(Untitled)

[warrior_guy]

He had to bail on the fight. He hated running, from anything. Went against his nature on a deep and fundamental level. Guy had an overwhelming feeling of being hemmed in, of the walls of Roxy's place growing tighter, penning him in, and he left, that was it. Once back in open air, with the ring enveloping him in the usual green glow, he felt a

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[nationblackgate]

"I don't believe I've seen your face in my establishment before," a cultured voice offers. A gloved, misshapen hand is offered to Guy. "How do you do?"

The Penguin smiles down at his new guest.

[warrior_guy]

"Guy Gardener," he said, taking the hand. Lots of people were a little malformed, nothing wrong with it. Guy had been alive when the thalidomide problem had happened, after all. He shook the small man's hand heartily, giving him a tight, controlled grin that never quite reached his eyes. "Pleasedtomeetcha," came tumbling out as one word, all crammed together.

[nationblackgate]

"Please, let me get you something. Another Iron City?" He gestures to one of the waitresses, who nods and heads for the bar. "What brings you to Gotham, Mr. Gardner?"

[warrior_guy]

Guy nodded, grinning at the waitress as she brought him another beer. "Hey about a plate of wings to go with that?" He glanced up at Cobblepot. "You guys do wings here? I know it's a lounge and not a bar, but you gotta have some bar food. I run a place in New York myself. Well, not anymore, I have it run by somebody, but I stop in and oversee when I get the chance. My lady lives in Gotham, I was here to see her, and had to get out of the place...you know how it is."

[nationblackgate]

"I'm most sorry to hear that, Mr. Gardner," Penguin sighs sympathetically. "And I'm sure that we can provide some wings for you... though they may not be as good as those prepared at your establishment."

[warrior_guy]

Guy drained half of his next beer at a gulp, readjusting his seat, scooting back a little and hanging an elbow over the back of the chair. He waved off Oswald's sympathy, shaking his head, but half smiling.

"Women," he muttered, "Can't live with 'em, they drive you crazy, but you can't live without 'em either. 'S a nice place you got here, although personally, the Arctic theme don't do a lot for me. My place is a superhero bar."

[nationblackgate]

"Aaah, the esteemed 'Warriors,'" Cobblepot nods. "A most respected establishment."

[warrior_guy]

"You know my place?" Guy grinned, his ego being played to, his most obvious, biggest weakness.

[nationblackgate]

"Haven't most people?" he asks. The waitress reappears at Penguin's shoulder, and he takes the drink from her, handing it to Guy. "I've heard superheroes are regularly present there."

[warrior_guy]

Guy grinned, nodding his head enthusiastically, taking the beer, and not bothering to pour it into the frosty stein. He drank straight from the bottle. "It don't hurt to have a few connections. You gotta know how that is."

[nationblackgate]

"Aaah, you know superheroes, then?" Penguin asks. "Most advantageous! I imagine that does provide something of a free security force. I have to..."

In the distance, coming from several directions at once, they hear deep booms as the bridges and tunnels leading from Gotham all collapse at the same time.

Cobblepot looks up, concerned. "What was that?"

[warrior_guy]

The sound of the tunnels reached them before the aftershock of the explosion, which made the building rumble slightly. Guy stood quickly, his ring throwing a spark as Guy ordered it, with a thought, to reach out and determine the location of the closest explosion

"Sounded like something blew. Bridge, maybe. We'll be hearing sirens any second..."

...and there they are.

[nationblackgate]

"Oh dear," Penguin mutters. "This could be a problem."

Throughout the Lounge, many of the patrons are growing increasingly nervous and antsy, but Cobblepot glances to the head hostess.

There will be no security issues in here tonight.

[warrior_guy]

Guy tried to take a step, and a wave of dizziness hit him. He grunted, his stomach suddenly a roiling mess; he felt as if he'd just stepped onto the bow of a ship for the first time.

"Ah...hell," he groaned, looking to the beers on the table, confused. He was feeling like he'd had a case instead of just a few.

"What...what the hell..."

[nationblackgate]

"Oh, dear." Cobblepot gestures, and two attractive women move to help support Guy. "It appears our friend has had too much to drink. Help me move him to my office to rest."

[warrior_guy]

Guy can't focus as the two girls duck under his arms, and lever him up off the floor. He rests weakly against them, stumbling along as they lead him to Cobblepot's office. His heart is triple-timing in his chest. He looks to the ring, trying to fight past the confusion, past the flutter of his over-taxed heart.

Guy feels fear, reaching to clutch at his chest, and it confuses the issue further, the ring impotently sparking.