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Chapter 29- The Brawl

 
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Kalanna Rai
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:37 pm    Post subject: Chapter 29- The Brawl Reply with quote

Merry Christmas. Enjoy!
---------------------------

Chapter Twenty Nine: The Brawl

Ambrois wasn't ignorant of the sudden change of atmosphere, he just wasn't interested in acknowledging it. Instead he traced a lewd design, one of many such profanities and symbols, that had been etched into the grimy table top by patrons past. He was successfully being dense, not really wanting any more trouble tonight, when a shadow fell over him followed by hot, fetid breath curling acridly into his nostrils.

Without looking up, he reached for the bowl that sat in the center of the table and offered the looming figure a filthy, and lint covered, mint. Naturally it wasn't taken and Ambrois replaced it with a shrug, ignoring the menacing growl that issued from above him. He didn't really care who was there, obviously they weren't that interested in a fight or they'd have picked one already.

Suddenly the serving person, Ambrois couldn't really call them a wench because he wasn't sure of the gender, arrived at the table and set down a relatively clean glass. Into it was poured a liquid that looked like concentrated sunset, glowing and glimmering in the dim light of the tavern's interior, lighting up the area. Reaching out, he slammed the drink down and instantly regretted doing so. Not because of the drink itself, indeed the liquid was smooth and palatable, it's taste holding a delectable quality. No, what made him choke and splutter on the amber aqua was the sight of the looming figure he caught when he tipped his head back.

Mange. His pictures did not do him justice, did not even touch how awful he actually was in person. He had none of the soft layer of body fur that the rest of the Canin possessed, instead his ebon gray skin suffered from a condition that had it flaking and peeling...looking like actual mange might in the common dog. The only hair he possessed was on his head and in patches upon his short stub of a tail. Obviously it had been mostly amputated in the past, the tiny nub left behind hardly a tail at all.

His face was pitted and scarred from years of conflict and life in the stars, constantly battered by sea winds and ion fields. His iron gray hair was filthy, greasy, nastily matted in almost dread lock like twists. Ornaments and souvenirs rattled in his leonine mane, his long and massive beard. One ear was mostly missing, bitten off at some time in the past. The other was ragged and tattered by saber cuts and pierced by a single thick golden hoop. A kerchief, original color lost to the caked on filth, covered the top of his dome, hiding him from the eyebrows up.

He wore a battered and much abused leather vest that might once have been black but was now a faded gray, scarred from use, around his massive upper torso. Arms that looked like they could snap a man in half were encircled around the bicep by hoops of beaten gold, ending in hands roughened and beaten by a life of hard work, the stubby claws signature of all Canin had been filed to sharp points.

His flatly muscled abdomen was wrapped by a thick, florid scarf that served as a makeshift belt. Into it had been tucked two pistols and a large, well used cutlass, all of which were loose for easy use. The pants they held up were made of some dark satiny material, 'parachute' pants of an ancient design, vanishing where the table top cut him off. He simply stood there, glaring down at Ambrois with hostile mud brown eyes. "Well well well...aren't you just an interesting one. Tell me...do you know who your daddy is?"

Ambrois glanced around nonchalantly, working out a plan in his head before setting it into action. Just above him was the second floor gallery, the walkway that showed off the garishly painted doors of the upstairs 'ladies'. The carved spools of the railing were not too far above his head and sparked the germ of an idea. With a lot of luck, he could pull off a decent escape. He stood, flipping the table over with some force, knocking the Canin pirate backwards as Ambrois jumped upwards, hands encircling the lower portion of the spools and he swung outwards before letting go.

Mange regained his wits just in time to take a flying drop kick to the face, landing on the ground with Ambrois's boots' thudding to the ground just next to his head. Reaching out, the big Canin got his hands around one of Ambrois ankles, yanking the Arcex youth off balance and sending him toppling. He landed flat on his back, wings screaming in pain as his nerves were pinched by the force of it, sprawling nearly the length of the room as they knocked people across heads and faces.

It wasn't long before a full scale brawl was in session, Ambrois with his borrowed blade against Mange and his fury at the heart of it all. But with so many already angry at the Arcex youth, there was no chance of escape. Instead they ringed them, occasionally throwing bottles while they waited for Mange to dispatch the punk...teach him a lesson.

Ambrois was holding his own, starting to feel confident, when a bottle came whistling out of nowhere. Faced with the choice of a bottle to the head or ducking and getting a face full of sharp steel, he did the only thing he could. As the glass shattered against his head, the world swam and he soon found himself kissing the offal coated floor. A massive hand fisted itself in his shirt, lifting him, the musical sound of his blade being kicked out of reach dancing in his ears.

"Lad...you just landed yourself in a world of pain."
-------------------------

Jade was woken from a sound sleep as she was tossed out of her bunk. The frantic voice of a woman echoed in her head and it took her a few moments to sort it all out. Celestine, Ambrois mother, was telling Jade that Ambrois was in trouble. The whole ship was shaking in agitation, as if in a storm, and Jade could barely keep her feet as she tried to reach the spirit. Idly she wondered why Angelo wasn't doing something...it was his son too after all.

Then, with a bang, the door to her cabin opened to reveal the pirate lord holding a thin canvas wrapped bundle in one hand. The other he pressed against the bulkhead, leaning his forehead against it for good measure. "Hush love...I won't let Ambrois die. But it's not my battle...it's Jade's."

The ship calmed under his touch, slowly settling as the voice of Celestine faded from Jade's mind. She eyed Angelo warily as he moved toward her, locking eyes with him when he stopped. "I meant what I said Jade...the time has come for your father to be avenged. And it's the perfect way to show Ambrois that he is the one you love." With a flourish he stripped the canvas away to reveal a sword in his hand which he extended to her.

It was the sword of Red Savage, the sword Jasper had so briefly wielded in that ill-fated duel against Angelo. Taking it, she felt it sing through her body, the perfection of it's balance, the exquisite way the grip felt in the palm of her hand. She smiled at Angelo as she brushed past him, striding into the corridor beyond. It was high time she show people what she was made of...but she wasn't stupid. "Donovan...DONOVAN!" Her shout was accompanied by a sharp whistle that brought the Canin to her side. With a gesture, she led him out. "Let's go save Ambrois's ass."
---------------------------

He'd been beaten with fists and bottles and chairs and even a table. His shirt was in shreds, the torso below decorated with ribbon lacerations and streams of scarlet. His pants were speckled with blood, boots scuffed, and he was dizzy and disoriented. He still kept swinging, kicking, trying to fight...but the only thing he'd managed to do successfully was spit in Mange's face. Now the Canin shoved him to the floor, seizing one of Ambrois wings in both massive hands. With a savage smile, he broke the main bone of the wing across his knee.

The dull snap of the bone was drown out by Ambrois scream, a scream with enough force to knock the dust out of the boards of the ceiling. The wings of an Arcex were their weak point, so sensitive they could detect the slightest rise or fall in surrounding air pressure, the merest change of wind direction. Needless to say that when one was broken it was the greatest agony they could experience. Ambrois nearly passed out from the pain, the wing dragging awkwardly as he curled in a ball on the floor.

Mange had just primed himself to boot the downed youth in the ribs when the cold kiss of a sword point against his back stopped him. Slowly he turned, eyes widening at the look of the lass that held her weapon against him. Flaming red hair, jade green eyes dark with fury, her weapon never wavered even as her Canin companion stepped from around her to stand over their fallen comrade. His eyes flicked to the Canin, locking eyes briefly as they both recognized each other, confirming what scent had told them. Then he returned his stare to the amazon. "So...you must be Bloody Red's daughter."

"Now what makes you say that? I certainly didn't get my good looks from him."

He chuckled, no she didn't. In truth it was the blade more than anything. He'd recognize that sword anywhere...especially since the last time he'd seen it his blood had covered it to the hilt. And it had been in the hands of a very, very dangerous man. "So...I take it he gave it to you?"

"Naturally. He told me that I'd eventually get my shot at you...tonight is that night. So are you going to die fighting or can I just run you through?"

Before she'd even finished speaking his cutlass was in action and she neatly parried the blow. Just like that the battle was joined and they moved their way through the already destroyed tavern. Any one of Mange's blows would have felled the slim lass...but she had a maddening speed and the ability to duck and dodge around even the most difficult obstacles. It was a good battle.
------------------------------

They'd been at it for some time, long enough that the owner of the Dry Heave had started selling tickets and popcorn, pondering if he shouldn't do this every night. Jade was bleeding from a heavy gash on her arm, Mange from numerous little wounds. But they were evenly matched, the strong brute against the agile wench, and people were starting to take bets. Then it happened...someone spilled a beer.

Jade didn't see the amber liquid until it was too late, her foot sliding across the floor as she went down. There was a silvery gleam as Mange's cutlass sped down toward her and then...nothing. Only the sweet sound of steel on steel as Donovan reached out and caught the cutlass edge with the sharp blades of his war claws, the metal plated gauntlets easily turning the blow.

A strange thing had been happening to the young Canin as he watched the battle. Standing over his downed friend, he'd heard his muttered words over and over again. The need to get up, to protect Jade, because Jade couldn't die...Ambrois wouldn't let her trade her life for his. The smell of blood, the sounds of combat, the noise of the crowd...it had all awoken the anger that had been buried in the bloodlines of the young Canin. The rage and blood lust that had never before in his life slipped it's chain. In and instant, the well meaning, mild mannered Donovan that had always been was gone.

Ears pinned back, he matched up against the older Canin lord, staring him down easily. They were alike in so many ways, both throwbacks to the old line, tall and muscular although Mange was all awkward bulk and Donovan was streamlined muscle and sinew. One was dark, ugly, scarred by life. The other was still handsome, his soft tan fur tipped with silver brown in places, grizzled almost.

Mange spat in his direction, single tattered ear flicking back. "What a disappointment you are. A disgrace."

"It's good to see you too Father. I'll be taking my friends and leaving now."
-----------------------------

Well what now? Mange isn't simply going to let Donovan, Ambrois, and Jade walk away is he? Angelo isn't really going to let Ambrois be killed is he? And what of the crowd, will they get involved? Only you know.
-----------------------------

Sorry it took so long, I hope you liked!
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Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:46 am; edited 3 times in total
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
"It's good to see you too Father. I'll be taking my friends and leaving now."


Twists like that are not good for my heart! I think I almost died there. Shocked

Heart attack aside, I think this was a good chapter.

For the DP, I say Donovan and his rather hated parent have a bit of a duel, before Angelo arrives. He does not, however, proceed to aid his crew member, as he is himself attacked by most of spectators, thus providing Jade, Ambrois and Donovan a distraction to leave.

Laughing
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well rai, it was a chapter worth waiting for. i don't suppose that a Vader/Skywalker type end to the fight would be appropriate at this point, so how about...a draw? Mange does the surprising thing and let's them all leave, with a promise to meet again, and lives will be cast aside at such point in time. Maybe outta a tinge of regret that he wasn't there to raise his son, and the hope that this good gesture will turn his son towards his ambitions rather than angelo's.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps Saul has followed them from the boat? He's the only surviving member of the original group of orphans not to be there, and I wouldn't be surprised if he came in from behind and decided to help Donovan by attacking Mange.

Also, you wrote 'cleen' rather than 'clean' at the start.
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 3:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My thoughts were that Saul is outside as a part of an ambush.

Donovan is leaving with his friends to lure his father outside.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay guys. Poll is up. Have some fun voting!
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Donovan and Mange fight would be my vote, were the poll still open.

Oh and.. Hey dragon? I'm baaaaaaack!
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me just say I would of voted for Donovan and Mange to fight and without Angelo. It's more raw. It's a dawg thing! Razz
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