The Shadow Of Zaun

Welcome To The Playground - Part 3

                This was the first time experiencing something like this, getting knocked out I mean. I've been told it's supposed to be instant, y'know out and and back up, at least that's what Vi said. I guess being knocked out and fainting are different. But, it took a little longer for me. After everything that had happened up there it still baffles me on how I woke up where i did, any sane person would expect themselves to be woken up in the safety of their own homes. Not this guy, no, instead I woke up in the middle of the night in the streets of Zaun. Not bottom side Zaun, This was topside, there wasn't much difference except the air was a little fresher, not by much but it was easier to breath. Plus the people here were usually a little less scummy than bottom side.

Waking up in the dark was not on Shirou's to do list, at least not for today. Definitely not by himself in the dark. I mean who leaves a kid in unconscious in the middle of the streets. Groggily standing up he looked around everything seemed as normal as things could be, from what little he could see at least. his head still hurting he looked down and noticed none of his stuff was gone. Stuffing is hands in his pockets. Everything was there. He was left in the middle of Zaun knocked out with possibly no one looking over him and he didn't get robbed. Something was wrong.

His first thought was to get back to Vander and the others. All he had to was find out where he was. Taking his fist step he almost immediately stumbled to the ground. Catching himself, standing up straight and keeping his eyes shut tight he tried to make the throbbing in his head go away, the pain was probably from when he shot face first into Clagger, but he didn't expect it to hurt this much. Sitting down was probably the better option.

After a while it had finally calmed down enough for him to begin walking again, getting up he had begin to walk down the nearest ally, walking for a short five minutes he came across a split normally a fifty, fifty option. One way would get him to where he wanted and the other wouldn't. Looking down to think, all his thoughts came to a stop as he noticed a bright grey flickering line across the floor leading down the left side of the split. Staring for a few more seconds he slowly began walking in the direction it was headed.

The trail he had reluctantly followed led him through the maze of buildings, taking barely any time at all to lead him to what looked like a broken down building. Noticing the trail would lead him into the house he stood in silence and wonder. Looking back at where he came from, and then towards where he was about to go, he looked at the door and walked through. The inside didn't look any better, faded pink paint peeling from the walls. Cracked flooring showing only a portion of what it once was. Photos hung on the wall of all shapes and sizes, some too old to even recognise. Nature growing though the walls trying to reclaim what was once it's own. At the end of it all, a sectioned off part of the room framed by metal. With it came a single chair, a flower pot and a Cupboard.

Walking over to it and looking around he noticed a cluster of the lights that had shown him the way to this place, but they were now all gathered and moving around what looked like a lever. They hadn't failed him yet so with a deep breath he took hold of the lever and pulled. Almost instantly the room began to shake and descend, a light turned on near him and the walls around him began changing, coming to a conclusion and slowly watching as the ground around him moved upwards. Looking forward he waited and waited, and waited until finally it was shown to him. One of the greatest views in the undercity, you could practically see it all.

A narrow ravine with buildings stacked up the side of the walls. All collectively giving the place it's own green hue. Hundreds upon thousands of people all walking the streets, only more showing up the closer to the bottom he got. Noticing only some of the many stares he was receiving he decided to put up his hood, not that it would do much to hide his face so he covered it in shadows using his magic, leaving two glowing grey orbs where his eyes should be. This was the true undercity of Zaun.