Chapter 16: Gun Show

A dwarf seated at a lounge table playing some card game looked over at Peace. He was the first to notice the odious elf’s presence.

"What the..."

A ripple of reaction passed through the room, spreading from one person to the next...

Sadly for Peace, there was one big difference between the everyday people on the street and the battle-hardened Divers: most seasoned Divers’ first instinct wasn’t to scream in fear and confusion but instead to equip themselves for battle.

Within a fraction of a second, nearly half of the people in the room had drawn their weapons, while others were trying to pry theirs out of whatever subspace items held them.

It was the start of an awkward standoff...

Peace instinctively raised his hands, one with an open palm and the other holding up his ID.

’Seriously...’

Thankfully, nobody attacked the defenseless Night Elf, but...

’This is truly messed up.’

All around the room stood people of various races... including some of his own. Two other Night Elves were present, but sadly, even they either held blades or stared at him in terror.

’So, I’m scorned by my own as well?’

How harsh and unforgiving.

Worse, the looks in their eyes were much more ardent, more venomous, more... vindictive than those of any of the others.

Suddenly, a huge crash sounded from behind Peace, accompanied by a rush of wind.

A booming yet awkwardly deep, childish voice called out:

"Hi friend. You’re in my way."

Peace turned and stared upward, dumbfounded.

A Giant had just barged in, wearing only leather trousers and a sash that secured an axe to his back. His shaggy brown hair was matted and tied back, with specks of peach fuzz forming on his face.

His hulking figure towered over the petrified Night Elf.

Peace hesitated and then replied:

"Oh, uh. Sorry."

It wasn’t the first Giant he’d seen, but it was definitely the closest he’d ever been to one.

The Giant’s serious face instantly broke into a boundless smile.

"It’s okay, friend! Mistakes happen!!"

’Huh?’

The Giant scooted around Peace, then looked toward the crowd that had formed, everyone still staring at Peace. He stopped and cocked his head to the side.

Then, as if having a eureka moment, he slapped his fist into his open palm.

"Oh...? You’re all impressed by my muscles!"

The Giant began to flex, striking different poses.

The dwarf whose reaction had started this whole shebang sighed and stood up.

"Muscles, kid? What do you know about muscles?"

The dwarf leaped to his feet and ripped off his shirt, revealing his burly, hairy body. He, too, started flexing as if challenging the young Giant.

As he did, he addressed the crowd:

"I’ve heard rumors of the one over there... he only looks like them; he’s not one of them. I was just surprised when I saw him, is all." The dwarf began twisting his torso and held his arms together behind his back, groaning as he did. "But more importantly... let me show you some real muscle, kid."

Veins bulged across the dwarf’s body, almost pulsing.

The young Giant looked down at the dwarf, then, without a word, struck another pose. He raised one arm to the sky with two fingers curled and three outstretched, while he upturned his other arm and flexed his bicep.

The tension in the crowd immediately crumbled as other Giants, who didn’t know how to read the room, began to strip down and join the battle of bulk. Dwarves, beastpeople, elves, and some humans then joined in. Soon, most of the tension had vanished, replaced by shirtless men engaged in an orgy of flexing.

Of course, almost everyone was still watching Peace intently, but they had sheathed their weapons and hidden their malice behind laughter.

Although, even if the resentment was misplaced, if they had grudge against him it was something they’d settle within the Dungeon, not the streets.

Peace sighed and walked over to an open teller window. Behind it sat a young girl with long, black hair, who looked as though she wanted to cry at the very sight of him...

***

The process took a while, but Peace eventually accomplished everything he had set out to do. He opened an account and registered as a Diver under the codename ’Peace.’ This wasn’t to hide his name, as Pax would still be listed in whatever database they used. Some Divers registered under codenames or nicknames for various reasons, usually for the same reason military personnel used callsigns.

But his personal goal was to leave a trail behind for his sister to follow. If he couldn’t find her, hopefully, she would find him. After all, there probably wasn’t another Pax who went by Peace.

’Gods, demons, whatever’s above... I hope she’s here...’

’She better be here.’

Peace clung to his selfish desire and treasured it, as though the tighter he held it, the more concrete his wish would become.

As for everything he had done through the Diver’s Guild...

He obviously couldn’t do it all for free.

There was a membership fee, as well as a fee for the tag. He needed a bag as well. So, much to his chagrin, Peace immediately took out a small loan to cover both.

He was now officially in debt!

A whole two silver and ten copper coins in debt!

The interest rate was quite high, so it would be in his best interest to pay it back as soon as possible.

Hopefully, he would live long enough to do so...

Still, he was thankful they had allowed him to take out a loan at all, given that he had no credit with the guild and that, by all appearances of his outfit and posture, the Dungeon would chew him up and spit him out in record time.

Sighing, Peace spent the rest of his time in the corner of the Guild’s hall, studying the others as they studied him. Then, when the time came and the group began flooding out toward the precinct’s central plaza, he followed.

As he walked, he looked up at the clock tower presiding over it all, a red ribbon now hanging from its heights.

’I can’t even see the well through all these people.’

The clock struck 4:00 in the afternoon, and a whizzing sound filled the crowded plaza of the Ophiuchus District’s 7th Precinct.