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| Chapter Two: Unsung Talent; Unsung Stupidity | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 17 2018, 04:28 PM (39 Views) | |
| Johnny Styles | Apr 17 2018, 04:28 PM Post #1 |
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![]() Chapter Two: Unsung Talent; Unsung Stupidity Arc: The Zenkai Tournament Bio: Johnny Styles Notable NPCs: N/A Location: Lillium - Warren District, Selene Edited by Johnny Styles, Apr 24 2018, 09:15 AM.
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| Johnny Styles | Apr 24 2018, 08:57 AM Post #2 |
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Lillium - Warren District, Trading Bazaar "How about those concord grapes?" Johnny suggested. "No. Concord Grapes too soft and not enough texture." Gretchen dismissed. "Perhaps the Ganghis Fruit, love?" Anton suggested. "No. Ganghis Fruit are not in season and Gretchen not like artificial facade." The demanding woman dismissed once again without sparing a thought towards looking at the latest suggestion. The martial artist and doctor let out a sigh of defeat in unison as they continued following Gretchen around the Warren District's Trading Bazaar. Each tasked with the burden of holding her purchases as she scanned the marketplace for specific items. And much to Johnny's surprise, she was a woman who wouldn't settle for anything less than expected, and easily gave the impression of being on an entirely different level in regards to the term, picky. Anton was used to life as a pack mule whenever there was grocery shopping to be done. In fact, the burly man couldn't even complain even if he wanted to seeing as it was his fault an excess amount of groceries was needed in the first place. The bustling marketplace of trade and general commerce was one of Lillium's hidden gems. Traders from all over the world setup shop here in search of bartering goods from distant lands or eagerly searched for opportunities to expand their respective operations. Men and women blessed with talents or bizarre ethos abilities tailored for street performances went to work performing in the streets. Instead of a competitive environment, according to Anton, the performers formed an organized union years ago to share profits and further work alongside each other to improve their craft as well as technique. Music suitable for a middle-eastern setting filled the air and was absolutely contagious, prompting those capable of hearing the upbeat tunes to move with rhythm behind each step, or at the very least, the best they could. Johnny ogled more than his fair share of dancers and fell victim to the alluring belly dance of a young woman mere moments ago. All his life he was told to avoid setting foot in the Warren District as it was also home to many dangerous criminals. However, had he known such beauties were hidden in this humble sector of Lillium, the martial artist would have disobeyed his parents long ago. He was a sucker for a pretty face no matter the woman's origins, criminal status, race, and perhaps even species. Thankfully, Gretchen was here to set him straight whenever the usual undesirables showed their deceptive faces. The woman lost count as to how many times she heard stories of men waking up in dodgy alleyways in nothing but their undergarments after falling prey to feminine wiles. "Shut the front door! What!" Johnny's heart skipped at the sight of vendor's wares and rushed to plant his face against the glass case containing the apple of eye. "The seventy-seven limited edition of Voluptuous Vixens..." He whispered with eyes illuminated as if a child on Christmas day. "The only magazine copy in the world that exists containing a picture of Cammy Haya along with her detailed bio. What's her favorite hobbies? What's her favorite wine to sample? Everything!" "Oho! I see you're a young man of culture!" The vendor owner emerged from behind his stall, readjusting his pair of round shades suitable for any aspiring otaku, and casually placed an arm around Johnny whom was lost to the beauty that was the woman on the cover. "You should also know the story behind why there is only three copies left in the world..." "Who doesn't? They say she had second thoughts about the magazine's production and destroyed every plant issuing the magazine until a total recall was called by Voluptuous Vixen's CEO. Even datapads around the world can't access it's encrypted files digitally. How the hell did you get this... And it's still unopened in the gold encrusted laminated seal. Not even a single crease in it's integrity." The vendor was shocked to see a true fellow fanboy in the flesh. There was many fools after this elusive copy. However, very few would truly appreciate it's worth, and thus, he abstained from selling the copy to those even with the funds to do so. No matter the amount brought forward for a purchase. None expressed the enthusiasm demonstrated like the martial artist. Needless to inform, Johnny was indeed worthy to meet the unspoken conditions and part with the magazine. At least, in the event that he had the necessary funds to do so. "You are in luck, friend." He adjusted his glasses once more. "I'll be generous and let go of this artifact for only Twenty-five thousand gralea." Johnny nearly fainted at the exorbitant price for the apple of his eye. "Damn! You want my left jingle bell too while you're at it?" He blurted out in complete disbelief. A massive price for this priceless artifact was to be expected. However, he argued at this point in time that it would even be less expensive to find and stalk the goddess rather than pay such an amount. "I hate to see the price when you're in a bad mood, buddy. Sorry. I don't got that kinda gralea... Never did..." "Johnathan, come along! Gretchen may have stumbled across the lost fruit that put end to scavenger hunt." Anton's foreign accent made it's presence known from a few feet away, pleased. "Unfortunate. If you ever amass the funds or change your mind, please come back and take another look! Monty Moley has all the wares to make your wife question your affairs!" The vendor, Monty Moley, expressed zeal in his parting words with an equally ridiculous motto. Johnny hung his head low and returned to Anton's side. Money was never an issue for him, and thus, the harsh reality of desiring expensive items but being unable to afford it was lost to him since being forced to work. The Styles family was classified somewhere between 'Lower-High Class' and 'High-middle class' with more than enough fame to always be invited to formal events hosted by the upper echelon of society. Exotic art gallery showings restricted from public viewing, premiere demonstrations of the latest vehicles fresh from manufacturing plants, wine tasting ceremonies for those of royal lineage. The Styles family never failed to receive an invitation no matter the occasion. Evidently, Johnny had no desire to be apart of such formal escapades as love for manga, anime, and the world of martial arts consumed him. A fact his adopted mother never accepted nor the dreaded 'perfectionist'. He doubted if there was even a mention of his name in any will. The martial artist wore a solemn expression as he pondered on his troubled family ties. Suddenly, upon noticing the meticulous eyes of Gretchen observing him, he quickly adopted a more upbeat look with his signature moronic grin plastered on his face. The demanding woman turned away with a false smirk, knowing well there was much more to him than he let on, and made a note to question exactly where his mind was before sending him off tonight. Anton, on the other hand, was fully distracted by the euphoric taste of Warren District's honey ham - one massive slab of cooked ham decorated in a myriad of seasonings and finished with a coating of honey to be served on a eight-inch stick. "Ah! Help! Help! Help! Thieves!" A feminine voice cried out in great distress following a resounding explosion from behind at the heart of the Trade Bizarre. In an instant, citizens, tourists, and street performers alike panicked as they didn't know which direction to run or which suitable decibel could express the extent of their confusion being coupled with fear. Many quickly made haste to flee from the point of impact in fear of becoming collateral to this troubling instance. The more emboldened, however, took up arms and quickly rallied to aftermath' location. Not willing to allow anyone to trample upon the humble and close--knit community they've forged in love and sincerity. A testament to just how far this district have come along since it's sinful origins... "Doc! Hang on to these, I'll be back!" Johnny instinctively handed all of his bags to the burly doctor, and thus, effectively turning him from glutton to a fully fledged pack mule. "Johnathan!" Gretchen called out with an arm outstretched as she watched the young man sprint towards the commotion. After a few seconds of watching him continue on in stubbornness, the woman let out an annoyed sigh, and finally conceded with a smile. "Be careful, foolish patient of mine." She whispered before turning to spot her husband in the midst of still enjoying his ham after impressively balancing the groceries in no time at all. "A little concern for patient can be appreciated, husband." Anton ripped off a nice chunk then went on to chew the piece, gleefully. "Johnathan? Hah!" He began, catching his wife off guard. "When I was treating him, those wounds that covered his body was without a doubt dealt with torture equipment. However, that isn't all, love. The point of penetration on his upper abdomen was dealt by a long blade, he possessed bruising of both knuckles similar in cases of one smashing against fine metal, and most importantly, a certain someone riddled with bruises and brandishing a weapon that fits this description was present, no?" He explained, implying something that gave his wife goosebumps. "Surely you are not saying he and Kijim-" "Let us return home, Love. Everything is under control here." Anton smirked with nothing but the utmost confidence behind his lovable expression and resumed departing from the Trade Bizarre at a casual pace. Johnny slid underneath a moving cart and proceeded to flip onto a rooftop utilizing nothing but phenomenal parkour techniques without any cost to his momentum. A troubled woman's cry was the only catalyst he needed to go from playful to serious in less than a matter of seconds. He simultaneously scanned the area down below while carefully observing his options to move forward. At the height he achieved in this whirlwind worthy sprint made it so one misstep could land him right back on Anton's operating table. A fate he endeavored to avoid but also dared to risk for the chance to grab a glimpse of everything from a bird's eye view. Upon eventually coming to a stop in the jeweler sector, he spared a glance towards one of the large shops for an assessment, and immediately took notice of 'Winston's Fine Stones' had been hit along with the 'Performers Union Agency'. A calculated heist executed without a single casualty. The fact of nobody seeming to have lost their life came as a relief. Still, the perpetrators could not be allowed to escape with everyone's earnings. Families and livelihoods depended on it. Suddenly, the martial artist felt a sinking feeling in his gut as he noticed five figures scattered among the crowd taking their leave. He didn't think nothing of the individuals at first, but, the young man couldn't help being suspicious when noticing they were converging in an alleyway one after the other. Each carrying knapsacks that appeared to be awfully full. Believing in his gut, Johnny took the necessary measures to quickly approach from above with great haste, intending to question them at the very least before pursuing a more aggressive approach. Following the course of two minutes, Johnny descended onto the alleyway by utilizing one stray dumpster as a barely suitable landing pad, and whipped his head around for any traces of the hooded group. An effort that left him absolutely nothing. The five individuals seemed to have vanished in thin air until it became apparent of a nearby manhole being sloppily closed... Lillium, Warren District - Warren Sewage Canals Down below in the Warren Sewage Canals, four of five men let out an explosive laughter as they made great haste further into the putrid tunnels, sprinting in high spirits behind one another under the influence of an adrenaline burst. The individual at the helm spared no time discerning which turns to take as if on a route mapped out beforehand. Unlike the others, he long since abandoned his hooded garb to reveal he was a middle aged man with black hair styled back in a slick manner, goatee, and a stern expression that suggested he had a had time smiling throughout his entire existence. The man donned a skin tight, black, and somewhat elastic bodysuit with a suspicious looking glove covering his right hand. "That was the easiest heist I pulled off yet! Things have become way to easy with those annoying bastards being focused on Labyrinths. We can do whatever we want!" One of the goons expressed his joy for the ease of this theft. "Keep your voice down! We aren't out of here yet, y'know?" Another quickly voiced his contempt. "Hope none of you idiots left prints or traces. I don't necessarily have the most faith in this ragtag crew of morons." The smallest of the bunch was next to let his voice be heard. "Quit your whining, by the time they get smart, we'll be long gone and at the rendezvous point so the loot can be split." The fourth spoke up with a tone that seemed to revel in this guilty pleasure. "We have arrived at the first checkpoint. The Flood mitigation system will open any minute now, and from here, we should have safe passage into the ravine. Construction is currently in progress so not a soul will be present." The man at the helm informed as they came upon an automated metallic grate. Following the brief explanation, everyone present ensured to check their synchronized watches and capitalize on this moment of respite. Some took it upon themselves to stretch their legs in fear of a joint lock up occurring at a crucial momet; some simply monitored the time intently due to desiring nothing more than to leave the city. Finally, as their watches emitted a repeated beep in unison, everyone anxiously awaited the grate to open so the path out of the city could be taken. It was high time to depart from Lillium with the treasures and money in tow. Unfortunately, instead of the grate opening, another occurrence was beginning to take place... "...Hey, Donovan... Why is it your watch not beeping?" One of the goons questioned, fearfully. "Well, Roach." He began, not bothering to even turn around. "My watch is set for the grate's opening." The man at the helm answered, dismissively. "Isn't ours too? What's going on?" Another of the group began to grow antsy. Donovan - the coordinator of this heist, remained silent for a moment before finally turning to face his crew. "I'm afraid your watches are set for something else entirely..." He revealed. Immediately as he finished his answer, all four men clutched their throats as a sudden feebleness came over them, and one by one fell over unconscious. Betrayed by the coordinator and clearly intent on letting them all take the blame for this heist. Donovan took the liberty to casually inspect the men's knapsacks in search of a specific item. And due to simply tossing to the side various items valued well over fifty-thousand dollars along with raw currency, whatever the coordinator was searching for had to be no doubt priceless beyond comprehension. Or at least enough to be worth forsaking his surroundings for a moment before finally taking notice of the sound produced by a pair of encroaching footsteps. "Humph, there truly is no such thing as a perfect crime." Donovan narrowed his eyes, refusing to stop searching for his prized item among the crew despite being privy to someone's unexpected appearance. "Law enforcer? Liberation Society? Or perhaps maybe you're a common citizen who's way over his head?" He spoke aloud, figuring whoever it was was close enough to hear him now. "Try, Guru of Sexiness." "W-what?" The unexpected response proved to be so random, Donovan felt strongly compelled to turn around and see the person responsible for muttering such a foolish title. He arched an eyebrow and took on a look of confusion. The coordinator expected someone far more intimidating, or at the very least, capable of warranting some caution. Instead, he was face-to-face with a young man donning a stupid pair of sunglasses with an equally foolish expression to boot. Offended wasn't enough to express Donovan's feelings at this point in time. Needlessly to say, he simply went back to foraging through the loot for his item and finally found it judging by the abrupt look of pure greed in his eyes. "Here it is! The Left Eye of Aeolus! It's finally mine." He laughed in a manner suitable for a madman. "Well... Not exactly." Johnny scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, and thus, prompting the treacherous man to turn around. "You see, we still gotta fight and all since I can't just let you go, buddy." "...Fight? You say?" Donovan chuckled while pocketing his stolen possession, evilly. "A fight implies two opposing sides striking one another for supremacy or dominance... This, my dear boy, shall be a one-sided massacre with only one side dominating the other from start to finish." He extended his right hand, triggering the odd glove to produce a burst of electricity that illuminated the sewage canals. Johnny remained silent as he watched the glowing spectacle for a moment then continued to observe as Donovan commenced his approach. Unimpressed by the choice of weapon to say the least. Upon closing the gap between them in no time at all, the treacherous man launched an electrified punch, aiming to pacify or leave him helpless once the surge infiltrated his body on contact. He smirked widely while watching his fist on it's path towards Johnny's face. The defeat of a young upstart would prove to be the icing on top of this successful heist. Unfortunately, Donovan would soon discover his victory was doomed to go without, if at all. At the final moment, Johnny seemed to have disappeared from his initial position and caused the crook's hear to skip a beat as he could not detect when he moved through the bright blue hue somewhat obstructing his vision. He quickly turned to find the young man simply staring back at him confused. Furious at the sudden turn of events as well as not being convinced, the thief persisted in his attempts to issue a royal beating with the assistance of his patented electric glove, and was dead set on garnering a serious emotion from him other than a form of carelessness. Johnny, in his foolish mind, simply felt the need to allow Donovan his necessary time to warm up, figuring he was a slow starter and patiently awaited for proper strikes that could actually provide weight to the threats. "Dammit! I've come too fat to be stopped now! Fight me!" He roared in frustration. "If that's all you got... I kinda don't want to." Johnny folded his arms with a concerned look. Reluctant to trample on the man's feelings as he could see he was truly putting forth great effort to kill him. "It's disrespectful to hold back and I don-" "Insufferable oaf! Miserable failure! Show me something!" Johnny dodged the latest thunder fist and grabbed Donovan's forearm with an apprehensive left hand. No doubt feeling something from the last insult to escape his lips. "...Okay." Lillium, Warren District - Anton's House Anton banged on the table with a knife and fork impatiently as he awaited the steaming food being removed from the oven. In the midst of his gluttonous episode, Gretchen simply chuckled at her husband's love of food and felt happy knowing he loved her more than the finest cuisine due to this instance alone speaking volumes about just how deep that level of affection ran. The demanding woman looked up to gaze at the clock. It has been more than a few hours since Johnny went on his own in hopes to make sense and/or stop the source of the commotion. As such, Gretchen couldn't help but feel worried despite her husband's constant reassurance of him being fine. On the stroke of ten, a rhythmic knock series was heard at the front door, prompting the nurse to move accordingly and open to find a certain someone holding up a bouquet of roses. "Johnathan! Where have you been?" Gretchen questioned with both hands on her hips in a motherly manner. "Sorry. Went for a walk after going to see what happened and got lost on the path of life. Here, these are for you." He quickly explained, quoting a character from the 'Sasuke' anime. Gretchen smelled the flowers and was reluctant to admit their strikingly pleasant aroma. "Inside. We eat now and no more heroics until morning." She pointed towards the kitchen before stealing another whiff. Johnathan took that as one accepted apology and swaggered into the eating area with a smirk on his face. At long last, it was finally time to indulge in Gretchen's 'Five-Star Carnival of Taste' he had discussed throughout the morning with Anton, and looked forward to seeing if her cooking was really worth the hype. The martial artist's mother never cooked a single dish for him despite his requests, instead, the maid was always there to accommodate his palette. She wasn't the greatest cook in the world; she wasn't the worst cook either, but, that woman always came through in his hour of hunger. As each plate was placed in front of them, the tantalizing smell threatened to consume them in a eating frenzy, and Anton was about a few minutes before turning into a carnivore unable to discern family from food. Johnny was in disbelief at the level of cooking the nurse possessed and sincerely hoped everything tasted as good as it looked. Gretchen spared no expense for this send off dinner and didn't hold back on main dishes and side dishes alike. Whether or not this was a form to show her care for him, Johnny couldn't tell if his life depended on it, however, he knew this gesture was the second greatest gesture anyone has ever done for him. "Alright. Dig in!" Gretchen announced and the race was on. Following roughly forty-five minutes of culinary indulgence, Johnny surrendered to his stomach's limit and leaned back in his chair utterly satisfied. Never having experience quite like the taste that has graced his lips on this night. He took a moment to reflect on his life's choices for food at this time. In addition, apologizing for subjecting his taste buds to such inferior cuisine up until now, and made a mental note to cement Gretchen's cooking as the ultimate level on could hope to achieve. He often wondered how is it possible Anton developed such a penchant for eating all the time. Alas, the great mystery had been debunked and he felt somewhat afraid his perfect body was at risk to befalling a similar fate. "That's enough for me. Thanks for... That." Johnny was at a lost for words. "I'm gonna turn in for night and head out in the morning. Thanks. For everything. I mean it." "Of course. Good night, Johnathan." Gretchen waved. "Mmmpf-goo-mmmpf-ight." Anton failed to put together a coherent dismissal and didn't bother to correct it as he quickly resumed eating to his heart's content. With that, Johnny took his leave and retired to the spare room, leaving the inseparable pair to their own devices. Anton continued to feast on the large meal. Gretchen on the other hand ceased her shameless moment of gluttony and taken notice of a special report on the television set mounted above. Initially, the woman thought it to be an isolated incident that occurred in another area of Lillium and completely unrelated to the Trade Bizarre incident as this sector rarely is deemed 'news' worthy. Especially since labyrinths seems to be all the craze these days and media doesn't feel the need to cover every theft that occurs on a daily basis. She was wrong... "Our top story tonight, five men were found and apprehended today in the Warren Sewage Canals carrying stolen bags of jewelry valued at three-hundred and seventy-five thousand gralea! We have Diane Summers on the scene!" A news anchor announced before the viewing shifted to the aforementioned location and displayed an area within the canals decorated with the imprint of a person's body along the walls and floor. "Thanks, Celia. In custody as you can see here along with his crew, we have one Donovan Powers - a notorious jewel thief that has been terrorizing the market districts for the past year with no end in sight. Officials are cleaning up the scene and already gotten a confession out of the forty-two year old man as he received medical treatment. Apparently, a lone individual was responsible for his entire crew's capture and, get this, six broken ribs, four broken teeth, shattered elbow, and immense internal bleeding in both legs was dealt to Donovan alone while his men slept peacefully. EMT's on scene claims the damage he received was done by fists and not a bludgeon instrument. At this time, the hero is nowhere to be found but he or she made use of rope carried by the culprits to tie them up, making it easier for officials to apprehend them. The Warren District's Trade Bazaar is ecstatic to receive all of their items and gralea, putting a happy ending to this nearly unfortunate occurrence." The field reporter continued to explain details regarding a drunk witness claiming to have seen a figure spotted in a jumpsuit and sporting a pair of shiny sunglasses fleeing the scene. Gretchen's heart skipped a beat and she snapped towards Anton in complete disbelief who simply let out a hearty laugh. The prediction he made pertaining to Johnny's ability was true. In the next room, there lay a person who could easily take a person apart with ease and nobody was none the wiser. Edited by Johnny Styles, Apr 24 2018, 10:25 AM.
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