Test Discord
Dad 08-Nov-20 07:42 AM
King Midas 25-Feb-21 01:54 AM
Commoner markets were in a reduced swing, due to the attacks not terribly far from where these ones were. And the fact that things were only just really getting started this early in the morning, it was safe to say that the amount of people watching these current events unfold was low.
Midas and Szrac were once again making their rounds at the money making sections of the Commoner Districts. This time, the hopefully more lucrative markets, where most general goods and foodstuffs were purchased by a majority of the less fortunate*. Midas had eyed out a nice little stall with some low quality jewelry, and thus they approached and explained the situation at hand.
And now, Midas was perusing the stocks of obviously fake golden chains and painted clear rocks. He had seen his share of fakes from his previous lifetime, local kings and warlords clearly trying to buy themselves mercy from his iron fist. If they had wanted mercy, they should’ve offered the real deal instead of knockoffs.
In his mind, this was not too far off from those long past royalty. Except the part where they were likely just above the ‘not having a stable roof over my head’ line. Midas grabbed a more egregious example of this, a chain littered with shiny stones in between the links and even in.
“If I may make a suggestion,” Midas spoke aloud, “you should better know tax day and be prepared to pay your due. I can not say this surprises me, but at the very least do not peddle such absolute wastes of resources.”
He knocked over one of the lines of displays, which bounced on the hard ground. Not even the ‘glass’ was real. Pathetic.
- Those not in either faction, perhaps even pushed down by one.
Szrac Vaughn 25-Feb-21 02:22 AM
"What the hell! This is illegal! You can't do this!" The shopkeeper cried in protest, watching the Berserker wreck his store and his wares. Indeed, it did seem like a bad dream, one that he would surely wake up from at any moment...
Not so.
"Under the Persepolis Seizure of Illicit Materials act, section four, subsection three, we hold the authority to conduct a thorough search of all premises within the district. If you wish to refute this action, then you may file a complaint over the City Wide Web." Szrac stated boredly, uncaring of the plight of this civilian. Not that Szrac ever truly cared for much, but if he were to, stopping Midas would be low upon that list.
Once his servant had taken all he deemed valuable, the cyborg turned and followed after him, leaving the now-wrecked jewelry store behind. There was little of true value to be found in these commoner markets, especially compared to the more high-brow stores in aristocratic-controlled areas.
"How pathetic. I knew that the common folk were not worth notice, but even their attempts at craftmanship are lackluster in every form."
King Midas 25-Feb-21 02:40 AM
Midas shook his head, “No, that is close but not quite right. The Commoners, the lowest of the low, those in the middle… they all are worth notice. Where else would a King get his funds if not for them? The Aristocracy too deserve to pay their price, but they hold too many positions in the court of law to ever let that happen. So, those without a voice to protect them must be acknowledged. And taxed.”
He stopped walking suddenly. He craned his head around, listening to the lack of bustle in the streets. “Without the masses of peasants underneath the feet of the rich, where else would we stand but the filthy ground? Money, riches, power, these do not come from nowhere. Best you not forget, or your feet will be soiled.”
He looked at the current surrounding markets, seeing so much potential yet so little wares. “You may pick the next merchant to inspect. All must pay their dues but I suspect that none of these will have the necessary funds to provide, and thus we will have to confiscate more goods. If only I could procure a storage container…”
He held aloft his prizes, eyeing in particular the chain he had called filth earlier. Now pure gold, he couldn’t help but admire his handiwork. Such a beautiful piece, free from it’s blemishes and faults...
Szrac Vaughn 26-Feb-21 01:26 AM
What an odd perspective on the matter, though he supposed it wasn't entirely without merit. While Szrac was a self-sufficient entity without the need of others, Midas depended on those below him to lavish him with riches.
Perhaps dependency was the wrong word? It was more the relationship of a farmer and their livestock. No, that wasn't it... a farmer and their crop, inert and worthless until their value became apparent, ready to be harvested.
Whatever the case, it sounded horribly unappealing. Szrac had no intent to soil his feet. He simply wouldn't walk across the dirt in the first place.
It did not matter. His thoughts returned to the present, to the markets and to Berserker's "gift". "There is no point in choosing. We will find nothing of true value among this riffraff. Simply choose a store at random, and speed up this endeavor so I may-"
The cyborg suddenly paused, his eyes caught on a particular ramshackle store amid the other ramshackle stores.
Sneed's Electronics and Devices (Formerly Chuck's)
"That one."
King Midas 26-Feb-21 07:18 AM
Midas gazed at the store Szrac had pointed out to the pair. It seemed to be no different than the rest, but he supposed that the choice was not his to make this time around.
“If that is what you wish, then so be it,” Midas said. The duo made their way to the front of the store and then through the front door, Szrac holding it open for him as to not immediately reveal his true nature.
And Midas once again saw little of actual value. He was sure that the mortals of this world valued such technology quite highly, and the King would be lying if he said that such advancements were not at the very least amusing.
Yet that is all it was to him: amusement. He did not possess the ability to handle such electronics without help, and a King did not need help in such regards. Thus, the realm of ‘Tablets’ and ‘Phones’ lay strictly outside his reach. For now.
“I assume you saw something of value here, yes? Mine eyes fail to reciprocate, so I suppose this is more for you than I. I will allow such an exception, but do be quick about it. The day only contains so much time, and yet there are so many to pay their dues.”
This was his way of saying ‘Yes’. Fortune smiled upon the just.
Szrac Vaughn 27-Feb-21 04:31 AM
The king saw little of value within the store, but how could such an ancient figure be expected to derive value from this? Their minds were simply too ancient to comprehend the potential of these objects. Perhaps the Rider might have seen worth in this disorganized shack full of raw materials, but not Berserker.
However, these scraps without value held immense worth to Szrac. If he were capable of having them all, he could create tools and mechanisms that could sell for far beyond the component cost. Not that Midas could even comprehend such a sound business decision.
Alas, payment for the Grail War would not come until he had attained victory. Thus, he would simply focus on what he could acquire. So, he approached the front desk.
"I require hyper-conductive cabling. Ten metres of gold-wiring conductors, one of diamond-wiring." The cyborg stated to the man at the counter, an older gentlemen whom he assumed to be Sneed. The man, rightly terrified at the sight of these two monsters in his store, simply meekly nodded and scuttled off to fetch what was requested.
No talking back, and no complaining. Truly, an ideal interaction.
King Midas 27-Feb-21 05:45 AM
Midas kept looking around, still not impressed by anything in sight. Was this stuff really worthwhile to his master? He supposed this was a ‘sum of the parts’ sort of thing, but that made no sense even then. If the parts could produce something far more valuable than their original worth, why wasn’t everyone in that business?
Thus, he simply grabbed whatever caught his eye. This boiled down to various spools of wires and a few odds and ends. He had to keep in mind that everything taken had to be lugged around for at least another hour, so he kept his haul low. He had learned that at the restaurant district, and that particular wound stung still, minimal as it was.
When he felt that this citizen had paid their dues, Midas returned to where his master stood. “Have you explained the nature of our intentions to the owner of this establishment yet? Speaking off, I haven yet to see the person for a few minutes. Did you send them through a wall again?”
Berserker chuckled to himself. At least that part of that day was amusing. Well, amusing in a dark and twisted way.
Szrac Vaughn 28-Feb-21 07:05 AM
The cyborg didn't respond to Midas, mostly because silence was better than any alternative. Better to allow the king to bathe in his own glory than to direct his attention elsewhere. He had neither the patience nor energy for an argument, and he certainly didn't want to sit through another of his tantrums.
Eventually, the storekeeper would shamble out once more, holding the various spools of wires in his arms. Szrac would wordlessly take them, before turning around and exiting. Still, the clerk did not make nary a peep.
Almost as thought the exact interaction had happened dozens of times before.
"My meager contribution to your crusade is completed." Szrac stated, looking over to Berserker. "Evidently, my money-making instincts are lesser than yours. It seems it would be best for you to hold the lead for this matter."
King Midas 28-Feb-21 09:31 AM
“I’m glad you see it my way. Few do, for odd reasons.”
Midas followed his master outside, glancing around. It was still not as busy as he thought it would be, few people roaming the streets looking at the various store fronts in either anticipation to shop or in boredom on their way to their own workplaces.
“Pray tell, what purpose does your wires serve? I assume you have the knowledge and physical prowess to manipulate them into whatever machine you so desire? And what is created with them, is it a more utilitarian purpose or one of violence? I have yet to see your creations, as I am a busy man, and there is this... strange desire, within me to witness your talent at work.”
Midas seemed more curious than demanding, which was odd for the Berserker. Perhaps his Madness had its limits, or maybe he had other wants besides whatever wasn’t nailed down?
Whatever the reason, Midas looked at his master all too eagerly for a response. He looked rather silly with those similar looking wires hanging off his shoulders, gleaming gold.
Szrac Vaughn 01-Mar-21 01:37 AM
"I have simply run low on them." Szrac gave a sensible, though somewhat unsatisfactory, answer. "Repairing the Sarcophagus had lowered my supply. This was no more than a stop to replenish that which I had lost.
The cyborg took a brief pause, looking over to Midas. Though the idea of letting Berserker touch his creations and ruin them was absolutely abhorrent, perhaps it would be best to humor him. Develop a few pointless machines for him to add to his collection, and stop him from throwing a hissy fit.
"However, if you wish, I could demonstrate my mechanical capabilities back at the Power Plant."
King Midas 01-Mar-21 02:04 AM
“Lead the way.” Midas was now mostly fixated on that prospect more so than anything else. A desire, a passion, something inside told him this was the thing to want right about now. The inner machinations of his mind were an enigma…
But a firm grip was kept onto his new possessions. Some things never change.
“I wonder what creations you are capable of. Perhaps one of those fancy things I see all the time, those phones. Or perhaps something far grander, such as a mechanism capable of creating wealth itself… no, that sounds too good to be true. If such a machine existed, the world would be a much more lucrative place.”
Midas daydreamed while he followed his master, unaware of most of his surroundings.