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Thunfish · 06-03-2019, 09:38 PM

The Saloon
The aftermath of Game 7 against the Militia
03:35 AM

What was once a booming locker room, still celebrating the win after taking a trip nearby the Saloon where they made sure the city of Anaheim could get a good look at the Four Star Cup was, by now, losing a bit of energy. Some had taken to sleeping at the locker room as is, the most notable being a certain noted couple, Collin Gibbles and Anna Kendrick, laying near each other over a bench with their heads touching, by that point deep asleep. The after-match party featured mostly the roster and their loved ones, which also meant that Yoshimitsu's expansive list of sisters had found their way to the buffet and by now they seemed to be mostly invested at what their brother was doing. McCloud was doing exactly what you'd think he'd be doing...

[Image: D4A56BAD8DDDFA15295D3D7E83218877FEAF9E03]

...once it was revealed that the team's GM had sprung up for an XBOX 360. Yoshimitsu McCloud had eyed out the machine, even ignoring his self-proclaimed agent Omelette Robotnik (who chose to dress in a rather provocative way for some reason that he couldn't really get since he was too busy with the game), who by now was puffing her cheeks, angry that she was still being ignored.
Mathias Seger: McCloud, when are you gonna be over with that?
One of the sisters, Mizutimaru, peeked up from a bowl of ice cream. He couldn't see it, but he could tell that she was raising an eyebrow.
MS: Not you, the other McCloud.
Before any other McCloud could interject, he quickly added.
MS: The McCloud that plays hockey with us!
Yoshimitsu remained focused at the screen.
Yoshimitsu McCloud: I don't know, Seger... I think once someone beats me.
Max Rockatansky: Dunno why you're complaining, isn't that your profile?
MS: That... is my profile, yes. What the hell are you doing with my profile, McCloud?
The Irish Ninja (who plays hockey) shrugged slightly, still playing.
Kunimitsu McCloud: I guess you did arrange for this game console object with your swiss gold!
MS: The Swiss don't have... ugh, when did you start to pick up the habit from your brother?
MR: You're missing the point, Seger. Considering he's getting all those wins, you'll probably have an awesome record once he's done, right?
MS: But I don't play Tekken 6!
KmC: A good opportunity for you to start!
Takimitsu McCloud: Yes, indeed. This should be a good hobby for you instead of counting your swiss gold.
MS: Will you McCloud pack can it? I'm not rich!
Martijn Westbroek: Suzre. And I'm totally onot wasted right now.
Lallo Selman: Goodness gracious, what did you drink?
MW: I had ua lot cof beerk, blema tjhe latvixan guy.
MS: Dzelme challenged him to see if he could drink him under the table.
A laid down Dzelme signalled that he had been drunken through the table, but the semantics didn't seem to bother the Dutch star.
MW: Is mcclokud still fplaying thta dammn vrideo-game?
Yoshimitsu nodded.
YmC: You might want to lay off the beer for a while, Westbroek. You reek of sake.
MW: So ethat waxs sakqe? Htasted ja bit ofkf baut I gotcha...
MS: I thought that our GM stopped letting your family handle celebrations since the shibusen disaster.
KmC: You're thinking of shibasen, sir. And it was Omelette that suggested we spring for Japanese food.
Omelette pouted.
Omelette Robotnik: I thought that bringing Japanese food would spring Yoshi's romantic side...
Eyebrows rose instantly.
MR: Uh... who are you again?
OR: I'm the greatest agent-
LS: It's McCloud's groupie. She's harmless, so he lets her be.
OR: A groupie? What an insult-
Noah Tedla: Ah, so that's who the girl is!
OR: Are you out of your mind, you rook-
Chuck Goody III: I thought it was Connolly's sister.
OR: What?
Nick Connolly: Oi! We don't look alike at all!
OR: Yeah, it'd be his dream to look as good as-
CG3: You sure she's not your sister?
NC: Look, man, I know we're all a bit wasted but I know my sister and this isn't her.
NT: Then why's she here?
OR: I'm Yoshi's agent-
LS: It's McCloud's groupie-
Omelette groaned.
OR: Will you stop interrupting me? Like I said in the past, I'm McCloud's agent-
Mizutimaru looked up.
OR: The ice hockey player!
She gave a thumbs up, returning to the ice cream bowl.
OR: As I was saying, I'm here as his agent, since he hasn't improved to the level of the veterans that this team had the advantage of having.
LS: I'd say we nipped that right on the bud.
MR: Yeah, Four Star Champs. Not a bad look on the resumée.
OR: So, in order to help him improve, I'll-
The door opened, a smiling Slap McShotty walking through, carrying two boxes filled with beer cans.
Slap McShotty: Hodor!
The rest of the team, the ones that were still awake, replied with a proud Hodor cry.
SMS: So, you guys, the bar nearby sent these as a gift since we won the Cup and... Jesus, he's still playing?
MR: You say it like that's a bad thing.
MS: Well, he could be enjoying the party like the rest of us.
MW: Mmhe cyould jbe doing the gjroupie there.
OR: I'm not a groupie!
SMS: You understood that?
OR: I speak drunk English, my uncle was a bit of a drunkard at times.
NC: Pretty effective skill for a grou-
Omelette walked towards them, angry. He did a bit of a gulp.
NC: I mean... agent.
OR: Good.
She sat by Yoshimitsu's side, giving a triumphant grunt.
MS: Well, how far are you in this whole thing, McCloud?
YmC: Eh, check it by yourself.

[Image: C74E3134AAD364C29866E0469E286CB4DF65E7AD]

MS: FIFTY-ONE!?
The ninja nodded.
YmC: You say it like that's a bad thing.
MS: OK, that's enough, McCloud. I've tolerated your weirdness for far too long. I'll be leaving this team next season, my major team is promoting me and I demand, as a goodbye gift, that you behave like a proper hockey player.
The rest of the locker room remained silent, impressed.
McCloud sighed.
He placed his hands around his helmet.
The Irish Ninja took off his helmet.
They finally got to see what was underneath that helmet. Shaggy black hair, scars on most of his face, including a bad looking one near his left eye and two that made a cross on his right cheek. He had brown pupils and his skin looked slightly pale, a result of being hidden under so much stuff.
And then he cried.
YmC: ...The normal hockey player will miss you all. Let me be weird, it hurts less.
MS: ...I didn't know.
YmC: It's fine. I'll forgive you if you share with me some Swiss gold.
Seger shook his head, facepalming but with a slight smile on his face.
The rest of the team laughed a bit. For a second there, it seemed like McCloud was a wreck, a sad person, something not very fitting of the happy-go-lucky ninja they were all used to.
Yoshimitsu took a sip from one of the beer cans. Behind him, the screen of the television flashed a "You Win!" message.
MS: ...Did you just beat another scrub?
YmC: Have some respect, that was an online user and possible fan I just beat.
MR: But you weren't looking at the screen!
YmC: An ancient ninja secret.
MS: McCloud!
The Swiss shook his closed fist at his direction.
Some things never changed.
McCloud was still weird.

As the sky started to brighten again, the Outlaws scattered, all towards their own way.
Most of the players were off via Uber, the McClouds had ninja'd their way to take Westbroek back to his place.
Omelette made sure to place some bedsheets that the team had hanging around the Saloon for some reason over Gibbles and Kendrick, under the suggestion of Yoshi, who for once seemed to be acting like a mature person.
Finally, there were just the McClouds, their thoughts all over the place.
Ninjas didn't need the sleep that much, although Mizutimaru was already considering the path to a comfy bed back at their apartment.
The self-proclaimed agent tried to keep up with them, but she was tired.
The night had been weird for her. She felt fine now, knowing that even though her ideas to improve Yoshimitsu never seemed to work the way she intended, that he was still a human underneath all that armour and helmet.
As she finished to pick up the last flipped cans, hoping to make the locker room look presentable once the soon-to-be-married couple wakes up from their slumber, she heard someone calling for her.
YmC: Yo, Omelette!
She blinked, smiling once she could see him.
He still had his helmet off, a decision he made with full knowledge of the repercussions.
But for once in a lifetime, he was fine with people seeing his face.
That's how good the Outlaws were for him.
YmC: We're going home. Mizutimaru needs some sleep, she's still in her growth days.
OR: It's fine... Guess we'll see each other tomorrow then, right? I have some ideas on what you could do for the next media inquiry and...
YmC: ...You work really hard, you know that, right?
OR: ...Do you mean it?
YmC: Yeah, I do. I mean... I might not be the best guy to use your suggestions, but I do appreciate them. I appreciate the help everyone gives me.
She looked to the floor for a second. She felt dejected to some extent. Everyone?
But soon enough, she noticed his hand. His human hand.
Not the skeleton that she was used to seeing whenever he was on his way to a game.
It was some weird ninja stuff, I'll tell you that much.
YmC: You said something about living in a lonely, tiny place.
OR: Anything to get out of mom, dad and uncle's radar, you know.
YmC: Well... if you want... You can stay with us.
Omelette blinked. She knew things weren't going pretty well with her landlord (hell, he had been considering kicking her off due to her troubles with paying the rent at the right time), but she didn't expect him to make an offer.
YmC: I mean... unless you want to go to your place but night time is dangerous around here and...
OR: You reckon I should stay with an Outlaw?
YmC: Well... my sisters said it'd be good to have you sleep with us and... I would like to pay you up somehow for your help.
She kissed his wounded cheek, yawning afterwards.
OR: Yeah... let's go.
The agent left, while a blushing McCloud recollected his thoughts.
He wore his helmet again, nodding before leaving the locker room.
The wheels of fate started to turn.

Quote:1971 words

~~PenKnight~~ · 06-03-2019, 11:26 PM

I liked the style of this article/story!
I really like the word count!
Hope you get double credit for this!!
Enjoy the Cup... You deserve it!

Segi · 06-04-2019, 01:24 AM

This might be your best article so far. Keep it up!

Thunfish · 06-04-2019, 05:04 AM

06-04-2019, 01:24 AMSegi Wrote: This might be your best article so far. Keep it up!

Keeping up is gonna be hard, to be honest. I was just inspired, things mostly written themselves.

Except the screenshots, had those laying around for a bit. Thanks, btw.