Roval Arms

[Terrador Bellator]

The pain became unbearable as Terra followed the sand cat upstairs. This increased as he neared the door where the music was originating from. He managed to keep his cool as he approached the door, planning on casually knocking on the door and calmly ask for the music to be turned down. However, as that deafining scream filled his ears his fists began pounding away, completey oblivious he would cuase severe damage. Cracks began to form in the door and it wouldn't be long before the thing would be reduced to nothing if the music didn't stop.

"Do you mind keeping it down?!" he bellowed.

[Giichi Twinkieland]

As the door started getting hammered, the music, mercifully, came to a halt. Giichi couldn't believe how blissful the silence was, now that it had come back. He stopped for a minute just to bask in it.

Meanwhile, shouts could be heard replacing the music.

"Ah man! What the hell?! Who's out there?!"

"I think it may be a burglar! Be careful!"

Someone tiptoed to the door and peeked in the hole, between the poundings. The door didn't open though. Apparently whoever was inside was afraid Terra was hostile and didn't want to let him in.

"I mind you beating down my door down a lot more than keeping it quiet! Who are you? You don't live here!"

[Terrador Bellator]

As soon as the voices were heard, Terra's rage simmered down almost instantly. His body froze and he donned an expression of foolishness. His hands dangled at his sides as he stared at the many cracks in the door.

"My deepest apologies. I don't know what came over me." He replied feeling a bit ashamed his outburst of anger. "My name is Terra and despite what just happened I mean no harm. My freind and I are just taking a tour of the place." He continued

[Giichi Twinkieland]

At Terra's words, the apartment door opened.

If the two visitors thought that the dog lady's clothing choice was weird, they'd probably be flabbergasted at the sight greeting them now. Despite none of the people in the band being echidna, they all dressed in tribal echidna gear, with a touch of rock and roll clothes too. It made for a very bizarre mix. Some had leather, boots, and sunglasses in addition to the head pieces, grass skirts, and tribal markings.

Again, Giichi's head tilted slightly to the side in confusion at the sight. Was it required that you dress echidna to live in this place? If it were a museum he could understand, but tenants?

The one who'd answered the door, a hare, stepped forward with a slight frown.

"You're just...taking a tour? When does taking a tour include beating someone's apartment door down? I think we need to bring this up with the manager."

"Hey hey Jack! Not so fast!" a cat lady stepped forward, smiling. "Maybe they can listen to our song and give a critique! We got that talent agent coming later today, you know."

Jack blinked a few times, considering the idea. After a bit, he nodded in agreement.

"Okay, sounds fair. Would you guys like to come in? Our band name is Shout, by the way."

Giichi thought about protesting, but Dog Lady downstairs probably would give them an earful and make them pay for the door's damage otherwise.

Not to mention I'd get thrown out before I could find that thing I was looking for...

He hesitantly nodded in agreement to Jack's offer, and slightly tugged on Terra for him to follow.

The group stepped aside to show them into the apartment. Similar to the outside halls, it had stone walls in addition to echidna statues and wall paintings here and there. The statues, however, looked like they were used by the band as clothes hangars. And the apartment overall looked rather trashy from so many people living there. The center of the apartment held a full band's instruments, with guitars and a full drum kit. Old pizza boxes, dirty clothes, and dusty, stained furniture lined the walls. Jack gestured them to sit in two ratty old chairs off to the side.

Frowning and shaking his head, Giichi took a seat. They sounded terrible from what he'd heard in the hall, but at least he'd stay out of trouble long enough to do what he came to do here.

[Terrador Bellator]

Terra's look of shame rapidly shifted to utter confusement at first sight of the two. At the band's proposition he prepared hinself to head off, regardless of the inevitable consequences. If their music sounded that horrible with most of the sound blocked out by the door, he didn't even want to begin to think how bad it would sound up close. However, with Giichi's light tug he relunctuntly stepped in. His confusion changed to disgust as he did so. Not wanting to be rude, he concealed his current expression with his usual stern one.

"Thanks, but I prefer to stand, if you don't mind." He replied with a feeble smile. He then prepared himself for one hell of a torture.

[Giichi Twinkieland]

Before they started playing, Giichi lent a sympathetic look to Terra. He quietly spoke as the band was testing their instruments and getting set up for another session.

"Hey, I don't want to do this either, but I don't want to get in trouble with the manager. Just one song and we'll go, OK?"

"All right! You guys ready?!"

Giichi turned around, faking a smile and steeling himself for the audiotorial assault to come. Jack looked at them expectantly as he held the microphone in his hand. The hare nodded a few times expectantly, waiting for them to respond. Giichi hesitantly returned the nod. With a wide grin, Jack whirled around to face the drummer in back. As he shouted, the drummer hit his sticks together with the countdown.

"OK! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

The guitars now joined in earnest, belting out music that was far, far too loud for this little apartment. For dear life, Giichi tried to maintain that smile and not cover his ears. Instead he squinted extremely hard and tried not to yell for them to stop. They now heard the lyrics they'd just heard a moment before.


"Seen your face in a movie....and I'm crying at the moon! And I call that tunnel vision! And I'm strapped in for the truth! And I call that tunnel vision! Yeah switch to tunnel vision! AAIIIIIIIIIIAAAAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

Giichi's eyes squinted so hard that they were more shut than open at this point.

And then...a miracle intervened. A box on the wall, probably the power box, exploded. Apparently it just couldn't take the power load of all the electric instruments. A shower of sparks belted the band, as they shouted and jumped back.

"Thank you very much, whatever higher power that was..."

Giichi just breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow, as the band ran around willy nilly not really sure what to do now that they'd blown the box.

[Terrador Bellator]

"You don't have to tell me twice." He quietly replied keeping his eyes on the band. This would probably be the worst kind of torture he would ever endure. He to faked a smile and nodded for them to proceed. Seconds after his eardrums felt as if they were in the middle of a massive thunderstorm. He fought with all his might to retain his smile. As the lyrics emerged is pain increased tenfold. He began losing control of himself and was on the verge of a violent outburst. His liower lip and his eyelids quivered and sweat tickled his forehead. This was punishment enough for narly breaking down their door. He let in a huge gasp of air he was planning on letting the band have it. Liberation came at long last as the box blew out. He exahled deeply and thanked whatever force brought upon that event.

"What happened?" He asked playing dumb, acting as if he wanted an encore.

[Giichi Twinkieland]

"Ah man! The power box blew out!" Jack ran over, quickly slipping on some rubber gloves as he frantically unplugged wires out of the junction box. Meanwhile, the cat girl stepped forward to talk to them.

"Sorry about that...but we'll be fine. I'm Irene, by the way. Anyway," she brushed some hair out of her face, giving a little sigh. "This happens all the time. The only reason we haven't been thrown out yet is because Lizzy downstairs is desperate to find renters."

She scoffed at that, and Giichi figured he knew why.

"For someone who claims to care about protecting her grandfather's legacy, she sure isn't pushing herself too hard."

"Lizzy...that person reading the magazine downstairs?"

Irene chuckled a little.

"So you met her. And you know what she does for 90% of her working day. The other 10% is scaring off people who might want to rent but can't stand her attitude. Her grandfather built this mansion, and until he died she more or less lived in the lap of luxury. It's why she acts the way she does. She still thinks her family had the prestige it did when Mr. Adam was still alive."

[Terrador Bellator]

Terra watched the sand cat mingle with the members of the band. He himself wasn't exactly social so he simply sat back amd listened. Despite their horrid music they seemed like nice people, plus he had a similar perspective on the dog lady now known as Lizzie. Still, he wanted to get out of here and explore this place a bit more.

"We hate to make this breif, but I beleive my friend and I must head off. Good luck with the band, there is definatly potential within your skills." He said leaning against the wall closest to the front door.

[Giichi Twinkieland]

Giichi looked over towards where Terra was near the door and listened. He wanted to chat some more, but Terra had cooperated in keeping him out of the trouble. He figured he owed the guy. So, standing up, he shook Irene's hand.

"Thank you for your time."

Giichi tried to pull away, but Irene held tight. Raising an eyebrow, he looked her in the eye. She looked back at him sternly.

"Critique?"

"Oh..." Giichi went silent for a moment, wondering how he could put this kindly. "Well...I know Shout's your name...but you don't need to have Jack doing that all the time. It's pretty annoying. His singing voice is okay though, let him use that more. But do get some lyrics that make sense. I honestly had no idea what that song was supposed to be about."

Irene looked disappointed, and not a little afraid. "I hope the talent agent's not like that... We really need to get a record deal soon, or at least get a club to let us to play for them. Lizzy's bent a lot for us, but she won't bend on our rent. It's the only reason we're still here." As she released the handshake, she rubbed more hair out of her face, looking rather worried.

"Sorry..." Giichi softly mumbled. "Anyway, I must be going now. Bye." Quickly, the sand cat walked out into the hallway. Once Terra would exit, he would shut the door behind them.

"Jeez...I wonder who else would live in a place like this if they've got a full band."