| Noodle Boy's quest for blood | ||
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You walk into a well lighted room, it's high ceilings lit by dozens of fluorescent lamps hanging from the ceiling. To the south and west are windows, which you would normally expect to see the outside world from, but looking out of them, you see only a misty gray haze. On the walls to the north and the east of the inn are an eclectic collection of paintings, photographs and even holographs of many cheap 1970's to 1980's B-movies. The bar on the east side is made out of hardwood, it's surface polished and shiny. Behind the bar, the various beverages that are served here are kept in relatively neat containers on wooden shelves. There is a large stage in one of the corners of the restaurant with a impressive sound system and a few microphones strung about it. Multiple round wood tables are in this room, near the north wall, is a double swing door that leads to the kitchen. On the east wall is a door leading to the UR's dance club and on the west one leading to the Gym. To the south, is the exit to the outside. A recent addition to the UR is a large fireplace against the west wall, it matches well to the rest of the restaurant and looks like it should have been there all along. Yomiko smiles weakly "doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, but at least I don't have to worry about it.." Ranma says, "heh, you'll probably be more able to help Yaseiko when the time comes than I can.." Noodle Boy smiles at everyone and goes to an empty table at the back of the room. Noodle Boy pulls out a long, rust stained dagger, and begins to dig into the table with it. His clothes are dirty and ragged. He glances up at everyone occasionaly, looking like a scared little boy who'd just been punished... Yomiko asks, "who is Yaseiko?" Ranma says, "....My still as of yet unborn baby." Crux Caedon exhales slightly. Yomiko blinks "oh well you have a baby? who is the mother?" Ranma says, "...I am." Ranma says, "Or will be in about nine months." Crux Caedon stands up after a moment, walking nonchalantly over to sit near the newcomer. "....." He sits facing at a perpendicular angle, not quite facing him, but neither turning his back on him either. Yomiko blinks and almost falls back in her chair from suprise, she reaches up to fix her glasses "oh... my... I'm sorry, I didn't think about it that way.." Ranma says, "It's okay. Most people don't make the connection between my scars and Yaseiko anyway." Noodle Boy ignores the movements of Crux and continues to carve into the table. The word 'blood' has been written several times. Some of the carvings have already faded, but he carries on carving anyways... Crux Caedon smiles a bit, leaning over to slip his hand between the dagger and the table when it lifts. "I know you speak..." His palm is upturned, facing the ceiling and thus the dagger. He doesn't look terribly concerned. "So speak to me, if you would." Noodle Boy stops momentaraly to glare at Crux. "Blood..." He takes a long deep breath and hurridly blurts out, "Blood. Blood. He needs blood. Grows weak... gotta get... gotta find... gonna be punished... easy kill..." He then swings down the dagger, begining to resume his carving. Yomiko rests her hand on Ranma's shoulder "so who is the father then?" Ranma says, "Dead and roasting away in Hell, I hope." Crux Caedon smiles, his hand blurring slightly, the dagger slipping into the gaps between his fingers. "Well you don't want mine, I assure you." He tilts his head, looking at the boy for a moment. "Is it that frightening?" Noodle Boy stares at Crux blankly. "Frr-ight-ten-ing?" Yomiko blinks and is alittle confused.. "oh.. well so your child... I'm sorry.. if I'm asking to much" Crux leans back in his chair. "... Frightening.. .... Are you afraid?" Ranma says, "It's ok." Yomiko asks, "are you at least happy to be a mother?" Noodle Boy thinks for a moment. "A-fred? Hmmm... should know that..." After a longer pause he smiles. "Yes! Right! Master wants free. Free he will be! But needs be fed. I feed him. He free, I get stronger... I bad... I get weak. Then... POOF!" He emphasises this last point by waving his hands in the air. Ranma says, "I...I guess so. It's weird. The minute anyone brings up abortion or something like that cause of how Yaseiko was...concieved, I just turn into a psycho about it. I mean, my adopted family outside of twon was attacked by mutant twinkies or something, and one of them tried to slash at my stomach and...and I just LOST it...I'm NEVER that brutal, even against mortal enemies...." Crux Caedon blinks and smiles for a moment. "You're very energetic." Noodle Boy frowns. "No... I do bad. People not mean. Mean people die. Weak people die. Eff says kill anyways. I no good. Talking makes it hurt less... I like talking, but Master takes words away." Crux Caedon raises an eyebrow slightly. "Takes your words away? ... That doesn't sound good." Noodle Boy nods his head. "Yes. A-fred. Frr-ight-ten-ing. I know these. ...I used to know these..." Crux Caedon smiles a bit. "Maybe you should learn them again." Noodle Boy says, "learn? Get blood, then words come back. Oh-beed-ant... No, that not right..." Noodle Boy puts his elbow on the table, and rests his head in his hand. "Oh-beed... Oh-breed... oh-bready-ant... grrr..." Noodle Boy looks at Crux a moment. "I obey master! He make me! I oh-beedy-ant Eff said..." Crux Caedon tilts his head slightly. "It's true one should be thankful for life. But do you like obeying?" Noodle Boy grabs the hilt of his rusted dagger and tries to pull it up. But he's become to absorbed in talking to do so. "I kill. I live. I no kill. I die!" Finally, he pulls the rusted thing out and slashes at Crux's arm defensivly. Crux Caedon smiles a bit, his hand narrowly nudging the dagger away. "Why should you have to die?" He looks quite friendly for someone being attacked. Noodle Boy shakes his head. "Let... show you... give blood..." He holds up his dagger, ready to attack, however, he shows no signs of wanting anyone to be hurt. Crux Caedon smiles again, shrugging slightly. "You don't want it." His eyes look more understanding than his gesture suggests. Yomiko smiles warmly and pat pats Ranma's Shoulder "it's a mothers love.. it knows no bounds" Noodle Boy grabs Crux's arm. "Don't want it! Need show!" Yomiko asks, "how much do you think of her? all the time?" Crux Caedon smiles and looks the young man dead in the face. "You can try, but you don't want to. Trust me." He looks more concerned for the boy before him than his captive arm. Ranma blinks. "I dunno if Yaseiko's a boy or girl yet, which is why I piked Yaseiko. It's a unisex name." Yomiko smiles "Like your name, Ranma right?" Ranma says, "Pretty much." Noodle Boy stares into Crux's eyes for a long moment, then releases his arm forcefully. "Need blood..." Crux Caedon smiles, his eyes glowing an unusually bright shade of gold today. He nods towards the young man again. "There are other ways to gain it." Noodle Boy stabs his rusted dagger into his table again. "DAMN IT! I need kill... I need blood..." Crux Caedon reaches back into his pack, pulling out a small plastic package not unlike an iv drip. "I am a doctor, after all." One might wonder how he keeps transfusion kits in his pack, but if they looked close enough, they might notice a bit of vapor escaping as he closes the pack back up. Who knows what he has in there? Yomiko smiles to Ranma "can I feel?" Noodle Boy grins, and rips the bag out of his hands. "Now I show!" Dropping the bag on the table, he yanks up his dagger with both hands and stabs the bag with it. Suddenly, the blood in the bag goes black, and the dagger's rust fades. The blood then fades away as the knife is restored. Yomiko blinks glancing over at the blade "my how interesting..." Crux Caedon raises his eyebrow slightly. "...." He looks less disturbed than intrigued. He reaches for the bag of blackened blood after a moment. "I wonder.." Noodle Boy pulls the knife up with ease, and twirls it around with a renewed dexterity. "See?" Ranma says, "I'm not that far along yet. Just about two or three weeks, but go ahead if it makes you happy." ^^;; Crux Caedon blinks and his eyes swirl, golden hues engulfing the pupils as he looks at the bag with curiosity. "Indeed I do." Yomiko nods and reaches over and then just ticckles Ranma playfuly Ranma geeps! "H-Hey! No tickling!" Dragonmaster Cale appears in a black mist, a major flap of his wings sending it flying off and away into the nothingness from where it came. He glances around, giving a large fanged smile and, "Greetings!" To everyone gathered, sitting down on a table near the bar, a black mist rising up before him which leaves a strawberry italian soda in its remains. He takes the soda and has a nice long drink, ahhhh! Crux Caedon turns to Noodle boy with his eyebrow raised. ".... And you feel... better?" Yomiko giggles aliittle herself "oh come now, you need a wider smile" Ranma o.O?s Noodle Boy twirls the knife around like a baton. "Yep. I more blood, more power! Got more?" Yomiko ticckles more not letting up yet Noodle Boy picks the bag up with the end of the knife, puncturing it again. Out of it rolls a black mist, when it fades the bag is empty... Crux Caedon smiles a little. "I'm afraid that's my limit for the moment." Dragonmaster Cale finishes off his soda, glancing around at everyone. He glances back at Trinune and gives a slight nod of his head, the wings on his back folding up tightly. Noodle Boy frowns and resheaths the dagger. "Ok... I can get more blood now. Thank you..." Crux Caedon waves at Cale idly before turning his attention back to Noodle Boy. "Why not wait until later? I'm sure I'll have more tomorrow, and noone has to be hurt." Ranma gacks and tries to bat the hand away, laughing a bit. "C'mon, Yomiko, cut it out!" Dragonmaster Cale looks over towards Yomiko and Ranma, then furrows his brow, noticing Ranma's scars that adorn her, ouch...but, he won't interrupt the tickling session happening to inquire yet. Noodle Boy ignores Crux, and folds his hands together on the table, almost like he's trying to pray. From behind him a dark mist begins to form. Slowly the mist begins to spread, engulfing the wall behind him. Yomiko dodges around her atempts to bat her hands using the arts that she has learned from her Ranma scoots away from the tickling then Crux Caedon raises an eyebrow and shrugs. "The young do not always listen to the experienced." He gives a brief smile. "I'll be here if you change your mind." Then he uncaps his bottled water and sits back in his chair. Yomiko giggles and holds up her hand in a funny stance "woooooha, it's ticcklefuu!" then giggles Ranma snerks, rolling her eyes. "I've created a monster." Noodle Boy's skin begins to turn as black as the mist behind him, soon only his eyes are visible in what appears to be almost a void. Out of the blackness that now envelopes the back of the room, a single hooked chain flys out, aimed for Ranma. However the chain stops midway, as if it had run out of slack. It drops to the ground and retracks into the mist. "Damn..." Crux Caedon idly flicks a small fibrin tablet into the mist as an afterthought. "Have to watch yourself there." Yomiko smiles at Ranma warmly Dragonmaster Cale tosses his soda over to let it skid on the bar, sliding to a stop near the sink, where an NPC takes it and puts it away. Noodle Boy returns to normal as the mist suddenly fades away. "Not enough... need more..." The flicked tablet falls to the ground uselessly. Crux Caedon shrugs a bit. "Guess you'll have to wait till tomorrow." Noodle Boy pulls out his dagger to reveal it has become rusted and stained again. "Damn..." Noodle Boy turns and punches Crux in the face without warning. "STUPID!" Crux Caedon shrugs and raises his eyebrow as the punch connects with his forehead. "Your point?" He doesn't stagger at all, nor look upset. Noodle Boy giggles as he holds up his dagger. Some of the rust has faded. "Not just blood... Blood just faster!" Dragonmaster Cale summons up another strawberry italian soda...sips... Dragonmaster Cale looks over at Noodle Boy, "Oi...one more time and you're banned from the restaurant..." Crux Caedon smiles. "Glad to hear it. Punching people doesn't go over well here though." Noodle Boy glances at Cale. "Who?" Dragonmaster Cale gives a slightly fanged grin, "You.." Noodle Boy growls, and points at Cale. "No! Who?" Dragonmaster Cale takes another sip of his drink, ignoring Noodle Boy as he glances to Ranma again. Ranma gets glanced at. o.o Noodle Boy glares at Cale, now genuinly mad. "Don't ignore! You're like them! Tell, who?" Crux Caedon blinks at Noodle boy. "I'm pretty sure he was talking to you." Dragonmaster Cale mm's, "Ne, Ranma...what eh, what happened n stuff?" He wonders at her...curiosity getting the better of him, as it almost always does. Noodle Boy growls at Crux. "I know!" He frustratedly points at Cale again. "WHO??" Ranma says, "Long story, Cale." Crux Caedon blinks before turning to Cale. ".... I think he wants an introduction, to be honest." Dragonmaster Cale nods at Ranma, then blinks over at Crux, "Eh? Oh...r-right, sorry..." He stands up and bows slightly, speaking to Noodle Boy, "I am Dragonmaster Cale Charis, 41st Prince of Atlasia, keeper of the Blue Star, protector of the goddess Althena, friend of the four dragons, and owner of the Usual Restaurant." Noodle Boy begins to pant, out of breath from his frustration. His clothes somehow become more frayed on the edges. "Oh... Ok. Owner..." Crux Caedon looks slightly nonplussed. "Was all that really necessary, Cale?" Dragonmaster Cale gives a large fanged smile at Crux, but doesn't answer him as he sits back down and takes another sip. Noodle Boy rests back into his chair, and stares at his knife blade for a long while. The edges are now dull and jagged. He sighs mornfully... Crux Caedon chuckles slightly. "Don't worry, there'll be more tomorrow. Just relax." Noodle Boy sighs again. "Need fight. Fight me?" Crux Caedon blinks for a moment. "Fight?" He laughs wholeheartedly. "How would that help?" Noodle Boy stands weakly, "Bad feeds. Blood feeds. Fight feeds. Ne-ne... " He suddenly smacks himself in the side of the head, "...nega-tive energy..." Crux Caedon blinks a bit. ".... Fighting isn't negative, intent is. I don't think I can help you, I have no desire to hurt you." He smiles genially. It's actually somewhat annoying. But that's neither here nor there. Noodle Boy growls and leans against the table he was just sitting at. "Gotta find... food..." Crux Caedon smiles a bit. "This is a restaurant. Plenty of food here." Crux deadpans, gesturing towards the bar. There's no way he could be that naive. Is there? Noodle Boy eyes the people in the room carefully. "Yes... there's food here... but too strong... need easy kill..." Crux Caedon coughs slightly. "That wasn't quite what I meant." Noodle Boy glances up suddenly. His attention focused on some unseen voice. "Time to go..." Noodle Boy says, "Yes... yes... ok..." He glances down at Crux again. "Eff says there's kid in park. I have to go... Thanks for talk..." Crux Caedon exhales again. "That won't solve anything." Noodle Boy wobbles towards the door and leaves. The Pond at Kawashi Park You're at the side of a large pond in the middle of the park. Leaves, toy boats and lily pads float on it's surface. A fountain stands in the middle that shoots out water from time to time. The park spreads out in four directions. North, south, east and west. West you see a bandstand with chairs. East you see the exit to the park South is quite a wooded area and north is relatively quiet. A small boy sits staring into the pond, looking at the moonlight in the reflection. Noodle Boy slowly drags himself over to the pond, staring at the boy with a crazed look in his eyes. Johnny steps out of the shadows, "Hey, Nailbunny..." Noodle Boy turns around and glares at Johnny standing beneath a tree. "You! Imposter!" Johnny shrugs. "What did they do to you?" Noodle Boy pulls out his dagger and waves it at Johnny. "Imposter! Tr-tr... Trade her! grr..." Johnny raises an eyebrow at Noodle Boy, "Traitor? What? So your like the doughboys now?" The little boy turns and sees the two arguing and runs off to hide. Noodle Boy charges at Johnny, waving his dagger like a loonatic. "LYER! YOUR FAULT!" Johnny pulls out his two daggers and blocks the attack with them. "My fault? What the hell?" Noodle Boy screams at Johnny and pulls his dagger back, preparing to strike again. Johnny blocks the attack again, this time raising his foot to kick Noodle Boy in the chest. Noodle Boy stagers back, out of breath. "Kill me!" Johnny looks at Noodle Boy, confused. "No! Your my friend! What the hell are you thinking?" Noodle Boy blinks at Johnny a few times. "Friend?" Johnny looks down at offers a hand to the former Nailbunny, "Yeah... friend... I don't have a reason to fight you..." Noodle Boy suddenly screams in pain and vanishes into a puff of black mist. Johnny blinkblinks. "Nailbunny?" Johnny stands alone. The wind slowly blows by. Johnny fights back a tear as he walks off... The Usual Restaurant Johnny walks in slowly, lost in thought. He pauses for a moment, looks around the room, and goes over towards Crux, taking a nearby seat. Crux Caedon coughs slightly. "This tournament... surely you've heard the rumors about the prize." He gives Johnny a genuine smile, letting his words hang in the air. Ranma says, "I'd be surprised if he hadn't." Dragonmaster Cale ahhhs and nods his head, "Right, heh heh. I'm planning on winning so no one else makes a foolish wish." Crux Caedon raises his head towards Cale slightly. "... Not a bad plan." Crux tenses slightly, his eyes swirling a deep gold. "... I have a better one though. " Dragonmaster Cale stands up from the table and stretches out, "Thanks, I'll probably wish that they never grant another person a wish ever again." He glances over, "Oh?" Johnny half waves at Crux and pulls out the dagger he'd claimed from Noodle Boy long ago. He spins it's blade on the table a moment and glances up at Cale. After a long moment, he asks, "Have we met before?" Dragonmaster Cale nods his head at Johnny, "I've seen you a few times in here, eh heh..." Johnny nods at Cale, "Oh..." With that he looks back down and goes silent. Crux's hand twitches slightly, letting Johnny and Cale exchange words before he continues. "... Just imagine what a good man could do with a wish for anything. " Dragonmaster Cale shakes his head, the wings on his back shifting, "It's never safe to make a wish, no matter how pure your heart is...things can always go wrong, I think. But, eh..." He shrugs his shoulders, yawning, "I need to get back to sleep." Crux Caedon narrows his eyes slightly. "One well thought out, carefully worded wish, could save an almost infinite number of lives, or grant happiness to millions of people. I think that is worth such a risk, don't you?" Ranma says, "I think you're both NUTS" Dragonmaster Cale grins fangedly, looking over at Crux, "Heck no...it's like enforcing your will on people, which is a horrible thing to do." Ranma says, "I say screw the wish, just go out there and have fun and make some new friends and learn some new styles." Dragonmaster Cale mmm's, "I never fight for fun, I actually dislike it quite a bit..." Crux Caedon blinks at Ranma before chuckling. "I think the winner has the obligation to use the wish responsibly..." He looks back over to Cale. "And I don't believe one has to force their will on others to bring happiness to many." Dragonmaster Cale shrugs his shoulders, "Who can say? We could ask Belldandy about it, she can grant wishes...but, eh...bothering goddesses'..mm..well, anyway, goodnight to you all! Sleep well, ne?" Ranma says, "Heh." Crux Caedon exhales and shakes his head slightly. "You as well." Crux Caedon shakes his head again with a bit of sadness. "So many people anxious to ignore the possible good they could do with such a gift. This world is nothing like my own." He heads out towards the Colonial Viper parked outside. Johnny stands and slowly puts away the knife. Sighing, he walks out.. | |