This story is based on Kensei, the Boffer Larp I am trying to design. One of the things that I'm trying to focus on in this game is that while the game center's around a Martial Arts Tournament set in the not too distant future. Fighters and Martial Arts Schools vie for fame, money and influence while Merchants, Managers, Reporters and Gamblers all do deals behind the scenes.
This is a scene of what could be. I hope you enjoy.
"Jesus fucking christ," Parker said, watching the carnage go on in this dirty, dingy cabin. On the table was one of her prized rookie fighters. Case was young, red hair, green eyes. Would have made Ireland proud if he was smart enough to know where the fucking island was. Parker had recruited him into her stable last month for a song.
And he was dying. The fucking idiot.
Rune, The man barely struggling to keep Case alive, made a short laugh. About ten years ago, Parker would have found Rune attractive. A surfer type with sunbleached blonde hair and athletic body, but his face was covered in enough pale scars to tell you his education in Medicine was mostly from first hand experience. "Lady, I don't think He's here at the moment. So please shut the fuck up while I try to save this kid."
Parker made a motion for him to continue. How could the kid be so fucking dumb, challenging one of Rayse's boys? The members of the Arena of Blood aren't playing for money or fame, the nicest rumors she'd heard about them was a step above cannibals and the worst made them nothing short of monsters. Did he think he'd carve a name out of that School? You don't carve them, they carve you.
This is a scene of what could be. I hope you enjoy.
"Jesus fucking christ," Parker said, watching the carnage go on in this dirty, dingy cabin. On the table was one of her prized rookie fighters. Case was young, red hair, green eyes. Would have made Ireland proud if he was smart enough to know where the fucking island was. Parker had recruited him into her stable last month for a song.
And he was dying. The fucking idiot.
Rune, The man barely struggling to keep Case alive, made a short laugh. About ten years ago, Parker would have found Rune attractive. A surfer type with sunbleached blonde hair and athletic body, but his face was covered in enough pale scars to tell you his education in Medicine was mostly from first hand experience. "Lady, I don't think He's here at the moment. So please shut the fuck up while I try to save this kid."
Parker made a motion for him to continue. How could the kid be so fucking dumb, challenging one of Rayse's boys? The members of the Arena of Blood aren't playing for money or fame, the nicest rumors she'd heard about them was a step above cannibals and the worst made them nothing short of monsters. Did he think he'd carve a name out of that School? You don't carve them, they carve you.
The
cabin stank of disinfectant and horseshit. The Crucible's facilities were on
the other side of the territory, and there were things between here and there
that would have made sure Case didn't make it out alive. Killing was against
the rules on the Kensei tournament grounds, but that didn't stop accidents from
happening.
As if sensing her dread, the door knocked three times. Her heart sank.
"It's Jin, let me in."
That gave Parker a moment of hope, she moved over and opened up the shed door. Jin was a stout fellow, with goat-thick black hair and thick slabs of muscles. She found most of the weapons merchants always looked like that, the best merchants always looked like they knew their trade. He moved in brusquely, as if Parker couldn't really keep him back. She probably couldn't. He stopped and looked at Case, he and Rune sharing a look. For a second, Parker was scared these two would start their rivalry all over again. They'd been partners once, but Rune's showboating with the Crucible clashed with Jin's more honorable adherence to the Way of the Dragon King. It broke down violently, and in their twilight years, they sat in their respective corners of Arms Seller and Medic and left it at that.
The moment passed, and they both looked at the boy. "Jesus Christ," Jin said.
"You're the second person to try calling Him and He isn't answering," Rune said. A spurt of blood shot over his shoulder from case's stomach. "Inside, you fucking moron. Blood is supposed to remain inside!"
Not according to the Arena of Blood. Parker's stomach churned. Rune was too busy saving the poor kid's opened stomach. Jin took out a cigarette, and lit it. Rune looked at him.
"At this rate," Jin said. "Second hand smoke is the least of his problems." He offered the pack to Parker, who gladly took one and lit it. "I got a look at the weapon that Arena fighter was using. Pure steel."
That made Parker take a larger drag in her cigarette. All weapons and Armor were designed to simulate hits. They produced shocks, and once you were down, you were down. Oh, you could dress them up to make em look as real as real could be, but in the end they were shock pads . Live weapons weren't allowed in the tournament.
"Please tell me you--"
"The committee has already been informed," Jin said.
Parker nodded, then at least it wasn't a complete loss. Rayse and his goons would lost the match, and probably forfeit for the entire event. If it didn't kill Case, that was. If Case died, all forms of hell would break loose. The Arena of Blood would be shunned by the Kensei Council, not to mention any reporter worth their salt who smelt the blood in the water.
There were things that could have been said, but they held their silence. That silence lasted until, after what felt like eternity, Case gasped and sat sharp up.
"Whoa!" Rune said, pushing him back. "You start moving too fast and you'll blow a vessel."
"You got him back," Parker said, clearly astonished.
"It wasn't easy." Rune muttered. He gave Case a vial of green liquid. "Drink this all, or I will make you. Don't talk, just drink." Case complied. The look on his face told Parker all she needed to know about it's taste.
When it was over and done, Case looked up to Parker. "I guess I lost the match."
"You made an open challenge to Rayse and his entire stable, and someone who is ranked at level 15 accepted the challenge."
"I didn't see it as such a bad thing,"
"Aren't you level 4, Case?" Rune said dryly.
"I thought we're supposed to go for challenges in the Crucible,"
Jin groaned. "Russian Roulette isn't a Challenge, it's suicide you fucking moron."
Case had nothing else to say, and Parker just smoked furiously at her cigarette and smashed it out onto the floor. "So," Case said finally, "What do we do from here?"
Jin spoke, "Well, the Investigators already have the knife Creed used on you, and the Council will probably smack Rayse around for a little bit. Actually--" He pulled out his radio and turned it on. The only station in the area was WTKN. It was nearing midnight, and that meant Cassius Rite was still on. One of the last true independent reporters out there, TKN makes it a point to hire out the neutral ones for the mi
"--and we hope very well he finds his pants. In other news, just a few minutes ago the stable run by Arena of Blood acolyte Rayse was suspended from any and all events for the rest of this weekend on grounds that live steel was used during a match against Crucible Rookie Case. Rayse, you and your boys have done wrong, and it's time for a spanking. Rayse had this to say from his cabin in the darklands."
There was silence at first and then a husky voice boomed, "I find the Council's decisions....disappointing. This is a time for competition, this is a time for testing. Case wished to test himself against my men, and Creed found him wanting. The rest of the 'Schools' in this Network think that you can beat your opponent and he gets up and all is well in the world. It is not...well...in the world. I will show you the truth. The weak are meat, the strong need to eat. Blood is the only thing that matters."
Cassius' voice came back on, "Case, if you're out there, and you're not dead. Either you or your manager should come to Network Central and make your presence felt, your name is still on the Lists if you want it."
Case looked to Parker, eyes hopeful in the way only the new up and comers get. "Fine," She said eventually. "I'll go and tell them to hold your name."
"No," Case said suddenly. "I'll--" He was cut off when Rune touched the freshly bandaged wounds on his chest.
"I'm sorry, did that hurt? Maybe because you were gutstabbed an hour ago. You're staying here and healing."
"We also need to get your swords and armor repaired," Parker said. She looked to Jin, "I assume you're about to make me a deal?"
He smiled, "How about this: I walk you to Central, and you talk me into it."
Parker smiled back, and suddenly the options for tonight didn't look so grim. "You got another smoke?"
The grizzled weapons merchant laughed, "I'm pretty sure I've got a few left. Come on."
As if sensing her dread, the door knocked three times. Her heart sank.
"It's Jin, let me in."
That gave Parker a moment of hope, she moved over and opened up the shed door. Jin was a stout fellow, with goat-thick black hair and thick slabs of muscles. She found most of the weapons merchants always looked like that, the best merchants always looked like they knew their trade. He moved in brusquely, as if Parker couldn't really keep him back. She probably couldn't. He stopped and looked at Case, he and Rune sharing a look. For a second, Parker was scared these two would start their rivalry all over again. They'd been partners once, but Rune's showboating with the Crucible clashed with Jin's more honorable adherence to the Way of the Dragon King. It broke down violently, and in their twilight years, they sat in their respective corners of Arms Seller and Medic and left it at that.
The moment passed, and they both looked at the boy. "Jesus Christ," Jin said.
"You're the second person to try calling Him and He isn't answering," Rune said. A spurt of blood shot over his shoulder from case's stomach. "Inside, you fucking moron. Blood is supposed to remain inside!"
Not according to the Arena of Blood. Parker's stomach churned. Rune was too busy saving the poor kid's opened stomach. Jin took out a cigarette, and lit it. Rune looked at him.
"At this rate," Jin said. "Second hand smoke is the least of his problems." He offered the pack to Parker, who gladly took one and lit it. "I got a look at the weapon that Arena fighter was using. Pure steel."
That made Parker take a larger drag in her cigarette. All weapons and Armor were designed to simulate hits. They produced shocks, and once you were down, you were down. Oh, you could dress them up to make em look as real as real could be, but in the end they were shock pads . Live weapons weren't allowed in the tournament.
"Please tell me you--"
"The committee has already been informed," Jin said.
Parker nodded, then at least it wasn't a complete loss. Rayse and his goons would lost the match, and probably forfeit for the entire event. If it didn't kill Case, that was. If Case died, all forms of hell would break loose. The Arena of Blood would be shunned by the Kensei Council, not to mention any reporter worth their salt who smelt the blood in the water.
There were things that could have been said, but they held their silence. That silence lasted until, after what felt like eternity, Case gasped and sat sharp up.
"Whoa!" Rune said, pushing him back. "You start moving too fast and you'll blow a vessel."
"You got him back," Parker said, clearly astonished.
"It wasn't easy." Rune muttered. He gave Case a vial of green liquid. "Drink this all, or I will make you. Don't talk, just drink." Case complied. The look on his face told Parker all she needed to know about it's taste.
When it was over and done, Case looked up to Parker. "I guess I lost the match."
"You made an open challenge to Rayse and his entire stable, and someone who is ranked at level 15 accepted the challenge."
"I didn't see it as such a bad thing,"
"Aren't you level 4, Case?" Rune said dryly.
"I thought we're supposed to go for challenges in the Crucible,"
Jin groaned. "Russian Roulette isn't a Challenge, it's suicide you fucking moron."
Case had nothing else to say, and Parker just smoked furiously at her cigarette and smashed it out onto the floor. "So," Case said finally, "What do we do from here?"
Jin spoke, "Well, the Investigators already have the knife Creed used on you, and the Council will probably smack Rayse around for a little bit. Actually--" He pulled out his radio and turned it on. The only station in the area was WTKN. It was nearing midnight, and that meant Cassius Rite was still on. One of the last true independent reporters out there, TKN makes it a point to hire out the neutral ones for the mi
"--and we hope very well he finds his pants. In other news, just a few minutes ago the stable run by Arena of Blood acolyte Rayse was suspended from any and all events for the rest of this weekend on grounds that live steel was used during a match against Crucible Rookie Case. Rayse, you and your boys have done wrong, and it's time for a spanking. Rayse had this to say from his cabin in the darklands."
There was silence at first and then a husky voice boomed, "I find the Council's decisions....disappointing. This is a time for competition, this is a time for testing. Case wished to test himself against my men, and Creed found him wanting. The rest of the 'Schools' in this Network think that you can beat your opponent and he gets up and all is well in the world. It is not...well...in the world. I will show you the truth. The weak are meat, the strong need to eat. Blood is the only thing that matters."
Cassius' voice came back on, "Case, if you're out there, and you're not dead. Either you or your manager should come to Network Central and make your presence felt, your name is still on the Lists if you want it."
Case looked to Parker, eyes hopeful in the way only the new up and comers get. "Fine," She said eventually. "I'll go and tell them to hold your name."
"No," Case said suddenly. "I'll--" He was cut off when Rune touched the freshly bandaged wounds on his chest.
"I'm sorry, did that hurt? Maybe because you were gutstabbed an hour ago. You're staying here and healing."
"We also need to get your swords and armor repaired," Parker said. She looked to Jin, "I assume you're about to make me a deal?"
He smiled, "How about this: I walk you to Central, and you talk me into it."
Parker smiled back, and suddenly the options for tonight didn't look so grim. "You got another smoke?"
The grizzled weapons merchant laughed, "I'm pretty sure I've got a few left. Come on."
As
he lead her out, Rune called out to her. "I'd be careful, Park, Jin's a
tough bastard to talk under. But suit yourself." He slapped Case on the
back, "See, kid? That's a real Challenge worthy of the Crucible. Now stop
seeping into your bandage."
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