2nd Hand

[nightfowl]

Characters: Haken Browning and YOU
Setting: Various floors.
Format: action brackets i usually go for.
Summary: Time to do some exploring. And to shoot some pool.
Warnings: Usual Haken Flirting


FLOOR 88

[Haken was actually rather surprised to see a bar here, of all things. He wasn't too heavy of a drinker, so the lack of alcohol really didn't bother him too much. Though the pool table certainly caught his eye. He's certainly up for a game if you are, though he's got a deck of cards on hand (Thankfully, these don't explode) if your interests are elsewhere. What better place to have a game of poker than a smokey bar?]



FLOOR 61
This tower gets weirder and weirder every day. I'm the one who's supposed to be watching large mounds bounce around, not the other way around...Nice weather though.

[He's still obliged to explore though... until he gets to a pit and almost falls into it. Though, the weather is perfect and he feels like he could use a little nap. So he lays down, and places his hat over his face to block out the sun. Nothing like a siesta now and then. Bother him, trip over him. Some shenanigans will happen, for certain.]


FLOOR 74
[What would a JRPG character be without the obligatory random battle sequence? Looks like Haken's in the middle of a tough fight here, facing several monsters at once. The sounds of his gunfire echoes through the cavern, might not be too hard to find him.]

Can't a guy get some exploring done without being hassled by monsters every two steps? Feels like this is a thing everywhere I go...

Comments

Floor 74

[surpassthelimit]

[Where would we be without a loud...]

DEYAAAAAA!!!

[...and an Axel flying onto the scene, slashing with his mizuchi blade? At least the monster level can kindly go down by one at this moment.]

Floor 88

[alephbet]

[Aleph's often found in bars, usually to chat up those who are also found there.]

Pool? I've never learned to play, but it looks interesting.

Floor 61

[tohko_amano]

[It had taken a long time and a few breaks, but Tohko had finally managed to reach this floor while exploring. However..it was hard avoiding the various holes and ignoring the eyes that were on the mountains.

However, while trying to avoid another hole, Tohko jumped a bit too far, and tripped over Haken, landing on the ground.]

Gah! Are you alright, Haken?! I'm sorry..I didn't mean to bump into you!

[She started to sit up as she apologized.]

[nightfowl]

It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, pardner. Just gotta know where to shoot.

[nightfowl]

[Welp, the feel of someone tripping over him wakes him right up. He's not really bothered, just more concerned for her sake once he realizes what happened.]

You okay there, pardner? Wouldn't want to trip too badly here, some of these steps can be a doozy.

[tohko_amano]

Oh, don't worry! I'm alright..I just hopped a bit too far to the left and stumbled. I'll be alright. These new floors are quite dangerous though..how are you dealing with them?

[alephbet]

Are you offering lessons?

floor 88;

[ashtoash]

Figured you would be here.

[ Aschen does little to hide her amusement. ] Have you had any luck so far?

[nightfowl]

Don't see why not, pardner. Grab a cue.

[nightfowl]

Just my type of place, huh?

Luck with what, Cinderella?

[nightfowl]

How I always deal with things, Tohko. A little bit of luck, little bit of skill. All the different locales makes it feel a little bit like home, in a way.

[nightfowl]

Good to see you join the party, Axel. Was worried my luck was running out.

[He provides some cover fire for Axel.]

Let's bumrush these guys.

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko sighed and nodded as she heard that.]

Well, that does seem like a good way to go about things sometimes. How does this make you feel at home though? Did interesting places appear overnight where you lived?

[surpassthelimit]

That's the only language I speak!

[Bumrushing, that is.

So he's all over that like white on rice.]

[alephbet]

[Aleph does so!]

I'm guessing you hit the balls into the holes, for starters.

[nightfowl]

[Haken provides more cover fire from his nightfowl, and after begins shuffling a deck of exploding cards, getting ready to throw some out before he rushes in himself. But before that... he gets an idea. A ridiculous, risky gamble, and just the kind he likes. He begins looking at the stalactites on the ceiling.]

Pardner, you feeling lucky? I've got an idea... and as long as that blade of yours is as sharp as it looks, we might be able to pull something off.

[surpassthelimit]

It'll cut through what I need it to. If you got a plan, shoot.

[nightfowl]

You're right on that.

[Haken sets up the balls in the triangle.]

Hit the cue ball with your best shot. What you sink first will determine what you're goin' for, pardner.

[nightfowl]

Not quite. but there were plenty of interesting locales that were connected by way of Cross Gates.

[alephbet]

[Aleph aims the cue at the triangle and takes a shot. They go all sorts of directions, but the first one to sink is the four ball.

He has no idea if that's good or bad, but at least he sunk something.]

[tohko_amano]

Cross Gates? Things like interdimensional portals?

[nightfowl]

Alright, I'll toss an exploding card by you on the ground. Right before it explodes, jump. Should propel your jump high enough to reach some of those lower-hanging stalactites and cut them down. We'll bring the house down on these guys.

[Rocket jumping, Haken Browning style.]

[surpassthelimit]

That sounds exactly like my kind of plan and I'll one up it a bit. Let's do it.

[nightfowl]

[Exactly what he wanted to hear. He readies a few cards to toss out.]

You'd have fit right in travelling with us, pardner.

Ready to score some frequent flyer miles?

[surpassthelimit]

Ready and waiting for takeoff.

[ashtoash]

Winning.

[ Pointing to the area around them. ] That's the point of this floor, isn't it?

[nightfowl]

You're right on that. And drinking, but I don't think there's any bartender around to serve. Or any alcohol, period.

I always win though, Cinderella. Usually. I guess that's one thing that seems to deteriorate with age.

[nightfowl]

That's exactly what they are, pardner.

[tohko_amano]

Ah, alright then!

[Suddenly, an idea.]

Is there any way to build a Cross Gate?

[nightfowl]

Hold your horses, Tohko. We weren't even sure how they got there in the first place. They've always been a mysterious part of our world.

Though that doesn't mean we can't try to figure out something. Can't be the only world here that has some type of dimensional gate.

[tohko_amano]

Ah, alright then. I didn't know..but if you knew more about them, we could try building them and make our own escape route out of the Tower.

[nightfowl]

Well, looks like you're going for the solid balls, kid. Not too bad. Careful, though. Watch for the 8-ball.

looks like I'm going to go for the stripes. I got this.

[And, in a display of daredevil tactics, Haken does the exact opposite of what he just said, and takes a shot towards the 8-ball. However, he's using it to sink the 12-ball behind it into another hole...Yeah, it was a bit of an attempt to show off, but these methods are just how Haken rolls.]

So, how long you been here?

[alephbet]

About six months. What about you?

[Aleph shoots towards another solid ball, but nothing sinks.]

[nightfowl]

Alright.

[He then tosses the cards down, and takes a few distracting shots at the monsters.]

Ready for takeoff!

[surpassthelimit]

[He leaps and, when the cards do blow, he rides the wave up into the air.

The blade rolls out of the tonfa when he nears the ceiling and he unleashes his planned attack.]

Shikkutou!!!

[With one slash, a wave of ki slashes out over a wide area and cuts the overhanging rocks with ease. Which causes a lot of devastation thanks to the height Haken supplied him with.]

[ashtoash]

It was time to kick the habit. A shame we can't remove the female inhabitants of this tower as well just to fix you of all the bad quirks.

No matter.

Are you saying you're growing old?

[nightfowl]

Then where would that leave you then?

And hey, they're not all that bad. Met KOS-MOS's creator, a few princesses...

That whole debacle last week where they were messing with how long we thought it was made me realize that me without making too many risky moves gets me rusty.

I actually lost a game of poker.

[nightfowl]

That sounds like a good plan, but we'd probably need a place to link it to. Reckon they more a bridge than a portal.

[nightfowl]

A few months here, so I'm still pretty fresh to this whole place...

[and Haken also whiffs a shot. He shrugs.]

[tohko_amano]

[At that, Tohko sighed.]

That's true..even if we did get it set up, we would have no idea where it would lead.

[nightfowl]

Alright! Thanks pardner. Now that we've rocked their world, let's send them home packing.

Give it all you got, then I'll follow up with Longtomb.

[nightfowl]

Would be a risk I'd be willing to take. If it doesn't work out...[He shrugs.]

We'd be strangers in a strange land. Or we'd be "stranded" with no way back. Reckon once we find a way out, it won't be open for long.

[tohko_amano]

Exactly. That's why it might not be worth the risk. Think about it-you could end up getting stuck in a place worse than Animus.

[alephbet]

[Aleph sinks another ball on the next shot.]

Probably better not to stay too long.

okay I was going to ask you to tag me but turns out I didn't get the notif ROFL SORRY FIL

[ashtoash]

I'm only female because I was built that way. A few changes and I could be otherwise.

You met that android's creator? You know she made a mess of things a few weeks back, don't you?

dude its okay <3

[nightfowl]

[Haken shrugs at Aschen's first comment.]

Yep. She's just as much of a babe as KOS-MOS is, in a different way. Nice gal, for sure.

Yeah, I know she did. Knew something wasn't normal. Women are just like a game of poker, even android women. Gotta know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. This case, it was the latter. I'm not one to turn tail, but I ain't fighting a friend.

Willing to bet she wasn't in full control of herself. If they made us all think we've been here for way longer than we actually have, I wouldn't put it past them.