David "The Daring Little David" Puskás (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
megazero_to_superhero) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
towerofanimus2014-03-10 12:05 am
megazero_to_superhero) wrote in towerofanimus2014-03-10 12:05 am
Entry tags:
Locked in the Tower ✪ Part Four: Don't Turn Your Back on the City
| Characters: | David "Little David" Puskás, and all youse guys! |
| Setting: | All day March 9—Residential Floors, Floors 1, 14, 39, and 100 |
| Format: | Matching tagger's choice, but starting with Prose. |
| Summary: | In the morning, martial arts training at the gym. Later in the day, David seeks out Waver and Diarmuid and chills at the Media Room. Toward the evening, David "visits" home on Floor 100. Also, random encounters in the Cafeteria. |
| Warnings: | None come to mind! |
Option A: Floor Thirty-One (Gymnasium, Morning)
Earlier last month, David had met Reno, and taken up his offer on getting some martial arts training, given that without ammunition for his rifle, he's quite effectively declawed. Reno says he likes getting that training done in the morning, so David's up bright and early today for his first lessons. It also looks like his powered armor is finally behaving itself, as he's casually floating into the gym using the suit's flight system.
Although David's waiting for Reno, he's not above chatting it up with anyone else that might be in the gym if Reno's not there yet. Until then, he'll be idly examining the gym equipment, seeing what there is available, and—
—oops, that tiny weight sure did slam on the ground hard.
"Da heck is dis thing, made of lead?" David mutters as he cuts power to the flight system and tries to pick it up. Even with the motor-assist functions in his suit, he's having to put some effort into putting it back on the weight rack.
Option B: Dormitory Floors (Especially Floor Two, Afternoon)
Later, David makes another attempt to find several people he's looking for—namely, Waver Velvet and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. By now, just about everyone he's asked has named Diarmuid the go-to guy for learning how to fight with a sword. David's still got that Orcish sword on him, and as the only real weapon in his whole arsenal here at the Tower, he's got to learn how to use it. As for Lord El-Melloi II, David aims to talk to him about the results of the library Easter egg hunt.
... but, really, David should have done this before Zo's surprise rearrangement of residential assignments. Not that he had any reason to suspect it was going to happen, but it's made this a bit more difficult than it should have been.
David wanders the residential floors, checking the various room signs for the people he's looking for. He'll find them eventually—even if it takes him a little while to do it. Plenty of time for anyone else to run into him, on chance. When he finds Diarmuid and Waver's housing assignments, though, he'll be knocking on their doors.
Option C: Floor One (Cafeteria, Morning/Noon/Evening)
David doesn't really understand the significance between the choice of food available for each month, but he is so glad to be done with February.
He hadn't learned of the resident-run kitchen until partway through the month, thanks to Reno. Up until then, he was flat out avoiding the Cafeteria during dinner hours. As if the side effects of power donation weren't enough.
Now, though, he's enjoying the menu. Even if it's more suited for a kids' menu, he's not complaining. Not after last month. So, anyone visiting the Cafeteria throughout the day might see David helping himself to a stack of peanut butter pancakes and chocolate milk, sandwiches and mint soda, or spaceship chicken nuggets and vanilla milkshakes—depending on the time of day, of course.
Option D: Floor Fourteen (Media Room, Afternoon)
"Tossin', turnin', nightmares burnin' / Dreams of swords in hand ..."
No, that's not David's voice you're hearing over the media room's speakers, but rather Steven Tyler's. David's currently relaxing—in mid-air, no less, and in that laid-back hammock pose that Rolo Lamperouge caught him in a few months ago—while Aerosmith's "Kings and Queens" blares through the speakers. He's taking the time to savor having his powered armor return to full (and proper) functionality again after donating power at the end of January by abusing its flight system to chill out in his own way.
The song's a lot darker than the type of Aerosmith songs David usually listens to—and the band is more well known for their bright, funky and peppy songs, but ... with recent events, and with some of the kind of people he's run into of late, it seemed fitting. And anyway, he'd missed hearing his favorite bands, since he'd never really visited the Media Room before until Ruana's game last month. It makes him wish he had some sort of MP3 player or walkman on hand. Or, that he had that functionality built into his helmet. Why didn't he ever think of that before?
"Living times of knights and mares / Raising swords for maidens fair / Sneer at death, fear only loss of pride ..."
It'd be easy for David to doze off again, but he's a little wary of doing that now. Instead, he floats in his hammock pose with a contented grin, nodding softly to the beat of the music in a sort of half-hearted headbang.
Option E: Floor One Hundred (VR Memory Floor, Evening)
Floor One Hundred was one of many that David had never paid attention to before. Up until recently, he believed it was always the empty room that he had seen of it—however, after meeting Reno and being shown Ragnarok's files kept in Aria's hideout, now he knows what the floor really is ... and he's really curious to see it for himself. So, late in the day, he makes time to do just that.
Stepping down onto the floor, the surroundings change into ... a stairwell? No, wait—after a moment, David realizes it's a building's roof access staircase, with the door leading outside open. He hesitates for a moment, before walking outside—and finding that the floor has turned into a roof.
A roof of a building in Atlas Park. At night, in Paragon City, Rhode Island. America. Primal Earth. His home.
It's all an illusion, of course. David knew that coming here—and yet, he's moved. Silently. It's a powerful recreation—there's no people visible down on the sidewalks, no Hellions or Vahzilok or other villainous scumbags trying to prey on the citizenry—but, as he approaches the edge of the roof, he can see that there is simulated traffic down there, and in the sky as well. The sights and sounds of a big American city emanate from all around.
There, in the center of Atlas Park, is Atlas Plaza: City Hall, with the American flag made from Statesman's cape fluttering in the breeze. The massive statue bearing the weight of the world on its shoulders—dedicated to the superhero who gave his namesake to this part of town. The other neighborhoods bordering the seat of Paragon City's municipal government—behind him, the rest of Downside; on the north side of Atlas, The Promenade; Paragon Transit Authority's Yellow Line metrorail snaking its way through the buldings; Hyperion Way, and the entrance to what used to be Eastgate ...
... and all around, the shimmering War Walls dividing Atlas Park from the rest of Paragon, taller than almost any skyscraper. The rest of the city just barely visible beyond its energy fields, city lights winking in and out like starlight. Even knowing full well what he's seeing is simulated, David can't help but feel the urge to light up a stogie and survey the landscape for signs of trouble. Well—he doesn't have a lighter, but he does still have a fresh cigar in that travel case.
With a quiet sigh, David fishes that cigar out of the case and places it in his mouth, contenting himself to at least feel he was back on Primal Earth ... if only for a short time.
o7
[This is the teacher in Diarmuid talking. He might not know a lot about technology or science and applying it to a human to give them powers, he does see a parallel with teaching students moves or techniques they aren't comfortable using or that don't feel 'right.' It's part of the reason he tends to spend so much time questioning a person on their previous experiences before he starts training them. It makes no sense to try to teach someone a style they will only end up fighting against using fully in the end.]
How many different kinds of classifications do the heroes of your world have? You have mentioned both classes and types so far...
no subject
[David counts them off on his fingers as he names each one.]
Dere's Magic, well—heh, you already know lots about dat. Den dere's Natural, which is for two types of supers—people who're from a species—like aliens or somethin'—where havin' superpowers is natural for dem, or dey're run-of-da-mill humans who've just trained really hard to be good at what dey do.
[Alas, if only Diarmuid could ask Arturia about her bouts with Souichirou Kuzuki!]
Technology—dat covers anything where technology's da reason you have powers. Stuff like my suit, dat spear dat turned Valkyrie into what she is now, or maybe replacin' body parts with fancy cybernetic stuff—things like dat. Science covers anybody who got deir powers from scientific experiments, either on purpose or by accident. So Synapse an' his Praetorian self—dat's Neuron—dey're good examples of dat.
An' den dere's Mutant. Dat's for anybody who was born with powers dat ain't normal for dier species—mutations, basically. Usually deals with genetics, which I don't know a whole lot about.
Dere's one other Origin, but it ain't common, an' dat's Incarnate. Kind of a special case ... an' a complex one, as I'd been learnin' before da Tower nabbed me.
[A beat passes, as David considers what Diarmuid asked.]
Wait, did ya mean da archetypes instead?
no subject
You already explained the archetypes to me so I was mostly curious about the origins and if there were any other classification systems you use. To be honest, it sounds like things are very complex compared to the simple system we have...
[Though, now that he thinks of it, there is a bit of a second classification for servants too--counter guardians--based on how they ended up in the war, but that is still not the long list that David just rattled off to him.]
It seems kind of unnecessary to have so many different classifications, but I guess I can see how it would be helpful to know that kind of information if you were running into someone for the first time and especially if you were fighting against that someone for some reason.
[Just like each servant class tends to have a general weakness, Diarmuid is guessing those with similar origin classifications also have some similar weaknesses.]
no subject
Eh, part of it's a government thing, but also, well—I'm guessin' most Servants would be Magic-origin, yanno? 'Cause youse guys got brought back through magic, an' I'm guessin' dose Masters gotta be mages demselves. Dat, an' what you said about how da system changes you, gives you a class an' boosts you up.
[He shrugs as he continues.]
But yeah, in da U.S., dere's a whole government organization dat looks after us—da Federal Bureau for Super-powered Affairs. An' it's got divisions for each Origin, 'cept Incarnates. Kinda helps get all da right experts in one place.
no subject
[Diarmuid pauses a moment as something strikes him and then laughs.]
...or maybe it would be considered magical. He is a demigod after all and I don't think he would really fit into any of the other origins you mentioned except maybe the Natural one. After all, who is to say what is normal for a demigod?
no subject
Got a point dere. It ain't all cut an' dry, dere can be a lotta gray areas when it comes to someone's origin story. I dunno though, I never asked around if somebody's Origin can change dependin' on what happens to 'em ...
[Then it hits him, what Diarmuid said about his brother.]
Wait, so your father was one of dose Dannan guys an' you've also got a demigod for a brother?
no subject
He's my adopted brother here, but back home he is actually my hero. On his world, he was also summoned as a Servant. For whatever reason, Fate found it amusing to have me put into his room when I arrived here. Of course, unlike many other times when Fate has messed with us, this time I am very grateful it did what it did.
Does the name Cu Chulainn sound familiar to you? He was a hero of my homeland that lived and died before my time. While his father Lugh is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Cu Chulainn was never counted in their number.
no subject
Doesn't ring a bell to me. But—if he's got a Danann guy for a father an' you've got a Danann guy for a father, don't dat mean you're both demigod types?
[He tilts his head to the side out of gesture of inquisitiveness.]
All's I really know about stuff from Ireland is everything I'd ran into in Salamanca up da way dere ...
[He pauses. Bringing up Salamanca again, David remembers a few of the things Diarmuid mentioned about the magical side of Ireland. Not to mention nearly getting a hands-on demonstration of how strong Servants are with that faux pas, yikes.]
Though, you know, dat reminds me—back on da dorm floors, you mentioned da Red Caps bein' part of da Unseelie Court. What's da whole deal with dat?
no subject
[He smiles sheepishly.]
Someday, I will stop confusing people with that. Someday...
Anyway, yes, the Red Caps are part of the Unseelie Court. They are evil Fae who kill mortals in terrible ways and then coat their hats in the blood of their victims. That is where their name comes from. I don't know how it works on your world--so much is different there--but on mine the Unseelie Court consists of the very darkest and most evil of the spirits and Fae that roamed the land. The Seelie Court is the opposite of them holding those spirits who are good and noble.
no subject
[Strange, though ... when David thinks "demigod" he thinks someone who is easily on Statesman's level of strength, an Incarnate or something more. The Tuatha Dé Danann in Salamanca weren't that strong. Maybe the fact they all looked like werewolves had something to do with it.]
[As Diarmuid relates what he knows of the Red Caps, David visibly recoils in surprise and disgust. He doesn't say anything until Diarmuid's done, though.]
Dat's why dey look like garden gnomes? With da red hats an' all?
[A beat passes while David takes a minute to recompose himself. Then again ... what else was he going to expect, when the Red Caps' big champion was that nasty punk, Jack in Irons? David shakes his head as he continues.]
Dat Unseelie Court, though—da way you describe 'em sounds pretty spot-on. I've had to tangle with 'em durin' Halloween a few times, but mostly da ones I saw were kinda like da phantoms people talk about seein' here. I didn't know da Red Caps were part of dat gang—jeez, dey're even nastier dan I thought. An' I've seen dem Red Caps pull some real mean stunts.
I think I'm going to wrap this up! I look forward to more threads with David!
[The objects that David speak of are unfamiliar to Diarmuid, so the only other response he gives is a shrug of his shoulders.]
The Red Caps are amongst the worse of the worst on my world, and it sounds like they are nothing to sneeze at on yours either. So much is different between your world and my own. It's strange. I'm honestly not sure how to explain it.
However, fighting is something I can explain. No matter the differences between people's worlds, basics often stay the same.
[He smiles and motions to the sword David is holding.]
Why don't we get back to that for a while and we can discuss more when we break?
Alrighty! Should we just "fade to black" once training gets underway, then?
[Once Diarmuid points out how far off topic they've gotten, David glances back over at the sword he's holding and makes a sort of sheepish, chuckling laugh.]
Man, you gotta watch out for me, dere, I'll talk your ear off if I get da chance!
[He gets back into a more ready stance, prepared to resume training.]
Arright, arright. So—where were we? Respectin' da sword, use da right amount of force—what's next?
Yep! That was what I was thinking. Thanks! :-D
[Diarmuid summons his red spear one more time and then pulls the yellow one free from his back again.]
I want to get right into attacking next. Usually, I would start with a few blocks first, but you do have fighting experience already and you have your armor.
[He falls into a battle ready stance.]
I will use my swords later, but for now I will use my spears because they are stronger and I am not sure how hard you will be attacking. Don't think about it too hard. Just come at me as you would if you had just found that sword on the battlefield and had no other weapon to use. When I see how you naturally fall into attacking, we will go from there.
Now...when you are ready, attack.
Sorry for the long delay! On my last chemo infusion. This'll work as the FtB, I hope!
[So, Diarmuid wants him to treat this as if the real deal. Well—the Lancer probably won't be in any danger, with the way he's seen him handle those melee weapons. Blasters going up against Scrappers mano-e-mano usually doesn't end well, unless they're one of those crazy "Blapper" types.]
[Remembering what Diarmuid taught him about proper sword handling, David gets a more proper grip on his sword—]
[—and then goes airborne again, launching forward at Diarmuid. He's not nearly as fast as Saber is when she uses Strike Air—going more at the velocity of a speeding car rather than a speeding bullet—but the way he's rearing that sword back for a well-telegraphed swing at Diarmuid might be reminiscent of that moment.]
[Of course, the results of this charge are likely to be far more comedic and embarrassing for David.]
(OOC)