Neon Crosses in The ∇ri∆ngle
May 20, 2022 20:39:42 GMT -8
Post by Sparky on May 20, 2022 20:39:42 GMT -8
[Refs]
Stars winked in the sky alongside a half-moon. From his position on the couch, the big man was free to keep his eyes on it. Watching it. Ensuring his eternal enemy was kept in check. One gauntleted hand hung over the side. Fingers scratching lightly upon the furred head of his beloved rabbit. His wingman. The leader of his mighty army. His trusted comrade in arms. Static clung to the back of his mind. Enough to be a nuisance, but not enough to cloud his vision. It gnawed and tugged in different directions, but Gaige was in a safe place.
Eerily soundless, the man rose from the couch. Stretched. Pulled on his jacket, and grabbed up his axe. The lights of his mask flickered on almost on reflex. Seymore, well behaved as ever, quietly hopped back to his pet bed, and flopped down onto his side. Gaige smiled behind the mask and pulled up the hood. The man's normally heavy footsteps fell far quieter. Steel-toed boots carefully lowered to reduce the 'thumping' sound they created as the brute eased himself towards a door. Peaked in.
His little brother slept soundly, rolled onto his side, back turned towards the doorway. In a tank, Frederick slept in his cave. The static in Gaige's mind eased slightly looking towards his younger sibling. Only to return once more as soon as the door was shut. The big man rolled a shoulder, swung his axe back, and rested it there as he made his exit. The further he travelled, the lest clear his thought became. Sights and sounds became more muddled. Intentions blurred. By the time the young mercenary reached the bottom steps of the apartment, he had taken to grumbling under his breath. He needed an outlet for the energy. Something equally energetic. It couldn't hurt to take a job.
More gold in his pocket meant more for his little brother.
If there was one place in Hurricane keep that could be counted on to burn off energy, it was The Triangle. Or, as Gaige tried to say the "Tri-ri-triangle-ngle-angle." At least until The Bartender clarified it was "Just The Triangle." When he'd left the apartment, his walk was more casual. The further he got, however, the more abnormal it became, until the big man was marching as though he were in the military. A few concerned pedestrians stared after him. Gaige didn't seem to mind at all.
Unlike the wilderness, there wasn't much to distract Gaige in Hurricane keep. No fluffy animals to get distracted by, no rivers to prance in to wash away blood. No rocks to sun himself in. Finally, he arrived at the neon flashing sign, fading between blue and pink. The big man smiled behind the mask, then turns on heel. "I AM STILL WATCHING YOU!" He exclaimed, shaking his fist up towards the moon. "YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE. ONE DAY, YOU WILL SEE!! Me and my GRAND ARMY will PUNISH YOU!!"
A few more civilians watched as the madman screamed at the moon.
And then walked backwards right into club.
Entering into the main bar area, a puff of pink mist escaped the grinning mask. Glowing cross-shaped eyes swept around. Above, on the roof of the establishment, thumping music of the night-time rave could be heard muffled through the floor. Gaige turned towards the bar. The Bartender looked up towards Gaige. Gaige marched towards the bar. The Bartender sighed and put away the glass he was washing. Gaige slammed his hands on the counter.
"BARTENDER! I am quite parched this fine night, and I REQUIRE your FINEST WHISKEY!!!" The Bartender nodded and pulled out a glass, dropped in an ice cube, and filled it halfway with whiskey. Then, turning towards a white haired girl, let out a sharp whistle.
"Luna. Make sure you have a mop on hand." Back to Gaige, the bartender watched as the big man sat down in his seat. Shifted. Rocked side to side. Spun around clockwise. Spun back around counter-clockwise. Then slammed his fist down on the counter, scooped up the glass, and smashed it full force against his face. When the entire process was over, the Bartender cleaned up whatever got on the counter and continued speaking without skipping a beat. "If you're here, I assume you're looking for work?"
"My crusade is TIRELESS AND UNYIELDING!!! Wherever the deserving fester, MY BLADE WILL BE THERE TO PUNISH!" Thrusting his axe into the air, the big man exclaimed. "EXCALIBUR!"
The Bartender didn't even bat an eye. Instead, he turned and left Gaige to his scene, vanishing into the back to go retrieve the stack of bounty papers he always kept on hand. A shock of static stabbed into the back of Gaige's mind, flinching him out of his pose and eliciting muddled grumbling. Fingers scratched the side of his head, while the other slung the axe back into its sheathe. Just before the pressure in his head was fit to burst, a puff of pink mist alleviated it. A sigh escaped the mask, and Gaige settled back into his stool, blissfully unaware of whoever watched him.
Eerily soundless, the man rose from the couch. Stretched. Pulled on his jacket, and grabbed up his axe. The lights of his mask flickered on almost on reflex. Seymore, well behaved as ever, quietly hopped back to his pet bed, and flopped down onto his side. Gaige smiled behind the mask and pulled up the hood. The man's normally heavy footsteps fell far quieter. Steel-toed boots carefully lowered to reduce the 'thumping' sound they created as the brute eased himself towards a door. Peaked in.
His little brother slept soundly, rolled onto his side, back turned towards the doorway. In a tank, Frederick slept in his cave. The static in Gaige's mind eased slightly looking towards his younger sibling. Only to return once more as soon as the door was shut. The big man rolled a shoulder, swung his axe back, and rested it there as he made his exit. The further he travelled, the lest clear his thought became. Sights and sounds became more muddled. Intentions blurred. By the time the young mercenary reached the bottom steps of the apartment, he had taken to grumbling under his breath. He needed an outlet for the energy. Something equally energetic. It couldn't hurt to take a job.
More gold in his pocket meant more for his little brother.
If there was one place in Hurricane keep that could be counted on to burn off energy, it was The Triangle. Or, as Gaige tried to say the "Tri-ri-triangle-ngle-angle." At least until The Bartender clarified it was "Just The Triangle." When he'd left the apartment, his walk was more casual. The further he got, however, the more abnormal it became, until the big man was marching as though he were in the military. A few concerned pedestrians stared after him. Gaige didn't seem to mind at all.
Unlike the wilderness, there wasn't much to distract Gaige in Hurricane keep. No fluffy animals to get distracted by, no rivers to prance in to wash away blood. No rocks to sun himself in. Finally, he arrived at the neon flashing sign, fading between blue and pink. The big man smiled behind the mask, then turns on heel. "I AM STILL WATCHING YOU!" He exclaimed, shaking his fist up towards the moon. "YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE. ONE DAY, YOU WILL SEE!! Me and my GRAND ARMY will PUNISH YOU!!"
A few more civilians watched as the madman screamed at the moon.
And then walked backwards right into club.
Entering into the main bar area, a puff of pink mist escaped the grinning mask. Glowing cross-shaped eyes swept around. Above, on the roof of the establishment, thumping music of the night-time rave could be heard muffled through the floor. Gaige turned towards the bar. The Bartender looked up towards Gaige. Gaige marched towards the bar. The Bartender sighed and put away the glass he was washing. Gaige slammed his hands on the counter.
"BARTENDER! I am quite parched this fine night, and I REQUIRE your FINEST WHISKEY!!!" The Bartender nodded and pulled out a glass, dropped in an ice cube, and filled it halfway with whiskey. Then, turning towards a white haired girl, let out a sharp whistle.
"Luna. Make sure you have a mop on hand." Back to Gaige, the bartender watched as the big man sat down in his seat. Shifted. Rocked side to side. Spun around clockwise. Spun back around counter-clockwise. Then slammed his fist down on the counter, scooped up the glass, and smashed it full force against his face. When the entire process was over, the Bartender cleaned up whatever got on the counter and continued speaking without skipping a beat. "If you're here, I assume you're looking for work?"
"My crusade is TIRELESS AND UNYIELDING!!! Wherever the deserving fester, MY BLADE WILL BE THERE TO PUNISH!" Thrusting his axe into the air, the big man exclaimed. "EXCALIBUR!"
The Bartender didn't even bat an eye. Instead, he turned and left Gaige to his scene, vanishing into the back to go retrieve the stack of bounty papers he always kept on hand. A shock of static stabbed into the back of Gaige's mind, flinching him out of his pose and eliciting muddled grumbling. Fingers scratched the side of his head, while the other slung the axe back into its sheathe. Just before the pressure in his head was fit to burst, a puff of pink mist alleviated it. A sigh escaped the mask, and Gaige settled back into his stool, blissfully unaware of whoever watched him.
