Tuesday, September 23, 2008
There were a few things that frightened Masonry to no end, that would bring him on the edge of panic. Most of them had to do with his lover, but only one had to do with a place he had been.
The Zig.
Or, by extension, any jail. Like the one he was in right now.
After they put the handcuffs on him at Independence Port, they brought him to Talos Island to be secured in the jail there. He rode quietly in the police car, believing that if he had to, he could break the handcuffs (not knowing they were made of titanium). He rode quietly on the special train that also carried the Red Maiden and some of her Council cohorts. He was quiet as they brought him into the police station.
There began his panic. They fingerprinted him, but he kept looking at the door. He got his phone call and called Frost, leaving a message on his cellphone’s voice mail. Still, he watched the door, and kept his eye on it even as they brought him downstairs to the cells.
He almost lost it as they locked the door behind him, a solid steel door facing him. He stared at that door, believing, again, he could break through it if he had to (not knowing that it, too, was made of Rikti metal specially made against villains such as Red Maiden). He sat, staring at the door, willing Frost to come and get him.
But another man came instead. “Who’s there?” Masonry asked, his voice on the edge of panic, as he heard the locks being turned. The door opened, and in stepped Hisagi, sealing the door behind him. The two men stared at each other for half a minute before Masonry said, “C’mon man, get me out of here.”
Hisagi stated coldly, “You are alone in here. No reason to complain.”
“I'm in JAIL. There's plenty of reason to complain. What’m I in jail for? I was only trying to help.”
“You could have put people in danger.” He stood with his hands behind his back, as if about to give a lecture. “There's only much I can do to keep a villain at bay by knocking them back. I'd have a hard time once they decide to run other than in my own direction.”
“You kept frustrating her, and she probably would have taken off if she wasn't so determined to kick your ass.” Masonry looked around the cell, his panic starting to grow slightly, but he damped it down hard. “Has Frost come yet?”
“I don't know.”
“You wouldn't not let him bail me out, would you?”
Keen Stronghold made no reply. The panic reared its head for half a second as Masonry pleaded, “C'mon, man...”
Stronghold turned at Masonry’s tone, and he grew even colder as he stated, “I'll just ask you once... don't get in the way. It's not your place to discuss tactics. If you want to do so, join the Police.”
“I wasn't 'in the way' - I was trying to help.” He traced one of the stones on the floor with his foot. “And they probably won't take a convicted felon.”
“Probably not.”
“You pounded her in the last minute - why couldn't you do that before?”
“Certain actions need to be saved for the most appropriate moment. But you wouldn't understand that.”
Masonry rolled his eyes and said, “You're supposed to take them down as soon as you can. Not keep playing with them like you're a cat and they're a mouse.”
“Whatever. I'm not going into it. It's useless.”
“I bet you're sore that you couldn't get her down right off the bat.”
“Excuse me, but I don't follow you.” Stronhold almost growled, “You don't know how my equipment works. How I work with them. Your view of tactics is clearly a totally different thing. We both can tell, right?”
“So they give you stuff to subdue but not to really take them down?”
“It works. That's what matters.”
“I was trying to end the fight, not keep the villain engaged. And I'll get in the way if it's necessary. I was trying to help someone who I thought needed it. You're telling me you had everything under control?”
“Yes, I had. And if you do it again, I'll arrest you again.”
“Well, I'll make a point next time to be sure it won't be you...”
“Besides, of all people... I don't need *your* help.”
“You don't *want* my help. Call a spade a spade, Hisagi.”
“Whatever, Mason. It was unnecessary.”
“Okay, okay. Now will you get me out of here?”
“In proper time. I can't keep you here for long. I just wanted to ask you something. You probably... have an idea already.”
“…no idea.” But then it hit him, just as he muttered the words, what Hisagi probably wanted out of him.
Hisagi was at the door. He snapped, “Fine, then. If you don't know what it is, chances are that I'm not supposed to ask.”
“Your brother's doing fine.”
Hisagi stopped himself at the doorway, his back to Masonry.
“He misses you all, since he won't talk about you. And you're both so stubborn...”
“Really.” Masonry thought he could detect a smirk on the man’s face.
Hisagi pressed a button and the door slid open. “Go. You’re free.”
Masonry resisted the urge to bolt. “I am?”
“It was a small incident. No reason to keep you here. Just... don't do it again.”
“I won't do it...with you around.”
“Who's the stubborn one now.”
Masonry gave him a small smile, but knew better than to offer his hand. “Take care, Hisagi. I'll tell Frost you said hi - or at least I saw you.” Hisagi looked him in the eye, but his face was devoid of emotion, which disturbed Masonry more than being in jail did.
As Masonry almost ran to the elevator, passing the two PPD who stood guard at it, he heard Hisagi mutter, “...right.”
The Zig.
Or, by extension, any jail. Like the one he was in right now.
After they put the handcuffs on him at Independence Port, they brought him to Talos Island to be secured in the jail there. He rode quietly in the police car, believing that if he had to, he could break the handcuffs (not knowing they were made of titanium). He rode quietly on the special train that also carried the Red Maiden and some of her Council cohorts. He was quiet as they brought him into the police station.
There began his panic. They fingerprinted him, but he kept looking at the door. He got his phone call and called Frost, leaving a message on his cellphone’s voice mail. Still, he watched the door, and kept his eye on it even as they brought him downstairs to the cells.
He almost lost it as they locked the door behind him, a solid steel door facing him. He stared at that door, believing, again, he could break through it if he had to (not knowing that it, too, was made of Rikti metal specially made against villains such as Red Maiden). He sat, staring at the door, willing Frost to come and get him.
But another man came instead. “Who’s there?” Masonry asked, his voice on the edge of panic, as he heard the locks being turned. The door opened, and in stepped Hisagi, sealing the door behind him. The two men stared at each other for half a minute before Masonry said, “C’mon man, get me out of here.”
Hisagi stated coldly, “You are alone in here. No reason to complain.”
“I'm in JAIL. There's plenty of reason to complain. What’m I in jail for? I was only trying to help.”
“You could have put people in danger.” He stood with his hands behind his back, as if about to give a lecture. “There's only much I can do to keep a villain at bay by knocking them back. I'd have a hard time once they decide to run other than in my own direction.”
“You kept frustrating her, and she probably would have taken off if she wasn't so determined to kick your ass.” Masonry looked around the cell, his panic starting to grow slightly, but he damped it down hard. “Has Frost come yet?”
“I don't know.”
“You wouldn't not let him bail me out, would you?”
Keen Stronghold made no reply. The panic reared its head for half a second as Masonry pleaded, “C'mon, man...”
Stronghold turned at Masonry’s tone, and he grew even colder as he stated, “I'll just ask you once... don't get in the way. It's not your place to discuss tactics. If you want to do so, join the Police.”
“I wasn't 'in the way' - I was trying to help.” He traced one of the stones on the floor with his foot. “And they probably won't take a convicted felon.”
“Probably not.”
“You pounded her in the last minute - why couldn't you do that before?”
“Certain actions need to be saved for the most appropriate moment. But you wouldn't understand that.”
Masonry rolled his eyes and said, “You're supposed to take them down as soon as you can. Not keep playing with them like you're a cat and they're a mouse.”
“Whatever. I'm not going into it. It's useless.”
“I bet you're sore that you couldn't get her down right off the bat.”
“Excuse me, but I don't follow you.” Stronhold almost growled, “You don't know how my equipment works. How I work with them. Your view of tactics is clearly a totally different thing. We both can tell, right?”
“So they give you stuff to subdue but not to really take them down?”
“It works. That's what matters.”
“I was trying to end the fight, not keep the villain engaged. And I'll get in the way if it's necessary. I was trying to help someone who I thought needed it. You're telling me you had everything under control?”
“Yes, I had. And if you do it again, I'll arrest you again.”
“Well, I'll make a point next time to be sure it won't be you...”
“Besides, of all people... I don't need *your* help.”
“You don't *want* my help. Call a spade a spade, Hisagi.”
“Whatever, Mason. It was unnecessary.”
“Okay, okay. Now will you get me out of here?”
“In proper time. I can't keep you here for long. I just wanted to ask you something. You probably... have an idea already.”
“…no idea.” But then it hit him, just as he muttered the words, what Hisagi probably wanted out of him.
Hisagi was at the door. He snapped, “Fine, then. If you don't know what it is, chances are that I'm not supposed to ask.”
“Your brother's doing fine.”
Hisagi stopped himself at the doorway, his back to Masonry.
“He misses you all, since he won't talk about you. And you're both so stubborn...”
“Really.” Masonry thought he could detect a smirk on the man’s face.
Hisagi pressed a button and the door slid open. “Go. You’re free.”
Masonry resisted the urge to bolt. “I am?”
“It was a small incident. No reason to keep you here. Just... don't do it again.”
“I won't do it...with you around.”
“Who's the stubborn one now.”
Masonry gave him a small smile, but knew better than to offer his hand. “Take care, Hisagi. I'll tell Frost you said hi - or at least I saw you.” Hisagi looked him in the eye, but his face was devoid of emotion, which disturbed Masonry more than being in jail did.
As Masonry almost ran to the elevator, passing the two PPD who stood guard at it, he heard Hisagi mutter, “...right.”
Monday, September 22, 2008
Masonry stepped back with the crowd as the PPD shoved them all away from the bank in Independence Port. Allegedly the villain Red Maiden had taken hostages and broken into the vault, and was expected to make her exit in some violent way.
"Step back," the PPD cop snarled at the crowd.
Masonry milled around with the civilians, watching from the sidelines. Then someone gasped and pointed up - a man lit down in front of the bank.
"Stronghold," someone said.
Masonry gazed at the hero, his hair pulled back into a severe pony tail, making him look more serious than ever. His cape billowed in the sea breeze, as he regarded the bank door.
"He'll get her," said a woman.
"He'll keep her in a bubble and that'll be the end of it," said a man disgustedly.
"Why," asked another man next to him, "looking for some action?"
A man next to Masonry folded his arms across his chest. "Be careful what you wish for," he said quietly.
"Boring," retorted the disgusted man.
"But effective," said Masonry. "He's a cop, not a vigilante."
Just as the disgusted man turned to face him, the doors burst open and a very large woman in red with a hammer and sickle emblazoned on her chest stepped out. Stronghold turned on his own force field in an instant response.
"You vill attempt to stop me," she said loudly.
The man next to him groaned. "Wrong accent," he said. "Russians don't say that..."
Stronghold said nothing as he thrust a bubble at her, knocking her back into the bank. The crowd cheered. The large woman's hands suddenly started to glow and she barreled out of the bank's doors, heading right toward Stronghold. Stronghold's shields held easily. The woman roared and kept pounding at Stronghold. He let loose with a small blast, again, knocking her backwards. This only enraged her further.
"This is going to be really boring, really fast."
Some in the crowd murmured agreement, as the fight progressed to a near stalemate, with the woman getting slightly closer and closer, and Stronghold knocking her away.
"Hell," Masonry said, and stepped back. The crowd moved a little for him. He went to a tree and broke off a large branch, then headed back to the crowd. They parted ways as he stepped forward through the crowd. He glanced at the PPD and broke past him, running into the fray. The PPD cop yelled at him, but he didn't care, this fight needed to end before both of them were weakened.
Masonry slammed Red Maiden across the side of her head with his branch and immediately broke it. Red Maiden turned to look at him. "Ah, a real fight!" she said. She punched at him, and he took the hit to his chest. It was harder than he thought, and knocked the wind out of him. Then another blast of energy came from Stronghold, knocking both of them over. Masonry struggled up first, and looked around for another makeshift mace. Stronghold blasted the woman as she was down, once, twice, and finally she did not get back up.
Masonry smiled at Stronghold, who glared at him fiercely. "Sergeant," he said coldly, "Arrest this man also, for interfering in police business."
In shock, Masonry stared at Stronghold. "Hih...Hisagi..." A PPD cop came up from behind and pulled his arm back. Masonry felt and heard the handcuffs around his wrist. "But..."
Hisagi turned his back on him.
"Step back," the PPD cop snarled at the crowd.
Masonry milled around with the civilians, watching from the sidelines. Then someone gasped and pointed up - a man lit down in front of the bank.
"Stronghold," someone said.
Masonry gazed at the hero, his hair pulled back into a severe pony tail, making him look more serious than ever. His cape billowed in the sea breeze, as he regarded the bank door.
"He'll get her," said a woman.
"He'll keep her in a bubble and that'll be the end of it," said a man disgustedly.
"Why," asked another man next to him, "looking for some action?"
A man next to Masonry folded his arms across his chest. "Be careful what you wish for," he said quietly.
"Boring," retorted the disgusted man.
"But effective," said Masonry. "He's a cop, not a vigilante."
Just as the disgusted man turned to face him, the doors burst open and a very large woman in red with a hammer and sickle emblazoned on her chest stepped out. Stronghold turned on his own force field in an instant response.
"You vill attempt to stop me," she said loudly.
The man next to him groaned. "Wrong accent," he said. "Russians don't say that..."
Stronghold said nothing as he thrust a bubble at her, knocking her back into the bank. The crowd cheered. The large woman's hands suddenly started to glow and she barreled out of the bank's doors, heading right toward Stronghold. Stronghold's shields held easily. The woman roared and kept pounding at Stronghold. He let loose with a small blast, again, knocking her backwards. This only enraged her further.
"This is going to be really boring, really fast."
Some in the crowd murmured agreement, as the fight progressed to a near stalemate, with the woman getting slightly closer and closer, and Stronghold knocking her away.
"Hell," Masonry said, and stepped back. The crowd moved a little for him. He went to a tree and broke off a large branch, then headed back to the crowd. They parted ways as he stepped forward through the crowd. He glanced at the PPD and broke past him, running into the fray. The PPD cop yelled at him, but he didn't care, this fight needed to end before both of them were weakened.
Masonry slammed Red Maiden across the side of her head with his branch and immediately broke it. Red Maiden turned to look at him. "Ah, a real fight!" she said. She punched at him, and he took the hit to his chest. It was harder than he thought, and knocked the wind out of him. Then another blast of energy came from Stronghold, knocking both of them over. Masonry struggled up first, and looked around for another makeshift mace. Stronghold blasted the woman as she was down, once, twice, and finally she did not get back up.
Masonry smiled at Stronghold, who glared at him fiercely. "Sergeant," he said coldly, "Arrest this man also, for interfering in police business."
In shock, Masonry stared at Stronghold. "Hih...Hisagi..." A PPD cop came up from behind and pulled his arm back. Masonry felt and heard the handcuffs around his wrist. "But..."
Hisagi turned his back on him.