Chapter 218: Checkmate, Father-in-Law

“Another tank slayer!” A familiar voice cut through the chatter. Will and Brianna glanced at each other and then scanned the bustling surroundings.

“There.” Will said, pointing with his pastry before shoving the rest of it in his mouth.

Hunched over at his seat was a handsome blonde who made the table look like it was made for a child’s toy set.

In front of him were two empty shotglasses with a recognizable film of tank slayer on them, and he was calling for a third.

The handsome young man had puffy eyes and a vacant stare as he peered into the wood grain, seemingly trying to divine a way out his mess.

I should probably do something about this.

“Hey Reggie, you’re not trying to kill yourself before the wedding are you?” Will asked, sliding into the seat beside the looming Tank.

“No, I…don’t think so?” Reggie said, his unfocused gaze landing on Will and slowly clearing.

“Will!”

“Me.” Will said.

Will was engulfed in a hug that might’ve been crushing if Will’s Resistance had been lower.

“Oh, man, you have no idea how glad I am to see you guys!” Reggie bawled. “This whole wedding is a living nightmare?”

“You and Alicia not good?”

“Nah, we’re good. More than good. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Her dad on the other hand…”

“Ah.” Will nodded.

“He doesn’t think I should be breathing the same air as her, just because I’m a Tank. When we got here, he fuckin’ told me to take her luggage in through the servant’s entrance. When he found out we were dating, he just about tore down the palace. Only reason I’m still alive is because a fisherman found me floating through the void.”

Will inhaled sharply at the appropriate time.

“Then he found out we’ve been…doing stuff, and after they reassembled the palace, he decided that he’s gonna make me into a Lord, like retroactively make me the guy that he wants for her and that’s that.

“Huh.” Will grunted at the appropriate time.

“And I’m dying here, man, he doesn’t respect me and is trying to make me ‘better’ at the same time, and it’s just not working…there’s just…no bridge I can cross there that’s gonna take me to a place where we’re cool.

“You can’t really help someone if you don’t respect them.” Will said, patting Reggie’s arm while glancing at Brianna.

Get me out of here!

“Exactly!” Reggie said. “He undermines everything he tries to do to ‘help me’ which basically makes everything worse! I’m fuckin’ losing it!”

“Well, what are you planning on doing after the wedding?”

Reggie leaned back in his seat, letting out an impressive groan as he stared at the ceiling.

“He’s sending us up to the fifteenth Floor to set up a Stronghold.”

Will frowned.

“Do you…wanna do that?”

“It’s not really a matter of want.” Reggie said. “I mean, sure, I don’t want to, but I also know I can’t. I don’t have the Build for it, and while Alicia’s got a devastating attack, she’s died before so she can’t be a Lord, and her Build isn’t really suitable for extended fighting, and only against living creatures with circulatory systems. Sooner or later she’d get a bad match or run out of Charge, and then we’d both get slaughtered.”

…It just feels like he’s trying to kill us. literally kill us. But he’s too wrapped up in his feelings to actually see what we’re capable of.” Reggie muttered, his eyes shining with tears.

“…Why don’t you knock her up?” Will asked drawing from his experience giving pregnant women emergency Doors to leave his Floor.

Reggie froze. “…What?”

“Lords are obligated to give pregnant women Doors down at least one Floor. It’s one of their common-law duties. If she’s pregnant she’s gotta leave The Tower. You can tag along as her Tank to make sure nothing happens to Lord Zodiac’s grandchild. Believe it or not, Advanced Tanks aren’t super common. You can reliably argue that you are the surest way to get them back safe. Once you’re outside the Tower, his influence is greatly reduced. Then you just…don’t come back, maybe raise a family. In a few years Zodiac makes time to stop by and strong-arm you into coming back up, but then sees a bunch of his grandkids pitter-pattering around and bam! Checkmate, old man.”

“…You’re gonna be a pain in the ass son-in-law.” Reggie said.

“Maybe.” Will said with a shrug.

“It’s pretty crude and forceful, but I guess being delicate and polite isn’t gonna save our asses.” Reggie mused, absentmindedly raising the Tank Slayer to his lips, which Will intercepted and replaced with some water.

“What if he only sends Alicia down and sends me up to die?” Reggie asked.

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“…say no?” Will suggested. “Can he force you?”

“He’ll kill me!”

“Isn’t it death if you accept?” will asked.

“…Yep.”

“I tell you what, if you say no and he forces you anyway, I’ll go up with you and give you a Door that bypasses the 11^th Floor. by the time Zodiac figures out you’re missing you’ll be long gone.”

“Really?”

“Really. But seriously, just try saying no.” Will replied.

“You make it sound so easy.” Reggie muttered, his tone hovering on the edge of sarcasm before giving a dour chuckle.

“Alright. I’ll go talk to Alicia about your…idea.” Reggie said, standing, his balance a bit wobbly from the liquid courage.

“If you guys choose to follow that plan, you gotta make sure to stick with it and follow through. It won’t work if you pull out at the last second.”

“Haha, fuck you,” Reggie said, taking a halfhearted swing at his head, which Will dodged easily.

“Have fun, I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Will said as Reggie turned to leave.

“You can do it, Reggie!” Brianna called after him. “You can do it all night long!”

“Yeah, put your back into it!” Will shouted.

Will ducked a thrown mug which hit a patron behind him in the back of his head.

The warrior turned around in his seat and glared at Will.

“Bar rules?” He asked, rather than immediately throw a punch.

“Eh?” Will grunted. Bar rules?

The man stood up, cracking his knuckles before pointing to a sign hanging from the crossbeam.

Bar Rules:

No weapons

No active Abilities