InterstellarHobo
Cosmic Vagrant
- Location
- No Fixed Planetary System
Changing my vote.
[x] Try to get to the police precinct.
-[x] Try to calm Erin.
[x] Try to get to the police precinct.
-[x] Try to calm Erin.
The Movement of Five Colours
- Thread starter Eventua
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Chapter 1, The Greens -- 05 (Silas & Erin)
Eventua
Just Me
The car skids to the side as you drive, the impact of whatever the hell that thing was forcing it into a slalom style drift. You barely manage to correct it and get into a straighter drive even as something is pounding in your head, the relentless buzzing and the sensation of something "scratching" on the inside of your skull. You try to focus, trying to flick off the radio - but it keeps going, the distortion growing worse like a wasp angered by trying to slap it away.
Try to breathe. Try to focus.
Get help.
Alex? ... No, this is weirder, more dangerous, the police?
You grit your teeth. The police wouldn't be your first choice in most situations but as the sudden flash of red and blue crackles in the air again and the sky starts to take on a sharp, neon purple tone, you feel something wretched in the pit of your stomach. This is something dangerous and unearthly, and it's trying to hurt you and Erin.
The police precinct is only a couple of minutes from the library too, so you make a sharp right turn and head there as fast as you can. Whatever that thing was, you can see it occasionally "pop" into the vision of your side mirror, before it suddenly vanishes and then crashes into the back of the car. Erin screams as you're jolted forwards, and you can barely make out she's starting to cry.
You consider calling someone, but right now you're struggling to keep your eyes focused on staying on the road, so you try to make the best of a bad situation.
"Erin!" you shout, "It's okay, okay? Whatever happens, I'll keep you safe, we'll-"
STOP RUNNING.
Your mind is suddenly clouded by static, like a swarm of bees and worms, and you feel the world around you crash, your body lurching forward under its own momentum.
Are you even conscious, now?
There's darkness, and something sharp in your skull - different to the scratching, earlier. You try to look around, catch your bearings, but there's a haze of smoke and heat and pain in your legs and the sound of something chewing in your ear.
...
You can feel your heart sink. For just the briefest moment there is clarity, and you desperately, desperately wish it was anything else.
"Hey... Erin... pl-please, Erin, beanie, smol bean... move, please... Erin! Can you hear me?! Please, we have to mov-"
FOLLOW.
You look up, wincing with the pain as you realize your legs are trapped by some of the crushed metal. You can't recall which street you're on, but your thoughts are consumed by the sight - framed by rain and storm clouds and a sky that has turned an alien purple, standing over you and an unmoving Erin, is a crackling, shadow-clad figure.
It's barely two meters away, but as you try to look through the stinging of liquid red flowing into your eye from somewhere on your forehead, you can see into what should be a "head" and instead see nothing but soft blue light and flickering shadows.
And then, it raises a hand to yours, and its hand is opened wide, as if offering to help you up.
You glance down at Erin, at the obscured yellow of her coat, and the silver of this wreckage that was once your family's, their own hard work. The town remains deserted.
THE WORLD AS YOU KNEW IT IS ENDING. CHOOSE ONE:
-- Take the creature's hand...
---- [] ...Eagerly.
---- [] ...Cautiously.
-- Reject it...
---- [] ...to try and fight it off.
---- [] ...to try and call for help.
---- [] ...to focus on Erin.
-- [] Write-in.
YOU CAN FEEL SOMETHING IN YOUR HAND. CHOOSE ONE:
-- [] Something curious.
-- [] Something balanced.
-- [] Something kind.
-- [] Something strong.
Try to breathe. Try to focus.
Get help.
Alex? ... No, this is weirder, more dangerous, the police?
You grit your teeth. The police wouldn't be your first choice in most situations but as the sudden flash of red and blue crackles in the air again and the sky starts to take on a sharp, neon purple tone, you feel something wretched in the pit of your stomach. This is something dangerous and unearthly, and it's trying to hurt you and Erin.
The police precinct is only a couple of minutes from the library too, so you make a sharp right turn and head there as fast as you can. Whatever that thing was, you can see it occasionally "pop" into the vision of your side mirror, before it suddenly vanishes and then crashes into the back of the car. Erin screams as you're jolted forwards, and you can barely make out she's starting to cry.
You consider calling someone, but right now you're struggling to keep your eyes focused on staying on the road, so you try to make the best of a bad situation.
"Erin!" you shout, "It's okay, okay? Whatever happens, I'll keep you safe, we'll-"
STOP RUNNING.
Your mind is suddenly clouded by static, like a swarm of bees and worms, and you feel the world around you crash, your body lurching forward under its own momentum.
Are you even conscious, now?
There's darkness, and something sharp in your skull - different to the scratching, earlier. You try to look around, catch your bearings, but there's a haze of smoke and heat and pain in your legs and the sound of something chewing in your ear.
...
You can feel your heart sink. For just the briefest moment there is clarity, and you desperately, desperately wish it was anything else.
"Hey... Erin... pl-please, Erin, beanie, smol bean... move, please... Erin! Can you hear me?! Please, we have to mov-"
FOLLOW.
You look up, wincing with the pain as you realize your legs are trapped by some of the crushed metal. You can't recall which street you're on, but your thoughts are consumed by the sight - framed by rain and storm clouds and a sky that has turned an alien purple, standing over you and an unmoving Erin, is a crackling, shadow-clad figure.
It's barely two meters away, but as you try to look through the stinging of liquid red flowing into your eye from somewhere on your forehead, you can see into what should be a "head" and instead see nothing but soft blue light and flickering shadows.
And then, it raises a hand to yours, and its hand is opened wide, as if offering to help you up.
You glance down at Erin, at the obscured yellow of her coat, and the silver of this wreckage that was once your family's, their own hard work. The town remains deserted.
THE WORLD AS YOU KNEW IT IS ENDING. CHOOSE ONE:
-- Take the creature's hand...
---- [] ...Eagerly.
---- [] ...Cautiously.
-- Reject it...
---- [] ...to try and fight it off.
---- [] ...to try and call for help.
---- [] ...to focus on Erin.
-- [] Write-in.
YOU CAN FEEL SOMETHING IN YOUR HAND. CHOOSE ONE:
-- [] Something curious.
-- [] Something balanced.
-- [] Something kind.
-- [] Something strong.
-- [x] Reject it...
---- [x] ...to focus on Erin.
-- [x] Something curious.
---- [x] ...to focus on Erin.
-- [x] Something curious.
-- Take the creature's hand...
---- [X] ...Cautiously
-- [X] Something curious.
---- [X] ...Cautiously
-- [X] Something curious.
- Location
- World
- Pronouns
- They/Them
-- [x] Reject it...
---- [x] ...to focus on Erin.
Aghh, I don't think this choice will end well, but at the same time, would Silas choose anything else?
-- [x] Something curious.
Now this, this is interesting. I don't know if it's going to shape our character, but I like the thought of Silas being drawn-- maybe despite himself-- to the mystery & horror surrounding his mother, to the danger & weirdness & possibility. Something instinctual, sharp-edged, captivating.
---- [x] ...to focus on Erin.
Aghh, I don't think this choice will end well, but at the same time, would Silas choose anything else?
-- [x] Something curious.
Now this, this is interesting. I don't know if it's going to shape our character, but I like the thought of Silas being drawn-- maybe despite himself-- to the mystery & horror surrounding his mother, to the danger & weirdness & possibility. Something instinctual, sharp-edged, captivating.
Chapter 1, The Greens -- END (Silas)
Eventua
Just Me
Your head is ringing, and at this point you're not sure you could even speak if you wanted. For the briefest of moments, you consider trying to understand it. The desire to know streaks across your mind, even with the piercing of this thing in your head.
BE ENLIGHTENED.
… But...
Much as this ringing, this scratching... chewing, painful, burning, hazy, static, noisy...
You want to know. You want to understand, and as the sky turns an ever sharper purple, for another moment you consider screaming for answers.
But...
Erin isn't moving.
You can't fight this thing – you can barely move, and this thing was strong enough to briefly lift your car off the ground. You can't outrun it, either – it chased you down while speeding, and you still couldn't properly see it.
But even if it kills you, if there's a chance – however small – that there's a spark of life in your little sister, then you'll focus on her.
When your life and the world itself decays into madness, you wont let her go.
You wince away from its hand and turn your attention to Erin. The buzzing sharply slows and becomes quieter, as if the creature was not expecting you to turn it down, and you can feel its gaze bare into you and turn to Erin.
You try to focus on what you can. She's not moving and there's cuts along her head and arm where some of the windshield has broken inward, but you undo the buttons of her raincoat and place an ear to her chest...
…
Breathing, you think? Barely, but it's there. You can feel burning in your own lungs, she needs to get out of this wreck.
"Erin..." you whisper, trying to unbuckle her seatbelt, jammed, "Pl-please, try to wake up. Come on bean, it's me, it's baked beans."
You can feel the ground splinter as the stranger takes a step. Keep focused, much as you want to know, keep her breathing.
"Come on, we... we have to get out," you can't help but wince as the seatbelt wont move, think, THINK.
Your head feels heavier, the stinging of smoke from the engine starting to fill your lungs. Erin seems to wince, as if trying to wake up, and lets out a gentle whimper. You suddenly remember the rescue knife in the dashb-
ER-
There is a sudden sharpness in your mind once more, and the sound of something crunching into fragments of glass. The purple light of the sky suddenly turns a strange and sickly yellow.
...
… ERIN?
You gasp for breath, the stinging growing worse and worse.
"Ye-yes, Erin, she, she needs..."
Wait.
"... wait... wait. What? You-"
ERIN! HURRY.
The buzzing intensifies, and the whole world fractures. For the briefest moment this... thing reaches down, to try and reach across you and grab Erin, but you instinctively cover her and bat its hand away. An unearthly scream runs out as it stands behind you, and you can feel something sharp suddenly stabbing into your back.
...
In the absence of invasion, your mind is tranquil.
In the absence of danger, your heart is peaceful.
In the absence of pain, your body is resting.
The world you knew is gone, and you are alone.
You are somewhere cold, warm, and wet.
BE ENLIGHTENED.
… But...
Much as this ringing, this scratching... chewing, painful, burning, hazy, static, noisy...
You want to know. You want to understand, and as the sky turns an ever sharper purple, for another moment you consider screaming for answers.
But...
Erin isn't moving.
You can't fight this thing – you can barely move, and this thing was strong enough to briefly lift your car off the ground. You can't outrun it, either – it chased you down while speeding, and you still couldn't properly see it.
But even if it kills you, if there's a chance – however small – that there's a spark of life in your little sister, then you'll focus on her.
When your life and the world itself decays into madness, you wont let her go.
You wince away from its hand and turn your attention to Erin. The buzzing sharply slows and becomes quieter, as if the creature was not expecting you to turn it down, and you can feel its gaze bare into you and turn to Erin.
You try to focus on what you can. She's not moving and there's cuts along her head and arm where some of the windshield has broken inward, but you undo the buttons of her raincoat and place an ear to her chest...
…
Breathing, you think? Barely, but it's there. You can feel burning in your own lungs, she needs to get out of this wreck.
"Erin..." you whisper, trying to unbuckle her seatbelt, jammed, "Pl-please, try to wake up. Come on bean, it's me, it's baked beans."
You can feel the ground splinter as the stranger takes a step. Keep focused, much as you want to know, keep her breathing.
"Come on, we... we have to get out," you can't help but wince as the seatbelt wont move, think, THINK.
Your head feels heavier, the stinging of smoke from the engine starting to fill your lungs. Erin seems to wince, as if trying to wake up, and lets out a gentle whimper. You suddenly remember the rescue knife in the dashb-
ER-
There is a sudden sharpness in your mind once more, and the sound of something crunching into fragments of glass. The purple light of the sky suddenly turns a strange and sickly yellow.
...
… ERIN?
You gasp for breath, the stinging growing worse and worse.
"Ye-yes, Erin, she, she needs..."
Wait.
"... wait... wait. What? You-"
ERIN! HURRY.
The buzzing intensifies, and the whole world fractures. For the briefest moment this... thing reaches down, to try and reach across you and grab Erin, but you instinctively cover her and bat its hand away. An unearthly scream runs out as it stands behind you, and you can feel something sharp suddenly stabbing into your back.
...
In the absence of invasion, your mind is tranquil.
In the absence of danger, your heart is peaceful.
In the absence of pain, your body is resting.
The world you knew is gone, and you are alone.
You are somewhere cold, warm, and wet.
****
CHAPTER 1 HAS FINISHED.
THE PAINTING CHANGES.
CHAPTER 1 HAS FINISHED.
THE PAINTING CHANGES.
Chapter System
Eventua
Just Me
@Whenyouseeyou That's a good question!
The quest isn't finished, so please don't worry! There's no choices because it's the end of the chapter, but I intend to write and post the beginning of Chapter 2 very soon.
The ending to this chapter is perhaps a little confusing, partly because what just happened to Silas was really weird even in-universe, but things will be explained soon! ^_^
The quest isn't finished, so please don't worry! There's no choices because it's the end of the chapter, but I intend to write and post the beginning of Chapter 2 very soon.
The ending to this chapter is perhaps a little confusing, partly because what just happened to Silas was really weird even in-universe, but things will be explained soon! ^_^
Chapter 2, Silas and the Watcher -- 01
Eventua
Just Me
How long were you holding your breath for? The stinging of toxic smoke thrown into sharp relief by the sensation of something warm and... wet?
You can hear the faint rumbling of voices through the darkness, and your eyes snap open. The faint smell of old eggs coupled with the taste of salt on your lips, dry to the point where your mouth fills with spit to try and make up the difference. You cough, choking on heavy sludge as you suddenly vomit, clearing it in a wave of nausea.
Today just gets worse.
"Ruddy hell!" cuts across the air, a voice that sounds like it's struggling against thick lungs and thicker glass, "Thing even makes a mess in the cage, twice damned shadowfolk, why I never-"
"Remember, remember!~" comes another voice, high and delicate, seemingly still interrupted by... perhaps water? Your vision is so blurry it's hard to tell right now, "Molon says two good thoughts for every bad one!~"
The first voice seems to rumble and grumble in a language you can't quite follow, something with a lot of deep, drawn out "oh" sounds. You try to blink away the shock of white and golden light that has left your vision hazy, to try and take in your surroundings. As you push yourself up, slowly, slowly, you try to piece it together.
The texture of the floor - wood, but gnarled? Like bark that's been freshly cut from the side of a tree. You can feel faint grooves - square and sharp, almost with the vibe of circuitry on a microchip - and realize that the grooves themselves are glowing with a bright silver light, similar to static on an old TV with no signal.
It's become obscured somewhat, mind you, by a puddle of thick black oil, tiny chunks of mashed up cornflakes and congealed milk, and the soft glow of tiny blue specks. Looking down at your hand, still dripping with some of the puddle, you realize the damp dribble you can feel down the side of your mouth is more of the same-
That came from me?!
You back away as quickly as your shaking, nauseous limbs will let you. There's a cold sweat having formed in the palms of your hands and across your forehead, and looking up you begin to see a little more clearly through the haze of silver and golden light that fills this room, forming a sort of sickly beige.
You're torn over whether to scream, but mainly you're in shock. The room seems unusually large and is covered in planks of this same etched, seemingly freshly cut wood crude riveted together with thin scraps of metal. More prominently, perhaps, is the ten foot-something creature that fills the center of the room, its single eye narrowing at you with the look of a lion torn between killing a baby gazelle or letting it go. Beyond it is a large wooden door - as far as you can tell from a quick glance, the only exit.
"Mmm," rumbles the creature, its massive chest and stomach giving the impression of a gorilla or walrus, its voice coming across hazy again despite the massive weight and strength it exudes, "I... recognize I might have, mmm," it pauses, "dragged you into the unknown without your consent. There, Bippy, happy now? I apologized to the human."
"You really tried, and I appreciate the effort you put in, sir!~" chips in that same lighter voice, and you look over the giant's shoulder and realize the main light source of the room is coming from... some sort of tiny orb? It floats close by to the monster and seems to almost form wings, like a hummingbird, out of golden light. It flickers around the room every so often like a pair of damaged light bulbs that have somehow been rigged to flicker on and off in perfect sync with each other. As it does, it faintly giggles.
You look back to the central eye of the giant, and are aware of the sound of slow but heavy tapping, and look to see the creature has a heavy three fingered hand placed against some sort... engine? Computer? Atop it are balanced a number of thin vials filled with some sort of blue liquid.
You close your eyes. The buzzing and chewing of that... thing that attacked you is long gone, and now there's just the delicate hum of machinery in the room and the unpleasant scent of eggs. You take a few careful breaths, and try to focus, and then your heart sinks.
Whatever this place is, these... things are, and whatever else happened... you couldn't see Erin. She's not here, at least not visible to you in this room.
You grit your teeth.
TRY TO THINK. PLAN OF ACTION? CHOOSE ANY NUMBER, AND ARRANGE THEM IN AN ORDER YOU WANT TO TRY AND COMPLETE THEM IN:
-- [] Make a run for the door.
-- [] Look for some sort of weapon...
---- [] ... Try to grab the vials of liquid?
---- [] ... Try to tear up one of the loose floorboards?
---- [] ... Try to remove one of the pipes curving in from the walls?
-- [] You still had your phone in your pocket, try to call someone...
---- [] ... dad.
---- [] ... the police.
---- [] ... Mum (honestly, with everything that's hit the fan recently, it wouldn't be that weird).
-- [] Ask the monster and the orb a question [Write-in]. You may ask any number of (different) questions, in theory.
Note: You can choose any number of options, but time could be of the essence.
You can hear the faint rumbling of voices through the darkness, and your eyes snap open. The faint smell of old eggs coupled with the taste of salt on your lips, dry to the point where your mouth fills with spit to try and make up the difference. You cough, choking on heavy sludge as you suddenly vomit, clearing it in a wave of nausea.
Today just gets worse.
"Ruddy hell!" cuts across the air, a voice that sounds like it's struggling against thick lungs and thicker glass, "Thing even makes a mess in the cage, twice damned shadowfolk, why I never-"
"Remember, remember!~" comes another voice, high and delicate, seemingly still interrupted by... perhaps water? Your vision is so blurry it's hard to tell right now, "Molon says two good thoughts for every bad one!~"
The first voice seems to rumble and grumble in a language you can't quite follow, something with a lot of deep, drawn out "oh" sounds. You try to blink away the shock of white and golden light that has left your vision hazy, to try and take in your surroundings. As you push yourself up, slowly, slowly, you try to piece it together.
The texture of the floor - wood, but gnarled? Like bark that's been freshly cut from the side of a tree. You can feel faint grooves - square and sharp, almost with the vibe of circuitry on a microchip - and realize that the grooves themselves are glowing with a bright silver light, similar to static on an old TV with no signal.
It's become obscured somewhat, mind you, by a puddle of thick black oil, tiny chunks of mashed up cornflakes and congealed milk, and the soft glow of tiny blue specks. Looking down at your hand, still dripping with some of the puddle, you realize the damp dribble you can feel down the side of your mouth is more of the same-
That came from me?!
You back away as quickly as your shaking, nauseous limbs will let you. There's a cold sweat having formed in the palms of your hands and across your forehead, and looking up you begin to see a little more clearly through the haze of silver and golden light that fills this room, forming a sort of sickly beige.
You're torn over whether to scream, but mainly you're in shock. The room seems unusually large and is covered in planks of this same etched, seemingly freshly cut wood crude riveted together with thin scraps of metal. More prominently, perhaps, is the ten foot-something creature that fills the center of the room, its single eye narrowing at you with the look of a lion torn between killing a baby gazelle or letting it go. Beyond it is a large wooden door - as far as you can tell from a quick glance, the only exit.
"Mmm," rumbles the creature, its massive chest and stomach giving the impression of a gorilla or walrus, its voice coming across hazy again despite the massive weight and strength it exudes, "I... recognize I might have, mmm," it pauses, "dragged you into the unknown without your consent. There, Bippy, happy now? I apologized to the human."
"You really tried, and I appreciate the effort you put in, sir!~" chips in that same lighter voice, and you look over the giant's shoulder and realize the main light source of the room is coming from... some sort of tiny orb? It floats close by to the monster and seems to almost form wings, like a hummingbird, out of golden light. It flickers around the room every so often like a pair of damaged light bulbs that have somehow been rigged to flicker on and off in perfect sync with each other. As it does, it faintly giggles.
You look back to the central eye of the giant, and are aware of the sound of slow but heavy tapping, and look to see the creature has a heavy three fingered hand placed against some sort... engine? Computer? Atop it are balanced a number of thin vials filled with some sort of blue liquid.
You close your eyes. The buzzing and chewing of that... thing that attacked you is long gone, and now there's just the delicate hum of machinery in the room and the unpleasant scent of eggs. You take a few careful breaths, and try to focus, and then your heart sinks.
Whatever this place is, these... things are, and whatever else happened... you couldn't see Erin. She's not here, at least not visible to you in this room.
You grit your teeth.
TRY TO THINK. PLAN OF ACTION? CHOOSE ANY NUMBER, AND ARRANGE THEM IN AN ORDER YOU WANT TO TRY AND COMPLETE THEM IN:
-- [] Make a run for the door.
-- [] Look for some sort of weapon...
---- [] ... Try to grab the vials of liquid?
---- [] ... Try to tear up one of the loose floorboards?
---- [] ... Try to remove one of the pipes curving in from the walls?
-- [] You still had your phone in your pocket, try to call someone...
---- [] ... dad.
---- [] ... the police.
---- [] ... Mum (honestly, with everything that's hit the fan recently, it wouldn't be that weird).
-- [] Ask the monster and the orb a question [Write-in]. You may ask any number of (different) questions, in theory.
Note: You can choose any number of options, but time could be of the essence.
Ok so we got teleported to these monsters so how to do this?
InterstellarHobo
Cosmic Vagrant
- Location
- No Fixed Planetary System
[X] Ask the monster and the orb a question [Write-in]. You may ask any number of (different) questions, in theory.
--[X] Where's my sister?
--[X] Why am I in a cage?
--[X] What do you mean "dragged me in to the unknown?"
--[X] Where's my sister?
--[X] Why am I in a cage?
--[X] What do you mean "dragged me in to the unknown?"
[X] Ask the monster and the orb a question [Write-in]. You may ask any number of (different) questions, in theory.
--[X] Where's my sister?
--[X] Why am I in a cage?
--[X] What do you mean "dragged me in to the unknown?"
--[X] Where's my sister?
--[X] Why am I in a cage?
--[X] What do you mean "dragged me in to the unknown?"
Chapter 2, Silas and the Watcher -- 02
Eventua
Just Me
You stop and think. You eye up the door beyond the beast, and briefly consider making a run for it...
Unfortunately, you certainly don't feel in the mood for running anywhere, and the mouth on that thing – wide as it is rather than forward – looks big enough to bite you clean in half. Somehow you're able to understand it, so for now it might be worth just asking some questions.
"Where's... where's my sister?" you say, shakily getting to your feet and opening your eyes again, looking the giant dead in its huge ridiculous eyeball.
The monster narrows its eye again, and slowly leans backwards, seeming to only keep itself upright by the sheer width of its gut. Its legs are built like some sort of cartoon elephant, and it uses its free right hand – the one not currently placed against the machine at its side – to scratch the thin, graying stumble on its rubbery chin.
"Questions, mmm, good to ask questions, I suppose. Sister...? Mmm... where... is your sister..."
"Yes sir!~" chips in the orb, which you notice pulsates slightly when it speaks, "A 'sister' is like a brother, but a gir-"
"BA!" waves the giant, shaking its head, "I know what a sister is, Bippy, I'm just pondering the context."
You frown, trying to process the odd way this creature jumps between its thoughts. Your grimace becomes firmer as your hand clenches into a fist.
"Con... context? My little sister, she was with me, now I'm here, and she's not. Where is she?"
The unhelpful lummox leans itself ever so slightly against the machine at its side. Your eyes dart to the door, and it occurs to you that this... man? … may not be the most agile or reactive.
Good to know.
"Well," the whale-man rumbles, its eye avoiding your gaze for a moment, and you can't help but wonder if in some way this person is... embarrassed?
"In fairness," he continues, "you weren't exactly supposed to be here anyway. That cage you're in was designed to catch a parasite, not a human. It's not my fault the kaleidoscope hit you, because the TARGETTING LENS," he roars over his shoulder, evidently speaking to someone outside the room – though there doesn't seem to be a response -- "WASN'T CALIBRATED PROPERLY, CLEARLY! … Ahem. We didn't even see you were there."
"In fairness to Ponderous Five's abilities, sir, that's the problem with aiming for someone on the first sphere!~"
"Oh do be quiet Bippy... yes, yes, 'world of infinite shadows' and all that... YOU'RE FORGIVEN, PONDEROUS. I APPRECIATE IT MUST BE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE HANDS."
No response, again, from whatever he's shouting at.
Cage? First sphere...? Eugh, one thing at a time, I guess.
You can feel the nausea, the weight of something in your chest wanting to escape again, but you swallow it down and try to focus. You can feel your legs and arms shaking as you look around the room you're in a bit more carefully, and try to figure out what he keeps meaning about a "cage". It doesn't look like you're in a cage, there's no bars or doors or windows, you're just stood on this-
Is it the haze? you wonder, suddenly realizing that the faintly reflective silver light that's flooding up from the floor only fills the patch you're standing on. At the edges of it, it seems to meld into the warmer golden light being emitted by the talking light bulb, and the resulting, heat haze-esque melding of colours forms an almost imperceptibly thin layer of shimmering, twisting light.
"You keep mentioning a cage..." you say, "Is that what I'm standing in now? It doesn't look like one. You said about 'dragging me into the unknown', too...?"
The relentlessly chipper flickering assistant thing stops flickering for a moment, and based on the way that the giant pauses and turns its head, you almost get the impression they've exchanged glances – though you can't quite read if its shock or excitement.
You sigh and wave your hands, trying to regain their attention.
"Hello?"
"Ah, I'm just... pleased. It's rare for non-inverters to grasp things quickly. Yes, you're standing in a cage, though you're quite right it's not a mere prison cell – such a device couldn't hope to hold a parasite in control of such a powerful host. You could, in theory, try walking out of it as easily as you'd walk into the ocean, but the energy difference would, mmm..."
The lips of the creature curl, just for a moment, into a sneer that strikes you as slightly predatory, "Not be good."
"So please don't!~"
"Ahem, yes. I'd hate it if you made more of a mess... oh! And regarding the 'unknown', I meant more that this was no doubt all very unexpected for you. I appreciate that life on the first sphere is rather... self-indulgent, so this whole day has probably been really quite mindpicklingly weird."
You look back down at the puddle of oily, shadowy vomit that you could've sworn moved, just for a second... but then you blink, and it remains the same. A trick of the light in this... cage, you hope.
Focus. He didn't answer the most important question.
"Okay, listen, I get the gist, I won't touch the edge of this light, and this was all some sort of mistake, but you didn't answer me originally. Where's my sister? She's a little girl, she was hurt and barely breathing! If she doesn't get some sort of help she could die!"
...
The rumbling giant lets out a deep, deep sigh, and shrugs.
You can feel your blood pressure rising, even as you try to stand upright – whatever amount of time passed between the crash and being brought here hasn't registered to your body as "sleeping", and at this point it's pure adrenaline and the need to make sure Erin is okay that's keeping you awake.
"What does that mean?" you spit, "Have you seen her or not?!"
"Mmm," he shrugs again, "No. If you're asking, 'Did we target more than one person', the answer is no."
That's not what I asked!
"Stop answering me like a politician and get to the point! Where is she?! If you didn't pick her up, just send me back there!"
The creature sighs again and hot damn you would throttle this sneering one-eyed clown if you could.
"It's not so easy, I'm afraid. The kaleidoscope only works one way – I only have enough liquid tenacity for one journey, and because someone," he gestures to you, smirking, "was in the wrong place at the wrong time, now I'm going to have to acquire some more – which could take weeks at this rate – so I'm really not in a negotiating mood right now, child."
...
You...
You can't go back?
...
Your chest feels very heavy.
"Sir, sir...!~ I think the human is upset!~" flickers the orb.
The giant shrugs, and grimaces. He leans away from the machine, and turns towards the door.
"Thank you for the helpful advice, Bippy. I'm going to get something to eat while I figure out what options I have, so for now, just... guard the machine, and keep the human company. Let me know if anything happens."
"Yessir! Me and the human will be best best friends!~"
"... Mmm. Close enough," snorts the monster, as he twists something in the door and it swings open with a click. Between his massive frame, the glowing haze that separates you from the rest of the room, and the thick darkness that fills the doorway, the giant practically seems to vanish as he steps through it.
With a heavy slam the door is shut, and clicks into place with a lock that you could've sworn sounded like something drilling into the wood.
...
Not that it matters.
Here you are, crouched down in your own weird vomit, your head still stinging, and the realization that Erin is probably still with that... thing, back at the car crash. Parasite, they called it? You're not sure.
'Bippy' seems content to just hover in place over the blue machine, bathing the room in an array of colours that for a moment almost feel like the green of a forest under a dark, stormy sky.
…
Huh.
Dad always did love the woods, didn't he?
Dad?
It's a long short, but feeling into your pocket you reach for your phone. Come on, come on come on come on.
Oh THANK YOU, YES.
With an ominous ba-rum-BUM it jolts to life, the familiar Orange Afone logo twirling into view. It flickers in, then out, before at last clicking on...
...
...and it has no signal.
Well, he is some sort of 10 foot tall cyclops whale walrus, man... thing, and he kept talking about 'spheres', so you figure you're probably not on Earth any more?
At least I can breathe.
You can still, ever so faintly, taste the acrid burning of smoke on your lips. Your vision turns back to the sight of Erin, her arms cut and struggling to stay awake, to breath, against the poison in the air around you, and of the relentless buzzing, chewing, hateful, burning, painful...
…
Your mind is filled with a lot of painful thoughts right now.
CHOOSE ANY NUMBER, IN THE ORDER YOU WISH TO ATTEMPT THEM:
-- [] Try to force your way through the haze surrounding this... 'cage'.
-- [] Try to ask 'Bippy' some questions, it... he... she...? seemed pretty talkative. [Write-In]
-- [] Pass out.
-- [] [Write-In]
Time may be of the essence.
Unfortunately, you certainly don't feel in the mood for running anywhere, and the mouth on that thing – wide as it is rather than forward – looks big enough to bite you clean in half. Somehow you're able to understand it, so for now it might be worth just asking some questions.
"Where's... where's my sister?" you say, shakily getting to your feet and opening your eyes again, looking the giant dead in its huge ridiculous eyeball.
The monster narrows its eye again, and slowly leans backwards, seeming to only keep itself upright by the sheer width of its gut. Its legs are built like some sort of cartoon elephant, and it uses its free right hand – the one not currently placed against the machine at its side – to scratch the thin, graying stumble on its rubbery chin.
"Questions, mmm, good to ask questions, I suppose. Sister...? Mmm... where... is your sister..."
"Yes sir!~" chips in the orb, which you notice pulsates slightly when it speaks, "A 'sister' is like a brother, but a gir-"
"BA!" waves the giant, shaking its head, "I know what a sister is, Bippy, I'm just pondering the context."
You frown, trying to process the odd way this creature jumps between its thoughts. Your grimace becomes firmer as your hand clenches into a fist.
"Con... context? My little sister, she was with me, now I'm here, and she's not. Where is she?"
The unhelpful lummox leans itself ever so slightly against the machine at its side. Your eyes dart to the door, and it occurs to you that this... man? … may not be the most agile or reactive.
Good to know.
"Well," the whale-man rumbles, its eye avoiding your gaze for a moment, and you can't help but wonder if in some way this person is... embarrassed?
"In fairness," he continues, "you weren't exactly supposed to be here anyway. That cage you're in was designed to catch a parasite, not a human. It's not my fault the kaleidoscope hit you, because the TARGETTING LENS," he roars over his shoulder, evidently speaking to someone outside the room – though there doesn't seem to be a response -- "WASN'T CALIBRATED PROPERLY, CLEARLY! … Ahem. We didn't even see you were there."
"In fairness to Ponderous Five's abilities, sir, that's the problem with aiming for someone on the first sphere!~"
"Oh do be quiet Bippy... yes, yes, 'world of infinite shadows' and all that... YOU'RE FORGIVEN, PONDEROUS. I APPRECIATE IT MUST BE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE HANDS."
No response, again, from whatever he's shouting at.
Cage? First sphere...? Eugh, one thing at a time, I guess.
You can feel the nausea, the weight of something in your chest wanting to escape again, but you swallow it down and try to focus. You can feel your legs and arms shaking as you look around the room you're in a bit more carefully, and try to figure out what he keeps meaning about a "cage". It doesn't look like you're in a cage, there's no bars or doors or windows, you're just stood on this-
Is it the haze? you wonder, suddenly realizing that the faintly reflective silver light that's flooding up from the floor only fills the patch you're standing on. At the edges of it, it seems to meld into the warmer golden light being emitted by the talking light bulb, and the resulting, heat haze-esque melding of colours forms an almost imperceptibly thin layer of shimmering, twisting light.
"You keep mentioning a cage..." you say, "Is that what I'm standing in now? It doesn't look like one. You said about 'dragging me into the unknown', too...?"
The relentlessly chipper flickering assistant thing stops flickering for a moment, and based on the way that the giant pauses and turns its head, you almost get the impression they've exchanged glances – though you can't quite read if its shock or excitement.
You sigh and wave your hands, trying to regain their attention.
"Hello?"
"Ah, I'm just... pleased. It's rare for non-inverters to grasp things quickly. Yes, you're standing in a cage, though you're quite right it's not a mere prison cell – such a device couldn't hope to hold a parasite in control of such a powerful host. You could, in theory, try walking out of it as easily as you'd walk into the ocean, but the energy difference would, mmm..."
The lips of the creature curl, just for a moment, into a sneer that strikes you as slightly predatory, "Not be good."
"So please don't!~"
"Ahem, yes. I'd hate it if you made more of a mess... oh! And regarding the 'unknown', I meant more that this was no doubt all very unexpected for you. I appreciate that life on the first sphere is rather... self-indulgent, so this whole day has probably been really quite mindpicklingly weird."
You look back down at the puddle of oily, shadowy vomit that you could've sworn moved, just for a second... but then you blink, and it remains the same. A trick of the light in this... cage, you hope.
Focus. He didn't answer the most important question.
"Okay, listen, I get the gist, I won't touch the edge of this light, and this was all some sort of mistake, but you didn't answer me originally. Where's my sister? She's a little girl, she was hurt and barely breathing! If she doesn't get some sort of help she could die!"
...
The rumbling giant lets out a deep, deep sigh, and shrugs.
You can feel your blood pressure rising, even as you try to stand upright – whatever amount of time passed between the crash and being brought here hasn't registered to your body as "sleeping", and at this point it's pure adrenaline and the need to make sure Erin is okay that's keeping you awake.
"What does that mean?" you spit, "Have you seen her or not?!"
"Mmm," he shrugs again, "No. If you're asking, 'Did we target more than one person', the answer is no."
That's not what I asked!
"Stop answering me like a politician and get to the point! Where is she?! If you didn't pick her up, just send me back there!"
The creature sighs again and hot damn you would throttle this sneering one-eyed clown if you could.
"It's not so easy, I'm afraid. The kaleidoscope only works one way – I only have enough liquid tenacity for one journey, and because someone," he gestures to you, smirking, "was in the wrong place at the wrong time, now I'm going to have to acquire some more – which could take weeks at this rate – so I'm really not in a negotiating mood right now, child."
...
You...
You can't go back?
...
Your chest feels very heavy.
"Sir, sir...!~ I think the human is upset!~" flickers the orb.
The giant shrugs, and grimaces. He leans away from the machine, and turns towards the door.
"Thank you for the helpful advice, Bippy. I'm going to get something to eat while I figure out what options I have, so for now, just... guard the machine, and keep the human company. Let me know if anything happens."
"Yessir! Me and the human will be best best friends!~"
"... Mmm. Close enough," snorts the monster, as he twists something in the door and it swings open with a click. Between his massive frame, the glowing haze that separates you from the rest of the room, and the thick darkness that fills the doorway, the giant practically seems to vanish as he steps through it.
With a heavy slam the door is shut, and clicks into place with a lock that you could've sworn sounded like something drilling into the wood.
...
Not that it matters.
Here you are, crouched down in your own weird vomit, your head still stinging, and the realization that Erin is probably still with that... thing, back at the car crash. Parasite, they called it? You're not sure.
'Bippy' seems content to just hover in place over the blue machine, bathing the room in an array of colours that for a moment almost feel like the green of a forest under a dark, stormy sky.
…
Huh.
Dad always did love the woods, didn't he?
Dad?
It's a long short, but feeling into your pocket you reach for your phone. Come on, come on come on come on.
Oh THANK YOU, YES.
With an ominous ba-rum-BUM it jolts to life, the familiar Orange Afone logo twirling into view. It flickers in, then out, before at last clicking on...
...
...and it has no signal.
Well, he is some sort of 10 foot tall cyclops whale walrus, man... thing, and he kept talking about 'spheres', so you figure you're probably not on Earth any more?
At least I can breathe.
You can still, ever so faintly, taste the acrid burning of smoke on your lips. Your vision turns back to the sight of Erin, her arms cut and struggling to stay awake, to breath, against the poison in the air around you, and of the relentless buzzing, chewing, hateful, burning, painful...
…
Your mind is filled with a lot of painful thoughts right now.
CHOOSE ANY NUMBER, IN THE ORDER YOU WISH TO ATTEMPT THEM:
-- [] Try to force your way through the haze surrounding this... 'cage'.
-- [] Try to ask 'Bippy' some questions, it... he... she...? seemed pretty talkative. [Write-In]
-- [] Pass out.
-- [] [Write-In]
Time may be of the essence.
-- [X] Try to force your way through the haze surrounding this... 'cage'.
"The World Is Breaking"
Eventua
Just Me
So, something I plan to do for each chapter is to commission a piece of art capturing the "end" of that chapter. While I'm giving it a little more time before continuing chapter 2 (just in case more folks want to vote!) I figure I'd share!
Artwork by Nekomancer ("the.58th.nekomancer"), please check out her art!
Are there other arts
Ok now anyone else going to vote
-- [X] Try to ask 'Bippy' some questions, it... he... she...? seemed pretty talkative. [Write-In]
--- [X] Where am I?
--- [X] What parasite were you trying to catch? Why?
--- [X] What is the big guy planning to do with me?
Come on, let's ask at least a couple of questions, given that we chose the trait of curiosity.
--- [X] Where am I?
--- [X] What parasite were you trying to catch? Why?
--- [X] What is the big guy planning to do with me?
Come on, let's ask at least a couple of questions, given that we chose the trait of curiosity.