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 Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:12 am
Shopping Center - Barton The Barton Shopping Center, or Shopping Arcade, is a set of buildings that contain stores and have interconnecting walkways which make it easy for people to walk from store to store. Some of the walkways are often enclosed as well. The Shopping Center was designed to service a larger area than a conventional shopping mall. As such, it is typically larger, and offers a wider selection of stores. Given its wider service area, this kind of mall tends to have higher-end stores that need a larger area in order for their services to be profitable. This also led to it becoming quite the tourist attraction. The shopping center has over 1 million square feet of retail space and serves as the dominant shopping venue for all of Barton.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:47 pm
It wasn't a very hard decision for Athan to make upon leaving the Void. He was searching for some strange little petal, and what better place to start than the busiest shopping center in all of Gaia?
The place was crowded, that much was certain, but Athan picked his way through the crowd easily enough by lowering his shoulder and ducking his head down. There were a few small stores nearby, but those weren't going to be where he focused his attention. Instead, Athan chose to inquire at the nearby kiosks. You know, the kind that make a living selling little doodads, trinkets, and tabloid magazines.
"Hey, bud. You happen to be selling any petals?"
The vendor only shook his head and pointed at a little silver cup. He didn't get halfway through his sales pitch before Athan walked away, continuing his search.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:47 pm
"What is up homie G-dawg?" Voice from somewhere. Hard to spot unless you looked down immediately. There Athan would find what by all looks and standards was a racoon. Save the fact that it sported a blood red headband, an eye patch, and was totally flashing gangsta signs at him with both paws.
Its entire body was one big dark brown shape with a bushy white/black tail extending out. The black 'burglar mask' was firmly in place on its face - nose scruntched up and head tipped back to look up at Athan.
Closer inspectoins made it obvious that 'Bloods' was printed across the headband in tiny black font. At least if you looked that close.
How the tiny guy...or thing...got there was anyone's guess. It surely did not make any sound as it walked up.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:54 pm
The hell? Who said that?
Athan looked around for a moment, searching for the source of the voice. It wasn't until Athan cast a single glance down at his feet that he noticed there was a racoon there. Not just any racoon, but one that obviously considered itself either a gangster, or a pirate. Or some strange mix of both.
Part of him wondered if he was just going crazy. Obviously it wasn't every day that one encountered a racoon wandering the streets of Barton, let alone one that talked and dressed like it was straight out of South Central.
But then part of him realized that he was in fact searching for a petal of chaos.
What was more chaotic than a gangster pirate racoon?
"You wouldn't happen to know of any petals, would you--" He hesitated before adding "dawg?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:58 pm
Hand signs stopped for a moment. Confuzzled he be. What was up with this guy? Petals and s**t? What was he smokin?
The little guy seemed to take the wrong message as he slammed his elbow into Athan's leg. Little 'yo friend' style of motion. "Sup homez; share some of that s**t." Another two 'taps'.
"Dont be holdin' out on a brotha."
The tone was suggestion enough of what he meant. Leaning over like a co-conspirator even though he was a full few feet shorter - even more attention paid.
The rent-a-cops were starting to eye them suspiciously...
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:35 pm
"Damn... I think I lost him again..."
Kit looked to the skies and groaned, this was becoming a wild goose chase. It had to be somewhere, he thought to himself, my ticket to the spirit world was roaming around somewhere, it had to be around here!
He found a man aroundm who seemed to be looking down on something.
Wanting answers, Kit, strided towrds him. He looked over the man's shoulders. It was a tiny raccoon.
"Don't I know you?" he asked the little guy, he's seen him before somewhere...
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:37 pm
Athan quirked an eyebrow, staring at the little critter as it elbowed his leg. What the...did he think he was a drug dealer?
"Brother? What th--look, guy, I don't have that 's**t' for you. Now you either tell me where I can find a petal of chaos or I'm going to head off on my way."
He had to admit, he was getting rather annoyed. And the suspicious stare from the nearby law 'officials' was probably not going to go away unless the 'coon left him alone.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:42 pm
"YOU A POPO." His voiced raised high in what could almost be called song. One finger stayed pointed on Athan as if to strike him down. That the little creature was gradually rolling back meant nothing.
One foot after the other - head cringing back. As Kit peeked past the big man...well...that was it.
"Hell no I dont know you!" Shrill voice a loud piercing squeal. "Popos! These men tryin' ta abduct me!" Quite a game to play as his voice suddenly turned childish and with an audible *Poof* a little girl in a pink dress was standing there crying.
And with that the Rent-A-Cops started to move after a moment of indecision.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:47 pm
"Fricking Tanu-"
Kit took a dagger out and waited as both of the cops arrived in front of him. He was pissed, he followed a spirit here, and now another one was trying to get him in trouble, sure, at least his day wasn't boring anymore, but damn! It was time to vent some anger.
He took the raccoon girl and put the blade to it's throat, who knows, maybe that laughing spirit will come back somehow.
"Back!" the kitsune yelled, watching the cops back away a little, "Or I slit her throat!"
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:51 pm
"What the..."
He looked over his shoulder at the newcomer, then back to the racoon. Or, what was at one point a racoon, and was now a little girl crying. His right hand clenched into a fist, and Athan stepped forward towards her.
"Why you littl-"
He was cut off the moment that Kit decided to take the strange racoon/girl/whatever hostage. Now what?
There wasn't much else to do. He took up position behind Kit and started backing up the threat.
"He'll do it! He's crazy!"
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 3:56 pm
"Tanker" was what his badge said. Probbaly a more accurate description of the amount of coffee he drank to go with all the doughnuts than his strength.
"Now caaaaaalllllmmmm down there son." He said in a way too stupid drawl. Not southern, just plain ol' retarded, "N'body wants to giiiiit hurt t'day."
"Popo! Do something! I want my mommy." The coon-girl was having a hard time immitating how a little girl would speak, "I don't want nothin' t'do with these me. Theys gonna rape me!"
That being said, the pitch and tone was spot on.
"Caaaaaaaallllllllmmmm down girly," The rent-a-cop couldn't tell the diference, "I'll giiit you outta this and giiit you a lolly."
"I ain't no loli." The racoon muttered under his breath.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:00 pm
Athan's right hand balled up into his fist. The guy was just doing his job, but in the process, he was messing with Athan's own personal business.
"I don't have time for this."
He stepped in front of Kit, and before anyone could stop him, he threw a vicious hook towards the rent-a-cop's temple. The punch's rotation may very well have started in China, but with the speed in which it came around, there'd be little time to react by the time he came forward with it.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:02 pm
"Then let us go!" Kit said, holding the raccoon (spirit?)'s neck with his arm, keeping his dagger in his hand. In his other hand, he took out one of his revolvers from the holster and put the unusual barrel to the girl's head.
"Noone gets hurt, alright?"
Edit:
Apparently the man he was with was impatient, cause he just socked a cop. Kit backed up into a building's wall, planning to go to the alleyway near it.
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:07 pm
Tanker hit the floor like a tonne of bricks. Quickly he started mumbeling incoheriant drivle.
"Supa... Supa bomberman... He loves him the cocunut... that supa... bomber... yeah... Gotta find some palm trees.... Get some..."
And then he blacked out completly.
"Oh shi-" The racoon shouted in it's normal voice, there went that plan. And in the panic it turned back into it's true form. Paws dangling in the air, Kit didn't even have to bother to drag anymore.
"Look man! I don't wan nothin' to do with this s**t." It was waving it's claws out in front of it, "But I'll get ya whateva you need from mah stash, ayite? You want some crack get you high?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:10 pm
Athan shook his hand out slightly, his eyes focused upon the downed man. His head shook slightly, not out of reverence for the unconscious cop, but for the complete lack of fight he put up.
He turned around, looking at Kit. He still had his dagger out, and a gun pointed to the racoon's head.
"Give me the racoon, I need to have a little word with him."
He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that most shoppers that had witnessed the scene were either screaming or running away about as fast as they could.
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