Quiet dripping echoed through a purple hallway. A figure stood at one end, holding a bat covered in viscious black, iridescent green-blue liquid. It dripped a spotted line to his feet from down the purple corridor. The liquid matched pools dotted in the hallway, footprints marked in sliding splashes where the Batter had dug his feet in against his opponents.
Raising the defiled bat to his covered eyes, the Batter tutted quietly, an oddly prim sound from an ectoplasm-and-blood-spattered figure. There was a split in the bat, marred from the force he´d channeled through it. Noting this, the Batter blinked slowly, all six eyes closing in their turn under the shadow of his cap. He let the bat fall idly to his side, and continued his staid march down the next corridor.
Zacharie, idle at his merchant´s stand, slowly came into view down the long hallway, vacantly-grinning mask tilted toward the sky. The Batter marched right up to the counter, looming over the still-seated Merchant. A low chuckle came from the mask, tilting to meet the Batter´s similarly-obscured eyes.
¨Buenos dias, amigo. What do you require from my wares?¨
The Batter silently presented his splintered bat with one hand, digging a fistful of credits out of his pockets with the other. Zacharie nodded, bringing another baseball bat out from under the counter.
¨That´ll be 240 credits, my friend," the masked man purred.
Batter frowned from under his hat. ¨Why did you raise the price?¨ he blankly inquired. ¨It was only 200 last time.¨
¨Ah, Batter, my most loyal customer. Supply, demand, no? You will always be in need of a new bat. I will always be the only one able to give you what you desire. This is a mere...goods-and-services tax.¨
Zacharie´s painted eyeholes stared up at the Batter, somehow looking smug despite the mask´s fixed grin. The Batter sighed, hesitating for a moment before dropping the ruined bat under the counter, counting out 240 credits mechanically, and holding them out to the merchant. Satisfied, Zacharie took the credits, handing the pristine bat over as an afterthought. He leaned back in his chair, lazily counting the pieces of plasticky paper as the Batter inspected his new weapon.
¨All in order. Is there anything else you desire?¨ asked the merchant.
The Batter shook his head silently, shouldering the bat and turning to walk away from Zacharie. He had work to do.
Thank you for reading my first uploaded fic! Constructive criticism welcome!