Returning to Civilisation
Jun 16, 2009 20:19:34 GMT
Post by Zechariah Artuna on Jun 16, 2009 20:19:34 GMT
It had been an incredibly long time since Zack had spent any length of time within a city, or even visited one for that matter. He was no longer a ‘people-person’ and often hated the company of the snivelling individuals that he seemed to attract; he was a magnet for people that just seemed to rub him the wrong way. It was why he preferred to be alone, no, that wasn’t correct; his loneliness was thrust upon him unwillingly, only he couldn’t find the only person who he wished to be with. It didn’t help that his re-initiation back into civilisation just happened to be within Generica.
“…Bloody egotistical, snobby Genericans…” by all accounts Zack should have gotten on with them swimmingly, seeing as he was extremely egotistical himself, though he couldn’t abide by the fact they were snobbish, thinking that everyone was lesser than them…even though Zack often felt the same as well. However, all Zack was concerned about was getting to the diner, preferably without having to ask for directions. I won’t ask. I refuse to speak to these people. thankfully he had been to the diner in the past so he had a rough idea where it stood, though it had been some while since his last visit and his memory on the matter was somewhat hazy – at best.
“…I hate this place…” he grumbled as he continued to look for the diner. Then again there weren’t many places that Zack didn’t hate. He didn’t care who heard him as he already knew what the Genericans thought of foreigners, and he was quite clearly a foreigner.
He hoped, beyond hope, that he didn’t bump into that sorry excuse for a superhero, Captain Generica. Zack had met him only two times in the past; the first time he had openly flirted with her in front of him. They weren’t together back then, so the Captain hadn’t TECHNICALLY done anything wrong, but that didn’t help to appease Zack’s temper, especially after everything that had happened. The second time he had seen Captain Generica had been within a worlds martial arts tournament that followed a few days after his first encounter with the superhero . Zack had hoped to face him, to embarrass the hero by defeating him easily, but a bad judge’s rule had gone against him and he had been knocked out; the loss was still a sour taste within his mouth.
Suddenly something else sparked a thought within his head, something unexpected and something he had forgotten about up until now. Reaching his hand inside of his cloak Zack pulled free the small orb that he had ripped from Absols chest, the so called ‘Dragon ball’; as Alykoth had named it. Zack still had no idea what it meant, though when he looked into it the very insides seemed to swirl and mix, almost as if a tiny storm had been trapped within and was raging inside in an attempt to break free. It was different and unique, that much was sure, perhaps even one of a kind, Zack had no way to tell.
Either way it was sure to fetch for a pretty penny if sold, and cash was always well sort after. Zack had no job and the only money he had to call his own had come from small-time martial arts tournaments here and there, though he had never won the jackpot that a large scale world’s martial arts tournament offered. As fate would have it, or chance if you didn’t believe in such fairytales, at that precise moment Zack happened to pass a pawnbrokers. Zack stopped in his tracks as he looked at the shop. It was tempting, and in the end the temptation had proved too strong and Zack found himself within the shop at the counter. He stood there, completely silent, for quite some time, before the man behind the counter finally broke the silence for him.
“Ya got som’in to sell or are ye gonna stand there all day clutter’in up me place?” his voice was gruff and without love.
Zack finally looked up from the orb that was held tightly within his palm, his expression one that matched the shop owners voice; there was no love in it, just annoyance and mild anger within his burning topaz eyes. “I… ” Even with his fingers wrapped around it the orb was large enough to be seen; somewhat bigger than a tennis ball. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to sell it, now that he was looking at it. It seemed too precious…though he needed money. No, necessity was more important at the moment. He would sell it. “I have something to sell. So shut your trap before I take my business elsewhere.”
The shop keeper raised his hands in defence. “If you’re sellin’ then I’m buyin’. Joe’s me name! Welcome to Joe’s shop‘o’stuff - where another mans stuff is another mans treasure.”
Zack couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head at that, his long black hair waving in front of his eyes as his head was now somewhat lowered. “Catchy. Think that one up by yourself? Or did some drunken idiot help you with it.” Joe didn’t answer, just scowled. Zack lifted up his hand and held his palm open, the dragon orb resting on it. “How much for this? And no, you can’t touch it until I feel the weight of money in my palm.”
At first it seemed as if Joe was about to argue, as his mouth opened as if to speak, but he must have realised it wouldn’t have helped him as his mouth closed and instead he simply leaned forward to expect the dragon orb. After a few seconds of handling the orb with his eyes Zack THOUGHT he see a glint of excitement in Joe’s eyes, but if he had then Joe was better at hiding his emotions than Zack was as it had vanished before the emotion had even sunk in. Another few moments passed before finally Joe moved his head away from the orb and stood up tall once more.
“I’ll give ya three-hundred for it.”
Zack was not impressed. “Why don’t you have the cloak off of my back, while you’re at ripping me off.” Zack spat back. He was joking of course, he would never had sold his cloak.
“Ok, four-hundred seems fair for naught but a glass bal.” Joe replied, arms folded.
“Don’t pay coy with me. Even a glass trinket of this quality is worth AT LEAST a thousand. ” He was being wishful, but it was how banter was done, he knew.
The man paused. “Fine. Eight-hundred. But that’s me final offer.”
Zack’s lips curled upward in satisfaction, he had won and it had taken far less time than he had expected. He raised his free hand and held that palm open. “When all eight-hundred is in my palm then I’ll give you the little orb.” begrudgingly Joe grabbed a bundle of notes from his till and began counting it out on the counter. He got to roughly six-hundred, or so Zack had counted, when he heard a surprised gasp and a voice at his shoulder spoke in excitement.
“A LEGENDARY DRAGON ORB?! My eyes must be deceiving me!”
Zack’s head immediately spun round to see yet another man. Alykoth had called it that too… He eyed him cautiously. “Legendary? And what of it?” Zack was interested to hear the mans response.
“I thought they were only a myth! But here one is, right before my eyes.” he seemed somewhat ecstatic, almost as if he had won the lottery. It was a confusing and slightly odd sight to see. The penny suddenly dropped and the man realised what Zack was about to do. “Are you SELLING it???” his eyes widened and looked as shocked as he sounded. “You bloody idiot! You can’t!”
Zack’s eyes twitched a little, much as it had done when speaking to Alykoth, hardly even noticeable; he heated being spoken to like that. “Explain what you mean of leave me to my eight-hundred.” Zack’s voice was harsh and cold.
“You have one of five legendary Dragon Orbs.” he began, quickly. “Legend has it that when all five are brought together they will awake a might dragon who will come forth and grant the one who has collected the orbs two wishes of his choice - ANYTHING he or her likes.” he shrugged, though a grin never left his face. “It may not be true, but if you have one - which I’m almost sure you do - then that means there must be others and the story must be true, right?” it made sense, in an odd way. “If you’re so hell-bent on selling it though I’ll give you everything I have to my name for it. EVERYTHING.”
The story sounded too ridiculous to be true, which Zack had leaned often meant that it was true. He had heard enough to make him believe, if not about the wishes at least that it was worth more than he was about to receive for it; that and Joe had tried to rip him off. Zack nodded at the stranger. “Thank you.” Zack closed his fingers around the orb and it vanished beneath his cloak as he made for the exit of the shop.
“But we ad ourselves a deal!” Joe squeal in panic, realising he was losing the orb.
Zack stopped dead, but never turned to look at Joe. “Be lucky I don’t kill you after what you tried to pull.” and with those cold words he moved out of the shop, the door slamming behind him so hard that it shook violently and threatened to fall off of it’s hinges.
It wasn’t long after everything that Zack found himself outside Eugene's Diner, it hadn’t been as hard to find as he thought it might be. As he walked in his eyes immediately scanned the establishment for anyone who might had stood out, anyone who could have been there waiting for him. He half expected to find someone similar to Alykoth, a beast of a creature, but he didn’t see any - not at first glances anyway. Now I wait, Zack thought. but not for long…
“…Bloody egotistical, snobby Genericans…” by all accounts Zack should have gotten on with them swimmingly, seeing as he was extremely egotistical himself, though he couldn’t abide by the fact they were snobbish, thinking that everyone was lesser than them…even though Zack often felt the same as well. However, all Zack was concerned about was getting to the diner, preferably without having to ask for directions. I won’t ask. I refuse to speak to these people. thankfully he had been to the diner in the past so he had a rough idea where it stood, though it had been some while since his last visit and his memory on the matter was somewhat hazy – at best.
“…I hate this place…” he grumbled as he continued to look for the diner. Then again there weren’t many places that Zack didn’t hate. He didn’t care who heard him as he already knew what the Genericans thought of foreigners, and he was quite clearly a foreigner.
He hoped, beyond hope, that he didn’t bump into that sorry excuse for a superhero, Captain Generica. Zack had met him only two times in the past; the first time he had openly flirted with her in front of him. They weren’t together back then, so the Captain hadn’t TECHNICALLY done anything wrong, but that didn’t help to appease Zack’s temper, especially after everything that had happened. The second time he had seen Captain Generica had been within a worlds martial arts tournament that followed a few days after his first encounter with the superhero . Zack had hoped to face him, to embarrass the hero by defeating him easily, but a bad judge’s rule had gone against him and he had been knocked out; the loss was still a sour taste within his mouth.
Suddenly something else sparked a thought within his head, something unexpected and something he had forgotten about up until now. Reaching his hand inside of his cloak Zack pulled free the small orb that he had ripped from Absols chest, the so called ‘Dragon ball’; as Alykoth had named it. Zack still had no idea what it meant, though when he looked into it the very insides seemed to swirl and mix, almost as if a tiny storm had been trapped within and was raging inside in an attempt to break free. It was different and unique, that much was sure, perhaps even one of a kind, Zack had no way to tell.
Either way it was sure to fetch for a pretty penny if sold, and cash was always well sort after. Zack had no job and the only money he had to call his own had come from small-time martial arts tournaments here and there, though he had never won the jackpot that a large scale world’s martial arts tournament offered. As fate would have it, or chance if you didn’t believe in such fairytales, at that precise moment Zack happened to pass a pawnbrokers. Zack stopped in his tracks as he looked at the shop. It was tempting, and in the end the temptation had proved too strong and Zack found himself within the shop at the counter. He stood there, completely silent, for quite some time, before the man behind the counter finally broke the silence for him.
“Ya got som’in to sell or are ye gonna stand there all day clutter’in up me place?” his voice was gruff and without love.
Zack finally looked up from the orb that was held tightly within his palm, his expression one that matched the shop owners voice; there was no love in it, just annoyance and mild anger within his burning topaz eyes. “I… ” Even with his fingers wrapped around it the orb was large enough to be seen; somewhat bigger than a tennis ball. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to sell it, now that he was looking at it. It seemed too precious…though he needed money. No, necessity was more important at the moment. He would sell it. “I have something to sell. So shut your trap before I take my business elsewhere.”
The shop keeper raised his hands in defence. “If you’re sellin’ then I’m buyin’. Joe’s me name! Welcome to Joe’s shop‘o’stuff - where another mans stuff is another mans treasure.”
Zack couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head at that, his long black hair waving in front of his eyes as his head was now somewhat lowered. “Catchy. Think that one up by yourself? Or did some drunken idiot help you with it.” Joe didn’t answer, just scowled. Zack lifted up his hand and held his palm open, the dragon orb resting on it. “How much for this? And no, you can’t touch it until I feel the weight of money in my palm.”
At first it seemed as if Joe was about to argue, as his mouth opened as if to speak, but he must have realised it wouldn’t have helped him as his mouth closed and instead he simply leaned forward to expect the dragon orb. After a few seconds of handling the orb with his eyes Zack THOUGHT he see a glint of excitement in Joe’s eyes, but if he had then Joe was better at hiding his emotions than Zack was as it had vanished before the emotion had even sunk in. Another few moments passed before finally Joe moved his head away from the orb and stood up tall once more.
“I’ll give ya three-hundred for it.”
Zack was not impressed. “Why don’t you have the cloak off of my back, while you’re at ripping me off.” Zack spat back. He was joking of course, he would never had sold his cloak.
“Ok, four-hundred seems fair for naught but a glass bal.” Joe replied, arms folded.
“Don’t pay coy with me. Even a glass trinket of this quality is worth AT LEAST a thousand. ” He was being wishful, but it was how banter was done, he knew.
The man paused. “Fine. Eight-hundred. But that’s me final offer.”
Zack’s lips curled upward in satisfaction, he had won and it had taken far less time than he had expected. He raised his free hand and held that palm open. “When all eight-hundred is in my palm then I’ll give you the little orb.” begrudgingly Joe grabbed a bundle of notes from his till and began counting it out on the counter. He got to roughly six-hundred, or so Zack had counted, when he heard a surprised gasp and a voice at his shoulder spoke in excitement.
“A LEGENDARY DRAGON ORB?! My eyes must be deceiving me!”
Zack’s head immediately spun round to see yet another man. Alykoth had called it that too… He eyed him cautiously. “Legendary? And what of it?” Zack was interested to hear the mans response.
“I thought they were only a myth! But here one is, right before my eyes.” he seemed somewhat ecstatic, almost as if he had won the lottery. It was a confusing and slightly odd sight to see. The penny suddenly dropped and the man realised what Zack was about to do. “Are you SELLING it???” his eyes widened and looked as shocked as he sounded. “You bloody idiot! You can’t!”
Zack’s eyes twitched a little, much as it had done when speaking to Alykoth, hardly even noticeable; he heated being spoken to like that. “Explain what you mean of leave me to my eight-hundred.” Zack’s voice was harsh and cold.
“You have one of five legendary Dragon Orbs.” he began, quickly. “Legend has it that when all five are brought together they will awake a might dragon who will come forth and grant the one who has collected the orbs two wishes of his choice - ANYTHING he or her likes.” he shrugged, though a grin never left his face. “It may not be true, but if you have one - which I’m almost sure you do - then that means there must be others and the story must be true, right?” it made sense, in an odd way. “If you’re so hell-bent on selling it though I’ll give you everything I have to my name for it. EVERYTHING.”
The story sounded too ridiculous to be true, which Zack had leaned often meant that it was true. He had heard enough to make him believe, if not about the wishes at least that it was worth more than he was about to receive for it; that and Joe had tried to rip him off. Zack nodded at the stranger. “Thank you.” Zack closed his fingers around the orb and it vanished beneath his cloak as he made for the exit of the shop.
“But we ad ourselves a deal!” Joe squeal in panic, realising he was losing the orb.
Zack stopped dead, but never turned to look at Joe. “Be lucky I don’t kill you after what you tried to pull.” and with those cold words he moved out of the shop, the door slamming behind him so hard that it shook violently and threatened to fall off of it’s hinges.
It wasn’t long after everything that Zack found himself outside Eugene's Diner, it hadn’t been as hard to find as he thought it might be. As he walked in his eyes immediately scanned the establishment for anyone who might had stood out, anyone who could have been there waiting for him. He half expected to find someone similar to Alykoth, a beast of a creature, but he didn’t see any - not at first glances anyway. Now I wait, Zack thought. but not for long…