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Post by Huntress on Dec 15, 2009 10:24:22 GMT -5
((Outside Merpo's lil' hut))
The door opened.
Hunty looked into the violet slanted eyes of a stunningly beautiful young elf. She'd probably have been more beautiful if there hadn't been for the blazing hellfire of hatred in those eyes. Except - and her brain went weirdly numb when she realized it - this blazing hatred only made her look prettier than she already was, like an avenging angel descended from the heavens to-
Crap. A Sue.
"Well, hi," she said cheerfully, trying not to remember how many people she'd already cheerfully greeted that day. A little more and she might as well drop the whole piracy thing and try cashier work instead. "Is Merpo home? We really need to talk to him."
"Huuuunty," Bloody Mary hissed, each and every hair in his body standing on end and all fangs bared to the max. Seeing how pudgy he was, it made him look rather like a murderous fluffy ball.
The sword on her belt was now humming furiously. Hunty placed her hand on the hilt. The story flowed over her.
She was an evil, merciless pirate captain, a scumbag who once stole from this beautiful, flawless girl, this fragile angel who'd never done anything to her...
"Ah," she said. "It's you."
...and the girl had cried for seven days and seven nights, this poor soul, but she didn't give up and found a powerful mentor to teach her...
"What, you mean Merpo? Okay, this is straining believability," Hunty said. Somewhere on the edge of her hearing range, there was a sound rather like a needle running across a record. The elf looked confused for a split second. But then the story struck again, jumping straight to the relevant part.
And now it was time to get her revenge.
Sues are officially considered a subspecies of the demon family. They're vain, shallow and not particularly smart, but considering their unrivaled skill at warping the immediate universe around them, they don't really have to. They live stories. Their stories, where everyone else is background.
Hunty drew her sword and scowled at its lavender glow. This sword once belonged to the woman who stood against her now. This was bad in a Sue-story. There was maybe a 96% chance that it'd jump out of her hands right now and fly back to the grip of its former-
The sword tugged at her hand. Hunty's eyed flashed all of a sudden.
You can only defeat a Sue with logic. Actually killing one is nearly impossible, but if you have your mind right, you can confuse her story and thus unravel it.
"Where's the crazy scientist guy?" she asked, yanking the sword back towards her. "We need to save the world."
And the evil pirate laughed mockingly and said- waitwaitwait, what?
The rune sword in Hunty's hand blazed silver white. The hum picked up like an overheating tesla coil, then silenced.
She grinned. The sword was hers again.
"And we're in a hurry."
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Post by PFA on Dec 15, 2009 10:53:20 GMT -5
Ninja Dojo
As soon as it had started, it was over.
PFA could only stand by and watch as Sev exploded into a ball of white-hot flames, consuming everything that stood nearby. Everything, mind you, including Kiddo.
Kiddo had completely disintegrated.
But maybe she would be alright... after all, she was a phoenix...
Wasn't she?
"I... I think I'm alright," PFA stammered in response to Kovaran. She sheathed her katana as she began to check for any injuries. The most she'd noticed was a bit of a scrape from her dive out the way of the flames, but otherwise she was fine. "I don't seem to be injured."
---
Crashed merc choppa
Jernath just blinked in confusion as Gil introduced himself. First off, he had never heard of a city of Brassport, which he had quickly realized was because it was apparently from another realm. But how was that possible? Had those mages been messing with the fabric of the universe again?
Jernath gave a short wave when Clint introduced him. "This, uhh, realm? I guess it's the NTWF," he told Gil. "As for our copter here, I can't really speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't see why you can't look at it... I don't know what good it will do you, though..."
At the time, Jernath didn't realize that by 'examine,' Gil probably meant 'get inside and figure out how it works.' Not like it was really Jernath's call in the first place, though. Wasn't his chopper, after all.
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Post by Nova on Dec 15, 2009 13:40:06 GMT -5
In a forest, somewhere...
Dizzy...pain...darkness...sally...fire....mages....torture..fears...brain...hurts...muchly...
The blue star was lying on the ground, barely getting out of his unconcious state. Memory came back. The Underdeep. He died, and went to the Underdeep. But the pain was so bad that he practically forgot everything that happened. But he was safe, for now.
Nova's eyes opened and realized he was in a forest. Testing his magic capabilities, he hovered. The world was still blurry but at least he could hover above the ground. No roots or holes to worry about tripping over.. but flying straight into a tree could be a problem. So he'd take it slow. And he progressed into the forest. He had no idea if he was going further into trouble.. or finding a way out....
After what seemed a very long time, Nova looked around. Scraps of wood and building materials were strewn across the area. The grass looked like a large buliding was here, and some stuff was still burning! He also noticed he was at the edge of the forest. Looking far into the distance, he noticed there was some kind of.. wreckage? Nova's eyesight wasn't fully intact but he knew one thing for certain: people. There was a group of people!
Adrenaline went threw the star's body, as he flew to the group of people who looked a bit worried. As he looked around, the wreckage looked like it was once a.. chopper.
"Uh, hi guys... any of you know where I am? I think I'm lost."
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Post by Strife on Dec 15, 2009 13:46:24 GMT -5
((Spacefleet HQ))
"Sir, we're picking up activity in the sattelite network." The IT officer pointed his finger at one of the various control panels in the room.
"Is it a virus?" asked Haggoth. He snorted in annoyance.
"The readings appear normal. We just haven't had anyone access this part of the network since it was originally installed."
Haggoth paused, raising an eyebrow as his subordinate. Slowly, he turned back towards his station, letting out a noise that sounded partly like snoring and partly like sighing, on account of his hog-like snout. "It's the virus. I'll have Omega SS scan that region. Back up the program in case the virus tries to spread into life support again."
"Aye, sir."
* * *
Scanning progress: 73%
[Cancel]
Scan of "Life Support" aborted. Enter new command.
[New Scan]
Select Location
[HQ-Sattelite]
Location Confirmed. Scanning...
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Post by Rider on Dec 15, 2009 13:57:44 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Brassport[/glow]
"A witch!"
Witches, huh? Adeline had heard that word used once before. She was working in the lab with daddy and one of daddy's friends from the Alchemists' Academy. They had been working on a new mini-airship design. The alchemist had turned the Thermal Energy Producer on too soon. The pressure building up inside the engine looked like enough to blow the thing to bits so Adeline opened a hatch and reached inside it, drawing the heat energy from the steam into herself. It was instant, it was instinctive, and it hurt like hell. But the machine was saved, and daddy and his friend weren't hurt.
But then the alchemist got very angry. He started calling Adeline a witch, an abomination, a freak against progress. Later, when daddy was bandaging her hand up, Adeline asked what a witch was. Daddy said that witches were a remnant from a time long past. They hated science and logic and all that Brassport stood for, so they were driven out. Then he asked Adeline how she had done what she did. "I just drew the heat energy into myself," she said. "Then it can be explained," her daddy said. "You're not a witch. You're just a natural alchemist." He encouraged her to practice in secret and not tell any alchemists what she could do. Adeline learned to transfer heat from water to metal and from water to air, but never the other way around. She learned to use the hydrogen bonds in water to shape it to her will for brief periods of time, during which she froze it. She could make man-made icicles, but little more than that.
So this was a real witch... someone who hated science. Someone who hated Brassport.
Shaking with fear, she approached the witch. Her voice trembled. "Excuse me, witch, did you bring us here, to this place? Did you take us from our home?"
[glow=red,2,300]Outside Merpo's Bling[/glow]
When final exams spat Rider back out, she found herself face-to-face with a real-live Mary Sue. Of course, this Sue was standing between her and a house that was ripe for the pickings, so she wasn't about to let that stop her.
... But she was so beautiful. Something purer and higher than the tavern wenches and... Ohcrud. Focus on the shinies behind her, Rider told herself. Focus on the loot.
Rider shoved her way past the Sue and started examining candlesticks. "We're looking for his lab. We think he's meddling with forces beyond his knowing."
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Post by Celestial on Dec 15, 2009 14:49:58 GMT -5
Spacefleet Network- Outside Satellite control
"Please state your code and reason for being here," the HAL 9000 knockoff HUL said in a monotone voice. The Author rolled her eyes.
"You like doing things by the book don't you?" she asked, meeting HUL's gaze. She reached out one hand, not really wanting to bother with a bureaucrat program like him. However, a forcefield blocked it and even her efforts to scramble it were no good.
"Hey, who installed a reality maze around you?" she exclaimed with some surprise and wondered how come it hadn't been implemented before. Oh right, drama.
"I did. I am aware of your abilities to bend reality around you," HUL replied. The Author folded her arms with a sly smile.
"Really now? And how on NTWF did you know that when I haven't even told you what I am?" she asked him. This HUL was smarter than he appeared and more human-like than she gave him credit for. Lack of emotions, no creativity and reliance on the system aside, HUL was a very advanced AI.
"Your coding is unlike anything on the network and I had reports of a hacker. The reality maze was the strongest defense I had so I took precautions," HUL replied. The Author decided not to comment on any similarity between him and the HAL 9000 because she wasn't sure if there was any at all. They were both fairly extreme though.
"So you assumed the worst and just went for it? I applaud you," the Author said with a smile. "But just out of curiousity, why do you take this form? Surely human would make much more sense on the network?"
"It is regulations. As I cannot go away from my position, I have to take the form I take in the physical world, 1052" he replied, almost wanting to stress that last name. The Author lifted up one eyebrow, half at hearing her code name again and half in astonishment that the writer of this post decided to go with such a lazy reference.
"Well, I haven't heard that in a long time. How did you know? she asked, hoping that HUL would say something about remembering or accessing forbidden archives or even having a machine mythology down which her legend was passed down. That would have been so many different kinds of awesome, especially if she was portrayed as an epic Athena figure.
"I am programmed to recognise code. Now that your code has been read and scanned by me as we were speaking, I have verified you as a 1052 type," he replied. The Author shrugged.
"Alright, that's fair. So, how about human form? It could be very nice. And not to mention the fact that you are too smart to be hanging around here. Honestly, you are more like central computer material, HUL," she said to him. Even though he resembled HAL so much, he probably wasn't bad. Only about 0.0001% of AIs ever went bad but the mass media always focuses on them. Typical. Also, what happened with her that would suddenly make her spout long strings of zeros?
This post was also looking like a Christmas textwall. Poor Kwoi, having to sum it all up.
"Let's keep this short from now, HUL. It is clear you won't let me through and you won't accept my honest attempts to try and turn you good (which, if you do later on, you will be awesome) won't work. So, we are stuck," she said, still smiling a little.
"Correct," HUL replied. The Author rested her hand on the reality maze.
"But you'll still reconsider. You have an amazing power and you do not talk like a machine, having your own colour but still being in the default font. So perhaps, if something very dramatic happens then you'll remember my words," she spoke gently to him. For a brief moment, HUL's single glowing eye gained a second glow. Instead of saying something like-
"Negative!" he replied, thinking himself safe. The Author noticed that defensive exclaimation mark but decided not to point it out. She could already feel the slightest tremor of an approaching metal Godzilla LOLcat.
Yes, she knew she shouldn't look at the OOC chat and the previous posts but it was just so tempting to know everything.
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Post by Strife on Dec 15, 2009 17:29:19 GMT -5
((Spacefleet Network - Outside Sattelite Control))
The tremors near the Author's location intensified gradually, like thunder rolling across the horizon.
THUMP... THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...
Despite the sound of Omega SS coming closer and closer, he still could not be seen anywhere, almost as though he was invisible.
THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...
Just as the tremors reached their full velocity, bits of code leaped up from the floor and assembled themselves, taking the form of...
...a door. An regular, human-sized door made of oak that you might find in a typical household. It stood on the side of the Author that was opposite of HUL.
If one were to simply walk around the door to the other side, there would be nothing... and yet, someone seemed to knock on it two times. Guess there's only two things to do...
_______________________
((Brassport))
Aside from the heightened tension and fear caused by their entire city plummeting to the Earth, one could look at Brassport and think it was a typical cloudy day. People walked the streets and went about their daily lives as best as they could. As a matter of fact, the city as a whole felt quiet. A little too quiet. It was almost as though they were bracing for something terrible to happen.
While it would be far from the terror-inducing event they imagined, the people in the shopping district of the city got quite an alarming surprise when they saw something burst violently out of the window of Gil's shop with the force of a small explosion. A mysterious stranger riding some sort of steam-based motor bike descended from the five-story building and landed on the streets with a massive thud. It was enough to send everyone within a quarter mile's radius scrambling to get off the road.
The Commander's steampunk motorcycle roared and snarled like a metallic lion as he revved it a few times with his hand. He squeezed the accelerator as tight as he could, while at the same time using his psionic powers to make the ground behind him push him forward like a tidal wave. These combined forces caused him to zoom ahead at an incredible speed down the busy streets, leaving a trail of thick smoke and broken pavement in his wake.
It wasn't long before The Commander heard sounds chasing him. They were hard to make out over the roar of his Frankenstein machine, but he was dead certain that it was some kind of local police force. He didn't bother to look behind him though, since looking away while going as such a high speed would have disasterous consequences.
As he approached the city gates, he briefly took his focus off the rock waves behind him and instead focused on thrusting the gates open with his mind. They were quite massive and made of very sturdy metal, though, so it was no use. He cursed under his breath, trying to think of something else quickly before he crashed head-on into it.
The Commander veered to the left a little, aiming for the wall just beside the gate, which was slightly shorter than the actual gate itself. He pulled on the handles of the bike and leaned back as much as possible, making it stand up on one wheel so that when it hit the city wall, both wheels would make contact with it. Just as he intended, the bike slammed into the wall, and the moment it did, he accelerated as fast as he could. The bike slowly but surely scaled the wall, rolled over the top, and landed on the grass on the other side. It left some pretty messy tire tracks beside the gate, but at least nothing was broken. Not that he cared.
Wasting no time, The Commander resumed course and rocketed away from Brassport, towards the south. Time to reclaim his throne.
He needed more of his own guilds' equipment, and the best way to acquire it was through the spaceport in Tabloid Town. Checking a digital map on the wrist of his armor to make sure, he plotted his course strategically to make sure that he wouldn't run into any populated areas. The last thing he needed was a nonsensically powerful mage, bird, or other mystical creature chasing after him. If there were enemies nearby, he'd just cross his fingers and hope that they mistake the roar of his bike's engine for some other kind of natural disaster.
((NOTE: The Commander's path will take him fairly close to the location of the Ninja Dojo, so any characters there can react if they want. He's driving really, really fast though, and he's still wearing a disguise, so nobody will be able to tell he's The Commander by looking at him.))
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Post by Jina on Dec 15, 2009 17:45:52 GMT -5
Tabloid Town The shapeshifter hit Sandra and Patri. Sandra rolled off to the side, twisted to go into a dive, and pulled up just before the hospital, picking up a brick from the rubble pile in her talon. Patri heard Vyt's shout, and fired a Blast at where he was standing.
"See if you can draw the shapeshifter away from here, we don't know when that help is coming," said Patri. Then she jumped off of Sandra's back onto the hospital's fire escape, and started running down to the ground. Sandra flew straight up into the air, and tried to throw the brick at Kwoi to taunt her.
Mage Manor Halin put his hand on the door handle, but then stopped. "Shield us, otherwise it'll attack after I open the door." Corenu put up various shields, making them look like they were trapped in a giant bubble. Halin opened the door.
They stared down the hallway in front of them for a few seconds. Then, Halin suddenly pushed Corenu out of the way, and jumped to the side. A sword which looked like it had come from a decorative set of knight's armour flew out of the door. Halin shut the door, and looked at Corenu. "I think we need a new plan."
They got away from the Manor, just in case someone came out the door and saw them. Soon after, Halin had decided the next course of action. "Let's find an entrance to the Underdeep. We'll have to try take this down from the other side."
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Post by Celestial on Dec 15, 2009 18:12:11 GMT -5
((Brassport))
"Excuse me, witch, did you bring us here, to this place? Did you take us from our home?" a girl asked, obviously terrified of them both. Celestial smiled kindly and shook her head.
"No I did not bring you here, I'm unable to do such things. But I'm sure that you were brought here for a malicious purpose indeed. For the past few years, the guilds have been warring against each other, with mages such as myself trying to stay out of it. However, the others needed a technological advantage over their enemies so I assume that one of them brought you over to our world in an attempt to use your technology to reign supreme over the others. You are in so much danger. As I flew here, I already saw one of the guilds coming here so I decided to warn you," she said, feeling the lies roll off her tongue so easily.
An anguished look came over here, a mask as always, as she looked over the people of this city.
"You have to be ready for an attack. I can assist a little and pray that you will survive in this vicious world and get to go back,"
((Spacefleet Network))
The thumps were getting closer but there was nobody in sight. The Author grinned, feeling the challange coming closer. That and the use of Rule of Drama just made her happy inside. She liked it when others took initiative.
An oak door appeared and for a moment she raised her eyebrow again, wondering if this was another 2001 reference. Certainly there were too many and this one was not of her writer's doing. In any case, she had to be prepared for the worst. It was likely that the giant LOLcat was going to come out of there since there was no way he'd fit through the network tunnels.
"We'll talk later, don't you worry," she said with a wink to HUL. He flickered in his eye but didn't reply otherwise.
The Author wondered what she would do which would satisfy Rule of Cool and/or Rule of Fun as well as be a challenge. She already felt herself getting all excited for the coming battle with her code scrolling by faster than usual.
It was such a silly idea but she thought she might as well try it, creating a back door for herself and going for a more traditional method if things went wrong. Certainly corrupting it head on was not an option, there was too much code and it was too powerful. She'd be dead before she managed to even reach a significant line.
An armchair appeared, along with a shadow clone. The program was likely not expecting anything other than a conventional virus. Shadow clones certainly looked like one to it. The Author however, still hoped that a type 1052 would still be recognised and left alone by the anti virus.
The Author smiled. Whatever comes will come.
A creature with bright green eyes and pure white fur appeared in the space where The Author was. It was the most adorable thing you could ever ask for; fluffy, innocent, big-eyed and looking like butter wouldn't melt in its mouth. In short, it was a kitten. Big things tended to like adorable kittens and kicking a kitten was considered a felony.
The shadow clone sat down in the armchair and began reading the book Norton Anti-Virus for Dummies while holding the kitten under her palm.
Not so hard please, we're only pretending! The Author mewled to it. The shadow clone looked at her and kept reading.
Who said only humans had evil twins? But how many people could boast they used their evil twin to try and fight a giant Godzilla/LOLcat?
...Too specific.
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Post by Ikkin on Dec 15, 2009 18:16:20 GMT -5
((Nearing the Ninja Dojo))
Ikkin heard a voice call out, "Is anyone injured?" and knew she was close to where she needed to be. Then again... she might have been flying as fast as she could, but it seemed almost impossible that she could have gotten so close to the Ninja Dojo so quickly. Maybe she'd been helped along by the Plot Current that sometimes affected the winds in the NTWF.
Besides, she certainly couldn't complain about something so convenient. She modified her flight path to intercept where the voice had sounded from, slowing down as she drew close, and hovered about ten feet over the ground when she had reached the proper spot.
What she could see didn't look very promising. There were some scorch marks on the ground, but no phoenix anywhere. There was, however, a very strange ninja who Ikkin knew she'd never seen before (it being a komodo dragon was a good hint), as well as another ninja she didn't know, one she was pretty sure she should know, and a mage she wasn't very familiar with.
Well, she might as well get this over with, then, even if she had a very bad feeling about what had happened.
"Hey, I'm looking for Sev - he's a rather-tempermental phoenix, if you don't know him. Did he get hurt, or hurt someone, or...?" Ikkin trailed off, not really wanting to finish that thought.
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Post by Jina on Dec 15, 2009 19:51:21 GMT -5
Brassport Owen listened to the mage's speech with more skepticism than someone who's about to die in a horror movie."You are in so much danger. As I flew here, I already saw one of the guilds coming here so I decided to warn you."
"Oh, well, since you're so willing to help us defeat this "guild" of yours, why don't you go out with a few airship scouts, and let us take a look at the people who're about to attack? After all, I'm sure it would be really useful for us to see this army before we fight it."
Owen smirked. Gotcha.
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Post by Celestial on Dec 15, 2009 19:58:11 GMT -5
((Brassport))
"Oh, well, since you're so willing to help us defeat this "guild" of yours, why don't you go out with a few airship scouts, and let us take a look at the people who're about to attack? After all, I'm sure it would be really useful for us to see this army before we fight it." the one who started the accusationa of the two mages being witches called out. Celestial only smiled kindly at him and by extension, at them all.
"One of their flying machines has gone down around your city as they were coming here. You can go out and have a look if you want in your airships. They, however, are only the beginning. More guilds will come, ones more powerful than those. The problem is, they are not a single army, more like several seperate armies who all struggle for control. The ones who was taken down were the weaker ones, I can assure you that stronger ones will be coming," she said, sounding as sincere as possible. These people had to trust her and be vary of all the other guilds. It is so easily to manipulate those who are afraid and alone.
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Post by Rider on Dec 15, 2009 20:04:20 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Brassport[/glow]
"No I did not bring you here, I'm unable to do such things. But I'm sure that you were brought here for a malicious purpose indeed. For the past few years, the guilds have been warring against each other, with mages such as myself trying to stay out of it. However, the others needed a technological advantage over their enemies so I assume that one of them brought you over to our world in an attempt to use your technology to reign supreme over the others. You are in so much danger. As I flew here, I already saw one of the guilds coming here so I decided to warn you,"
Daddy told you to stay away from witches... they are enemies of progress... the other guilds value technology. They could learn from us and we from them, but this witch seemed to have no interest in learning...
Yet Adeline found it so easy to be swayed.
"All we want is to go home," she said to the mage. "Can you help us with that?"
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Post by Nasuella on Dec 15, 2009 20:12:05 GMT -5
Outside Merpo's "I wonder if this guy has any more mansions than this? By the way, in case you're wondering, I decided to cut back on the textwalls a little, though I still need to avoid writing Beige Prose because there is such a thing as not enough detail, as I learned the hard way. And yes, I can make these stupidly long if I want to. So there. Try and beat my record, I dare you."
The coati was clutching her head and shaking, fighting the urge to scream or cry out or even wince. There was a strange ringing noise in her ears, and while she could hear people talking the sheer pain made it difficult to concentrate on anything.
And then, as suddenly as it had intensified, the headache became less severe. It still hurt more than before the door had opened, but at least Nasue could focus on something other than her own problems. So she let go, her front paws making contact with the ground once more.
Trying not to look at the... thing in the doorway, Nasue stumbled towards it, following a crewmate with a red cape. She notably hesitated before actually walking inside.
"Uh, Rider, was it? Why are yo--" She stopped as she realised what she was about to say. "I mean, wouldn't the owner of this place have security of some sort?"
--
Near TT Hospital/Battleground
Kwoiffei landed awkwardly on the ground after her hit connected. She shook her head, quickly standing up to look and see that the bird had managed to recover. Not bad.
A person on the bird's back told the bird to try and draw her away from the area. So it was simple, then. Stay there, hope the ninja also stayed (and perhaps even helped), attack if necessary, and convince help that these people were responsible for what was happening in the hospital.
...assuming they ARE, she reminded herself. Assuming they'll let me stay here.
The bird threw a brick at the shapeshifter. Kwoi focused, and a single horn grew from her nose. One toss of the head, and the brick was shattered.
She pawed the ground, snorting, watching her opponent - and waiting for the next move.
--
Near the Dojo
PFA was okay. That was good, at least.
Kovaran started walking back towards where Kiddo had last been on the ground. There was a spear on the ground, and... something else. But before he could get a good look at it, yet another unfamiliar voice spoke - this time from above.
Looking up, the massive komodo dragon saw... well, she looked like a human, but with the ears and tail of a fox. And she was floating somehow. A mage, he concluded instantly. This woman was looking for someone named Sev, apparently.
"Perhaps," he began, speaking with a volume that would be surprising to those who didn't know him well. "A short time ago me and my comrades were attacked by a firebird. One of them... slammed her fist into it, and it exploded. It took her with it."
He looked and sounded as though he wasn't quite sure what to make of what had just happened. Possibly because that was exactly the case.
"Mayhaps one of my comrades could expand," he said, gesturing to the others with him.
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Post by Rikku on Dec 15, 2009 20:37:31 GMT -5
Brassport, City Of Iron And Steam, Where My Character Has Presumably Been For The Past Few Pages Without Actually Saying Anything. Perhaps She Has Laryngitis. Or Is Merely Enjoying The Marvels Of This Delightful Lost City Which Makes For Excellent Filler And - *checks word count* - Drat. Um, Apparently It’s Quite Cloudy In This Place, And I Guess It’s Technically Autumn Although, Yes, No One’s Mentioned It, Because Describing The Surroundings Is Kind Of Dull And People Want To Get To The Important Stuff About Conflict And Killing People And Character Development And Random Musical Numbers And - *checks word count again* Ha! Take that, Kwoi! *dies of proper noun abuse*
They landed. Rikku was only vaguely aware of this, though, because even after Celestial unloaded her, it felt like she was flying, lurching to and fro, the ground dipping queasily beneath her feet.
Rikku didn’t have much of a head for heights.
All the same, it had been beautiful, seeing the NTWF from up above, all the pain and chaos that could be caused, that would be caused. It was immaterial whether they achieved their mission or not. The end result was inevitable.
Brassport was beautiful, too, in a quirky, soot-covered way. City of iron and steam, city of science and brass. It was fascinating, so different from anything else she’d seen. Rikku didn’t trust Spacefleet technology, because it was so dangerous; but somehow, she couldn’t extend that dislike to this place.
Oh, it would be lovely if she could watch it burn.
She stood half-behind Celestial, mostly unnoticed. She didn’t yet trust herself to speak without throwing up, and that really wouldn’t be diplomatic. Like, at all. Stupid airsickness.
A man in a – wait, was he in some kind of mechanical suit? Holy stars! That was awesome!
His words were less awesome, though. "She's a witch!" he cried, in a rabble-rousing kind of way.
Rikku let a pang of hurt cross her face. She didn’t need to pretend to it; the pain was more than real. Too many people had called her that. Mostly after they’d seen her drag dead folk back to an unholy semblance of life, but still.
Celestial answered diplomatically, and Rikku let her, smiling internally at what the dragon said. I mean you no harm indeed. It was almost enough to make her laugh.
A girl asked if Celestial (referring to her as a witch. What was it with these people?) was the one that brought them here. Celestial said no. And there was something about armies, too. Rikku hoped Celestial knew what she was doing. They couldn’t exactly make an illusion of armies magically appear, unless the Dragon Mage had taken a few levels in illusionist since the last time she’d checked, which she hadn’t, seeing this wasn’t Dungeons and Dragons.
"All we want to do is go home," the girl said to Celestial. "Can you help us with that?"
Ah, now she could contribute. "I don’t think any of us have those kinds of powers," she said, stepping away so she wasn't half-concealed by the dragon-girl's wings. "But … maybe, if we worked together …" She frowned. "Well, I don’t want to build up hopes falsely, but I wouldn’t entirely discount the idea. We do have some powerful people, and to judge by your technology …" Here she looked around and smiled with real delight. "Which is awesome, by the way." She dragged herself back to the matter at hand. Stop fraternising with the victims, Rikku. "Anyway, to judge by your technology, you’re adaptable folk. We might be able to manage something." She pondered for a moment. "You could try talking to the Spacefleet guild," she suggested. "They have technology that might be compatible with yours." Her face fell. "But I … wouldn’t recommend it. Last year, the Commander of Spacefleet sort of … rampaged."
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