Heya folks! This is the battle of cool-dudes in suits. Yes, the battle between jirocho and I has come, and today we present to you our pieces! This has been a blast to jirochi and I, seeing as how we have had a fun writing our parts. ALSO, did I mention this is everyone's second battle? Because it is and it is going to be great :) . So, your CnC is definitely appreciated, and your votes too. Now, without further ado, here are our pieces! Vote fairly!
[Spoiler=wRHG 02: Shield Against Chakram, Life Against Death (Farukon vs. Bulwark | FalconX578)]
:stickpage: Stick Page Record: Farukon vs. Bulwark, wRHG Battle. :stickpage:
(Explosive Feathers, Blades the Falcon, Feather-like Weapons, Wings | Defensive Magic, Twin Bucklers)
(Explosive Feathers, Blades the Falcon, Feather-like Weapons, Wings | Defensive Magic, Twin Bucklers)
Shield Against Chakram, Life Against Death.
***
[is]@&+Error 377: Unknown date, time, and location.#%*[/is]
"Do you think they will make it out alive?"
"I do not know master."
"Come child, be honest, what do you think will happen."
"I can only hope they both die today, and I hope they die a painful death."
"Oh, I see. I love this attitude you have child... I suppose now our only option at this point is to sit back and watch. Ahh, here they come. Would you care to join me as we watch them fight like the vulgar animals they are?”
“It would be my pleasure…”
***
Saturday, August 06, 2017 at 12:37 p.m. Vague City’s Blue Rose Apartment Building, Room Number 14.
Almost a whole month has gone by since Percy’s fight with Serif Winters in the arena. Thankfully, Percy’s foot had been recovering just fine, and according to what Winters had said in the phone call Percy had made earlier, Serif was doing just great too. His new set of metallic bolas have been helping him a lot as well. Though, he still hasn’t had any luck finding Olivia in these past few days.
Farukon hasn’t been doing much of anything lately, other than his two jobs. Ever since his battle with Serif, he took it easy, Serif did do a good number on his left foot after all, but Percy was starting to have nothing to do with his life as a gladiator. Sure it had only been a month, but a month of doing nothing wasn’t doing anything to help him become stronger. After all, the main reason he joined the RHG, other than to join a system that aided the weak, was to become a stronger fighter. His injury did leave him with a lot of time to think and a lot less time to fight however.
Anyways, Farukon had managed to move from the old apartment complex he used to live in, to the luxurious Blue Rose Apartment. The apartment has rooms with an extremely comfortable queen size bed, a marble countertop in the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, and a flat screen TV. The digital alarm clock the room came with was also dark red, which happened to be Farukon’s favorite color. Percy believed however, that the best perk of this luxurious apartment was that the building was right next door to the JazzBerry Café, his favorite spot to grab a bite to eat or get a cup of tea. It was also right across from New China's Gold, the new Chinese restaurant on Redwood Street that also had good menu items. Of course, the rent was extremely pricey in the apartment, but since Percy's fight went well with the public, the gladiator system was nice enough to provide him this room, and Farukon doesn't have to pay a single cent. This helps Percy since he doesn't make much money off of math tutoring and working the cash register at Lolo Clint’s, the Filipino shop down the street. Of course the RHG pays him good money, but he wasn’t sure how that would turn out.
Percy eventually picked up his iPhone to check his email. There wasn't anything unusual, just messages on things he subscribed to on YouTube, and some updates on a forum he was active on.
Bing!
It was a text from his good friend Mathias Goodmin, one of Percy’s best friends.
"Hey, you wanna meet me out by Jiggs' Café? Be there in ten minutes, just gotta finish hanging up some posters for Olivia, then I’ll head over."
"Sure, not like I have anything else to do. Meet you there." At that, Percy got up and went to get dressed. In an instant, he just got changed into some dark gray sweatpants and a red and gray striped t-shirt. He combed his black hair in the mirror and took a look at himself. Tan, casual, cool. Then, Percy went out of his room and went down the elevator, despite his known hatred for them. He thought however, that he may as well as take advantage of it, he is lucky to be able to use one in the first place. He reached ground floor and left the building. Not seeing his British-Latino friend, Percy went inside the JazzBerry Café to get a cup of hot tea to go. After his somewhat long wait, Percy left the café, cup of peach-mint tea in hand. As he walked through the door, he was met with his friend Mathias, and a friendly smile grew on both of their faces.
"Percy! How have you been? It's good to see ya!"
"You too Math! I've been pretty bored these past few days to be honest." Farukon said.
"Well I am well aware of that, so, I’ve been wondering if you’d like to take a walk around Green Bay Park, you game?"
"Oh, sure man, that be good to take our minds off of things like work. It’s good to be relaxed you know? But wait a sec, Green Bay? Don’t you need like expensive passes to go to that place?"
"Yeah, so I decided to buy us some passes, hope you don’t mind. They were on sale since summer is ending in a few weeks. I knew you needed something interesting, so I didn’t want to waste an opportunity you know?"
"Dude, sweet! You know you don't have to do this you know."
"Well, I'd get pretty lonely if you didn't come with me so..."
"That's what you said when you brought me to church all those years ago."
"You know the saying, friends don't let friends go to hell."
"I actually don't know the saying because no one's ever said that before Math." Mathias let out a light chuckle.
"Heh, c’mon, let's get going."
***
Saturday, August 06, 2017 at 1:07 p.m. Green Bay Park.
“Your passes please. Thank you very much, have a good trip you two.” The park ranger bid Mathias and Percy goodbye as he opened the gate to let the due into the park. Farukon had never been to Green Bay Park, but he found a love for it in the first few seconds of his arrival. He had only heard about this beautiful park, but had never thought it would be this lovely.
“Welcome to Green Bay Park Percy! Pretty nice and relaxing if I do say so myself, what do you think?”
“Dang. Well it’s definitely a lot more serene in person, and the whole place is just full of awe.” The duo decided to head forwards, and were greeted with the center of the Green Bay Park. The architecture seemed quite old, with stone stairs and a wooden flooring, and a stone fountain lay in the center, a horse statue at that. In front of it was a map, showing the many paths and geographical features of the area. Off to the side was a small playground for the children. The two decided to take a rather broad road that circled around many beautiful-looking trees and plants. The two were just soaking in the beauty of the wildlife as the passed an elderly couple, one pushing the other’s wheelchair. Birds were chirping and soaring through the sky, and the whole place was just so peaceful to the two, but Mathias was distracted by a text message. That was until the grunt of a wild boar disrupted the serene atmosphere. Percy and Mathias snapped out of their trance and looked in the direction the sound came from. The board was getting ready to charge at the couple.
It all happened so fast, and it seemed like Percy couldn’t help them. However, a man cut in front of the two and held his arms in a protective stance, causing a white bubble to appear around the trio. The boar rammed into the bubble, which showed no sign of damage, and ran off into the forest. The mysterious man was wearing a white suit and black tie. He was about six feet tall and had slick black hair, as well as a slight stubble beard. He dropped the shield around him and the elderly couple as he spoke.
“What a close call! Please, remain here while I go get a park ranger and inform him on this matter. You two over there! Do you mind waiting to keep a watch on things while I am gone?”
Oh, well of course!” Percius replied. At this point, Percy was really just thinking about the past events. That man looked so familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite lay a finger on who he was. In the midst of his thinking however, he was interrupted by none other than Mathias Goodmin.
"Hey! Percy! So uhh, I’m sorry to stop your train of thought here, but the Mrs. just texted me, and she wants to see me for some reason. I don’t know why hehe, but it was some pretty bad timing wouldn’t you say?”
“Yeah… I’d say so… You sure you’re doing okay?” Farukon asked his friend, noticing the sweat that was forming on his face.
“Oh yeah, of course! I mean why wouldn’t I be? Well, other than the fact a wild boar just attacked the elderly couple over there heh…” Mathias nervously replied.
“We ain’t that old ya whippersnapper! Seventy is the new twenty! And I know a lot about what’s new ya young-un!” The old woman hissed.
“Right… Well I’d best be on my way… Sorry that I had to end our trip Percy, but it’s pretty urgent. I guess I’ll see ya later… I hope…” At that, Mathias quickly strode off, leaving Farukon with many questions regarding his antsy friend.
***
Saturday, August 06, 2017 at 1:35 p.m. Redwood Street, Vague Central.
He was almost at his home now, but he was walking at a slow pace. He had a lot of thinking going on. Percy was puzzled by this whole event, and his mind was racing, thinking of any possible explanation for why his friend was acting this way, but was briefly interrupted.
Doink!
Farukon got hit with something in the head with something that fell off of his head and went into his breast pocket. He reached into it and found a quarter made in the year 1991.
“Oh, I’m so sorry about that!” Percy looked up to see a man in a white suit and black tie with slick black hair.
“Oh, no it’s okay, it’s okay. Oh, here’s your coin back.”
“Thank you very much. Hey, wait, you’re that guy from the park aren’t you?” Percy snapped out of his trance to finally realize exactly who it was that was speaking to him.
“Oh hey! Well what do you know! I didn’t expect to see you here!”
“Heh, life’s full of surprises I suppose. Well I guess I’d best be on my way. I’ll be late if I don’t hurry.”
“Oh, okay then, later.” At that, the two, went their separate ways. It was such a strange encounter, and it was so fast, too fast. However, Percy dismissed the thought, seeing it as a mere coincidence. Sluggishly, he arrived at the Blue Rose Apartment and headed up the stairs to his room. When he got in, he went to his bed and sat down to think. He was just so confused, and he needed answers. However, his train of thought was interrupted when he felt a piece of paper in his left pocket that wasn’t there before. He pulled it out and opened it up.
"August 06, 2017
Dear Percius R. Farukon,
I have seen your battle with Serif Winters a while back, and I, Jericho Cross, must say, I’m quite very impressed. So impressed that I would like to challenge you to an RHG battle, it should be loads of fun! Meet me on the roof of the Blue Rose Apartment building tomorrow afternoon (the 7'th) at 2:35 p.m. I hope you can make it, which you should since you do live there. Even though I’m sure you mustn’t be in the mood to come, I’m sure you will have no other choice to when I tell you that I hold your friend Mathias’ life in my hands. See you tomorrow!
Sincerely,
~Jericho “Bulwark” Cross"
‘No, he… But how is that…' That’s who that man was. The one from earlier, the one that saved the couple from most certain doom, and the one whom he bumped into a few moments earlier. It was Bulwark the Unbreakable, a gladiator that signed up a few days before Farukon did. If Percy was a computer, he would have reached his storage limit by now. His mind was just overflowing with information. Sure, it didn’t make sense, why he would save the elderly yet kidnap an innocent father, Percy didn’t care. His emotions had gotten a hold of him. He was in shock alright, but the first thing he did was reach into his right pocket, pull out his phone and quickly dialed Mathias’ number, praying he would pick up.
Your call has been forwarded to an autom- “Dang it!” Had Percy been one to curse, there was a multitude of things that could have come out of Percy’s mouth. “This can’t be... Okay, calm down, maybe he just doesn't have time to look at his phone, that’s all." Farukon believed every word the note had to offer, despite his mind telling him otherwise. It seemed foolish, but Farukon was always like this. Some would call it his biggest weakness. Percy looked at the note, and noticed that there was a photograph taped to the back. It was Mathias’ locket that Farukon gave him in college, but Bulwark was holding it in his hand, and the locket had blood stains on it. The part that disgusted Farukon the most was that Bulwark was standing with the biggest grin Percy had ever seen, and he held his left thumb up, which was stained with blood. Furious, the feathered hero dialed the phone again.
Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system. At the tone, please leave a message, or press one for more options. Beep!
“Mathias, heya. So look, everything’s gonna be alright. I’m gonna save you, no matter what, alright? Later.”
Beep!
For the next half hour or so, the Sage of the East just lay there, on his bed, thinking. He was lost at this point, he didn’t know what was reality anymore and couldn’t differentiate the truth from the lies. Percy’s head rolled over to his right, where his alarm clock was. It was 3:46 p.m., but Farukon’s eyes drifted away from the clock to a picture that Percy had put next to it. It was a picture of him, Mathias, and Joshua Higgins on their graduation day at Stickpage University. He looked at Mathias, who had probably the biggest smile Percy’s ever seen before. He graduated of course, but he made friendships there, and those friends were going to move on into the real world with him, they’d do it together, as friends, no, as family.
Friendship, family. The words resonated within Farukon’s head. What would you do to save a friendship? What would you do for family?
Percy shed a tear. Other than Raphi, his friends were his only family at this point, with no lead on finding his parents, or the swordsmen, his friends were all he had. Was he going to just lay here and do nothing? No, no he wasn’t. Filled with determination, Percy decided to do something with his life, something that mattered. It was time for research.
Percy never liked going into a battle without knowing what he was up against. Sure, while he had a basic understanding of Bulwark's moves from the events of today and the rather faint memory of what had happened on the news a while back, Percy liked to have all of the details drilled into his brain, ready for the big day of fighting. Afterall, Percy was never the one to back down, and he certainly wasn't going to arrive with a small memory of his enemy's move set. The bubble shields and