::small note--the dialogue switches from novel to script style when things really get started. just thought i'd mention it so no one would think i've lost what's left of my mind. not that its possible to lose what you don't have to begin with ... and keep in mind that the writing inside the stars is kinda like stage directions.::
::btw, as Uncle would say, "one more thing!" They may be subtle, but there are spoilers, so please don't flame me about ruining the story for you, since i've just warned you. i also get virtually everyone and their mother in this fic, so don't think i'm just ragging on one poor, defenseless character.
Inuyasha: "Hey! I can take you anytime, anywhere!"
DarkFlame: "Only in your dreams, hon." *types something*
Inuyasha: *suddenly in a diaper with Sesame Street characters* "What the hell?! AHHHHHH!!!!!"
DarkFlame: "In this world, you shall bow down and address me as Master."
******************************************************************************
Inside a brightly lit all-weather stadium, last-minute ticket buyers are busy looking for their seats amid the crowd. It looks as if it's a full house, with patrons crowding both the aisles and the vendors. A somewhat smaller line is assembled at the bathrooms; whether because they wish to see the new design or because they had a two-liter on the way over is unclear and unimportant. The noise level, though, is that of an energetic crowd who knows its in for a good show.
Mitsuno, always one to deliver, is mingling with the crowd. Ok, fine, she's trying to bum an aspirin or IBu profen off of someone.
"Too much damn noise," she mutters, thanking the priest who hands her some type of tea that's supposed to cure headaches. She walks down the stairs to the commentator's box, which has its own coffee maker.
On the way, she runs into Rashim and Shalmar.
Shalmar is the first to notice the herbs. "You gonna smoke that?"
"Yes, Shalmar, I was looking for my pipe just now," she rolls her eyes.
"Don't worry about it," Rashim laughs, "there should be some hot water left. Sairen's making mucho dinero off of that tea booth she set up at The Box."
"Say WHAT?" Mitsuno doesn't sound too happy. "The show starts in around ten! The Box is not some kind of café!"
"Sure sounds like one," the Earth Elementals mutter while she rushes over to see just what the devil her co-host is up to.
As prophesied, there's a rather large line of medieval folks at The Box. Wading through the crowd, she manages to get to the back entrance, where she finds Sairen, Dairen, and Saiyan serving customers.
She sighs. "Do I even want to know what wild muse inspired you this time, Sairen?"
"Here you go, sir," she was with a customer. Then she turned. "One of the monks here came by asking if we had a drink stand that served tea. I didn't wanna disappoint the guy, so I just made one!"
"And, like all faithful customers, he spread the word," Dairen added.
"So that would explain the queue around The Box," Mitsuno helped herself and made her own cup of tea.
One of the customers noticed. "How come she doesn't have to pay?"
Mitsuno eyed him, causing him to back up a little. "Because I work here, dear."
Saiyan took the payment from the man that spoke. "She's the host/commentator. And a Fire Elemental, so don't do anything we would!"
Sairen made as sound, just remembering something. "That's right! You and Dairen have a job, too."
"We know. Saiyan's part of security--"
"--and Dairen's the referee."
"You made DAIREN the ref?" Sairen almost drops the tea she's carrying. "What the hell were you THINKING?!?"
"Hey, he wanted to, OK?" Mitsuno makes a few cups for the customers to help move things along.
"But Saiyan's his better half! Don't you think he'd be a bit less lenient of a referee?"
Saiyan sighed. "That's the whole point, Sairen. People are more afraid of him than they are of me so no one will try anything funny."
"Little do they know," Dairen laughed knowingly, "I think I'm HIS better half!"
By this time, everyone has been served. Sairen's still a little worried.
"Dairen, are you positive that you can handle being ref? I mean, you aren't exactly against massive blood shed..."
Dairen flashes a smile, showing off his fangs. "Sairen, dearest--you just worry about being announcer and let us handle this. We'll switch off every now and then, if it makes you feel better."
"You just better not grab a snack in the middle of a fight," she warns before kicking them out of The Box.
"Oh, very well," he sighs, he and his twin (yup, there's two sets of 'em) going in the opposite directions--him towards the center of the arena, and Saiyan to the demon side of the audience. Shalmar's handling the human side, while Rashim's taking care of sound.
Everyone is in place. Well, except the audience; there's still quite a few people running about.
"Ok, everyone; the fight's about to start. Please take your places so no one gets hurt when we shut off the lights in the seating area!"
The humans obey easily enough. Unfortunately, the other half of the audience are demons of every shape and form with only one thing in common: none would sit down and shut up.
Mitsuno sighs. "I don't think you heard me the first time--"
"We didn't feel like listening!" That statement brings a loud cheer from the other demons. However, it is quickly drowned out by the speaker's death screams.
"AAAAARRRGGGGG *ack*" these are cut off abruptly as Saiyan finishes ripping out the demon's throat. No one dares to make a sound.
The VIP whistles. "Now that's what I call security!"
Licking the blood off his fingers, Dairen's twin brother winks in his direction.
"I guess Dairen really IS the nice one," Sairen breathes.
O.o;;; "...Ok...." a freaked out Mitsuno mutters. "Allright, everyone, let's get this started!!!"
Dead silence.
*sigh* "You can cheer now, people!"
"YAHOO!!!"
******************************************************************************
this was originally part of the first round, but i decided to break it up, since it was kinda on the long side. can anyone guess who the VIP is? before you read Round I, send in the guess with the review; i'm wondering how many people will get it. here's a hint: he's part of the cast and plays a major role. and he ain't human.
::btw, as Uncle would say, "one more thing!" They may be subtle, but there are spoilers, so please don't flame me about ruining the story for you, since i've just warned you. i also get virtually everyone and their mother in this fic, so don't think i'm just ragging on one poor, defenseless character.
Inuyasha: "Hey! I can take you anytime, anywhere!"
DarkFlame: "Only in your dreams, hon." *types something*
Inuyasha: *suddenly in a diaper with Sesame Street characters* "What the hell?! AHHHHHH!!!!!"
DarkFlame: "In this world, you shall bow down and address me as Master."
******************************************************************************
Inside a brightly lit all-weather stadium, last-minute ticket buyers are busy looking for their seats amid the crowd. It looks as if it's a full house, with patrons crowding both the aisles and the vendors. A somewhat smaller line is assembled at the bathrooms; whether because they wish to see the new design or because they had a two-liter on the way over is unclear and unimportant. The noise level, though, is that of an energetic crowd who knows its in for a good show.
Mitsuno, always one to deliver, is mingling with the crowd. Ok, fine, she's trying to bum an aspirin or IBu profen off of someone.
"Too much damn noise," she mutters, thanking the priest who hands her some type of tea that's supposed to cure headaches. She walks down the stairs to the commentator's box, which has its own coffee maker.
On the way, she runs into Rashim and Shalmar.
Shalmar is the first to notice the herbs. "You gonna smoke that?"
"Yes, Shalmar, I was looking for my pipe just now," she rolls her eyes.
"Don't worry about it," Rashim laughs, "there should be some hot water left. Sairen's making mucho dinero off of that tea booth she set up at The Box."
"Say WHAT?" Mitsuno doesn't sound too happy. "The show starts in around ten! The Box is not some kind of café!"
"Sure sounds like one," the Earth Elementals mutter while she rushes over to see just what the devil her co-host is up to.
As prophesied, there's a rather large line of medieval folks at The Box. Wading through the crowd, she manages to get to the back entrance, where she finds Sairen, Dairen, and Saiyan serving customers.
She sighs. "Do I even want to know what wild muse inspired you this time, Sairen?"
"Here you go, sir," she was with a customer. Then she turned. "One of the monks here came by asking if we had a drink stand that served tea. I didn't wanna disappoint the guy, so I just made one!"
"And, like all faithful customers, he spread the word," Dairen added.
"So that would explain the queue around The Box," Mitsuno helped herself and made her own cup of tea.
One of the customers noticed. "How come she doesn't have to pay?"
Mitsuno eyed him, causing him to back up a little. "Because I work here, dear."
Saiyan took the payment from the man that spoke. "She's the host/commentator. And a Fire Elemental, so don't do anything we would!"
Sairen made as sound, just remembering something. "That's right! You and Dairen have a job, too."
"We know. Saiyan's part of security--"
"--and Dairen's the referee."
"You made DAIREN the ref?" Sairen almost drops the tea she's carrying. "What the hell were you THINKING?!?"
"Hey, he wanted to, OK?" Mitsuno makes a few cups for the customers to help move things along.
"But Saiyan's his better half! Don't you think he'd be a bit less lenient of a referee?"
Saiyan sighed. "That's the whole point, Sairen. People are more afraid of him than they are of me so no one will try anything funny."
"Little do they know," Dairen laughed knowingly, "I think I'm HIS better half!"
By this time, everyone has been served. Sairen's still a little worried.
"Dairen, are you positive that you can handle being ref? I mean, you aren't exactly against massive blood shed..."
Dairen flashes a smile, showing off his fangs. "Sairen, dearest--you just worry about being announcer and let us handle this. We'll switch off every now and then, if it makes you feel better."
"You just better not grab a snack in the middle of a fight," she warns before kicking them out of The Box.
"Oh, very well," he sighs, he and his twin (yup, there's two sets of 'em) going in the opposite directions--him towards the center of the arena, and Saiyan to the demon side of the audience. Shalmar's handling the human side, while Rashim's taking care of sound.
Everyone is in place. Well, except the audience; there's still quite a few people running about.
"Ok, everyone; the fight's about to start. Please take your places so no one gets hurt when we shut off the lights in the seating area!"
The humans obey easily enough. Unfortunately, the other half of the audience are demons of every shape and form with only one thing in common: none would sit down and shut up.
Mitsuno sighs. "I don't think you heard me the first time--"
"We didn't feel like listening!" That statement brings a loud cheer from the other demons. However, it is quickly drowned out by the speaker's death screams.
"AAAAARRRGGGGG *ack*" these are cut off abruptly as Saiyan finishes ripping out the demon's throat. No one dares to make a sound.
The VIP whistles. "Now that's what I call security!"
Licking the blood off his fingers, Dairen's twin brother winks in his direction.
"I guess Dairen really IS the nice one," Sairen breathes.
O.o;;; "...Ok...." a freaked out Mitsuno mutters. "Allright, everyone, let's get this started!!!"
Dead silence.
*sigh* "You can cheer now, people!"
"YAHOO!!!"
******************************************************************************
this was originally part of the first round, but i decided to break it up, since it was kinda on the long side. can anyone guess who the VIP is? before you read Round I, send in the guess with the review; i'm wondering how many people will get it. here's a hint: he's part of the cast and plays a major role. and he ain't human.