http://givemeoblivion.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
givemeoblivion.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
damned_institute2008-09-23 03:20 pm
givemeoblivion.livejournal.com) wrote in damned_institute2008-09-23 03:20 pm
Entry tags:
Nightshift 35: The Coliseum
[from here]
When she came to, Callisto found herself sitting in what appeared to be a small set of stands. That didn't last for long, as she was soon on her feet and staring around at her new surroundings.
Unlike the rest of the basement had been, this area was fully lit - almost as though it was daylight and they'd been transported outside. It hadn't become morning already, had it? Even if it had, they definitely weren't back where they usually were when the night ended. Was this what lay beyond the black doors? But the words carved in it had said that only those who had...
She glanced to the side, quickly. One, two, and she made three. Only three of the five of them were there. The two that had pricked their fingers weren't among them.
Callisto lunged for Goku instantly, meaning to grab him by the front of his shirt. "Why did you stop me?" she all but screamed at him.
When she came to, Callisto found herself sitting in what appeared to be a small set of stands. That didn't last for long, as she was soon on her feet and staring around at her new surroundings.
Unlike the rest of the basement had been, this area was fully lit - almost as though it was daylight and they'd been transported outside. It hadn't become morning already, had it? Even if it had, they definitely weren't back where they usually were when the night ended. Was this what lay beyond the black doors? But the words carved in it had said that only those who had...
She glanced to the side, quickly. One, two, and she made three. Only three of the five of them were there. The two that had pricked their fingers weren't among them.
Callisto lunged for Goku instantly, meaning to grab him by the front of his shirt. "Why did you stop me?" she all but screamed at him.
The Head Doctor's Seats
The voice was unmistakable to the patients, loud and slow and deliberate. It was the same voice as the one that spoke every day and night, the voice of both cheerful tidings and mocking insults, of the circumstances that all of the patients were trapped in and of everything they all wanted to escape.
There was a difference this time, though. While the voice carried much further than should have been possible without electronic equipment, there was no tinny quality to it, no indication that it was being broadcasted from a different location, and it seemed to originate from the set of seats at the south-center of the arena. Just as the patients seemed to realize this and turn their eyes towards that location, a figure stepped out from the shadows at the rear of his section and walked to the edge of his balcony.
To those who hadn't been at the Institute long, the man's face might have not been as recognizeable as his voice, but it was sinister all the same. Martin Landel gave a slow, wide smile as his eyes scanned the area, and he gestured at the arena with one hand as he shouted:
"Welcome to the Coliseum!"
Re: The Head Doctor's Seats
So the twisted fucker couldn't resist showing his face. Whatever was about to happen, Landel couldn't resist having a front row seat to it. That kind of arrogance, that sadism was going to be his undoing.
Sanzo didn't wait for him to get any further. He strode towards the man's seat high above them, closing the distance with long strides, sandals whipping up sand. His right hand raised, bringing with it the Smith & Wesson.
The monk fired, gun aimed towards the Landel's head.
no subject
"Really, Mr. Sanzo..." he took a few steps to the side as he met the man's eyes, clicking his tongue admonishingly. "I'm not going to die as easily as one of your home-grown demons."
He paused, as if in thought, and smirked. "Although... you might. You see –" he extended a hand towards the two men as he leaned over the railing, "that's the way a battle always ends in this room: with a death. Oh, yes–" he said, anticipating the protests that would follow his words as he paced to the other side of this section, "you may be thinking nobly and you may think there's a way out of here, but trust me, you won't be so keen on morality once you hear the rules you'll be playing by."
He stopped, a hand on his chin.
"You only receive your prize if one of you defeats the other. And to ensure your cooperation, for each minute that one of you chooses not to fight..." His eyes wandered towards the spectators and he let out a small sigh. "I regret to say that your friends might become unhappier and unhappier."
no subject
Sanzo was already reloading the Smith & Wesson, sliding in a bullet to replace the one he'd just spent, mind running over the implications of the Head Doctor's words.
So that's what this was all about. A battle to the death, and all for his entertainment. If anything, the monk detested being a pawn in someone's plans.
Sanzo glared up at the man. "I"m not playing your fucking games, you piece of shit."
He didn't see any guards, or any archers or marksman stationed around the arena, much less any vantage points for a sniper. Which left the question of just how the bastard could make good on that threat... or whether it was even a threat at all.
Could be a bluff, Sanzo thought. Not likely though. From what he knew of Landel, the asshole didn't have to use bluffs.
no subject
Obi-Wan made his way a little closer to where Martin Landel's seat overlooked them, his hard boots kicking up a little dirt as he did so. But unlike Sanzo, his demeanor was less aggressive, though his face was creased with an uncomfortable frown.
"But why go through all of this trouble?" he spoke up. The situation was looking more and more grim, and while it might have been easy for most people to spout out insults and wave pistols around, Obi-Wan wanted some genuine answers behind all of this. "The basement, the challenges, the artifacts...just to lure us in here for a battle and a prize. Is this your idea of entertainment, Martin Landel? Or is there another reason you've graced us with your presence this evening?"
After all, this was only one of two times he'd seen their captor personally. This man, or whatever he was, didn't appear for just anything.
no subject
While the validity of the Head Doctor's statements was still unsure, what did seem fairly certain was the fact that he'd been bombarded with insults and questions like this many times before. He rolled his eyes and rested an elbow on the railing while he gestured at the railing.
"I think I'm fine right here, Miss Callisto, and Mr. Sanzo–" he glanced at the priest, "–I think you'd do well to mind your language."
Martin Landel's intercom announcements had never proved him to be anything less than a horrible hypocrite, so it wasn't surprising that his remarks in-person followed the same form. His eyes moved towards the Obi-Wan and Landel gave a wide smile at the young Jedi.
"As for you, Mr. Kenobi, I'd advise you not to underestimate me or my surroundings." The Doctor dusted his shoulders off in a very self-satisfied way as he continued to stare at the patient. "I didn't come all the way down here to get sand in my face; that's for sure. This is all a game – I won't deny that – but even the most primitive rat race is no fun to watch unless there's a chance of a rodent winning, is it?"
He paused for a moment and then gave a comically defeated expression, holding his hands up in the air.
"In any case, lady and gentlemen, I congratulate you all for getting one step closer to freedom – that I do plan to reward eventually, so you know – but..."
He glanced down at the gold watch on his wrist.
"I believe Mr. Goku and Mr. Jinn are due for your punishment right about... now."
no subject
He didn't expect to see blood. The kid was clutching his side, a look of pain and sheer surprise on the monkey's face, right before the idiot tried to pretend that he hadn't just been mysteriously hit. Dark red blossomed from underneath his fingers, staining the uniform.
What the hell? The monk hadn't heard anything, no whistle of arrows or gunshot, and that wound looked just like a gunshot. He'd seen enough of them, been the cause of them to know what they looked like by now.
Sanzo turned, eyes narrowed. So the fucker wasn't lying about this. They were on a timer, until they fulfilled his mind game. And there wasn't jackshit he could do about it.
Fury was welling up in him, with such intensity that it was almost alien, all of it directed at the man above them.
"You sick son of a bitch..." Sanzo said through clenched teeth.
no subject
It was then Landel announced the first punishment. Obi-Wan didn't need to see the spectators, or feel Sanzo's fury washing over him, to know something was wrong. Still, he suddenly looked towards where Qui-Gon, Goku and Callisto were, saw the condition that the boy was in, and his thoughts turned to his former Master, who appeared to still be standing. Qui-Gon would not let him see any signs of injury for his sake, he was sure, which only made the fact he was holding onto the railing even more worrisome.
At least two lives were at stake here.
He briefly closed his eyes, and accepted his anxiety for what it was. He could not leap into action until he'd fully assessed the situation. Glancing towards Landel, he brought the commlink to his mouth.
((Talking to Qui-Gon over here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/464766.html?thread=37599358#t37599358).))
no subject
He tilted his head, making eye contact with Sanzo and smiling. "I promise you I'll fulfill that end of the bargain, and you'll be rewarded with even more than your life and the safety of your friend should you succeed."
He paused in his words and glanced down at his watch. He sighed.
"Fifteen seconds until you hurt your friends even more. Really, it's painful to watch."
no subject
The monk wasn't looking at Goku, instead just scowling at the ground. He had nothing against killing, but he also had nothing personal against Obi-Wan either or Qui-Gon. And it wasn't like he got off on the act itself, it'd nearly always been self-defense.
He especially didn't like being fucking coerced into it.
Sanzo didn't trust Landel at all, at least not that he'd fulfill his part of the deal. He wasn't stupid, and he'd seen more than enough twisted fuckers before. Sanzo just hadn't ever been in a position where he had to submit to their whims.
He had no illusions that Landel was the picture of honesty.
What he did know was that he was definitely telling the truth about his threat. The kid might be tough as hell to kill, but he bled like the rest of them, especially here. How many more wounds could he take before the blood loss was fatal?
Sanzo angrily sucked in a deep breath. He hadn't felt this cornered in a long time.
no subject
Obi-Wan knew he was running out of time and options. But he had to do what he could, and if that wasn't enough, he and Sanzo would need to reach a quick decision over what to do next.
He quickly strode closer to Martin Landel's seat, his expression neutral. "Why a death?" he suddenly inquired. "Surely we can have a fair competition without one of us killing the other. We could offer something else of value that the person who loses must give up -- something else to keep the game interesting."
He wasn't sure if their captor would agree -- he and Qui-Gon had just finished saying it was likely impossible to negotiate with him -- but he wasn't going to try to take another life so easily.
no subject
He moved away from the railing and sat down in the large chair at the center of his section.
"I tire of your indecision, so either act or don't. One is more interesting to watch than the other, but..." he glanced down at his watch again, "it's your choice, not mine. Three, two, one..."
no subject
But he was running out of options, and the thought of losing Qui-Gon a second time was enough to make his heart pound harder than he wanted it to.
The Jedi stopped short once Landel counted down, and he abruptly turned to look over at the spectators. He could sense their pain and distress through the Force, particularly Qui-Gon's, and he swallowed hard. For a moment, he felt anger wash over him -- fury over this man's crimes, and his disregard for life -- but he knew now was the most crucial time not to lose his head.
He needed to speak with Sanzo. They would have to fight, if only to buy some time.
And it was at that moment the other man struck.
((Getting sucked into the fighting over here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/464766.html?thread=37712254#t37712254).))
no subject