Tag Archives: Orien Quan

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #033

West Drop, Sunflower Lounge:

While Liana was calling Neely, Jaquan picked through the heavier pieces of the crew’s luggage.  According to Justice, fighters in these tournaments “preferred victory over pride.”  Jaquan didn’t know exactly what this meant.  Perhaps they trained nonstop.  Maybe they just avoided publicity.  Either way, they were probably stronger than the fighters he was used to in the arena.  If Jaquan was going to have a chance against these new fighters, he would have to become stronger.

Jaquan got several long strong chains out of his bags.  They were some of the many weapon modifiers he used with all his weapons.  By combining the different parts, he was usually able to make the perfect weapon for the variety of fights.  Today, the chains had a separate purpose.

After a bit of planning, the luggage was lined up and tied together into a larger package.  He then padded his shoulders, looped his arms into the chains, and carried the heap on his back.

Walking with the pack was a lot harder than he remembered.  It didn’t look at all glorious, but the feeling was quite nostalgic.  He hadn’t done this training since before he was the Circuit Champion.  Since then, he rose to the top and relied on more measurable training tactics.  However, those times were gone.

By choosing this path, he had renounced his championship.  The World Circuit was all he knew for the longest and it was great being on the top.  However, two Holy Talent users had told him this was the best road.  He changed paths with a good amount of assurance but knew the consequences.

There was little chance that he would be welcomed back into the World Championship Circuit.  Those that promoted him would have nothing to do with him.  So now, all he had was his friends and the leftover winnings from his past fights.  However, the weight on his back reminded him of the freedom this path had given him.

He struggled to make it out of the building, while his companions walked easily in front of him.  Jaquan’s efforts made the load exceptionally lighter for the other two.  Justice carried a few bags leaving Liana’s hands free to continue her call.  Quite unfair given that her powered mech suit had a communicator installed.  All she had to do was talk to speak with Neely.

How did I do this so easily?  Jaquan couldn’t help but think to himself as he staggered out of the door.  He knew that he looked silly.  He also knew that the news casters would not know anything about his side of the story.

The media was having too grand a time dragging his name through the mud.  However, that was expected from a group of sensationalists.  It made a bit more sense to him that the stronger fighters were unknown.  At times, Jaquan wished to be a broke and unknown rather than a rich media target.

The news crews seemed to only make money from what people read.  People only read stories that seemed exciting enough to finish reading.  The stories didn’t have to be true, only true enough.

For “authentic stories”; they haunted people going though celebrations, ruining the spirit; and hounded people going through tragedy, never giving them time to heal.  Granted reporters would apologize for incorrect information, but apologies were never as entertaining.  Most of the public only remembered the original report.

Today, stories about former Circuit Champion Jaquan Zu’s “cowardice” gave them ratings.  Knowing Orien Quan, the story will be in the forefront of the news until the next Circuit Championship fight.  Apparently, people wanted to hear it.  It wouldn’t be long before the story would appear again.

By the time Jaquan reached his friends on the street, Liana was finished talking with Neely.  She told him something about the two adventurers staying there for the night.  That was so much like them.  They were best friends and trouble makers long before Jaquan had met them.  Neely and Catlin could take care of themselves.  However, they were still on a side quest when he preferred them to be near.

He and his whole crew knew that Orien Quan would do something like this.  He used the media and the media seemed to enjoy being used.  Jaquan had a counter plan but with the two still looking for their reporter, it seems to have failed.

Just as well.  He still hated reporters.

#1 – Opportunity #32 – Opportunity #34

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #22

On its final approach to West Drop, the shuttle spins as it lands.  This slow and impressive looking maneuver signaled the passengers to finish their exiting preparations.  It would soon be time to get off of the shuttle.  The Trans World Shuttle Corporation had an unforgiving time table.  If passengers lingered, they would be trapped on the shuttle as it leaves again.  If a passenger missed a shuttle, they would have to wait for the next one.  Also, anything passengers left behind would most likely never be seen again.

With its box-shape, it was hard to distinguish the back of the shuttle from the front.  Only the many levels of docking bay doors gave it away.  In the pit, powerful guards and dock workers waited for the precious goods that made the town livable.  The city also had goods to send.  Even a city like West Drop needed commerce.

The landing gear touched the enormous docking pit with surprising silence.  However, the landing gear hissed loudly as the air pressure escaped the brakes.  Traded goods were moved around underground in the docking pit while the passengers exited from the right side of the shuttle.

The Trans World Shuttle Corporation has always been a trading company at heart.  However, the company couldn’t ignore the profit of shipping travelers as well; guaranteed gold for each traveler and the additional gold they may spend on amenities.  They may even be willing to pay more for some of the shipped goods than the original buyers, more profit.

The BigBad Crew exits the shuttle with Justice leading them.  Jaquan pauses briefly as he sees the headlines of the latest news feed.  It was a picture of Orien Quan with a disappointed look on his face.  The caption read: “A fighter is supposed to have more respect than that.”

This didn’t surprise Jaquan at all.  Quan was always pulling media stunts like this.  That, and Jaquan opened the door for these events.  That didn’t mean that he had to like it.  Still, he was curious about what they had to say.  He pressed a few buttons on his handheld.  In doing so, he downloaded and paid for the story.  In a few seconds it would be saved on his handheld to read later.

A few minutes later, Brisa disembarks the shuttle.  She had only one small bag of luggage; the trip was completely unexpected for her.  She only wished there were shops and hotels to provide what she needed in town.

She wore her combat gear perfectly fitting the look of a fierce warrior.  She did her best to walk the way Catlin had demonstrated earlier.  With all the powerful enchants increasing her strength, balance, and a host of many other things, it was quite easy.

Leaving the shuttle behind, she looked around for any sign of trouble before she continued to the port.  There appeared to be none, but she needed to be safe.  She was in a new place, a dangerous place.  She needed to keep her wits for a good while longer.  She checked her handheld for local restaurants; she was getting hungry and was going to be here a while.

The call to Mr. Meng in South Coast didn’t go at all the way she wanted.  There were delays for all the other stories Champion’s Chronical was following.  No one else was able to make it to West Drop or Bear Gate.  Since she was still the only one that had access to BigBad, Meng needed her to tail them just a while longer.

She didn’t have the tools to track them.  Of course, she didn’t need to track them.  She knew where they were going.  They told her when they were going; they wanted her to follow them.  She just had to be ready to leave with the tournament party at hour seventeen.  Hopefully, they would have an escort of some kind.  One or more people with them would make her feel much better.  She couldn’t trust them.

Exiting the shuttle port Brisa was approached by a frantic looking woman.  With pain and fear in her eyes, the lady pulled at Brisa’s glove.  “Help us,” she said, “They’re going to kill them!  I need your help please!”

#1 – Opportunity #21 – Opportunity #23

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #13

Transport Shuttle: Stirrer 34, Midflight to West Drop

I’m crazy, just crazy.  A sane person wouldn’t do this.  I have to be crazy.  Brisa regretted getting on the shuttle the moment it showed signs that it would start moving.  She was on assignment to track a group people that didn’t like her in the slightest.  Any one of them could kill her.  She knew for sure that one of them hated her; Jaquan hated reporters.  She also knew for sure that one of them found her and attacked with no warning.

The ship had taken off about twenty minutes ago.  Brisa has had plenty of time to think about her mental state since then.  The original event was fresh in her head; forced to stare into those red in black eyes; hanging helpless in the air.  They found her once, they’ll find her again.  They could already know that she was there.

“No, no,” she said out loud trying desperately to push that thought away.  They found her once and she got off with a warning, a warning she will never forget.  She may not be so lucky if they found her again.

They can’t know that she was there.  The shuttle was huge.  There was no way they saw her get in the shuttle.  She sat in the back of the shuttle they were in the front.  They couldn’t have seen her enter the shuttle either.  The fans bombarded the Champion and his crew before she entered.  Besides, if they knew she was there, she would have known by now.

She was safe as long as she stayed out of sight.  Her part of this mission was about finished.  Things were going well.  All she had to do was get to West Drop, meet the other reporter, and go back home.

The pulsing heat on her chest was getting easier to bare.  It was far from gone though.  Maybe she was getting used to it.  The heat was getting to the point where she could possibly ignore it if she was distracted enough.  Now she just had to bare this flight, however long it would be.

—–

In the celebrity cabin, Jaquan, Liana, and Justice were on the phone with the last of the angry fight commission representatives.  Jaquan was under contract to fight Orien Quan plain and simple.  If Jaquan failed to make the appearance at the fight his title was forfeit.

Jaquan was perfectly fine with losing the title.  Things got a little complicated when ticket sales were added into the equation.  The promoters and event center owners were counting on people in the seats and gold in their pockets.  One at a time, everyone with a voice in the matter expressed their displeasure with the situation.  Some even made interesting threats.

Neely and Catlin were sitting on the couch sound asleep.  It was a wonder they slept without stirring.  As the messages played on, the speakers became more and more intense.  However, Jaquan had made his decision.  The BigBad Crew stood with Jaquan.  They were moving forward with this to see where it landed them.  If it gave them troubles later, so be it.

No doubt how Quan would spin this.  He took every opportunity to tell the press Jaquan was dodging a fight with him.  He would use this move to only “prove” his story.  As the messages ended, the three sat in silence.

Liana was the first to speak up, “Now that we’ve disappeared from the promoters, they’ll think you’ve run away from Chuan.”

“Not scared of him,” Jaquan responded as he would to a nagging parent.  When did Chuan get so important anyway?  It really was getting old.  All Quan did was talk about himself on the news.

“How would the public know that,” Liana gave the basic logical response.

Jaquan couldn’t get mad at that.  He was half thinking that to himself, “I’ll say it.”

“To whom,” Liana responded, “Whatever you say, Orien will spin to say whatever he wants it to mean.  He’s been doing it for years.”

“I find that face time is only good for drawing attention,” Justice added with an air of insight, “like advertisements.  Even if you sent a convincing message though the press, Chuan will counter.  But, if we show what you’re doing and prove Chuan a liar, he’ll have nothing to say.”

“No one respectable is here to film us,” Liana said, “We left without any notice to the press.  For all the promoters know, we’re going to West Drop to party.  No one even knows that we’re…”

They all came to the same conclusion, even Jaquan.  He slapped his head with disgust, “A reporter, really.”  He didn’t like it, but it was the fastest option they had to stay credible.  They had to get the word out that he was not hiding or running.  This would silence Quan before his loud mouth even opened.

They looked at Catlin and Neely napping on the couch.  If Brisa was truly from Champion’s Chronicle she’d be on this shuttle somewhere.  Once Catlin woke up, she could easily track Brisa down.  Then they’d have a special exclusive for the rookie news starlet.

#1 – Opportunity #12 – Opportunity #14