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Post by Buddy on Jul 13, 2006 21:07:14 GMT -5
Somewhere in the middle of the ocean, right above where the Seawolf just sank…
The ocean was cold. Dead cold. Freezing cold! So cold, it seemed to freeze everything it touched – except, for some reason, itself? Why is that that the ocean itself never seems to freeze even though there are icebergs?
At just that point, however, that little question didn’t matter to either Ducky or Bude; the important thing was that the water was cold and that they were in it.
“B-B-B-Bude…” Ducky stuttering, rubbing her arms together from where she floated nestled inside the inner-tube. “I’m f-f-f-freezing-ing! It’s s-s-so c-cold!”
“I-I know, b-b-babe,” Bude replied, one hand trying to hold onto the pink, freshly-inflated raft while the other held onto the waterproof radio Ducky had managed to keep from going down with the ship. “H-Hold on! I’m gonna t-t-try to call for h-h-help!” Moving carefully, he managed to pull over the radio and set it up inside the tube beside Ducky. Making sure to keep one hand wrapped firmly around the side of the tube, he picked up the receiver and started to shout into it, “Hello? Hello? Is anyone th-th-there? P-Please?! C-C-Can anyone out there hear me? If anyone c-can hear, p-please respond!”
Buddy and Ducky craned their necks in to hear the response – nothing but the crackling fizzle of white noise.
“Gah!” Bude angrily tossed the receiver away into the water, where it floated about 7 or 8 feet away, still attached to the radio by its cord; far enough away for someone on the other end to hear what was being said, but too far for anyone on this end to hear what the response through the earpiece. Bude turned to Ducky, looking up into barely-visible face in the dark, moonless, starless night. “I dunno what to do,” he said, soaking wet and shivering like a young puppy left out helplessly on the curb. “I-I-I… I d-dunno if they’ll come or what…”
Ducky looked down at Buddy, gazing deeply into his eyes as her breath came out as ragged, misty fog. “I love you, Bude.”
“No,” Bude replied. “No… don’t say your goodbye, Ducky. Don’t give up. Don’t do it.”
“But… I’m s-s-so cold…” Ducky shivered, staring back into Bude’s deep, blue eyes, holding his hands tightly, as if their hands were frozen together.
“You’re going to make it out of this,” Buddy encouraged, looking back at Ducky, deadly serious as he tried to find the words that would keep her going. “You’re going to go on and you’re going to make babies and watch them grow and you’re going to die an old lady, warm in your bed. Not here. Not this night. Do you understand me?”
“I can’t feel my body…”
“Ducky, listen to me,” Bude went on, staring so deeply into Ducky’s eyes that it was almost as if he could climb out of the water and into her eyes, to lay there forever in their warmth and love. “Listen. Meeting you here in the NTWF was the best thing that ever happened to me. It brought me to you. And I'm thankful, Ducky. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor... promise me you will survive... that you will never give up... no matter what happens... no matter how hopeless... promise me now, and never let go of that promise.”
“I promise,” she replied, breath ragged with the cold.
“Never let go.”
“I promise. I will never let go, Bude. I’ll never let go.”
And with that, Bude’s eyes closed, his body went limp, and his cold, lifeless hands slipped from Ducky’s and he sunk slowly – dramatically – down into the dark depths.
Ducky gave a sob, sniffing back a few tears. But she stopped when she heard a “Sssssss!” sound emanating from the inner-tube around her. Looking down, she found the source – a large gash in the tube which Bude had caused by his long (and slightly feminie) fingernails when he’d slid off and sunk in the water.
Ducky looked at gash, sighing as the inner-tube quickly deflated around her. “Bude… even in your death, you still manage to manage to mess things up…” With that, the inner-tube completely deflated, and Ducky (who, in an ironic twist of fate, actually possessed no swimming skills whatsoever) quickly sunk down into the murky depths – inner-tube, radio, and all – to a watery grave with the one she loved.
Well… sorta loved. Liked a lot. Had… great admiration for? Something like that…
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Post by Rider on Jul 14, 2006 6:54:34 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Back in the Forum
Rider let out a long, low breath.
"Rest in Peace Ducky. I'm sure you could have found a better man out there had you lived. Buddy... I'm not asking what you did to your nails."
Traditionally, in these sorts of movies, there was a moment of silence. Never before had a moment of silnce been filled with so much... ellipsis-ness.
Why?
"Ikkin!" Rider yelled, "Get Sev! We gave all of our Phoenix Down to those crazy forumers, and we need more."[/glow]
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Post by Ikkin on Jul 14, 2006 20:03:20 GMT -5
Rider's voice snapped Ikkin out of the shock and grief that she felt at the sudden loss of Buddy and Ducky, reminding her that she was the only one who could actually do something to make things right. A phoenix was certainly a useful bird to have around... Sev would need to be summoned. Fortunately, she was always ready for the summoning.
Ikkin drew her sword from its sheath rapidly, flames following in the wake of the blade, much like she would do if she was starting a battle. This time, however, she swung much higher than she would have if she were fighting someone, ending the sword's arc over her head and holding it. The flames crackled momentarily, the top of the sword flaring, fire taking on shapes that were more and more phoenix-like, and growing away from the sword. As the flames left the blade entirely, the phoenix-like fire transformed into Sev himself, who flew upwards in a blaze of glory.
As the last of the flames subsided, Ikkin resheathed her sword, and called out to Sev. "Hey, Sev, there's a couple of people who are in need of a phoenix's healing. Feel up to it?"
Sev alighted on one of the larger rocks that had fallen from the ceiling. "What do you think I am, your personal servant? Why don't you use some of the Phoenix Down you insist on collecting from me?"
Ikkin sighed. "We sent it all off with the forumers. Thought that, being mods, we were less likely to get ourselves killed than the forumers were, I guess. In any case, we don't have any. But, if you'd like to lend some, rather than doing the healing yourself..."
"As much as I'd love you people clawing at my feathers, which, by the way, is much more painful than those of you without them are willing to believe, I don't think it would help you very much. Our kitty friend made sure of that with that crazy ice spell of hers. If anything, the feathers would make things worse- think Hu!Phoenix Down," Sev replied sarcastically.
Ikkin shuddered at the mention of Hu!Phoenix Down- she certainly didn't want to risk using those feathers now. "Okay, so, will you bring Buddy and Ducky back for us, then?" she asked.
"No," Sev said imperiously. "I've had enough of fixing everything that goes wrong around here."
"What?" Ikkin asked, shocked and angry. "How dare you?! You know our connection as well as I do- you agreed to do what I asked when we bound our souls together! Do you really want to find out what happens when one's soul is torn in two directions?"
"I am kind of curious," Sev said, with as much of a smirk as a bird could make. "In any case, I'd rather that than stay a slave. See ya, foxy. I'm out of here." And with that, he flew off into the Splatterboard and on through the forum.
"How can he?!" Ikkin yelled in a rage. "Slave? He was the one who offered in the first place! How can he do this to us..." She fell to her knees, almost crying. Someone was trying to kill everyone, and there was no way for her to help. And to make things even worse, part of that traitor phoenix was connected to her own soul, and she could feel it trying to tear away. This was not good. Not good at all. And the only one who could help refused to do anything... Never had Ikkin felt quite so helpless.
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Post by Nimras on Jul 15, 2006 20:30:18 GMT -5
The mods grouped around the radio stared at each other, speechless in their shock. With great effort, Nimras lowered her hackled fur on her back. Leave it to the stupid bird to go on a power trip now, of all times. The next time she saw him, she'd bite his little chicken neck. Stepping from her vantage point in the door frame, she decided that they had to do something other than just stare at each other.
"I don't suppose anyone knows where Spot is, perhaps she or Lycos can come up with an alternative for Sev's feathers?"
Wanderer seemed to be the first to recover, "I haven't seen them since... well before the earthquake began."
No one else said anything. Ikkin looked like she was going to be physically ill at any second.
"Maybe we'll think better with some food in our systems." The Lupess suggested.
Crystal looked shocked, storming up to Nimras. "How can you think of food at a time like this?" she demanded. "You callous, cold hearted canine..."
Catching Crystal by the arm, the Lupess cut her off. "Look at Ikkin," she whispered roughly, "she's going into shock. We need to get her mind off Sev, and some food in her system now. Let's look to the living, before we mourn for the dead."
Comprehension flickering in her eyes, Crystal turned back to see Ikkin's face. "I don't suppose anything in kitchen still works after that earthquake?"
"I'll help you look," Rider offered. "Wandy, why don't you talk to Ikkin."
Fortunately, the magic in the 'fridge seemed to be working fine. The freezer seemed to be working a little too fine, Nimras discovered, as she poked a very solid steak. "Maybe we should just keep this meal vegetarian."
"I thought you liked meat?" Rider said, gesturing into the 'fridge. "There's some here that isn't frozen. It's not very much, but I know you're not a herbivore."
"Rider," Nimras said with a pained look, "even I can't bring myself to eat that duck right now."
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Post by Crystal on Jul 15, 2006 23:01:05 GMT -5
Crystal sighed as she helped cut up the food. It seemed to help, actually... besides, she actually was hungry all of a sudden. But then, the kunai she was using to chop plants had seen worse things.
"You know that line Buddy said to Ducky before the Seawolf sank?" she said gloomily to Nimras.
"The one where he prophesied about Ducky's babies? Started talking without stuttering in ice water? Confessed his undying love and manliness?"
"Ducky has a half-million half-duck babies already. The one where he said he loved her mom's chicken."
"What about it?"
Crystal stabbed the unfortunate bean sprout with her kunai. "He said it to me about a year or two ago, during Thanksgiving. 'Oh, Crystal, I want you to know... I... love... ........turkey!'"
"Hasn't gotten any more original since then, I see."
"Yeah. I'm not sure whether to hurt him for that, or for making us listen to their soppy lovey conversation, or for hitting that irrational iceberg and dying before I could get my hands on him." She sighed again. "For now, I guess I'll just settle for cutting beans."
"That's the spirit," Nimras encouraged.
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Post by Spot on Jul 17, 2006 11:54:15 GMT -5
“A half million quarter-duck babies, actually,” Lycos corrected, coming in on the tail end of the conversation. She carefully treaded around the fallen debris, carrying a motionless Spot on her back. “Ducky said at one point that she was only half-duck, so her kids were quarter-ducklings. Why are we talking 'bout Ducky, though?”
She paused for a moment to catch her breath a little better, and lowered Spot off her back so that the blood-stained white leopard girl leaned back against the kitchen counter. Noting the horrified looks from the other mods there, Lycos jokingly replied, “Hey, I didn’t kill her. She just had the misfortune to get hit by a bottle of dragon’s blood, and then after the quake’s end, attacked and knocked unconscious by one of the freed monsters. She’ll be fine, though, should wake up soon. Tabloid shop took a heavy hit,” Lycos added grudgingly. “The quake broke open a good number of bottles, releasing numerous spells and monsters. I applied a few counter spells and stopra, but I could only get it to last for up to an hour or two, given the conditions. I grabbed Spot and hightailed it out for the moment. I’ll need help cleaning the shop up before it ends up any more dangerous.”
Lycos pulled a seat over and plopped down on it. Too much had happened for her to maintain her angry state; instead, she just remained irate for the time being. She stole one of the beans off of the counter and gnawed at it, not really hungry, but giving her something to do while she tried to put together what she was going to say next.
“Lycos, is there-”
Lycos swallowed the bean, and held up her hand for silence. “I should tell you guys, that quake wasn’t natural. It was created, and I could probably tell you how.”
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Post by Ikkin on Jul 19, 2006 20:11:32 GMT -5
Ikkin steadied herself against the table, trying her hardest not to let the phoenix's treachery affect her too much. It was impossible, however. She felt sad and sick and angry and depressed and despondent and furious and, insanely, joyful - must be the phoenix soul, Ikkin thought- and all of the warring emotions threatened to tear her apart. But she had to be strong- had to, because someone was trying to kill her friends, and she couldn't stand for that. So, she continued to fight her losing battle inside herself, which didn't do much for her mood.
"Perhaps something to eat?" Nimras asked offering Ikkin a bean in hopes that food could take the kitsune's mind off Sev. Ikkin only pushed the proffered bean away irritatedly. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry right now... especially for anything that's been cut using Crystal's kunai. Who knows where that thing's been?"
She shook her head to try and clear it. She didn't mean to be so rude... probably another side effect of that broken connection. She just couldn't help herself...
Ikkin turned on Lycos, thinking about what the leopard had said. Lycos thought she knew how the earthquake was started... of course she did, Ikkin thought. The only place it could have come from was one of the leopards' spells... She made this thought clear to Lycos and anyone else within range, in the most sarcastic way possible, then continued on with the other problem the leopards had most likely caused. "Of course you know where that earthquake came from- your shop, obviously. Just like that spell that ruined Sev's feathers! Who's the only 'kitty friend' we know who's willing and able to create ice spells to chuck at him?" Ikkin wheeled around and started to storm off, only to find it necessary for her to use the table to stand again. She nearly screamed in rage, but stopped herself in time, grabbing a couple of the beans and gnawing on them instead. She still wasn't hungry, but at least it calmed her down a bit.
Deep within her, however, all those violent emotions still raged... and Ikkin knew it wasn't possible to hold them off forever. The only question was, what would happen when they finally broke through?
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Post by Crystal on Jul 20, 2006 4:50:08 GMT -5
Crystal frowned in Ikkin's direction. What WAS the matter with the stupid pirate? You didn't insult Lycos like that unless you wanted bits of you torn off. Part of your soul ditching you like day-old cheese didn't change that fact.
Besides, she'd insulted Crystal's kunai.
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Post by Nimras on Jul 20, 2006 8:56:55 GMT -5
Gritting her teeth, Nimras kept a firm hold on her temper. "Ikkin," she said, "Sev wants you to not eat. That way he'll be stronger than you and win." She pushed the plate of vegetables in front of the kitsune, "So kick his ass, and eat your lunch." Ikkin played with the veggies halfheartedly. Nimras decided to not press her luck.
Now all she had to do was think of a way to keep the furious looking Lycos from eating Ikkin. Heaving a deep sigh, she rubbed her temples, how do I manage to get into these situations? "Ducky and Buddy are dead, Lycos. Their boat was hit by a rather ... unusual iceberg in the middle of tropical waters, and they drowned."
Lycos shrugged, "No problem, just have Sev bring them back. Unless," she added, giving Ikkin a glare, "Ms. Tizzyfit over there doesn’t want to."
Ikkin choked on her carrot, sputtering. Cutting her off, Nimras explained, "We already tried that. Sev said no."
"He can't say no! If he does --"
"Why do you think Ikkin's such a wreck?" Rider snapped at the dark leopard. "Sev said no, and is trying to tear her in two as we speak."
Time to change the subject. Before they're all at each other's throats again. "Lycos, you said the earthquake wasn’t natural. Could one of your stolen scrolls or whatever cast a spell like that?"
Lycos scowled darkly, "Spot talks to much. Yes, one of the stolen ones could do that." Seeing where the white Lupess was going, she added, "And some of them could explain the out of place iceberg that got Buddy and Ducky too."
Nimras nodded, she was afraid of that. Grabbing two frozen solid steaks, Nimras placed them down where they could thaw. After skipping the overly green vegetarian lunch, she was going to need a good dinner. "We need to find those scrolls." she said, stating the obvious. "First though, I'll help you clean up the mess in your shop."
Crystal watched the white canine and black feline leave with a slight frown. "Does Nimras seem a little... different to anyone else?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Meowth asked.
"I didn't think she was so... bossy."
Wandy gave a dry chuckle from his corner where he'd silently watched. "She's a Lupe." he stated as if that explained everything.
"That's a little obvious." Rider said dryly.
"Someone's hurting her pack," he explained, "and she doesn't know who it is, or how to stop them. Lupes don't like it when that happens. Ikkin and I have it a little better off, foxes don't run in packs. She’s probably repressing the urge to herd us into a little group and keep us under lock and key until everything smoothes out."
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Post by Ikkin on Jul 20, 2006 13:35:16 GMT -5
Ikkin continued picking at the vegetables halfheartedly. She knew that the struggle between her soul and Sev's could not be affected by hunger, regardless of what Nimras thought. Physical strength mattered little when it came to battles of the soul... and, besides, Sev was not fighting her wholeheartedly, anyway. Ikkin knew that neither tearing away his soul nor tearing hers apart could be the phoenix's goal. It would be far too risky for him- he would be once again teetering on the brink of nothing, without Ikkin's soul to anchor him to reality. That's why he would never refuse to revive me... though, I would never have thought he'd risk the connection being severed, either. What could have driven him to this? I have to find out...
Somehow, having a goal strengthened Ikkin, and for the first time, her efforts to keep the connection from breaking showed signs of success. The feeling of being torn apart subsided somewhat, though it did not leave entirely. But, for the first time since Sev's disobedience, Ikkin did not feel like she was going to be sick. Realizing that her best bet was to focus on her goal, the kitsune left the table, and asked if she could help out.
Cleaning up the Tabloid Shop might be helpful... perhaps something in there could give Ikkin some idea as to how to find out what was wrong with Sev and deal with it. She had a goal... now she just needed to find out how to reach it. And keep herself sane enough to be able to, but if things remained the way they were currently, the chances were good. As if to spite her, Sev's soul started pulling away again, though it was not nearly as bad as it had been. Things never could be simple, could they?
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Post by Rider on Jul 22, 2006 10:44:57 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]"It troubles me," Rider said to herself. "Those scrolls in the shop can be used by anyone. No knowledge of magic is needed."
Ventratta perched sat on a Meepit-sized armchair and stared at Rider.
"Yes, Ventratta, even you."
Meowth sniffed the air. Even in her human form, her nose was the sharpest around. It comes with being a werewolf. "I've been searching for some scent... some indication that we're not the only ones here. Something to restore my faith in the mods and thier alter-egos. But it's no use.
"The killer... is one of us."
END CHAPTER ONE.[/glow]
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Post by Rider on Jul 22, 2006 13:42:01 GMT -5
Chapter Two [glow=red,2,300]Darkness fell. It was our first night after the earthquake. We were all a bit nervous. There were six rooms left intact. Forum Events, Pen's Point, Art Studio, Off Topic and the Splatterboard. "Dibs on the Splatterboard couch!" Mindy yelled, pouncing on the worn-out piece of furniture. Lycos took up residence on a rug nearby, right outside the door to the Tabloid Shop. Stal and Spot took a couch on the other side of the room. Ventratta and Rider agreed to room with Ikkin in Forum Events. No one had seen hide nor hair of Sev. Then again, that was probably a good thing. [/glow] |
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Post by Nimras on Jul 22, 2006 14:30:58 GMT -5
Nimras and Wanderer prowled around the edge of Off Topic.
"Well," he grunted, pushing hard against what had formerly been a doorway, "I think we've officially concluded that they're all blocked off."
Both of the canines ears pinned in annoyance. "I hate being locked up." the white Lupess seethed.
"Think of it as a chance to hibernate."
Nimras gave Wandy a disgusted look, "You know perfectly well neither of us do that."
Wandy was a wise man, he chose to divert her attention. "Think those steaks are thawed yet?" It was a much happier Lupess who followed him to the kitchen.
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Post by Tracy on Jul 24, 2006 10:50:07 GMT -5
Forum Events;
"Hey guys, look what I made!" Tracy grinned a little. The death of her two friends hadn't quite hit home yet, and she was trying to make the best of... well, a rather dire situation. She held up what looked like-
"...Please don't tell me you made that out of the artwork from the Art Studio," Rider said disbelievingly.
"Yep, a nice toasty blanket!"
"Doofus."
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Post by Rider on Jul 24, 2006 20:37:52 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]It was roasting out.
Tracy was sleeping under a toasty blanket of artwork. Stal was sleeping in his trenchcoat. Spot and Lycos were furry. Ventratta was slightly less furry, but furry all the same. Rider was sweating like a pig and wondering if her fellow mods were insane. Then she remembered. This is the NTWF.
Ikkin was shivering, slightly. Her skin felt cold to the touch. She slept fitfully next to a pile of debris. What sorts of things might she be dreaming?
Ventratta seemed to be sleeping like a baby.
The glowing green numbers on the alarm clock read 11:58 PM. Rider lay awake and stared at the ceiling. She rolled on her side and immediately regretted it, because movement makes heat.
Finally, she rose. "I'm going to get a drink of water," she whispered to Ikkin's shivering form. Ikkin made a small noise in her throat. Rider couldn't tell if she was responding to her voice, or to some nightmarish beast in her head.
Rider lit a candle and walked to the Splatterboard kitchen. Mindela was on the couch, sleeping just as fitfully as Ikkin, though the leopard-girl was sweating. Lycos seemed to have moved from the Splatterboard. Perhaps she had been hit in the face one too many times by Mindy's twitching tail.
A single shaft of moonlight fell through the damaged ceiling and illuminated a patch on the Splatterboard floor. Mindela's tail darted in and out of that moonlight like a butterfly. It had a rhythm like clockwork to it. It kept time with the beating of her heart.[/glow]
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Thanks, Leoness! ^__^
