Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 52: Bar Fight

Original Post Date: Apr 11, 2024

Note: Story starts in Wyvern, Aerial ABC backwards filter and has a Prologue. Last chapter in Liopleurodon, next chapter in Megachelon.

~

As Warren’s car delved deeper downtown into the clutches of Star City, he saw the sun slowly dipping down over the horizon, casting rays of shades of red and orange all across the sky. Everything blended together like some sort of painting canvas.

It was a particularly busy day in Downtown Star City. Cars were honking at each other, and the roads were absolutely packed. Warren anxiously tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, spotting Sam’s police cruiser racing by the traffic. Cars swerved out of the way for the cruiser. Warren sighed.

“Would be pretty nice if I was with her,” Warren said. Warren shook his head in disbelief, “What did I just say?!”

It wasn’t long before they made it to a shabby looking bar. The sign posted on top was buzzing with promises for Happy Hours every Friday from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Some of the lights didn’t seem to be working, and as Warren stepped outside his car he could hear the sounds of yelling, profanity, and glass smashing. Sam stepped outside her own car, her boots clacking across the pavement. Warren looked at Sam, who looked back at Warren.

“Quite the bar fight going on here, huh?” Sam said with a tone of sarcasm.

“Yeah. We just going to arrest everyone or what?” Warren said.

“‘We’? Psh, no, I will, but you’re staying back,” Sam answered, pointing over her shoulder.

“What? Why?”

“If harm comes your way, my boss won’t be so happy. And neither will yours, so don’t try anything fishy and just stay behind me.”

Sam reached for her holster and pulled out a handgun. Warren eyed it carefully.

“Hey you sure you’re allowed to use that-”

“I’m not actually going to shoot anyone, don’t worry.”

Warren sighed, and the two stepped into the bar. It reeked of alcohol and must. Despite being in such an exquisite, expensive city, Warren could recognize the smell of cheap, poorly made beer and contaminated wine.

“Someone probably got drunk and started going haywire,” Warren deduced. Broken wooden stools and shrapnel littered the bar, and he could see shards of glass on the ground. Warren reminded himself to watch his step.

But the big attraction was the crowd of people who were going at each other. Some lay unconscious on the ground, others were still brawling with one another. What stools remained were being thrown around, bottles were being smashed on others’ heads, and some just settled with their fists and legs.

One man caught Warren’s eyes though. A big, burly, bald man with big muscles and tattoos seemed to be really kicking everyone’s butts. One rushed at him, and he just slammed his giant fist into their nose, causing them to bounce back and collapse. A rabid homeless woman tried to bite his neck, and after she chomped, he let out a yelp of pain and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her right off and throwing her to the side.

Sam aimed her gun at the fight and screamed at the top of her lungs,

“FREEZE! ALL OF YOU, NOW!”

The crowd all turned to her in dismay and disbelief. The tattooed man was now in the middle of performing an Indian burn to a helpless bartender.

Warren heard loud footsteps approaching them from the back, and he turned around to see a random guy rushing right at them with his fist pinned in the air.

“Sam, watch out!”

Sam whipped around as fast as she could, but the man bounced forward and slammed his fist right into her jaw. Sam let out a cry of pain, firing the gun at the air before dropping it and collapsing to the ground. Warren stared at the man, his eyes boiling with anger.

The man turned to Warren with a smile.

“I saved you! Uh, why do you look so mad-”

Warren moved his arm back, and then afterwards gave him a slap to his face so powerful that his face began to jiggle like jelly. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he was launched away, tumbling like a ball to the tattooed man. The tattooed man looked down at the unconscious guy, and then at Warren.

The tattooed man let go of the bartender, and the bartender quickly ran away. The tattooed man pointed a crooked finger at Warren.

“GET HIM!”

“YAGHHHHH!” the crowd shouted as they began to rush at Warren.

Warren grimaced, and took his suit jacket off, throwing it to the floor. He readied his fists, and slammed his boot into the ground. Warren made a dash forward…

A guy with a tank top and beer stains all over his blue jeans let out a nasty burp, lunging forward at Warren’s head. Warren dived to the ground, and the weirdo went flying, smashing his head against the floor and letting out a cry of anguish. Warren spotted a broken beer bottle on the ground and snatched it up, his eyes darting around quickly. Three people were rushing at him from all sides, each one carrying a dangerous weapon.

“Take this you fiend!” the one to Warren’s left barked at him. He was carrying a stool and was wearing a green t-shirt and brown cargo pants. He put the stool up in the air and was about to smash Warren overhead, but as he smashed the stool down, Warren shot up into the air and kicked him in the stomach. He dropped the stool as a stream of spit flew out and hit the guy to Warren’s right, who let out a disgusted squeal, flailing his arms around wildly. Warren spun around and smashed the stool into the orange hooded man. The guy in front of him and a face as red as a tomato and wet black hair. Warren headbutted the man’s nose, causing blood to spill out onto the floor.

The three guys collapsed to the floor, leaving Warren slightly breathless. He noticed that most of the crowd was starting to flee the scene. Warren smirked at the sight.

Suddenly someone grabbed at his dress shirt, and Warren turned to see the bum. She let out a growl that sounded like a dinosaur, and began to spout some sort of gibberish at him. Warren squinted his eyes in confusion, pulling away from her. Warren poked at her eyes, and she let out a “YOUCH!” backing off and rubbing her eyes. She bumped her head on the wall, before finally facing her defeat.

Warren looked around the place and realized that the tattooed man had disappeared.

“Didn’t think some muscle monster like him would just flee,” Warren said. Just then, he heard the sound of a gun being reloaded, and footsteps approaching from behind.

“Uhh, Sam?”

No response.

Warren gulped. He could see a large shadow on the ground under the lightbulb creep up behind him.

“He’s right behind me isn’t he.”

“Hands up, bro,” a cruel voice snarled. It sure did sound like a tattooed man. Warren slowly put his hands up.

“Now, what’s your name, bro?”

“Warren. Warren Justice.”

“Warren Justice… Well, bro, I must say you’ve got quite the fighting spirit in you. Now, I need you to walk over there. To that table over there… and don’t even think about running. I went to the shooting range every weekend with my boy.”

Warren slowly walked forward to a table in the middle of the chaos. As he reached it, he heard the clack of a gun hitting the ground. Warren turned around to see that the tattooed man had dropped the gun to the ground. He was cracking his knuckles.

“Pleasure to meet you bro!” the man said, pointing at the ceiling, “Name’s Jack. BIG Jack. And I can sense your undying determination, bro. And your strength. I want to fight you fair and square, right here right now!”

Big Jack sighed, and then looked at Warren with a frown.

“I know your name isn’t really Warren. You fight too well to be a Warren. You MUST have a true name, like me, Big Jack. So tell me now. What’s your true name?”

“No need to drag this out. It’s Warren.”

“NO. That’s not your real name,” Big Jack declared. Warren facepalmed, deciding to play along.

“Fine. You got me. My true name…”

Warren readied into a fighting stance.

“Is The Judge!”

Big Jack let out a big laugh and got into a fighting stance.

“Well, JUDGE! Our battle will be legendary!”

Big Jack let out a battle cry and rushed at Warren. Warren rushed forward as well, and as Big Jack tried to punch at Warren, Warren quickly weaved out of the way. Warren jumped and spun in the air, aiming his legs to kick at Big Jack’s face. Big Jack’s eyes pierced Warren’s, and he grinned. Big Jack instantly turned and grabbed Warren’s leg.

Warren let out a gasp, and Big Jack pulled him forward by the leg and headbutt him right in the chin! Warren let out a groan, but quickly recovered and gave him an elbow to the cheek in retaliation. Big Jack let out a roar of rage, letting go of Warren. Warren backed off, clenching his other fist, he ran up and whacked him right in the face.

POW!

Big Jack let out a yell of shock, as he reached his hand out to rub his jaw.

“Heh, you’re good at this. But, now it’s time for me to show you why they call me BIG JACK!”

Big Jack reached for his shirt and tore it right off his body. His true form was revealed in all of its glory.

“Behold! GIGA JACK!”

Warren looked behind Giga Jack to see Sam slowly walking up to him with a taser. He pointed it at Giga Jack, and after pulling the trigger, two barbs shot out of the barrel and pierced his skin. He let out a yell, before collapsing to the ground, his arms numb.

“Alright buddy, show time’s over,” Sam said, taking her handcuffs out and slapping them on Giga Jack’s wrists. Giga Jack groaned some more, and then Sam pulled him up on his feet. Multiple police officers and paramedics began to rush into the scene. Civilians who had been incapacitated during the bar fight were taken out on stretchers. The scene was being cleared away.

Sam began to glare at Warren, crossing her arms and giving Warren a mean look. She had a bandaid on her face now.

“Why did it take you so long to clear out the situation?” Sam asked, spit flying out her mouth.

“Wha- What do you mean?” Warren gloomily said, his face dropping, “Are you saying you just left after a little while…”

“Uh, yeah, how else would I fix my face up? That damn alcoholic. So, where’s my thanks for saving your butt from ‘Giga Jack’?” Sam said with a playful smirk. Warren gave Sam a soft smile back.

“Thanks, Sam… But you know I saved you first.”

Sam scrunched her face up and turned away.

“Well uh, yeah, I guess, but uhm, that doesn’t matter!” Sam protested, “But, thanks, I guess!”

Sam began to hurriedly walk away.

“Uh, see you later!”

Sam turned around and Warren waved goodbye to her unknowingly. Warren smiled a little bit, but then his smile faded away. He looked at the chaos around him.

“Man, I could've really gone for a drink.”

Warren kicked a stool to the side and walked outside into the fresh city air. The cars weren’t honking as much anymore, and most of the lights in the city were beginning to turn off. Up in the sky, one star seemed to shine brighter than all the others, shining red, blue and green.

It was a pretty nice sight, but Warren had a weird feeling about this star.