Day 1 - Bag 'Em and Tag'Em

[Corporal Light]

Continued from <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://omniverse-rpg.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4025">viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4025</a><!-- l -->

"Anyways, what was I thinking about? Oh yeah, How long did it take these guys to make this damn festival? Looks like it took a crap ton of work," Ballad rants to himself as he continues to stroll through the Colosseum Carnival. It had only been a few minutes since he had signed up for the Prime Tournaments, and he was still wondering about his decision processing and whether or not he fucked up somewhere in the logic. I mean, seriously? Basing your success chances off a list of more than ten from three people? All with more or less different looks to them? Give me a break.

"Hardly matters now, I suppose. I bet I can't just write myself off the list now, considering my death isn't really much of a concern to those guys. I guess to make the best of it Ill just... walk around, see who else is here." Ballad was still not very thrilled of the fact that he would have to be going around and actually talk to people. The reasons why are... rather complicated, or at least that's what Ballad constantly reminds himself and others. In reality, however, he had never a actually given real answers. Whatever they happened to be, it was a secret only known to him.

Taking a deep breath, Ballad continues to stroll through the streets of the Carnival. Again, he was still rather impressed by the spectacle here, even if the actual social element he wasn't fond of. To his left and right were giant, striped stands of various color. Some sold food, others sold games, even though most were obviously rigged so they could steak your money after selling out a false hope that you COULD beat them. Occasionally, though, Ballad managed to come across some other, more noteworthy stands.

One in particular was an interesting one. It was easily noticeable from a distance, if not because it was surrounded by lines and lines of people. Curious, Ballad walked on up to the back of one of the lands, taking a peek at what was going on. The sign above the stand, hanging over everyone's heads composed of a crossbow with words saying "Bag 'Em and Tag 'Em." As he got closer, he could hear a man's voice shouting enthusiastically, almost theatrically, over the crowd of people surrounding the stand. It wasn't until Ballad was nearing the front could he get full clarity as to what was going down.

"Step right up, folks, for the hardest, most challenging, yet most rewarding shooting game ever experienced by mortal men," shouted the runner of the stand. He was clad in what appeared to be typical hunter garb, though Ballad swore he saw traces of red, dried up marks on his clothing reminiscent of blood, "Try and seed if you can best it! Best it, and you'll win a prize great esteemed!" Ballad stared at what was going down within the stand. He didn't exactly understand why the guy was acting all theatrical, especially since his motiff for the shooting gallery was... rather macabre. He didn't know what was called "good taste" in this land, but if part of it is from bloody spikes on the side, skulls with red eyes, and targets that squirt out blood whenever you hit them, then maybe this place isn't so friendly after all.

"Hey, you sir!" Ballad looked towards the source of the noise. It was the runner himself. "You look like you know your stuff about shooting. Why don't we say you teach these goons here a lesson in accuracy?" Ballad paused, moving his left hand up to his hat to rub it as he looks around. The runner of the stand was certainly good at getting people's attention onto others, seeing as at least four dozen people were silently pressuring him forward. At first, Ballad didn't want to, as he was certain he would be helping a flawed system continue. But he would relent. Ah fuck it. If I turned around every time a crazy dude with a gun walked up to me and proceeded to start shouting then.... well I'd probably kill him, but killing this guy in public isn't very smart.

Silently walking forward, the runner of the stand proceeds to clap his hands, followed by the crowd surrounding him as he shouts "Good, good! All you need to do is hit the targets. You only have three shots, miss any and you won't win! For maximum enjoyment, I can either give you a ranged weapon with an additional fee, or use one already provided to you!" Eyes widening, he looks down towards his waist, his left hand slowly parting his coat. After taking one last glance around, he moves his right hand to the handle of his revolver, pulling it out of his holster.

The runner of the stand wisely moves to the aide, out of harm's way. The crowd holds their breath, wanting to see where this goes. Ballad remains silent, inspecting the targets from his position at the stand. They resembled... heads, of some sort, and they were hardly big enough to be anything more than human skills. Sick bastards, the ones that endorse this crap. Whatever, let's just beat this and leave.

Adjusting his aim, he points his revolver towards the leftmost skull, pulling the trigger after cocking the hammer. A loud gunshot, followed by a flash of light from the barrel, and the skull exploded into a red mist. The crowd cheered; some clapped. Two more remaining. Moving his revolver to the right, he aims at the middle skull, cocks the hammer, pulls the trigger. Skull explodes. The crowd holds their breath. He might actually do it.

Moving his revolver to the right, he aims at the last skull. It is here when Ballad sees how rigged the whole thing was. As he fires, the bullet somehow enlodges itself into the wooden stool it was standing on. Shocked, he lowers his revolver, certain he had the thing in his sights. The crowd behind him lets out a disappointed groan. The runner of the stand walks up to Ballad, sighing as he sadly says "Damn... thought for sure you had it in you. Anyways... five gold pieces."

Ballad let out a sigh, moving to allow the next stupid sap to play this bullshit game. Holding his left hand, he summoned up five gold pieces after three minutes, handed them to the runner, and proceeded to walk away from the stand.