(Sci Fi Showdown 6.0 Round One - SteamPunk FairyTales - Jack the Giant Killer)
Jack the GIA-NT Killer (pronounced jahy-uh nt)
"Let's have another round for the hero!" Shouted the thick bearded bartender, and the entire room erupted with cheers.
"No, no, no," Jack replied, grabbing his hat off a dirty bar stool. "I really mustn't. You all have been more than kind to me and I don't want to outstay my welcome..."
"Nonsense laddy," said a random, foul-smelling drunkard, clapping Jack on the shoulder and shoving a mug of warm beer into his hand. "You deserve it me boy! Where would England be if it weren't for you? It's an honor to accommodate a Knight of the Round Table - by the grace of Providence, take a drink mate, on me."
"Well...the code of chivalry doesn't look kindly upon accepting free drinks...but if you feel so strongly, it would be rude of me to refuse..." Jack replied, a thin grin stretching his lips. He took the beer from the man's hands, stood to his feet, and lifted his mug in air..
"Let's have a drink!" He shouted "Long live the King!"
"Long live the King!"
Jack brought the glass to his lips and drank deeply, downing its entire contents in a single go. At that his bar mates cheered again and the piano player in the corner broke into a frolicking jig tune. People got up and danced and cheered and a drunk old man started to sing. Jack gazed around at his friends, feeling better than he had in a long time.
He loved being in places like this; he loved being amongst the "commoners" and spending time with his people. All of the pomp and circumstance of the palace - the elaborate airships, the frilled corsets and pleated suit jackets - could only be withstood for so long, and every once and awhile he needed a bit of time to wind down and truly enjoy himself. The bar was dirty, the people stank, the beer was disgusting, but it was only here that he truly felt himself; only here that he could truly be at ease.
Places like these were where he truly felt at home.
"Tell us another story, Jack old boy! Tell us about how you destroyed one the Big 'Uns."
"Eh..., well I wouldn't want to bore anyone..."
"Nonsense Jack me boy, you're too humble," said Eunich, the broad-bellied bartender. "Did you men know that Jack here singlehandedly destroyed the Cormoran GIA-NTs? They were the latest model - 6.0s -and he killed three of them all by his lonesome."
"Is that true Jack?" said a young boy, tugging at Jack's trouser leg. "Is it true you killed the Cormorans? Why, they're fifteen feet tall!"
"Weeell," Jack said, leaning back on his stool and resting his elbow on the bar table, "part of that isn't true. The Cormorans were not fifteen feet tall."
"They weren't Jack?"
"No lad. By my estimation, the Cormorans were more along the likes twenty-two feet tall."
The patrons gasped.
"Truly Jack?" Asked the boy.
"Ay laddy, twenty-two feet tall at the very least. The Cormorans were particularly nasty buggers. They were gigantic machines, built to look like a man but much taller and wider. They had chain guns built into their arms, flamethrowers on their shoulders, and pistols in their trousers!"
"My God Jack, pistols in their trousers?"
Jack nodded, grabbed another beer from the bartender and took a small sip. The heavy breathing patrons all leaned forward and stared at him, waiting on pins and needles for him to continue.
