Tag Archives: Bosstown

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #040

South of Downtown Bosstown:

Silent Blur landed with a soft thud and ran through the rough wooded area northward towards the busiest part of the Bosstown.  The ride was a little bumpy as Adrianne juked and jumped Silent Blur through tall path-blocking weeds and randomly sprouting rocks.  The land route was necessary since the canopy over Bosstown was thick enough to prevent any aerial approach.  That approach would guarantee similar hull damage done in earlier travels.

There were, of course, other approaches.  The east and west routes left them with too long a walk.  The north route was clear and full of nice ruins.  That approach would allow one to imagine the city’s former prosperity while walking through the old ruined neighborhoods.  The path was usually a pleasing walk as there was always something new to see.  However, the ladies didn’t feel like fighting wild, hungry ratcoons quite yet so avoided it.  

This route was best.  They only wanted to eat, shop, and have a little fun.  The sisters could hunt, fight, and kill things later.

The coordinates of their landing zone was set into Captain Bubbles.  As Silent Blur walked, its little sailboat turned notably atop the orb’s scented oil.  The city was definitely close but it was hard to recognize the land as new growths changed the landscape dramatically from season to season.  

During their approach, Silent Blur came suddenly into a lighted area that up until now were familiar rocky paths dotted with soil.  Powerful lamps shone everywhere making the whole area look completely different.  Its new appearance was a makeshift farm for edible leafy plants.  This week’s crop was mustard greens while the dandelions held aggressively onto their natural territory.  

The ship slowed as Adrianne was careful to step around the plants.  Not that Silent Blur would truly damage anything, just that she always thought it rude to step on someone else’s food.  Once passed the makeshift farm, she found familiar territory and their landing zone.  Soon the three disembarked and walked the streets towards their major destination.

Bosstown was always becoming a nice city.  Its people had a spirit to sacrifice and work hard to making the city relevant again.  It was working.  Every time the sisters visited, something improved or was new.  The city looked very modern in some areas.  Other areas needed more work but here and there they found upgrades.

The ladies knew the struggles having heard the stories over and over again in Rubin’s Trail.  Visiting the city and slowly seeing it recover was refreshing as well.  However, their mission was quite specific at this time.  

Their trip into the town ended at Ge’s Noodles and Subs.  This one was far better than the one at Rubin’s Trail.  The decor was a bit “traditional” but so was the scent that floated through the air.  It permeated the walls after decades of the Ge family’s fine foods.  That familiar scent pulled them into the restaurant.

The restaurant was packed as always.  Others from Rubin’s Trail as well as those from the other side of the mountain came to eat the fine foods created by the Ge kitchen.  This was by far the greatest treasure of Bosstown.  

The host recognized the three ladies immediately.  “Welcome ladies, would you like your regular table,” the host said rising and facing them yet already walking towards the elevator.

“Yes. Thank you Kamber,” Adrianne spoke up for the three as they followed.

Kamber Ma had been a host at the restaurant long enough to know the honored guests from Rubin’s Trail.  Stopping just long enough to grab a single menu, he continues on the familiar path to their favorite table.  A booth on the tenth level.  Near the window with the greatest view they could have of the Mech Fortress main wall’s ruins.

The ladies took their seats.  Cheari and Toska sat opposite Adrianne while Adrianne always insisted on facing the ruined Mech Fortress.  It was just barely visible through the canopy and thick foliage.  

Even in ruins, Adrianne felt the power of the fortress.  It must have been greater than Rubin’s Trail history made it out to be.  Rubin’s Trail required so much assistance from roaming Champions and even then, the battle went on for so long.  She feared what would happen if the Mech Fortress ever regained power.

“Do you ladies need any time to look through the menu or do are you ready?” Kamber asked as the ladies sat.  He held onto the menu waiting for their answers.

“I’m ready,” Tosca spoke quickly.

“Ready,” Adrianne said almost as quickly as her little sister.

Cheari didn’t even bother answering.  Everyone present knew what was going to be ordered. 

#1 – Awakening #39 – Awakening #41

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #19

AD7 stared at the waiter in disbelief.  “It blew up?” she asked.  His words were clear as day.  There was no chance that she misheard him.  Still, AD7 had to ask just to be certain she wasn’t hallucinating.  Things don’t just blow up spontaneously.  And if something, anything were to blow up, why the best restaurant she had ever visited?

“Well it was blown up,” the waiter said correcting himself, “before the Mech War started heating up.  Madam Ge rebuilt it here.  She wanted to keep the restaurant local but the old lot was too small for her vision.  Still, she cleaned and preserved the lot to honor her uncle who died in the explosion.”  At that the waiter paused awkwardly, remembering his job “Is there anything else you’ll be needing sir.”

Oyintsa thought about his surroundings and remembered that the young Crisho probably had other tables to work, “No, thanks.”  At this, the waiter left rushing off to help the next table.

“That explains the empty lot,” Royal encouraged AD7, “Seems like you’re perfectly sane.”

Yeah right.  I’m sane and completely out of touch.  AD7 was usually in good spirits even in these odd times.  However, this recent embarrassment proved that there was a great deal that she had to catch up on.

For all she knew, she had caused the war and was sitting with her enemies.  She didn’t even understand the today’s fashion.  She had a whole half century of history to learn before she could live something of a normal life.

Even in her day, the handhelds were very useful.  Perhaps these days they were even more advanced.  She turns to Royal and asks, “Is there something I could read that tells me about recent history?”  After a little bit of thought, Royal activates her handheld and hands it to AD7.  While they were discussing its new features, Oyintsa’s handheld starts ringing.

Instead of answering it immediately, Oyintsa set it in the center of the table.  This way, all of their faces could be seen by the caller.  Pressing a button, he received the call and a small image of a worried Tirzah appeared.

The image of Tirzah showed her talking into her hand.  She was concerned but not to a stressful degree.  “Where’d you guys go?”

AD7 and Royal both heard the question but were a bit preoccupied to respond.  Oyintsa on the other hand responded immediately, “AD7 lead us to a smashing restaurant.  You have to come see.”

“Love to,” Tirzah said, almost cheering, “but we’re done here.  Get something for the rest of us though, eh?  I’ll hit you back.”  She was in one of her rare good moods.  Cyd must have finally joined them.  “Meet you at the ship.”

“See you,” Oyintsa said as he ended the connection.  At the next opportunity, he gets the attention of another waiter, “I’d like to add quadruple to our order.”

AD7 was occupied trying to understand Royal’s handheld.  Still, the large amount of sandwich orders got her attention.  Sure Royal was hungry.  It was impossible for her to be that hungry, “Why so many?”

“There’s twelve of us,” Royal said.

“The rest are in the ship,” Oyintsa said finishing her thought, “Got an extra in case someone,” he emphasized looking at Royal, “was still hungry.”

Royal was looking the other way but she knew she was being teased.  As a response she looked at Oyintsa and stuck out her tongue.

As they waited, AD7 read more of the city’s history from a page on Royals handheld.  Most of the details were left out.  AD7 read between the lines thinking of Eighty-Seven’s responses to each event: the small conflict’s escalation; the steady transformation of the Mech Wall into a fortress; the peace agreement between Bosstown and Rubin’s Trail; the continued aggression from the Mech Fortress with its superior technology and fire power; the calling of Champions to aid Rubin’s Trail’s fight against the Mech Armies; the slow and steady defeat of the Mech Fortress; and ‘AD7’s’ imprisonment at Rubin’s Trail Science Facilities.

Each progression was horrifying for AD7.  Things went from bad to worse to utter disaster; each step breaking AD7’s heart.  She had no idea that things would turn this way.  But Eighty-Seven always followed her instructions perfectly.  She wanted something.  Something she could never have.  Argh… what was it?!  AD7 instinctively kept her calm face while reading but the puzzle was driving her crazy.

They were always together, so very close together.  Rubin’s Trail would have easily mistaken Eighty-Seven for her.  Now, Eighty-Seven must be scared out of her analytical mind.  There has to be a way to get to Rubin’s Trail and free her.

#1 – Awakening #18 – Awakening #20

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #18

AD7 stared at the empty lot in disbelief.  She walked slightly inside the lot and then to the right.  Turning around she looked to the left.  Besides the large restaurant, the sky line was unmistakable.  The buildings were worn and the sidewalk was missing but this was the place.  This is where her seat would have been.  This is where she was when it happened all those years ago.

With all the changes to the city, AD7 couldn’t expect the shop to go unscathed by time.  Even so, there should at least be a shop here, a boarded up building, something.

Oyintsa turned away from the bounty posting.  Seeing AD7 he saw the disappointment in her eyes.  “It was here then,” he asked.

AD7 said nothing but nodded a positive response.  She was still unsure what type of business was here.  But it had to be incredibly important and convenient for her to remember the way even with her fragmented memory.

“It’s been a really long time,” Royal said still looking at the restaurant.  She was getting really hungry, “Your place could have gone out of business.”

“Of all places, I only came here,” AD7 spoke almost to herself.

“Bosstown is pretty ragged these days,” Oyintsa commented, “They could have moved out.”

The scent of the spiced meat was really getting to Royal.  AD7’s struggles were real and if anyone could relate to her problems it was Royal.  Of all the members of GarDNAnge1, Royal was the most familiar with the side effects of rejuvenation.  Things change suddenly.  Life skips over an unknown period of time.  Important matters occur that everyone else knows but spend little time talking about.

She felt AD7’s pain.  Right now though, Royal was hungry.  “The best way to sort out any problem is over a good meal,” she said still staring at the large restaurant in front of her.  The hint was obvious enough for both AD7 and Oyintsa.  Wasting no more time, they went into the noodle shop.

Opening the door, they were all shocked and impressed.  All signs of despair disappeared at the door.  Inside the door was luxury: polished stone entranceway, thick hardwood floors, generous lighting, and live music.  This had to be one of the remaining tourist attractions in the city.  Either that or it was easy to keep clean.

Inside the door was another bulletin board with even more bounties.  The server showed them directly to their seats, stealing Oyintsa’s chance to read them all.

The place was fairly busy.  It had the greatest concentration of people that the three had seen in Bosstown.  Within minutes they had ordered and sat waiting for their food.  Their seats were on the second level of the restaurant with full view of the street and the vacant lot.

Oyintsa saw AD7 sit in quiet contemplation, staring sadly at the lot.  She was the one they had come for, the only one that could help them with the trails.  If she was going to help them, she would need a clear head.  Oyintsa decided that even if the news was bad, AD7 should get the whole story about her missing shop as soon as possible.

Seeing the waiter again, he asks what happened to the vacant lot across the street.

“Oh the old lot,” the waiter replied with pleasant shock, “you know a lot about our cities history.  That is where this store used to be.”  AD7 took a sigh of relief when she heard that.  She turned to the waiter giving him her full attention as he continued, “It blew up and burned down about fifty years ago.”

#1 – Awakening #17 – Awakening #19