alarm clock, he dressed for business.
Take your trident, instructed the God. Fish located the weapon deep in the broom closet and strapped it to his back. Take the kid, too, the God added.
Why? asked Fish, fighting with one of his boots.
He's your ally, said Poseidon. Fish frowned and then remembered what this was all about. It had been months since he had had an official ally.
Oh, so we're playing that game again, he thought. What about Ciro?
Shamash has been quiet lately, bubbled the earth-shaker, a bit of a get-on-with-it tone sneaking into his voice. Fish put on his other boot and made his way into the common room where Quinn was passed out on the couch. He gave the kid a nudge.
"Come on, wake up. We've got work to do."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:08 pm
The godkid snorted a bit, and his eyes opened slowly. Quinn rubbed at his eyes, then looked up at Fish. "Uhm...Okay," He looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust so he could see again. He realised the darkness wasn't just him, and he whined. He pointed up, and created a star-like point of light that shined out in rainbow colors across the rest of the room, so that he could see.
He shambled around the room, collecting the spray cans he had left sitting on the ground when he entered, and hid them in assorted places across his clothing. He had at least one of every color on him. He's your ally now. Meaning? You guys have to work together. To do what? BuI'm not sure. Maybe it has something to do with all the electricity being out. But I'm Tiiiired!
Finally, he seemed mostly ready, and runs his hands through his hair in an attempt to untangle it. He would need to redo the braid eventually. He looked at Fish.
"You're my ally? What do we do if we're allies?" He cocked his head to one side. "Are we a dynamic crime fighting duo?! I'll be your just-as-important-but-not-the-headline sidekick! Let's go kick some bad guy booty!" Quetzalcoatl mentally rolled his eyes, and nudged Quinn to get on with exploring.
He clenched his fist, and the star went out. He headed for the door, and realised he didn't know where it was. "Er, I came in the fire escape. Where's the door?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:26 pm
Fish shrugged noncommittally. The apartment had been gutted and remodeled so many times that the front door opened into Moonblossom's bedroom. And even though she had lightened up her propositions of him since he'd come out, going in there while she was still in bed wasn't a good idea.
"Let's just take the fire escape," he said, opening the window and climbing out onto the landing. When he straightened up, what he saw mad his breath catch in his chest. "Woah," he said, finally. "Looks like they cut power to the whole Zone."
The normally vibrant Scene was pitch dark. A bit of early morning light filtered down from the uplevels, but not much. He motioned for the kid to follow him as he descended the ladder to the street level.
What's going on? he asked Poseidon.
I'm not sure yet, he burbled back.
"Keep an eye out," he hissed to Quinn. "There might be Blacksuits around."
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Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:41 pm
"Blacksuits? What are they?" He had followed Fish out of the window, and began heading down the fire escape stairs, after checking that his graffiti was still in one piece. Once he got to the bottom, he looked around again.
"I still can't see much. Is it okay if I make some light?" He looked at Fish for approval- he obviously knew more about the game than Quinn. The godling searched his pockets, but came up with nothing other than his spray cans.
"Fish, can we go get some food? I'm staaarving," he whined, "And it's breakfast time."
What's going on? He sent a message to Quetzalcoatl. Warily, the god responded. I don't know, but I don't like the look of it. Just follow his lead. And no, no breakfast right now.
Quinn sighed. "Nevermind, I'll eat later."
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:38 am
"Blacksuits are... bad news," replied Fish, starting down the sidewalk. He still remembered how Svana had reacted to the news of them, and he needed Quinn to stay on task. He narrowed his eyes at Quinn, confused for a moment. Oh, he meant the power he'd demonstrated back in the apartment. "Better not," he decided. If there were blacksuits out and about, they didn't want to draw attention to themselves.
"Just let your eyes adjust," he said. "There'll be more light if we go higher up and out. You know where Seasons is? Or maybe we should head for Harbor or try to find Anubis..."
He trailed off, wondering if the jackal god would know what was going on. Would anyone know what was going on? It was worth a try.
"We can eat later," he said finally. "Let's move."
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:30 pm
"Uhm, I have a general concept- Yah, maybe. I guess. Uh?" He followed Fish, feeling thoroughly confused as to their destination. He just shrugged, and went with the boy. "So, blacksuits are bad?" He whispered, as he struggled to keep up, "I guess I should watch out for them. Lots of people wear black suits though, right?" He thought about this. Then his eyes widened.
"Has every person in a black suit I've ever met been evil? That's horrible! I've been surrounded by evil people my whole life!" His voice was rising in volume, until he crescendoed to a loud exclamation. "It is our duty, as heroes, to bring all evil in the disguise of black suits down! DOWN, I SAY!" He remembered that he was supposed to be quiet and hushed down again.
"What exactly are we looking for, again?" His eyes twinkled in the early morning sun, obsidian blankness looking up at his ally.
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:55 pm
Fish rolled his eyes at the boy and shushed him. "Not every person who wears a black suit is a blacksuit," he explained, as much sense as that didn't make. "They kind of fit a profile? The guys are tall, body-builder types. Ever seen a picture of Arnold Schwarteneger? If you haven't, it's okay. He was some old time politician. Actor. Thing. Strawberry - you didn't met her - has a thing for him. The women kind of look sharp."
He contemplated a street sign and then turned down Penny Lane. "Anyway, you want to watch out for them and then stay away from them," he continued, "We're not sure why, but they're really intent on stopping the game. Last Christmas they got ahold of two players? Well, one player, the other one was a player's father. Anyway, the player - Vlad, you'll meet him - got away, but they killed Abbot."
He shivered a bit. It was so strange to walk through the Scene when it was so dark and quiet. This place usually buzzed with electricity.
"We're looking for answers, like why the power's out," he said. "Anubis might know. He's one of the judges. Either you met him or you met Miss Floros when you joined the Game. Who gave you your talisman - big black guy or little green lady?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:13 pm
A year. Nearly an entire year since he had talked to another player. A year since the death.
Which meant that this was a year of loss. While he lurked in shadows, finding scant comfort with the less fine things of life... All the other godlings were growing. Hell, who knew how much stronger the mutt had spent while Ciro was in a world of self indulgence.
It wasn't that Shamash had allowed this to go on. But what could the god do? Any punishment seemed to only further Ciro's dive into torpor. Could the failure have been so much to as crush the man's spirit?
"Those upper pricks all whining about the power. Ain't got it, them's sayin'. Tch! Pansies need to learn what it's like down 'ere. Ain't got no heaters to keep our tootsies from the cold, damn sure."
The usual nonsense, Ciro continued to sit, the stench of alcohol seeping from his body as he sit against a dilapidated brick wall. A cigarette hung limp from his lips as he zoned in and out of the conversation.
"Sayin' issall over though. Not just the uppers sattall. 'Supposed to be government conspiracy y'know."
Ciro's ears perked. While bum's weren't really reasonable sources... Anything about the government could hold his attention. While before Abbot he was rebellious, Ciro now really knew the meaning of anarchy.
He'd want to check on this. If the government was moving.... So would he.
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:01 pm
"Green lady. Why?" He looked questioningly at Fish, "And how does a woman look sharp?" He frowned, and continued to go over what the teen said, jogging to keep up with him. "Alright, I'll stay away from them. And stopping the game's not cool! I'm glad Vlad escaped, but Abbot died? I don't even know who he is and I feel sad!" He continued to frown, and looked around.
It was a bit eerie to have none of the usual nightlife. The electricity cut out really...lessened the excitement. It felt more like walking through a graveyard.
"And wait, talisman? You mean this thing?" He pulled a necklace out from under his shirt collar- it was pure gold, with a head in the shape of a feathered snake- opal feathers reflected all the colors of the rainbow.
"Yah, the green lady gave me this." Quinn sighed. Everything Fish said was confusing. He looked ahead, and squinted a bit, seeing the outline of a few people staggering drunkenly down the street, and what appeared to be a hobo on the wall.
He huddled up against Fish. He had been warned away from hobos, and quickly hid the necklace back under his shirt. Muggings weren't fun.
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:37 am
"Yeah, don't lose that thing," said Fish, watching the boy tuck the necklace back into his shirt. They came to an intersection and he pondered which direction to go in. There was no telling where Anubis might be - Fish had only ever seen him at Seasons, but the death god had to have a base of operations somewhere. But if it was in uppers, they were out of luck.
If blacksuits were prowling, going to Uppers would be like walking into a viper's nest. One of the roads sloped upwards, heading up a level and eventually to Corridors. But Corridors was practically Uppers. In the other direction the road sloped downwards at a gradual grade, heading towards the harbor. "Let's go that way," he said.
As they continued walking, he pondered how to better explain the female blacksuits. "They're... you know how people can kinda look angular? No fat, just muscle. Pointy elbows and knees, pointy chins, pointy shoes."
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:46 am
The only thing different about the city now was the silence. People tucked away in their homes, afraid of the eternal darkness that was Ciro's entire life. His footsteps echoed slightly against the collapsing walls as he made his way up from the downers. He could feel what scant warmth the sun offered; it was almost morning, and then the little bugs could scurry about in the safety of their light.
But Fish would also be out more readily.
His husky walk continued on, heading to the only logical place for a man named Fish to live. Slowly but surely the smell of ranc melted into the smell of salt and chemicals.
He was closing in on the harbor. How he would find Fish, though, was another thing entirely.
But he and his god had a few tricks of their sleeves.
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:30 pm
Even with the lights out, the world took on a different atmosphere as they neared Harbor. The buildings thinned out, gradually becoming warehouses. Fish's gait changed as they got closer - he knew this area like the back of his hand. This was his childhood - capture the flag and hide and go seek among these buildings. Games before The Game.
A figure appeared out of the gloom in front of them, tall and imposing, horns rising off his head like a strange crown. Fish smiled. They had found someone!
He kicked up the pace as they got closer.
"Ciro!" he called.
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 1:50 pm
"Ci...ro?" Quinn struggled to keep up with the teen, seeing that their goal is another teen with...horns? He didn't look like the kindest person in the world, but Fish was smiling, so he assumed that they were friends.
Who's that? I don't know. Be careful. Will do!
He stopped when Fish stopped, and then waved at Ciro, while panting. "Hiya. I'm Quinn!" He grinned happily, "Is this your friend, Fish?" He scanned the godling- since he obviously was- and wrinkled his nose. The teen smelled like smoke and alcohol. Not that Quinn wasn't used to it- it reminded him of his mother.
"Oh crap, mom!" He was suddenly hit with a moment of realization, "Is she alright? What's she going to do during the blackout? Mom!" He immediately spun on his heel and began running down a street near them, letting out something that sounded like a hiss. Come. A dog came up and began running with him, and he hissed again. Mom. The dog looked at him, then ran ahead, as it was faster. He didn't stop running, however.
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:02 pm
Ciro's attention snapped into place. He didn't need to use it after all; he had been found. He could tell that Fish had brought a guest by the footsteps and the difference in breathing patterns, but he wasn't immediately sure. Regardless, Fish was an ally as far as the Godling knew, and he hardly doubted that he couldn't take them both down anyway.
"'Ey, man."
His cigarette flopped rebelliously in Ciro's mouth as he talked, his voice low and calm. "Haven't seen you since.... that.... Guess you could say I've been laying low for a while."
Then the kid freaked. It had been a long time since Ciro had heard a voice so young, let alone one in a panic. Hands casually placed into his pockets, he listened to the footsteps fade, and then multiply, and then fade even more. It seemed like kids were getting more and more crafty these days.
Exhaling, Ciro scowled at Fish.
"You know I'm just going to ignore that, right?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:56 pm
Fish sighed and watched Quinn vanish into the gloom. "Yeah, but he's my ally this round and he's going to get himself killed if he's not careful. Like he said, he's Quinn. Let's follow him."
He took a few steps in the direction the boy had gone and turned back to Ciro. "You coming?"
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