The player on the show of Jeopardy asked the same question, and was awarded with a "correct" from the host. Skan laughed in triumphant superiority and tossed a popcorn kernal in the air. It bounced off his lip, instead of into his mouth like he had hoped. He ignored it and hoped Tad would do the same.
Both Skan and Tad were in a very comfortable position. Leaning back in black leather chairs, Skan's vibrating.
Skan answered another question correctly and laughed once more. He took off his dark sunglasses to rub one of his blue eyes. He donned his shades again and scratched his blue hair, stumped at another question. Which he answered correctly. Skan adjusted the tan trench coat he was wearing so that a lot of pop corn kernals popped up, hidden in small creases.
Tad glanced over to his brother when he answered yet another correct question. Tad was not only Skan's brother, but his twin. The two had identical hair, eyes, faces, height, etc. Of course, Tad was stronger and had broader shoulders. As if to make up for it, Skan was much smarter.
"What is a fulcrum? Skan asked. He grinned, thank GOD not laughing this time, when he was proven incorrect.
"God, Skan," said Tad. "Do you have nothing better to do that learn all this crap?" Seriosly. WHO needed to know what the most active ingrediant in CHAP STICK was!?
Skan ignored the next question and looked over at Tad. "Shut up, Tad! Just 'cause I'm a genius of 180 IQ doesn't mean you have to be jealous!"
Tad sighed in exasperation and clutched his head. EVERYDAY, Skan said that, at least once. "Who needs to be smart? You know I can beat you up anytime I want!"
"Ha!" said Skan. "Is that your answer to everything, you trigger happy freak? If it doesn't agree with you, you hit it. If it stands in your way, knock it down. Damnit, Tad, I don't think you have ANY room to talk about my methods!"
Tad was very much aware that Skan hated fighting. He could shoot a gun well in self defense, but only as a last resort. Skan was suspicious to all strangers, though. It was annoying.
Tad stood up, brushing away creases and folds in his gray shirt and pants. He shook out his vest, a sleevless thing of the same gray color, and black stripes ran down it vertically. "Fine! Ok, then, Skan, why don't you keep your damned smart head to yourself! I'm gone!"
Tad was still snarling as he stalked away. Skan shrugged, and answered another question correctly.
"What a dork..." Tad mumbled, packing his bags. "Fine. If he doesn't need me, he can just keep his big bloated head to himself!"
Tad threw in a few outfits, exactly like what he was wearing, and his white and blue tuxedo. Throwing in some money, Tad decided he had enough to move with. "Silv won't mind if I move in with her!" Silv, or Silvara, was Tad's wife. "I can move everything else once I'm already there."
Tad was a bit ashamed that he didn't live with Silv. But several reasons prevented him from doing so. He only met his brother months ago, despite the fact that they were both 18. When Tad was 8, he was kidnapped by a bunch of elves, and held as a slave for SIX YEARS. Because of that, Tad was a little triggerhappy towards elves, and grew up with a very violent life. Skan was right, even if Tad wouldn't admit it.
That, and the fact that Tad didn't have a good enough job to afford a house, and he didn't want to smother Silv to soon. But, now he had no where else to live. And he wouldn't mind living with the woman he loved!
Tad tapped his C-14 Cannister Rifle against his shoulder as he thought. The C-14 was a normal rifle, but had a few... 'alterations'. He end was capped with the cannister that made it so powerful, shaped like a can. If it was pulled back, one of five large cartidges was loaded into the barrel, ready to fire. The gun was a bit larger than a normal rifle to account for this, and only five cartridges can fit into the gun at a time.
"Then it's settled!" said Tad, pointing his gun to an imaginary star through the roof. "To Silv's house we-"
Tad was cut off by a gunshot, and some yelling in the main room. Skan!!
Tad flipped the gun around and tucking it into the back of his vest, stopping only to snap a pair of bracers on his forearms before dashing into the room.
"Brute..." Skan muttered. Tad was such a brainless brute. Fight, fight, fight. Was that all he was capable of?
Skan watched a bit more Jeopardy, then got tired of the stupid questions. He flipped a few channels until he was watching a Star Trek show. He wasn't sure which one, there were so MANY damned clones, no one could be show!
"Alien vessels off the port bow," said on of the crew men. Skan sighed.
"It's ALWAYS off the damned port bow! Do the makers not know any OTHER ship parts?"
"There's always the deck," said a voice from the shadows. Skan jumped to his feet, his gun instantly in his hand. He couldn't see the man-it WAS a man-who spoke, his face was hidden in the shadows.
"Who the hell are you!?" Skan snapped. "And how did you get in?"
The man laughed and stepped forward. As if on cue, several other people stepped forward, all surrounding Skan. Many carried crossbows, held so that they could NOT miss. Others carried swords, axes, magic staves, etc. One thing pointed them out to be the same. Sharply pointed ears marking them as elves.
Skan was suddenly afraid. Sweat rolled down the sides of his face. There was no way in hell could he survive this. "Who..who are you? What do you want?"
The elf man, who seemed to be the leader, laughed. "Nothing, really. Just you. Trust me, Skan, nothing more will be damaged if you don't resisit."
"An assassination?" Skan was suddenly much, much more afraid.
"No, Skan," said the elf man patiently. "A kidnapping. A ransom. You're a leader of quite a rich organization, Skan. Could get me some serious cash, you know? Oh, yes, our pet mercenary here will also be getting half of your total."
"...Pet mercenary?"
"How do you think we got it? According to him, you two are pretty well acquianted. Skan, here is Densetsu."
Densetsu stpped forth from the shadows, next to the elven leader. "Hello, Skan," he said in a deep voice.
Densetsu was a real enemy of Skan's. He was tall, only a few inches under seven feet, and broad shouldered. He wore a blue trench coat, buttoned down to the waist, then flaring openly to his ankles. His silver hair, which was tied back in a long ponytail, clashed sharply with his Mako green eyes.
Skan gasped in utter fear. Densetsu was as smart as Skan, and almost a good a fighter as Tad, with that tall bladed spear, a naginata. And after betraying the Engineer's Guild and mortally wounding Skan, Densetsu's mere name struck fear into Skan's heart. "Den...Densetsu!"
Densetsu laughed. "Don't worry, Skandranon. I was here to disengage your security, not fight you. My job is finished. You won't see me again. Well.... that is, on this issue." Densetsu pulled a green small orb from his coat pocket, a Materia. A way of using magic without training. "Escape!" he said. The materia glowed green, and Densetsu vanished.
Skan was still shaking as two elves took him by the arms and escorted him to the door. But then he realized that a dead hostage could not be worked with. He jerked himself free, pulled free his gun again, and fired directly into the face of one his attackers. The man went down, blood splattering all over Skan's hand and gun.
Before Skan could fire another shot, his gun was pried from his hands, and he was dragged outside. He started crying out, before someone hit him upside the head. Blackness filled his vision, and another smack sent Skan into unconsiouness.
No one bothered to move the body of the dead elf as they dragged Skan's limp body out the door.
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