Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin 
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jun 23, 2011 20:58:12 GMT -8
Prologue – The Comfort Zone Having arrived on Relicar a day earlier, he now stood before the dilapidated remnants of the shrine known only as the Ancient Mausoleum. An enigmatic building which had been erected in the wilderness in times long forgotten, far and away from any nearby city or town. The purpose of the monument had long-since been lost to history, with even Parnier IV lacking records as to who had constructed it, or why. Even the monks who blindly watched over the shrine knew not why they were there; they simply continued to carry on their traditions of guardianship through the generations. But he knew. He knew all-too well what the cold monument housed. He knew more than most individuals did about a great many things, he had found. And why shouldn′t he? He had devoted his life to the pursuit of knowledge which would fuel his ambition. So many remained in their own personal comfort zones; afraid of knowing the truth. Afraid of change. They numbed their minds to that which they could not comprehend, to thoughts which disturbed the sanctity of their hollow, meager existences. But not Sudhira Luvont. For him there was no comfort zone to speak of. No, not in this world. This theoretically 'Paragon' world. He was of average height for an adult male, with a healthy physical build, looking to be no older than his early thirties. His haunting, somber emerald eyes stared at the building in a trance-like state, a stoic expression present upon his pale, attractive face which was unreadable, and gave no insight into his thoughts or emotions. He wore a long navy blue coat with a gold trim about his shoulders, though his arms were not placed through the sleeves, and it was being worn more like a mantle. His white, long-sleeved shirt had noticeably puffy wrists. It was immaculately clean and wrinkle-free, tucked into navy blue pants which were, in turn, tucked into a pair of formal black boots. Beneath the collar of his shirt was an oval Tiger′s eye gemstone set into a black facet, held in position by a black cord with the two ends protruding out through the bottom. Each hand was covered in a pristine, white gloves. His attire and overall appearance gave him an air of nobility. Ominous storm clouds had grayed the mid-day sky, and a rising wind swept through the area. His long, brown hair and coat fluttered about his form as he continued to take in the sight. He wasn′t afraid of what was to come, though he was certainly anxious. All of the pieces were beginning to fall into place. Though he had only been standing there for half a minute, it felt as though he had been observing the sight for hours. He pressed onward, ascending the weathered, cracked stone steps, his boots producing a clattering sound with each step he took. Cradled beneath his right arm was a tome bound in decaying brown leather, the pages yellowed and brittle. He hadn′t come across the book easily, though it was an effort worth the endeavor. The heavy wooden doors flanking the entrance were not even half as old as the temple itself, and were quite obviously implemented, or replaced, well after the construction of the building itself. They were currently wide open, granting free entrance into the hallowed halls. The interior was expansive, dimly illuminated by primitive torches whose flames flickered and sputtered against the piercing wind which crept in through the open doors, chilling one to the bone. The floor was highly polished marble of black with sea green swirls, with equally impressive marble pillars sprouting up throughout the shrine which disappeared from view into the looming ceiling, which was enveloped in concealing shadows. The atmosphere made it appear almost as though one had stepped into a marble forest, each pillar a tree trunk of man-made design. The glossy floor produced reflective duplicates of the pillars, creating an optical illusion which made the already massive chamber appear larger than life. He made his way through the room toward the staircase which led up to an altar at the rear of the temple; the focal point of the Ancient Mausoleum. The sound of his footsteps resonated throughout the chamber, each echo amplified by the architecture, disturbing the natural silence, save for the ambiance of the wind and the crackling flames of the torches. He was not alone, however, as there were several monks scattered here and there throughout the temple. Their ages were diversified, though they were all male humans with shaved heads who had donned humble robes of uninspiring brown, gray, or blue hues. All of them took notice of his entrance, though most simply gave him little more than a passing glance before returning to whatever they had been doing prior to noticing his arrival. Tourists were uncommon, though not unheard of, and were allowed to roam the halls freely. It could easily be brought into question as to why monks who were supposedly guarding the mausoleum allowed any and all outsiders to enter and roam the shrine freely, but Luvont knew the answer. They had lost all knowledge of what they were supposed to be protecting; there was no known method of who to allow admittance, and who not to, and thus all were welcomed. The monks continued their duties simply because it was what their parents had wanted of them, and their parents before them, and so on. To watch over the mausoleum was all they ever knew. Within the cool, marble interior was everything they ever wanted; their comfort zone. At least one of the vigils thought to address the stranger in their midst. A middle-aged monk clad in a brown robe slowly approached him at the foot of the steps leading up to the altar, his own sandal-clad footsteps not producing a sound as he seemingly floated across the floor, his robe fluttering about his ankles with each step, a reflective doppelgänger accompanying him via the marble floor. He had a warm, sincere smile upon his face, his right hand embracing the left as he met Luvont′s emerald hues with his own chestnut eyes. “Welcome, friend. If you have come seeking shelter from the impending storm, we do not have much to offer, though you are more than welcome here.” Luvont regarded him with the same emotionless visage he had worn throughout most of his life, his green eyes seemingly piercing into the monk′s soul. “A storm is coming, yes. One to top all others.” He responded coolly in a serene, though distinctly masculine, voice. The monk′s smiling expression contorted to one of mild confusion at the stranger′s response. He was entirely silent for a moment, unsure of how to reply. It wasn′t necessarily what the stranger had said that disturbed him, but rather, how he had said it. Turning his gaze away from the monk, Luvont peered up the steps toward the podium set upon the altar. The podium was marbled, black with dark gray. Cold, and uncaring. Etched upon the stone surface were various inscriptions, written in a language which was long lost, leaving few clues behind as to how to translate the words into modern tongue. The monk′s eyes trailed up to meet what the stranger′s own were inspecting. “Ah, yes. The podium you see, we believe, is somehow connected with the purpose of this shrine. Though we are not entirely certain what significance it... holds...” The monk trailed off in his attempted explanation when the stranger proceeded to climb the steps leading up to the alter, ignoring his words entirely and giving him the cold shoulder, as if the monk no longer existed as far as he was concerned. And thus the monk watched from the foot of the stairs as the stranger casually made his way to the altar. He stopped at the top of the steps, gazing upon the podium from as close a distance as he intended to get to it. It was then that he took the tome he had held securely under his arm, his right palm outstretched and flat as the heavy book levitated a couple of inches above his hand. It seemingly opened itself, the pages rapidly turning on their own until stopping on the incantation Luvont desired. Outstretching his left arm toward the monument he began reciting the ancient words which had been only partially translated; the words were detailed as how to be pronounced in modern tongue, though no meaning for what the words meant was detailed. It made no difference to Luvont what they meant, for he knew what they achieved. “Ki tata, en soraz fe-debro, giazo Hakana.” His words were fluent and carried determination and impact, each foreign word amplified by the chamber′s echo effect as his incantation resonated throughout the temple. The etched runes cut into the podium responded to his words, and began to glow with a luminescence all their own. “No, stop!” The monk at the bottom of the stairs protested with alarm as he began to quickly sprint up the steps, outstretching his right arm pleadingly toward the stranger. All of the other present monks took notice, as well, and rushed to the scene as swiftly as their legs could carry them. “Ki tata, en doruno ko-fuura, riana Hakana!” Luvont continued, his delivery growing in intensity and volume. The illuminated inscriptions were glowing so brightly that it nearly hurt to look upon them. “What are you doing?! Stop this, please!” The monk called after him in a tone of desperation. He was now halfway up the steps, with some of the others beginning to ascend after him. But he was too late; they were all too late. It was almost funny. Minutes earlier they were all likely concerned about the turn in weather, none of them having even the faintest idea that someone would appear to shatter their tranquil, uneventful world. After all, an occurrence like that was outside of the borders of their comfort zone. “Ki tata, en zurikivo alta kobavra, kinvre Hakana!” He was shouting at that point as he read the final line in the incantation. The podium was then engulfed in a blinding bubble of light, emitting an otherworldly sound followed by the distinctive sound of stone being split in twain, then falling to land upon a hard surface. The light was unbearable, and taking the tome from its hovering position and physically clutching it with his right hand, he shielded his eyes with his left wrist. Squinting, he peered up from behind his shirt sleeve, helpless to look away from the sight regardless of the strain it placed upon his eyes. In an instant, everything had calmed again. The blinding light faded even faster than it had appeared. There was no sound at all; no monks shouting after him; not even the howling of the wind or the crackling of the torch flames. Only dead silence. The podium was cut cleanly in half at a horizontal slant, the top half laying beside the base. As Luvont′s eyes readjusted from peering into the brilliant light, he at first considered that the monochrome tone the room had taken was the result of his eyes having undergone strain. But, upon inspecting his own body, he concluded that he remained in normal color, and that everything else was in black and white. Turning to look behind him he saw the monks on the stairs, frozen in time in whatever positions they had held just before the burst of light. Completely motionless, as though Luvont had found himself trapped within a photograph, where he alone could move in normal time. “Oh, I guess it′s time to play now, huh?” Came a child′s voice from behind him. He turned back toward the destroyed podium to see that a young boy, appearing no older than eight, now stood in front of it. The boy, like himself, was also free to move in time, and retained normal coloration. The orange-haired boy was clad in a shirt with alternating stripes of dark blue and light blue. He wore blue shorts and white tennis shoes, and had a band-aid over his left knee. He held up a red ball in both of his small hands, positioned in such a way that it concealed the entire bottom half of his face. His amber eyes peered up and over the ball at Luvont. “This is a game for keeps. The winner will stand at the forefront of a new world. A true Paragon Nimus.” Luvont responded coolly, unphased by the strange state of the temple, locked in time, or the appearance of the child. “That game sounds boring!” The child retorted in an appalled tone. Luvont′s demeanor remained steadfast. He had full knowledge of who this was, and though he wasn′t fearful of him, he knew that he at least had to choose his actions and words carefully. “The gears have already been set into place. We need only to initiate their rotation. I have resumed that which Makotto originally set out to achieve. As one of his entrusted emissary placeholders I am hopeful that you will assist me now, as you assisted him then.” He replied after a moment of thought. The child′s eyes narrowed, and though the ball covered his mouth the contortion of his cheeks indicated that he was smiling. “Makotto was a hopeless romantic, and you′re not even up to his level. But I′ll join your cause, all the same. Not because I believe what you′re striving for is plausible, or even desirable, but because of the fun to be had between here and there.” The child lowered the ball, positioning it under his right arm, his left fist balled and placed on his hip. He was smirking, and had an unsettling look of madness upon his youthful face. “I was in there for far too long. So boring. Why, I could have just withered away from boredom, Mister!” As he spoke his body began to rapidly change; he was seemingly aging at an accelerated rate, becoming a teenager, a young adult, a man, a middle aged man, and an elderly man with a long, white beard before his flesh began to wither away, his eye sockets going hollow as his skin decayed to nothing more than bone before crumbling into a heap, then becoming nothing more than dust. Luvont watched the performance with a bemused expression. Following the morbid display was empty silence, and he knew that his exchange with Harprai, the Chaos Font, had concluded. He had received his answer, as unappealing as its delivery had been. Harprai would again appear before him, when the time was right. Of that he was certain, even though most would consider trusting an entity such as Harprai to be a folly of the utmost ignorance. He was unconcerned about such matters. He had unsealed the demon, and he could seal him again, if it was necessary. Turning, he faced the stairs and made his way back down again, weaving in and out of the frozen forms of the colorless monks who barred his path. About halfway down the steps he heard a light, springy sound coming from behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder he saw the red ball bouncing down the steps after him. Crouching to one knee he scooped the ball up into his free left hand, his right still holding the tome. He held the spherical toy in front of his gaze for a moment before it spontaneously popped in his hand, disappearing entirely with a loud popping noise. Luvont lowered his left hand and turned to continue his trek back down the steps and toward the exit. Harprai was at least partially correct: he was not at Makotto′s level, but he would succeed where Makotto had failed, oh so many years ago. A perfect world was worth fighting for. Worth killing for. Worth dying for. Luvont, and those who followed him, were not content with the state of the world. They had no comfort zone. There was no comfort to be had, and they were among those who could recognize that. Recognize it, and strive to alter it. |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jun 25, 2011 2:05:32 GMT -8
Chapter 1 – The Dream League Overlook Island: a lush paradise, situated several miles from the coast of the United States of America and, more specifically, the state of Calisota. The island was virtually untouched by the hands of man, save for one prominent exception: a lavish mansion was constructed in the midst of the otherwise untamed greens. A mansion which had been dubbed 'The Overlook.' The Overlook, and in fact the entire island, was privately owned by a wealthy businessman named Scrooge McDuck. Though, as far as documentation was concerned, the paper trail as to who actually owned either was a convoluted mess which made it nearly impossible to discern the true land owner. This was a necessary precaution on the savvy businessman′s part to avoid any direct connection between himself and the mansion′s true purpose as the headquarters of the Dream League. Though, among the Dream League members, the Masked Mallard insinuates that the island and its mansion were a “gift from Scrooge McDuck.” This statement is far from public (or any official) knowledge. As crime began to spike in Calisota, most prominently in Epcot City, it became too big of an issue for local law enforcement to effectively keep up with. Citizens with the ability and resolve to fight back began to don aliases and disguises to combat the criminal waves. In time, a team comprised of some such vigilantes was formed: The Dream League. Though its members were comprised of individuals representing numerous races, genders, ages, and backgrounds, they all had one very important goal they shared. The goal of bringing unlawful criminals to justice; to defend the people; to send a message to those who would tarnish the sanctity of peace that no crime goes unpunished. To many members of the Dream League, The Overlook had become a second home. And, to some, it was their permanent place of residence. The upper levels of the mansion were well lavished in all of the finer commodities money could buy. In the hidden lower levels was where technological wonders funded by Scrooge McDuck′s seemingly endless pool of finances aided the Dream League in their endeavors to combat crime. It housed a state-of-the art training room, a subterranean hangar which docked a personal aircraft of exceptional design when not in use, and a monitoring room on par, if not more advanced than, those available to the U.S. Military. It was in said monitoring room where an unusual anomaly was detected by the Overlook′s personal super computer. A communication page had alerted all available members of the Dream League to the monitoring room, where a lanky, white-feathered anthropomorphic chicken observed an illuminated monitoring screen, the faint, blue light it emitted giving his pale face a haunting glow, his small spectacles reflecting the images displayed upon the screen. The tall chicken wore a pink, long-sleeved, collared shirt with black bands over the sleeves of each forearm. He had a black vest worn over his shirt, left completely open to hang freely against his flanks. His blue pants were rolled up at the ankles, and each of his large feet were covered by brown shoes. His wild, unkempt red hair was crowned by a small, oval, yellow hat with a black band. Standing beside him was an elderly, white-feathered anthropomorphic duck in a black tuxedo and top hat, sporting a dark blue domino mask, which rendered his eyes completely white, and a black cape with dark blue lining and interior. He also wore dark blue spats over his light orange, webbed feet, and a pair of spectacles set upon his orange bill. He was currently supporting the underside of his bill in his right hand, looking at the screen thoughtfully. Behind the two silent birds a metal door slid open with a mechanical noise accompanying it. Both of the men turned to observe the entrance of the team members they had summoned there. Various members of the Dream League entered, one at a time, until the monitoring room was teeming with a significant population of costumed heroes. To the casual observer it would look like the makings of a Halloween costume party. Though the situation was far less jovial than anything of that nature. Not every active member of the group was in attendance, as many were out fulfilling alternate obligations. But a good number of the members had managed to attend. At the forefront of the band of heroes was a white-feathered, anthropomorphic duck seemingly in his mid twenties. He wore a spandex costume with a black and red color scheme. The back of his costume had a hole where his tail feathers protruded freely. Adorning his waist was a utility belt secured by a large, circular, gold belt buckle. Draped behind him was a cape which was blue on the exterior and red on the interior. A black eye mask concealed part of his face to help obscure his identity. Atop his head he wore a blue sailor hat with a forked, black tassel. He tapped one of his yellow boots anxiously. “So, what′s going on, MM? Giant robot? Alien invaders? Salesmen knocking on people′s doors during dinner time?” The duck joked, his arms crossed over his chest and a smug expression on his bill. He was Donald Fauntleroy Duck, alias Duck Avenger. A resident of Duckburg, his original motivation for donning a costume was initially one of petty malice and revenge. He came to see the light in time, and became an upstanding hero of justice in the time that followed. While lacking powers, he could utilize a variety of weapons and gadgets. This, coupled with his combat training while serving in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy, made him formidable despite his lack of innate powers or abilities. “No, lad. Nothing of that nature.” The gentlemanly duck in the tuxedo and top hat responded to Duck Avenger in a dignified voice which bore a Scottish accent. He was Scrooge McDuck, alias Masked Mallard. An elderly businessman and both the founder and primary benefactor of the Dream League, as well as the uncle of Donald Duck. Known as the Richest Duck in the World, Mr. McDuck initially took on the persona of the Masked Mallard to improve his public image. Through a twist of fate he was unintentionally granted superpowers when a magic spell cast upon him by one of his numerous enemies, Magica DeSpell, backfired and granted the aged duck superhuman strength, enhanced durability, and the uncanny ability to alter probability, granting him exceptional luck. “But I do believe Gyro is better equipped to explain it than I.” He added, looking toward the chicken beside him. Clearing his throat, Gyro Gearloose, a top-notch scientific mind (even if his inventions didn′t always function as intended), as well as an employee of Scrooge McDuck and avid behind-the-scenes supporter to the Dream League, adjusted his spectacles as he gathered his thoughts for an explanation. “Several minutes ago the Master Control Program detected an anomaly in the space-time continuum at the coordinates--” He started in a high, raspy tone of voice before stopping himself in mid-sentence as he recalled that not all of the members of the Dream League had the geographical knowledge for coordinates to give them a clear indication of the location he was specifying. “Err, in Walter Elias National Forest.” He finished with his own self-correction. “The forest?” A teenage Japanese-American girl spoke up, a defensive tinge to her tone. She wore a long, blue tunic similar to a dress which stopped just above her knees, accenting her fit, athletic form. Over the tunic she wore a white material which covered her chest and back, split down either side. She wore a white wolfskin cape, with the tail of the wolf intact. Around her neck she sported a necklace in which the teeth of a large predator hung. Around her head was a thin, dark blue headband with a light colored gemstone in the center. On either wrist were similar bands. Large, round, silver earrings were pierced into each of her earlobes. On her feet she wore beige moccasins. Her hair was short and brown, and her slender face, which had triangular, red face paint on her forehead and either cheek, was striking. Her eyes were a somber, gray hue. San Hisaishi, alias She-Wolf. As a child she witnessed the murder of her parents at the hand of ruthless criminals. Fleeing into the Walter Elias National Forest skirting Calisota, she was taken in by the wolf gods of the forest. She was given divine gifts from the gods who had adopted her into their midst, including enhanced agility and senses, as well as retractable fangs and claws, like those of a beast. For years she remained in the forest before ultimately being drawn back into the human world she had grown to despise, eventually becoming a member of the Dream League, utilizing her talents to prevent others from suffering similar fates to the one she had to experience. For She-Wolf, Gyro′s mentioning of her forest home sent-up a red flag. She was still very protective of the forest, and of her wolf god family who presided there. “Yes, that′s correct.” Gyro confirmed, even though her input had been a purely rhetorical question. “So what′s this space-time-continent thingie, anyway?” Asked an elderly human in a lightly gravely, aged voice, perking an eyebrow as he looked at Gyro with questioning sapphire hues. He was short with an angular body structure and a bulbous nose. His hair and bushy eyebrows were white; a prime indication of his advanced age. Unlike most of the others, he did not wear a specific costume, but rather, was dressed in normal (if not dated) attire. He wore a brown suit jacket, a white, button-front shirt, and brown pants, as well as a pair of brown leather shoes. A black bow tie was positioned below his neck. He sported both a black belt and suspenders. He donned thick, black-rimmed glasses. Atop his head was a brown fedora with a dark brown band. On the middle finger of his right hand was a gold ring with a faintly glowing, blue oval symbol atop it, which was also the source of his powers. He was Carl Fredricksen, alias The Balloonist. During his youth, Carl and his wife received mystical power rings from an alien entity which bestowed upon them phenomenal capabilities. For years he and his wife fought crime, eventually growing old and retiring. Some time after, the death of his wife left Carl a widower. A turn of events led to Carl returning from retirement, resuming his identity as the Balloonist and becoming an active member of the Dream League. “Continuum! In the space-time continuum, or spacetime, space is three-dimensional while time is represented as the fourth dimension which is separate from the three spatial dimen--” Gyro began a more in-depth explanation. The Balloonist winced, raising his hands and visibly grimacing. “In plain English, if you please!” The Balloonist cut-off the enthusiastic inventor. “Well, basically it′s some sort of dimensional distortion. I can′t provide you with much more information than that, because at this point we really don′t know what it is or how it occurred.” Gyro explained. “Is it dangerous?” Inquired a small dalmatian pup who cocked his head to the side as he asked. He wore a green eye mask which rendered his eyes completely white. He sported a black and green costume with his trademark insignia of a bone on the chest. A green collar wrapped around his neck. On his right paw was a green ring; a ring which granted the pup powers, not unlike the Balloonist′s own ring. He was Lucky Radcliffe, alias The Green Bone. One fateful night at his home on the Radcliffe farm, Lucky witnessed a meteorite shoot down to earth. Rushing to inspect the fallen object, the meteorite shattered, leaving behind an emerald ring. When worn, it granted Lucky extraordinary powers, including the ability to speak to humans. Upon moving to Epcot City with the rest of his family, Lucky adopted the identity of the Green Bone and joined the ranks of the Dream League. “Well, I′m not entirely certain, to be honest. Thus far it has maintained an almost steady rhythm, though just before you arrived it did fluctuate and expand before reverting to its former intensity.” Gyro answered the dalmatian′s question. “Though I dare say that this matter requires investigation.” The Masked Mallard added once Gyro had finished speaking. “There′s just no telling exactly what it is, or how it came to be there. But we should most definitely have ourselves a look, on the chance that its sudden appearance is malicious in nature.” He concluded. And, of course, his concerns were justified. Certainly many of the Dream League members had unusual and destructive powers, and the same could unfortunately have been said for many of the villains which plagued Calisota. The prospect of some supervillain producing the anomaly with ill-intent in mind was not farfetched, given the things they had all seen and experienced in their time. “Yeah! I agree. We′d be dopes to not check this out So, who′s tagging along?” Duck Avenger inquired, thumbing the door behind them, clearly motioning toward the direction of the hangar which housed their custom aircraft constructed by Gyro himself: the Star Wisher. From the way he had phrased his question Duck Avenger made it clear that he was going along, and wished to know who would be accompanying him. “If mi amigo is going, you can count me in!” Exclaimed an anthropomorphic rooster, apparently in his late twenties, as he slung an arm around Duck Avenger′s shoulder. Taller than the ducks present, though shorter than Gyro, he was somewhat scrawny in build. His feathers were primarily red, though white upon his hands and forearms. He had three long, distinctive red tail feathers befitting of a rooster. He wore a red rodeo uniform with a yellow trim and a flamboyant, bright yellow sombrero with a series of round, green ornaments all around the brim. On either hip were holstered revolvers fastened to a leather belt secured around his waist, which had a large, circular, silver belt buckle. His spats, which also had silver spurs attached to the back of each ankle, were open-ended, revealing two long, yellow front toes. A yellow eye mask, with green outlining around the eyes, concealed his identity and rendered his eyes entirely white; a common trait among masks worn by Dream League members. He was Panchito Romero Miguel Junipero Francisco Quintero Gonzalez Pistoles, alias El Tirador. An energetic and hyperactive rooster and remarkably accurate sharpshooter. Thanks to Gyro, he also possessed special bullets for his revolvers which carried various effects. An old friend of Donald Duck, Panchito traveled from Mexico to the United States to seek employment and visit his old amigo. As the boisterous El Tirador, his skill with a pistol was second to none. He was also an accomplished brawler. He possessed a magic, flying serape which responded to his thoughts. Perhaps his most unusual, and unexplained, skill was the ability to conceal a nearly infinite number of objects in his pockets, under his sombrero, or even behind his back. “Duck Avenger cast El Tirador an irritated glare at his sudden man-handling of his person, but had no objections to the rooster-sharpshooter going along for the ride. “I wouldn′t dream of missing out on adding space-time continuum anomalies to my list of weird things I′ve seen.” The Green Bone chimed in, informing his teammates that he would be joining them. “I shall come along, as well.” A young, blonde girl with naturally-red lips announced in a dignified English accent. She wore a spandex costume which was light blue on one half and white on the other, with the white half forming a cloud pattern upon her chest, a blue ribbon just above it. On her hands and feet were gloves and boots, respectively, which were of the opposite coloration of the side they adorned; a white glove and boot on the blue side of her costume and a blue glove and boot on the white side. She wore a cloud-shaped eye mask which made her eyes appear white, although her eyelashes were visible through the mask. Her long, yellow hair was tied back with a black ribbon which was tied into a small bow at the top. She was Alice Pleasance Liddell, alias Dreamchild. Born in England to wealthy parents, from a very young age she exhibited psychic capabilities, though they were rather weak in nature. One night she witnessed a meteorite fall from the sky. Investigating the fallen meteorite she discovered it had caused a surrounding cluster of mushrooms to glow with mysterious light. Enticed through an overwhelming curiosity, Alice touched one of the mushrooms, and her psychic abilities became completely unlocked thanks to cosmic radiation. She became fully capable of utilizing telepathy, telekinesis, and other various mind-related powers. She then became Dreamchild, and defended her homeland until such a time came when she enrolled in a prestigious boarding school, St. Blair Academy. Moving to the United States, more specifically Epcot City, she soon resumed her duties as a young superheroine upon learning how corrupt Epcot City was. She joined the Dream League shortly thereafter. Truth be told, Alice′s trademark curiosity left her wanting to see the space-time anomaly first-hand. Beside Dreamchild a short, anthropomorphic bear nodded his head in agreement enthusiastically before raising his small, strap-on red-and-yellow hat with his left paw and batting his ears while offering a smile. He made no vocal mentioning of his desire to join them, but that was a given, as he was incapable of human speech. Though, if Dreamchild was going, that almost assuredly meant the endearing bear would also be going, as he shared a close bond with the young heroine. He stood at only about 3′ in height, and was covered in brown fur which was lighter around his muzzle and underbelly. He wore a red jacket with a white undershirt, of which only the collar was visible, and a blue bow tie. He was Bongo, the Super-Bear, with no true alias to speak of, going by Bongo at any given time. Born to a small traveling circus, Bongo was raised to perform, particularly by riding a unicycle. Spending all of his free time in an animal cage, Bongo eventually yearned for escape, which he managed to accomplish. He began to roam the land as a free spirit, and during one of his travels he happened upon a fallen meteorite which was still glowing with an cosmic energy. Upon touching the meteorite he gained super-strength. He continued his travels until he reached Epcot City, where he joined up with the Dream League. “I′d like to accompany the survey team, as well.” Stated a rather beautiful, long-haired, blonde teenager with striking purple eyes and natural ruby lips. Remarkably attractive, her physique and facial features were as close to perfection as was likely humanly possible. She wore a primarily pink leotard without leggings, which was long-sleeved, and blue from the elbows down with a blue band above each elbow. A wide, vertical, blue stripe cut down the front and back of the torso. On the chest of the leotard was an emblem of a sun. She wore a double skirt, each layer of a different shade of pink. Pink, high-heeled boots adorned her feet, stretching up to roughly 1” below her bare knees. She wore a pink eye mask, though, unlike similar masks worn by other Dream League members, her eyes were fully visible through the mask. She was Aurora, pseudonym Briar Rose, alias Sunshine. Born into royalty as Princess Aurora in the hidden kingdom of Eyvindria, she was the sole heir of King Stefan and Queen Leah. During a christening performed amidst a celebration party shortly after her birth, Aurora was blessed with the Gift of Beauty and the Gift of Song by two good fairies. A cruel and spiteful dark fairy, Maleficent, interrupted the ceremony and placed a curse upon the kingdom, which she doomed to be destroyed by an ancient evil on the day of Aurora′s sixteenth birthday. To counter the dark curse, the third and final good fairy′s blessing bestowed upon Aurora was the Gift of Prowess. With this final gift, Aurora gained super strength, the ability to fly, and the power to discharge rays of solar energy. When Aurora′s sixteenth birthday came she waged battle against the Great Old One who aimed to destroy Eyvindria, defeating the ancient evil and then proceeding to seal Maleficent within an enchanted tree with help from the three good fairies. A year after, Aurora found herself in a state of unrest, desiring to use her powers to help others. With her own kingdom in a state of peace, Aurora decided to venture to an area which needed her assistance more than her homeland. She found herself in a crime-ridden Epcot City, where she joined the Dream League as Sunshine. After Sunshine′s confirmation of attendance, She-Wolf gave a brisk nod, yet said nothing. She had a determined expression upon her face, her eyebrows furrowed. Regardless of whoever else was going, She-Wolf had intended to go from the offset (even if she had to go alone). If there was foul play at work she would help put an end to it and protect her family of wolf gods in the forest, as well as anyone else who may or may not be endangered. “Well, even if no harm results from this, erm, phenomenon, it should prove to be a rather educational experience either way!” An elderly man with a rather long, white beard and mustache with bushy, white eyebrows spoke up. He wore a long, light blue shirt which resembled a loose-fitting robe, held in place by a yellow belt which was tied in a knot on the right side. He wore black pants and a pair of brown shoes which hadn′t been a common fashion choice since the dark ages (literally). Covering each hand were gold gloves. He donned a red cape with gold trimming, the collar of which was raised and rather prominent, encircling the back of his head. Unlike most of the others present, he wore no mask to conceal his identity, much like the Balloonist, though he did wear a small pair of black-rimmed spectacles upon his large nose. He was Merlin, alias Paradox. His true name being more than a mere homage or reference, he was in fact the Merlin of Arthurian legend; the most powerful wizard in history, known for his role in educating and assisting King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. He journeyed to the future with a specific purpose, which remained ambiguous, though one could assume it was of the utmost of importance to have lured the wizard through time itself. In the meantime he employed his magical prowess to aid the Dream League. “Isn′t that right, Archimedes?” Paradox added, extending his right index finger and using it to prod the ribs of a small, light brown owl, which was perched upon his left shoulder. The owl furrowed his eyebrows, his yellow eyes cutting into the elderly magician with a look of irritation as the diminutive-sized bird puffed up, shaking his feathers in agitation. “Educational?! Everything is so topsy-turvy in this era, who can even say what is and isn′t an 'anomaly?' Why, it wouldn′t surprise me if this space-time anomaly shot ice cream cones at us!” The owl replied haughtily, folding his wings over his chest, much like a man would do with his arms, and glaring at Paradox. He was Archimedes, an educated owl and constant companion to both Merlin and his alter-ego, Paradox. Known for his irritable and cranky disposition, he would have others believe that he bore no feelings toward anyone, or anything; though in truth he was quite protective of both Merlin and Arthur. Archimedes had magical optical augmentations which granted him eye-related powers such as laser vision, X-ray vision, and some other practical abilities, such as the ability to illuminate darkened areas. He was also quite intelligent, and fully capable of human speech. “I shall accompany you as well, my comrades.” Came an elegant, regal English voice from the man standing closest to Paradox and Archimedes; a man clad in golden knight′s armor. He carried an air of nobility, and rightfully so. His armor was of amazing design, as artistic in its qualities as it was practical. It covered every inch of his body, including a helmet which completely concealed his entire head and face, yet had vents at the mouth so that his voice could be clear and legible. At his side was a scabbard which sheathed the legendary sword, Excalibur. He was Sir Arthur Pendragon, the boy who freed the Sword in the Stone, destined to become king of medieval England. Though only a scrawny, toe-headed boy of twelve under normal circumstances, when calling upon the divine power of Excalibur, a gift from the Lady of the Lake, he transformed into a muscular, armor-clad young man, appearing to be about eighteen years in age. In his divine form he gained enhanced strength and the ability to wield the divine holy power contained within Excalibur. Outside of his armor he would be rendered a mere mortal, and was only capable of maintaining his divine form for limited amounts of time. He traveled with Paradox and Archimedes to the future, where he joined the Dream League. The Balloonist looked between each member of the Dream League as they declared their willingness and desire to help investigate the phenomenon in the forest. Everyone in attendance thus far, other than Gyro, the Masked Mallard, and himself, had agreed to join the expedition. He supposed that they all had their own reasons for wanting to go, and suspected that, for many of them, curiosity was a heavy influence to their ultimate decision. “Well I hardly think we need a small army to go look at some space amoeba, so I′m gonna sit this one out, if it′s all the same to you guys.” The Balloonist stated with a wave of his hand. “But you all promise me you′ll be careful. If you find any trouble you give me a call and I′ll be there to lend a hand.” He added with sincerity. “And I′m going...” Gyro suddenly spoke out, receiving looks of shock and confusion from everyone in the room. “...to link the exact coordinates to the Star Wisher, so you know exactly where to go!” He added enthusiastically after a moment′s pause, and with that clarification the surprised expressions of those present became relaxed again. “All right then, Dreamers! Shall we be on our way?” The Masked Mallard asked as he stepped forward, his gaze shifting between the various members. With the Gentleman′s Crimefighter at last acknowledging his own intent to join them on their mission it seemed as though quite a turnout would be heading to Walter Elias National Forest to check up on the strange occurrence which had been detected there. “Yeah! Let′s head out!” Duck Avenger answered enthusiastically. And with that, everyone, save for Gyro and the Balloonist, began to exit the monitoring room in a single-file line, led by Duck Avenger, who had wormed his way to the front of the line, as they made their way to the hangar. |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jun 29, 2011 21:29:13 GMT -8
Chapter 2 – What Lies Beyond The Dream League′s personal aircraft, the Star Wisher, zoomed through the air above Calisota at impressive speeds. Gyro had really outdone himself when he had designed and constructed it. Brilliant as he was, not all of Gyro′s inventions always worked out as he had intended them to, and some had been known to malfunction or even explode. That, of course, had made initial test flights of the Star Wisher a bit unnerving for those occupying it. To the delight (and relief) of all, it functioned precisely as it had been designed to. Duck Avenger was piloting the aerial vehicle (which was predictable, as he was rather selfish in that regard, and rarely allowed others an opportunity to pilot it, even though he had no direct ownership of the aircraft), while the Masked Mallard had shotgun. In the two seats behind those occupied by the duck crime fighters, She-Wolf sat behind Duck Avenger, while Dreamchild was situated in the seat behind the Masked Mallard. Though there were no vacant seats left, El Tirador stood behind and between Duck Avenger and the Masked Mallard, his hands placed upon each of their seats for support. The Green Bone, being so diminutive in size, simply sat upon Dreamchild′s lap, not being large enough to require a seat of his own. He could have flown alongside the Star Wisher, though that wasn′t necessary seeing as there was more than enough room for him. Sunshine, however, had chosen to fly outside of the aircraft. She flew side-by-side with it, and managed to keep up quite well. In Sunshine′s arms she gently, but firmly, had her upper limbs laced around the abdomen of Bongo, carrying him through their flight. The bear′s clothes and fur fluttered about his form comically in the wind current. He glanced down, seeing the canopies of the countless trees which comprised Walter Elias National Forest. He swallowed hard, a nervous expression on his muzzle. He trusted Sunshine with his life, and knew she would never drop him, but being so high in the air was still a jarring experience, if not somewhat invigorating. Paradox, Sir Pendragon, and Archimedes were nowhere to be seen, with Paradox having assured the other members of the team that they would meet them shortly after the Star Wisher landed. “We′re just about there, folks!” Duck Avenger announced, his eyes periodically glancing from the windshield to a monitor screen to his right. As promised, Gyro had input the coordinates into the Star Wisher′s computer system, the screen displaying a red, blinking mark on a digital map, showing them exactly where they needed to go. It also displayed other information, such as their geographical heading, current speed, the temperature (both outside of the Star Wisher and within), and even the wind speeds and which direction it was blowing from. Of course, modern navigators any civilian could purchase for their cars performed similar functions, but it still impressed Duck Avenger all the same. “Land the Star Wisher a reasonable distance away, lad. If there is to be trouble, we needn′t announce our arrival too willingly.” The Masked Mallard added, looking out the window thoughtfully. Duck Avenger gave a nod in confirmation. “Right!” After they covered a couple more miles, Duck Avenger saw a reasonable clearing in the forest where he could safely land the Star Wisher. Once the aircraft was securely on the ground and the engines were shut off, the rear hatch of the vehicle slowly lowered, creating a walking ramp from which Duck Avenger, Masked Mallard, El Tirador, Dreamchild, She-Wolf, and Green Bone walked down, exiting the Star Wisher as the ramp raised back up to its original, secured position once all five heroes were clear. As Sunshine made her descent, Bongo′s feet pumped back and forth, as though he were walking on air, his paws feeling for purchase. Once the bear was gently placed on solid ground Sunshine released him, then gracefully landed beside him. Bongo adjusted his wind-swept strap-on hat, then gave his jacket a few tugs and pulls before he felt fully presentable again. Not far from the group, a spontaneous burst of colorful smoke erupted, accompanied by a distinctive 'poof' sound which would have been familiar to anyone present. As the smoke cleared, Paradox, Archimedes, and Sir Pendragon were revealed to have been within, the trio having been teleported to the location via Paradox′s magic. Pendragon did not appear as he previously had. Gone was his elegant, lordly gold armor and tall stature, as he now appeared to be a scrawny boy in a long, brown tunic, with matching kilt, orange pants, and simple, brown shoes, none of which had been commonly worn in ages, outside of perhaps a renaissance fair. It would have been difficult for most to believe that the flimsy pip-squeak, Arthur, was one in the same with the heroic knight, Sir Pendragon. While Paradox looked completely unphased from the magical transportation spell, Archimedes and Arthur were coughing profusely, both of them looking disoriented from the experience of having been teleported through the magician′s talents. The educated owl, who was perched upon Paradox′s left, was the first to speak. “I--” Archimedes began, but was interrupted by a short coughing jag. “I shall never get used to that undignified manner of travel!” He finished with irritation evident in his tone. “Come now, Archimedes! You don′t mean to tell me you intended to fly all this way, hm? You′re not exactly a young bird anymore.” Paradox responded to his ill-tempered companion. “You′re hardly a spring chicken, yourself!” Archimedes retorted spitefully, spreading his wings and flying from Paradox′s shoulder and onto Arthur′s vacant left shoulder, indicating that he had nothing more to say to Paradox for the time-being. “Well, then. How far to this, ah, spacetime anomaly?” Paradox inquired, looking between his teammates. “It′s about a mile and a half that way.” Duck Avenger answered, pointing his right index finger north of their current position. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let us apresúrese!” El Tirador enthusiastically suggested that they get a move on. “Yeah! Let′s get the lead out, people!” Duck Avenger agreed as he began walking north. It seemed as though the arrogant duck hero always had to get the last word in. *** There were few words exchanged between the Dream League members as they pushed on through the forest. None of them knew what to expect once they reached their destination, though all of them were filled with various emotions; excitement, anxiety, curiosity, skepticism, to name a few. Some wore their feelings on their sleeves, while others masked what they were thinking and feeling. And while few words were exchanged, that didn′t necessarily mean that at least one member of the team didn′t speak up from time to time without a need for his words to be reciprocated. “Ah, the forest. She is beautiful this time of year. It is truly inspirador.” El Tirador stated with a romantic sigh as he glanced around. He had been making similar comments for much of the hike. The sun had disappeared completely by this point, as it had been sunset at the time they had departed from the Overlook, and the forest was in a state of twilight, where the last light was fading, yet there was still more than enough remaining to clearly see without a need for flashlights or other sources of external illumination. Sunshine could have easily flown alongside her companions, or even ahead of them, but she was polite enough to walk beside them. Being an ever-caring individual, she thought it appropriate that if many of her companions were forced to walk, she should be supportive and walk beside them. This sentiment seemed to have been shared by the Green Bone, whom had also chosen to walk. Duck Avenger was leading the group through the woods, though She-Wolf would have been in a far better position to have taken that role, given the fact that she had spent most of her life in the area they trekked through, and knew the area like the back of her hand. Truth be told, it frequently got under the wolf girl′s skin the way that Duck Avenger acted as the self-appointed leader of the Dream League; a position that should have gone to the Masked Mallard, if anyone. Though most agreed that having equal voice was one of the factors that held the group together so well. “Look!” Donald suddenly exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and pointing up ahead. Most of the others stopped, as well. Bongo, who had been walking behind Duck Avenger, distracted as he looked around at the forest scenery, absent-mindedly walked into the spandex-clad duck′s back, bumping his nose and staggering back a few inches as he snapped back to reality, his attention diverting to where Duck Avenger was motioning. The bear′s eyes widened as the he looked in the direction the avian hero was pointing to, his muzzle dropping in awe and curiosity. Up ahead, light streamed through the trees, as if something shone brightly just up ahead. The illumination was haunting and otherworldly, and cast elongated shadows across the forest. She-Wolf′s eyebrows furrowed, a cautious and untrusting expression taking her face. “Is that it?” Arthur spoke up in a weak and timid voice, blinking several times as he looked, his mouth agape in an undignified manner. “I′d say it′s reasonable to assume that it is.” Masked Mallard responded. “ Si, unless someone installed a lamppost with a 1,000 watt light bulb in the middle of the forest, I′d say we have found what we seek..” El Tirador added. “We don′t know what to expect, right? Let′s be careful. You watch my back, I′ll watch yours.” The Green Bone stated. And, with that, the group continued onward. Once they had walked a short ways more they at last encountered the source of the mysterious illumination. In a forest clearing encircled by tall trees was what appeared to be an orb of light. It floated about two feet above the ground, and was glowing with an intensely bright, white light. Oddly enough, despite its brilliant luster it was not painful to look at in the least, and all of the Dream League heroes found they could gaze upon it without any irritation to their eyes to speak of. Duck Avenger, at the forefront as usual, was standing closest to the phenomenon. “It certainly is beautiful.” Sunshine commented, her purple hues seemingly entranced by the odd orb of light. “Really, I wasn′t certain of what to expect.” Dreamchild placed her right hand on her cheek thoughtfully, supporting her elbow with her left hand. “Why, I wonder how it came to be here. It doesn′t seem to be causing any sort of mischief.” She noted thoughtfully, though she was thinking aloud moreso than she was addressing any of her teammates. “Well, that′s what we're here to find out!” Duck Avenger boldly announced as he took a few steps closer to the sphere. “Oh! Do be careful, Duck Avenger!' Alice called after him in concern. “Don′t get too close, lad! We have no idea what that thing is, or what it can do!” Masked Mallard followed up her concern with a warning of his own. “Yeah, yeah!” Duck Avenger answered irritably, turning away from the glowing enigma and scowling at the Masked Mallard. He hated being told what to do. “We should check the surrounding area to see if anyone is nearby. Anyone who doesn′t belong here, and who might be associated with this... thing.” She-Wolf suggested. Of course, as far as she was concerned, no one belonged in the forest save for her and her wolf family. Other members chimed in to She-Wolf′s suggestion and began to consult amongst themselves, though for Duck Avenger their droning voices were almost drowned out entirely as he turned back toward the glowing orb; the space-time continuum anomaly. “Eh, heh, heh...” He laughed lightly under his breath as he inched ever closer, intent on getting a closer look. Something about it drew him, like a moth to a flame. He knew better, and yet he was powerless to resist its attraction. The luminescence it provided sparkled and reflected in his blue eyes, which were in a trance-like state. Ever so slowly and cautiously, Duck Avenger extended his left hand toward the glowing anomaly. It was then that Paradox had looked over from the conversation he had been involved in, regarding the best method to fan out and search the area, to notice what Duck Avenger was doing. “Egads, lad! Don′t get so close to the blasted thing; didn′t you listen to a word Masked Mallard had to say, boy?” Paradox shouted after him, his tone a mix of scolding and dire concern. There was no time for anyone to react, however. Before the white-feathered hero′s fingers could get any closer, and before he could respond to Paradox′s recent scolding, the orb suddenly and rapidly expanded in the blink of an eye, engulfing the forest clearing. The only thing anyone could see was an all-encompassing, white light which grew in intensity until the only thing any of them viewed was pure white, as though a blank piece of paper had been placed directly in front of each of their eyes. Before any of them could even begin to question what was happening, they were consumed by the spacetime anomaly. By the gate. I apologize that you have been dragged into this affair. Though it was inevitable, it is nevertheless a heavy burden you must now bear that you should find your destiny intertwined with that of Nimus. Though it is a burden which I am confident you will have the strength to carry. For it is a strength in which you share; by those you know; by those you are soon to know. |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jul 6, 2011 23:50:42 GMT -8
Chapter 3 – A Brave New World – Part I Somewhere in that ambiguous state of mind between consciousness and unconsciousness, Duck Avenger could hear the calm, soothing sound of waves lapping against the shore. Huh. There′s no ocean near here, he thought to himself in a semi-awake state, though everything remained dark. He could hear the sound of seagulls and their distinctive calls, some distant, some fairly close. Pretty sure seagulls aren′t native to forests, he also contemplated. And he ought to know, considering one of his hobbies as Donald Duck was bird watching and photography. His black world suddenly turned red; the sort of color one sees when they close their eyes, yet the brightness of the sun shines through their closed eyelids, giving them faint transparency. He slowly opened his eyes, though they couldn′t immediately adjust to the brightness which awaited, and he found himself squinting. As he stirred into full consciousness his hands felt that the surface he was laying on, stomach-down, was grainy, like sand. After several moments his eyes could cope with the brightness of the sun, and he looked about his surroundings. He was on a beach, the sapphire waves of the ocean gently caressing the pristine, white sand before falling back out again, only for the process to repeat moments later. His eyes widened from behind his black mask and his mouth gaped. He was so dazed and confused that he remained in a crouched position in the sand for nearly a minute, simply looking around in bewilderment. What finally managed to break him out of his trance was a familiar voice groaning from nearby. Turning his head in the direction of the sound, he saw El Tirador about ten feet away from him, on his knees as he rubbed at the back of his neck groggily, his eyes squeezed shut (though it was difficult to make out, as his eye mask rendered his eyes entirely white). His signature sombrero was not upon his head, as it usually was. Duck Avenger′s right hand rose to feel his own head, and confirmed that his sailor hat was also missing. He spotted it just in front of him, half-buried in the sand. A small, gray crab scuddled mere inches from it. “Go on! Get!” Duck Avenger quietly, though firmly, scolded the crab, batting at it with his right hand before plucking his hat from the sand with his left. The crab scuttled away in a hurry. He shook his hat and dusted it off until he felt comfortable enough with his cleaning job to place it back upon his head. That business attended to, he rose to a stand and turned to face El Tirador. “ Qué prisa. What happened, anyway? The last thing I recall was a white light. And now... we are on a beach, no? I think I may have skipped a few pages.” The rooster wondered aloud as he rose to his own feet, looking around at their sudden and dramatic change in setting. “Where are the others?” The Hispanic fowl added, his eyes darting around. “Sunshine!” Duck Avenger cried out upon catching sight of the superpowered teenager nearby. She was laying on her back, and still appeared unconscious. El Tirador and Duck Avenger hurried over to where she laid, both of them crouching down beside her. Her chest was moving, and she was clearly breathing, though she had yet to regain consciousness. She looked serene and beautiful in her sleeping state. Duck Avenger gently, but firmly, clasped her left shoulder in his right hand and shook her. “Sunshine!” He repeated, trying to stir her from her slumber. “Stand back, Señor. Clearly she requires mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and I am just the hombre for the job!” El Tirador informed his partner in crime-fighting after a few failed shakes. Duck Avenger looked up at him and scowled. “What?! Don′t be ridiculous! And I doubt they′d give you a license for CPR, anyway!” The easily agitated duck retorted. They were both interrupted by light, feminine groaning. They both looked down to see that the blonde beauty was waking of her own accord, perhaps from the sound of their chatter. With signs of her waking, the rooster hero stood upright.“Ah, well. Next time, perhaps.” He commented under his breath with an accompanying shrug and a smile. “Sunshine, are you alright?” Duck Avenger questioned. Her eyes slowly opened, revealing her attractive, amethyst hues. She raised from her laying position, propping herself on her elbows as she looked to Duck Avenger, then to El Tirador, then back again. “Why, yes. I feel alright. What happened? It′s daylight now.” Her eyes scanned their surroundings, her golden hair flowing about her shoulders with each movement of her head. Her eyes widened in surprise, her ruby lips forming a delicate 'o' shape to match the surprise displayed in her purple hues. “Where are we?” She inquired, her gentle voice full of confusion. Duck Avenger extended a hand, helping her to her feet as he also rose to a stand along with her. “Ah-ha!” El Tirador beamed. There, in the sand where Sunshine had been laying, was his yellow sombrero. He scooped it up, batting at it with the back of his free hand to dislodge any sand which might have been stowing away in it. “We have no idea. We woke up here just a little while before you did.” Duck Avenger responded to her inquiry, while also providing a belated response to El Tirador, who had understandably formed a similar question earlier. “Ah, it certainly is beautiful, no?” El Tirador commented, planting his sombrero firmly back upon his head. Where they had found themselves certainly was gorgeous; everything appeared natural and untouched by man. There were no beach umbrellas or concession stands or changing rooms and, most surprisingly, no litter.“But, we′ve no time for the sights. I still don′t see any of the others.” He concluded, his eyes continuing to scan the area. Sunshine and Duck Avenger also surveyed the area, with much the same conclusion; there wasn′t a soul in sight save for the three of them. The confusion which plagued their minds began to become replaced with concern, which became strong enough to overpower their lack of understanding as to where they were, or how they had gotten there. Duck Avenger pulled back the sleeve of his costume on his right arm, revealing a communicator on his wrist, which was worn much like a wristwatch. Pressing a button on its side, he spoke into it. “This is Duck Avenger. Come in, anyone who is receiving this transmission.” He waited for several seconds. Dead silence was the only response. Investigating it, his fears were soon realized: it wasn′t receiving any signal. The dark-clad avian shook his wrist in frustration, holding the device up to where his ear would be, if he had any visible ears to speak of, and listening intently, as though that would be of any help. El Tirador checked his own communicator, though it was much of the same: no signal. Sunshine′s, too, was not functioning. “I′m going to fly over the area and see if I can spot anyone. Perhaps the others wound up somewhere nearby.” Sunshine′s second sentence was one of hopefulness. “ Excelente idea, señorita.” The energetic sharpshooter agreed. With a gentle nod of her head, and a warm smile, Sunshine took to the sky. It was perhaps an amusing twist of irony that, out of a trio comprised of two anthropomorphic birds and a human woman, it was solely the human who was capable of flight. The two avian heroes watched, Duck Avenger shielding his eyes against the sun with his left hand, as Sunshine took to the sky, flying off until she disappeared from their view. Once she was gone, El Tirador took several strides forward, walking past Duck Avenger. He left distinctive, three-toed footprints in the sand, each bearing a mark from his spurs. His head turned as he looked this way and that. Cupping his hands over his beak, he called out. “Is anyone out there? Paradox? Dreamchild? Masked Mallard? Anyone?” Duck Avenger′s eyes widened. “Dreamchild!” He repeated shortly after his companion had called the name. Squeezing his eyes shut, Duck Avenger projected his thoughts, attempting to communicate with the psychic heroine telepathically. As he attempted this, El Tirador continued moving forward, calling out the various names of the Dream League members who had been with them. Much to the Avenger′s frustration, his attempts to contact Dreamchild through a mind link proved fruitless, as there was no response. He was so absorbed in his concentration in his task that he didn′t even notice the pair of slithering tentacles, ending in two hooked-claws, creeping up behind him. “Duck Avenger, behind you!” Suddenly came the voice of El Tirador. “Eh?” Duck Avenger′s eyes shot open, and he spun around to see what his teammate was screaming about. “WAK!” He exclaimed, executing a quick backward dash just in time to avoid being snagged by two pairs of vicious hooks. The white-plumed hero could barely believe his eyes. Just behind him was what looked like a massive octopus, easily reaching 15′ in overall length, if one were to account for its tentacles. Its rubbery skin was a marbled mix of black and tan. It had eight tentacles, two of which being noticeably longer than the other six, and ending in two hooked claws apiece which appeared rather menacing and painful. The tentacles were positioned in front of the creatures, spread every which way, like some perverse flower. It had two black eyes with vertically-slit, dumbbell-shaped pupils of a crimson hue. Set into its mantle of grotesque tentacles was a black beak, looking similar to that of a parrot′s. Perhaps stranger than the sudden appearance of a giant octopus was the appearance of a giant, levitating octopus. It floated above the white sand as effortlessly and naturally as though it were swimming through water, its interest focused squarely on Duck Avenger. It was no wonder he had not heard its approach; it must have floated up behind him without a sound. It let out an unnerving, distorted screeching sound, its beak flying open as a spray of green fluid was unleashed from its innards. Duck Avenger rolled to his left, the bile splattering against the sand which he had occupied a split second earlier. The bile bubbled and hissed, the footprints he had left with his boots dissolving away as the sand itself sunk in where the fluid had touched. It didn′t take the hero long to determine that whatever it had spit at him was not unlike sulfuric acid, and he inwardly thanked his lucky stars that he had managed to avoid it in time, or else a delicious pile of smoldering duck mush would have been on the menu for that... thing. With its attack having missed, the octopus shot its two hooked tentacles at Duck Avenger, attempting to grab him. The creature let out a guttural, squeaky sound and winced, drawing back a couple of feet, when a shot rang out. The creature′s beak and mantle were instantly covered in a layer of freezing ice. It immediately began to shake itself, dislodging the uncomfortable frost from its body. Rushing to his partner′s side, El Tirador readied another one of Gyro′s special bullets into one of his revolvers for a follow-up shot, working on the run as he made haste to join the fray. “Whatever it is, it does not seem to enjoy Gyro′s cryogenic shells much, eh?” The rooster commented, slamming the side of his six-shooter closed as he aimed another shot at the creature. Drawing his own gun, Duck Avenger also took aim on the floating octopus. The two fired their weapons simultaneously, the sound of gunfire ringing out through the air as the octopus let out a shrill shriek, scooting backward in the air another foot, its tentacles flailing wildly. The bullet fired from El Tirador′s revolver exploded into a burst of flame which spread out from the point of impact in a plume. The octopus again opened its beak, only instead of acid it released a dark, smoke-like haze which engulfed the area in inky darkness. Their guns poised, both heroes tried to back out of the vision-obscuring darkness. From within the bizarre ink cloud one of the hooked tentacles shot out, hooking El Tirador and just barely missing piercing straight into his flesh, instead grasping him by his jacket. Before the rooster even had time to react he was being drawn into the darkness, toward the beast′s waiting beak. “Oh no, you don′t!' Duck Avenger protested, gritting his teeth as he removed a duckerang from his utility belt, taking quick aim before he sent it whizzing through the air. It hit its mark, slicing through the appendage of the monstrosity, which caused it to screech in pain, and freeing El Tirador, who staggered backward several steps, as he had been resisting the pull and the sudden freedom of movement momentarily caught him off balance. “I owe you one!” The rooster commented without looking at his comrade as he regained his footing. Raising his revolver, the rooster fired a single shot into the swirling blackness. What sort of bullet he had employed could not be seen, but the fact that it had hit its mark was unmistakable, as the octopus uttered a drawn-out cry before going silent. The two got out of the haze as quickly as possible, both standing nearby with their weapons at the ready. Silently, they stared at the inky cloud intently. After several seconds it dissipated, revealing the octopus no longer floating, but lying in a heap upon the sand. It was completely motionless, and seemingly dead. They continued to stare at it for some time before one of them spoke, which happened to be Duck Avenger. “Ok, now I′m really worried about the others.” He commented. If creatures such as this were about, there was cause for alarm. “They are muy strong, amigo. I′m sure they can handle things such as this, no? Still, you are correct; we need to find them.” El Tirador tried his best to comfort his friend. Though, in truth, he was also considerably concerned. “I didn′t—” Came a sudden voice from behind the two. Startled, they both cried out with a startled hop in the air, whirling around to face Sunshine who, in turn, was startled by their reactions, her eyes wide and her left hand raised to her chest. “Oh my!” She said while exhaling. “What′s the matter?” Duck Avenger sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, holstering his gun while El Tirador put away his own revolver. “Well, I′ve got a feeling we′re not in Kansas anymore.” Duck Avenger responded, thumbing over his left shoulder toward the carcass of the octopus. Looking over the shorter duck, Sunshine noticed the creature. Gasping, she raised her right hand to her mouth, a few inches shy of physically touching her lips. “Did you two just defeat that?” She inquired. Both avian heroes nodded. “It spat acid and dark clouds and wasn′t terribly polite.” El Tirador informed her, to which she merely looked at him, her expression one which conveyed her inability to understand why or how such a creature was there. “What did you see?” Duck Avenger asked her, her attention diverting to him. “Oh! Yes. I didn′t see any of the others, but there is a town of some sort about five miles that way.” She informed them, relaying what she had originally intended to tell them upon returning. She pointed a finger in the direction of the town, with the two anthropomorphic heroes glancing in the direction she was indicating. “We seem to be on an island, from what I could gather from the sky.” She also informed them. “Well, we can find out where we are in that town you saw, at least. Maybe the others have already gone there looking for us.” Duck Avenger suggested. “ Si, we can ask the locals about the island and whether or not they′ve encountered any of our comrades.” El Tirador supported the idea. The three of them nodded in agreement, then began making their way toward the town Sunshine had discovered from the air. |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jul 8, 2011 2:49:11 GMT -8
Chapter 4 – A Brave New World – Part II Dreamchild seemed to be in deep concentration, her delicate lips in a subtle pout as she failed in her attempts to form a telepathic link with any of the missing members of their team. “Anything at all, Dreamchild?” Came the masculine, eloquent voice of Sir Pendragon from several feet behind the English psychic. Unsure of their surroundings, or what dangers might lie in wait, Arthur had returned to his adult, heroic knight form. He had to be prepared to defend himself, and his comrades, if it came down to it. And really, none of them knew what to expect. They had awoken to unfamiliar surroundings, finding themselves in a seemingly endless field where the lush, green grasses grew so immensely high that one could not even see over the stalks in most places. That made navigation of the field very disorienting, as one could hardly discern one direction from another. After some blind exploration and calling out each other′s names to pinpoint their locations by sound, four out of their original eleven had managed to reunite. Though that left seven Dream League members unaccounted for. It hadn′t taken them long to discover, with sinking hearts, that their communicators were useless to them without any suitable signal to speak of. “No... nothing at all.” Dreamchild replied to the dashing knight a second or so after his inquiry. Wherever they were, the missing members of their team were either still unconscious, as all four of them had been, or were too distant to receive her mental link. She looked down, caressing one gloved hand in her other nervously. “Why, I do hope the others are all right, wherever they are.” She added, her voice quiet and filled with concern. Bongo approached Dreamchild, a somber expression on his face. The short-statured bear had been the last, and most difficult, member of their suddenly-small gang to locate, given that he was incapable of speech, which meant they couldn′t follow his voice to locate him, and unknowingly moved farther away as he had tried to follow theirs. Though he was worried about the others, he was at least thankful that he had been reunited with Dreamchild. He took some comfort in that fact, despite suddenly finding himself in alien terrain. Sir Pendragon closed the distance between Dreamchild and himself, laying a gauntleted hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Dreamchild blushed slightly from the contact, even if no skin was actually touching. “Do not fret; I′m certain that, wherever they are, they are alright.” He assured her with a nod of his helmeted head. Smiling cheerily, Bongo shook his own head enthusiastically. “Man, these fields seem like they go on forever!” Suddenly came a youthful voice from just above as the Green Bone, surrounded by a transparent, green bubble of energy brought about by his ring, returned to the group. Sir Pendragon removed his hand from Dreamchild′s shoulder, his gaze directing toward his returning ally. The psychic heroine′s heart began to slow back to a normal beat once he had withdrawn his hand. The emerald pup landed in front of Dreamchild, his sphere dissipating once he placed his paws back on solid ground. He looked up at her with eyes which were rendered entirely white by his mask, making them impossible to read. “The grass is so high that I couldn′t tell you whether anyone is or isn′t around here, frankly. Though there is a clearing near here with what looks like a farm.” He informed all of his teammates, though he was looking squarely at Dreamchild. “Did you manage to contact anyone telepathically?” He inquired once he had finished giving his report. “Well, no. I′m afraid I was unable to reach anyone at all.” She responded, followed by a sigh, before she continued speaking to the dalmatian pup. “Thank you for searching by air, Green Bone. I was afraid this grass would render an aerial search impossible, and it seems that my fears were correct. Though we all appreciate you at least trying.” She paused, raising a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “But a farm, you say? Perhaps we can get some information from its owners. It certainly wouldn′t hurt to look into the matter.” “How far is this farm you speak of, Green Bone? And in which direction? I dare say that sounds as though it is our most promising option.” Sir Pendragon addressed the small hero, turning the pup′s attention toward him. “Not very far at all. Probably about a twenty minute walk in the direction directly behind you.” He responded, motioning with his muzzle in the direction he was speaking of. “Hm?!” The pup′s ears suddenly perked up, and he stood in a very upright posture, his neck stretched as far as it could go. His eyes darted this way and that. Bongo′s ears also perked up, and he began sniffing at the air, a perplexed expression on his face. “Green Bone? Bongo? What is it?” Sir Pendragon inquired, taking immediate notice of their sudden change in demeanor. No answer was necessary, as the tall grass a few feet away from Dreamchild began to rustle. From the concealment of the grass a fair-sized wolf emerged. It was covered in course, black fur, with long and prominent fur bristling atop its neck and shoulders in a sort of mane. Its tail was long and slender, and was reptilian in shape, though covered in fur rather than scales. Its dead, white eyes were glazed over, and appeared useless. Its stance and actions indicated that it was far from friendly. The skin around its black nose was wrinkled, its lips curled back to reveal gleaming, white teeth. It snarled darkly, poising itself in such a way that it appeared ready to strike. Without hesitation, Sir Pendragon placed himself between the wolf and Dreamchild, Excalibur drawn as he took a defensive stance. “Stand clear, m′lady.” He informed her quietly. His effort to position himself between the beast and the girl soon proved futile, as more rustling grass was followed by the appearance of four more such wolves, which surrounded the group from all sides. They all snarled, bearing their teeth. Bongo furrowed his brow in determination, backing up against Dreamchild, opposite of where Sir Pendragon had positioned himself, so that she was protected from two sides. The Green Bone began to bark at them, yapping in various pitches and intensity. “It′s no use!” He ultimately concluded. “They either don′t understand me, or they′re outright ignoring me. Either way, this doesn′t look good. We may have to lay the hurt on these mongrels.” With the emerald pup failing to communicate with the strange hounds the others in the group feared that he was correct. While they didn′t doubt that they could handle a simple pack of wolves, it was nevertheless an encounter none of them would have wished for. Crouching down, one of the wolves lunged for Sir Pendragon, barking loudly as its jaws flew open. The lordly knight was more than ready, and prepared his astonishing sword for a strike. To his subtle surprise, it was not necessary, as the wolf never reached him. In mid-lunge it was caught in the air. It flailed where it hung, kicking its feet wildly as it growled and barked in confusion and alarm. It then when reeling through the air, seemingly having been thrown by some unseen force back into the grass from whence it came. They could hear it yelping, which grew increasingly distant, informing them that it was fleeing away from them. The remaining four wolves all stood upright, their ears perked and their heads all pointed toward a singular location; the direction of the farm the Green Bone had motioned toward earlier. Yelping and whimpering, the wolves scattered back into the grass, dashing away as quickly as their legs could carry them. “Excellent maneuver, Dreamchild!” Sir Pendragon commended the young girl, lowering his sword but not sheathing it just yet. Dreamchild, meanwhile, had a look of awe evident on her face. “But that wasn′t me!” She replied with mixed wonder and confusion. The heroic pup began to sniff at the air, the black nostrils of his wet, canine nose flaring endearingly. “Someone′s coming this way.” He informed them. “One of our own?” Sir Pendragon quickly asked. “Nuh-uh. And not one of those wolves, either. There!” Green Bone shot his gaze toward the same area the wolves had earlier directed their own attention to before fleeing: the direction of the farm. The grass rustled again as whoever, or whatever, the pup had sensed made their way toward the group. All four of them braced themselves, ready for anything. Sir Pendragon again had Excalibur brandished. Dreamchild and the Green Bone inadvertently found themselves holding their breath as the grass finally parted, the approaching individual emerging into their midst. “Even these Blind Wolves seem to fancy themselves as being capable predators in a mob. But, at their core, they′re still rather skittish and inept, their façade aside.” Spoke the man who had emerged, a gloved hand on his left hip as he offered a light smile to the group. He was a tall man, looking to be close to thirty, yet not quite there. His jet black hair was slicked back, and he had long sideburns. He looked at them with brown eyes. His skin seemed as though it would be naturally light, though he had a noticeable tan. He wore a tan colored, short-sleeved tunic and blue denim jeans held up by a simple black belt with a silver buckle, as well as a gray pair of work gloves and tan work boots. To see a friendly face, the tense group of heroes dropped their guard, some uttering sighs of relief. Sir Pendragon sheathed his sword. Dreamchild and the Green Bone began shooting a series of questions at the man, overlapping one another in a cacophony of inquiries. The man raised his gloved hands in protest. “One at a time!” And with that, the two young heroes quieted down. He certainly had questions to ask of them, as well. Particularly having seen them first-hand. The girl was dressed very strangely, to say the least. As was the dog. The dog wearing clothing. And, while on matter of the dog, it had spoken. That in and of itself raised numerous questions. And then there was some sort of anthropomorphic bear wearing clothes. He wasn′t certain of what to expect, but even having seen what he′d seen in his lifetime, he would never have expected to stumble upon a group quite like the one he had found. The only one among them who seemed at all normal was the one in knight′s armor. The black-haired man′s gaze ultimately settled on the girl. Being the sole female of the group, it must have been her mental voice he had heard. A moment after the man′s halting of their overlapping bombardment of questions, Dreamchild spoke, Green Bone remaining quiet and patiently awaiting his turn. “I′m terribly sorry. My name is Dreamchild; this is Sir Pendragon, Bongo, and Green Bone.” She motioned to each member of the group as she introduced them, in turn. The man nodded his head, deciding not to make incident of the odd aliases of 'Dreamchild' or 'Green Bone.' “Name′s Korbin. Korbin Bradshaw.” He introduced himself once the girl, who spoke rather eloquently for one her age, had finished informing him of who they were. He was Korbin Bradshaw, the son of a prominent war hero of Afron. He was a Seer, a sub-race of humans, thought extinct, which exhibited psychic powers, including telepathy and telekinesis. He was one of the heroes responsible for thwarting the malicious ambitions of both Minister Koura, of the Promise Ministry, and Baine, the God of Darkness, six years prior. His actions aided in saving the world and assisting in the events which led to the realization of the Perfect Paragon Key uniting all realities into a singular, paragon world. Though recognized worldwide as a hero, he had had chosen a humble life as a simple farmer. Being a telepath, the messages Dreamchild had sent, attempting to contact her companions, had been heard by him, instead. Bongo raised his small hat and offered a smile to the man. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bradshaw.” Dreamchild offered a courteous bow. “Just Korbin will do. Though I admire your manners.” Korbin smiled at the blonde. “It is certainly nice to see a face which isn′t bearing it fangs at us.” Sir Pendragon added. “Don′t make yourselves too comfortable. I may yet bite you.” Korbin joked in response to the golden knight′s comment. “We′ve found ourselves here under, uh... mysterious circumstances, you could say. But we had seven others with us, and we got separated.” Green Bone chimed in after the introductions. “We′re not even certain where we are right now.” Sir Pendragon informed Korbin. “You′re in the Forever Fields.” Korbin answered, at least giving them some indication of their location. Though it didn′t help much, as none of the four Dream League heroes had any idea where that was. “I′ve never heard of any place called Forever Fields. We must be further from Epcot City than I could have dreamed.” Dreamchild commented. At her remark, Korbin perked an eyebrow. “Epcot City?” He repeated in a questioning tone. Before she could answer, he had a thought, and acted upon it. “Hey, we can chat more back at the farm. It seems like you need a safe place to rest for the time being. Why don′t you head back with me and we can continue there?” “Ah, so you own the farm I saw.” Green Bone commented. “That I do. So, how about it?” Korbin looked between the four odd individuals. Seeing as the group were planning on heading to the farm anyway, the decision to accept his offer was obvious. *** Korbin led the way, and in just under half an hour they had reached the farm, making the dalmatian pup′s earlier time estimation fairly accurate. Here the tall grass had been cleared away, with short grass lining the ground around the buildings, with dirt roads bore into the earth where the ground had most commonly been tread. The farm was of humble size, with a two-story residence, a barn, and a storage silo. Other commodities, such as a well and a water pump, were also present, along with tools scattered here and there. Chickens clucked, wandering this way and that, their heads bobbing. There were numerous rows of crops. Some of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs the four Dreamers recognized, and some they didn′t. “Your farm is quite lovely.” Dreamchild remarked, her white eyes looking at the house in particular, which was quaint and comfortable-looking. “Thank you, Dreamchild. We′re happy with it.” Korbin replied to the girl. “It reminds me of back home.” The Green Bone stated as he looked around. He wasn′t referring to Epcot City, however, but to the Dalmatian Plantation where he had lived with his siblings and the Radcliffes prior to moving to Calisota. He suddenly felt very far from home, and found himself wondering how his family members were doing. He felt a tinge of homesickness, but tried to shake it off. On the porch of the residence, what appeared to be a dog raised its head from its laying position, taking notice of the approach of one familiar face and four unfamiliar faces. It was a medium-sized canine with primarily light brown fur which was close to a rust coloration, though with cream colored portions of fur above either of its eyes, along its undercarriage, and the ends of all four legs, giving the amusing illusion that it was wearing socks. Its tail was fluffy, and curled upward, toward its back. Its brown eyes filled with excitement. It scrambled to its feet, its black claws clattering against the wooden boards of the porch as it panted, its pink tongue darting in and out from its muzzle, its tail wagging. It ran from the porch, making a mad dash toward Korbin before rearing up on its back legs, its front paws planted against his stomach. It regarded his return with a hefty amount of excitement and enthusiasm. “It′s nice to see you, too, Kippo! Down, boy!” Korbin addressed the hound, which retreated at his command, standing upon its own four feet. Kippo then directed his attention toward the four interlopers. He circled them, sniffing here and there as he moved from individual to individual. “Why hello, Kippo!” Dreamchild gave the hound a friendly pat on the head, smiling as he allowed her to pet him. Stopping on Bongo, Kippo stared at the bear long and hard. Bongo forced an awkward smile after a while, and Kippo suddenly let out a single, loud bark, startling the bear somewhat. Kippo then lowered his front half, spreading his legs apart and wagging his tail while looking up at Bongo, as if inviting the bear to play with him. Green Bone barked at Kippo, again alternating between different pitches and lengths. Kippo cocked his head and whined in response. The dalmatian pup sighed in defeat. “Gah, he doesn′t understand me, either. That′s strange. I can′t say I′ve ever even seen a dog quite like this before. Maybe he uses a dialect I′m unfamiliar with.” “He′s a Brown Wolf. And I′d wager he′s never seen a dog quite like you, either.” Korbin remarked. He ascended the wooden steps of the residence, opening the screen door. The wooden door behind it was already wide open. Turning toward the others, he motioned with a hand for them to enter. “Make yourselves at home.” He then turned and shouted into the house. “Abbey, Lily. We have guests.” With that he himself entered, holding the screen door open for Dreamchild, who was the first to enter after Korbin, followed by Sir Pendragon, then Bongo. Green Bone was second to last, and followed Bongo with Kippo in tow, sniffing at the pup all the while. “Do you mind? Let′s be civilized, here!” The emerald pup said in an irritable tone to the Brown Wolf. Dreamchild confirmed what she had estimated from the outside. The house was quaint and cozy, and seemed to exude a warmth one couldn′t find in the cold, commercially constructed houses and apartments commonly found in Epcot City. It seemed like the perfect place for someone to raise a small family. To her immediate left was a small kitchen and dining area, and to her right was an archway, beyond it a set of stairs which led to the second floor. Dreamchild could hear the sound of shoes quickly descending the wooden stairs. All four guests looked up with interest as a young girl entered their line of sight. She looked to be no older than six, and had an adorable face and light complexion. Her hair was a stunning silver coloration; not gray, but silver, complete with a light, glossy sheen. Her hair was tied on either side of her head into short bobs secured by blue ribbons. Her eyes were ruby red. She wore a blue dress which also acted as overalls, with two large pockets in the front, and a white top beneath her dress with short, puffy sleeves. She had glossy, black shoes on either foot with a single strap securing each in place via a copper snap. She had white socks on underneath. Over her left knee was an adhesive bandage. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs she looked between the four strangers shyly, then proceeded to sprint to Korbin, hiding behind him as one of her hands grasped the side of his shirt. Smiling, he began to remove his work gloves, throwing them onto a nearby table which accented the hallway they stood in. He then placed his left hand on her head, lightly ruffling her silver hair. “Don′t be rude, Lily. Say hello to our guests.” He told her in a loving tone. She continued to say nothing, and simply peeked around from the safety of his body, peering at them with a single ruby hue. Korbin looked back to the others. “She′s just shy. Lily, this is Dreamchild, Sir Pendragon, Bongo, Green Bone, and Kippo.” He introduced them all in the order they had entered. Lily looked up at him with a raised eyebrow; a gesture her father was also known exhibit. “Daddy, I know who Kippo is.” She corrected him in a cute, youthful voice, not seeming to realize that he was merely being silly with that last introduction. “Are you sure? Look at him again. Maybe this is a different Kippo.” He replied playfully. “It′s the same Kippo. Who are they? Why are they dressed like that? Bongo looks like a bear.” The girl questioned, still refusing to come out from behind her father′s back. “Well, I′m not entirely sure. But, we're going to find out. In the meantime, they′re our guests.” Korbin responded as best he could. “It′s a pleasure to meet you, Lily.” Dreamchild spoke up, bowing lightly to the girl. “Hi there!” Green Bone added, wagging his tail. Being the first time she had heard the puppy speak, Lily′s eyes widened in wonderment. “Thank you, very much, for allowing us into your home.” Sir Pendragon addressed the girl, though he was also thanking their host, Korbin, indirectly. Bongo smiled at the girl and raised his hat in his usual greeting. “How come the puppy can talk and the bear can′t?” Lily asked curiously. Before anyone could offer an answer the sound of footsteps could again be heard coming down the stairs. This time the form was of a mature woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties. She was light-skinned and had long, raven black hair and dazzling emerald eyes. She wore a simple, white sundress whose straps crept over either shoulder. The dress accentuated her fit physique rather nicely, without being overtly revealing. She wore a pair of simple, black shoes, with no socks beneath. She had a girl-next-door sort of beauty to her, and also an air of mystery. “Hello.” She called down to the group, offering a warm smile as she descended the stairs to join the group. “This is my wife, Mrs. Abigail Bradshaw.” Korbin introduced her, looking at Green Bone intently as he emphasized the 'Mrs.,' though it was clearly in jest. The dalmatian pup tilted his head to the side, making a baffled facial expression. Catching his reaction, Dreamchild giggled lightly. Korbin seemed to be a rather nice man, judging from what little time they′d spent with him up until that point. “It is nice to meet you. I am Dreamchild.” The blonde introduced herself, for the second time in a relatively short span of time, seeing as it had been Korbin who had introduced her to Lily. The other three members also introduced themselves, one after another. Abigail looked between them all with interest as they spoke, her green eyes full of intrigue. She was Abigail Bradshaw, a genetic experiment comprised from the DNA of a deity, as funded by Minister Koura as part of his dark desires to obtain the power of Ajora, the Heaven-sent. On top of that she was the reincarnation of Azriel the Purifier, God of Justice, bestowing upon her the power of not one, but two deities. She had aided in thwarting Minister Koura, and Baine, in their separate goals of conquest, and was one of the two deities responsible for executing the Perfect Paragon Key which had forever altered the world. She had also assisted the other gods in re-sealing The Destroyer, and distributed the cure to the atrocious Mystic Melody outbreak which had plagued the entire world. One would never guess she possessed such powers, simply to gaze upon her. And her sweet, calm, kind, and often timid, demeanor also bellied her celestial heritage and remarkable history. Choosing to live as a terrestrial, she had wed Korbin and bore a single daughter, Lily. They lived out their days on the farm he had purchased, handling the work load and the task of raising their daughter on equal shares. “It′s nice to meet all of you.” She responded to them, offering a light bow of her head, her black hair draping over her nearly-bare shoulders. “I figure a good, long discussion is in order. Why don′t we situate ourselves at the kitchen table?” Korbin suggested. The group made their way into the kitchen, to a round, wooden table surrounded by simple, wooden chairs. Sir Pendragon sat opposite of Korbin, with Dreamchild occupying a chair to the knight′s right. Green Bone was situated upon Dreamchild′s lap, so that he could see over the top of the table and be included in the conversation. Bongo remained unseated, standing beside Dreamchild. Lily, too, chose to stand, as she continued to timidly hide behind her father, peeking out from behind him shyly. Kippo had decided to lay beneath the table, at Korbin′s feet, where he looked up from behind his paws at the feet of the others without much enthusiasm. Approaching the table, Abigail passed around several glasses of ice water, as well as a small bowl of ice water which she gently placed on the table in front of the dalmatian pup. Admittedly, she was unsure of whether to present Bongo with a glass or a bowl, but had decided upon a glass in the long run, which she handed to him. He smiled gratefully and took it in both paws. The others thanked her, as well. She took a seat to Korbin′s left to join the conversation, sitting between her husband and the young blonde. Bongo gulped down all of the contents of his glass and, licking his snout, placed the empty glass on the table beside Pendragon. The members of the Dream League who could speak began explaining their situation to Korbin and Abigail. Bongo, meanwhile, felt somewhat excluded, and he frowned lightly. He glanced over and noticed Lily staring at him from behind her dad′s chair. He smiled at her, though that only succeeded in making her retreat completely. He raised his right paw to his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. Looking around he noticed a bowl in the middle of the table which contained various fruits, including three apples. Tugging lightly on Abigail′s dress to get her attention, he motioned toward the bowl. Smiling affably, she took the bowl in her right hand and offered it to the bear. “Help yourself.” Nodding in thanks, he took the three apples. Abigail set the bowl down closer to the table′s edge, should Bongo desire more fruit later, before she again became immersed in the conversation. Stepping away from the table, the bear began to juggle the three apples. Lily, peeking once again, looked on in awe, her mouth agape. After he had juggled the apples for several seconds, he threw them all up high, so that they nearly struck the ceiling. He skilfully caught one in his left paw, and another in his right. For the third, he put his head back and opened his muzzle, catching it in his open mouth. He gave it a few chews and swallowed it with an audible gulp. Lily giggled. She stepped out from behind her father′s chair and made her way toward Bongo, cautious in her approach. When she was close enough, he offered her one of the two remaining apples, which she accepted. “Thank you, Bongo.” She said as she fiddled with the red fruit in her small hands, smiling at him. She slowly reached out with her right hand, touching Bongo′s left ear. She giggled again. “You′re soft and fuzzy. I′ve never seen a bear like you before.” She paused and considered, then grinned. “I′ve never seen a bear at all!” “Hm. I see.” Korbin said thoughtfully, his elbows rested upon the table, his hands folded over his chin. Their story certainly was unique, to say the least. There were no longer alternate dimensions, as the Perfect Paragon Key his wife and Ajora had utilized put an end to the concept of 'Mirrors.' But that said nothing about entirely different worlds. “So this space-time anomaly transported you from your world, Earth, to our world, Nimus. Now you need to locate your friends and then find a way back home.” “That is correct.” Sir Pendragon confirmed. Honestly, the realization that they had wound up on an entirely different world was as shocking to the members of the Dream League as it was for the Bradshaw family. Leaning back in his chair and stretching, Korbin rubbed the back of his head with his left hand. “You do believe us, right, Mr. Br—Err, Korbin?” Dreamchild inquired, her voice somewhat pleading. “I don′t have any reason to suspect you′re lying to me. And, with all I′ve seen in the past six years... I am actually a bit disturbed at how easily I can accept this. Huh. That′s not a good sign.” Abigail smiled and cast him a look. “Honey, be serious.” She then looked to Pendragon and Dreamchild. “We′ll do everything in our power to help you find your friends and return you home. If this gateway led you here, it stands to reason that there is a means of going back through it.” “Thank you kindly, ma′am.” The knight thanked her, nodding his head. Dreamchild, being ever curious, had a question of her own for Korbin. “Korbin? If I may ask, how did you find us in the Forever Fields?” She inquired. “Easily enough. I kept receiving psychic messages. You know...” <<Like this.>> Though he had stopped talking after saying 'You know,' he had concluded his sentence all the same, though his voice had appeared in the mind of everyone present, as opposed to being audible. Dreamchild gasped and nearly toppled over her glass of water. “Why... why, you′re like me!” She acknowledged in amazement. Korbin smiled wryly. “I′m a Seer. When I heard your messages, I figured you were, too. That′s when I came to meet you out there.” “So it was you who lifted that Blind Wolf!' The Green Bone said with excitement, as if a great mystery had been solved. “Yeah, it surely was, little pup. I was trying to see if I could break my previous record for 'farthest telekinetic thrown distance of a Blind Wolf.' It′s an obscure record, but very prestigious, in its own right.” At his dry humor, Dreamchild couldn′t help but giggle softly. “Just don′t aim for the dalmatian record and I think we′ll get along just fine.” Green Bone added from Dreamchild′s lap. “Hah!” Korbin smirked, clearly appreciating the pup′s own humor, before getting back to more serious conversation. He looked to Abigail, and she nodded, knowing exactly what he was going to suggest without him even needing to say it (and without psychic powers, either). “Piz.” She said to him. He looked away from her and back to the others. “I think we know of exactly the person who can help you out. Professor Pizeiler Ca. The man is a genius, and a dear friend. More importantly, he was one of the leading scientific minds on inter-dimensional travel between Mirrors, back before the Perfect Paragon Key. If anyone can help you locate your friends and return you all to your world, it′s Ca.” He informed them. They all beamed with excitement at his encouraging words. They were so elated that none of them questioned his puzzling words about 'Mirrors' or a 'Perfect Paragon Key.' Kippo seemed more bored than ever, and had his eyes closed by that point. “You all stay for dinner. You stay the night here. And tomorrow morning, we′ll make our way for Parnier IV. It′s quite a trip, I′m not going to lie to you. It will take a few days to get there, but it′s our best shot.” Korbin told them. “Oh, you′re too kind. How can we ever thank you enough?” Dreamchild enthusiastically thanked him. “Indeed. You are most kind and noble to not only allow us strangers into your fine home, but offer to assist us so readily.” Pendragon added. Korbin shrugged his shoulders. “It′s certainly what Jonathan would have done.” He stated in a soft tone, looking to his daughter, who was playing with Bongo. “Jonathan?” Dreamchild repeated curiously. “A story for another time.” Korbin replied, his gaze returning to her. Abigail pushed her chair out and rose to her feet. “I′m going to prepare dinner.” She informed everyone, though she didn′t go far, as the kitchen was connected to the dining area. “Oh, I′d be glad to help you.” Dreamchild offered, and she rose as well, Green Bone hopping off of her lap and onto the floor beside Bongo and Lily. Lily almost immediately scooped the pup up in her hands, holding him in front of her face. “Hello there!” She said, smiling at the masked dalmatian. “Hi!” He responded enthusiastically, wagging his tail. “I shall handle the dishes afterward. I am... quite proficient at doing dishes. Eh-heh.” Sir Pendragon offered, his chuckle a bit awkward. *** After dinner, everyone had agreed to retire for the night. Though Korbin found it difficult to sleep. He paced back and forth in the room he shared with his wife, which was dimly lit by a single kerosine lantern on the nightstand, clad only in a pair of white boxer shorts. He had a distinctive scar on his lower chest, where he had been shot, six years prior. He would have surely died back then, were it not for Abigail. Abigail, wearing a white, satin nightgown sat upon their bed, eying him with concern. “What are you thinking, Korbin?” She asked him softly. He put a hand to his chin in thought, his eyebrows furrowing. “I don′t like this, Abbey. News in town is that a large number of soldiers from both Estar and Afron have defected, all at once, abandoning their posts and all but vanishing. And now we have outcasts from some alien world. I can′t just chock it up to coincidence.” He answered her. She nodded in agreement. “It′s been three years since that accursed Mystic Melody horror. I can′t shake this dreadful feeling that another dire event is to come.” He added. “Piz will know what to do. Piz knows everything, remember? There′s nothing we can do about Afron or Estar′s Royal Military, or about something which may be coming our way. Helping these young heroes is all we can do, for the moment. We′ll handle whatever comes our way, as we always have.” She assured him, patting the empty spot in the bed beside her, beckoning him to come to bed. “You begin a big trip tomorrow. Try and get some rest, Korbin.” Pendragon and Bongo had taken to the upstairs guest room, Arthur reverted to his child form as he slept on the bed in a rather ungraceful sprawl, while Bongo slept on a small sofa which was situated in the room. Dreamchild and Green Bone had shacked up with Lily in her room. Lily had taken out a sleeping bag, and slept soundly on the wooden floor beside Dreamchild, whom she had offered her bed. Green Bone was curled up beside Lily beneath her sleeping bag, while Kippo had invited himself to sleep on the bed at the blonde guest′s feet. Had Korbin caught Kippo sleeping on the bed like that, he′d have surely given him a firm reprimanding. Though, as tired as they all were, the Brown Wolf had slipped in unnoticed. The entire household was still and quiet as everyone, even Korbin, managed to drift off to sleep. By those you know; by those you are soon to know. I have deviated your courses, placing each of your small groups in the vicinity of those who will be receptive of you; of those who will assist you, and you them. Your journey is not reaching its conclusion, children of earth. On the contrary; your journey is only just beginning. Your positions are pure, and your judgment is just. Nimus has her own champions, though for what is to come, I fear Nimus cannot persevere on her merits alone. Befriend those you encounter whom you deem virtuous; shun those harboring malice and contempt, for they will only aid in leading you astray. The champions need you as much as you need them, though neither side is aware of this. When the moment is right, I will come to you. |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Jul 21, 2011 1:11:09 GMT -8
Chapter 5 – A Brave New World – Part III While the Masked Mallard, She-Wolf, Paradox, and Archimedes hadn′t been removed from a forested setting, it didn′t take them long to realize that they were no longer in the same forest setting. She-Wolf had been the first to point it out, which was easy enough for her to have picked up on mere moments after awakening. She knew her forest home very well; and this was not her home. She had managed to locate three others from their original group, with no sign of any of the missing members outside of their four. They had tried their communicators, only to discover them useless, lacking any signal whatsoever. For all the good they did them in whatever forest they had found themselves in, they might as well have been prizes from a Cracker Jack box, as opposed to the high-tech devices that they were. Not only had they been spirited away to an entirely different forest, but had found that it was suddenly day time, whereas it had been night by the time they had reached the space-time anomaly. The sky was heavy with ominous clouds, and strong winds blew through the forest, sending fallen leaves dancing through the air. This led them to wonder just how long they had been rendered unconscious. They had searched the surrounding woodlands in the hopes of encountering more of their comrades, but to no avail. Archimedes had taken wing, searching from the sky to get a bird′s eye view (literally). The other three Dream League heroes pensively awaited the owl′s return, hoping he would bring with him some good news. “An entirely different forest.” Masked Mallard rolled the idea around with his tongue as he glanced around at the numerous trees, faint traces of light, though the clouds allowed through, streaming down through their canopies. He had already asked She-Wolf if she was positive about that fact, and she was. He had no reason to doubt her, or question her knowledge of her own forest. If She-Wolf said they were no longer in Walter Elias National Forest, then they were no longer in Walter Elias National Forest, and that was that. “Well, I daresay the most obvious answer readily available is that the space-time anomaly transported us somewhere else in that flash of light. Although... where it transported us is the big question, now isn′t it?” Paradox responded to the elderly duck hero, even though he hadn′t asked a direct question. Standing away from the two aged crime fighters, She-Wolf transfixed her gray hues skyward, eagerly anticipating Archimedes′ return. All of them were concerned about the status of their missing members, and had the highest hopes that the educated owl′s search would bear fruit. The teenager′s eyes widened when she spotted his form drawing closer. Paradox and Masked Mallard halted their external thoughts about their predicament and also cast their eyes up, watching with anticipation as their short-fused teammate returned. Archimedes landed upon a nearby tree branch, gazing down on the three humanoid forms below. All eyes were upon him, and filled with hope. “No sign of the others,” The owl started, and everyone′s expression sunk. “but there′s a town south of here. And, not too far from here, I saw a young girl in the forest.” He reported. The seasoned wizard ran a gloved hand through his long, white beard thoughtfully before asking a question of the owl. “Which direction is the young girl you saw? She might have seen something, after all.” “Oh, not very far from here at all, really. In fact, if we were to make our way toward the town, we could easily find her along the same route.” Archimedes replied, motioning with his head toward the south. “That sounds to me to be as good a plan as any.” The Masked Mallard spoke up, taking a few strides toward the direction they would be heading. “Even if the girl didn′t see anything, we can scour the town for clues. At the very least we can find out where we′ve found ourselves.” As the dignified hero addressed the group, Archimedes descended from his perch and onto Paradox′s right shoulder. “I most certainly agree. Wherever the other members of the Dream League are, I can promise you that they′re not anywhere near where we are. So there′s no point in idling here any longer.” The owl further endorsed the idea. Masked Mallard, Paradox, and Archimedes then cast their eyes upon the silent female of the group, who gave a brisk nod as her only response. “Well, that takes care of that, then. Shall we?” The kind magician stated, then began moving forward, the others following close by. *** Taking a rest from her training exercises, she sat Indian-style on the forest floor, hunching over a book which she held firmly in her left hand. In her right she had an apple, which she took a bite from periodically, though her eyes never strayed from the pages of her reading material. To her right was her black traveler′s bag, which was cylindrical in shape. While her height of four-foot, six-inches would have been considered short for a woman of nineteen years of age in many races, in the case of her race she was actually tall for a female. She wore a tight, sleeveless, black top, though most of it was concealed by a forest green vest featuring an assortment of pockets down the front. The vest was open, and hung at her sides. Due to the cut of her black top, the straps of a gray sports bra could be seen hugging either shoulder, close to the neck. She sported a pair of black, spandex shorts which cut-off several inches above either knee. On her feet she had on black and green tennis shoes with black laces, and forest green socks which hugged her ankles. She also wore black sweatbands on either wrist. Around her neck was a forest green scarf. Her figure was athletically fit, and her light skin smooth. She had an attractive face, with emerald green eyes, which were transfixed upon the book she was absorbed in. Her short, orange hair reached just above her neck, and curled inward, toward her face. A freshly-picked, white flower was placed in her hair, by her left temple. Her ears were not unlike those of a raccoon; covered in soft, orange fur with the tips being a light brown coloration. She also had a short, raccoon-like tail, which was rounded at the end. The fur covering it was alternating bands of orange and light brown, ending in light brown. “Ah, Prince Zinj. You studmuffin, you. You show those jerks a thing or two.” She muttered to herself as she read from her book. She was Tangerine, a Tanooki from Maple Falls who left her homeland to hone her skills as a martial artist. She had traveled all throughout the world, learning from numerous individuals and developing a fighting style all her own through a combination of different fighting styles. “Hm?” Her right ear twitched, and she glanced over her right shoulder to look behind her, her left cheek unflatteringly bulging, being full of half-chewed apple. She observed three strangers making their way through the forest, heading in her direction. One of them had an owl on his shoulder. Finishing her mouthful of fruit, she closed her book and scrambled to a position in which she was sitting on her legs in front of her bag. She placed the book and what remained of the apple inside, then pulled the drawstrings tight to close it. Rising to a stand, she watched as the strangers approached her. “Ah! There′s the lass, now.” Masked Mallard announced once she had come into view. She looked normal enough, for the most part. Save for those ears and tail. Then again, they had all seen much stranger things during their careers. Her raccoon tail swished to and fro as she eagerly watched their approach. She-Wolf narrowed her eyes, wondering what the girl was doing out in the forest, anyway. Masked Mallard walked up to the fair Tanooki, clearing his throat as he prepared to speak. “Good afternoon, young lady.” He started, tipping his hat to her. Intrigued, she cocked her head, raising a finger to her cheek, supporting her elbow in her other hand. She had to admit, she rather liked his formality. “Hi, there.” She replied. She looked squarely at the duck-like man before her green eyes shifted to every other member of the group. “We′re members of the Dream League. We were separated from our comrades, and we were hoping perhaps you may have seen others, like us.” The elderly duck informed her politely. “Yes, and rather hoping you would be so kind as to inform us just where in the world we′ve been whisked away to!” Archimedes added from atop Paradox′s shoulder. Tangerine′s eyes went wide, her lips growing thin as she stared at the owl. “Your owl, it can talk!” She blurted in awe. The owl scoffed and ruffled his feathers. “Yes! And likely a fair bit better than you can!” He retorted. Paradox prodded the cranky avian in the ribs with a gloved finger. “Now, Archimedes! No need to be rude!” He mildly scolded the educated owl, who merely huffed and turned to look away from the wizard. Tangerine frowned at the bird′s remark, then looked back to the white-feathered duck in the top-hat. “The Dream League?” She repeated, pushing her right hip to the side and raising an eyebrow as she scratched her cheek thoughtfully. “Well, I haven′t seen anyone out here besides you guys. As for where you are, we′re just a hop, skip, and a jump from the town of Litessa.” With the girl′s response, the Dream League heroes exchanged glances. Without a word being spoken, it was apparent between all of them, and Tangerine, that they had never heard of any town called 'Litessa.' It was also apparent to the four foreigners that the girl had never heard of the Dream League, judging from her reaction. The Masked Mallard looked back in her direction. “We′re upholders of justice. I′m the Masked Mallard.” He introduced himself. “You may call me Paradox. This fine-feathered individual is Archimedes, and this is She-Wolf.” The bearded magician introduced himself before motioning toward the bird perched upon his shoulder, then to the quiet, attractive girl in primitive clothing. Paradox couldn′t be certain whether She-Wolf would have had the manners to introduce herself of her own accord, so he had taken the liberty of doing it for her. “I′m Tangerine!” The Tanooki introduced herself, standing stout and placing her right fist on her hip, while thumbing toward herself with her left. “Nice to meet′cha all. Ya know, if you got separated from your friends, they probably headed for Litessa. I mean, it′s the only town nearby.” As if to promote Tangerine′s suggestion to head back to civilization, a thunderclap boomed through the area, the sky illuminating in rapid pulses of charged illumination. Tangerine looked to the sky, specifically at the dark clouds overhead. “It′s been pretty stormy around Relicar lately. Huh.” She commented before looking back at Masked Mallard. “So, upholders of justice? That sounds pretty neat! If you don′t mind me tagging along, I′d like to hear more. I can help you look for your friends, while we′re at it.” She offered with a smile. Having someone familiar with the area tagging along hardly seemed like a bad idea, and so Masked Mallard nodded in consent. *** In no time, they had exited the forest, then made their way across a hill-laden valley which was both serene and beautiful, numerous wildflowers growing throughout. Tangerine conversed with her new traveling companions all the while, where they explained who they were and what they did. Tangerine questioned why Masked Mallard chose not to wear pants, asking if he was some sort of exhibitionist. Flustered from the comment, he had quickly changed the course of the conversation to something more appropriate. Tangerine had never heard of any 'Calisota' or 'Epcot City,' just as they had never heard of 'Relicar' or 'Litessa.' As the conversation progressed, the subject of Earth ultimately came up, though offhandedly. When Tangerine questioned what that was, the subject finally came to a head, and Masked Mallard, Paradox, She-Wolf, and Archimedes realized they were much further from home than any of them could have imagined. “Nimus.” Paradox repeated, deep in thought as he walked alongside his companions. His academic mind was piqued, and he found himself more interested than concerned, by that point. Tangerine strolled alongside Paradox and Masked Mallard with her hands planted on the back of her head, looking to the gaudily-clad wizard. “So, you guys touched some space-time anomaly thing and it transported you all here? What a trip. But I heard that there weren′t any more alternate Mirrors. Not since six years ago, anyway.” She stated in a thoughtful tone. “ We didn′t touch it at all!” Archimedes said with a huff. “If—No, when we find Duck Avenger, why, I say you turn him into a newt!” Paradox furrowed his eyebrows. “Now, now. We can′t very well blame Duck Avenger for this.” The elderly man retorted. “Certainly we can! And now we′re who-knows-where! Traveling through time is one thing, but worlds, now? Everything has gone completely upside-down! Do we even have the faintest idea how we intend to get home again? Hm?” Archimedes continued to ramble in an agitated state. “One step at a time. We need to find the others before we can concern ourselves with going anywhere.” Masked Mallard spoke up. “Now, when you say 'Mirrors,' young lady... whatever do you mean by that? Like, a looking glass, of sorts?” Paradox addressed Tangerine. “Nah, nothing like that. It′s sort of over my head, but there used to be numerous different versions of Nimus. Alternate dimensions, or some such thing. The egg heads in Parnier IV called them 'Mirrors.' It had something to do with them being reflections of one another; similar, yet slightly different. Ya know, like how everything looks the same in a reflection, only backwards?” She explained. “So why aren′t there any of these Mirrors now?” Masked Mallard asked, his own curiosity piqued. “That′s sort of a long story, so I′ll skip to the end. Six years ago Ajora and Abigail used some weird reality-altering powers of godliness to merge every Mirror into one. Supposedly it made the world a 'perfect' iteration of Nimus.” Upon finishing her sentence, the orange-haired girl stopped and glanced behind her. She-Wolf was at the back of the group. In fact, she hadn′t said a single word the entire time. Once the somber-looking girl caught up enough to be side-by-side with her, Tangerine began walking again, keeping pace with the girl in wolfskins. Her emerald hues locked onto her, and she placed her arms behind her back, clasping her elbows in either hand. “You don′t talk much, do you?” Tangerine inquired. She-Wolf looked at the Tanooki with a hint of irritation on her face. “I speak when I have something worth saying.” She replied coldly. Tangerine smirked, and was about to make a follow-up comment, when Masked Mallard spoke up. “Ah! There′s Litessa now.” Sprinting ahead, Tangerine made her way to the front of the group, overlooking the town below their elevated perspective. “Yeah! That′s the ticket!” The young woman exclaimed enthusiastically. She turned to face the others, the growing wind causing her orange hair to dance about her face. “Let′s head for the pub. If anything′s ever going on in town, you can bet that the pub will have caught wind of it before anywhere else. It′s like some sort of gossip sponge.” *** They had made their way through the quaint town, which reminded the earthen visitors of a suburban neighborhood back in America from a time which was quickly fading on their home world. Specifically, it had an air which made it feel almost like something from the fifties. The houses were humble, though cozy-looking. Residents were out and about, sitting in rocking chairs in front of their homes and shops, children playing amongst themselves and with their pets, and other slices of a simple, happy life. Technology was a very minor factor in Litessa, which gave it a very warm, if not primitive, feeling. Tangerine led them through the town, toward the pub she had spoken of. They watched as a mother ushered her children into the house, the woman′s eyes looking to the darkening sky. Masked Mallard thought to himself that, if the weather continued to worsen, soon all of the citizens still outdoors would retreat into shelters. “Here it is!” Tangerine announced, catching the attention of her newfound companions. The Masked Mallard made his way up to the pub entrance, which were a pair of wooden doors on auto-returning joints, like the sort of entrance you′d see on a saloon in an old Western flick. He turned, looking between Tangerine and She-Wolf. “Thank you very kindly, Tangerine. Are you... allowed to enter here?” He inquired. Tangerine cast She-Wolf a perplexed glance before looking back to Masked Mallard. “Why wouldn′t I be?” She asked in a confused tone of voice, though it held no sign of offense. “Eh-heh, never mind, lass.” He replied with a smile. Whatever the alcohol laws were in Litessa, judging from her perplexed reaction it was seemingly legal for young women of her and She-Wolf′s ages to enter bars. Masked Mallard pushed his way into the pub, and he was soon followed by the others. The interior was dimly lit, and was decidedly small, likely catering primarily to the locals and the occasional traveler. Not the sort of large, thriving tavern one would find in Epcot City, where ruffians like the Tarantula made it their business to start a brawl practically every night. There were around ten patrons in the pub, some sitting at the bar, some at circular, wooden tables placed throughout. Masked Mallard, Tangerine, and Paradox, with Archimedes still perched upon his shoulder, made their way to the bartender to try and dig up some information. She-Wolf held back, standing just a few feet from the entrance. At a table in the corner, far and away from any of the other customers, was a sharp-eyed man whom had noted their entrance. He was tall and slender, with a light skin tone and inquisitive, dark brown eyes. He had long, black hair and a thin coat of stubble on his face which suggested that he hadn′t shaved in a day or two. He wore a black jacket which was unbuttoned, revealing a white, button-front, collared shirt and a black necktie. Underneath the table one could see he wore black pants and highly polished, black shoes. Beside his right foot was a dark chrome attache case. He was slumped down over the table he occupied, his elbows on the wood and his left hand positioned over his mouth. His right hand hovered about an inch above the table, a coin between the tops of his fingers, which he skillfully rolled over the top of his hand. The coin, which shifted between blue and purple depending on how the light hit it, alternated its position between his fingers as he idly rolled it back and forth, never once fumbling it or slowing the rhythm. She-Wolf′s stormy eyes shifted between the patrons of the pub, her ears picking up on random conversations. “Looks like the storm is finally coming our way.” One man said. “Yeah, it′s an ominous sign, to be sure. Did you hear about what happened at that old mausoleum?” The other man at his table responded. “They say a sorcerer appeared and began chanting some dead language at the altar. The monks tried to stop him, but once they reached the top of the stairs, he was gone. Just... vanished, in the blink of an eye. And the podium was broken clean in two.” “Ah, they probably just dramatized the whole affair. Those monks lead a pretty boring life, after all. Who could blame them for wanting excitement? I mean, nothing was stolen.” She-Wolf felt eyes upon her, which made her feel uneasy. She looked in the direction she could feel the stare coming from, locking eyes with the sharp-eyed man who was performing a party trick with a coin. His gaze was transfixed on her, and it made her feel uneasy. The fact that his left hand covered his mouth made him different for her to read. All the same, she felt she had spent quite enough time in the tavern. Turning, she headed out the double-doors. The wind had picked up even further, even in the little time they had been in the pub, and steaks of lightning occasionally streaked the sky, accompanied by the boom of thunder. Yet rain had not yet begun to fall. Her short hair whipped around her head as she glanced around. The streets, which had been lively moments earlier, were now barren as the citizens had gone into their homes. Sighing, she began walking the way they had come. Hearing the distant sound of a child′s laughter, she turned and looked over her shoulder. She saw nothing, but got a cold shiver all the same. She made her way out of town, though didn′t stray too far, as not to worry her companions, whom she planned to rejoin shortly. She just needed a bit of privacy to gather her thoughts. On the outskirts of town she ascended a short, green hill, the blades of grass seeming to crawl in sheets from the wind, like rippling water. She looked out over the expansive valley, at the lush greenery and patches of wildflowers. “Pretty.” She said under her breath to herself in a lighter tone than she usually spoke in. Though she was outwardly cold, truth be told she was quite concerned about the other members they had been separated from. Particularly about her close friend, Sunshine. One of the few people she would genuinely call a friend. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze against her skin. “She-Wolf!” Suddenly came a voice which was all-too familiar. The girl′s eyes shot open, and she gasped lightly. “Sunshine?” She called out. The form of the blonde vixen, Sunshine, could then be seen rising from behind a hill. The spandex-clad teenager was in flight, her amethyst eyes widening and her lips forming an excited smile as she made eye contact with She-Wolf. The Ray of Hope hastily made her way over to her friend, and the wolf girl ran toward the blonde to help close the distance. “She-Wolf! Thank goodness you′re all right!” Sunshine beamed, opening her arms and throwing them around She-Wolf as she locked her into an embrace. The pink-and-blue clad heroine′s chest was firmly pressed against She-Wolf′s own, and the short-haired girl found herself blushing lightly from the close contact. Sunshine drew back after a moment, yet left her arms laced around the other girl. Her amethyst eyes stared into She-Wolf′s. “I was so worried... I didn′t know if I would ever see you again.” She stated in her angelic voice. The wild girl noticed that Sunshine′s left hand had risen to caress the back of her head, her fingers combing through her short hair. Her right hand was linked around her waist, planted firmly, though tenderly, on her back. She-Wolf′s own arms were held up in the air awkwardly, as she was unsure of what to do with them. “Sunshine?” The wolf girl said meekly as the golden-haired teenager drew her face closer. Sunshine′s eyes narrowed to wanting slits, her ruby lips parting as she tilted her head and drew closer. The way she presented herself, and the longing expression on her face, made it all-too clear that she was preparing to lock She-Wolf into a passionate kiss. The wolf girl′s blush brightened, and she was so taken-back that she was unprepared with how to handle the situation. Her mind raced: surely Sunshine wasn′t trying to kiss her? And yet she was; and She-Wolf′s mind couldn′t register the data quickly enough to respond in any way other than to don a wide-eyed, gaping-mouthed look of confusion. About an inch before Sunshine′s lush lips would have locked with She-Wolf′s, the blonde′s face suddenly split apart, blossoming into petals of meat which spread wide, like some grotesque flower. The interior of each flap of her face was lined with needle-sharp teeth, each dripping with a slime-like saliva. Long, purple, tendril-like tongues shot out from the gaping hole which had been her face moments earlier. One wrung around She-Wolf′s neck, a gross, warm, slimy feeling accompanying the choking sensation. Another linked around the wolf girl′s right arm. She-Wolf let out a scream which was a mix of surprise and horror, her sharp claws popping out of her fingers as she slashed at the segmented, purple tentacles, her eyes wide and her face contorted in alarm of a severe nature. Once she had severed the two tongues which had wrapped around her she pushed against Sunshine′s chest, pushing her away. She could not bring herself to attack her directly; whether it was her or not, it at least looked like her. Free from her embrace, She-Wolf jumped several feet straight back, her claws and fangs bared. Gasping, she quickly, nearly in a panicked state, clawed away the severed tentacles which were still limply wrapped around her neck and arm, throwing them aside in disgust. She crouched, her face contorting to a snarl as she stared at the Sunshine-esque thing in front of her. The stubs of the tentacles she had severed whipped alongside two fully-formed tongues before they withdrew into the face. The split face closed, once again reverting to a normal, beautiful Sunshine visage. But the expression on her face was not very Sunshine-like at all; it was twisted, and seemed to be filled with madness. Her grin was mischievous, her purple eyes full of what looked like impish malice. “What′s the matter, She-Wolf... San... I thought you were happy to see me? Why won′t you kiss me?” It spoke in Sunshine′s voice, but the delivery was too alien to She-Wolf′s ears for her to hold any lingering notions that the thing was somehow Sunshine; not that there had been any left once the face had split apart like a demon flower. The voice was wicked and cruel, and was not a manner in which the Ray of Hope would ever speak. And she, it, had just referred to her as San. Whatever it was, it knew her real name. From behind She-Wolf a nearly deafening shot rang through the valley, echoing throughout. She was so transfixed on the Sunshine impersonator that she hadn′t even turned around when she heard it, her eyes remaining locked on the impostor. The imitation Sunshine′s right shoulder suddenly exploded into a mess of gore, disappearing almost entirely and leaving a gaping hole which stretched to just before her right breast. The right arm hung limp and useless at her side, attached only by a few strips of grisly tissue and the shredded material of the costume. The Sunshine-like thing barely reacted at all, and continued to grin madly. Only now, its eyes had gone from the purple hue of Sunshine′s to an amber coloration, somewhere between orange and yellow. “Ha ha! The expression on your face was matched only by the agony in your soul!” It exclaimed with great enthusiasm, seemingly very pleased. “Won′t you play with me some other time, lover? I look forward to our next meeting!” And with that, the Sunshine impostor curled into a fetal position in midair, glowing with a mix of red and black energy before vanishing from sight entirely. She-Wolf′s entire body was shaking, and she took deep, labored breaths as she continued to stare at the empty space where the creature imitating her friend had been moments earlier. After a few seconds she regained her composure enough to stop trembling, and she finally turned around to look in the direction the shot had come from. Much to her surprise, it was actually the sharp-eyed man from the bar. He was grinning, and she could now see that he had a toothpick between his lips, which he chewed and rolled from one side of his mouth to the other with his tongue. The wind whipped his long, raven hair about his face. By his right foot was the attache case she had seen him with earlier, and in his right hand was a gun the likes of which she′d never seen before. In her state of shock it hadn′t crossed her mind that it must have been an advanced handgun indeed, to blow such a huge, clean hole in a target. “Crazy thing, huh? Ain′t never seen a sexy blonde dressed in cotton candy colors with some demon flower face, personally. Maybe they′re common where you come from, maybe they ain′t.” He turned away from her, raising his gun and sliding open a compartment in its side. He proceeded to check his weapon, seemingly rather concerned about its condition. She-Wolf managed to control her breathing a bit better, her eyebrows furrowing at the stranger. “Who are you?” She asked him in a demanding tone. “Yer gratitude is astoundin′, darlin′. Don′t suppose I could at least worm a 'thank you' outta ya, huh?” He turned his head, smirking as he looked into her eyes. “S′pose not. Name′s Judo. Ya got problems, I fix ′em. And I′d say that there was a pretty remarkable problem.” He introduced himself. “Heard your pals talkin′ at the bar. All I can really say is...” He cast her a wink and a grin, spinning his pistol on his finger like a gunslinger before stopping it into its original position again. “Welcome to Nimus.” |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Sept 3, 2011 18:04:39 GMT -8
Chapter 6 – A Call to Arms The lavish expanse leading up to the royal throne was awe-inspiring, and designed in such a way that one had to walk a substantial distance before arriving at the steps leading up to the throne itself (previously two thrones, though since the death of the queen six years prior, there remained only a single one). Rolled out across the highly polished white marble flooring was a carpet which stretched out along the length of the room. It was of the highest quality; primarily crimson with dark red decals and a gold trim (which was authentic gold and not merely gold coloring, or so he had heard). It seemed almost a sin to tread over it with one′s boots, though it never seemed to hold even a speck of dirt or grime upon it, regardless. One could easily find themselves intimidated if summoned by the royal house of Afron to such a belittling room, though he had been in it so often that the novelty of it all had worn off many years before. Now it was not unlike entering any other room. Though a feeling of tension filled him all the same, though certainly not based upon the aesthetics. He stood in a dignified posture before King Afron′s throne. A tall man of thirty six years of age with a light skin tone and long, blond hair, as well as striking emerald green eyes. His armor was of extraordinary craftsmanship, being an off-white coloration and accented by sterling silver, including intricate, vine-like patterns which snaked out from the trimming of each segment. The brown scabbard housing his sword rested against his left hip and was a dark brown color, also bearing sterling silver decals which matched his armor perfectly. A white cape hung over his shoulders, supported by a gold, woven chord about his neck. On either hand he wore a white glove. Handsome, refined, and carrying an air of nobility, he was one of the closest examples one could hope to reach of the oft-spoken 'knight in shining armor.' He was General Roy Usalies of Afron′s royal military, son of the legendary Holy Knight, Roper Usalies. A well-respected knight who served his kingdom dutifully for years, he was adviser to King Cornelius Aal Afron the Fourth, as well as the King′s top general and one of the most capable warriors Nimus could hope to offer. The reincarnation of one of Ajora′s original apostles, Usalies possessed potent holy power which could manifest in such ways as to be destructive, defensive, or restorative. His skill with a two-handed sword was nothing to trifle with, either, making him a capable man from a multitude of angles. Though his face did not betray his true feelings, the knight was in a state of unease as he met with his superiors. All of Afron′s government officials and board members were gathered in the throne room on that day; an occurrence which had not come to pass in six years, since the time Afron was at war with the neighboring kingdom of Estar. That in and of itself was an ominous sign, though the disappearance of military personnel from Afron, Estar, and Parnier IV were far more dire in nature. The three kingdoms had been cooperating in an investigation, though no intelligence had been presented which offered any insight into why so many had defected from their kingdoms, where they had gone, or why: until that morning, when an intelligence gatherer at last returned with a substantial lead. Usalies remained nearly as motionless as a statue as his superiors explained the situation to him and instructed him on how it should be handled. The general attentively absorbed every word they offered, pushing his own inner thoughts to the back of his mind until such a time where he could manage them unimpeded. Once the meeting was adjourned Usalies offered a respective bow to those standing before him before he turned and made his way out of the throne room to carry out his duties. Along his path, castle guards stood up straighter than usual, in silent signs of respect. Exiting the castle he began descending the stairs, an eagerness in his step, as time was of the essence. “So, what′s the situation, Roy?” Came a calm, collected voice from his immediate right. He paused on the step he had found himself standing upon, turning his head to look in the direction of the all-too familiar voice. Sprawled across the flat surface of a podium, one of several flanking the sides of the stairs, was the source of the question. The young, light-skinned man was laying on his back, his head propped upon the palms of his hands and tilted in such a way so that he was making eye contact with the regal knight. His left leg was flung over his right knee, the foot tapping to some internal rhythm. He was near average height, though perhaps an inch or two shorter, and a good five inches shorter than the taller knight in pale armor. He had a slender, athletically fit physique. His medium length hair was a forest green coloration, with two stray lengths draping down from his forehead and over his face, resting at the bridge of his nose. His amber eyes were calm and inquisitive. He wore a sleeveless black top with a V-cut collar held closed by a single button, green stitching bordering each opening of the top. It was tucked into a pair of black pants which were wide and puffy around the ankles, tucked into a pair of dark brown boots. He had dark brown pads over either shoulder and knee, and a dark brown belt with a circular, bronze belt buckle. A small, brown, leather scabbard, only large enough to house a dagger, was linked to his belt, and rested against his left hip. A pair of dark brown, suspender-like belts crisscrossed over his chest and back, forming an X-shape seen from either end. A strange character lounging upon the décor of the steps leading up to the castle wouldn′t have been permitted to remain there for more than a few moments; were that strange character most anyone else, anyway. He was once Chapal Taiden, though had abandoned his past, and name, and had since come to be known solely as General Torreus Hansborough of Afron′s royal military; a name he had crafted by taking the given name and surname of two prominent historical figures. Bidding farewell to his blood-soaked past as a pawn of the Promise Ministry, he established himself in Afron, where he achieved personal redemption through many internal and external hardships. Outwardly, he appeared to many as being unreliable and a bit of a sloth, though his shining determination and strong sense of justice were masked by his outward mannerisms, more often than not. Informal and aloof, his seemingly lazy nature belied the fact that he was a highly capable martial artist who utilized the power of Sokuden; a power thought to have been forever lost along with the ancient Zinj Empire. An expert at rush-downs and close quarter combat, he could utilize his acrobatic mobility and footwork to deliver a chain of swift strikes against an adversary, his fists being a weapon as lethal as any length of steel. His capabilities extended to specialized techniques which employed his mastery of his mystical Sokuden heritage. Hansborough was one of only a handful of people who referred to Usalies by his given name, but such was the general′s way. He properly addressed King Afron and the council members, though tended to refer to everyone else by their given name, sans any titles. Many perceived this as being a lack of respect on Hansborough′s part, though Usalies knew better, and was never offended. He was the most informal officer Usalies had ever met, and initially the knight was unsure of what to make of him, though he quickly came to recognize the man′s strong morals, resolution, and valor despite his unrefined nature. In the years they had worked alongside one another, Hansborough had become something of a friend and close comrade of the proper knight. “You realize it would be far simpler to receive such information first-hand, would you ever be so inclined as to actually attend a royal summons, General Hansborough.” The blonde jokingly responded with a smile, knowing full well that his ally would damn-near have to be dragged into such conferences. Hansborough waved his left hand dismissively, frowning at the very idea. “Listening to long-winded 'briefings' from stuffy blue hairs is not really my cup of tea. Especially when I can get the abridged version easily enough through you.” He stated in his defense, seemingly feeling a need to justify his absence despite knowing his comrade was merely jesting with his comment. The amber-eyed man pushed himself up to a sitting position, his eyes still locked onto the knight. Usalies′ smile faded, and his expression became gravely serious. “An intelligence scout returned this morning. There is a force at work here. A group known as the Makai Emissary are apparently connected to the military personnel who have been defecting from Afron, Estar, and Parnier IV.” He explained. Hansborough, having been quite a historical buff, was all-too familiar with the organization name presented to him, and he figured that the well-educated Usalies would also be familiar with it. It was a name which held weight for those who recognized it, even thousands of years after they had been an active force. The green-haired general′s expression became one of a serious nature to better match his comrade′s, his eyebrows furrowing. “Makai Emissary? A revival of that Makai Emissary?” “We don′t know that yet. Whether they′re a copycat group, or a terrorist organization merely adopting the name is not clear with the information we currently have available. Unfortunately, it′s all still rather ambiguous in nature. Though, that will change soon, if we succeed in carrying out the task at hand.” “By 'an' intelligence scout, you insinuate that a singular scout returned. Did we not send out six of them?” “That we did. One returned. The other five are unofficially M.I.A., though I fear it will become official in the near future.” “Oh, well isn′t that reassuring.” “The troubling signs do continue to accumulate, do they not?” Hansborough pushed himself off of the podium and stood before it on the same step which the dignified knight occupied. He placed his left fist against his hip while brushing his bangs from his eyes with his free hand. “Well, this sounds less and less pleasant all the time, now doesn′t it? The prospect of a terrorist group taking up the mantle of a historical organization like that doesn′t bode well. Though, I will give them props for being able to read, much less dig back so far in time. That′s more than you could say for a lot of terrorist groups these days. So, what′s our next plan of action?” “Assemble your men at the conference hall. All will be explained in the briefing, and there′s precious little time to explain it twice. Our window of opportunity will not remain open for much longer.” And with that, Usalies ended the conversation, for the time being. *** The lone returning scout had brought with them the information of a possible recruitment base set up south of Afron′s capitol, near the mountainside separating the Afron territories from the Northern Wasteland. If the report was to be trusted, there was a previously abandoned mill where several deserters from Afron′s military had been witnessed. But Usalies wasn′t confident with the report, nor was Hansborough. If six scouts were deployed and only one returned, that was cause for suspicion. Rather than putting all of their eggs into one basket, the two generals had agreed to split each of their platoons in half. Usalies, and half of his men, as well as Hansborough, and half of his men, would approach the mill head-on. The other two groups would move independently from each other, and create a scissor ambush from either side of the mill. This would also be where the archers would find themselves. With three groups on every side of them, and the impassable, sheer mountains behind them, they would have nowhere to run. If the scout report was accurate, they would outnumber those occupying the mill nearly four-to-one. They only hoped that the group would surrender willingly, given the circumstances. The only sound as they traveled were those of the gallops of their horse′s hooves. Not a word passed between anyone present. Mounted atop a brown stallion, Usalies had removed the white cape and gloves he had donned earlier, as they were reserved for political audiences, and not ornaments he cared to wear during field confrontations. Covering his hands were, instead, gauntlets which matched his armor. Situated atop a black mare, Hansborough wore the same clothing he had earlier, but had added several pieces of armor over them. The armor was black and green, and was comprised of a chest plate (which also covered his upper back), shoulder armor, gauntlets, and leggings which covered his lower legs from his feet all the way to just above his kneecaps. He never wore a full suit of armor, as mobility was of the utmost importance to his combat style. His armor was all lightweight, and covered only portions of his body which would be most vulnerable, while avoiding covering areas which would hinder his ability to move swiftly. The area they found themselves in was nearly barren, with only a few small patches of grass here and there. Skeletal trees marked their path and now and again, though all were devoid of any leaves. It was likely the influence of the nearby Northern Wasteland for the soil around the area finding itself in such a deplorable state, which led Usalies to wonder why a mill would have even been constructed out in that area to begin with. No wonder it had been abandoned, in any event. The golden-haired knight′s emerald eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing delicately as the mill in question came into his line of sight. A feeling of unease gripped his chest, all but choking him, at the sight: there was already a group standing in front of the condemned building. Not just standing, but waiting. Hansborough gently snapped the reigns of his horse, encouraging it to pick up its pace so that he would be side by side with Usalies′ own steed. “So, they knew we were coming. I′m not surprised.” He spoke in a soft tone, though the group ahead of them were still not within earshot. “Nor I. I needn′t remind you, but keep your wits about you.” At that, the green-haired general merely nodded, his eyes still locked on the group ahead of them. As they drew closer they could make out the figures more clearly. They were mostly men, with only a few women, all wearing identical maroon military uniforms with red trimming. Stitched upon their shoulders was a symbol of a red, stylized 'M' within a circle. Both Hansborough and Usalies recognized some of the soldiers, while others were unknown to them. Once they had drawn close enough, Usalies dismounted his horse, followed by Hansborough. Some of the soldiers also dismounted, though some remained atop their steeds. The virtuous knight did not draw his weapon at that time, and slowly, and cautiously, made his way forward, Hansborough and both of their platoons in tow. All eyes were fixated on their approach, and Usalies noted that many of the men had normal, if not tense, expressions... and yet others had a strange, blank expression on their faces. The best way he could even think to describe it was that they were asleep standing up, as if hypnotized. Though there was one individual present who called his attention more than any other. One of only a few females present and, furthermore, the sole Farren in attendance. She was of average height with a slender, fit physique. As with all Wind Whisperers, being anthropomorphic aves, her body was covered in a layer of soft down. Her feathers were a glossy, jet black coloration with a crimson, crescent-shaped tip on each individual feather. The tail feathers on her posterior branched out in two directions, like the tail of a swallow. Extending from her shoulders were a pair of wings, which were neatly folded behind her. What was visible of her yellowish-orange forearms and feet were devoid of feathers, and featured plate-like scales and curved, black talons at the end of each finger and toe. She wore a long, scarlet robe with wide sleeves. The robe covered her chest, but was open down the front below her bust. The interior of the robe was black, with a black trim along the outer opening, and black bands at the end of either sleeve. Around her waist she wore a long, slender loincloth which draped down to just above her feet. The loincloth′s design was that of a series of downward-pointing arrows overlapping one another, with a black trim on the exterior. She wore scarlet stalkings which hooked onto each of her middle toes, and rose to just above her knee caps. A scarlet garter was wrapped around each thigh. Her midriff, upper legs, and hips were otherwise bare. Her head and face were almost entirely concealed by a scarlet, ceramic mask with black detailing on the beak portion and around each eye hole, and a black diamond shape on the forehead. Through each eye hole cut into the mask her ruby eyes were visible, unblinking as she watched their approach. She was sitting upon a dead tree which was tilted to one side, the top half split off and laying several feet away. Her legs were crossed, with her left leg positioned daintily over her right knee. The two generals and their men stopped in their tracks once they were close enough to the other group which stood before them. “Hey there, Jeff. It′s been a while, hasn′t it?” Came Hansborough′s voice from behind Usalies. The general had immediately noted one of the traitors to the crown as having been one from his own flock. The man in question, who had brown hair and a beard, merely lowered his head in shame, though he said nothing. The man was one of the opposing soldiers present who did not have a brainwashed expression on his face. “And so, General Torreus Hansborough and General Roy Usalies now stand before me. The shining stars of Afron′s military force.” It was the Farren dressed in scarlet who addressed them first. As Usalies had guessed, she was likely the leader of this group, as she was not wearing a specific uniform, as the rest of them were. “And whom am I addressing?” Usalies responded in turn, his voice chivalrous, though unreadable as to his true feelings. She leaned forward on her perch, placing a hand beneath her beak to support her face. “Kw′Lah Chalcis. And to what do I owe the honor of your presence? Certainly there are evils in the world to be vanquished while you squander your time here, o' white knight.” Her tone was cynical and condescending, and immediately neither Usalies nor Hansborough cared much for her. “You know precisely why we have come, Ms. Chalcis. Some of those in your company are defects from Afron′s own military, and I suspect there are such deserters from Estar and Parnier IV here, as well.” The blonde knight spoke up, his voice still very much calm and dignified. “This flock have flown free from such lowly places, and aspire to take wing skyward. Of what right do Afron, Estar, or Parnier IV have to say where they may fly, or with whom they may ally themselves with?” She responded. Usalies frowned. She′s stalling, he thought to himself. But stalling for what? Even without the reinforcements which were flanking them on either side, her group was still outnumbered. Did they have their own reinforcements arriving? Or was it something else? All eyes on Chalcis as she spoke, it went unnoticed when shoots began to grow up from the soil all around Usalies, Hansborough, and their men. The shoots grew into slender vines and, in each vine, a faintly-glowing bit of rock was held. Silently and efficiently, each slender vine planted the glowing chunk of stone onto each of the soldiers present. They were slipped into boots, into pockets, and anywhere else of convenience. Their cargo deposited, each shoot then withered and went dormant. “We will be taking you back to Afron. We have much to discuss, and there are others who would also enjoy exchanging words with you.” Usalies informed her, which caused her to chuckle under her breath, as though he had just made some sort of joke. “My, but you are forward, o' confident white knight. I am afraid I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request, as I am not particularly fond of dungeons nor interrogations. You have come to us on this day not to apprehend us, but to join our noble cause. You, yes, and your puppets coming in from the east and west in your meager effort to surround us.” Usalies frowned at her latest remark, as she revealed that she was fully aware of the coming scissor attack, which should have arrived by that point, yet were nowhere to be seen. It was at that point that Hansborough caught strange movements from his peripheral vision. Glancing over, he watched as a vine slipped a glowing object into the boot of a mounted soldier. Almost instantly, the soldier′s face became lifeless as he stared off into space, his eyes blank. It was exactly the same as some of Chalcis′ own soldiers. His gaze shooting downward, the green-haired general′s eyes widened as he caught another seemingly-sentient plant in the act, attempting to place such a shard on his person. Raising his right boot, he crushed it flat against the ground, shattering whatever it had been holding. “Everyone, look down! We′re having something planted on us!” He shouted before dashing toward a soldier close to himself, shoving him out of harm′s way (and nearly knocking him off of his feet in the process) as he stomped on a vine which had very nearly fulfilled its purpose. That concluded, he spun to look toward Usalies, and noticed a withered plant near his feet. “Usalies!” Stepping forward, he placed a hand on the knight′s shoulder, turning him around in order to face him. Usalies had that blank, emotionless expression on his face, his emerald green hues dull. Hansborough staggered backward a step, his own eyes wide. He whirled around to look at the others, and quickly found that every soldier, save the one he had saved moments earlier, who was in the process of stomping another sprout which had risen, had those hypnotized expressions. His eyes ultimately settled on Chalcis. “Do you think this wise? Such actions will surely bring down the wrath of three of the world′s most prominent kingdoms. Do you want a hand in what will surely result from that?” He warned her, his voice calm despite the direness of the situation he had suddenly found himself in. “It is to me you are all belonging!” Came a boisterous voice as a man exited the mill, having apparently been in hiding up until that point. He was of average height, and was overweight, including a prominent gut. The top of his head was bald, though he had thick, black hair on the back and side, including a large beard and mustache, the lengthy mustache extending beyond the sides of his face, each coming to a pointed tip. His eyebrows were thick, and crowned his brown eyes. His thick lips were pink, and he also had a pinkness to his bulbous nose. He wore a pale, yellow, long-sleeved shirt with collared wrists, with a green, sleeveless overcoat worn over it, adorned with three round, gold buttons. It was left open down the front. His brown pants looked almost like shorts, as they only extended to just past either knee, before revealing that he was wearing gray stockings. There were cream-colored pinstripes running down either side of his pants. He wore a wide, red wrapping around his midsection which made his already noticeable stomach even more pronounced, as it pushed it up from the bottom. His shoes were black, with an off-white sole being visible. He approached the group of zonked-out soldiers, his large belly jiggling with each step. “You will all do as the Puppet Master′a says!” He added, raising a large hand to his chest as he puffed it out. His voice was menacing, and he had a thick accent which Hansborough couldn′t pinpoint. “So, that′s your game, is it, 'Puppet Master?'” Hansborough addressed the rotund man. The Puppet Master′s eyes widened when the general spoke out, and he shot a sour look back at Chalcis while pointing to the general with a large finger. “What is this?! You assured me your plants would′a deliver the meteorite shards to them all!” He scolded her. “Look closely, otherworlder; only two have managed to elude our gifts.” Shooting his gaze back at the group of hypnotized Afron soldiers, his enraged expression turned almost at once into a smile as he confirmed that she was correct. “Ah, ha, ha! You all there! Grab′a those two! Do not kill′a the general; Luvont wants′a them both alive!” At his command all of the soldiers in Hansborough′s midst, save for one, who looked rather confused and skittish, turned toward them. Usalies, too, turned toward him, drawing his elegant broadsword from its scabbard, the blade glowing with a faint sea green illumination. At the same time the Puppet Master had issued his command, Hansborough had raised his left fist skyward, his body enveloped in a pale blue aura. Pillars of blue light began to spin in front of the Sokuden, drawing ever closer to each other until they formed into a single column, at which time he drew his fist down. “Sokuden Tremor!” He exclaimed, punching the ground at the exact spot where the pillars had met. The earth beneath his fist buckled and caved in, forming a crater as cracks snaked outward from the point of impact. The surrounding area shook violently, and everyone other than the green-haired martial artist himself were shaken right off of their feet, falling over themselves as their formerly solid footing became not-so-trustworthy. All around him the soldiers fell over like dominoes, even the horses tumbling over as they uttered neighs of alarm and protest. The Puppet Master tumbled backward, falling onto his own personal cushion – his hefty buttocks. Chalcis fell backward off of her perch, landing on her back. In the end, only Hansborough was left standing. Not wasting even a moment, he dashed toward the sole soldier (who had also been knocked flat on his keester, but that was unavoidable), clasping his wrist and jerking him to his feet. He continued his momentum, running at a speed so staggering that the soldier couldn′t keep up, and was more or less just dragged behind him like a rag doll, his legs struggling to keep up with the momentum, though failing for the most part and appearing rather awkward. The Puppet Master scrambled (with great effort) back to a standing position with an audible grunt, his face bright red as he began to curse in his native language, clearly enraged. The way Chalcis had fallen on her back was rather inelegant, and were anyone to have looked her way they′d have easily been able to see past her loincloth, which had fallen over her right hip during her tumble, though everyone was far too disoriented from the unexpected turn of events to have paid any notice – herself included. Rather than rising to her feet, the ground beneath her suddenly extended into a column, pushing her up to a standing position like a large helping-hand before sinking back to its original shape. Huffing in irritation, she looked past the soldiers, who were still recovering from being knocked down, to the fleeing general and his lackey. “If′a they escape, Luvont will′a not be pleased! After him, you incompetent fools!” The Puppet Master boomed. “Luvont was quite clear on wanting Captain Hansborough alive; though, given the circumstances, being alive and being fully intact are hardly identical.” Chalcis declared before extending a clawed hand toward the fleeing duo. Thick, green vines, each lined with brutally sharp, curved thorns, began to snake out of the ground around Hansborough and his 'passenger,' twisting about as though they were sentient entities in an effort to ensnare them. As one drew dangerously close, the green-haired general shoved the soldier off to the side, and out of harm′s way. He took a quick leap backward to avoid being snared by the botanical appendage, though not in time to avoid being grazed by it. A thorn tore through his right forearm, immediately drawing blood as it cascaded down to his elbow. More vines followed, and he used his agility and acrobatic capabilities to avoid them all, flipping, jumping, ducking, and rolling, all the while narrowly avoiding being caught. He even managed to trick a pair of the vines to entangle each other as they attempted to grab him. But, no matter how far he ran, new vines sprung forth from the soil and attempted to subdue him. “General!” A voice shouted out to him. Looking over, he saw that the soldier was mounted atop Usalies′s steed, panic and awe on the man′s face. Hansborough dashed forward with remarkable speed while still maneuvering away from the twisting tendrils. Once he saw that the general was close enough, the soldier snapped the reigns of the horse, just as Hansborough made a leap of faith, grabbing the side of the saddle as the horse began to gallop away. As he began to climb up to take a seat behind the soldier, he felt sharp pain shoot up his left leg. Looking down, he saw that a vine had snared his leg, and threatened to tear his grip from the sprinting stallion. Drawing his free hand back, his palm began to swirl with a blue light. “Sokuden Fire!” He shouted, thrusting his palm toward the vine as a wave of energy emitted from his open palm. The vine burst apart, leaving only the tip still wrapped around his ankle. That having been dealt with, he quickly climbed atop the steed. Once firmly situated, he pried the offending plant from his leg and cast it over his shoulder. He glanced behind to see that they were being pursued by the hypnotized soldiers, as well as the soldiers in maroon uniforms which they had intended to apprehend. That hadn′t gone too well for them, as it were. There was a good distance between them, however, and that was a good thing. As they sped away, Hansborough leaned over the shoulder of the soldier. “Well. That could have gone worse, right?” The soldier′s mouth became a thin, white line. He said nothing in response. Chalcis raised a hand to her lower beak as she watched Hansborough and the soldier disappear over the horizon, their own men in hot pursuit. “Where, oh where, will you run to, little mouse? One cannot hope to run from something which will soon envelop the whole of the world. You have found yourself thrust into a maze of Luvont′s design. Where does the exit lie for you?” She murmured under her breath. *** The sun was setting, the sky painted with a beautiful array of pinks, purples, and oranges. Even after having lost their pursuers, they had continued to gallop at full speed into the wild yonder. Thankfully, Hansborough knew the area fairly well, and knew just where to turn and where to hide in order to have lost those who were nipping at their ankles. The sole remaining general from the mission, and the soldier, who was one of Usalies′ ranks: Private James Yardev, as he had later informed Hansborough once the danger had subsided, found themselves in a small forested area near the northern mountains. Hansborough sat at the bank of a pool of water, which Usalies' horse currently drank from, patching his wounds in field dressings. Yardev stood, too tense to sit. Hansborough had just finished wrapping up his left ankle, a spot of blood seeping through the white bandages, and had since begun to mend to his right arm, wrapping it quickly. Yardev looked shaken, and his hair was a mess, but he was otherwise unharmed. “Heh. Ah, Roy. It must be nice to have those healing powers under your belt.” He muttered as he finished wrapping his arm. He then directed his attention to Yardev. “Head back to Afron, and take the horse. Inform King Afron of what happened. They will need to send word to Estar and Parnier IV, as I think it goes without saying that similar traps have likely been set for them, and they may not have been as lucky as ourselves. Be swift, yet careful. They′ll still be out looking for us. We′re half a mile from the Forever Fields; use that cover to get closer to Afron and, from there, take advantage of all available cover until you′re safely behind city walls.” “But, sir, what about you? You′re not returning to Afron?” “No; given the events, I now find that I have other matters to attend to.” Having said that, he removed a slip of paper and a pen from his pant pocket and began to scribble a message upon it, moving quickly, though making sure he was attentive enough to the task as to allow his handwriting to be legible. Once finished, he folded the note and handed it to Yardev, who accepted it, slipping it into his own pocket. “General... if I may speak freely?” “Certainly.” “You could have made your escape far easier had you not worried yourself with me. I couldn′t run nearly as fast as you.” “Yes, that′s true. Your point?” “Then... why?” “No one life is any more or less important than another, regardless of ranks or lineage. And never let anyone convince you otherwise. Now, go. And good luck, James.” Yardev bowed his head respectfully and, without another word, made his way back to the stallion. He mounted it, then made his way in the direction Hansborough had suggested; toward the Forever Fields. The general watched as he departed, a calm expression on his face. “Luvont...” He repeated as he rose to a stand. He had his own journey to make, and couldn′t idle there any longer, either. “Sudhira Luvont, the Candidate? I wonder.” |
|
Cold Shadow
Dream League Admin
Shadow of Justice
Posts: 74
|
Post by Cold Shadow on Sept 17, 2011 20:46:56 GMT -8
Chapter 7 – The Legendary Hero Traversing the sandy, tropical terrain, Duck Avenger, El Tirador, and Sunshine made their way toward the town the blonde beauty had observed from the sky. All three of them were alert, just in case another creature like the one that had attacked the two avian heroes earlier reared its tentacled head (if its anatomy included a head, anyway). The Dreamers speculated on what could had happened back in the forest, and where they had wound up. The space-time anomaly was clearly to blame, but there were still far more questions than answers. “Maybe we′re in the Bahamas, or something.” Duck Avenger threw out as a theory. “Well, I don′t think there are giant, floating octopuses in the Bahamas, amigo.” El Tirador was quick to point out. And, of course, the creature they had encountered was one of the most perplexing pieces of the puzzle. “Maybe there′s some mad scientist around here, or something. We may end up working overtime!” The Avenger thought, stroking the bottom of his bill with a free hand thoughtfully. “Oh! Why, there it is!” Sunshine spoke up as the town came into view. The three of them stopped for a moment, all looking on toward the only sign of civilization they had seen since they had arrived. “That′s the ticket! Good job, Sunny!” Duck Avenger enthusiastically praised her and, with that, they all continued on. The closer they drew, the more defined the town became. It was a coastal town, and they could make out a series of piers comprising a bustling dock. Ships came and went ahead of them as they walked, seagulls squawking loudly overhead as they made their presence known to all below. Unknown to the three heroes, however, was that their approach had been noted, and that they were being watched. “Suspicious sorts!” The observer′s low voice resonated through their metal helmet, almost sounding as though they were speaking into a tin can. They made haste to meet the three odd individuals, their armor clattering as they ran. Duck Avenger′s head tilted back as he looked up to a large arch which greeted them at the entrance to the town. “Marquita Resort.” He read the title printed on the monument. “Ah! A resort town! Truly, this is paradise!” El Tirador beamed. “If the circumstances were not so dire, we could have a spot of fun before continuing on, no? Perhaps even get Sunshine here in a bikini!” He added. Sunshine scanned the welcome sign with her amethyst eyes, ignoring her companion′s closing comment, then looked down to both of them. “Should we split up to gather information, do you suppose? Or should—” She was suddenly interrupted as a figure jumped out in front of them, his armor clattering. The armor-clad figure looked up at them (being even shorter than Duck Avenger, just slightly over four feet in height), their fists positioned on either hip. They were seemingly completely covered, from head to toe, by a suit of dull grey knight armor, including a visored helmet which completely concealed the face when the visor was drawn, such as it was. Out of the top of the helmet poked a pair of feline-like ears, which had grey and black fur on the exterior, and white fur poking out from the interior. A sheathed sword housed in a light brown scabbard rested against their left hip. “ Brrr, halt, and whatnot!” A youthful, male voice echoed through the helmet. Duck Avenger and El Tirador exchanged skeptical glances before looking back to the short-statured knight. Sunshine′s eyes remained locked onto the stranger, her expression inquisitive though soft. “You′re not here to cause trouble, are you? Those costumes are a bit strange, not to mention you′re all wearing masks!” The knight asked them. It seemed as though he were trying to sound authoritative, though his voice came off as adorable, more than anything. “What? We don′t cause trouble, we solve trouble, kid! We′re members of the Dream League!” Duck Avenger responded, irritation apparent in his tone, his brow furrowing. The knight raised an arm and lifted the visor of his helmet, his green eyes having a sheen in the shadows which concealed his face, much like the eyes of a cat. “ Brr, I′m not a kid! I′m a Traveler!” He protested with a hint of offense, lowering his arm back to rest on his hip, his chest puffed out. “I′m Kindly, and one day I′m going to become a great hero!” He added enthusiastically. “Say--” His next statement was cut short by his visor slamming back down over his face with a clank, causing him to raise his hands and draw back, startled. He anxiously lifted it again with a huff. “The Dream League? I′ve never heard of any Dream League... but, you said you solve trouble. Does that mean you′re heroes, too?” He asked, his large eyes inspecting each of them curiously. “ Sí, señor! You have not heard of us? We must be farther from America than I figured! El complot espesa...” El Tirador answered the self-proclaimed hero. “Americ--” Kindly′s visor slammed down over his face yet again, startling him anew. Having his fill of the interruptions, he raised his gauntleted hands to the helmet, pulling it off and placing it under his left arm. He had the face of a feline, with the fur patterns of a grey tabby, and a pink, triangular nose. Having seen his face, he appeared more adorable and less threatening than ever. He was Kindly, a nineteen-year-old Traveler out to make a name for himself as an up-and-coming hero. He traversed the world, doing good deeds on a global scale to help others and to prove his hero′s worth. Despite his best efforts, his cute mannerisms and non-threatening demeanor didn′t command much respect from his foes or from others in general. Ever-tenacious, he refused to surrender, and continued to prove himself to be a shining star. His expressive, green eyes looked between them. His mouth opened into a smile, his incisors becoming visible. “Honest-to-goodness heroes? Really? We have all sorts of things to discuss, brrow!” He sounded excited by the prospect. His cat tail, which none of them had noticed up till that point, swayed to and fro behind him. “Hey, we don′t have time for this! We have to find the others and get back!” Duck Avenger snapped at the group, clearly agitated by that point. Ignoring him, Sunshine crouched beside Kindly, to be closer to eye level to the feline knight. “Kindly, we would love to hold a hero discussion with you. However, we have no idea where we are, and we were separated from the rest of our group. We need to find out what′s going on before we can chat. So, may we please have your permission to pass?” With her face drawn close to his, Kindly rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his expression becoming one of shyness. If he could blush, he probably would have. “Yes! Right! You′re here on business, too. How silly of me, mrow!” Snapping out of his stupor, he fixated his green eyes on Sunshine′s hues. “I can help you! Yes! I insist! Heroes need to help fellow heroes out, y′know? Or anyone in need, rather!” Sunshine smiled and giggled, unable to resist his sweetness. She brought a finger beneath his chin, giving it a few scratches. His eyes closed to slits and he adopted a long smile, practically from ear-to-ear. By that point Duck Avenger was impatiently tapping his foot, his arms crossed over his chest. Lowering her hand, the blonde gracefully returned to an upright standing posture. “Thank you, Kindly. I′m Sunshine.” She introduced herself. “Sunshine.” He repeated, his eyes half-lidded as he swooned. El Tirador approached him, taking the feline′s right hand in both of his own hands and shaking vigorously, shaking Kindly's whole body, his armor rattling. “I am El Tirador, fastest draw in the West... East... well, anywhere, really!” Once the rooster released his grip over him Kindly nearly stumbled, though he managed to regain his footing. “And I′m Duck Avenger! Now that we′re all acquainted, let′s get down to business!” The white-plumed duck hastily introduced himself, then began moving forward without awaiting any sort of response. Watching over his shoulder as Duck Avenger walked past, Kindly looked up at Sunshine, smiling. “Heroes unite, brr! This could be the beginning of an epic kinship!” *** It was quickly made apparent to the three strangers in a strange land that Marquita Resort was a decadent tourist hotspot, full of swimsuit-clad vacationers out to have a good time and forget the troubles of the world. In fact, the three earthlings, plus Kindly, were clearly the most overdressed of those present, as bare, bronzed skin could be seen this way and that. El Tirador was the most distracted by the circumstances, though Duck Avenger also hazarded a glance as he passed a bikini-clad beach bunny. “So, the Southern Islands?” Sunshine addressed Kindly as they walked along the road leading into the heart of town. “Yeah, that′s right! Tropical paradise. I just got in, myself. I′m actually planning to take a ferry to Stardust City, though, purr.” He answered with a content smile. Sunshine hadn′t heard of an island chain by that name, but at least they had a name to attach to their alien surroundings. Sunshine had explained the conditions of their arrival, though Kindly had no answers in regard to them, not that she had expected him to. What she had found odd was that he had never heard of Epcot City, or even the United States of America. None of them were quite sure what to make of that. “What about that octopus thing we saw when we first got here? It was floating in the air and spitting acid!” Duck Avenger asked. “Sounds like a Terra Octopus! Don′t worry, though. They stay clear of humanoid populations. You only see them out in the wilds.” The feline knight informed him, which surprised the duck. The way he spoke, such a creature was a normal occurrence. “Well, that particular Terra Octopus won′t be jumping anyone else!' El Tirador commented. “Yeah! No slimy octopus can put the squeeze on us!” Duck Avenger added with a touch of pride. Even though it wasn′t her fault, Sunshine still felt bad that she hadn′t been there to help them in their time of need. Though they had handled it quite handily, which relieved her. Having given Kindly a description of their allies, the four of them had settled on splitting up to cover more ground. Each of them questioned locals and tourists alike, the majority of the Dreamers receiving apprehensive stares due to their unusual attire. El Tirador made his way to an outdoor bar, complete with dried palm leaves for a roof. He paused and turned his head as a pair of voluptuous women exited the bar, their skimpy swimsuits leaving little to the imagination. Remembering his goal, he restrained himself and continued on to speak with the bartender. The barkeep, however, had not seen anyone matching his descriptions. In fact, none of them had much luck. After a little over an hour they met back at the pier, where they had previously agreed to reunite, disappointed expressions plastered on each of their faces. “I couldn′t find out anything, mrow. I′m sorry, I let you down.” Kindly stated in a defeated tone. “No, don′t think that way, Kindly. We appreciate you helping us out. And I couldn′t find any leads, either. You?” Sunshine looked to Duck Avenger and El Tirador, who slumped their shoulders and shook their heads. “They haven′t passed through here, that′s for sure. Considering the looks I was getting we stand out like a sore thumb in these costumes. Someone would have noticed if others like us had come through.” The heroic duck commented. “So... what now?” El Tirador asked, looking between his comrades. There was silence for a moment before the audible sound of Duck Avenger's grumbling stomach broke it. “I can′t think on an empty stomach!” He exclaimed, breaking away from the group as he made his way to a nearby concession stand. He glanced over his options before settling for some sort of meaty substance on a wooden stick. “Eh, that looks edible. I′ll take one of those.” Pointing to the meat-on-a-stick, the vendor behind the stand nodded and plucked it up. “That′ll be five.” The bearded man informed him. Digging into his belt, the duck produced a five dollar bill which looked like it had seen better days. Examining it, the vendor raised an eyebrow. The Avenger scowled. “Hey, a little tape and it′ll be good as new!” “I′m running a business here, pal. I don′t accept trades for art! It′s five zenny if you want this.” The proprietor of the snack stand informed him. Duck Avenger blinked, looking between his five and the merchant. He hadn′t even noticed that the others had come up behind him. Kindly tilted his head, admiring the paper slip in the duck′s hand. “What′s that?” He asked curiously. “What do you mean what is it? It′s money!” Duck Avenger snapped. “Money?” Kindly continued to look confused, which flared the frustrated duck′s temper further. El Tirador placed a hand on the Avenger′s shoulder as he grumbled under his breath and stuffed the bill back into his belt. “ Amigo, I do not believe our currency is accepted here!” He whispered to his fellow avian hero. Smiling, Kindly tapped his left hand against his breastplate, producing a light clanging noise. “Hey! Don′t worry about it, mrrow! It′s on me! I′ll take one of those skewers, too!” “You are a giving fellow! I′ll take one, as well!” El Tirador chimed in. Sunshine looked over her options, then looked down to the feline. “Are you certain you don′t mind?” She asked him. He smiled. “Not at all!” She smiled in turn, bowing lightly in thanks. She then pointed to an apple. Digging into his armor, his tongue protruding endearingly as he searched, Kindly produced a small, tan drawstring pouch. Removing several coins, which shifted between baby blue or violet depending on how they were tilted, he handed them over to the vendor. The group returned to the pier, where they ate the food which Kindly had bought for all of them. The feline knight raised a brow, glancing toward the sky. “If your allies aren′t here, then where on Nimus could they have gone off to?” He questioned aloud. Sunshine, El Tirador, and Duck Avenger exchanged wide-eyed glances, then looked back to Kindly. “Nimus?” Sunshine repeated. Looking to her, the anthropomorphic cat blinked a couple of times. The conversation which followed was a jolt for all of them; particularly for the three earthlings, who had come to the realization that they were a lot farther from Epcot City than they thought possible. “Heroes from another world! No wonder I hadn′t ever heard of you. I mean, I′m pretty savvy when it comes to the movements of heroes, brr! This is amazing.” Kindly′s eyes were wide, his mouth agape. “I just knew that space-time continuum was going to be trouble! Now we′re on some alien world with knight cats and... and giant, flying octopuses, and, just, WAAK!” Duck Avenger fumed over their predicament. “Perhaps it was just us three that got spirited away here? Maybe the others are still on Earth?” El Tirador suggested. At his comment, Sunshine solemnly shook her head. “Call it a feeling... but, somehow, I know that the others are here, too. I can′t explain it... but we have to find them.” A silence fell over the group as they each pondered individually. “Excuse me, friends. Pardon my interruption, but I couldn′t help but overhear the tail end of your conversation.” All eyes went to the source of the voice. It was a male Traveler, about the same height as Kindly, and looking every bit as feline, though somehow more sinister than adorable. He was covered in dark blue fur with baby blue markings, and a chip was missing from his left ear. He wore a long-sleeved, grey tunic with a black vest worn over it, left open down the front. Navy blue pants, grey gloves, and black boots completed his attire. His lavender eyes shifted between each member of the group, and he began stroking his right set of facial whiskers with his gloved hand. “So, you′re looking for others like yourselves, hm? You know, I did see a strange, wingless Farren much like you two, recently. White feathered, resembled a duck. Ring any bells?” He continued in a smooth, seemingly venomous tone which was both approachable and yet somehow vile. Perhaps the answer to that confliction was in the hefty, dark grey sack he had slung over his left shoulder. A salesman. The eyes of each hero widened, and they scrambled to their feet to approach the blue Traveler. “Masked Mallard! It had to be! Did he have a top hat?” Duck Avenger asked, drawing close to the merchant′s face. Sneering at the close proximity the duck had forced upon him, the merchant narrowed one of his eyes and scrunched his muzzle, taking a step backward. “Eh, heh, heh. A top hat? No. But he was about as unusual as yourselves, what with that black gi and, of all things, a red blindfold. Oh, and he didn′t wear any, ahem, pants.” Their mouths gaping, the three earthlings all looked to one another and, as if rehearsed, simultaneously blurted the exact same utterance: “Cold Shadow?!” “He′s here?!” El Tirador questioned, amazed. “It makes sense! Do you two remember? Gyro mentioned that the space-time anomaly had fluctuated before our meeting! Cold Shadow must have been pulled to Nimus, too!” Sunshine seemed excited to have locked the two puzzle pieces together. Duck Avenger looked back to the merchant. “Where did he go, pal?” He nearly demanded, rather than having politely asked. The merchant drummed his fingers on his cheek, his eyes half-lidded. “Oh, he boarded a vessel and left the Southern Islands behind him.” “Where did he go?” “Well, I do happen to know where his ship was headed, but...” “But?” “I′m afraid that information is going to cost you.” The merchant looked down, as if bored, at his gloved hand before he glanced up at Duck Avenger and smirked. The duck hero became boiling angry at this. “Why, you--!” He began before the merchant cut him off. “My friend, I am Durango, the world′s leading merchant. And long ago I learned that nothing worth possessing in this world is free. I′m a businessman; if you wish to conduct business, then let′s talk deal.” He informed the enraged hero, his feline tail swishing. At this, Duck Avenger′s anger peaked. “I oughta—!” He started to close the distance between himself and the sneaky salesman, only to have El Tirador hold him back. Durango backed away several steps, all the same, sneering at the ill-tempered duck all the while. Kindly then approached Durango, his coin purse again out. “Well... I have, hm, this...” He emptied the contents into his gauntlet-clad paw, which was only comprised of two coins. Durango extended his own gloved hand, scowling. “I suppose it will suffice. Seeing as you′re a fellow Traveler, and all.” The feline knight placed the coins into his hand, and the greedy merchant quickly stashed them in his pocket. “All right, then! The ship this blindfolded fellow boarded was headed for Relicar. Litessa, to be exact. Welp. Pleasure doing business with you. Perhaps we′ll cross paths again some day.” And with that, Durango headed off, his large sack slung over his shoulders. By this time, Duck Avenger had calmed down. Sunshine approached Kindly and gently placed a hand upon his shoulder, causing him to look up at her. “Your name does you justice; you are very kind, Kindly.” He smiled in response to her praise. “So, will you head for Relicar now?” He inquired. “It′s our only lead at the moment. And if Cold Shadow headed to Relicar, maybe he knows something we don′t. But we are trapped on the islands, no? Our money is useless here; how can we book passage on a ship?” El Tirador pointed out. “That was the last of my zenny... it took most of my savings to even reach the Southern Islands.” Kindly informed them with a sigh. “I can′t believe you actually paid that swindler!” Duck Avenger seethed. “Sigma!” Kindly blurted out, pointing a finger into the air. His outburst startled Duck Avenger, his eyes widening. “Sig-wha?! What are you talking about now?” The duck inquired. “Sigma will help us! Yeah! He′s a legend! Sigma, the hero of heroes!” The feline explained to Duck Avenger. “And this Sigma is here, in Marquita Resort?” Sunshine asked. “No, he′s in Stardust City. Where I′m headed. In fact, that′s why I came to the Southern Islands in the first place. To meet the legend himself; get some pointers on what it means to be a true hero, purr!” Thinking about it, Sunshine did recall Kindly mentioning that he was bound for Stardust City. Now she knew why. “We can′t get off the Southern Islands, as it were, but the ferries carry tourists between each individual island for free. We can head for Stardust City and track Sigma down. He′ll help us out for sure once we explain everything!” The excitement behind Kindly′s voice was quite apparent, and his enthusiasm was apparently contagious. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let′s go find this Sigma hero!” El Tirador chimed in, removing his sombrero and spinning it in the air over his head. *** One couldn′t help but feel as though an epic adventure was underway as they made their way to the island where Stardust City was located. While Kindly was obviously on the edge of his seat to meet one of his heroes and inspirations for becoming a hero himself, the three Leaguers were also curious to meet a legendary hero from this new world they had found themselves in. The prospect of Cold Shadow being there was also of great interest to them; and they sincerely hoped that his presence would aid them all in reuniting, and ultimately finding a way back home. Once the ferry docked in Stardust City they exited with pep in their steps, exiting the port and entering the city. Their eyes went wide, mouths dropping open. A huge smile found its way onto Kindly′s muzzle. Stardust City was like something out of a dream; a lavish, expansive, technologically advanced metropolis with glitz and glamor everywhere. Not a single piece of litter was evident on the ground, and every building looked to be of expensive and immaculate architectural design. By the time they arrived the sky was slowly darkening, and colorful fireworks exploded in the sky, land-based spotlights sending beams of light skyward which slowly shifted back and forth. As Kindly had explained during their ferry ride, Stardust City was the most financially secure settlement in the world. And, from what they had witnessed even in the short time they had been there, it showed. None but the socially elite could ever afford to live in such a place, and that much was obvious. It was like the posh part of town in an American city, only it encompassed the whole city, in this case. “Wow! So this is Stardust City?” El Tirador marveled as he looked around. “It′s beautiful.” Sunshine added, her own eyes scanning their surroundings. “Eh, it′s all right. I′d rather be in Epcot City, if you know what I mean. So, how are we supposed to find this Sigma guy? This place is huge!” Duck Avenger looked this way and that, trying to get his bearings. “Leave it to me! Even in a big city like this, a celebrity like Sigma can′t go unnoticed!” Kindly assured them. The up-and-coming hero seemed to know his stuff, because it didn′t take them long at all to narrow down Sigma′s location. The information they gathered led them to a high-end tavern: the Glamour Pearl. It took some convincing for the bouncer to allow them in, but they were eventually permitted to enter once the doorman got a good look at Sunshine. The lights inside were low, a live band playing violins and one the piano. Most of the patrons were dressed in formal evening attire, though there were exceptions here and there (including the four heroes, naturally). Save for the soft music, the atmosphere was peaceful and quiet, though boisterous laughter came from the bar as a man sitting there knocked glasses with one of the two men flanking him. Off in a corner was a man wearing light, leather armor which looked expertly crafted. He looked distinguished, with neatly-cut, black hair and a black mustache and goatee. Kindly′s eyes went wide, his jaw dropping. “There he is... I can hardly believe it. That′s him. Sigma is here... oh, wow. What do I say? How should I introduce myself? Do my whiskers look straight to you guys, brow?” he nervously began pulling on his whiskers. Duck Avenger stepped forward, cradling his bill with a hand. He peered as the eloquent man in the corner. “So that′s the legendary hero?” He questioned. “What? No. Not that guy. Him!” Kindly took the duck′s bill in his own steel-clad paw and gently swiveled the hero′s neck so that he faced the bar, in the direction of the three men who laughed loudly, and were stark contrasts to the high society atmosphere. Kindly then pointed to the one in the center. The loudest of them all. “ That′s him!” The feline whispered. “Wha?! That obnoxious guy at the bar? Are you kidding me?!” Duck Avenger responded loudly, attracting several glances. Kindly approached the bar, his helmet held against his chest with both hands. “Mr. Sigma... sir? Mrow.” He spoke in a small, nervous, humble voice. The center man swiveled around on his stool to look down at the person addressing him. He was tall with an athletically muscular physique and a light skin tone. His short, spiky hair, which was slicked back, was almost entirely pure white, save for his sideburns and the bottommost portions of his hair, which were jet black. His thick eyebrows were also black. He wore a black, long-sleeved tunic and a pair of black pants which puffed out at the ankles. He had a pair of black, fingerless gloves which also had holes over each his knuckles. Dark grey boots adorned his feet. Magenta colored wristbands were worn on both arms, covering the portion where the sleeve of his shirt ended and his gloves began. Bandanna-like strips of magenta cloth were tied around either arm, just above the elbows, and also around either leg, an inch or so above each knee. A long, magenta cape with a pair of material strips which stretched over his shoulders, and an additional pair which stretched under his arms, was worn behind him. The cape straps were secured in the center with a copper medal, holding the cape in place. A wide, magenta choker wrapped around his neck. His magenta eyes glanced down at Kindly, a smirk on his face, and a lit cigarette held firmly between his lips, the cherry burning bright orange and wisps of smoke rose toward the ceiling. The two men flanking him also turned around, curious as to who was distracting their drinking buddy. “Hey! Pull up a stool and drink with us for a while. The night is young!” Sigma addressed the feline, his cigarette bobbing up and down in his mouth as he spoke. Removing the stick with his left hand, he downed the remainder of his glass of its amber contents before slamming the glass down on the counter with his free hand. He let out a hardy laugh. The bartender quickly refilled his empty glass. El Tirador, who was still standing close to the entrance with his two fellow Dreamers, leaned over to Duck Avenger and whispered, “I think I like this hero.” Turning to look over his shoulder, Kindly motioned with a hand for the others to join him. Sensing that the Traveler and his companions weren′t there to socialize, Sigma looked between his two drinking mates. “Doesn′t look like they′re here to join us, eh? Think you guys could give us a bit of privacy?” Without a word, the two men flanking Sigma rose from their seats and wandered off. Kindly, Sunshine, Duck Avenger, and El Tirador went on to explain the situation, and even confessed that three out of their four were from another world, all the while nervous that he′d think them insane, or as swindlers of some sort. His expression was unreadable as they spoke, and he remained motionless, smoke billowing from his cigarette. “So, you see, I told them you′d surely help us! I mean, you′re such a decorated hero... I just knew you′d jump at the opportunity to help heroes in need!” Kindly concluded, still sounding humbled and nervous to be standing before him. “Hm.” Was Sigma′s only response as he closed his eyes and pondered. After a moment they opened again, and a smile spread across his face. “The Dream League. Heroes from another world. Ho, ho! Fancy that! Clearly, a meeting such as this should not go to waste.” Sigma said in an amused tone. Sunshine looked hopeful. “So then you′ll assist us?” She asked him with a hint of hope in her voice. “I′ll pay full fare for the four of you to head to Relicar... if...” He began, then paused. “If what?” Duck Avenger inquired. “If you′ll fight me.” He concluded. “What?!” The duck shouted, more than a little surprised. “Hero-on-hero. Earth versus Nimus. Don′t you think it would be entertaining to see how heroes of Earth stack up against those of Nimus? Well, I′m curious, to say the least. You accept my challenge, and I′ll send you to Relicar. Deal?” “Wait, wait...” Duck Avenger shook his head. “You mean the three of us against you?” “Hm,” Sigma scratched his chin thoughtfully, “it does seem a bit unfair, now that you mention. Tell you what, you can challenge me once you′ve assembled more of your group together.” The Avenger′s eyes widened, before narrowing nearly to slits in anger. He stared at Sigma as though his gaze could cut right into the man, his temper finally reaching a breaking point. Walking closer to the man, Duck Avenger reached out and plucked the cigarette right out from between his lips, throwing it on the ground. He drew close to his face, so that his bill was less than an inch from his face. “We accept! Right here, right now!” Duck Avenger seethed. “Duck Avenger, no!” Kindly called out, and El Tirador and Sunshine looked surprised, as well. It seemed the masked duck had just volunteered them to a battle without so much as discussing it with them. Sunshine was more than a little disappointed in his actions, and El Tirador scowled in silent protest. “Excellent!” Sigma responded with a grin. “But not here, and not now. Though I like your enthusiasm! Meet me at the Stardust Colosseum in one hour. Oh, and Kindly can join in, too. I don′t want him feeling left out. The four of you against me. It′s a date.” He rose to a stand, forcing Duck Avenger to back up to give him room to do so. Taking his freshly-poured beverage, Sigma chugged it before slamming the glass, which was once again empty, back down on the counter. He then threw a handful of zenny coins on the counter to pay for his drinks, and the drinks of his buddies. “Well, now! I′ll go make the proper arrangements. See you soon!” He said cheerily before walking past the four of them, his cape billowing behind him as he made his way to the exit. “Duck Avenger... I can′t believe you just did that...” Sunshine lamented, sounding very disappointed. “No problem, Sunny! All we have to do is defeat this one guy, right? The four of us against just him? Legendary hero or not, this will be no sweat! Then we can continue in our mission to find the others. That is what you want, right?” The duck defended his actions by trying to turn it on her, which only made the tension worse. Kindly had a solemn expression, looking like a ghost of his former self, his ears laying flat against his head. He said nothing, too stunned for words. *** Kindly directed them to the Stardust Colosseum, though it wouldn′t have been terribly difficult to find even without a guide. It was the largest structure, and was positioned at the heart of the city. He went on to explain to them that tournaments were held there in which the most capable warriors from across the world competed to determine who was the strongest of the strong. It was a large spectacle for the masses, and was a huge source of Stardust City′s financial power. A guard at the entrance confirmed their identities and granted them access, informing them that Sigma was 'expecting them.' It didn′t come as much surprise to Kindly that a man like Sigma could pull such strings as to reserve the empty colosseum for their private use, but it was impressive, all the same. With guidance from what few personnel were looking after the building, which normally would have been closed between tournaments, they were led to the arena. Stepping out onto the battlefield, it was expansive. Stadium bleachers were stacked high all around them, though all of them were unoccupied. No roaring crowds or hoots or whistles. The only person who awaited them was Sigma, who was standing at the end of the arena opposite of where they had entered. He was standing by, his cape flowing around him, a fresh cigarette pressed between his lips. He smiled as the four of them entered the arena. Taking a deep breath, Kindly put his helmet on, adjusting it until it was comfortable. Duck Avenger and El Tirador checked their own supplies, making one final check that everything was in order. Her ruby lips in a frown, Sunshine looked to Sigma with pleading eyes. “Please, there must be another way!” She called to him, though she was indirectly addressing her comrades, as well. “There are always alternatives. But the fact that you′re here shows that you′ve chosen your course. Surely you train and spar where you come from to hone your skills. So, humor me! Show me what an earthling hero is made of! If any party is unable to fight, they are considered knocked-out. If any portion of your body touches the exterior of the arena, that is a ring-out, and you are disqualified.” Sigma called back to her, grinning. “Don′t bother trying to reason with this bozo! I just hope he holds up to his end of the agreement once we mop the floor with him!” Duck Avenger said loudly enough for Sigma to clearly hear him. The sound of metal sliding free could be heard as Kindly brandished his sword, clutching the hilt between both of his paws. “Don′t hold back, now!” Sigma called after them. Extending his right hand up and to his side, the area around his arm swirled with ripples of dark energy. When they dissipated, he was holding a massive longsword, the blade intricately detailed and colored to look like flame. The blade alone was about five feet in length, and the weapon looked far too heavy for anyone to be able to lift, and yet he wielded it in a single hand effortlessly. Spreading his legs apart and adjusting his posture, he dragged deeply from his cigarette, then blew a cloud of smoke from between his teeth, his eyebrows furrowed. “Because I won′t!” His body becoming engulfed in golden light, Sigma shot forward like a shooting star, his blade pointed outward. The four heroes scattered in different directions, avoiding the attack. Sunshine floated up and away from the strike while the others, of course, remained firmly on the ground. “I′m sorry!” Kindly called out as he drew his sword back in both mitts before swinging it downward over Sigma. “Don′t be!” Sigma retorted before effortlessly parrying the blow with his own sword. Drawing a free hand back, Sigma swatted Kindly away with a quick punch. With armor and all, the feline flew a good ten feet across the arena, tumbling over himself before finally coming to a full stop outside of the arena. Bewildered, he rose to a sitting position. “Ring-out!” Sigma declared. Grimacing, Duck Avenger aimed his stun-emitting gun at the legendary hero. Seeing the consequences which had followed, he decided it best not to announce his attack as Kindly had. He pulled the trigger, though Sigma leapt up high into the air, the shot whizzing harmlessly below him. Sigma′s body again began to glow with an aura of golden illumination, and when he brought his sword down upon his descent a series of golden columns sprang forth from where his blade impacted with the ground, erupting in every direction. Duck Avenger and El Tirador rolled out of the way, avoiding the pillars of damaging light. “ Irreal! What is this?!” El Tirador thought aloud as he prepared a voltage shot for his revolver. As he drew to take aim, Sigma was suddenly upon him. It happened so quickly he couldn′t have even recounted just what had happened. Reaching out, Sigma grabbed him by the front of his costume and hoisted him into the air. A frost began to form over the rooster′s body, his beak chattering. He tried to pull the trigger of his gun, yet couldn′t; he was frozen solid. Sigma tossed the hispanic hero, covered in a layer of ice, outside of the ring, where the ice shattered like glass and the frosty hero sprawled out, pushing himself up onto his elbows and coughing weakly. “Ring-out! Two down, two to go!” Sigma stated before laughing. A duckerang flew in at Sigma from his left, which he blocked with his sword. “Got′cha!” Duck Avenger shouted from behind him, pressing his gun hard against the man′s back. “Give up now?!” The duck asked. “Not exactly!” And, having said that, Sigma′s body was again enveloped in an aura. Duck Avenger squeezed the trigger and fired a stun shot... except the man was not stunned at all, and proceeded to spin around. He placed a palm on Duck Avenger′s chest before emitting a pulse of concussive energy, launching the haughty hero and sending him spiraling away as though he had been hit by a semi-truck. The wall below the bleachers broke his trajectory. All of the air was forced from his lungs as pain shot through his back, and he fell into a heap outside of the ring, his head spinning as his vision blurred. “Ring o--” Sigma started, but was unable to finish when Sunshine′s fist rocketed into the side of his jaw, knocking the cigarette from his mouth and sending him flying backward. In mid-launch he corrected his posture midair, planting his feet on the smooth surface of the arena and grounding himself long before he would have soared out of the confines of the area, though he still slid a good distance from the force of the strike. The blonde bombshell looked as though she had had enough, her attractive face contorted into a scowl. Sigma shifted his head from one side to the other, cracking his neck. He then took on his combat stance. Extending a hand, he beckoned her with a motion of his fingers. She flew toward him, ready to divert her course at a moment′s notice were he to utilize any more of his powers. Once she reached him she went for a right hook, though he grabbed her right fist in his left hand. Much to her shock, he held it tight, despite her superhuman strength. She swung with her left fist, with the same result, his right hand clasping over it. In the heat of the moment she hadn′t even noticed that his sword had vanished as easily as he had conjured it in the first place. “You′ve got some strength!” He complimented her with a grin. She could feel pain shoot through her body as jolts of electricity surged through him and into her. “Ahh!” She moaned weakly, the feeling quickly draining her of her strength. In a swift motion he released both of her hands, grabbing the back of her neck and her waist. Leaping up with a firm grasp on her, he tossed her down, where she plummeted to the ground outside of the arena with a thud. Small, blue snakes of electricity crept over her body now and again, her hair frazzled. “And that′s game, folks and friends!” Sigma declared, removing a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, removing one and placing it in his mouth before lighting it, not with a match, but with a flame produced from the tip of his own index finger. The four fallen heroes staggered to their feet, looking to be rather ungraceful in the effort. El Tirador continued to shiver as he sought out his sombrero, which had landed several feet away. Duck Avenger weakly placed his own hat atop his head, his pride more damaged than his body. His shoulders slumped, Kindly entered the arena and reclaimed his sword, sheathing it. Sunshine′s purple eyes locked onto Sigma as she staggered to a stand, her legs weak. His face was smug, which irritated her more than it usually would have. “The way Kindly spoke of you... I must confess, I am immensely disappointed.” Sunshine started. “Since we arrived, Kindly has gone out of his way to assist us, by any means available to him. And all out of pure selflessness. Then we meet this 'legendary hero' he spoke fondly of, and you′re not even half the man that he is.” All eyes turned on her as she spoke, and Kindly removed his helmet, his ears drooped, staring at her as if in a trance. “Sunny?” Duck Avenger called out to her in a small, stunned voice, though she had tuned everyone, and everything, else out. Her focus was solely on Sigma. “We come to you for help, and this is the condition for your assistance? Your amusement? A display of your power? Being a hero isn′t measured by physical might! It means much more than that! You... well, you′re not a hero at all, Sigma!” She continued to scold him, to which he listened intently, the same unreadable expression on his face which he had displayed back at the bar. “And we′re almost as much to blame for even agreeing to it.” At that comment Duck Avenger looked down at his feet, ashamed. And she didn′t even point out that it was him that agreed to it, and not them. She was kind even in such a heated state. “So, we lost. I guess this means you′re not going to help us, right? Well, that′s fine. At this point, I′m not certain we even want help from someone like you!” She concluded. Sigma stared at her, his magenta eyes unblinking. Closing them, he smiled and lowered his head. “Ha ha! I only said you had to battle me. I never said you had to win. And yes, you′re exactly right, fair lady. Heroics cannot be measured by physical might. It takes something greater, something deeper.” He raised his head, opening his eyes to look at her, a calm expression on his face. “I′ve been down that road, and it has the potential to fork near infinite, almost every path being the wrong path. People had begun to hail me as the savior of this world, which is an expectation I cannot meet. I′m not in a position to explain my motives to you. However, I had to test you; to see if you′re truly prepared for what looms ahead. Your heart is prepared, and soon enough, that will mean far more than your body.” He responded in turn. His words were perplexing, and all any of them could do was listen silently. His hand then rose to his chest, to the medal which secured his cape. Unsnapping it, his cape fell, pooling around his feet. He held the medal in his left hand, inspecting it. “Selflessness. The understanding that the whole outweighs the individual parts which comprise it. I think you understand, Sunshine.” His gaze shot over to Kindly, who swallowed hard. Approaching him, Sigma knelt down on one knee before him. “Help them in what is to come, Kindly. They′ll need someone like you in the days to come.” And, with that, he extended his left hand, offering the medal to Kindly, who looked at in awe. “Sigma... your... your Hero′s Medal. I can′t accept this...” “That′s just it. It isn′t my Hero′s Medal. It′s yours.” His hand shaking, Kindly took the medal. Even through his gauntlet it felt warm to the touch. He looked up at Sigma with glassy eyes. “I... I′m not there yet.” “You are. You just haven′t realized it yet. There′s no such thing as an up-and-coming hero. You′re either a hero, or you′re not.” Sigma rose to a stand. Turning toward the three earthling heroes, he dramatically extended his arm toward them. “Why are you all still here, anyway? Have you decided to take me up on that drink? If not, I think you have a boat to catch. I made the necessary preparations before you even came here.” All four had mixed feelings and emotions about the events, but none more than Sunshine. So many thoughts ran through her head; so many things she wanted to say. In the end, she settled on keeping it to two simple words. Simple, yet powerful when truly genuine. “Thank you.” |
|
