Post by Baalbatos on May 30, 2016 12:17:12 GMT -5
(Thread PL: 58,185)
(Heavy weights on!)
Baalbatos sat in the shotgun seat of the car, wind blowing through the open windows into his face. It rushed past his ears, so that he could scarcely hear the sound of the radio, some Earthling pop song. Catchy, thought Baalbatos, even if he could not properly hear the lyrics. He cast his eyes sideways, and looked at his driver, Xun Sun. “Where are we headed again?” Shouted the demon over the wind and music.
“Going to see a guy,” shouted Xun Sun back, “I own the land he lives on, and he's late on rent”. The human reached for the nob of the radio, twisting it, and the volume of the song faded out.
“I see,” said Baalbatos, now speaking with his indoor voice, “So, why did you insist on bringing me? You wouldn't answer that over the phone.”
“Oh,” said Xun Sun, “It’s because he is a real weirdo. Does all that magic and ki nonsense you do.”
“Ki and magic are not the same thing, though,” explained Baalbatos, “Though they are closely tied together. You see, Xun Sun, the difference is-”
Xun Sun sighed loudly. “Look, Baal, I didn't ask for a lesson,” he groaned, “I just need you to back me up. Last time I came to collect, he tried to blast me.”
“I see,” said Baalbatos, “He sounds quite violent. But I have to ask. What do I get out of this?”
“Aside from the satisfaction of helping out your good friend, Xun Sun and making sure he keeps all his bits and pieces?” Mocked the man, “Well, you still haven't paid your bill from last time. If you help me, I”ll call it square.”
“That works for me,” answered Baalbatos, “Now, another question: why didn't you just let me fly you there? I'm much faster than this car.”
“What if you dropped me?” Asked Xun Sun, lightning quick.
“What?” Asked Baalbatos.
“I said, ‘what if you drop me’,” answered Xun Sun.
“I wouldn't,” answered Baalbatos incredulously. He liked to think he was not that clumsy.
“But what if you did?” Demanded Xun Sun.
“Well, I’d catch you by the time you hit the ground,” answered Baalbatos.
“But what if you didn't?” Asked Xun Sun just as quickly as Baalbatos had answered. “But I would,” insisted Baalbatos, “Xun Sun, I-”
“What if you didn't?” Asked Xun Sun, cutting the demon off.
Baalbatos sighed with exasperation. “You’d probably die,” groaned Baalbatos.
“Exactly,” answered Xun Sun.
“But what if you crash your car?” Demanded Baalbatos, trying to turn the tables.
Xun Sun simply shrugged. “Well,” he began, “We’re going pretty fast. If I crashed now, the force of it would probably kill me.”
“So how is this risk different from me flying you around?” Demanded Baalbatos.
“Well, if I crash now, it's probably my own fault,” reasoned Xun Sun, “But if you drop me, I die by your mistake. And I don't want to die by somebody else's mistake.”
Baalbatos considered that for a moment. It seemed reasonable to him. “Fine,” said Baalbatos finally, “I’ll give you that one.”
“Excellent,” said Xun Sun, “Now hold on, we're almost there and I'm going to floor it.
…
They came to a halt at the bottom of a hill. “This is the place,” said Xun Sun, “The guy lives at the top of the hill.” As if to make his point even clearer, Xun Sun pointed towards the top of the hill, but there was no need for that. Baalbatos could already sense the man’s latent life energy from atop the hill.
“Ah, yes,” said the demon, “I can see what you mean. He is quite strong. Well, for a human anyway. No offense, Xun Sun.”
“None taken,” grunted Xun Sun, “Now, let’s get going. I really don’t want this to take that long.”
The two began to walk up the hill, briskly moving as if they were on their way to a business meeting. Baalbatos felt the full mass of his weights as he walked up the hill. His footfall was heavy against the soft, grassy down of the hill. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. It was quite warm out, he noted. He’d much rather be back at his shop. At least there he could turn on his air conditioner.
As they climbed the hill, the house finally came into view. And calling it house would be a rather generous statement. It was dilapidated to say the least. The roof was patched and full of holes, and the front porch of the house was covered in garbage, beer cans strewn about alongside food boxes.
“Well,” said Baalbatos, “This place doesn’t look like it’s worth anything, much less the the rent you’re after.”
The human shrugged. “They choose to live here,” said the human, “I just own the place.”
“I guess we can add slumlord to your resume, friend,” said the demon.
…
Finally, they reached the door of the building. Xun Sun hesitated a moment before looking at Baalbatos and saying, “You knock.”
The demon looked at him and tilted his head. “Why?” Asked Baabatos.
“You’ll see,” said the human man.
Baalbatos shrugged and reached for the door. He knocked twice in rapid succession. No answer, he thought, perhaps the man was sleeping. But he’d have an answer soon enough. Before long, a ball of energy crashed through the door and right into Baalbatos’s face. It burned against his skin for a moment, before dissipating. “Ouch,” muttered Baalbatos, “That stung a bit.”
“See, I told you he’s crazed,” exclaimed Xun Sun, “Now get in there and get my rent!”
“What?” Asked Baalbatos, “Are you not coming in?”
“No!” Shouted the man, “Hell no! I’d rather not risk my skin on this! Get on in there! And be quick about it!”
With a shrug, Baalbatos cast open the door and stepped into the room. It was dimly lit and the smell of waste hit him. Well, thought Baalbatos, he’d been joking before, but perhaps Xun Sun really was a slumlord. In the middle of the room stood a figure, hunched over and stocky, like someone had tried to compress a larger man.
“You’re not Xun Sun,” came a deep and gravelly voice, “No, that coward is standing outside. I can tell. You feel different. Stronger. What are you, hired muscle?”
“I’ve simply come to collect Xun Sun’s rent,” said Baalbatos.
“Tell him he can have it when he pries it from my dead hands!” Shouted the man.
Baalbatos took a single step forward. “That can be arranged,” said the demon, a wicked edge in his voice. He cracked his knuckles. This would be easy, thought the demon, the man was not even a tenth of his power.
But the man only laughed. “You’re hard, kid. I’ll give you that,” said the voice, “I could have used someone like you during the war. Maybe than those freaking monkeys wouldn’t have killed my best friend.”
War, thought Baalbatos, he meant the Saiyan attack on Earth. That was decades passed, long enough for someone who fought in it to grow old. How interesting, thought the demon. He’d never met someone who claimed to be a veteran of those battles before.
“I see,” said Baalbatos, “Do you get a pension for that? Because war stories don’t pay bills.”
“Aw, shut up!” Exclaimed the man, “I don’t need to take lip from you. I used to be a great warrior, someone who nobody would mess with, Saiyan or Human, or anything in between.”
“Sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that you owe someone money. Someone with powerful friends,” explained the demon.
“Open up your mind, boy!” Exclaimed the man.
Baalbatos looked at the man curiously. First of all, he kept getting called ‘boy’, when Baalbatos was likely older than him. Secondly, what did he mean by open up one’s mind?
“Speak clearly, wretch,” commanded Baalbatos.
“Open your mind! Feel the planet’s energy. Feel the people of this world, and know how weak you really are. I feel them, oh yes, I do,” said the man, “When you do, you’ll know how little you and I matter! How little this rent matters! And how little reason I have to fear you and that your power is nothing.”
And so he did. Baalbatos opened his mind, casting a new over the whole planet. And he felt it. Such great power, such mind numbing power. There were people on this Earth that could end him the blink of an eye, he realized. For a moment, he trembled in place. But slowly, a smile came over him.
“You’re right, old man,” said Baalbatos, “There are such powerful people on this Earth. And I should be afraid of them. But, I’m not. No, I realize something. I must take my place among them. And you’d do well to remember that I intend to, lest I step on you like an ant. Now, fear me.”
The man simply laughed again. “I like you, boy. Now, why don’t you sit down and join me for some coffee?”
A solo! Unlocking [ST-2] Planet Sense! I'd like PL for this, please, with Heavy Weights and LMB! Thank you!
(Heavy weights on!)
Baalbatos sat in the shotgun seat of the car, wind blowing through the open windows into his face. It rushed past his ears, so that he could scarcely hear the sound of the radio, some Earthling pop song. Catchy, thought Baalbatos, even if he could not properly hear the lyrics. He cast his eyes sideways, and looked at his driver, Xun Sun. “Where are we headed again?” Shouted the demon over the wind and music.
“Going to see a guy,” shouted Xun Sun back, “I own the land he lives on, and he's late on rent”. The human reached for the nob of the radio, twisting it, and the volume of the song faded out.
“I see,” said Baalbatos, now speaking with his indoor voice, “So, why did you insist on bringing me? You wouldn't answer that over the phone.”
“Oh,” said Xun Sun, “It’s because he is a real weirdo. Does all that magic and ki nonsense you do.”
“Ki and magic are not the same thing, though,” explained Baalbatos, “Though they are closely tied together. You see, Xun Sun, the difference is-”
Xun Sun sighed loudly. “Look, Baal, I didn't ask for a lesson,” he groaned, “I just need you to back me up. Last time I came to collect, he tried to blast me.”
“I see,” said Baalbatos, “He sounds quite violent. But I have to ask. What do I get out of this?”
“Aside from the satisfaction of helping out your good friend, Xun Sun and making sure he keeps all his bits and pieces?” Mocked the man, “Well, you still haven't paid your bill from last time. If you help me, I”ll call it square.”
“That works for me,” answered Baalbatos, “Now, another question: why didn't you just let me fly you there? I'm much faster than this car.”
“What if you dropped me?” Asked Xun Sun, lightning quick.
“What?” Asked Baalbatos.
“I said, ‘what if you drop me’,” answered Xun Sun.
“I wouldn't,” answered Baalbatos incredulously. He liked to think he was not that clumsy.
“But what if you did?” Demanded Xun Sun.
“Well, I’d catch you by the time you hit the ground,” answered Baalbatos.
“But what if you didn't?” Asked Xun Sun just as quickly as Baalbatos had answered. “But I would,” insisted Baalbatos, “Xun Sun, I-”
“What if you didn't?” Asked Xun Sun, cutting the demon off.
Baalbatos sighed with exasperation. “You’d probably die,” groaned Baalbatos.
“Exactly,” answered Xun Sun.
“But what if you crash your car?” Demanded Baalbatos, trying to turn the tables.
Xun Sun simply shrugged. “Well,” he began, “We’re going pretty fast. If I crashed now, the force of it would probably kill me.”
“So how is this risk different from me flying you around?” Demanded Baalbatos.
“Well, if I crash now, it's probably my own fault,” reasoned Xun Sun, “But if you drop me, I die by your mistake. And I don't want to die by somebody else's mistake.”
Baalbatos considered that for a moment. It seemed reasonable to him. “Fine,” said Baalbatos finally, “I’ll give you that one.”
“Excellent,” said Xun Sun, “Now hold on, we're almost there and I'm going to floor it.
…
They came to a halt at the bottom of a hill. “This is the place,” said Xun Sun, “The guy lives at the top of the hill.” As if to make his point even clearer, Xun Sun pointed towards the top of the hill, but there was no need for that. Baalbatos could already sense the man’s latent life energy from atop the hill.
“Ah, yes,” said the demon, “I can see what you mean. He is quite strong. Well, for a human anyway. No offense, Xun Sun.”
“None taken,” grunted Xun Sun, “Now, let’s get going. I really don’t want this to take that long.”
The two began to walk up the hill, briskly moving as if they were on their way to a business meeting. Baalbatos felt the full mass of his weights as he walked up the hill. His footfall was heavy against the soft, grassy down of the hill. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. It was quite warm out, he noted. He’d much rather be back at his shop. At least there he could turn on his air conditioner.
As they climbed the hill, the house finally came into view. And calling it house would be a rather generous statement. It was dilapidated to say the least. The roof was patched and full of holes, and the front porch of the house was covered in garbage, beer cans strewn about alongside food boxes.
“Well,” said Baalbatos, “This place doesn’t look like it’s worth anything, much less the the rent you’re after.”
The human shrugged. “They choose to live here,” said the human, “I just own the place.”
“I guess we can add slumlord to your resume, friend,” said the demon.
…
Finally, they reached the door of the building. Xun Sun hesitated a moment before looking at Baalbatos and saying, “You knock.”
The demon looked at him and tilted his head. “Why?” Asked Baabatos.
“You’ll see,” said the human man.
Baalbatos shrugged and reached for the door. He knocked twice in rapid succession. No answer, he thought, perhaps the man was sleeping. But he’d have an answer soon enough. Before long, a ball of energy crashed through the door and right into Baalbatos’s face. It burned against his skin for a moment, before dissipating. “Ouch,” muttered Baalbatos, “That stung a bit.”
“See, I told you he’s crazed,” exclaimed Xun Sun, “Now get in there and get my rent!”
“What?” Asked Baalbatos, “Are you not coming in?”
“No!” Shouted the man, “Hell no! I’d rather not risk my skin on this! Get on in there! And be quick about it!”
With a shrug, Baalbatos cast open the door and stepped into the room. It was dimly lit and the smell of waste hit him. Well, thought Baalbatos, he’d been joking before, but perhaps Xun Sun really was a slumlord. In the middle of the room stood a figure, hunched over and stocky, like someone had tried to compress a larger man.
“You’re not Xun Sun,” came a deep and gravelly voice, “No, that coward is standing outside. I can tell. You feel different. Stronger. What are you, hired muscle?”
“I’ve simply come to collect Xun Sun’s rent,” said Baalbatos.
“Tell him he can have it when he pries it from my dead hands!” Shouted the man.
Baalbatos took a single step forward. “That can be arranged,” said the demon, a wicked edge in his voice. He cracked his knuckles. This would be easy, thought the demon, the man was not even a tenth of his power.
But the man only laughed. “You’re hard, kid. I’ll give you that,” said the voice, “I could have used someone like you during the war. Maybe than those freaking monkeys wouldn’t have killed my best friend.”
War, thought Baalbatos, he meant the Saiyan attack on Earth. That was decades passed, long enough for someone who fought in it to grow old. How interesting, thought the demon. He’d never met someone who claimed to be a veteran of those battles before.
“I see,” said Baalbatos, “Do you get a pension for that? Because war stories don’t pay bills.”
“Aw, shut up!” Exclaimed the man, “I don’t need to take lip from you. I used to be a great warrior, someone who nobody would mess with, Saiyan or Human, or anything in between.”
“Sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that you owe someone money. Someone with powerful friends,” explained the demon.
“Open up your mind, boy!” Exclaimed the man.
Baalbatos looked at the man curiously. First of all, he kept getting called ‘boy’, when Baalbatos was likely older than him. Secondly, what did he mean by open up one’s mind?
“Speak clearly, wretch,” commanded Baalbatos.
“Open your mind! Feel the planet’s energy. Feel the people of this world, and know how weak you really are. I feel them, oh yes, I do,” said the man, “When you do, you’ll know how little you and I matter! How little this rent matters! And how little reason I have to fear you and that your power is nothing.”
And so he did. Baalbatos opened his mind, casting a new over the whole planet. And he felt it. Such great power, such mind numbing power. There were people on this Earth that could end him the blink of an eye, he realized. For a moment, he trembled in place. But slowly, a smile came over him.
“You’re right, old man,” said Baalbatos, “There are such powerful people on this Earth. And I should be afraid of them. But, I’m not. No, I realize something. I must take my place among them. And you’d do well to remember that I intend to, lest I step on you like an ant. Now, fear me.”
The man simply laughed again. “I like you, boy. Now, why don’t you sit down and join me for some coffee?”
A solo! Unlocking [ST-2] Planet Sense! I'd like PL for this, please, with Heavy Weights and LMB! Thank you!
