Bar Fight Blues
Another hot day in the city. People milled about their daily lives under the bright sun. Since the team had been gone so long all the food in the fridge had spoiled and rotten, Shadow being a neat freak flipped. After two hours of cleaning their home Sprinkle lost the match of rock-paper-scissors and went out to buy some food. Shadow and Alex fought back the dust and heat as best as they could but alas the fight was for nought.
After they touched down in the hangar bay, medics took all the injured and dead from the ship. Draco was moved to a cell to the lower section of the Tower awaiting trial in two days. Lord Shaxx stormed off, angry, not at the Fallen but himself. The Titan created the crucible just for this reason, to train new Guardians and allow them the experience to avoid their deaths. All the Guardians were given two weeks of leave, a useless medal for defending the city, and new armor commendations. A week later and everything seemed normal. No news except for the usual, all seemed to be normal again.
Loud singing, like a musical could be heard through the hallways of the Guardian complex disturbing those who tried to escape the sun. Sprinkle even heard the singing of a man above the music in his ear. Dressed in an old batman T-shirt and vanilla shorts. Once he got inside the safety of the lobby he took off his signature shades. "Lets get down to business-" he heard someone singing throughout the building.
"What the fuck?" Sprinkle muttered. The hunter had grocery bags in each hand and took the elevator up to the tenth floor. The doors opened and the sound was much more louder.
"-When I asked for sons!"
Two feet from the door and he was already scared to step in. Sprinkle punched in the digits and stepped in, a blast of sound hit him in the face. Ghost who was levitating right next to him even faltered for a moment. Alex and Shadow were sitting in front of the plasma singing along with whatever was on the screen. A bunch of men practicing fighting with long staffs. Pause.
Ghost floated between them and chirped twice.
"Is this that old-"
"yup" they said in unison. Their eyes didn't divert from the screen.
Sprinkle just shook his head and laughed before heading to the kitchen to put away the food. "What's the movie called?" He asked from the kitchen. Ghost chirped, "I believe its called Mulan. An old animated movie based on Hua Mulan who-"
Shadow and Alex shooed away Ghost before it could finish. The movie was so enamoring. Sprinkle finished and leapt over the couch between the two and sat quietly. Ten minutes into the movie and Sprinkle was hooked. Nothing could prepare him for the amazingness of Mulan. After three hours of watching movies all day they grew bored. Light began to dim outside their window, the Traveller seemed to sleep in the sky as its always done and the gang decided to do something. Shadow had called Athena who was on the moon with Morningstar-606 and Leon. Luckily the three were only on patrol and quickly left.
"Sprinkle did you find a spot?" Shadow asked as he headed to his room.
Alex came out of the bathroom shocking everyone. He was dressed in dark boot cut pants, his pearl snap shirt tucked into his pants, the brown boots he wore only added onto the odd look. Well less odd and more cowboy.
"Howdy partner" his heavy Texan accent only added on to his new persona.
Guess when the only thing you wear is armor for weeks straight wearing regular clothing seemed alien. Neverless a blessing.
"I did," Sprinkle replied, "There's a nice restaurant club in the middle of the city called…" The hunter paused then started to laugh. "Its called Drunken Vandals Bar and Grill."
Shadow now came out of the restroom wearing a casual white button up, he rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and wore black jeans.
Alex tossed Shadow his wrist watch. "Wow, what an intriguing name. Who the hell named a restaurant after our enemies?" He asked, a hint of amusement to his voice. Shadow vaulted over the couch and grabbed his black jacket from the table. When they first went down to the city to buy clothing the three couldn't help but feel as if they were out of their element. The dozens of shops that sold Golden Age clothing was limited. It was odd being around people who wore modern clothing than them. Not that it was any different
Sprinkle heard footsteps outside the door. Whoever it was rapped on the door with their knuckles. Before he could open it Athena walked through passing him without notice.
"You know you're late for your own dinner right?" She pointed at Shadow who seemed to shrink under her gaze.
The Titan looked at his watch and frowned. "Well uhh…" he couldn't figure out any excuse to get out of this one. Athena just chuckled. "Your panties are getting in a twist Shadow, I'm just messing with you."
Alex leaned into Sprinkles ear. "I'd like to twist her panties" he whispered behind his hand. No amount of yelling could stop Sprinkle from him laughing. Or the flying super man punch to the arm Alex received.
A half an hour later of getting lost later the group finally managed to reach the Drunken Vandal. They were led through dual doors by a robot that wore a black tux. For a bar and grill named after one of the travellers enemies the place didn't look so bad. Large diamond chandelier hung from the roof. A VIP section was built away from the bar hidden behind curtains. To the right a bar was built into the wall giving it almost a cave like look. Bottles of different alcohols, liquor, spirits, and more sat on shelves of clear glass almost touching the roof.
"You think the Vanguard know about this place?" Athena asked as they sat down at a round couch, in the middle a dinner table.
"No… at least I don't think so. I doubt the Speaker would want a restaurant serving Fallen in the city." Shadow replied.
You could almost see her frown.
A minute later a man and morningstar walked in. Morningstar wore a trenchcoat atop of a white tux and black vest. The exo looked like the equivalent of james bond. "Afternoon gentlemen," he then looked at Athena "and ladies." Shadow and Sprinkle shook the exo's hands and introduced themselves. Turns out the man accompanying Morningstar was Leon. This was the first time they properly got a look at him. Trying to memorize ones face with bullets flying around you isn't advised. He stood around 6'8, dirty blond hair and hazelnut eyes. For a hunter he had a bigger build but just move as fast regardless. Now the part was all here.
"So your telling me that you three were the ones who killed Sepkis Prime?" Leon asked amazed.
All three of them nodded, taking in all the attention the hunter gave them.
Leon reached for another beer and sat back in the chair with his legs crossed. "Didn't really think it was you three. Though the recon team that found yer hides did turn it into a bloody movie. Your helmet recorder helped with that mate." Shadow shook his head at the last part, he still needed to find those culprits and get some money.
"Yeah. Big bad Sprinkle here destroyed a skiff with his knife." Shadow boasted over another soda. He didn't like the beers.
Everyone turned their heads at the shade wearing hunter. "Alex is the one that killed Sepkis."
The boasting went back and forth for another good five minutes before Athena started with her own tales. The women stood up suddenly and slammed her foot down on the table. A beer sloshing around in her hand. "N-no" she hiccupped. "I… killed aaaaa C-captain with this..." putting her middle finger up, "...thumb." Morningstar was the only not to get it.
Everything started to get hot around the crowd of people. Morningstar held a bulletin board with Leons, Sprinkles, Athenas, and Alexs name written on it in chalk. People started placing bets on who would win the drinking contest. Athena had already drunk too much alcohol and was already losing. No one betted on her. Leon and Sprinkle were neck and neck, they kept slamming down shot glasses of the bars infamous shots of "Archon fury" which consisted of very very old vodka. Sprinkle grimaced when he downed another shot and coughed. However The other hunter seemed to drink his like water, another shot though and you could see his body start shaking. Some blonde, dressed in a way-to-short skirt draped her arm around Alex's neck, whispering dirty words into his ear. If the Warlock could blush he'd rival the sun. Not from the alcohol of course but the women.
Athena downed another shot after three minutes and shattered the glass against the wall startling a fireteam of Guardians drinking alone. No one noticed them stand up. Someone slammed into Shadow as he left the bar with his cream soda in hand. Ten of these things and he couldn't get enough. The bottle came straight from a freezer and slipped from his fingers. It crashed to the floor exploding in soda and glass right in front of his eyes. A pair of hands picked up Shadow from his knees ignoring his groveling, his pain went unnoticed. "Hey! I'm getting sick of your friends!" A grizzly looking man yelled in his face. Shadows head went limp and he gazed back down at his once ice cold beverage soul rise from the glass and into the air. He reached out for it hoping to get one more touch, it was gone before his fingers could make contact.
Another man walked up beside him. "You little Shite are you deaf?! A wee little daft ain't cha laddy. We got something for that." The man pulled his hand back and punched Shadow in the gut. All the air was knocked from his lungs and the Guardian fell to one knee gripping his stomach. When Shadow looked up at the man he noticed the Titan Codex on his windbreaker. "Y-you're a Titan" Shadow stated as he summoned Ghost in his right hand. Just trying to speak hurt.
"Hello Guardian" he said in a polite manner. "I apologize for this little misundering standing and advise you to refrain from-" Grizzly man grabbed Ghost in his hand and tossed the Ghost across the room. Before it hit the wall Ghost de-materialized into light.
"Traveller be with me! Did that Titan just throw me?" It asked in Shadows head.
"Yes" Shadow growled out loud shocking the man.
More quicker than he expected Shadow came up striking the man under the chin in an uppercut. The man was thrown backwards and was sent crashing on top of a glass table shattering it. Another Titan from the corner of his eye ran at Shadow ready to fight him. He threw two jabs that Shadow easily knocked away. A jab then a hook was thrown at him, Shadow sidestepped to the right but the left hook hit him across the jaw. For a moment he stumbled then felt a pair of hands grab the back of his legs then a body slam into him knocking him down. A perfect spear tackle got him down. The man was on top of him throwing punches but Shadow blocked the blows.
Sprinkle looked up from his losing drinking match and saw Shadow get tackled by someone. Sprinkle jumped up from the table and ran. "Get off him!" He yelled in instinct. Sprinkle leapt into the air. The man looked up right to see a size twelve foot flying at his face and behind that one pissed off drunk Hunter. Snap went the man's nose when Sprinkles foot collided with his face. was thrown backwards onto a table. Now everyone noticed began to help Shadow up.
Sprinkle crashed into the wall as he was getting up. "Wowwww S-shadow is getting his ass kicked by pansy ass Titans!" He shouted for everyone to hear. A little bit of Shadow died inside. "Thanks Sprinkle, piss off the angry Titans is a great tactic!"
From behind them something shattered and Morningstar was staring at a man holding a broken bottle in his hands. The Praxic Warlock grabbed the man by the back of the neck and headbutted him. Flesh met metal and metal won. Now everyone stood silent when the poor guy crashed against a table breaking it under his weight. The ones who sat at the table were not amused. After that the whole place was pumped up.
Bottles flew. People screamed and cursed. You couldn't walk two feet without someone throwing a punch at you. Even Athena, as drunk as she was, couldn't escape the wrath of a female hunter. A bottle flew through the air colliding with the back of Morningstars head and he cursed aloud when five more came flying at him like mortars. No one even noticed Alex sneaking out the exit with a blonde in his arms. Leon tried to continue his drinking streak but a dropkick to the back of the neck ended that.
Shadow and Sprinkle stood back to back on the dance floor. A blitz of people fighting all over and three very pissed off Titans in front of them. The party surrounded them like hyenas. "You think we can take them?" Shadow asked as the two went back to back. Sprinkle put his hands up in a old fighting stance he saw in one of the videos they watch earlier. Sprinkles intoxicated mind didn't care about odds. "Lets get down to business!" The hunter flew into a superman punch and hit one across the cheek, he followed up with a knee that was easily blocked by the bulkier man and was tossed across the floor at Shadow who rolled over his friend and came up skillfully. The mans head snapped back by the uppercut, Shadow kept going at the man with a combo of punches. Shadow finally managed to break through his defence and spun around in a back kick that connected with the man's stomach. Sprinkle jumped from behind him in a side kick hitting the man in the gut. The Titan fell on his knees vomiting all over the floor. Shadow spun around by a charging Titan and braced himself for the tackle. "Guh!" the air was knocked from his lungs as he was slammed around the floor with little to no effort. The Titan tried to beat on him but it did no good, he was slammed to the floor sending star to his eyes. Soda, adrenaline, and anger, pumped his body willing him to fight back as the man choked him. Reaching around for anything that he could use to escape his hands touched a beer bottle and Shadow hit the man utop of the head with it. His eye rolled to the back of his head and he fell back unconscious. As he fell back he saw Sprinkle he saw him trading blows with the last Guardian. Sprinkle blocked a wild haymaker and at the same time hit him with a straight punch to the nose again. The mans head recoiled, Sprinkle closed the distance and dropped kicked the man straight in the chest throwing him to the crowed. His body disappeared from view in the mob.
Suddenly the front door of the Bar and Grill exploded and the Cities Metropolitan Police stepped in dressed fully in riot gear. Leon was already stumbling to the bathroom to hide with Morningstar in tow. Athena stood up for a moment gripping at her aching skull then looked at all the cops. Shadow didn't know how she did it but the women had thrown herself into them yelling, "fuck the police!"
"Good" Shadow thought. Now she was their problem to deal with.
Sprinkle was to drunk to do anything himself and needed help. A hand grabbed his wrist and forced him to run towards the back door exit. Through a barely lit alleyway they ran, the sounds of distant yelling and fighting behind them and the roar of pedestrians ahead. A couple of officers ran out from the alleyway looking for the two but among the crowds of the people the were practically invisible.
Sprinkle put a hand up gesturing to stop. "I can't run no moo," he put his hands on his knees heaving. As drunk as the fool was his words weren't that slurred. Though the next morning he would surely regret ever taking those shots. Ghost didn't even say anything after the fight, he was too busy reading how to nurse a hangover. The streets of the precinct they walked through was practically deserted tonight. They walked atop cobble stones, surrounded by old buildings that seemed more of a relic than a home. A street light in the distance flickered. The two walked side by side down the street just ready to go home.
Shadow sighed as a thought came over him. "You know the Vanguards never disclose anything to the City right? None of these people even know that so many Guardians died for their protection."
The hunter hiccupped then replied. "So. If everything we've done, or battles that we've lost were openly told to the City you think people would be worried. They all would rather believe they are safe behind these walls, under the Traveller, but the truth is no one is safe."
"Then what about our memory?" Shadow asked more irritated.
Sprinkle stopped for a moment. His latest memory of the hot sun, him holding a woman's hand still fresh in his mind. He looked down at his hand trying to picture her hand in his. Shadow only gave him a puzzled look. "You having deja vu or something" he joked, Shadow waved a hand in front of his friends face startling him.
"N-no," he said in shock. "Just thinking too much man. I think all that alcohol is finally getting to my head. Shadow shook his head and pouted. Memory loss was normal when you were brought back to life. Some would regain their memory in a couple of weeks but Shadow had the faintest idea of who he was. Little things that he oddly enjoyed were probably the only thing that gave him a clue as to who he was before his death. Martial arts films, cream soda, and even when he was fighting in the bar those kicks he had done, he never practiced those before. It just came natural.
Another hour of getting lost they finally convinced Ghost to help them. Their little bot kept refusing because he thought they deserved to be lost for the trouble they caused at the B&Q. When they finally got back to the complex their door was ajar. Shadows instincts flared and he kicked the door open, barrel rolled inside the room all ninja like and came up into the room ready to fight. It was empty.
Sprinkle came in behind him then crashed to the floor face first. "Owwwwww" he groaned into the carpet.
Oddly the lights were on. Noises like fighting came from Alex's room and Shadow turned to look at it. He spun in the air at the door and kicked the door off the hinges. What Shadow saw blinded him more than a flash grenade. The Titan tripped back out the room covering his eyes, trying to wipe the sight from his mind. Shadow didn't take Alex serious…. he only thought his friend was joking. That blond women from the club… Shadow never thought a body could move like that.
"W-what the hell," Sprinkle walked into the room. He took one look then turned back around. His eyes looked so soulless the deepest reaches of the moon looked like a sun. The hunter just walked to his room, silently, with no more energy to go on tonight.
Shadow tried to grab Ghost before the bot floated into his room but it was too late. Alex didn't stop even if the little ghost rudely intruded on his session. The blonde didn't mind either. Ghost just fixed the door with some reserved plasteel to mutte some of the noise, floated over to his HUB station to recharge and rest, hopefully clear his memory banks of tonight.
Unlike Ghost Shadow couldn't do the same and curled up on the couch wide eyed. Sleep would not come. How in the human body bend like that? The thought of her body in such a odd position made him shudder.
Alex really did put her in a pretzel.
AN: Well this took a little bit longer than intended. Being caught between my laptop going bezerk and school everything is crazy. From chapter eight to eleven this was comic relief but now things will be serious… maybe
The Musketeers will meet the mysteries Exo stranger on Venus and find something no one expected. For better or worse things will be awesome. Also I'm thinking of doing a raid for the team. Still debating but if the next DLC is promising it may happen. Shadow out!
