10-19-2015, 04:16 AM
In a complete mix of dumbfounded and annoyed that I was dragged into this hidden area like a sloshed friend, I looked down the short tunnel I was going through. A mix of hewed stone and cobblestone that patch up some of the rougher areas, it lacked the uniformity of either the Empire's utilitarian design nor the intimidating and dungeon-esque look of the original foundation. It looked like someone's attempt at a escape tunnel, although the fact that we weren't underwater meant either someone game up before then or the intentions of the place wasn't a literal escape from the prison. A light shown brightly at the end we were headed to, blocked only by a gaudy rainbow bead curtain. I was halfway decided on kicking one of my carriers in the ankle when we passed through the entry way and I was greeted with a sight that I am clearly not qualified to describe to the detail it deserved.
A rainbow of colored lights and clothes covered the walls like a toxic swirl of eye searing tackiness. Prisoners wore whatever seemed to have suited their fancy, more than those that stuck to either orange jumpers or even more old-fashioned black and white striped ones, just as colorful as the decor. Men wore dresses, women more suits, some wore things no one should wear and others wore nothing at all. The only thing they had in common was that they were crowded around tables, drunk on moonshine and cheering on a group main a fool of themselves on a raised stage in the back of the room.
It was what soccer moms through the inside of a gay bar looked like. It was eight shots too far into a costume party on valentines. It was the Rocky Horror Picture Show with better lighting. And I, hung by the arms from two beefcakes for everyone to see in my dayglo green armor, was the weird one out as attention slowly drifted away from the show and onto me.
If there was ever a moment I was more embarrassed about standing in fronting in front of a bunch of people before then, I couldn't remember it.
One of them at the "rustic" bar stood up from their stool, an ambiguous fellow who stood out as even more flamboyant than everyone there. I would say that was a surprises, but this guy took effort to make what looked like the corruption of magical girl outfit, and a hairdo straight from a glam rock drummer with a shade of blue I didn't think existed. It sort of reminded me of the asshole admiral that threatened me back on the island, but that jackass had more of a "I don't give a fuck" type of fashion, where as this guy was at least be commended for time spent, thought not for actual aesthetics.
"Ah, a newcomer" He announced, more to everyone else's benefit than my own. He gave me the look over, his previously happy look turned briefly serious as his examination ended at my neck. It would be dead fucking obvious that I was armed and armored, and none one here seemed phased by that. But he noticed the lack of a inhibitor collar and there was some serious brain activity under that puffball of hair. He went back to the smile soon after "Care to introduce yourself, hon?" Most of the bar now had their attention on me, and the entertainers unhappy at their stolen audience
I gave my sudden host a raised eyebrow, rather useless behind my helmet, and raised my arms up to slide out of the body builders' grasp.
"I'm Doomguy, I'm not staying here for long" I answers with the appropriate lack of enthusiasm, and the room responded with a welcoming cheer before they went right back to drinking. A few tried to give a bit more personal welcome and swarmed me, but they stopped when I stiff armed one of them "I'm looking for someone" I told one who introduced me, as I assumed he was at least around before the summon into the Omniverse as he too lacked a collar.
He (it got really obvious when he got closer) walked up, a slightly glum look. Well, glum and slightly pitying.
"Hon, can I call you Doomy, if you're here for a bounty then you're really missed the point" I answered with a middle finger, but he seemed only amused by it.
"I'm not a bounty hunter, I'm here to break someone who doesn't belong here" That got the attention of a few, as the leaned in on the conversation. I tried to stare them down, but they only smile and chuckled in response. It was hard to think of it because of their odd mannerisms and fashion, but they were still hardened criminals and my attempts at intimidation was a joke to them. "Bring this place down, if I can. And don't call me Doomy"
'You've broken into one of the greatest prison known in the multiverse, under the eyes of the Empire, to save someone from inside and destroy the building?" He summed it up, one hand rest on their chin. "Ambitious. Dangerous. Exciting!" Each word was more ecstatic than the last, completely with a lean back with wonder in their eyes. I just wondered why everyone I met in the Omniverse was either over-dramatic or a massive asshole. "Let me properly introduce myself. Call me Larenzo." He held a hand out and I shook it almost on instinct "I look after the place, in a sense"
"Then you'll help me? I can break everyone else out as well if I had help"
"Now, why would I do that?" Larenzo answers with the same smile as he dismissed the two hulks. My visor might have blocked the glare I gave him, but my balled fists or the step forward I gave a good idea on what I wanted to do to his face after he shot me down.
"What?!" I yelled, only to have a knife point suddenly at my neck. In the time it took me to just raise a fist up Larenzo had pulled two knife, one from each hand, and I felt sharpened steel dig into my skin. With out a collar, he was not restricted like the others and I had underestimated him. I hesitated, and a few of the hanger-ons reached for their weapon, the friendly attitude turned hostile and contrasted the silly music and drunken revelry around us. "I'm offering a way out. You wanna just stay in this shit hole?"
"Shit hole?" Larenzo asked with an amused inflection. He didn't seem insulted at all, although he tried to act as such "This is a heaven! Hidden inside Hell, no fear from the Marines or the Empire or whoever might own it, we are freer than anyone outside these walls" He waved to the bar, and started to move back there. A push from the back told me to follow, despite the fact that there was still a knife about to wedge itself into my jugular "Have a drink on me"
A shot was put in front of both of us by the man-sized octopus of a bartender with a clear liquid inside the cups. Yep, moonshine, you only need a single whiff to tell. I tipped my helmet up just enough so I could drink it, which only got more amused looks from those waching. Larenzo was about to say something, probably a warning or a teasing joke, but he failed to find his words when I downed the shot in one go. It left like I dropped a sword on fire down my throat, and my stomach grumbled in anger like it remembered the last time I swore off the stuff, but it was a neat party trick that shocked everyone.
Although no more for me. Last thing I needed was to be poisoned by prison toilet booze.
"Look, here's the thing" I explained as I slipped my helmet back into position "I'm fighting my way out of here. I can't just sneak back out, so it's the only chance I have. And when I smash the Empire defense, all the other prisoners are going to take that chance for freedom, even if you don't. And when those plastic soldiers clean up the mess I left, your little party here is going to be alone. Maybe they don't find you, but there's not going to be a whole lot between you and them"
The drag queen shrugged "We'll take our chances" I didn't have much to go on, but when a glance around and saw one of them prisoners chew on some nurti-sludge a little spark of a thought jumped.
"How about this: Those collars. The fact that you still have people with them on mean you haven't found a way to take them off, right?" the cross-dresser confirmed with a nod "So they restrict a person's powers and a prime's ability to summon things. And since the Empire wants to keep people down here, then if a prime dies the collar should respawn them somewhere in this prison rather than back at the fountain. So there would have to be some kind of computer than controls them. And if I smash that, you and your drinking buddies won't have to scrounge for food anymore"
Mr flamboyant paused just long enough to process what I said until that stupid smile grew wide. I had him, and now this mission was about to get a lot easier.
"Then we have a deal"
"Good. Now get your fuckin' dagger off me before I forced feed you them"
A rainbow of colored lights and clothes covered the walls like a toxic swirl of eye searing tackiness. Prisoners wore whatever seemed to have suited their fancy, more than those that stuck to either orange jumpers or even more old-fashioned black and white striped ones, just as colorful as the decor. Men wore dresses, women more suits, some wore things no one should wear and others wore nothing at all. The only thing they had in common was that they were crowded around tables, drunk on moonshine and cheering on a group main a fool of themselves on a raised stage in the back of the room.
It was what soccer moms through the inside of a gay bar looked like. It was eight shots too far into a costume party on valentines. It was the Rocky Horror Picture Show with better lighting. And I, hung by the arms from two beefcakes for everyone to see in my dayglo green armor, was the weird one out as attention slowly drifted away from the show and onto me.
If there was ever a moment I was more embarrassed about standing in fronting in front of a bunch of people before then, I couldn't remember it.
One of them at the "rustic" bar stood up from their stool, an ambiguous fellow who stood out as even more flamboyant than everyone there. I would say that was a surprises, but this guy took effort to make what looked like the corruption of magical girl outfit, and a hairdo straight from a glam rock drummer with a shade of blue I didn't think existed. It sort of reminded me of the asshole admiral that threatened me back on the island, but that jackass had more of a "I don't give a fuck" type of fashion, where as this guy was at least be commended for time spent, thought not for actual aesthetics.
"Ah, a newcomer" He announced, more to everyone else's benefit than my own. He gave me the look over, his previously happy look turned briefly serious as his examination ended at my neck. It would be dead fucking obvious that I was armed and armored, and none one here seemed phased by that. But he noticed the lack of a inhibitor collar and there was some serious brain activity under that puffball of hair. He went back to the smile soon after "Care to introduce yourself, hon?" Most of the bar now had their attention on me, and the entertainers unhappy at their stolen audience
I gave my sudden host a raised eyebrow, rather useless behind my helmet, and raised my arms up to slide out of the body builders' grasp.
"I'm Doomguy, I'm not staying here for long" I answers with the appropriate lack of enthusiasm, and the room responded with a welcoming cheer before they went right back to drinking. A few tried to give a bit more personal welcome and swarmed me, but they stopped when I stiff armed one of them "I'm looking for someone" I told one who introduced me, as I assumed he was at least around before the summon into the Omniverse as he too lacked a collar.
He (it got really obvious when he got closer) walked up, a slightly glum look. Well, glum and slightly pitying.
"Hon, can I call you Doomy, if you're here for a bounty then you're really missed the point" I answered with a middle finger, but he seemed only amused by it.
"I'm not a bounty hunter, I'm here to break someone who doesn't belong here" That got the attention of a few, as the leaned in on the conversation. I tried to stare them down, but they only smile and chuckled in response. It was hard to think of it because of their odd mannerisms and fashion, but they were still hardened criminals and my attempts at intimidation was a joke to them. "Bring this place down, if I can. And don't call me Doomy"
'You've broken into one of the greatest prison known in the multiverse, under the eyes of the Empire, to save someone from inside and destroy the building?" He summed it up, one hand rest on their chin. "Ambitious. Dangerous. Exciting!" Each word was more ecstatic than the last, completely with a lean back with wonder in their eyes. I just wondered why everyone I met in the Omniverse was either over-dramatic or a massive asshole. "Let me properly introduce myself. Call me Larenzo." He held a hand out and I shook it almost on instinct "I look after the place, in a sense"
"Then you'll help me? I can break everyone else out as well if I had help"
"Now, why would I do that?" Larenzo answers with the same smile as he dismissed the two hulks. My visor might have blocked the glare I gave him, but my balled fists or the step forward I gave a good idea on what I wanted to do to his face after he shot me down.
"What?!" I yelled, only to have a knife point suddenly at my neck. In the time it took me to just raise a fist up Larenzo had pulled two knife, one from each hand, and I felt sharpened steel dig into my skin. With out a collar, he was not restricted like the others and I had underestimated him. I hesitated, and a few of the hanger-ons reached for their weapon, the friendly attitude turned hostile and contrasted the silly music and drunken revelry around us. "I'm offering a way out. You wanna just stay in this shit hole?"
"Shit hole?" Larenzo asked with an amused inflection. He didn't seem insulted at all, although he tried to act as such "This is a heaven! Hidden inside Hell, no fear from the Marines or the Empire or whoever might own it, we are freer than anyone outside these walls" He waved to the bar, and started to move back there. A push from the back told me to follow, despite the fact that there was still a knife about to wedge itself into my jugular "Have a drink on me"
A shot was put in front of both of us by the man-sized octopus of a bartender with a clear liquid inside the cups. Yep, moonshine, you only need a single whiff to tell. I tipped my helmet up just enough so I could drink it, which only got more amused looks from those waching. Larenzo was about to say something, probably a warning or a teasing joke, but he failed to find his words when I downed the shot in one go. It left like I dropped a sword on fire down my throat, and my stomach grumbled in anger like it remembered the last time I swore off the stuff, but it was a neat party trick that shocked everyone.
Although no more for me. Last thing I needed was to be poisoned by prison toilet booze.
"Look, here's the thing" I explained as I slipped my helmet back into position "I'm fighting my way out of here. I can't just sneak back out, so it's the only chance I have. And when I smash the Empire defense, all the other prisoners are going to take that chance for freedom, even if you don't. And when those plastic soldiers clean up the mess I left, your little party here is going to be alone. Maybe they don't find you, but there's not going to be a whole lot between you and them"
The drag queen shrugged "We'll take our chances" I didn't have much to go on, but when a glance around and saw one of them prisoners chew on some nurti-sludge a little spark of a thought jumped.
"How about this: Those collars. The fact that you still have people with them on mean you haven't found a way to take them off, right?" the cross-dresser confirmed with a nod "So they restrict a person's powers and a prime's ability to summon things. And since the Empire wants to keep people down here, then if a prime dies the collar should respawn them somewhere in this prison rather than back at the fountain. So there would have to be some kind of computer than controls them. And if I smash that, you and your drinking buddies won't have to scrounge for food anymore"
Mr flamboyant paused just long enough to process what I said until that stupid smile grew wide. I had him, and now this mission was about to get a lot easier.
"Then we have a deal"
"Good. Now get your fuckin' dagger off me before I forced feed you them"
![[Image: oGzCtPC.png]](http://i.imgur.com/oGzCtPC.png)