estoria | The first rule of fight club

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The first rule of fight club

Who: Zoro

yourotherleft & OPEN!
When: IC 5/4-5/5
Where: various places in the Pleasure District
What: In the process of becoming a bounty hunter, Zoro is about to stumble on something even more curious in the "underground" where criminals in the colony play.
Rating/Warning: none but lmk if that changes

[One doesn't have to hang around in the alley outside Novus/Replea to hear about the criminal underground of the Cerealia colony, but it helps. A chance encounter elsewhere has already turned Zoro on to the existence of alien criminal factions and their need to put prices on the heads of their rivals, but this is his first night actively haunting the dark side looking for someone to nab. His luck is unusually good tonight, he's already spotted someone whose photo he scored from a rough customer inside the club, now to trail him and see where he goes just in case he leads the hunter to even more high-priced bounties.

He has no idea where he is at any given time anyway, so tracking his quarry all the way from the entertainment district to the pleasure district doesn't faze him, it only results in a change of scenery. But the deeper he goes, stealthily following his bounty, the more Zoro uncovers.]

Scene I. Pleasure district, bars

[He's not at all interested in company, clothed or unclothed, living or robot, but the sake is pretty damn good down here. The alien with reward money on his head apparently likes the host clubs, though, so Zoro can be found parked on a bar stool in one, waving off the hosts and hostesses while running up a hell of a tab. The more he drinks, the more personable he is if anyone wants to strike up a conversation.

What they don't know is, he has no intention of paying that tab. But can he get out without causing a riot and tipping off his target? You, hey, you there - come here, let him talk to you so he can watch the bounty over your shoulder.[]

Do you work here? Hang on, that's not what I meant! I just wanna know where the back door is.

[what do you mean that is the worst question you can ask in a place like this?!]

Scene II. Pleasure district, brothel

[Well, shit, his target went upstairs, so how is a bounty hunter supposed to pass the time when he himself is entirely uninterested in what this place has to offer? But wait, there's a hell of a lot of noise coming from the next level down...

There isn't a stairwell leading down inside the building, but around back, there's definitely a side door and a set of steps, with two rather hulking thugs standing guard on either side of the door. Zoro isn't at all put off by their presence, but walking straight up to them doesn't seem to make them move to let him through. He can hear what plainly sounds like fighting and cheering, and can sense a lot of strong people down there. But he'll need a hand to get down there to see it for himself. What do you think, can you A, talk their way in, or is it better to B, fight your way in?

Spoilers, there's a fight club downstairs, and if you can get in, you might find yourself joining that club. Zoro's joining it, no matter what.]

Scene III. Pleasure district, spa

[The bounty money is good and all, and most of it is going to go toward food and booze, but as long as he's in the area, Zoro is up for checking out the bathhouse in the spa. Not for shenanigans, for a bath! It's a good place to meet people, they say, so who knows? Maybe he'll make a new friend, or find a potential sparring partner. Or, on the other hand, he might come to realize why bathing with others is not as much fun as it sounds on paper.]

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What - shit!

[shades of Luffy all of a sudden, as Zoro finds himself launched all the way in from the sidelines. At the last second he tucks, rolls, and comes up on his feet, a little too close to the center and the Good Sir Cleaner, salvaging what could have been a truly embarrassing entrance. He boggles for a second at this moron in a maid's dress before shaking it off and pulling two swords.

The force field doesn't bother him, it just gives him another wall against which to fling his opponent if necessary. The difference in their sizes already has the audience clamoring for the house favorite - never mind that the other guy's just some newbie, he's smaller and isn't wearing anything special. T-shirt and haramaki, what kind of costume is that? And who carries three swords? That's just weird. He's clearly being bet against as the underdog, which is just fine. More money for him in the end. He ignores any of Mr. Cleaner's bellowing trash talk, right up until the countdown to start. A dangerous smirk, a low comment only Zoro's opponent can hear:]

Nice legs. Too bad I'm gonna cut them right out from under you.

[Someone behind him bangs a huge gong to signal the fight's start. Zoro doesn't move right away, letting the other guy advance before easily darting past him, deflecting a swing of the mop with one slash of Kitetsu and circling around to wind himself up for a big warning shot. A quick 72-Pound Cannon from clear across the ring, blasting into him and throwing him into the wall.]

[Aww, smolt. Points off for the boring landing, come on. Though it could work to his advantage. Since he's new, the numbers are still being run, and looking like a total newb means the payoff gets bigger. Namur's voice mingles with the rest of the crowd's, words only slightly more encouraging.]

[Mr. Cleaner hits the force field and drops into a crouch. Sure, he got thrown back, but it wasn't enough to really do anything other than flip his skirt, giving a tantalizing peep show of manly, hairy knees. He clicks the safety off his automatic shotgun as he lands, and sprays the ring with bullets generally aimed in Zoro's direction.]

[If nothing else, Namur's enjoying himself as he yells.]

AW C'MON SMOLT! WHAT'S A LI'L AUTOMATIC FIRE T' Y' HUH? DODGE THAT SHIT! HE'S THROWIN' Y' SOFT PITCHES!

[Dodge? Psh Namur what do you take him for? Zoro digs his heels in, squares his shoulders, and the two blades are a blur as they whirl left and right to deflect every single bullet. Only one or two get past or ricochet just a bit too far, but Zoro ducks them with the slickest tip of his head this way and that. The audience is extremely lucky there's a force field, or they'd all be desperately ducking, too.

He can see that Mr. Cleaner's string of bullets is winding down to its end, he's going to need to reload pretty quick. Zoro waits for his moment and then rushes in again, zipping easily away from the last round of bullet spray and then throwing a hard Nigiri point-blank at the man. He brings his gun around to block the hit, and for a moment they struggle, pushing against each other, until Zoro disengages and comes back in hard, saving the big moves for later and just slicing at him, left and right, high and low.]

[Too much too fast. Zoro's not very good at stringing the crowd along, is he? At least the end of that turned into some kind of basic melee. Mr. Cleaner doesn't seem at all upset to be forced to use his gun as a staff, and it actually looks like he's done it before once or twice. So the question is- what's the guy got up his sleeve? Namur works his way toward the front, crowding a couple of humans out of the way, squinting to see. He can't smell shit through the barrier, and with Zoro already using Observation Haki, it's not like Namur really needs to. Not that it'd make a difference anyway. A split second isn't really enough time to translate an impression of movement and intent into words of warning.

Mr. Cleaner parries expertly, eventually reaching back to grab the titanium mop holstered on his back. Looks like he's going on the offensive. Was it mentioned that there were switchblades in the soles of his maidenly combat boots?]

[Each swing of the swords rings off the titanium, it's clearly much tougher stuff and won't be easily cut like iron, and at a shower of sparks Zoro cuts back out of the way. He can't keep whaling on the mop handle like that, he could damage a blade. As he pulls back, Mr. Cleaner kicks out at him, and that's when he sees the blades.

Well it's a good thing there are no rules restrictions on weapons, huh?

Zoro's already had enough of playing around, so he takes a moment to pull Wadou Ichimonji and jam it in his teeth before settling into a new stance, ready to flip the momentum back around again. The crowd clearly thinks it's a hoot, watching this guy wield a sword in his mouth, and even his opponent laughs a bit, but Zoro wipes that grin off his masked face pretty quickly. He races for Mr. Cleaner and gets in close before striking again, faster, almost too fast to deflect. Almost. His opponent is startled, and then grows grim as he has to actually put effort into fending off those swords. He lashes out with another kick, and this time Zoro catches it with the sword in his teeth before it can connect.

That's right, fight-night crowd, he's holding off a kick with a sword in his mouth. Look on and wonder.]

[The crowd is appropriately impressed. They're all badasses and superheroes in their own worlds too though, so there may not be as much incredulous disbelief among the ranks as that move would normally garner, though there is a collective "ooooh" of appreciation. They can sense one of their own, after all.]

C'MON PLECOBAIT MOVE NOW! FINISH 'IM OFF FAST!!!

[Whether Namur's voice penetrates the ring or not is up for debate. He isn't exactly Willing it to get in there. But the key here is to move faster than the bookies can update the odds, thus lowering the payout.]

GOT 'IM OFF BALANCE, USE IT! GO GO GO!!!

[The quickest flick of his good eye in Namur's direction is all the indication he gives that he's heard. He has no idea how the betting works or anything else, he simply knows when he's got the upper hand and when to end it. Mr. Cleaner has put up a rather brave front, but all those weapons are just compensation for what he doesn't have.

Zoro throws off the kick with a toss of his head and then rolls with the momentum into a full spin, twisting himself and curling his arms to bring the swords around across his chest. It's a full-on Rengoku Oni Giri, delivered point-blank to his opponent as Zoro moves through him and slashes outward from the center. By the time he reaches the far side of the ring, Mr. Cleaner is crashing backward like a felled tree. Game over.

Zoro takes the sword from his teeth and sheathes it, first, and then looks around to see what the damage is. Does that count? Is he being expected to finish the guy off? That'd be a shame, he has such potential - if only he'd stop relying on tricks and gadgets and just fight.]

[It's good enough. This isn't Dressrosa, after all. But there's not as much wild cheering as there ought to be. It's more... polite. A lot of people were betting against Zoro after all.

Namur goes crazy for a little bit. The payout from this fight's going to be the best ever. He disappears while the refs do their thing. Holding up Zoro's arm, getting Mr. Cleaner drug off the floor, wiping up any spots of blood too wet to dry on their own. But he's back by the time they're ready to let Zoro out of the ring, ready to smack him on the back and usher him out to the waiting room again.]

Nice job, Plecobait! Coulda drawn 'im out a li'l longer an' got the bookies all a li'l more convinced it'd be a longshot for y' t' win, but not bad. They got yer number now though, an' ain't no one gonna go easy on y' from here on. Sheheheh! Break a sweat? Need a drink?

[He's still coming down from the rush, a little, but Zoro's grinning just as widely.]

Hell yeah I could go for a drink. Wait, how much money did we win?

[THIS IS IMPORTANT okay]

[Namur cracks his neck from side to side, sort of more pointedly in one direction- where more of the other fighters happened to be sitting around, ostensibly minding their own business- and smirks.]

Literal. Shitton. A'ight?

[He's not going to give specifics here, sheesh.]

Next fight's important too. Gonna have a hell of a lot more peeps bettin' on y' this time 'round. Smaller payouts for them, but yer cut comes from all a 'em so no more screwin' 'round, aye? All them boys golf clappin' for y' this time's puttin' creds on yer name as we speak. Hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast. Fight better drunk or'm I gettin' y' water?

It takes more than one drink to get me drunk. [Namur please. The whole bar in back probably isn't enough to get him drunk.] I fight the same no matter what. Hungry, drunk, sleep-deprived, whatever.

[oh he caught that look from one of the others. Fine, don't believe him, pretty boy, you'll be face-down in the dirt next.]

All right, I'll go through as many as I have to. Maybe one of 'em will finally give me a challenge. Bring it.

[Zoro. They have shit here that'd make Whitebeard drunk just from sniffing it. He'll find something that'll knock that haramaki clean off.

After the fight.

For now, he gets some purple ale that's being served among the crowd. It's pretty standard fight fare, all said and done.]

Next fight's wrappin' up. Try not t' almost fall on yer face when y' get in the ring this time, eh? Sheheheh!

[Namur nudges him.]

Then don't throw me this time! My legs work.

[geez, don't go all Luffy on him. He takes the drink, tosses it back, and only winces a little at the taste before shaking himself alert and getting ready to go back out. Alien booze can be gross sometimes, that one was almost too sweet. Oh well, it's still fuel for fighting, and he's ready to rumble.]

Yeah, but flyin' int' the ring, swords ready, landin' in a cool pose could be hot shit. Maybe do some flips or somethin'. Make it fun, y' know?

[Sheesh, Zoro. Rule of Cool is a thing.]

Least 'til the match actually starts. Then y' get down t' business. Sheheheheh! Let's go see who's up.

I'll fight how I'm gonna fight, I'm not an idiot like these guys in costumes.

[thumbing over his shoulder at the others in the prep room and not even caring that they all glare daggers at his back. He follows Namur out and back down to see what's up next, hoping it's not another guy in a dress. There was way too much panty showing with that guy when he got knocked over, let's not repeat that.]

[Snort!]

Oh please, y' stick a sinkin' sword in yer mouth, Plecobait! Know how stupid that shit looks? Sheheheheh!

[There's no venom in the insult. Namur's finding himself kind of fond of Zoro, actually.]

[The make their way back out to the edge of the ring. This time, Zoro's introduction is a bit more enthusiastic. Zoro won't need to worry about panty shots this time around. With pants as tight around the ass as this guy's wearing, safe bet he's running commando.]

[He doesn't protest, because santoryuu is his thing and he has no excuses for it. Sure, sure, Namur, just invest some money in this marimo to ride.

Geez, where do they find 'em? Zoro half wonders if this guy is one of the transplants, like himself, but there's no time to stop and talk or anything. The gong rings and his opponent comes in hard, looking like he's mostly going to use his fists. As Zoro rolls his shoulders and shifts to block him, though, the ring of metal against metal shows that his fancy-pants foe is using studded brass knuckles. He'd better pull something much bigger out of his extremely tight pants pockets, though, otherwise this swordsman is going to cut him to ribbons in no time flat.]

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The first rule of fight club

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