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(Shop) Wedge's Chop & Shop!
| >A young man in a blue trenchcoat walks in, taking a look around the place
"This reminds me of Ghersh's place... guess I'll wait for everyone."
| >A big chested silver hair girl parks her motorcycle outside, walking in and mumbling to herself
"fucking Neoyorkers.
| >>535758
>The young man waves at the gurl
"Hey Ace, looks like we're the first ones here."
>He absently looks around as he talks
| >Inside the Junk store, two white fox ears emerge from behind a shelf, followed by the sound of someone tinkering with mechanical parts.
>Between the contents of the shelves, someone could perceive a glance of a pale young girl with white fluffy hair, examining every junk with a sort of childlike seriousness.
| "Riiight... What exactly are we here for again?"
>Ace sighs, before noticing the fox ears
| >>535762
"Well the thing I'm here for is not going to be in the front. We got to call whoever works here but I figured I wait until everyone was here."
>Reacting to the noise, he turns around to find the source of it
"Fox?"
| >The fox ears shiver as a box gets pulled from the shelf by black bionic arms. Might there be a treasure that sparked an interest in the mysterious fox girl?
>Her ears turn toward the sound as she ears her name.
"Yes...?"
| >>535764
"What are you doing here? This you somehow find a lead for Nym that lead you here too?"
>He walks closer, now showing that its geekboy
| >A motorcycle pulls up. A... maid lilim is driving and in the side car is a man in a lab coat. As they both approach the group at the shop, the man gives a lazy wave.
"Yo"
| >She bends over and looks at the young man between a box of wires and a very old lilim arm.
"Oh, CN! Well, I did work over a month on how to... You know, bring her back. And it led me here too I guess."
>She waves and smile at Zolka, Elisabeth and Ace
"I see I'm definitely not the only one"
| "I figure the sooner we get things sorted out, the sooner I have to stop worrying about half my tools going missing because the blob on my desk got hungry"
>While speaking, Zolka makes their way over and starts digging through boxes of stuff for anything interesting.
| >>535764
>You open the big box to reveal what at first looks like a big old tube- a cylinder made out of worn metal that looks like it was once part of a jet engine or something, or perhaps a turbocharger. There's a couple side rails on both faces, presumably for holding it, while a dubiously designed power core of some kind makes up an entire third of the device at the back. There's a holographic scope sticking just outside of the tube and underneath all this, you find a faint image of a flame with a smily face stamped on it.
>It's quite heavy, but not too much for your arms.
| >>535766
>He nods at Zolka, and turns back to Fox
>>535767
"Well I feel much better having you here as well. Looks like with Zolka everyone is here too."
| >She gently smiles
"Well, speaking of safe... I wonder what this thing does. What a weird design."
>She begins to cautiously tinker with it.
| "Hmm..."
>Seeing everyone rummage around he looks around himself, pulling out his own haul.
"I always find guns..."
| >>535772
>You discover a set of rusted gun barrels sticking out from the bottom of one of the shelves, which seems to be propping up this shelf in particular. After crouching to further examine what it's connected to, you see the weapon's body along with a broken piece of metal where the stock used to be.
| >>535773
"*Sigh* Well whatever. Does anybody want to look for something else or are we good to go?"
| >Ace pouts
"Man you guys always find the interesting stuff.."
>She picks out a dubious looking bike part and grumbles
"Man i sure do miss my employee discounts..."
| >>535776
>It turns out what you thought was a bike part seems to be connected to something far longer. As you pull it out, you discover the worn wooden stock of a relatively small rifle. There's some rust along barrel, but it seems to still have a trigger and there's no obvious damage that you can see- there's even an equally old imaging scope attached to the top of the rail.
| >ace blinks at the gun she just pulled out
"Nah i'm good, just debating weather or not this was good or bad luck."
>she shrugs
"Well, onto the main act then?
| >>535768
>As you dig through the box of stuff, you almost miss something had it not outright fallen on your foot through the rotted bottom of the cardboard box. The pistol looks like someone took a bigger SMG and cut it in half, leaving only the pistol grip and a tiny, *tiny* port where a curved magazine is slotted. There's even a tiny charging handle on it, and on closer inspection, you see that a thin wire with a "hook" on the end of it had fallen right next to the gun. Could this be part of the same weapon?
>After tinkering with it, you manage to snap the wire back into place- it seems to be a small folding stock of some kind. As for the weapon itself, the body seems to be mostly in good order, although it's quite dusty.
| >Fox joins the others at the counter, while still trying to figure out a use for the strange tubular device she found.
| >>535780
>You ring the bell! The crisp sound, perhaps the cleanest thing in this whole shop, rings throughout the building...
>...
>...
>...
>... nothing happens.
| >The fox eared girl is startled!
"I... I guess it would be pretty cool to ride a lightning spark...?"
| "Hmm... Lightning would be a good name for a bike..."
>ace mumbles
"..you sure this is the right place?"
| >>535789
"This is the address the professor gave me... I mean the place just screams secret hideout anyways."
| >You hear a loud creaking noise as a door somewhere in the back, behind the counter, opens slowly.
| >Someone struggles with the door from the outside.
| >Zolka sighs.
"Yep, nothing shady about this. At all."
>The man climbs over the counter to follow. The lilim, who still hasn't said anything, follows suit.
| >Moreso, the door everyone entered, not the one everyone's climbing the counter for.
| (Oh)
>Then CN never jumped the counter and he totally just turned around to check who's coming in, totally
| >Rrr.. Click click.. Bang! The door shudders open..
| >Fox activates the propulsors on her arms, just in case.
| "Stuck,"
>A slightly bothered Nanobe admits. He's holding some bags in his dominant hand. And then he looks to those still in the immediate area: "Everyone..?"
>He asks in confusion.
| >And if being bothered and confused wasn't enough, proper spacing was even forgotten! Goodbye, white text.
| >Muffled muttering comes from the rooms behind the counter.
| >>535808
"For what?"
>He would blink at CN if he could, but he can't so he just uselessly swings the bags a little.
| "Everyone ush..."
>Fox sneakily approaches the door to the back room, trying to make out what is being muttered.
| "I'm good, it's just.."
>He steps inside. Though funny in hindsight, this may truly just be a coincidence.
>>535813
| >>535812
>The muttering stops, but you hear the sound of something metallic scraping across the wall, and banging against other metal. They mutter some more, but the noise dissipates immediately.
| >Zolka raises an eyebrow
"What the hell...?"
| >Fox deploys a blade from her right arm
"I don't suppose that's good news..."
| "W-Wait, let's not jump to conclusions yet. I was told this group is weird so let's not appear threathening... right away."
| "...okay."
>Zolka looks at Elizabeth, who nods and retracts the nanoblades protruding from her arms and holsters her weapons.
| >She retracts her blade.
"Sure... Go ahead I suppose?"
| >>535820 >>535821 >>535822 >>535823
"AYE ya cheeky cunts, ya think aye don't 'ear ye grousin 'round the shop like wee bairns without a mummy? Come on now! So feckin' rude!"
>Comes a -very- smol voice from further in behind the counter!
| >Ace snorts loudly
"Pfff.... never thought i'd see a scott in a place like this..
>she yells back
"Of course we ave munny, just wonderin when ya gonna sho ye mug"
| >>535829
"Oi'll show *YOU* a mug ya slag after ah move this garbage forrit some, if ya dinnae flap afore oi do."
>The voice pauses fer a bit.
>>535841
"...you wot mate!?"
| >>535842
"Et's suppos ta be some "secret code word" tat we need to say ta git innda whachamacallit! Now is ta password right or can i knock im over te noggin yet?"
| >>535843
"Ride da... is that even basic oi wonder? You'll need ta speak clearer gran, oi'm only thirteen standahrd an' even oi dun talk like the pimply side of a bampot's bahoochie!"
| >>535844
"Password? What ya playin ya bawsac-" >The smol's voice is cut off abruptly by the sound of something heavy bein' dropped.
| >Ace clocks CN semi lightly on the back of the head
"Look wat uv done ya beeg oaf, now ya got me lookin like an idiot too"
| >Meanwhile, in the back of the shop, scuffling can be heard along with a lot of muttered vulgar curses.
"Clarty, dafty, cuttin' bastards wot be fashin' all o'er-"
| >>535848
"Hey I was did what i was told..."
>He gives a concerned look to the back
"Er... everything okay back there?"
>He hopes over the counter and gets closer
| >>535851
>You hear a gunshot followed by a scream of profanity!
"BAWFECKIN, MAW'S BALLS FRAGGIN' DAMMNIT! AHHHH!"
| >>535852
>He turns back to the others, then back at the door and rushes in, pulling out his stungun.
"What's going on!?"
| >The shop door swings open, admitting... A robot. Entering, it slowly approaches CN's group, with the LEDs on its faceplant flashing in the form of two X's where the eyes would be. There's a gun in its hand, but it's lowered.
| >Zolka looks over at the newcomer
"So uh... Does Elizabeth start shooting or do you also know this person?"
| >Ace Hangs back as CN charges in, awkardly looking at the newcomer
"Ah uh... I wouldn't try to buy anything if i were you , seems the shopkeepers in bit of a jam right now.."
| >>536775
"...got it." >The bot's reply comes in a filtered voice as it points finger guns at Ace, the Xs forming into two ^ symbols.
"So, what's going on here exactly?"
|
| >>535853
>You travel a short distance inside to see red blood dotted along the ground and wall, leading up to a girl crumpled on the ground, surrounded by an assortment of knickknacks, some of which spill out from a crushed cardboard box. The girl wears a light red button up dress underneath a knitted grey sweater- a green beret with a pom pom on it sits on her short, brunette hair. Blood leaks out in dark rivulets from her exposed thigh.
>She's also pointing a small hold out pistol at you.
"Deh git an'e closer, ya wee bawbag. Ye turn right aroun' an' bolt, right now."
| >>537056
"W-What!? But you're hurt! You need medical attention, I have a medkit. Who even did this to you?"
| >>537092
"Wot? Dis?" >The girl says, looking down at her leg. The entry wound appears to consist of a single small hole, from which blood oozes out, but the amount of blood on the floor suggests worse injuries.
"Tis a fleshwound, as dey say on the telly. Gae me a fag, 'n' be good."
>She lowers the weapon slightly, but it's still in your general direction. Also, it goes without saying that she doesn't answer the second question.
| >>537103
"In that case... that blood on the floor is someone elses then."
>He holds his stungun up, not at her just in a cautious manner
"Where are they then? Or are you one of those people with super regenerative ability or something?"
| >>537107
>The girl raises an eyebrow.
"...wot. Summ'n else-"
>She clamps her mouth shut.
"Er, yea, 'geneaetin' powa gon start up soonish- just, uh, fancy a swally to uh, powah it up, like."
"Mind, ah, fetchin' it fer me?"
| >>537127
"You dont drink anything to 'powah it up'. Not I'm convinced you do need medical attention. At least take my medkit so you can treat it yourself."
| >>537173
"Yea, yea."
>He crouches down and places the medkit on the ground, kicking it to slide it over to her.
| >Meanwhile, in the main room, the robot just plays cricket noises as it waits for something- anything -to happen.
| We should have used those parts to build a game instrument using various harmonic energies to amplify a laser to modify thr sealed layer above us! Forget the ceiling we are going to a better plane.
| >The door swings open, and a green-haired Cat Boomer easily identifiable as Caju steps in, giving the robot a death glare as she does.
"...what's up, guys?"
| >>537174
>The girl grumbles as she opens the package up and starts wrapping herself up. She's clearly not used to this because she does a poor job- not to mention one handed.
| >>538378
"You know you could dress that way better if you put down the gun. Even from all the way there you would have the time to pick it up and shoot me if you wanted."
| >>538379
"Wot, so ye ken take care o me with a gammie leg? Pass, ya funt." >She weakly tries to get up... (7) ...annnd she's back down.
"Fecking 'ell."
| >>538381
"*Sigh* Look were gonna be here all day if I dont help you so I'm just going to come over and help you up okay?"
>He makes a show of putting his stungun away, and cautiously approaches her
| >>538340
>Ace shrugs sighing as she messes with the rifle she scavanged
"We're tryin ta find te thing that'll bring back nym or somthin, but i think the shopkeeps got shat or somthing..."
| >>538384
"...foine. Wee sook ain't ya? If'n i feel 'ne wanderin' hands 'n I'll batter ye got it dobber?"
| >>538388
"Hiya, Ace." >Caju waves, then adjusts the collar on her letterman.
"Right, so... What's the situation exactly?"
| >>538389
"Yeah, yeah. I have a fiance anyways. Now give my your hand."
>He bends down to help her up
| >>538392
>She gives it, and you pick her up easily. She grits her teeth as she leans on the injured leg.
"Thanks. Now what do ye want?"
| >>538390
"Ahh eh... 'parently the keep has some sert of device tha'll let us read whatever's in 'er corpse... Uh... CN's in ta back room fuckin with the keep ah think
| >>538393
"Well I came by here to get something to help out a lilim friend of mine. The kind of thing that isnt in front of the store. I have a letter of introduction as well if you want to look at it. Uh..."
>He looks around the room
"Where do you want to get set down?"
| >>538394
"...okay, what the fuck is with the accent?" >Caju frowns, tilting her head. The robot leaves the door, heading over to the back rooms to investigate exactly what is going on.
| >>538396
"B'hind the counter, if ye dinnae mind. Still need to ring out da barras messin da shop an'how, den i'll make sense outta ya gob."
| >>538398
"Gotcha, gotcha."
>He carries her back to the front where everyone is waiting.
"False alarm guys, looks like she just got grazed a little. Anyways, heres our shopkeeper."
| >>538402
"Well, feck." >The robot returns to its original position by the door, its 'eyes' assuming the shapes of equal signs.
"Quit stealing all the interesting action, Geekboy."
| >>538397
>ace sighs
"Thought it'd be good ta bring out te old irish accent or something... don ask where i got it, itsa lang stary
| >>538402
"Ye, ye... totally just 'graze...'" >She says, as the bandages turn a bright red.
>She's barely in a crusty old seat before she grabs a flask from underneath the counter and swigs it.
| >>538413
"Well I found this earlier and I'm kind curious what it is."
>CN presents the weapon he found previously
| >>538414
>You dump the admittedly heavy pile of scrap on the table. The lass barely gives it a glance before replying.
"'indicater minigun. Barry choice mate- mauchit remains an' a chewed stock but nuthin a lil nip won't fix, ye ken? 5400 nuyen."
| >Zolka, who had gotten bored and started looking around some more, walks back to the counter and lines up behind CN to check out.
| >Ace walks up with her Noobish rifle too, while idley looking for her walley
| "Ehhh... Anything 'll work if ye try hard enough... but ah'd rather see it on a mecha"
| >>538443
"Er, roight..." >She pulls out a dinky little machine for taking certified credit sticks. Soon enough, the deal is done.
"Next?"
| >>538469
>Zolka steps up and places the Skorpion onto the counter.
"Found this while I was bored..."
| "Buried under the rest of the drek in this shop"
>Zolka smiles wryly before paying.
| >>538478
"Cute, chief. Thank ye for the bizzo-"
>A crashing noise occurs in the back- despite how loud it is, the lass seems unperturbed.
| >Ace places the rifle on the counter and scratches her head
"Thought dat ah foun' a part for me bike, but turns ou it'sa a gun..."
| >>538521
>The lass shrugs.
"Happens. One time I crippled some angsty bloke wouldn't stop loiterin, but it turned out to be a robot-"
"GOD DAMN WHAT IS THIS, YOU ON YOUR PERIOD KID?" >Comes a yell from the back.
>The lass grinds her teeth.
"Feck."
| >>538528
"Iszat te yer boss? or sumthin?"
>she pauses and shrugs as she places the money down
"WE WAN TE RIDE TE LIGHTING"
| >Ace sighs
"CN, could ya do de honers? ah'm kinda stack in this accent it seems."
| >>538533
"Ride the lightning!"
>CN shouts next
"I swear if I have to say this ridiculous phrase one more time..."
>He mumbles
| >>538535 >>538536
"Why do ya mannies keep sayin' dat-"
>The sound of electricity crackling approaches-
| >Zolka lazily passes his purchase to Elizabeth, who takes it.
"I really hope it's that and not something else trying to kill you."
| "...Everyone duck right now!"
>CN shouts to everyone as he crouches down, using the counter as cover.
| "Wha--"
>Zolka opens his mouth to speak but is immediately tackled behind one of the tables by Elizabeth. The lilim's eyes grow dimly.
"Entering combat mode..."
| >Nano almost immediately gets down behind something or other, as much as he can manage within the time available.
| "But ah still need ta pay fer mah gun!"
>Ace groans, tryomg tp grabb the irish smol and pulling her to the other side-
| >>538566
>You duck as a bolt of lightning zips overhead, missing you completely!
>>538567
>The bolt zaps Elizabeth full contact!
>>538568
>You duck the attack!
>>538571
>The smol cries obscenities as you pull her over the counter, singing her back with electricity!
"I TOLD YA NOT TO COME BACK!"
| >>538589
>Elizabeth cries out as the bolt hits her, causing her to fall over on top of Zolka. After a few seconds, she starts to slowly sit upright and draws her weapon.
| >Ace looks over the smol to make sure she's not too messed up, and she yells at CN
"WHO TA FACK EVEN TALD YOU DIS KEY WORD "
| >Caju manages to find cover just in time. The robot isn't so lucky, though- It gets hit, freezing up and immediately keeling over with its 'eyes' flashing @s. It's kind of comical, especially with the smoke emanating from it.
| >>538617
"A University professor!"
>He yells back to the back of the shop
"Hey! I got a letter of introduction!"
| >>538597 >>538800
"What part of not come back didja not unnerstand!?"
>The man bellows, finally appearing in the shop proper- at least, you *think* it's a man. They appear to be covered in some kind of strange body armor that is hard to describe without comparing it to a 1950's vision of the future, or a bunch of krinkled aluminum foil. Beneath them they carry a stupidly complex cannon of some kind, its various exposed wires and gadgets connecting to some kind electricity-arcing device that resembles a plasma ball lamp.
>The twice injured lass groans.
"Dat blood bampot 'it me ag'in with his shite contraptions-"
"And while yer at it, gimme back my clerk!"
>You hear the device "spin up."
"It's hard findin' 'elp these days."
"Gee, a wonder why?" >The lass says grimly.
"Ya pansy fanny!"
>The lass peeks over the side, her scorched back eliciting pain along with her leg.
"...Ah hell. 'e's roight melted right now. Damn jakey."
| >>538812
"Of course he is... what does he usually take?"
>CN asks the clerk as he looks through his medkit for a shot that will calm him down, and yells back to the man(?)
"Oy! Do you always shoot at your costumers? I'm not leaving until I get some help. My friend is in some deep drek and you're the only place who's supposedly got the tech I need to help them. So thems the breaks."
| >>538844
"Ah dunno!? 'e's always goin' aff aboot gettin' lifted 'n barrassed ta some mince, roight mental! Feart o' the dark, even, if'n ya can believe it!"
"It only gotten worse since some real minted tubes dressed in class claes treated 'im right coarse-"
| >>538862
"Figures... guess I'll just have to give him some tranq then. Problem is..."
>He peeks around the counter and looks for a spot of exposed skin
| >>538878
"Okay, I see a spot, I'm gonna rush him and you girls try to take his weapon away once he calms down."
>He holds the syringe in his hand, hiding it behind his sleeve and jump out behind the counter, rushing him!
| >Zolka groans.
"Help CN restrain them."
>Elizabeth nods and moves to restrain the opponent.
| >Ace grumbles as she gives the smol a pat on the head climbs over to try and pry the gun
| >>538880 >>538888 >>538941
>Moving as one, you manage to take the strangely suited person to the ground before they shoot something combustible in the building! Fortunately, whatever they were tripping out on prior to entering the shop seems to still be affecting them, otherwise this wouldn't have been as easy as it was.
| >>539735
"Calm down you!"
>CN pulls the cap of his syringe out with his mouth and jams the needle into the mans neck!
| >>539783 >>539785
>The ramshackle lightning gun clatters to the ground as the man finally stops moving.
| >>540153
>CN finally leans back, catching his breathe.
"Finally! I dont know what drek he is on but it should wear off by the time he wakes up. Elizabeth, help me move this thing away from him."
| >>540181
"'Gaun yersel', ye stopped the rocket 'fore 'e burned down the place." >The lass says, stumbling to her feet. She feels her back and wrinkles her nose.
"...ah'm right skinned now."
>The man on the ground groans as the tranquilizer takes effect, and, presumably, whatever he was on starts to dissipate. Unfortunately, he soon realizes that he's facing the ceiling and you see him struggling once to get up, like a literal fish out of water.
| >>541147
>He takes it and attempts to grab you in a grapple!
"Ya bastards ain't taking me alive!"
>...a very *short* grapple, because you pull out of it pretty easily.
| >>541157
"Oh will you just calm down I came here for business and all you've done is attack potential customers, now either you calm down and let us get you up, or you can continue to wobble around on the floor in that armor."
| >>541169
>The man stops struggling long enough to get a good look at you, blue eyes glaring at you through small slits in his "helmet."
"Aren't ya a little young fer this work?"
| >>541183
"No, I guess not..."
>The man grumbles as he moves into a sitting position and removes his helmet. Underneath is an old codger whose bald head is covered by a pair of goggles, the glass as marked up as his wrinkled and scarred face, which itself is worn with gray stubble.
"Name's Babbage. What do you lot want?"
>He looks over to the counter, partly covered in soot from the shooting.
"An where's mah girl?"
| >Zolka dusts himself off as he gets up off the ground.
"Look, all we want is a way to read lost tech era formatting to save a friend. If you can't help us with that, we'll just get on our way because as fun as this little scuffle was, it's a waste of time"
| >>541194
>Zolka frowns
"Well we would have if we didn't have to mess around with stupid pass phrases and then deal with getting shot at."
| >>541210
"Passphrases? That what yer yammering about?" >The old man gets up and wipes his face of sweat and soot. Upon seeing the smol, he softens.
"Ya alright dahling?"
"AH'M NOT YER BAIRN!" >The smol says, struggling out of Ace's grip,
"An' why do ya attract so many fraggin' weirdoes?!"
| >Zolka groans.
"Just hand over whatever it is we need."
| >>541245
"Ugh... that freaking professor..."
>CN sighs
"Well long story short we need something that can translate the Void. You got something like that right?"
| >>541267 >>541301
>The old man dusts himself off and then looks you straight in the eye.
"...yeah, I gots something like that alright. And yer employer has a hell of a humor, tellin' ya ta say that rubbish to summon me. 'ope ya warn't yellin' that around town, like."
| >>542195
"I don't work for him... but I digress. I've done so weird stuff for jobs but not sounding like a loon out in the streets. Anyways, I'd like to get out of your hair, so where is this thing?"
| >>541245
>Ace smothers the smol in her chest!
"Shush lass,"
>>542195
>She shakes 'er head
"Nah, Not 'less this place has pepper thin walls or somethin"
| >Zolka looks over at Ace.
"I think you're going to suffocate her..."
| >>542196 >>542206
>Despite your breast-based suffocation, the smol launches into an angery, expletive filled tirade that is too vulgar and difficult to translate here. The old man stares.
"...roight. This way." >He starts hobbling over to the back.
| >>542208 >>542209
"Ah thin she can breathe right nicely."
>She says rather indignantly before following into the back
| >>542210 >>542211 >>542215
>You head into the back of the shop behind the counter, pass a bloodied mop and the mess of blood from the smol. The old man pushes open a door that says "PRIVATE" into a completely dark room.
>He doesn't flick on any switches, and instead keeps heading forward.
| >Ace mumbles, slightly adjusting her grip on the smol
"... what do you or this professor even know about the void anyway?"
| >>542228
"Honestly not much, other than the fact that it's some ancient tech language. The professor didnt knows very much either."
| >>542223
>Surrounding you are multiple shelves of odds and ends. Despite the darkness, you manage to find...
>(18) Something that looks like it's straight out of the Dynamoforce trideo show. Its three barreled muzzle would look threatening if it didn't seem so comical.
>>542228
>The old man grunts.
"...enough."
>The door behind you closes shut, with the soft clicking noise of locks engaging. A dim lamp pops on above your party, barely illuminating Babbage, much less your own faces.
| >>542235
"What is that..."
>CN mumbles before he gets distracted by the lamp
"Uh... so where is it?"
| >>542236
"This is the last chance you have to turn back. Are you sure you know what you want?"
>The old man says, grimly.
| >Ace shakes her head
"Ye thin ah would travel to the dark an dank dungeon of somdone who jus shot me if ah had cold feet
| >>542240 >>542241
"...Aight."
>Babbage moves some boxes out of the way to reveal a heavy trap door in the solid concrete floor. He unlocks it with a unique cross-shaped key and starts making his way down below.
| >>542239
"We need this to get my friend back. We're not backing down."
>Zolka frowns as he and Elizabeth follow.
| >>542243 >>542244
>You don't go too far below ground before you notice that any connections you had with the outside world- wireless or otherwise- become increasingly distorted. Eventually, all contact ceases.
>Babbage continues onward.
| "Hm... That dark zone was using lost tech wasn't it? This is probably more of the same."
| "ah swear te god if ah find another sunny down here..."
| >>542248 >>542250 >>542251
"Ain't no sun down here..." >Babbage mumbles as he reaches the bottom step. As you clamber down the claustrophobic room, you become aware of a "light" of some kind emanating within the tight room.
>...No. It wouldn't make sense to call it light- something is illuminating the room with what could be best described as a "dark" light, were the phrase itself not completely ridiculous. It's bathed in it, although you can see that whatever this stuff is, it seems to be seeping out of a number of sealed boxes on shelves carved directly into the rock.
| >Zolka sighs
"How pleasantly ominous."
| >>542254
"A tomb." >Babbage says, sighing. He goes over to one of the shelves and begins to fiddle around.
>The locked boxes with the leaking "light..."
Beckon.
| >>542261
>The old man looks back at you, the "dark" light cutting haphazard geometrical shapes across his face, and, well, everything really.
"A tomb. A place where you store dead things that you are better off forgetting."
>He turns back.
"Don't ask me ta explain why I collect this drek, I just... do. And as soon as I find what... ah..."
| "Thats fine, Not like people like to explain much anyway"
>Ace mumbles
"So like... do ye got multiple translating thingys? cause it seems awfully te uh... you know"
| >>542740
"No." >The old man continues to fumble around before seeming to pick up something- he curses, though in the dim and claustrophobic room his voice seems to be swallowed up by the darkness.
>There's a variety of items here. Do any of you decide to inspect the area?
| >>542744
"How the heck did you even find all this stuff?"
>CN peeks around the place while he talks
| >>542752
"Got me as a younger lad... later, got a reputation for havin' mythical wares- the kind of rep I can't seem to scrub off-" >His body seems to be bent over, as if he was picking something off the ground. His breathing is ragged, and you see him stumble onto the counter with something large in his arms.
>You hear a discordant "humming" noise coming from a box in the corner, outlined by a dim neon purple light.
| >>543452
>You examine the pulsing- the humming appears to be "leaking" along with the soft light from a miniscule opening, and nothing seems to be keeping the "cover" attached to the base- if anything, the cover seems to gently hover there, keeping whatever's underneath pressed beneath.
>You swear you hear what could be voices from within the box, though they don't speak in any language that you understand. Still, something is pushing you to open the box. Encouraging you.
>Y/N?
| >>543477
>You decide not to open the box. Behind you, Babbage places something heavy down on the table before turning to all of you.
"'Ere ya go." >He holds out his hand... in the dim "light" it's almost impossible to see anything.
| >>543478
>CN uneasily walks back to Babbage
"*Sigh*"
>He uses his phone light to get a better look of the device
| >>543479
"WAIT! DON'T TURN ON THE-"
>The words have just barely left Babbage's mouth when you feel your phone growing HOT!
| >>543492
>The phone's still hot to the touch! After a few seconds it subsides, but there's now an obvious burn mark on the back of your phone- and the light has been "torched," so to speak.
"Ugh... close one, there." >Babbage says, sighing.
"It- er, doesn't like the light. One of the knickknacks near the back, I mean."
| >>543514
"D-Duly noted."
>He hastily opens the back of his phone to check the SIM card, breathing a sigh of release when he sees it fine.
"Anyways... what is this and why is it so heavy?"
| >>543530
"This? Eh, not important..." >He finally drops something onto the palm of your hand- it feels like a shirt button in size and weight.
"This is what y'all need. Swap out whatever processor ya got that yer trying to do the reading with with it, and, assuming ya got a power source, it'll boot up. Assuming, now."
| >>547321
>He squints at him then the professor, remembering the Professors warning that he may try to get ripped off
| >>547445
"Nothing just... theres no real way to test the validity of this. How do I know you're not trying to RIP us off?"
| >>547570
"You don't." >The old man says, folding his arms.
"An' ah sure as hell am not going to try it out. Y'all already made a disturbance in da neighborhood with that passcode bullshit."
| >>547682
"I think the REAL disturbance was you firing literal lightning but fine. We'll just come back if anything."
| >>547695
"..."
"...fair enough."
>Without a word, Babbage leads you back upstairs to the main room in silence. Gradually, your connection to the Matrix restores as you leave the deep underground area.
>You're not too far into the workshop before you find the smol clerk from before, trying to rebandage her leg without much success, whilst cursing up a storm in a harsh dialect of whatever language she speaks.
"Hrmh. You don't say much in meatspace."
>Babbage comments as you bring the rest of your gear over to get checked out (it's still a business after all).
| >>547704
"It's better not to bring attention to yourself when you dont want it. I found that opening my mouth is the fastest way to get people pissed at me."
>He glances towards Ace
| "Ye, ye"
>Ace bends over to help the smol with her leg bandages
"Anyway, it was nice meeting ye, whas with te wee lass 'ere anyway? she yer kid or somethin?
| >>547707
"Fair 'enuff."
>>547720
>The smol relents, grumbling as you work.
"AH'M NOT 'IS BAIRN!" >She shrieks!
"She's not mine, no. Just works 'ere part time- and sometimes full time, when she should be in school. Like now." >Babbage responds, pulling out a pipe and lighting it. The smol swears.
| >>547729
>The smol squeaks in unintelligible shrieks as you work, when Babbage, head facing toward the front of the shop, suddenly makes a zipping motion with his hands across his lips.
| >>548075
"How much ya got?" >Babbage says as he fiddles with something underneath the counter, his face still facing the front of the shop.
| >>548100
"...hell... that might just barely cover the cost of the shop-"
>He says as he pulls out a vintage Remington Roomsweeper shotgun pistol in one hand, and a hand held ballistics shield on the other.
"Best y'all go round back- Mùirne 'ere will lead ya out."
"Ah keep tellin ye auld mink, dat's not 'en mah name, ya goddamn warmer..."
| >>548126
"'ne time, geekboy. Now uh, you best be going 'afore-"
>Just then, the door to the main entrance opens with a creaking noise-
>...followed by a slam as it falls off its hinges. There's muttering in the front as someone large picks up the door and fits it back into place.
"...'ell."
| (Is this public? I suddenly find myself curious to see what strange curio my Character can find but i didnt read any of the replies and i dont want to intrude anymore then this question if thats the case)
| >>548143
(Yeah, it is actually lol. That's why its on the board- settings can only be posted if they're accessible to all users. That said, we're quickly approaching the 250 post mark, so as long as the shop doesn't, uh, "disappear" in the next few minutes in game time, you'll be able to explore as well.)
(To bring you up to speed, our heroes above are searching for a knicknack when they were shot at by a crazy old man with a lightning gun. They've since left the spooky underground tomb full of oddities and are in the process of leaving.)
(Someone or someone(s) are at the door however, who may or may not cause trouble.)
| >>548144
(So i wouldn't be crashing it to hard then?
Heres to hoping i find something entertaining and or retarded)
>one could hear panicked screaming from outside for a moment before
>a boy wearing a blue jacket and an interesting headset walks in.
>or should i say lands square on his butt
"Owww..where did that even come from...?">he mumbles to himself before standing up and looking around
"Where am i...errr am i interrupting something here?"
| >>548147
>ace groans, and turns towards the boy, with a slightly annoyed look
"There wouldn't happen te be a buncha armed goons following you, is there? cause i'm kinda sick of getting shot at fer te day"
| >>548341
"Er... not exactly..."
>>548147
>You see in front of you a thin man in a reflective suit cut into interweaving squares, along with a thicker set, taller man with dark shades. They give you a moment's notice before going back to "browsing" along the shop.
| >>548341
"N-no nothing like that.
Of course the real reason is Completely retarded.
But nothing dangerous"
>he responds before looks around
"Mind telling me where i am?"
| >The two, let's call them Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, make their way through the shelves as they approach the counter, Babbage eyeing them warily.
| >>548361
"Can ye nat facking read? Yer in wedge's chopshop, And please, ah doubt ye can be much dumber ten de time Geeky here shove 'is face in a pool of goo, so whats' up?"
| >>548366
>"hooo boy this will be eventful" he thinks to himself
>>548387
>he wanders around looking for anything in particular
>preferably something robotics related but it doesn't matter what really
(12)
"Long story short, my roommate was practicing singing, Disney princess syndrome kicks in and then the damn house was covered in birds.
I had to launch myself from a jump pad to get out.
Landed here."
>he responds while looking
| >>548391
>the woman gives you a look of complete exasperation, before shaking her head
"...Fack this place man"
...
"Just fack et.
"So was yer name lad?"
>>548366
>Ace glances at the two men, and... shakes her head
"Whatever ye do, don't say ye wan te ride the lighting..."
| >>548396
"Cassius madam.
Cassius robuchon vanderbilt.
At your service "
>he laughs still looking for whatever
| >>548387
"You're never going to let that go are you..."
>>548401
"That's a hell of a name."
>CN muses
| (rip post limit)
This thread is permanently archived
| >The junk store is as much a product of its surroundings as it is reliant on them, its outside festooned with rusted and charred chassis of both land and air vehicles, every make and model organized in heaps roughly according to their compatibility.
>Past the barbed wire fence covered in electrical webbing, beyond the armored door scavenged from a bank APC, you are treated to a dimly lit store that has absolutely been stuffed with shelves upon shelves of devices, exotic and mundane, mint condition and mostly scrap.
>There's no one at the desk separating all this garbage from the "Private" back rooms. On the desk is a machine for reading credit chips and credsticks, numerous scattered papers, a small nameplate that has "Betty" scribbled on it in marker on masking tape, and a small call bell.
>You're alone in this building... aside from the other customers, that is.
>Note: If you want to buy something, assuming that someone has called... whomever runs this junk heap, a d20 will be rolled to determine what you find. You can ask to add a modifier to the roll to better your chances of getting something decent, but it will still be random- and just because something is "better" doesn't mean it's more reliable~