Alright then, so obviously the Quests here at Viridian Dreams Forum have been getting pretty big and have assumed a big role in the identity of the forum. Thus, I think it appropriate, for us to have this thread. The basic purpose of this thread will be for everyone to discuss/ask about the quests, for the Quest authors to post little short story segments like we were seeing in the Random Topics thread, for you non-authors to post your own little short stories, or for various other things related to the quests.
So, go crazy!
Quest Thread
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Re: Quest Thread
Quests and Characters:Ryoko of Familiar Quest and Kade of untitled quest.
Authors: Magnificate and ewuvi, with the editing help of the magnificent Arganaut.
Aurora
Some people said the auroras were magic. Kade recalled vaguely that some teacher in his past had explained how they worked, but after the crash and his journey back to Greenland, he could remember very little of the world before the night he stumbled back into the living room of his former home.
Kade floated lazily about on the hoverboard, looking for a good place to land and eat. Cassandra was busy taking care of some business with her wolves and although he got along fairly well with the ones that stayed around her hut, he had little talent with convincing the horse-sized canines of the wilds not to eat him.
He was shocked to find a few evergreen trees dotting the landscape. Curious about the new flora, Kade brought his hoverboard low and wove through the trees, which were now thickening into a forest.
A rustle of needles betrayed someone approaching through the taiga. A long-haired girl with scrapes on her arms and elbows. She was leaving a long scratch-mark on nearly every trunk she passed. The girl was red on her face both from cold and tears. It was a look Kade recognized from Cassandra, meaning she either needed a hug or to strangle something desperately. Either way, the girl was clearly not dressed for the weather and appeared to be quite young.
“Hello,” he said merrily, bringing his hoverboard alongside the distressed girl.
“...!” The long-haired girl recoiled and pointed her weapon at him. “Who’re you?”
Kade raised his hands in a placating gesture, bringing his hoverboard to land lightly on the forest floor, “My name is Kade, a pleasure to meet you, miss-?”
“Asakura. Ryoko Asakura,” she eyed first him and then his hoverboard. “Show it to me!”
“Show you what?” Kade asked, both baffled and intrigued by the distraught girl. He should probably give her a jacket. And bacon. Anyone as sad as she looked needed bacon.
“Your board,” she rasped out of breath. “Where did you get something like that?”
Kade leaned over, switching the board off and releasing the electromagnet that kept his feet firmly secured to it, “I found it in a box with my name on it in my attic. They’re children’s toys really,” Kade said conversationally, “but I enjoy the feeling of flying like this so much-”
The girl grabbed the would-be prop from Back to the Future II and scrutinized it for names or prints. She then promptly collapsed on the ground clutching the board, a hand still firmly around her knife. “Just my damned luck!”
“Do you need help?” Kade asked, dropping to squat next to the girl. He took off his outermost jacket and draped it around her. She rolled over to shrug it off., “It’s really too cold to be going around like that,” Kade admonished, “you’ll get frostbite. Which isn’t fun because then you have to go to the doctor and they’re mean and like to cut!” he ended passionately.
“Yes,” the long-haired girl ignored the last sentence and cried. “I need help! I need my home back! I need my hands back! I need Yuki back! I need my life back!”
“Oh,” Kade let out a breath. “I see. It’s not so bad as all that, surely.” he reached out and covered her white-cold hands with his own. “Your hands are right here. And the funny thing about going home is that it’s never what you remember...” he looked sad, “or don’t remember, as the case may be.”
“You don’t understand.” The girl answered with her face to the ground so Kade could indeed barely understand her.
“I don’t understand most of the things that go on around me,” Kade replied with a smile. “And you’re freezing. Do you want to tell me about it? Maybe I could understand how to help you better.” With that, Kade dropped her hands and picked up the jacket, pulling it snugly around her shoulders and over her head. She looked alarmingly like a baby, all swaddled up.
“No point in that,” her voice overflowed with gloom. “Unless by some miracle you can take me to Japan.”
Kade raised an eyebrow, “Japan? That is a very long way away.”
“Don’t you dare to pretend to know where it is!” The girl lashed out at him and threw off his jacket.
“It’s an island nation off of Asia,” Kade replies, half surprised that he actually remembered that at all. He picked the jacket back up, “You really should be wearing something warmer. You’ll get hurt if you don’t cover up.”
Ryoko Asakura stared at him with utter confusion painted on her face. “You must have heard that somewhere before,” she desperately rationalized.
“Well, yeah, obviously,” Kade replied. “I haven’t been there myself. I think. Probably. They mostly deploy the pilots around Europe, so...”
The girl threw her full weight at him in vicious attempt to skewer Kade on her knife. Fortunately, Kade was fairly used to being attacked by distressed children. He sidestepped carefully and grabbed her wrists, using his strength to force her hands open. The blade plunged into the ground harmlessly.
“Oh what now?” Kade sighed, “Am I showing too much sympathy or something?”
“Sympathy? You lie! Or don’t exist.” Ryoko cried, but didn’t struggle that much. Instead she kept her eyes on the weapon.
“I’m not lying to you, I don’t think,” Kade said appealingly, “I mean, I don’t remember a lot of things since I got hurt, but I wouldn’t intentionally tell you something I knew was untrue. And as for if I exist? I think I do, at least. I mean, that’s a pretty big topic to be covering in our first conversation...”
“Just let me go or send me home.”
“No,” Kade said sternly. “You are going to sit here and eat dinner with me. I used to be like you. I would have done anything to get home. And I did. But when I got there, I couldn’t remember it! Can you imagine going so far, only for that wished ‘home’ to be completely strange?”
“I still remember it.”
“I remembered for a long time, too,” Kade replied. “And maybe when you do make it, you’ll still have those memories. But if you’re going to make it home, you’ll need to stop and rest and eat! And you’ll need a jacket at the very least.”
“Shut up, Lionel. Kade,” the girl corrected herself.
“Who is Lionel?”
Ryoko snorted. “He is my master. Wretched nice guy.”
“Wretched nice guys are the worst, I’ve been told. I... Ryoko... I’ll help you. Get to Japan, that is. I’ll get you a hoverboard like mine, and I’ll get this crazy wolf-girl to help and we’ll take you home.”
Ryoko looked up at the young man, stunned, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.
“I’ll get one tomorrow, okay? So don’t cry. I’ll help you.”
The aurora that had played across the sky began to fade, and with it, so did the trees. Kade watched, perplexed, as the strange girl seemed to shimmer and finally disappear.
“Ryoko?” he asked the open tundra, looking around for the girl. Finding no sign of her distinctive long hair, he shook his head. “Damn vivid visions,” he leaned over to pick up the board. Next to it was a savage looking knife. “Well I’ll be damned,” he said in wonder, examining it. A particularly strong wind blew right through his clothes. Looking about, he couldn't see his jacket anywhere.
The next day he bought another hoverboard, packed three bacon sandwiches, two for him and one for Ryoko, and made his way back to the spot where he’d met the odd Japanese girl, waiting for the barren landscape to turn into a forest.
Authors: Magnificate and ewuvi, with the editing help of the magnificent Arganaut.
Aurora
Some people said the auroras were magic. Kade recalled vaguely that some teacher in his past had explained how they worked, but after the crash and his journey back to Greenland, he could remember very little of the world before the night he stumbled back into the living room of his former home.
Kade floated lazily about on the hoverboard, looking for a good place to land and eat. Cassandra was busy taking care of some business with her wolves and although he got along fairly well with the ones that stayed around her hut, he had little talent with convincing the horse-sized canines of the wilds not to eat him.
He was shocked to find a few evergreen trees dotting the landscape. Curious about the new flora, Kade brought his hoverboard low and wove through the trees, which were now thickening into a forest.
A rustle of needles betrayed someone approaching through the taiga. A long-haired girl with scrapes on her arms and elbows. She was leaving a long scratch-mark on nearly every trunk she passed. The girl was red on her face both from cold and tears. It was a look Kade recognized from Cassandra, meaning she either needed a hug or to strangle something desperately. Either way, the girl was clearly not dressed for the weather and appeared to be quite young.
“Hello,” he said merrily, bringing his hoverboard alongside the distressed girl.
“...!” The long-haired girl recoiled and pointed her weapon at him. “Who’re you?”
Kade raised his hands in a placating gesture, bringing his hoverboard to land lightly on the forest floor, “My name is Kade, a pleasure to meet you, miss-?”
“Asakura. Ryoko Asakura,” she eyed first him and then his hoverboard. “Show it to me!”
“Show you what?” Kade asked, both baffled and intrigued by the distraught girl. He should probably give her a jacket. And bacon. Anyone as sad as she looked needed bacon.
“Your board,” she rasped out of breath. “Where did you get something like that?”
Kade leaned over, switching the board off and releasing the electromagnet that kept his feet firmly secured to it, “I found it in a box with my name on it in my attic. They’re children’s toys really,” Kade said conversationally, “but I enjoy the feeling of flying like this so much-”
The girl grabbed the would-be prop from Back to the Future II and scrutinized it for names or prints. She then promptly collapsed on the ground clutching the board, a hand still firmly around her knife. “Just my damned luck!”
“Do you need help?” Kade asked, dropping to squat next to the girl. He took off his outermost jacket and draped it around her. She rolled over to shrug it off., “It’s really too cold to be going around like that,” Kade admonished, “you’ll get frostbite. Which isn’t fun because then you have to go to the doctor and they’re mean and like to cut!” he ended passionately.
“Yes,” the long-haired girl ignored the last sentence and cried. “I need help! I need my home back! I need my hands back! I need Yuki back! I need my life back!”
“Oh,” Kade let out a breath. “I see. It’s not so bad as all that, surely.” he reached out and covered her white-cold hands with his own. “Your hands are right here. And the funny thing about going home is that it’s never what you remember...” he looked sad, “or don’t remember, as the case may be.”
“You don’t understand.” The girl answered with her face to the ground so Kade could indeed barely understand her.
“I don’t understand most of the things that go on around me,” Kade replied with a smile. “And you’re freezing. Do you want to tell me about it? Maybe I could understand how to help you better.” With that, Kade dropped her hands and picked up the jacket, pulling it snugly around her shoulders and over her head. She looked alarmingly like a baby, all swaddled up.
“No point in that,” her voice overflowed with gloom. “Unless by some miracle you can take me to Japan.”
Kade raised an eyebrow, “Japan? That is a very long way away.”
“Don’t you dare to pretend to know where it is!” The girl lashed out at him and threw off his jacket.
“It’s an island nation off of Asia,” Kade replies, half surprised that he actually remembered that at all. He picked the jacket back up, “You really should be wearing something warmer. You’ll get hurt if you don’t cover up.”
Ryoko Asakura stared at him with utter confusion painted on her face. “You must have heard that somewhere before,” she desperately rationalized.
“Well, yeah, obviously,” Kade replied. “I haven’t been there myself. I think. Probably. They mostly deploy the pilots around Europe, so...”
The girl threw her full weight at him in vicious attempt to skewer Kade on her knife. Fortunately, Kade was fairly used to being attacked by distressed children. He sidestepped carefully and grabbed her wrists, using his strength to force her hands open. The blade plunged into the ground harmlessly.
“Oh what now?” Kade sighed, “Am I showing too much sympathy or something?”
“Sympathy? You lie! Or don’t exist.” Ryoko cried, but didn’t struggle that much. Instead she kept her eyes on the weapon.
“I’m not lying to you, I don’t think,” Kade said appealingly, “I mean, I don’t remember a lot of things since I got hurt, but I wouldn’t intentionally tell you something I knew was untrue. And as for if I exist? I think I do, at least. I mean, that’s a pretty big topic to be covering in our first conversation...”
“Just let me go or send me home.”
“No,” Kade said sternly. “You are going to sit here and eat dinner with me. I used to be like you. I would have done anything to get home. And I did. But when I got there, I couldn’t remember it! Can you imagine going so far, only for that wished ‘home’ to be completely strange?”
“I still remember it.”
“I remembered for a long time, too,” Kade replied. “And maybe when you do make it, you’ll still have those memories. But if you’re going to make it home, you’ll need to stop and rest and eat! And you’ll need a jacket at the very least.”
“Shut up, Lionel. Kade,” the girl corrected herself.
“Who is Lionel?”
Ryoko snorted. “He is my master. Wretched nice guy.”
“Wretched nice guys are the worst, I’ve been told. I... Ryoko... I’ll help you. Get to Japan, that is. I’ll get you a hoverboard like mine, and I’ll get this crazy wolf-girl to help and we’ll take you home.”
Ryoko looked up at the young man, stunned, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.
“I’ll get one tomorrow, okay? So don’t cry. I’ll help you.”
The aurora that had played across the sky began to fade, and with it, so did the trees. Kade watched, perplexed, as the strange girl seemed to shimmer and finally disappear.
“Ryoko?” he asked the open tundra, looking around for the girl. Finding no sign of her distinctive long hair, he shook his head. “Damn vivid visions,” he leaned over to pick up the board. Next to it was a savage looking knife. “Well I’ll be damned,” he said in wonder, examining it. A particularly strong wind blew right through his clothes. Looking about, he couldn't see his jacket anywhere.
The next day he bought another hoverboard, packed three bacon sandwiches, two for him and one for Ryoko, and made his way back to the spot where he’d met the odd Japanese girl, waiting for the barren landscape to turn into a forest.
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ewuvi - Posts: 3879
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Quests and Characters: Felix of Assassin Quest and Cassandra of untitled quest
Authors: The fantabulous team of Arganaut and ewuvi
Dire Bunnies
A deep, dark winter. That’s the best way Felix could think to describe his surroundings as he trudged through the few feet of snow that were on the ground. Even as the time of day was meant to be high noon, the suffocating cloud coverage above snuffed out much of the light, leaving the forest he was moving through dark and foreboding.
It was also cold... very cold. Even underneath greatly padded on versions of his robes, with gloves and fur lining no less, he could still feel the season’s bite at him. His face was mostly wrapped to avoid his nose or lips falling off from frostbite, leaving only his piercing eyes to scan the horizon.
It had been a few weeks now that he’d been sent off, his job to search for someone the locals called the ‘Nightmare Queen’, an apparently evil entity that ‘haunted’ the forest and caused the death of a few hunters some time ago. Finally having had enough of the Queen, they sent for people more qualified to kill than most, assassins.
Felix couldn’t help but feel he was being sent on a goose chase, however. This ‘Nightmare Queen’ probably didn’t even exist, and the hunters were probably just an unfortunate accident. Still, pay was pay, and if Felix could march around the forest for just another day or so, the Guild would get paid by the town regardless of whether this Queen was actually found.
The young assassin knelt down towards the snow to look for tracks. Not like there was any to be found: the fresh snow drift was keeping a fresh layer of powder atop the feet of ice cold snow at all times, meaning he could barely tell if anything had walked by, except if he looked right behind him at the fresh tracks he was making.
Felix was about ready to call it a day when a huge furry blur dashed across the horizon. It would have been just alarming, but the sound of a laugh echoed across the vast, snow-covered plain. Felix was greatly unsettled by this turn of events. The possibility of these people being right about this sort of entity existing, and with these conditions, wouldn’t bode well for him.
Still, the assassin had, apparently, found his target. Pulling from his back his trusting crossbow, and giving his left wrist a flick to test the hidden blade in his vambrace, Felix began to follow the fresh tracks made by the furry blur at a quick pace, attempting to be sure that he would be ready for another pass by it. He’d rather not end up with some beast just swiping him by and clawing off a good portion of his protective robes... too cold for such a thing.
The tracks led to a tiny hut, almost completely obscured by the snow. It would have been near impossible to find if the tracks hadn’t led directly to it. Felix couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows at this. He had heard of overconfidence, but leading someone directly to where you (or something) lives?
Either this Nightmare Queen was powerful enough to disregard him as a threat, or she was greatly overconfident in herself. Attempting to keep his wits about him, Felix made as good an attempt to sneak to the hut as he could, his efforts hampered by the snow that crunched as he set his feet down.
His crossbow at the ready, Felix approached the door to the hut, and worked his way inside.
It was empty.
The door opened again and a girl younger than Alecia poked her face in, her eyes glimmering in good humor. Felix, admittedly, was somewhat taken aback by such a non-threatening person making an appearance, dropping his crossbow somewhat as he made a move to speak.
“Hello, would you happen to be this Nightmare Queen I was told about?” The assassin asked cautiously.
The girl laughs, a low, happy sound. “Yes, that’s what they call me.”
“... You’re... kidding, right?” Felix asked, this time his voice carried a unbelieving tone. He couldn’t seriously have been sent to kill a young girl... there’s no way people are that paranoid.
“No, no, not at all. See, the villagers have a flare for the dramatic, and a girl-child taking out poachers and living with the Dires scares them. Not without reason, of course, but still.”
Felix couldn’t help but stare at this young girl. On the one hand, she was indeed the target he had been paid to kill, which would ordinarily mean that right about now would be the time to either get her with the crossbow or one of his blades.
On the other hand he’d been led to believe that this Nightmare Queen was some kind of unnatural abomination, which meant he was expecting either absolutely nothing or something a little more kill-worthy than a young woman.
Weighing the gold he’d been paid over the frustration of being sent to kill someone whose only real mark against her was killing poachers and being a recluse. If Felix started judging people negatively for just killing others, especially in some form of defense, then he’d might as well hang up his assassin’s robes then and there. Plus, what was the Guild but an entire island of recluses who, every few days, went out to kill people?
Felix sighed, placing the crossbow onto his back and relaxing his demeanor.
“Hmm,” she commented with a slight frown, “I expected at least a token attempt...but I guess I can’t See everything with perfect clarity, eh?” she tapped her temple with one gloved finger, winking.
Felix raised an eyebrow.
“So, you... are magical?” Felix asked, trying to describe the best term for what she had just hinted at.
“I don’t think so,” she replied, “I mean, if I had magic I’d be doing cool crap, not living out in the middle of nowhere chillin’ with the man-eating wolves, right?”
“Heh-” Felix chuckled slightly, shrugging his shoulders in response. “-fair point. Still doesn’t give me much to go on as far as what exactly you meant by ‘See’ anyway. Did you see me coming or something like that?”
“Yes, but not like you’re thinking, I’m guessing. I saw you take the assignment. Usually I only see things when they get violent, but I’ve gotten better at watching for this sort of thing, especially when it threatens me or...certain others.”
“Still, nonetheless I have to admit this isn’t something I’ve come across before. Someone who saw me coming before I was even on the same piece of earth as they were.”
“Ah, well, you probably wouldn’t. I don’t know if very many people like me exist, but I expect anyone with similar tendencies would’ve either committed suicide by now, or gone on an epic murderous rampage,” she shrugged, “not that I haven’t done the latter, but, well...”
“Wait... ‘epic murderous rampage’?” Alright, maybe she wasn’t as harmless as she seemed. “Just... how many of those have you been on before?”
“Not many, I assure you, and most of them were to try and protect my pack or people I hold very dear. I’ve come to dislike violence. It’s hard for me to kill, knowing how many shattered lives I’m leaving behind. However, I’m very, very good at hurting people,” she added, looking a bit ashamed.
“I can’t imagine such a view over killing and hurting people gives you a very good impression of me then, on top of the whole ‘I was assigned to kill you’ thing, it must be a bit of a sticking point.” Felix commented slowly... while he didn’t necessarily feel unsafe with her having said that, he had to admit that the statement didn’t exactly help keep him settled as far as his presence here was concerned.
“Yeah, you’re the type I would typically feed to my pets,” she affirmed.
“Well then... not that I’m not grateful, but if that’s the case why aren’t I pet food by now?”
She laughed again, “A very, very crazy, very nice man helped me learn to live with this world. I can’t simply go about killing everyone who kills people. How am I any better if I do that? And I see the worst in people. I don’t know what you’re like at your best,” she smiled gently, “So, I’m going to let you show me your best.”
Felix raised an eyebrow at that. Admittedly, it didn’t sound too bad, but he just had to wonder what exactly her bar was for ‘I won’t feed you to my pets’ was.
“Alright... certainly better than being eaten outright.” Felix commented cautiously.
“I think you underestimate yourself,” the girl said absently, “I may be able to ‘See’ quite accurately your plans, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t best me in straight up combat.
On the other hand, there are about a dozen very hungry critters out there that would probably react badly to that.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I’m an assassin: good at killing people, not animals.” Felix said with a bit of a self-deprecating chuckle. “So, I think ‘trying to kill the leader of the wolf pack’ is pretty much at the bottom of my plans for getting out of here alive.”
“Carrying large quantities of bacon on your person is also not a good idea,” she replied in a serious tone.
“Well, that’s just plain obvious.” Felix said with a bit of a laugh. “Only a madman would carry a large amount of meat in a wilderness filled with carnivorous animals.”
She giggles, “Speaking of meat, do you want to have dinner? Trudging through the snow is a good way to work up an appetite.”
Felix bit his lip, in one instance not wanting to be imposing... but, in the next, realizing that he was rather hungry.
“I suppose if you’re offering I would join you for dinner.” Felix said with a small bow of his head.
“Good good,” she replied, clapping her hands in delight. “Okay, so, I’ve only got a fork and a spoon. Which do you want?” she wandered over to a cabinet and pulled out a basket of biscuits.
“I suppose I’ll take the spoon.” Felix said, flashing out the hidden blade. “I can just stick stuff on this and eat off of it... might be an abuse of what its meant for, but hey, when hasn’t improvising been a good thing?”
“Indeed,” she smiled and stuck a pot over the hot embers in the fireplace, adding some wood and poking at it until a small fire heated the hut. “Rabbit or some kind of game bird?”
“As I’m not exactly sure how rabbit tastes, I’ll go with the more sure-fire game bird, if you don’t mind.” Felix said, looking around for some place to take a seat.
“Sit on the sewing chair. The one with the needles in the armrests,” she indicated, “It’s the comfiest.”
“Well, aren’t you a very generous host.” Felix said with a small smile, taking a seat on the sewing chair.
“I don’t have many guests. And store owners tend not to like me around here, for some strange reason,” she smirked and started throwing things into the pot, stirring it with some sort of wooden utensil.
“I guess that’s just going to be one of life’s little mysteries.” Felix joked as he watched her stir the materials in the pot. “So, you’ve been surviving just by hunting and scavenging I take it?”
“Yep,” she nodded, “This is a horribly bastardized version of chicken a la king,” she indicated the pot.
“Heh, still smells good, and can’t be much worse than just downing trail rations while out heading for a destination.”
“Eh, I think anything fresh-ish is good. Having to kill your own food teaches a proper respect for life and death,” she looked back, “Something I think everyone could benefit from.”
“At my Guild we’re taught to simply send off those we kill with a quick prayer... I’m not sure if it is meant to respect the corpse, or to allow us to remove the kill from our mind quickly, so that we may focus on getting away.” Felix admitted solemnly, leaning back into the chair.
Something cold and dangerous crept into the girls eyes, “Yes, absolve yourselves of guilt so you can enjoy the benefits of the lives you destroyed.”
“... I’m not going to pretend that isn’t true to a great degree. It is in the nature of our work as assassins to be paid for such a thing... and I will admit that we are well fed and well kept at our home. Still, that doesn’t mean the guilt over our actions leave most of us.” Felix said sardonically, resting his head into his hand. “There are deaths I have been the cause of in the days before I was permitted to choose my own targets that were men either chosen by our employers for petty reasons or less... I don’t forget those, and I don’t pretend I did not cause them.”
The girl whipped around, murder in her eyes. She took a deep breath and relaxed. “I...will have faith,” she murmured to herself. “I will feed you, and I will give you a gift, and you will go,” she said at last.
“... I understand. Thank you.” Felix said, nodding his head again. “I’m sorry this conversation went this direction.”
“What other direction could it go?” she sighed, “Don’t worry, it’s my problem, not yours. Oh! It’s bubbling!” she rushed over to the cabinet and pulled out a couple of plates, ripping rolls in half and arranging them before spooning some of the hot mixture over them. “Here. And after dinner, I have something to give to you.”
“Thank you.” He said, taking the meal. “You don’t have to give me anything, allowing me to depart in one piece is quite the gift already.”
She smiled, “You underestimate yourself, assassin.” She ate quickly and disappeared outside, reentering with something tucked in her jacket.
“Like I said... not so good against Dire animals. Besides that, I’ve already chosen not to kill you... I do have standards, you know.”
The Nightmare Queen laughs and plops a small white bunny onto Felix’s lap. “This is the great-great grandspawn of Sir Reginald,” she said solemnly. “Take care of him, and remember, even the smallest thing can be a hero.”
Felix looked at the small rabbit in wonder, before looking up at her. “Is this the last of this ‘Sir Reginald’s’ spawn?” Felix asked, although not knowing who Sir Reginald was, he was fairly certain that this young girl was close to it, having taken care of its line for so long.
“Certainly not,” she smirked, “they’re rabbits after all. But this fellow does have a strong resemblance to Sir Reginald. And Dire Bunnies are quite terrifying to Southlanders. I’m sure he could help you.”
Felix pet the small rabbit across the head, being careful of the little creature. “Are you... I mean, this must be... thank you. I appreciate this.” Felix said, nodding his head in gratitude. “I’ll be sure to take care of him.” Felix said... before shaking his head. “You know, I’ve been spending all this time being on my toes I haven’t had the good sense to present myself. Felix Marchello, you?”
“Call me whatever you like,” she said with a sparkle in her eyes, “I’ve got at least a dozen or more names by now.”
“Which one was your favorite?”
She grinned, “Whatever the person I’m with is calling me at the moment. Except maybe Nightmare Queen. That’s just silly.”
“It is silly...” Felix said, smiling as he thought for a moment. “Claire, it means clear... like your sight, apparently.” Felix commented with a small smile.
“Claire,” she repeated. “Yes, I like that one a lot. Thank you for visiting me Felix.”
Felix laughed as he stood up. “I’ve never been thanked for being sent to do someone in... but this was nice. I promise that if I’m ever up here again, it will have nothing to do with business... and everything to do with another visit.” Felix said, offering her the hand that wasn’t holding the rabbit.
Claire took the hand and shook it firmly, “Until then, then.”
“Yes... until then.” Felix said, smiling as he held the rabbit underneath his robes. With one last wave he exited the tent, heading back in the direction he had come.
This assignment had turned out far better than he had thought it would, he would later admit.
Authors: The fantabulous team of Arganaut and ewuvi
Dire Bunnies
A deep, dark winter. That’s the best way Felix could think to describe his surroundings as he trudged through the few feet of snow that were on the ground. Even as the time of day was meant to be high noon, the suffocating cloud coverage above snuffed out much of the light, leaving the forest he was moving through dark and foreboding.
It was also cold... very cold. Even underneath greatly padded on versions of his robes, with gloves and fur lining no less, he could still feel the season’s bite at him. His face was mostly wrapped to avoid his nose or lips falling off from frostbite, leaving only his piercing eyes to scan the horizon.
It had been a few weeks now that he’d been sent off, his job to search for someone the locals called the ‘Nightmare Queen’, an apparently evil entity that ‘haunted’ the forest and caused the death of a few hunters some time ago. Finally having had enough of the Queen, they sent for people more qualified to kill than most, assassins.
Felix couldn’t help but feel he was being sent on a goose chase, however. This ‘Nightmare Queen’ probably didn’t even exist, and the hunters were probably just an unfortunate accident. Still, pay was pay, and if Felix could march around the forest for just another day or so, the Guild would get paid by the town regardless of whether this Queen was actually found.
The young assassin knelt down towards the snow to look for tracks. Not like there was any to be found: the fresh snow drift was keeping a fresh layer of powder atop the feet of ice cold snow at all times, meaning he could barely tell if anything had walked by, except if he looked right behind him at the fresh tracks he was making.
Felix was about ready to call it a day when a huge furry blur dashed across the horizon. It would have been just alarming, but the sound of a laugh echoed across the vast, snow-covered plain. Felix was greatly unsettled by this turn of events. The possibility of these people being right about this sort of entity existing, and with these conditions, wouldn’t bode well for him.
Still, the assassin had, apparently, found his target. Pulling from his back his trusting crossbow, and giving his left wrist a flick to test the hidden blade in his vambrace, Felix began to follow the fresh tracks made by the furry blur at a quick pace, attempting to be sure that he would be ready for another pass by it. He’d rather not end up with some beast just swiping him by and clawing off a good portion of his protective robes... too cold for such a thing.
The tracks led to a tiny hut, almost completely obscured by the snow. It would have been near impossible to find if the tracks hadn’t led directly to it. Felix couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows at this. He had heard of overconfidence, but leading someone directly to where you (or something) lives?
Either this Nightmare Queen was powerful enough to disregard him as a threat, or she was greatly overconfident in herself. Attempting to keep his wits about him, Felix made as good an attempt to sneak to the hut as he could, his efforts hampered by the snow that crunched as he set his feet down.
His crossbow at the ready, Felix approached the door to the hut, and worked his way inside.
It was empty.
The door opened again and a girl younger than Alecia poked her face in, her eyes glimmering in good humor. Felix, admittedly, was somewhat taken aback by such a non-threatening person making an appearance, dropping his crossbow somewhat as he made a move to speak.
“Hello, would you happen to be this Nightmare Queen I was told about?” The assassin asked cautiously.
The girl laughs, a low, happy sound. “Yes, that’s what they call me.”
“... You’re... kidding, right?” Felix asked, this time his voice carried a unbelieving tone. He couldn’t seriously have been sent to kill a young girl... there’s no way people are that paranoid.
“No, no, not at all. See, the villagers have a flare for the dramatic, and a girl-child taking out poachers and living with the Dires scares them. Not without reason, of course, but still.”
Felix couldn’t help but stare at this young girl. On the one hand, she was indeed the target he had been paid to kill, which would ordinarily mean that right about now would be the time to either get her with the crossbow or one of his blades.
On the other hand he’d been led to believe that this Nightmare Queen was some kind of unnatural abomination, which meant he was expecting either absolutely nothing or something a little more kill-worthy than a young woman.
Weighing the gold he’d been paid over the frustration of being sent to kill someone whose only real mark against her was killing poachers and being a recluse. If Felix started judging people negatively for just killing others, especially in some form of defense, then he’d might as well hang up his assassin’s robes then and there. Plus, what was the Guild but an entire island of recluses who, every few days, went out to kill people?
Felix sighed, placing the crossbow onto his back and relaxing his demeanor.
“Hmm,” she commented with a slight frown, “I expected at least a token attempt...but I guess I can’t See everything with perfect clarity, eh?” she tapped her temple with one gloved finger, winking.
Felix raised an eyebrow.
“So, you... are magical?” Felix asked, trying to describe the best term for what she had just hinted at.
“I don’t think so,” she replied, “I mean, if I had magic I’d be doing cool crap, not living out in the middle of nowhere chillin’ with the man-eating wolves, right?”
“Heh-” Felix chuckled slightly, shrugging his shoulders in response. “-fair point. Still doesn’t give me much to go on as far as what exactly you meant by ‘See’ anyway. Did you see me coming or something like that?”
“Yes, but not like you’re thinking, I’m guessing. I saw you take the assignment. Usually I only see things when they get violent, but I’ve gotten better at watching for this sort of thing, especially when it threatens me or...certain others.”
“Still, nonetheless I have to admit this isn’t something I’ve come across before. Someone who saw me coming before I was even on the same piece of earth as they were.”
“Ah, well, you probably wouldn’t. I don’t know if very many people like me exist, but I expect anyone with similar tendencies would’ve either committed suicide by now, or gone on an epic murderous rampage,” she shrugged, “not that I haven’t done the latter, but, well...”
“Wait... ‘epic murderous rampage’?” Alright, maybe she wasn’t as harmless as she seemed. “Just... how many of those have you been on before?”
“Not many, I assure you, and most of them were to try and protect my pack or people I hold very dear. I’ve come to dislike violence. It’s hard for me to kill, knowing how many shattered lives I’m leaving behind. However, I’m very, very good at hurting people,” she added, looking a bit ashamed.
“I can’t imagine such a view over killing and hurting people gives you a very good impression of me then, on top of the whole ‘I was assigned to kill you’ thing, it must be a bit of a sticking point.” Felix commented slowly... while he didn’t necessarily feel unsafe with her having said that, he had to admit that the statement didn’t exactly help keep him settled as far as his presence here was concerned.
“Yeah, you’re the type I would typically feed to my pets,” she affirmed.
“Well then... not that I’m not grateful, but if that’s the case why aren’t I pet food by now?”
She laughed again, “A very, very crazy, very nice man helped me learn to live with this world. I can’t simply go about killing everyone who kills people. How am I any better if I do that? And I see the worst in people. I don’t know what you’re like at your best,” she smiled gently, “So, I’m going to let you show me your best.”
Felix raised an eyebrow at that. Admittedly, it didn’t sound too bad, but he just had to wonder what exactly her bar was for ‘I won’t feed you to my pets’ was.
“Alright... certainly better than being eaten outright.” Felix commented cautiously.
“I think you underestimate yourself,” the girl said absently, “I may be able to ‘See’ quite accurately your plans, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t best me in straight up combat.
On the other hand, there are about a dozen very hungry critters out there that would probably react badly to that.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I’m an assassin: good at killing people, not animals.” Felix said with a bit of a self-deprecating chuckle. “So, I think ‘trying to kill the leader of the wolf pack’ is pretty much at the bottom of my plans for getting out of here alive.”
“Carrying large quantities of bacon on your person is also not a good idea,” she replied in a serious tone.
“Well, that’s just plain obvious.” Felix said with a bit of a laugh. “Only a madman would carry a large amount of meat in a wilderness filled with carnivorous animals.”
She giggles, “Speaking of meat, do you want to have dinner? Trudging through the snow is a good way to work up an appetite.”
Felix bit his lip, in one instance not wanting to be imposing... but, in the next, realizing that he was rather hungry.
“I suppose if you’re offering I would join you for dinner.” Felix said with a small bow of his head.
“Good good,” she replied, clapping her hands in delight. “Okay, so, I’ve only got a fork and a spoon. Which do you want?” she wandered over to a cabinet and pulled out a basket of biscuits.
“I suppose I’ll take the spoon.” Felix said, flashing out the hidden blade. “I can just stick stuff on this and eat off of it... might be an abuse of what its meant for, but hey, when hasn’t improvising been a good thing?”
“Indeed,” she smiled and stuck a pot over the hot embers in the fireplace, adding some wood and poking at it until a small fire heated the hut. “Rabbit or some kind of game bird?”
“As I’m not exactly sure how rabbit tastes, I’ll go with the more sure-fire game bird, if you don’t mind.” Felix said, looking around for some place to take a seat.
“Sit on the sewing chair. The one with the needles in the armrests,” she indicated, “It’s the comfiest.”
“Well, aren’t you a very generous host.” Felix said with a small smile, taking a seat on the sewing chair.
“I don’t have many guests. And store owners tend not to like me around here, for some strange reason,” she smirked and started throwing things into the pot, stirring it with some sort of wooden utensil.
“I guess that’s just going to be one of life’s little mysteries.” Felix joked as he watched her stir the materials in the pot. “So, you’ve been surviving just by hunting and scavenging I take it?”
“Yep,” she nodded, “This is a horribly bastardized version of chicken a la king,” she indicated the pot.
“Heh, still smells good, and can’t be much worse than just downing trail rations while out heading for a destination.”
“Eh, I think anything fresh-ish is good. Having to kill your own food teaches a proper respect for life and death,” she looked back, “Something I think everyone could benefit from.”
“At my Guild we’re taught to simply send off those we kill with a quick prayer... I’m not sure if it is meant to respect the corpse, or to allow us to remove the kill from our mind quickly, so that we may focus on getting away.” Felix admitted solemnly, leaning back into the chair.
Something cold and dangerous crept into the girls eyes, “Yes, absolve yourselves of guilt so you can enjoy the benefits of the lives you destroyed.”
“... I’m not going to pretend that isn’t true to a great degree. It is in the nature of our work as assassins to be paid for such a thing... and I will admit that we are well fed and well kept at our home. Still, that doesn’t mean the guilt over our actions leave most of us.” Felix said sardonically, resting his head into his hand. “There are deaths I have been the cause of in the days before I was permitted to choose my own targets that were men either chosen by our employers for petty reasons or less... I don’t forget those, and I don’t pretend I did not cause them.”
The girl whipped around, murder in her eyes. She took a deep breath and relaxed. “I...will have faith,” she murmured to herself. “I will feed you, and I will give you a gift, and you will go,” she said at last.
“... I understand. Thank you.” Felix said, nodding his head again. “I’m sorry this conversation went this direction.”
“What other direction could it go?” she sighed, “Don’t worry, it’s my problem, not yours. Oh! It’s bubbling!” she rushed over to the cabinet and pulled out a couple of plates, ripping rolls in half and arranging them before spooning some of the hot mixture over them. “Here. And after dinner, I have something to give to you.”
“Thank you.” He said, taking the meal. “You don’t have to give me anything, allowing me to depart in one piece is quite the gift already.”
She smiled, “You underestimate yourself, assassin.” She ate quickly and disappeared outside, reentering with something tucked in her jacket.
“Like I said... not so good against Dire animals. Besides that, I’ve already chosen not to kill you... I do have standards, you know.”
The Nightmare Queen laughs and plops a small white bunny onto Felix’s lap. “This is the great-great grandspawn of Sir Reginald,” she said solemnly. “Take care of him, and remember, even the smallest thing can be a hero.”
Felix looked at the small rabbit in wonder, before looking up at her. “Is this the last of this ‘Sir Reginald’s’ spawn?” Felix asked, although not knowing who Sir Reginald was, he was fairly certain that this young girl was close to it, having taken care of its line for so long.
“Certainly not,” she smirked, “they’re rabbits after all. But this fellow does have a strong resemblance to Sir Reginald. And Dire Bunnies are quite terrifying to Southlanders. I’m sure he could help you.”
Felix pet the small rabbit across the head, being careful of the little creature. “Are you... I mean, this must be... thank you. I appreciate this.” Felix said, nodding his head in gratitude. “I’ll be sure to take care of him.” Felix said... before shaking his head. “You know, I’ve been spending all this time being on my toes I haven’t had the good sense to present myself. Felix Marchello, you?”
“Call me whatever you like,” she said with a sparkle in her eyes, “I’ve got at least a dozen or more names by now.”
“Which one was your favorite?”
She grinned, “Whatever the person I’m with is calling me at the moment. Except maybe Nightmare Queen. That’s just silly.”
“It is silly...” Felix said, smiling as he thought for a moment. “Claire, it means clear... like your sight, apparently.” Felix commented with a small smile.
“Claire,” she repeated. “Yes, I like that one a lot. Thank you for visiting me Felix.”
Felix laughed as he stood up. “I’ve never been thanked for being sent to do someone in... but this was nice. I promise that if I’m ever up here again, it will have nothing to do with business... and everything to do with another visit.” Felix said, offering her the hand that wasn’t holding the rabbit.
Claire took the hand and shook it firmly, “Until then, then.”
“Yes... until then.” Felix said, smiling as he held the rabbit underneath his robes. With one last wave he exited the tent, heading back in the direction he had come.
This assignment had turned out far better than he had thought it would, he would later admit.
-
Arganaut - Posts: 1860
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Cassandra and Felix meet under considerably different circumstances. Apparently me and Arg like this duo.
ewuvi:Did you guys all know that Cassandra had a birth name? And parents?
Arganaut:I just thought the tundra randomly spawned her from snow and wolf fur.
Runaway Recruit
Felix stood awkwardly in a small kitchen, waiting as some last details were worked out on a potential new assassin. Said potential new assassin was sitting quietly at the table, swinging short legs. An awkward, silent thing with dark blond hair that hadn’t uttered a peep or made eye contact for the hour that he’d been standing there. Six years old and on the threshold of entering a life of career killing. What a way to go.
Not that Felix was going to try and start conversation. He didn’t really know what to say to her, anyway. He wasn’t even all too certain on why he specifically had been sent. The Guildmaster said something about testing his abilities in Guild tasks outside of assassination, but really Felix felt that, at 22, just three years after having joined, he was still a little fresh for this sort of work.
So, Felix was intent on just recruiting this little girl, getting her to the Guild, and then moving on with his training.
So it was a bit shocking when her head shot up and she stared blankly at the wall by his head and said, “One of the assassins of your Guild just botched a mission. A child and his mother got mixed up in it. They’re dead now...oh, looks like there was another sibling.”
Felix looked over at the little girl in surprise, before looking over to her parents, an eyebrow raised as the silent question was asked through that one look: ‘What was that?’
“Melissa, dear,” the mother admonished, “you shouldn’t say such things.”
“Even if they’re true?” the girl asked.
“Especially if they’re true.”
“Sorry, mommy,” the girl looked back down at her feet.
“No, no ma’am.” Felix commented immediately, before looking back at Melissa. “In our line of work... well, death is quite the constant. One of the first things we do is attempt to help prepare the child for her first experiences with death... especially if she isn’t even seeing them in person.” Felix commented, looking down at the girl. “Does this sort of thing happen often Melissa?”
“All the time,” the girl replied softly.
“We don’t know what to do,” the father says sadly. “She’s so distraught and there’s nothing we can do to help...”
“I see. Would you mind leaving the two of us alone then, so that I may have a few words with her?” Felix asked politely, a small nod of his head.
“Of course,” the mother replied faintly. The parents left the room quickly, stealing glances at their daughter as they shut the door.
“Mommy and daddy love me very much,” the girl said to no one in particular, “but they’re afraid. Especially now that there’s going to be a new baby.”
“Are you excited about the new baby?” Felix first decided to ask, deciding that it was best to try and talk to her and get her more comfortable with his presence before delving into her ability to see deaths, apparently.
“Oh yes, of course. Babies are amazing, aren’t they? But I hope they don’t get abilities like me. That’s why I need to go away before they’re born. What if I accidentally hurt it?”
“Babies are indeed amazing. I remember when my little sister, Alecia, was born... you’ll probably meet her at the Guild. Also, I don’t believe you’d hurt the new baby, you seem too caring to do something like that.” Felix said softly.
Melissa looks off to the side, ashamed, “Maybe...”
“Besides that, you will be joining us, so you have nothing to worry about as it concerns the baby.” Felix said, trying to reassure her.
“I’m not going with you,” she interjected suddenly, almost randomly, “I’m sorry.”
Felix was a little startled by this sudden interjection, the young man blinking a couple times as he tried to find his footing. “Any specific reason as to why or how?” Felix asked, curious as to the girl’s thinking.
“I see what you do. I don’t want to. So I’ll go away, and I won’t hurt the baby and mommy and daddy will be happy. But I’m not going away with you.”
“Your mother and father aren’t sending you to us just to be rid of you, you know. Like you said, they love you. They’re sending you to us because they know that you’ll be safe with us, and that we’ll take good care of you. If you’re not safe or in good care, then your mother and father will be very sad, very scared and very worried about you.”
“They’ll think I’m with you, so it’ll be okay,” the little girl reassured Felix.
“Well, I’ll know that you aren’t safe or in good care... and that’ll make me worry.” Felix said, getting of his chair to walk over to Mellisa, kneeling down in front of her. “Besides, the Guild isn’t about to lie to your parents for you... they’ll have to tell them something.”
“I think that...they’d understand eventually it’s better if I don’t go,” Melissa replied, refusing to make eye contact.
“Melissa... they’re your parents. They’re not going to think that its better for you to be out alone in the world. That’s not something a mother or a father would accept for even a minute.” Felix said, allowing her to avoid his eyes for a moment.
“I...would rather any child of mine go off on their own rather then...” she met Felix’s eyes, her own completely desperate, “ I can’t DO that, I can’t...I can’t...I have to watch how much pain it causes every day and I WON’T do that to anybody!”
Felix looked at the little girl, his eyes reflecting sympathy back at her. “Melissa... I’m not going to lie to you. You’re right, there are times that we do very terrible things, things that weigh on us for period of time. Even I don’t completely forget what I cause, even if I don’t consciously try to cause it.”
“And... I’m not going to lie: we can be selfish about trying to forget about it. But Melissa... for every person I’ve killed that wasn’t deserving of it, there was a person who did need to be gone. A person who was making the people around him suffer. I think that’s something that’s missing from your visions: perspective.”
“I’m not going to say it makes my job a lot easier... I’m not going to say you’re wrong and that I don’t still cause pain... but Melissa, there are people out there that need to be dealt with, and sometimes we’re the only people who can.” Felix said... before sighing.
“But... I guess I can’t... force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” Felix said, scratching the back of his head. “I’d prefer it if you did come with me, did see the perspective we have to offer... the purpose that we can bring... but, I can’t make you.” Of course, Felix was lying. He could force her to come with him... but, those eyes... he wasn’t about to force her if she chose not to.
“I...I don’t want that,” she whispered, “that perspective. It’s wrong and nothing will ever make it right.”
“I am going to go out and live in the wilderness and make friends with the wolves and the wildcats and I while I will always have to regret what other people have done, I won’t do anything that I’ll regret for myself.”
Felix listened to her... she sounded absolutely nuts. It made him want to just try to slap some sense into her and make her come with him... still, she had her reasons for forming such a fantasy... and he still couldn’t force the choice on her.
“I’ll... take you away from here, and let you go... but you have to promise me something.”
“Yes?” she said attentively.
“I’m going to give you my robe. It gets cold out in the wilderness and you’re going to need it. Inside my robe I’ll leave a way to contact me. If you ever need my help or change your mind... you send for me, understand? If you promise me that, you’re free to go.” Felix said, holding out his little finger for her.
She hooked it with her own, “I promise.”
One quick shake, and the promise was secured. “Alright then... let’s get your mom and dad in here to ‘finalize’ the sale.” Felix said as he stood up.
“MOMMY DADDY!” the girl yelled, proving that she did, in fact, have the temper-tantrum capable lungs of a child.
The discussions went about without another hitch, Felix ‘finalizing’ the deal with her parents. The customary procedure followed: Melissa was allowed to grab whatever she wanted for the trip, her mother and father gave her one last goodbye, and then the two were off. It wasn’t too long after that, as soon as Felix felt relatively secure in knowing they were out of sight, that he led her to the outskirts of the wilderness.
“I... guess this is goodbye then.” Felix said, looking out into the vast stretch of snow.
“Goodbye. I suspect I’ll be Seeing you quite frequently,” the child said with a wry expression that didn’t belong on a face so young.
“I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior when you do.” Felix said with an equally wry expression as he knelt down. He undid his robe and placed it on Melissa, laughing a little as it was too big on her, to the point of being comical. “Now, you remember the promise, right?”
“Of course,” she nodded, “and if you ever want to tell me something, you can say it when you’re ‘disposing of the bad men’, I might hear it.”
Felix couldn’t help but laugh a little and nod, giving the girl a small hug. “Good luck Melissa.”
“The same to you,” she nodded and returned the hug.
Felix sighed as he separated from Melissa’s hug, nodding down at her as he turned to walk away. From that day on Felix was sure he always said what terrible things that people he was killing did, if there were any, if only for the little girl in the tundra that he knew.
ewuvi:Did you guys all know that Cassandra had a birth name? And parents?
Arganaut:I just thought the tundra randomly spawned her from snow and wolf fur.
Runaway Recruit
Felix stood awkwardly in a small kitchen, waiting as some last details were worked out on a potential new assassin. Said potential new assassin was sitting quietly at the table, swinging short legs. An awkward, silent thing with dark blond hair that hadn’t uttered a peep or made eye contact for the hour that he’d been standing there. Six years old and on the threshold of entering a life of career killing. What a way to go.
Not that Felix was going to try and start conversation. He didn’t really know what to say to her, anyway. He wasn’t even all too certain on why he specifically had been sent. The Guildmaster said something about testing his abilities in Guild tasks outside of assassination, but really Felix felt that, at 22, just three years after having joined, he was still a little fresh for this sort of work.
So, Felix was intent on just recruiting this little girl, getting her to the Guild, and then moving on with his training.
So it was a bit shocking when her head shot up and she stared blankly at the wall by his head and said, “One of the assassins of your Guild just botched a mission. A child and his mother got mixed up in it. They’re dead now...oh, looks like there was another sibling.”
Felix looked over at the little girl in surprise, before looking over to her parents, an eyebrow raised as the silent question was asked through that one look: ‘What was that?’
“Melissa, dear,” the mother admonished, “you shouldn’t say such things.”
“Even if they’re true?” the girl asked.
“Especially if they’re true.”
“Sorry, mommy,” the girl looked back down at her feet.
“No, no ma’am.” Felix commented immediately, before looking back at Melissa. “In our line of work... well, death is quite the constant. One of the first things we do is attempt to help prepare the child for her first experiences with death... especially if she isn’t even seeing them in person.” Felix commented, looking down at the girl. “Does this sort of thing happen often Melissa?”
“All the time,” the girl replied softly.
“We don’t know what to do,” the father says sadly. “She’s so distraught and there’s nothing we can do to help...”
“I see. Would you mind leaving the two of us alone then, so that I may have a few words with her?” Felix asked politely, a small nod of his head.
“Of course,” the mother replied faintly. The parents left the room quickly, stealing glances at their daughter as they shut the door.
“Mommy and daddy love me very much,” the girl said to no one in particular, “but they’re afraid. Especially now that there’s going to be a new baby.”
“Are you excited about the new baby?” Felix first decided to ask, deciding that it was best to try and talk to her and get her more comfortable with his presence before delving into her ability to see deaths, apparently.
“Oh yes, of course. Babies are amazing, aren’t they? But I hope they don’t get abilities like me. That’s why I need to go away before they’re born. What if I accidentally hurt it?”
“Babies are indeed amazing. I remember when my little sister, Alecia, was born... you’ll probably meet her at the Guild. Also, I don’t believe you’d hurt the new baby, you seem too caring to do something like that.” Felix said softly.
Melissa looks off to the side, ashamed, “Maybe...”
“Besides that, you will be joining us, so you have nothing to worry about as it concerns the baby.” Felix said, trying to reassure her.
“I’m not going with you,” she interjected suddenly, almost randomly, “I’m sorry.”
Felix was a little startled by this sudden interjection, the young man blinking a couple times as he tried to find his footing. “Any specific reason as to why or how?” Felix asked, curious as to the girl’s thinking.
“I see what you do. I don’t want to. So I’ll go away, and I won’t hurt the baby and mommy and daddy will be happy. But I’m not going away with you.”
“Your mother and father aren’t sending you to us just to be rid of you, you know. Like you said, they love you. They’re sending you to us because they know that you’ll be safe with us, and that we’ll take good care of you. If you’re not safe or in good care, then your mother and father will be very sad, very scared and very worried about you.”
“They’ll think I’m with you, so it’ll be okay,” the little girl reassured Felix.
“Well, I’ll know that you aren’t safe or in good care... and that’ll make me worry.” Felix said, getting of his chair to walk over to Mellisa, kneeling down in front of her. “Besides, the Guild isn’t about to lie to your parents for you... they’ll have to tell them something.”
“I think that...they’d understand eventually it’s better if I don’t go,” Melissa replied, refusing to make eye contact.
“Melissa... they’re your parents. They’re not going to think that its better for you to be out alone in the world. That’s not something a mother or a father would accept for even a minute.” Felix said, allowing her to avoid his eyes for a moment.
“I...would rather any child of mine go off on their own rather then...” she met Felix’s eyes, her own completely desperate, “ I can’t DO that, I can’t...I can’t...I have to watch how much pain it causes every day and I WON’T do that to anybody!”
Felix looked at the little girl, his eyes reflecting sympathy back at her. “Melissa... I’m not going to lie to you. You’re right, there are times that we do very terrible things, things that weigh on us for period of time. Even I don’t completely forget what I cause, even if I don’t consciously try to cause it.”
“And... I’m not going to lie: we can be selfish about trying to forget about it. But Melissa... for every person I’ve killed that wasn’t deserving of it, there was a person who did need to be gone. A person who was making the people around him suffer. I think that’s something that’s missing from your visions: perspective.”
“I’m not going to say it makes my job a lot easier... I’m not going to say you’re wrong and that I don’t still cause pain... but Melissa, there are people out there that need to be dealt with, and sometimes we’re the only people who can.” Felix said... before sighing.
“But... I guess I can’t... force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” Felix said, scratching the back of his head. “I’d prefer it if you did come with me, did see the perspective we have to offer... the purpose that we can bring... but, I can’t make you.” Of course, Felix was lying. He could force her to come with him... but, those eyes... he wasn’t about to force her if she chose not to.
“I...I don’t want that,” she whispered, “that perspective. It’s wrong and nothing will ever make it right.”
“I am going to go out and live in the wilderness and make friends with the wolves and the wildcats and I while I will always have to regret what other people have done, I won’t do anything that I’ll regret for myself.”
Felix listened to her... she sounded absolutely nuts. It made him want to just try to slap some sense into her and make her come with him... still, she had her reasons for forming such a fantasy... and he still couldn’t force the choice on her.
“I’ll... take you away from here, and let you go... but you have to promise me something.”
“Yes?” she said attentively.
“I’m going to give you my robe. It gets cold out in the wilderness and you’re going to need it. Inside my robe I’ll leave a way to contact me. If you ever need my help or change your mind... you send for me, understand? If you promise me that, you’re free to go.” Felix said, holding out his little finger for her.
She hooked it with her own, “I promise.”
One quick shake, and the promise was secured. “Alright then... let’s get your mom and dad in here to ‘finalize’ the sale.” Felix said as he stood up.
“MOMMY DADDY!” the girl yelled, proving that she did, in fact, have the temper-tantrum capable lungs of a child.
The discussions went about without another hitch, Felix ‘finalizing’ the deal with her parents. The customary procedure followed: Melissa was allowed to grab whatever she wanted for the trip, her mother and father gave her one last goodbye, and then the two were off. It wasn’t too long after that, as soon as Felix felt relatively secure in knowing they were out of sight, that he led her to the outskirts of the wilderness.
“I... guess this is goodbye then.” Felix said, looking out into the vast stretch of snow.
“Goodbye. I suspect I’ll be Seeing you quite frequently,” the child said with a wry expression that didn’t belong on a face so young.
“I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior when you do.” Felix said with an equally wry expression as he knelt down. He undid his robe and placed it on Melissa, laughing a little as it was too big on her, to the point of being comical. “Now, you remember the promise, right?”
“Of course,” she nodded, “and if you ever want to tell me something, you can say it when you’re ‘disposing of the bad men’, I might hear it.”
Felix couldn’t help but laugh a little and nod, giving the girl a small hug. “Good luck Melissa.”
“The same to you,” she nodded and returned the hug.
Felix sighed as he separated from Melissa’s hug, nodding down at her as he turned to walk away. From that day on Felix was sure he always said what terrible things that people he was killing did, if there were any, if only for the little girl in the tundra that he knew.
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ewuvi - Posts: 3879
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
This is neat. Ryoko's crazy as ever. Stabstabstab.
I liked that Felix didn't try to force Cassandra to come. But he's such a softy.
“Only a madman would carry a large amount of meat in a wilderness filled with carnivorous animals.”
Heh.
All in all, really nice poignant stories.
Also, maybe you guys should post a link to the tvtrope quest page?
I liked that Felix didn't try to force Cassandra to come. But he's such a softy.
“Only a madman would carry a large amount of meat in a wilderness filled with carnivorous animals.”
Heh.
All in all, really nice poignant stories.
Also, maybe you guys should post a link to the tvtrope quest page?
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LifeOfGesture - Posts: 742
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
A continuation of "Runaway Recruit"
Seriously, we've basically created "untitled Assassin Quest".
Three Years Later
For Felix, it merely started off as a curious assignment the Guildmaster presented him with. Apparently, a letter, a tad poorly written, was sent to the Guild with the request for “Felix the Assassin” personally. The letter itself had no task or payment attached to it, only requesting Felix’s presence. The Guildmaster had only brought it up as a matter of curiosity. When Felix requested to know where the letter was asking him to go, the Guildmaster merely responded that it just said “the tundra”.
Felix accepted the assignment and quickly made his way to the boats off the island within moments.
Weeks later Felix was back in an area of the world he had only been near once before, his gear heavily padded for warmth as he made his way to traverse the deep tundra. He wasn’t entirely sure where Melissa was in this mess, but he knew he had to at least try to look. He silently hoped that the girl had at least Seen him somehow, and would be able to cut short his wild goose chase.
He decided to stop in a little town at the edge of ‘civilization’ in the area if it could even be called that. As he approached, he noticed a curious lack of any sort of activity. Felix cautiously made his way into the town, his crossbow at the ready, just in case.
All of his years as an assassin could not have prepared him for what he saw. The town was a literal graveyard. Dozens of fresh graves were lined up in the town square, each marked by a boulder. He was shocked that anyone had been able to dig under the permafrost, but there they were.
And, kneeling in front of one of the patches of disturbed dirt was a girl he hardly recognized.
Felix at first couldn’t believe his eyes. The bright haired, quiet (but secretly capable of screaming) little girl he had almost recruited into the Guild was now a very dirty, brunette. She was still seemingly well fed, and was seemingly the right height for her age, meaning that, as she said, she had somehow managed to take good care of herself since he last saw her. His old robes were still somewhat hung around her shoulders, albeit amazingly dirty and torn in several places.
Lowering his crossbow slightly, Felix began to cautiously approach. “Melissa?” He asked softly, not wanting to startle the girl.
She turned slowly, tears streaming down her face and snot dribbling from her nose, “Felix...” she said softly, holding out blistered and bleeding hands, “I...I couldn’t do it. I’m so sorry.”
Felix’s expression dropped into a sad frown as he put the crossbow down at his side, walking over to the girl and, without a seconds hesitation, pulled her into a large hug, pressing her protectively against him. “No... I’m sorry. I failed you all those years ago by letting this happen... this is my fault...”
“I...I didn’t mean to,” she whispered, “But they killed my-.” she sobs, “just animals, but I couldn’t stand it! And then I saw so many terrible things and I just...just...”
“I know you didn’t mean to... not the little girl who chose to hide herself just to keep this kind of thing from happening.” Felix said, rubbing her back a little to sooth her. “Those ‘just animals’... they were your friends, weren’t they. The way you look, if killing just animals set you off then you’d be rather upset with yourself... these were special to you, right?”
She nodded into his armpit.
“Then... Melissa, it... its alright, I’m not upset with you, not in the least.” Felix said, trying to collect his thoughts. “You remember what I said about the bad men I end up disposing, that it is part of our perspective? Melissa, they killed your friends... you’re in the right to be upset about it... and with everything else... it isn’t your fault this happened.”
“It is though. And not everyone here did it...I did a very bad thing. And I don’t know what to do now.”
“Is that why you sent for me? You want my help?” Felix asked, before shaking his head. “Or, my advice or...” Felix took a small breath, calming himself a tad as he leaned back, looking at Melissa. “What do you need me to do Melissa?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know what! I’m a bad person like the ones you get rid of now, aren’t I?”
“Melissa... no, you aren’t like those bad men. You know why.” Felix said, motioning to the graves. “I don’t know a single bad man I’ve killed that would do this for the people he made suffer. You’re good Melissa, this was just... an unfortunate event.” Felix said, still hugging her as he slowly stood up.
“Now... we’re going to start by doing something a little extra for these people, something I do for them whether they’re good or bad.” Felix said, leading her over to one of the graves. “We’re going to send them off with a small prayer... now, repeat what as I do, alright?” Felix said to Melissa. He wasn’t sure exactly how much help this was going to be, but he needed to do something till he could think of a way to get her completely calm.
Melissa took a deep breath and nodded.
Felix nodded as well, before resting his hand on one of the graves. “May the next life receive you with arms open for your tragedy. Go in peace.” Felix said simply and quietly, before leaving room for Melissa to do the same, her lips barely moving as she quietly repeated the words. The process took a few minutes, each of the graves visited by both Melissa and Felix as each sent off those in the graves. After this Felix turned to Melissa, looking down at her.
“I know this probably doesn’t make this feel any more right for you, but...” Felix said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked down at the graves. “... at least this way they know that, for most of them, this was just... an unfortunate event.” Felix said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She laughs hysterically, “A bloody massacre is not an unfortunate event! How...how am I alive?” she looked up, “they were armed, I know they were...how could I have done it?”
“I... I don’t know.” Felix said honestly, as he looked down at her, and then back to the graves. It was as good a question as any, really, and an even better one to ask all things considered.
The two stood in solemn silence for a long time.
“What now?” the girl asked, “what do I do now?”
“To be honest, there is not much that can be done right now.” Felix said solemnly, looking down at her. “The only thing you can do for now is learn from this, try to temper yourself with this event, use it to help drive for better control.” Felix said simply, before looking back at the graves. “It sounds crass, I know, but right now that is the only good that can come out of this event.”
Melissa nodded, “Yes. Okay...thank you.”
“It is the least I can do Melissa.” Felix said, sighing as he looked up at the sky. “We should probably get moving, you live nearby, yes?”
“No...” she shook her head. “It’s gone.”
Felix sighed as he pat her on the shoulder. “Well... I don’t know if you’d exactly like this option... but I did say it was open. You could come back with me.”
Melissa goes very still for a little bit, “I...I could. If you wanted. I don’t know what to do anymore...”
Felix knelt down by Melissa, and gave her a meaningful look. “You realize if I took you with me, that’d mean living at the Guild... they’d probably ask you to start going through the training. I might be able to pull something with the Guildmaster but... you might eventually have to join us.”
“I know you hate killing, that’s why I asked you if you wanted to come... because I know how much it’d hurt you if you had to become an assassin.”
“I already did so much, so what’s a little more?” she replied dejectedly, “and at least there they could stop me...”
Felix nodded slowly, before giving Melissa another small hug. “I promise I’ll watch over you there when I can. We’ll help you as much as we can...” Felix said softly to her. “Now... are you ready?”
The girl nodded, then looked up at Felix and wrinkled her nose “It’s gonna be all hot and icky, isn’t it?”
Felix laughed a little, rubbing the top of her head. “It can be, but you’ll get used to it.” Felix said with a smile. Standing up slowly, Felix offered his hand out to her, nodding towards the distance. “Then again, we won’t know if you would like the island or not if we don’t get moving.” Felix said, as the two set off for the Guild, one for the very first time.
Seriously, we've basically created "untitled Assassin Quest".
Three Years Later
For Felix, it merely started off as a curious assignment the Guildmaster presented him with. Apparently, a letter, a tad poorly written, was sent to the Guild with the request for “Felix the Assassin” personally. The letter itself had no task or payment attached to it, only requesting Felix’s presence. The Guildmaster had only brought it up as a matter of curiosity. When Felix requested to know where the letter was asking him to go, the Guildmaster merely responded that it just said “the tundra”.
Felix accepted the assignment and quickly made his way to the boats off the island within moments.
Weeks later Felix was back in an area of the world he had only been near once before, his gear heavily padded for warmth as he made his way to traverse the deep tundra. He wasn’t entirely sure where Melissa was in this mess, but he knew he had to at least try to look. He silently hoped that the girl had at least Seen him somehow, and would be able to cut short his wild goose chase.
He decided to stop in a little town at the edge of ‘civilization’ in the area if it could even be called that. As he approached, he noticed a curious lack of any sort of activity. Felix cautiously made his way into the town, his crossbow at the ready, just in case.
All of his years as an assassin could not have prepared him for what he saw. The town was a literal graveyard. Dozens of fresh graves were lined up in the town square, each marked by a boulder. He was shocked that anyone had been able to dig under the permafrost, but there they were.
And, kneeling in front of one of the patches of disturbed dirt was a girl he hardly recognized.
Felix at first couldn’t believe his eyes. The bright haired, quiet (but secretly capable of screaming) little girl he had almost recruited into the Guild was now a very dirty, brunette. She was still seemingly well fed, and was seemingly the right height for her age, meaning that, as she said, she had somehow managed to take good care of herself since he last saw her. His old robes were still somewhat hung around her shoulders, albeit amazingly dirty and torn in several places.
Lowering his crossbow slightly, Felix began to cautiously approach. “Melissa?” He asked softly, not wanting to startle the girl.
She turned slowly, tears streaming down her face and snot dribbling from her nose, “Felix...” she said softly, holding out blistered and bleeding hands, “I...I couldn’t do it. I’m so sorry.”
Felix’s expression dropped into a sad frown as he put the crossbow down at his side, walking over to the girl and, without a seconds hesitation, pulled her into a large hug, pressing her protectively against him. “No... I’m sorry. I failed you all those years ago by letting this happen... this is my fault...”
“I...I didn’t mean to,” she whispered, “But they killed my-.” she sobs, “just animals, but I couldn’t stand it! And then I saw so many terrible things and I just...just...”
“I know you didn’t mean to... not the little girl who chose to hide herself just to keep this kind of thing from happening.” Felix said, rubbing her back a little to sooth her. “Those ‘just animals’... they were your friends, weren’t they. The way you look, if killing just animals set you off then you’d be rather upset with yourself... these were special to you, right?”
She nodded into his armpit.
“Then... Melissa, it... its alright, I’m not upset with you, not in the least.” Felix said, trying to collect his thoughts. “You remember what I said about the bad men I end up disposing, that it is part of our perspective? Melissa, they killed your friends... you’re in the right to be upset about it... and with everything else... it isn’t your fault this happened.”
“It is though. And not everyone here did it...I did a very bad thing. And I don’t know what to do now.”
“Is that why you sent for me? You want my help?” Felix asked, before shaking his head. “Or, my advice or...” Felix took a small breath, calming himself a tad as he leaned back, looking at Melissa. “What do you need me to do Melissa?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know what! I’m a bad person like the ones you get rid of now, aren’t I?”
“Melissa... no, you aren’t like those bad men. You know why.” Felix said, motioning to the graves. “I don’t know a single bad man I’ve killed that would do this for the people he made suffer. You’re good Melissa, this was just... an unfortunate event.” Felix said, still hugging her as he slowly stood up.
“Now... we’re going to start by doing something a little extra for these people, something I do for them whether they’re good or bad.” Felix said, leading her over to one of the graves. “We’re going to send them off with a small prayer... now, repeat what as I do, alright?” Felix said to Melissa. He wasn’t sure exactly how much help this was going to be, but he needed to do something till he could think of a way to get her completely calm.
Melissa took a deep breath and nodded.
Felix nodded as well, before resting his hand on one of the graves. “May the next life receive you with arms open for your tragedy. Go in peace.” Felix said simply and quietly, before leaving room for Melissa to do the same, her lips barely moving as she quietly repeated the words. The process took a few minutes, each of the graves visited by both Melissa and Felix as each sent off those in the graves. After this Felix turned to Melissa, looking down at her.
“I know this probably doesn’t make this feel any more right for you, but...” Felix said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked down at the graves. “... at least this way they know that, for most of them, this was just... an unfortunate event.” Felix said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She laughs hysterically, “A bloody massacre is not an unfortunate event! How...how am I alive?” she looked up, “they were armed, I know they were...how could I have done it?”
“I... I don’t know.” Felix said honestly, as he looked down at her, and then back to the graves. It was as good a question as any, really, and an even better one to ask all things considered.
The two stood in solemn silence for a long time.
“What now?” the girl asked, “what do I do now?”
“To be honest, there is not much that can be done right now.” Felix said solemnly, looking down at her. “The only thing you can do for now is learn from this, try to temper yourself with this event, use it to help drive for better control.” Felix said simply, before looking back at the graves. “It sounds crass, I know, but right now that is the only good that can come out of this event.”
Melissa nodded, “Yes. Okay...thank you.”
“It is the least I can do Melissa.” Felix said, sighing as he looked up at the sky. “We should probably get moving, you live nearby, yes?”
“No...” she shook her head. “It’s gone.”
Felix sighed as he pat her on the shoulder. “Well... I don’t know if you’d exactly like this option... but I did say it was open. You could come back with me.”
Melissa goes very still for a little bit, “I...I could. If you wanted. I don’t know what to do anymore...”
Felix knelt down by Melissa, and gave her a meaningful look. “You realize if I took you with me, that’d mean living at the Guild... they’d probably ask you to start going through the training. I might be able to pull something with the Guildmaster but... you might eventually have to join us.”
“I know you hate killing, that’s why I asked you if you wanted to come... because I know how much it’d hurt you if you had to become an assassin.”
“I already did so much, so what’s a little more?” she replied dejectedly, “and at least there they could stop me...”
Felix nodded slowly, before giving Melissa another small hug. “I promise I’ll watch over you there when I can. We’ll help you as much as we can...” Felix said softly to her. “Now... are you ready?”
The girl nodded, then looked up at Felix and wrinkled her nose “It’s gonna be all hot and icky, isn’t it?”
Felix laughed a little, rubbing the top of her head. “It can be, but you’ll get used to it.” Felix said with a smile. Standing up slowly, Felix offered his hand out to her, nodding towards the distance. “Then again, we won’t know if you would like the island or not if we don’t get moving.” Felix said, as the two set off for the Guild, one for the very first time.
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Arganaut - Posts: 1860
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
It's in my signiture (as of yesterday) add to itAlso, maybe you guys should post a link to the tvtrope quest page?
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serbii - Posts: 4584
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Awesome. Let's see if I can figure out how to edit tvtropes later ..It's in my signiture (as of yesterday) add to itAlso, maybe you guys should post a link to the tvtrope quest page?
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LifeOfGesture - Posts: 742
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Quests and Characters: Peri of Necromancy Quest and Felix of Assassin Quest (again :D)
Authors: serbii and Arganaut, Mag lurking the lurker that he is
Conversation with a Mayfly
So this was one of the worse assignments, a girl, age unknown but 17 at the most, probably younger if the height was any indication, has managed to piss off someone at the church and was now declared a heretic. Someone high enough up that they will willing to pay to have her killed, Felix briefly wonders what she could have done.
Despite his misgivings he follows her as she wandered from a small town house towards the market, the town still dim in the dawn light. He slips ahead of her and waits, composing himself before slipping out from an alcove as she walks past, reaching for her mouth with one hand and her spine with a knife in the other. She senses him a moment too late, but she still sees it coming and he misses her mouth, though she doesn’t scream as the knife slips home. She turns her head and looks up into his face, pale green eyes and a dusting of freckles beneath strands of long blonde hair.
She smirks at him as she dies.
Although somewhat put off by the fact that this young girl had smiled, actually smiled before dying, Felix shook it off and considered it an assignment completed. Offering her his prayer before leaving, he rode his way back to the Guild, told the master that his work had been completed, and set about the rest of his day. That night, after a nice evening, he laid down in bed, deciding to rest for the night...
That is, until, he was awoken in the middle of the night.
A girl, the girl stands on the table by the window, wrapped in a bed sheet, her now short blonde hair side lit by the moon light and street lamps, a small eerie smile gracing her lips on a too white face; the freckles gone. Her eyes are the same though, pale green, almost yellow in the dim light. Felix’s eyes meet hers and she smiles, showing entirely too many teeth to be friendly.
“Hello, I’ve come to ask why you killed me,” her gaze never wavers as she cocks her head “and why I shouldn’t return the favour?”
Felix had to admit, this was probably one of the few times where losing the Guild’s signature cool would’ve been entirely appropriate. Felix had never been entirely sure if anything supernatural could occur, wasn’t even all that interested in figuring it out, but he was pretty damn sure that was he was seeing in front of him was, at the very least, some sort of specter.
“You’re going to have to pardon me-” Felix said, an eyebrow raised underneath his hood. “-my work hasn’t exactly ever decided to follow me back home.” He said in a very wry tone of voice.
“Yes, I’d imagine.” She replies dryly.
There was a bit of quiet for a few minutes as the two just stared back and forth at each other, before Felix spoke, his tone uncertain. “So... do you need me to tell you why so you can pass on, or is this just you haunting me for the hell of it?”
She barks a laugh “If only it were that easy, no, I’m just here to find out what kind of person kills a girl as she wanders off to market. Plus I’m in the habit of killing those who kill me. A nice little circle of life, death and undeath you know?”
“Sounds more like poetic justice if you ask me, but then again what do I know.” Felix said, his arms underneath his robes. “Alright then... so, where do I begin with this. I suppose we should start with the basics: I’m an assassin, so I, personally, had very little will or reason to kill you aside from the fact that my Guild just got hired out for the job by the Church, who had taken you to be a heretic of some sort.”
“Although, I’m idly starting to wonder if ‘Pagan’ might not have been the better label in this situation.” Felix commented curiously.
“Technically I guess, as I’m not their religion. Though I’m pretty sure ‘heretic’ works too, I suspect I’m a sin against their god one way or another.” She replies wryly. “Probably shouldn’t mess with bishops.”
“It all boils down to semantics, I suppose?” Felix said with a shrug. “Not much the religious type myself.”
She shrugs, “I have no need for religion, I don’t have to worry about anything after this. You get points by the way, for being professional. I’ve had worse deaths. Still not sure if I’m going to kill you or not.” She runs a hand through her hair and frowns at the length.
“I’m almost always professional... I just like to make things quick for the people I don’t particularly feel... good, comfortable, right, all these words could apply, about being sent after.” Felix said with some conviction. “A seventeen year old girl certainly falls into that category.”
She smiles slightly, “That’s one of the reasons I go after the people who hurt me, even if I’m not normal they think I am... Revenge and they don’t get to hurt anyone again. So mister assassin, I suppose if I kill you here another one will just take your place, maybe someone less ‘professional’ shall we say? You and the other mayflies go along killing each other for whatever little reasons they come up with. I believe I’ve got a bishop to visit.”
“You’re letting me live?” Felix asked, quite honestly curious about this bit of a turn.
She shrugs, “If you die another will take your place, you have little enough time left as it is. I could wander through this place and kill everyone if I wanted, might take a while, but it’d get done in the end. It wouldn’t matter. My quarrel isn’t with you, you’re just the middle man, I don’t care what happens to you so I may as well just let it be. Besides, you maaaaay get in a little trouble when I kill that guy.” She grins “You might want to say I have a twin or something, or give them their money back.”
“They know I completed my job the first time and they’ll come up with their reasons for why you, or ‘someone mysteriously similar’ to you is still up and about. Its what they do, after all, come up with things to explain very unexplainable events.” Felix said with a small smirk.
She laughs, “Oh did they have my body? Oh that’s grand, I wonder if anyone was with it when it vanished. Ahh, I hope I get put in their book as a demon or something. I have a fitting name and everything. I love it when things turn out big.”
“I personally would be less excited about big, noticeable events, but then again I suppose that comes with the territory of being an assassin.” Felix said with a shrug.
“Bah, sounds like a boring life.”
Felix offers up little more than a small shrug. “It certainly has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t say it is boring.”
She looks for a moment, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” It sounds a bit like an insult. She rubs her eyes and sighs, “Well that filled up a day or so. I got to go somewhere new and I’m not sure I’ve had a conversation with an assassin before so it’s not a total loss. I’ll be back if I decide to kill you after all, though you’ll probably be dead by the time I get the whim, That’s happened before.” She says thoughtfully.
“I’ll admit this is a rather... interesting experience as well. I’ve never conversed with someone I’ve assassinated after the fact.” Felix said with a raised eyebrow, before nodding at her. “My assignment only provided me with a description of you, the church didn’t dig up a name. Might I ask your name?”
“Peri.” She says with a smile, “Like the faeries who couldn’t get into paradise for being on the wrong side during The Fall. I thought it was fitting, I’ll have to make sure the church knows it. The peris don’t get enough publicity now days, see if I can make them scare small children again.”
“Felix.” Felix said, indicating himself. “And I’m sure the church would be absolutely thrilled by such a prospect.” He commented a tad wryly.
“I’ll be supporting their doctrine, they should be grateful.”
“I suppose so.” Felix said, before bowing his head at her. “Here’s hoping that if we ever do run into each again, it is under less stabbing terms.” Felix said with a small grin.
She smiles wryly, “Don’t let me catch you killing anyone or the stabbing will be the other way around.”
“If you can even get at anything vital from all the way down there.” Felix said, his turn to be wry as a small smirk graced his features.
“You consider your balls non vital then? You know most men... ah... I see... my sympathies.” She says with complete (false) sincerity.
“Well, I do consider them somewhat vital... and sympathies for what?” Felix asked, curious now as to what she meant.
“Well I just figured there was problem, what with your lack of concern.” Holding back a smile.
“I just didn’t take you for the type to be into dirty tricks like that.” Felix said with a small laugh.
“Despite my looks young Felix, I am a dirty old woman.” She says, now grinning.
“I’ll certainly keep that in mind.” Felix said, before removing one of his hands from his robe, extending it out to her. “So, thanks for the whole not killing me thing, and I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior if I ever run into you again.” He said with a small smile.
“And I will attempt to remember how I know you and who you are if I ever run into you again.” She says with a little half smile as she slips one hand out from the sheet and grasps his briefly.
“Just remember that I’m the dashing assassin you spared.” Felix said, a small laugh accompanying his sentence as he briefly shook her hand.
“Seventeen hundred years and it will go down as my greatest regret,” she says with a small amount of drama before turning and nimbly hopping out of the window and disappearing from sight.
Felix stared out the window for a moment, contemplating the woman whom has just left his company. “Seventeen hundred years huh... well, this is going to make for an interesting story I’ll probably hold off on telling for a good, long while.” Felix said, smiling a little bit as he set about getting ready to sleep once again.
Authors: serbii and Arganaut, Mag lurking the lurker that he is
Conversation with a Mayfly
So this was one of the worse assignments, a girl, age unknown but 17 at the most, probably younger if the height was any indication, has managed to piss off someone at the church and was now declared a heretic. Someone high enough up that they will willing to pay to have her killed, Felix briefly wonders what she could have done.
Despite his misgivings he follows her as she wandered from a small town house towards the market, the town still dim in the dawn light. He slips ahead of her and waits, composing himself before slipping out from an alcove as she walks past, reaching for her mouth with one hand and her spine with a knife in the other. She senses him a moment too late, but she still sees it coming and he misses her mouth, though she doesn’t scream as the knife slips home. She turns her head and looks up into his face, pale green eyes and a dusting of freckles beneath strands of long blonde hair.
She smirks at him as she dies.
Although somewhat put off by the fact that this young girl had smiled, actually smiled before dying, Felix shook it off and considered it an assignment completed. Offering her his prayer before leaving, he rode his way back to the Guild, told the master that his work had been completed, and set about the rest of his day. That night, after a nice evening, he laid down in bed, deciding to rest for the night...
That is, until, he was awoken in the middle of the night.
A girl, the girl stands on the table by the window, wrapped in a bed sheet, her now short blonde hair side lit by the moon light and street lamps, a small eerie smile gracing her lips on a too white face; the freckles gone. Her eyes are the same though, pale green, almost yellow in the dim light. Felix’s eyes meet hers and she smiles, showing entirely too many teeth to be friendly.
“Hello, I’ve come to ask why you killed me,” her gaze never wavers as she cocks her head “and why I shouldn’t return the favour?”
Felix had to admit, this was probably one of the few times where losing the Guild’s signature cool would’ve been entirely appropriate. Felix had never been entirely sure if anything supernatural could occur, wasn’t even all that interested in figuring it out, but he was pretty damn sure that was he was seeing in front of him was, at the very least, some sort of specter.
“You’re going to have to pardon me-” Felix said, an eyebrow raised underneath his hood. “-my work hasn’t exactly ever decided to follow me back home.” He said in a very wry tone of voice.
“Yes, I’d imagine.” She replies dryly.
There was a bit of quiet for a few minutes as the two just stared back and forth at each other, before Felix spoke, his tone uncertain. “So... do you need me to tell you why so you can pass on, or is this just you haunting me for the hell of it?”
She barks a laugh “If only it were that easy, no, I’m just here to find out what kind of person kills a girl as she wanders off to market. Plus I’m in the habit of killing those who kill me. A nice little circle of life, death and undeath you know?”
“Sounds more like poetic justice if you ask me, but then again what do I know.” Felix said, his arms underneath his robes. “Alright then... so, where do I begin with this. I suppose we should start with the basics: I’m an assassin, so I, personally, had very little will or reason to kill you aside from the fact that my Guild just got hired out for the job by the Church, who had taken you to be a heretic of some sort.”
“Although, I’m idly starting to wonder if ‘Pagan’ might not have been the better label in this situation.” Felix commented curiously.
“Technically I guess, as I’m not their religion. Though I’m pretty sure ‘heretic’ works too, I suspect I’m a sin against their god one way or another.” She replies wryly. “Probably shouldn’t mess with bishops.”
“It all boils down to semantics, I suppose?” Felix said with a shrug. “Not much the religious type myself.”
She shrugs, “I have no need for religion, I don’t have to worry about anything after this. You get points by the way, for being professional. I’ve had worse deaths. Still not sure if I’m going to kill you or not.” She runs a hand through her hair and frowns at the length.
“I’m almost always professional... I just like to make things quick for the people I don’t particularly feel... good, comfortable, right, all these words could apply, about being sent after.” Felix said with some conviction. “A seventeen year old girl certainly falls into that category.”
She smiles slightly, “That’s one of the reasons I go after the people who hurt me, even if I’m not normal they think I am... Revenge and they don’t get to hurt anyone again. So mister assassin, I suppose if I kill you here another one will just take your place, maybe someone less ‘professional’ shall we say? You and the other mayflies go along killing each other for whatever little reasons they come up with. I believe I’ve got a bishop to visit.”
“You’re letting me live?” Felix asked, quite honestly curious about this bit of a turn.
She shrugs, “If you die another will take your place, you have little enough time left as it is. I could wander through this place and kill everyone if I wanted, might take a while, but it’d get done in the end. It wouldn’t matter. My quarrel isn’t with you, you’re just the middle man, I don’t care what happens to you so I may as well just let it be. Besides, you maaaaay get in a little trouble when I kill that guy.” She grins “You might want to say I have a twin or something, or give them their money back.”
“They know I completed my job the first time and they’ll come up with their reasons for why you, or ‘someone mysteriously similar’ to you is still up and about. Its what they do, after all, come up with things to explain very unexplainable events.” Felix said with a small smirk.
She laughs, “Oh did they have my body? Oh that’s grand, I wonder if anyone was with it when it vanished. Ahh, I hope I get put in their book as a demon or something. I have a fitting name and everything. I love it when things turn out big.”
“I personally would be less excited about big, noticeable events, but then again I suppose that comes with the territory of being an assassin.” Felix said with a shrug.
“Bah, sounds like a boring life.”
Felix offers up little more than a small shrug. “It certainly has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t say it is boring.”
She looks for a moment, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” It sounds a bit like an insult. She rubs her eyes and sighs, “Well that filled up a day or so. I got to go somewhere new and I’m not sure I’ve had a conversation with an assassin before so it’s not a total loss. I’ll be back if I decide to kill you after all, though you’ll probably be dead by the time I get the whim, That’s happened before.” She says thoughtfully.
“I’ll admit this is a rather... interesting experience as well. I’ve never conversed with someone I’ve assassinated after the fact.” Felix said with a raised eyebrow, before nodding at her. “My assignment only provided me with a description of you, the church didn’t dig up a name. Might I ask your name?”
“Peri.” She says with a smile, “Like the faeries who couldn’t get into paradise for being on the wrong side during The Fall. I thought it was fitting, I’ll have to make sure the church knows it. The peris don’t get enough publicity now days, see if I can make them scare small children again.”
“Felix.” Felix said, indicating himself. “And I’m sure the church would be absolutely thrilled by such a prospect.” He commented a tad wryly.
“I’ll be supporting their doctrine, they should be grateful.”
“I suppose so.” Felix said, before bowing his head at her. “Here’s hoping that if we ever do run into each again, it is under less stabbing terms.” Felix said with a small grin.
She smiles wryly, “Don’t let me catch you killing anyone or the stabbing will be the other way around.”
“If you can even get at anything vital from all the way down there.” Felix said, his turn to be wry as a small smirk graced his features.
“You consider your balls non vital then? You know most men... ah... I see... my sympathies.” She says with complete (false) sincerity.
“Well, I do consider them somewhat vital... and sympathies for what?” Felix asked, curious now as to what she meant.
“Well I just figured there was problem, what with your lack of concern.” Holding back a smile.
“I just didn’t take you for the type to be into dirty tricks like that.” Felix said with a small laugh.
“Despite my looks young Felix, I am a dirty old woman.” She says, now grinning.
“I’ll certainly keep that in mind.” Felix said, before removing one of his hands from his robe, extending it out to her. “So, thanks for the whole not killing me thing, and I’ll be sure to be on my best behavior if I ever run into you again.” He said with a small smile.
“And I will attempt to remember how I know you and who you are if I ever run into you again.” She says with a little half smile as she slips one hand out from the sheet and grasps his briefly.
“Just remember that I’m the dashing assassin you spared.” Felix said, a small laugh accompanying his sentence as he briefly shook her hand.
“Seventeen hundred years and it will go down as my greatest regret,” she says with a small amount of drama before turning and nimbly hopping out of the window and disappearing from sight.
Felix stared out the window for a moment, contemplating the woman whom has just left his company. “Seventeen hundred years huh... well, this is going to make for an interesting story I’ll probably hold off on telling for a good, long while.” Felix said, smiling a little bit as he set about getting ready to sleep once again.
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serbii - Posts: 4584
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Felix is so polite.
And Peri is so silly awesome. XD
And Peri is so silly awesome. XD
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ewuvi - Posts: 3879
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Screw crazy awesome, silly is where it's at.
...wait, wut?
------
Quests and Characters: Leto of Necromancy Quest and Kade of untitled quest
Authors: serbii and ewuvi
untitled death
Normal people didn’t die when they were bored, of this Leto was fairly certain. He was also beginning to suspect he wasn’t a normal person. With nothing better to do he wandered the River, figuring it was good practice, or an ancient holy tradition or it was something, anything to do. Stupid family with their stupid lives out of the stupid house, damn he was bored. After some mindless meandering Leto came to the falls and found something definitely out of the ordinary, a young man sitting on the edge, swinging his feet merrily. Leto just stared for a moment.
“Uh, hi?”
“Hello, I haven’t seen many people around here,” the man replied brightly.
“Yeah, it’s kind of like that...” Leto wonders what to say, “Um, you know this is Death right?”
“Death? What an unhappy name for a place,” the man replies, his spirits apparently undampened.
“Fits the decor though.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. My home is always so frozen. The river is nice. So, why aren’t there any people around here, scary naming aside? It’s so beautiful,” the man says wistfully.
Leto shrugs and goes to sit next to him, “I like it, but I think that’s one of the things I can’t help. You shouldn’t stay here though. People are just meant to pass through, hanging around can be dangerous. Do you remember what happened before you got here?”
“Just pass through?” the man asks, “And my memory has always been really terrible...hmm, give me a minute or two...”
“I think I can give you a minute or two,” Leto said with a smile before stretching and yawning.
The man looks contemplative for long moments, “Ohhh. Ouch,” he chuckles, “that had to have hurt a lot!” he glances over at Leto, “So...when you called this place Death, you meant the ‘vital functions have stopped, not waking up’ kind?”
“Except in exceptional cases yeah, pretty much. I’m the ferry man so to speak, though normally I don’t actually meet people here.” He points to a dark shape in the water as it shoots past, “Normally people just look like that. Finding someone, well, sitting up and talking, is pretty weird. I don’t suppose we’re related at all?”
“I don’t think so,” the man replies, “but, as I said, I have a terrible memory. Brain damage or something, I think. I’m sort of...surprised to be here. I’ve thrown myself at so many things, expecting not to make it...and this time, it looks like I’m not gonna. Unless there’s a way I can go back?”
“I can take you back if you like. I mean, I don’t know if it will stick, you can hardly go back to your body if the head is missing but I can give you the chance if you want.” Leto says with a sad smile.
The man winces, “No, no, I’m pretty squished. Pancake flat,” he sighs, “I guess no more bacon for me, huh?”
“Yeah, sorry. I don’t think there’s much I can do for you then. I suppose I can make sure you can get to the end without being eaten by anything.”
“It’s a pity,” the man says, “that this place is Death. I know a girl who’d love this place... I wish I could wait for her here. She feels so betrayed already.”
“I’m sorry.” Leto says with genuine remorse, “But you really shouldn’t wait. This place changes people, you wouldn’t like what you’d become.”
The man smiles broadly, “I can wait for her in the bit that comes after this though, right? And maybe...you could help her too? She’ll be really scared and she’s kind of mean when she’s scared.”
“Yeah, you’ll end up in the same place in the end, and I’ll keep an eye out for her and help her through.” He smiles wryly “Though hopefully she won’t be here too soon.”
“Hopefully, yes. So...who and what are you?”
“My name’s Leto, ah, do you know what an Abhorsen is?”
“No clue,” he says merrily.
“Then you lot are the sheep and I’m the shepherd. I’m supposed to make sure you get to the next field safely. That make sense?”
“You’re like...an adolescent, friendly, grim reaper?” the man asks.
“Yessss!” Leto replies with glee and a cheery smile, “Turns out it’s an inherited job. Fun huh?”
“Better than Brainstalking,” the man replies with a nod.
“Brainstalking is inherited... what’s brainstalking?” The younger boy asks, confused.
“I don’t know if it’s inherited, but brainstalking is where you stalk someone with your brain,” he laughs, “unfortunately you can’t pick your target, it seems. The girl has it worse, that’s why she’s really mean sometimes. Maybe seeing how nice and peaceful it is here will make her happier. At least, I hope it will. I wish I could go back...just for a few seconds, to tell her that. Maybe I could hang on long enough...” he trails off, “if it’s something like this, I will hang on long enough, I’m sure of it!”
Leto thinks for a long moment then cocks his head, “Where is she?”
“Greenland, I think.”
“I don’t know where that is, I don’t think it’s in my world, I know a few of them meet here...” he says apologetic, “I’d try to find her for you otherwise.”
“So send me back! Just for a minute, I promise, and I’ll come back and I’ll go to the end,” the man says excitedly.
“Sure, sure I’ll take you back then the rest is up to you, I can’t hold you out of here.” Leto says, a small smile at the man’s enthusiasm.
“Thank you so much!” the man stands up, “My name is Kade, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” Leto says with a smile before leading the older boy up river, finally coming to a the misty light leading back to life, “Ok, you ready?” he asks, taking a bell from the bandoleer strung across his chest.
“Yes.”
“Ok, good luck then. See you later maybe,” Leto rings the Bell and Kade’s feet start moving of their own accord towards the light and life.
--------------------------------------------------------------
A girl with brown hair kneels next to the shattered body of a young man, crying.
He suddenly opens his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Ow!” he exclaims.
“Kade?” she shrieks.
“Yah, I don’t have much time, I don’t think. Anyway. Death is actually a pretty nice place. A long river, it’s really cool. And there’s this cute boy who escorts the dead to the end, I think you’d like him. But anyway, it’s nice and I’ll be waiting for you, and I really do love you Cass. You’re the best friend I could ever ask for,” he takes another shuddering breath, but doesn’t release it, his eyes glazing back over.
--------------------------------------------------------------
A dark haired boy waits patiently in a grim, gray world, the sound of waterfalls rumbling in the distance, a minute later an older boy appears, stepping through a screen of dim light and mist. The dark haired boy smiles at him.
“Did you see her?”
“Yes. I hope she doesn’t think it’s another of my crazy ramblings,” Kade scratches the back of his head with a slight smile.
Leto smiles, “I think she should take your parting message seriously, come on, I’ll walk with you for a way and I’ll make sure you get to the end safely.”
...wait, wut?
------
Quests and Characters: Leto of Necromancy Quest and Kade of untitled quest
Authors: serbii and ewuvi
untitled death
Normal people didn’t die when they were bored, of this Leto was fairly certain. He was also beginning to suspect he wasn’t a normal person. With nothing better to do he wandered the River, figuring it was good practice, or an ancient holy tradition or it was something, anything to do. Stupid family with their stupid lives out of the stupid house, damn he was bored. After some mindless meandering Leto came to the falls and found something definitely out of the ordinary, a young man sitting on the edge, swinging his feet merrily. Leto just stared for a moment.
“Uh, hi?”
“Hello, I haven’t seen many people around here,” the man replied brightly.
“Yeah, it’s kind of like that...” Leto wonders what to say, “Um, you know this is Death right?”
“Death? What an unhappy name for a place,” the man replies, his spirits apparently undampened.
“Fits the decor though.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. My home is always so frozen. The river is nice. So, why aren’t there any people around here, scary naming aside? It’s so beautiful,” the man says wistfully.
Leto shrugs and goes to sit next to him, “I like it, but I think that’s one of the things I can’t help. You shouldn’t stay here though. People are just meant to pass through, hanging around can be dangerous. Do you remember what happened before you got here?”
“Just pass through?” the man asks, “And my memory has always been really terrible...hmm, give me a minute or two...”
“I think I can give you a minute or two,” Leto said with a smile before stretching and yawning.
The man looks contemplative for long moments, “Ohhh. Ouch,” he chuckles, “that had to have hurt a lot!” he glances over at Leto, “So...when you called this place Death, you meant the ‘vital functions have stopped, not waking up’ kind?”
“Except in exceptional cases yeah, pretty much. I’m the ferry man so to speak, though normally I don’t actually meet people here.” He points to a dark shape in the water as it shoots past, “Normally people just look like that. Finding someone, well, sitting up and talking, is pretty weird. I don’t suppose we’re related at all?”
“I don’t think so,” the man replies, “but, as I said, I have a terrible memory. Brain damage or something, I think. I’m sort of...surprised to be here. I’ve thrown myself at so many things, expecting not to make it...and this time, it looks like I’m not gonna. Unless there’s a way I can go back?”
“I can take you back if you like. I mean, I don’t know if it will stick, you can hardly go back to your body if the head is missing but I can give you the chance if you want.” Leto says with a sad smile.
The man winces, “No, no, I’m pretty squished. Pancake flat,” he sighs, “I guess no more bacon for me, huh?”
“Yeah, sorry. I don’t think there’s much I can do for you then. I suppose I can make sure you can get to the end without being eaten by anything.”
“It’s a pity,” the man says, “that this place is Death. I know a girl who’d love this place... I wish I could wait for her here. She feels so betrayed already.”
“I’m sorry.” Leto says with genuine remorse, “But you really shouldn’t wait. This place changes people, you wouldn’t like what you’d become.”
The man smiles broadly, “I can wait for her in the bit that comes after this though, right? And maybe...you could help her too? She’ll be really scared and she’s kind of mean when she’s scared.”
“Yeah, you’ll end up in the same place in the end, and I’ll keep an eye out for her and help her through.” He smiles wryly “Though hopefully she won’t be here too soon.”
“Hopefully, yes. So...who and what are you?”
“My name’s Leto, ah, do you know what an Abhorsen is?”
“No clue,” he says merrily.
“Then you lot are the sheep and I’m the shepherd. I’m supposed to make sure you get to the next field safely. That make sense?”
“You’re like...an adolescent, friendly, grim reaper?” the man asks.
“Yessss!” Leto replies with glee and a cheery smile, “Turns out it’s an inherited job. Fun huh?”
“Better than Brainstalking,” the man replies with a nod.
“Brainstalking is inherited... what’s brainstalking?” The younger boy asks, confused.
“I don’t know if it’s inherited, but brainstalking is where you stalk someone with your brain,” he laughs, “unfortunately you can’t pick your target, it seems. The girl has it worse, that’s why she’s really mean sometimes. Maybe seeing how nice and peaceful it is here will make her happier. At least, I hope it will. I wish I could go back...just for a few seconds, to tell her that. Maybe I could hang on long enough...” he trails off, “if it’s something like this, I will hang on long enough, I’m sure of it!”
Leto thinks for a long moment then cocks his head, “Where is she?”
“Greenland, I think.”
“I don’t know where that is, I don’t think it’s in my world, I know a few of them meet here...” he says apologetic, “I’d try to find her for you otherwise.”
“So send me back! Just for a minute, I promise, and I’ll come back and I’ll go to the end,” the man says excitedly.
“Sure, sure I’ll take you back then the rest is up to you, I can’t hold you out of here.” Leto says, a small smile at the man’s enthusiasm.
“Thank you so much!” the man stands up, “My name is Kade, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you,” Leto says with a smile before leading the older boy up river, finally coming to a the misty light leading back to life, “Ok, you ready?” he asks, taking a bell from the bandoleer strung across his chest.
“Yes.”
“Ok, good luck then. See you later maybe,” Leto rings the Bell and Kade’s feet start moving of their own accord towards the light and life.
--------------------------------------------------------------
A girl with brown hair kneels next to the shattered body of a young man, crying.
He suddenly opens his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Ow!” he exclaims.
“Kade?” she shrieks.
“Yah, I don’t have much time, I don’t think. Anyway. Death is actually a pretty nice place. A long river, it’s really cool. And there’s this cute boy who escorts the dead to the end, I think you’d like him. But anyway, it’s nice and I’ll be waiting for you, and I really do love you Cass. You’re the best friend I could ever ask for,” he takes another shuddering breath, but doesn’t release it, his eyes glazing back over.
--------------------------------------------------------------
A dark haired boy waits patiently in a grim, gray world, the sound of waterfalls rumbling in the distance, a minute later an older boy appears, stepping through a screen of dim light and mist. The dark haired boy smiles at him.
“Did you see her?”
“Yes. I hope she doesn’t think it’s another of my crazy ramblings,” Kade scratches the back of his head with a slight smile.
Leto smiles, “I think she should take your parting message seriously, come on, I’ll walk with you for a way and I’ll make sure you get to the end safely.”
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serbii - Posts: 4584
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Quests and Characters: Kade and Cassandra of Untitled Quest, Cain, and a brief referance to Lucy of Vampire quest.
Authors: Darkandus and ewuvi.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is Bacon
Kade sat beside Cassandra’s bed, the gentle susurration of her breath interrupted only by the steady beep of the machine next to her bed. Wires connecting it to her. Kade’s head rested on the bed next to her, his eyes closed and a small pool of drool staining the white fabric. He’d tried to stay awake until she opened her eyes, but it was proving impossible. Especially when trying to stay awake for someone who hadn’t opened their eyes for a week.
The door opens, and a man walked into the room, and Kade jolts into consciousness, looking over the intruder. A large man, unarmed, but still dangerous, he could swear he remembered the man from somewhere.
Kade stares for a second, before realization dawns, “You! You...why would someone like you be here? She hasn’t done anything wrong, hasn’t she been hurt enough?”
The man, Cain, seems to take him in at a glance, before smiling at him. Holding his palms out to the sides to show he wasn’t carrying anything,
“I’ve never wanted to hurt an innocent, so you don’t have to worry. I have no reason to harm her.”
“She’s hardly innocent, thanks to people like you,” Kade says vehemently, not caring that the man could probably squash him like a bug, “you should go. What if she sees you here? She’d get worse!”
“She is innocent compared to a lot of people I’ve met, more innocent than I am anyway.” Cain sighs. “She won’t wake up, not for a while. As for if she saw me. Well, I’m sure she would be pleased if I offered her my head.” He flashed a fierce grin. “If she could take it.”
Kade shifts uncomfortably, trying to place himself further between the girl and the Emperor. He was used to her being violent and loud and so...present. Not the steadily breathing husk of a child currently laying on the hospital bed. “Even so, why are you here?”
“Call it a vested interest. I knew her mother, she was someone I cared about deeply, and the same affection extends to her girl. I’m glad though. You seem to care for her. She needs people like you, to keep her strong.”
“You do know she’s been living completely alone in the wilds for quite a long time, right? And she’s a kid still. She shouldn’t need to be strong,” Kade gently takes Cassandra’s limp hand, several of her fingers wrapped up in casts.
Cain nods. “Curse of the bloodline I’m afraid, no matter how far detached from it you are, your closest companion from birth to death is misery, it is lucky that the blood makes for a strong will as well.”
“She won’t be miserable, I won’t let her. And what do you know of her family anyway? They left her to run off on her own, to be hunted down like a witch to be burned at a stake!”
“Ah, I know someone like you, she’s nicer to me though.”
Cain stands there, looking at Kade for a few seconds, with a smirk on his face.
“You probably didn’t mindrape her friends,” Kade remarks, terrified, but unwilling to back down. Cassandra needed someone to tell this man what he did to her, even if she’d probably prefer to tell him herself.
“You can’t Mindrape someone simply by existing, there has to be intent, and the only intent I have ever had is to try and make sure this world doesn’t die in fire and darkness. I appreciate you standing up for her though. Perhaps you can help her, help make her happy.”
Kade looks to the side and mumbles, “Well, it helps that I don’t have any survival instinct,” he straightens up slightly and says louder, “why do you care about her though? Obviously her parents didn’t, and you were content to let her just go on, slipping away like she was. Why now? Because she’s in a hospital and you don’t actually have to deal with how hurt she is?”
Cain tilts his head, grinning at the first comment, then sighed as he heard the rest.
“I care, because I care about everyone. If you want to know why I care about her in particular, it’s because she is my Granddaughter, and the only way I can help her is by staying away. Well, it was the only way, but the other solution has problems of her own to deal with. As for how I “let her go.” That was more her mothers skill at hiding, I am not everywhere, I do not know everything, especially outside my realm. I only found her because you brought her to a hospital.”
Kade sits, shocked, looking back at Cassandra, “But she...she...no wonder she hates herself so much...to be the person she hates more than anyone else’s...”
Cain shrugs. “Are you sure she even knows? She might suspect, instinctively, but do you actually know she is aware of her heritage?”
Kade sighs, “I guess she might not. Her Seeing isn’t so useful for that sort of thing,” he turns toward Cain, “so this is one of those things that I will never, ever tell her?”
“Tell her, or don’t, I don’t know her as well as you. However.” Cain moves forward putting his hands on Kade’s shoulders. “Keep her alive, no matter what. If you can do that for long enough, I may be able to make this right. Promise me this, as her friend.”
Kade’s heart-rate spikes, lack of survival instinct or not, “I’ll do my best, but you know she’ll throw herself at you if she ever has the opportunity. Can you keep yourself from killing her?”
Cain releases Kade, before smiling at him. “That’s where we go back to plan number one to help her. I will stay away from her forever. All I care about, is seeing her this one time, and trying to make her life better, even if I don’t get to see it.”
“So...I guess you came to see her, rather than talking to me...” Kade trails off.
“Partly, but I could have waited for another chance if I didn’t want you in the picture. You care about her, so it was helpful to talk to you, to make sure she is looked after.”
Kade looks slightly embarrassed, “Thing is, I really, really have to pee. And I don’t want to leave her alone. And this is probably the only time you’ll get to see her when she’s not trying to bite your face off or something.”
Cain smiles at him, before giving a slight nod. “Run along then, she won’t wake up for a while yet.”
Kade nods, “I’ll be back in like, two minutes,” and takes off, sprinting down the hall.
Cassandra lays on the bed, showing no indication of being aware of the outside world at all.
Cain sighs, before walking over to Cassandra, looking down at her face he feels a multitude of emotions, before settling on love. He bends over, placing a kiss on her brow. Moving back he takes Kade’s seat, before taking Cassandra’s hand in his own, rubbing his thumb across the top of it.
“I’ll make the world a happier place. I promise.”
At the sound of his voice, Cassandra’s eyes flutter open for a second, she looks at him blearily, her eyes not really seeing.
“Kay,” she whispers with a smile, before closing them again.
The only sound is the gentle susurration of her breath interrupted by the steady beep of the machine next to her bed, and tears hitting fabric.
Authors: Darkandus and ewuvi.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is Bacon
Kade sat beside Cassandra’s bed, the gentle susurration of her breath interrupted only by the steady beep of the machine next to her bed. Wires connecting it to her. Kade’s head rested on the bed next to her, his eyes closed and a small pool of drool staining the white fabric. He’d tried to stay awake until she opened her eyes, but it was proving impossible. Especially when trying to stay awake for someone who hadn’t opened their eyes for a week.
The door opens, and a man walked into the room, and Kade jolts into consciousness, looking over the intruder. A large man, unarmed, but still dangerous, he could swear he remembered the man from somewhere.
Kade stares for a second, before realization dawns, “You! You...why would someone like you be here? She hasn’t done anything wrong, hasn’t she been hurt enough?”
The man, Cain, seems to take him in at a glance, before smiling at him. Holding his palms out to the sides to show he wasn’t carrying anything,
“I’ve never wanted to hurt an innocent, so you don’t have to worry. I have no reason to harm her.”
“She’s hardly innocent, thanks to people like you,” Kade says vehemently, not caring that the man could probably squash him like a bug, “you should go. What if she sees you here? She’d get worse!”
“She is innocent compared to a lot of people I’ve met, more innocent than I am anyway.” Cain sighs. “She won’t wake up, not for a while. As for if she saw me. Well, I’m sure she would be pleased if I offered her my head.” He flashed a fierce grin. “If she could take it.”
Kade shifts uncomfortably, trying to place himself further between the girl and the Emperor. He was used to her being violent and loud and so...present. Not the steadily breathing husk of a child currently laying on the hospital bed. “Even so, why are you here?”
“Call it a vested interest. I knew her mother, she was someone I cared about deeply, and the same affection extends to her girl. I’m glad though. You seem to care for her. She needs people like you, to keep her strong.”
“You do know she’s been living completely alone in the wilds for quite a long time, right? And she’s a kid still. She shouldn’t need to be strong,” Kade gently takes Cassandra’s limp hand, several of her fingers wrapped up in casts.
Cain nods. “Curse of the bloodline I’m afraid, no matter how far detached from it you are, your closest companion from birth to death is misery, it is lucky that the blood makes for a strong will as well.”
“She won’t be miserable, I won’t let her. And what do you know of her family anyway? They left her to run off on her own, to be hunted down like a witch to be burned at a stake!”
“Ah, I know someone like you, she’s nicer to me though.”
Cain stands there, looking at Kade for a few seconds, with a smirk on his face.
“You probably didn’t mindrape her friends,” Kade remarks, terrified, but unwilling to back down. Cassandra needed someone to tell this man what he did to her, even if she’d probably prefer to tell him herself.
“You can’t Mindrape someone simply by existing, there has to be intent, and the only intent I have ever had is to try and make sure this world doesn’t die in fire and darkness. I appreciate you standing up for her though. Perhaps you can help her, help make her happy.”
Kade looks to the side and mumbles, “Well, it helps that I don’t have any survival instinct,” he straightens up slightly and says louder, “why do you care about her though? Obviously her parents didn’t, and you were content to let her just go on, slipping away like she was. Why now? Because she’s in a hospital and you don’t actually have to deal with how hurt she is?”
Cain tilts his head, grinning at the first comment, then sighed as he heard the rest.
“I care, because I care about everyone. If you want to know why I care about her in particular, it’s because she is my Granddaughter, and the only way I can help her is by staying away. Well, it was the only way, but the other solution has problems of her own to deal with. As for how I “let her go.” That was more her mothers skill at hiding, I am not everywhere, I do not know everything, especially outside my realm. I only found her because you brought her to a hospital.”
Kade sits, shocked, looking back at Cassandra, “But she...she...no wonder she hates herself so much...to be the person she hates more than anyone else’s...”
Cain shrugs. “Are you sure she even knows? She might suspect, instinctively, but do you actually know she is aware of her heritage?”
Kade sighs, “I guess she might not. Her Seeing isn’t so useful for that sort of thing,” he turns toward Cain, “so this is one of those things that I will never, ever tell her?”
“Tell her, or don’t, I don’t know her as well as you. However.” Cain moves forward putting his hands on Kade’s shoulders. “Keep her alive, no matter what. If you can do that for long enough, I may be able to make this right. Promise me this, as her friend.”
Kade’s heart-rate spikes, lack of survival instinct or not, “I’ll do my best, but you know she’ll throw herself at you if she ever has the opportunity. Can you keep yourself from killing her?”
Cain releases Kade, before smiling at him. “That’s where we go back to plan number one to help her. I will stay away from her forever. All I care about, is seeing her this one time, and trying to make her life better, even if I don’t get to see it.”
“So...I guess you came to see her, rather than talking to me...” Kade trails off.
“Partly, but I could have waited for another chance if I didn’t want you in the picture. You care about her, so it was helpful to talk to you, to make sure she is looked after.”
Kade looks slightly embarrassed, “Thing is, I really, really have to pee. And I don’t want to leave her alone. And this is probably the only time you’ll get to see her when she’s not trying to bite your face off or something.”
Cain smiles at him, before giving a slight nod. “Run along then, she won’t wake up for a while yet.”
Kade nods, “I’ll be back in like, two minutes,” and takes off, sprinting down the hall.
Cassandra lays on the bed, showing no indication of being aware of the outside world at all.
Cain sighs, before walking over to Cassandra, looking down at her face he feels a multitude of emotions, before settling on love. He bends over, placing a kiss on her brow. Moving back he takes Kade’s seat, before taking Cassandra’s hand in his own, rubbing his thumb across the top of it.
“I’ll make the world a happier place. I promise.”
At the sound of his voice, Cassandra’s eyes flutter open for a second, she looks at him blearily, her eyes not really seeing.
“Kay,” she whispers with a smile, before closing them again.
The only sound is the gentle susurration of her breath interrupted by the steady beep of the machine next to her bed, and tears hitting fabric.
Spoiler: show
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Darkandus - Posts: 3003
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
You guys write wonderfully nuanced stories. Kade wanting to give Cassandra peace of mind is sweet and sort of the weird crazy thing he'd do.
In 'the thin line between love and hate is bacon', I feel bad for Cain and the 'bad luck with family members' curse. Hopefully things will turn out for the better in VQ, but 'Remember who's writing this' is the motto afterall.
Kade seems saner in this story too.
In 'the thin line between love and hate is bacon', I feel bad for Cain and the 'bad luck with family members' curse. Hopefully things will turn out for the better in VQ, but 'Remember who's writing this' is the motto afterall.
Kade seems saner in this story too.
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LifeOfGesture - Posts: 742
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Alright then, this post is going to be a tad different from previous ones. This one is pretty much pure crack, a 'short short' if you will. Little amounts description or action, mostly random dialogue between two characters. Just things one or two of us might come up with to write and then decide to post.
Quest Characters: Felix of Assassin Quest and Lucy of Vampire Quest
Author: Arganaut, with approval from Darkandus
Claw hammer
Felix: So... you and Michael huh?
Lucy: Yeah... why is that any of your business?
Felix: Oh, it isn't, I just wanted to congratulate you... also... nah.
Lucy: Also? Also what?!
Felix: I was just thinking you might want to be careful in the bedroom with him.
Lucy: Okay, now how is THAT any of your business?
Felix: Hear me out... he's covered in all those spikes and plates, right?
Lucy: …. Yeah?
Felix: Well... I'm just wondering... how far do those go down? As far as you know... little Michael is built like a claw-hammer...
Lucy: … I hate you... so, so very much...
Felix: You're my best friend too Lucy. Now, if you'll excuse me, all this teasing about claw hammers has got me going, I need to find Lizbeth.
Quest Characters: Felix of Assassin Quest and Lucy of Vampire Quest
Author: Arganaut, with approval from Darkandus
Claw hammer
Felix: So... you and Michael huh?
Lucy: Yeah... why is that any of your business?
Felix: Oh, it isn't, I just wanted to congratulate you... also... nah.
Lucy: Also? Also what?!
Felix: I was just thinking you might want to be careful in the bedroom with him.
Lucy: Okay, now how is THAT any of your business?
Felix: Hear me out... he's covered in all those spikes and plates, right?
Lucy: …. Yeah?
Felix: Well... I'm just wondering... how far do those go down? As far as you know... little Michael is built like a claw-hammer...
Lucy: … I hate you... so, so very much...
Felix: You're my best friend too Lucy. Now, if you'll excuse me, all this teasing about claw hammers has got me going, I need to find Lizbeth.
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Arganaut - Posts: 1860
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Haha, I wouldn't say Kade was acting sane, per se, as he was repeatedly confronting Cain about his treatment of Cassandra, but yeah, Kade wasn't doing his wacky crazy.You guys write wonderfully nuanced stories. Kade wanting to give Cassandra peace of mind is sweet and sort of the weird crazy thing he'd do.
In 'the thin line between love and hate is bacon', I feel bad for Cain and the 'bad luck with family members' curse. Hopefully things will turn out for the better in VQ, but 'Remember who's writing this' is the motto afterall.
Kade seems saner in this story too.
This is because I feel that part of his characterization comes from him knowing he isn't mentally well and rather than worry about it, he plays it up for comedic affect, both for his comfort and for the people around him. I think that if his friend were seriously hurt, and possibly in danger, he wouldn't be acting silly.
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ewuvi - Posts: 3879
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Coming To Terms
Quests and Characters: Lionel of Familiar Quest and Cassandra of untitled quest
Authors: Magnificate and ewuvi
***
The couple ate quietly, sitting on opposite sides of the table. The only sound was of their cutlery scraping against the plates. The woman looked hostile and a bit feral, a large wolf-dog slept by her feet.
“Cassandra?”
The woman looked up, annoyance on her face, “What?” she asked in a clipped tone.
“I can’t help but notice you look different than usual, Is there something you wish to tell me?” He sipped his glass of wine.
“Not that I can think of,” she replied dryly, setting her fork down.
“At first I was afraid you were gaining weight, but now I’m pretty sure that is not the case,” Lionel said without any hint of irony.
“I’ve been putting on some weight, yes,” Cassandra nodded. “Does that bother you or something, husband dear?” she finished, her voice falsely sweet.
“It just might if it means I’m going to become more than a husband.” He put his cutlery down and went up to the chair next to his wife.
She sighed, “Alright Lionel, I’m pregnant. There. Happy?”
“I am. In spite of all our circumstances could you honestly expect me not to be?” The mage looked at his wife, “How long?” He already knew the answer to that questions as their encounters were both rare and memorable.
“Since last time, I guess,” she replied, her cheeks turned slightly pink and she looked away, “so, about three months I guess?”
There was an awkward silence as the pair sensed the tension in the air. “Have you thought of any names?”
“I’m going to name her Kate,” Cassandra said slowly.
“Are you sure our child is a she?” Lionel ignored the uninspired name for the moment.
“Yes,” Cassandra replied. “Why? Will she mean less to you because of it?” she eyed her husband sidelong, still refusing to turn and face him.
“Cassandra.” He stood behind and placed his hands on her shoulders. She jerked at his touch, and twisted her torso to keep her eyes on him. “I will care for my daughter as much as I would my son.”
“You already have a son?” Cassandra asked, “I guess you finally dragged that familiar girl down with you, hmm? Well, I’m happy for you.”
“No!” Lionel denied harshly. “I don’t have a son, I meant that I will care for any daughter of ours as much as I will for any son of ours. And please, leave Ryoko out of this discussion.”
“She can’t be,” Cassandra shot back, “she’s as much a part of this as you are.”
“She is not the mother of my child. You are and as such I’ll discuss it with you, Cassandra.”
“Okay then. What is there to discuss? I’m going to have a little girl,” Cassandra smirks a little at that, “and she’ll be named Kate. Now you know. Things can go back to how they were about fifteen minutes ago.”
“For six more month perhaps,” Lionel reached for the bowl with shrimps. “Shrimp? Afterwards I am going to be her father as much as you are going to be her mother and I have no intention of neglecting her upbringing.”
“Okay, sure,” Cassandra nodded, “Kate will need to be away from people, at least for her childhood.”
“I refuse for our child be defined by your shortcomings alone, Cassandra. Starting with the name that stands for Katherine? Seriously?”
“NO!’ Cassandra shouts and stands up, “Not Katherine, never, ever Katherine! Kate, like Kade. Perhaps Kadee instead? Yes, that would be more clear where the name came from,” she thought to herself. “Okay, yes, Kadee.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of Leonora. Leonie,” he drew the name out and once again attempted to put his hands on Cassandra’s shoulders to make her sit down.
Cassandra pushed his arms aside, “Named for you? I would never curse a child of mine with such a thing.”
“I was named after my father,” Lionel loudly declared. “I think my firstborn should likewise be named after me.”
“I should hope my child breaks away from such an awful legacy,” Cassandra growled.
“You, my dear wife, had joined that legacy the moment we said our vows to each other,” the mage raised his voice.
Cassandra glared and then slapped him hard across the cheek.
“I take it you have no other arguments?” Lionel stood in place.
Cassandra took a few deep breaths and then replied, “When you married me, you joined my legacy too. And do you know what that means for Kadee? It means she will hate people. Always. There won’t be any way to escape it. And for her protection, and for the protection of those pathetic humans around her, she needs to live somewhere where she can learn to deal with it.”
“I would like to think Leonie would be better than the sum of her parents,” at the back of his head Lionel was reminded of all the trying experiences with the three most important women of his life.
“With luck Kadee will be, but she’ll have these problems nonetheless. Because that’s what it means to have the blood that I do.”
“We could resort to giving up any time we please. I’d rather begin with a different approach.”
“Giving up? Giving her a chance to be happy is giving up?” Cassandra shrieked, “Oh yes! Doing something other than what you think is right is bad! No, we have to try and force someone who cannot possibly fit the mold into it, because that’s ‘right’ that’s ‘normal’ that’s-” she raised her hand to slap him again.
Lionel grabbed her hand and leaned in, pushing his lips against hers. She started to pull away, but he held her around the waist and pulled her closer. Cassandra made an indignant squeaking noise as Lionel backed her against the table. She yanked her arms away and shoved him in the chest, hard enough to break the kiss.
“A-” Lionel started to ask, but Cassandra replaced her mouth over his, effectively cutting him off. Lionel smirked, even as he deepened the kiss.
Upstairs, Ryoko winced as she heard the tell-tale sound of glass shattering.
“Such brutes,” Lily commented with a sigh against Ryoko’s cheek. “At least we won’t disturb anyone with our goings on.”
Quests and Characters: Lionel of Familiar Quest and Cassandra of untitled quest
Authors: Magnificate and ewuvi
***
The couple ate quietly, sitting on opposite sides of the table. The only sound was of their cutlery scraping against the plates. The woman looked hostile and a bit feral, a large wolf-dog slept by her feet.
“Cassandra?”
The woman looked up, annoyance on her face, “What?” she asked in a clipped tone.
“I can’t help but notice you look different than usual, Is there something you wish to tell me?” He sipped his glass of wine.
“Not that I can think of,” she replied dryly, setting her fork down.
“At first I was afraid you were gaining weight, but now I’m pretty sure that is not the case,” Lionel said without any hint of irony.
“I’ve been putting on some weight, yes,” Cassandra nodded. “Does that bother you or something, husband dear?” she finished, her voice falsely sweet.
“It just might if it means I’m going to become more than a husband.” He put his cutlery down and went up to the chair next to his wife.
She sighed, “Alright Lionel, I’m pregnant. There. Happy?”
“I am. In spite of all our circumstances could you honestly expect me not to be?” The mage looked at his wife, “How long?” He already knew the answer to that questions as their encounters were both rare and memorable.
“Since last time, I guess,” she replied, her cheeks turned slightly pink and she looked away, “so, about three months I guess?”
There was an awkward silence as the pair sensed the tension in the air. “Have you thought of any names?”
“I’m going to name her Kate,” Cassandra said slowly.
“Are you sure our child is a she?” Lionel ignored the uninspired name for the moment.
“Yes,” Cassandra replied. “Why? Will she mean less to you because of it?” she eyed her husband sidelong, still refusing to turn and face him.
“Cassandra.” He stood behind and placed his hands on her shoulders. She jerked at his touch, and twisted her torso to keep her eyes on him. “I will care for my daughter as much as I would my son.”
“You already have a son?” Cassandra asked, “I guess you finally dragged that familiar girl down with you, hmm? Well, I’m happy for you.”
“No!” Lionel denied harshly. “I don’t have a son, I meant that I will care for any daughter of ours as much as I will for any son of ours. And please, leave Ryoko out of this discussion.”
“She can’t be,” Cassandra shot back, “she’s as much a part of this as you are.”
“She is not the mother of my child. You are and as such I’ll discuss it with you, Cassandra.”
“Okay then. What is there to discuss? I’m going to have a little girl,” Cassandra smirks a little at that, “and she’ll be named Kate. Now you know. Things can go back to how they were about fifteen minutes ago.”
“For six more month perhaps,” Lionel reached for the bowl with shrimps. “Shrimp? Afterwards I am going to be her father as much as you are going to be her mother and I have no intention of neglecting her upbringing.”
“Okay, sure,” Cassandra nodded, “Kate will need to be away from people, at least for her childhood.”
“I refuse for our child be defined by your shortcomings alone, Cassandra. Starting with the name that stands for Katherine? Seriously?”
“NO!’ Cassandra shouts and stands up, “Not Katherine, never, ever Katherine! Kate, like Kade. Perhaps Kadee instead? Yes, that would be more clear where the name came from,” she thought to herself. “Okay, yes, Kadee.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of Leonora. Leonie,” he drew the name out and once again attempted to put his hands on Cassandra’s shoulders to make her sit down.
Cassandra pushed his arms aside, “Named for you? I would never curse a child of mine with such a thing.”
“I was named after my father,” Lionel loudly declared. “I think my firstborn should likewise be named after me.”
“I should hope my child breaks away from such an awful legacy,” Cassandra growled.
“You, my dear wife, had joined that legacy the moment we said our vows to each other,” the mage raised his voice.
Cassandra glared and then slapped him hard across the cheek.
“I take it you have no other arguments?” Lionel stood in place.
Cassandra took a few deep breaths and then replied, “When you married me, you joined my legacy too. And do you know what that means for Kadee? It means she will hate people. Always. There won’t be any way to escape it. And for her protection, and for the protection of those pathetic humans around her, she needs to live somewhere where she can learn to deal with it.”
“I would like to think Leonie would be better than the sum of her parents,” at the back of his head Lionel was reminded of all the trying experiences with the three most important women of his life.
“With luck Kadee will be, but she’ll have these problems nonetheless. Because that’s what it means to have the blood that I do.”
“We could resort to giving up any time we please. I’d rather begin with a different approach.”
“Giving up? Giving her a chance to be happy is giving up?” Cassandra shrieked, “Oh yes! Doing something other than what you think is right is bad! No, we have to try and force someone who cannot possibly fit the mold into it, because that’s ‘right’ that’s ‘normal’ that’s-” she raised her hand to slap him again.
Lionel grabbed her hand and leaned in, pushing his lips against hers. She started to pull away, but he held her around the waist and pulled her closer. Cassandra made an indignant squeaking noise as Lionel backed her against the table. She yanked her arms away and shoved him in the chest, hard enough to break the kiss.
“A-” Lionel started to ask, but Cassandra replaced her mouth over his, effectively cutting him off. Lionel smirked, even as he deepened the kiss.
Upstairs, Ryoko winced as she heard the tell-tale sound of glass shattering.
“Such brutes,” Lily commented with a sigh against Ryoko’s cheek. “At least we won’t disturb anyone with our goings on.”
Last edited by Magnificate on January 17th, 2011, 4:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Magnificate - Posts: 1239
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Worst. Couple. Ever.
You guys should really (not) see some of the things that we come up with when we're brainstorming for these stories.
There will probably be more cross-quest pairing shorts, and hopefully they'll be at least a bit more suited to one another than Lionel and Cassandra are.
Cassandra is 28 and Lionel is 35 in this story, by the way.
Oh god that last little bit was hell to try to write.
You guys should really (not) see some of the things that we come up with when we're brainstorming for these stories.
There will probably be more cross-quest pairing shorts, and hopefully they'll be at least a bit more suited to one another than Lionel and Cassandra are.
Cassandra is 28 and Lionel is 35 in this story, by the way.
Oh god that last little bit was hell to try to write.
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ewuvi - Posts: 3879
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Jeez, talk about a slap slap-love-slap slap relationship. I can only imagine that Lionel's still alive because of Lily's healing magic at this point.
Seriously, combining Lionel's steadfast insistence (if tempered with the slight conscience attack that would hit due to the nature of the wedding) and Cassandra's own... very strong views, I'm surprised this even ended up with hanky panky instead of Cassandra just sending her wolves at Lionel.
Still, very intense to read and entertaining to watch these two verbally spar.
I would also like to thank those of you who have posted about our stories! They mean a lot to us as they tell us that we're doing a good job, and drives us to keep on putting out good work for you all to read. Any constructive criticism or analysis or suggestions you all would like to put forth would be grand and greatly appreciated
Seriously, combining Lionel's steadfast insistence (if tempered with the slight conscience attack that would hit due to the nature of the wedding) and Cassandra's own... very strong views, I'm surprised this even ended up with hanky panky instead of Cassandra just sending her wolves at Lionel.
Still, very intense to read and entertaining to watch these two verbally spar.
I would also like to thank those of you who have posted about our stories! They mean a lot to us as they tell us that we're doing a good job, and drives us to keep on putting out good work for you all to read. Any constructive criticism or analysis or suggestions you all would like to put forth would be grand and greatly appreciated
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Arganaut - Posts: 1860
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Doublepost!
Quest Characters: Lizbeth of Assassin Quest and Kade of untitled Quest
Authors: Arganaut and ewuvi
Bacon Marriage
Rated T for slight raunchiness
Quest Characters: Lizbeth of Assassin Quest and Kade of untitled Quest
Authors: Arganaut and ewuvi
Bacon Marriage
Rated T for slight raunchiness
Spoiler: show
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Arganaut - Posts: 1860
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
That was great, though all of these have been, it's strangely not weird seeing these characters interact with each other when there's world are all so different.
- Random_fan
- Posts: 1351
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
I have a feeling that Kade might be susceptible to Bacon subterfuge in his quest. Hopefully, no one will catch onto his bacon loving ways and use it for the forces of evil.
Also Cassandra and Lionel are horribly unsuited for each other.
!:D“Such brutes,” Lily commented with a sigh against Ryoko’s cheek. “At least we won’t disturb anyone with our goings on.”
Also Cassandra and Lionel are horribly unsuited for each other.
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LifeOfGesture - Posts: 742
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
It was pretty much the worst non-squick pairing we came up with. Yes, they are so unsuited.Also Cassandra and Lionel are horribly unsuited for each other.
Cassandra doesn't go with much.
Actually if people have requests for scenarios or pairings say and we may actually write them. MOstly we just sit around discussing crack and writing the odd awkward conversation. Lots of fun really.
Lucy x Kade always ends with BESTEST FRIENDS no matter the scenario.
And thus ends the only time Kade will get any, ever XD
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serbii - Posts: 4584
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Of course it was an arranged marriage that couldn't be refused.It was pretty much the worst non-squick pairing we came up with.
Ideas for some sort of compromise name for the girl?
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Magnificate - Posts: 1239
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
I see I see.Of course it was an arranged marriage that couldn't be refused.
Hmm ... Cain/Happiness? XD
Uh, Kade decides to officially marry bacon? Wittgen controls the quests? Squishy rules the world?
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LifeOfGesture - Posts: 742
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Quest Thread
Cain/Happiness - He'll turn out to be allergic and it'll kill him.I see I see.Of course it was an arranged marriage that couldn't be refused.
Hmm ... Cain/Happiness? XD
Uh, Kade decides to officially marry bacon? Wittgen controls the quests? Squishy rules the world?
*waits for Dark to declare this canon*
Wittgen controls NQ:
Leto has chronic fatigue syndrome coupled with narcolepsy. I've pretty much got the worst one to actually write anything for as it would be
Leto sleeps.
The End.
Squishy wouldn't notice any difference XD
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serbii - Posts: 4584
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
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