Walking the main path that lead to the eastern side of the estate, Stan began re-enabling the part of his system that sent out alerts to mobile devices, he'd spent a few days working on not having it not cry wolf too often.
He had been adapting over time, the contents of a rucksack he had stuffed with various items as he found out through experience what might be worth hauling out with him on his extended treks to install and debug this one off system of his. In most cases, in addition to some protean, carbs and a water bottle, & some hand tools and a few various meters, he'd include a dedicated GPS unit with which to update an ever growing detailed map of the land surrounding the Main Grounds.
He'd initially obtained the basic geographical data from Rowdy when he'd proposed installing all these bits and pieces with the corresponding benefit that the Alexanders would get an up to date report on the state of most of the odd bends and corners of their land that no one hardly got to, on a regular basis.
Walking along the trail, he entered the woods, stopping every now and then to take readings and make remote adjustments. He was actually using himself as a guinea pig to see that the basic 'trip-wire' would go off for human sized beings but not wig out over the normal forest creatures.
It was a move-and-check, move-and-check type arraignment; you didn't want to be fumbling along, even in the woods, with your attention focused on a screen. He'd go a fair ways, stop and back his self up to a tree, get an updated fix on the GPS satellites and check his other devices against those readings.
Since yesterday he'd adjusted everything to his satisfaction and thought to himself that while it was a great idea, there stood a very good chance it was completely unnecessary, since it seemed almost everybody staying here now had way more developed sight and hearing, and other senses, especially when compared to him- a normal human being.
It came as a complete surprise then, when the smartphone in his pocket began to vibrate in the predetermined pattern he'd setup to mean - "There's Somebody Out There..."
Doing it right...
Moderators: Bookworm, starkruzr, MrFireDragon, PrettyPrincess, Wapsi
Re: Doing it right...
Tina slowly coalesced back into 'herself' once more, having been roused from an alert that had started beeping the laptop Stanley had left propped up next to her pillow.
As she came back from the bathroom she also noticed the note on the nightstand which in part regaled her for her inquisitive nature the night just past and pointed her attention to the laptop as it should have been displaying a real time read on his current whereabouts.
She was instructed to dress in layers and come out and join him if she felt like it, and if there was any trouble navigating by technology he'd suggested in advance they just meet up at their accustomed clearing in the forest where they'd come to practice on a regular basis.
Looking herself over in the mirror attached to the back of the closet door, Tina tried to see what Stan saw in her, and couldn't quite, but she did see what the almost daily exercise she and Stan had been up to was doing.
And she approved. In fact, she liked it.
Setting out in warm comfortable clothes and some black knee-high boots he had bought for her, Tina fell into a ground eating stride with some sense of anticipation on her mind...
As she came back from the bathroom she also noticed the note on the nightstand which in part regaled her for her inquisitive nature the night just past and pointed her attention to the laptop as it should have been displaying a real time read on his current whereabouts.
She was instructed to dress in layers and come out and join him if she felt like it, and if there was any trouble navigating by technology he'd suggested in advance they just meet up at their accustomed clearing in the forest where they'd come to practice on a regular basis.
Looking herself over in the mirror attached to the back of the closet door, Tina tried to see what Stan saw in her, and couldn't quite, but she did see what the almost daily exercise she and Stan had been up to was doing.
And she approved. In fact, she liked it.
Setting out in warm comfortable clothes and some black knee-high boots he had bought for her, Tina fell into a ground eating stride with some sense of anticipation on her mind...
Re: Doing it right...
Meanwhile, Stanley was hunkered down in a set of growth that offered him some concealment but also a nice few angles to observe his surroundings.
He was pretty sure he was tracking a deer or a bear who'd wandered in from one of the more wilder regions adjoining the estate's lands, but it would be good practice to be sure.
His system, while redundant and overlapping didn't really give you more than a general vector heading and distance from predetermined landmarks; it had been purposely not designed to use visual cameras and related recoding equipment, in fact that had been one of the selling points he'd made during his presentation to the Alexanders.
They'd honestly had some misgivings about the whole 'Big Brother' aspect of the idea and had actually gotten along quite nicely, thank you, up to now doing some things the old fashion way.
It made more sense then to keep the representation on any given device's screen at a blob like resolution and not try to fine tune things to a silhouette level of detail.
As he waited to see what was meandering back and forth, but generally headed in his direction, he began to rethink that decision...
He was pretty sure he was tracking a deer or a bear who'd wandered in from one of the more wilder regions adjoining the estate's lands, but it would be good practice to be sure.
His system, while redundant and overlapping didn't really give you more than a general vector heading and distance from predetermined landmarks; it had been purposely not designed to use visual cameras and related recoding equipment, in fact that had been one of the selling points he'd made during his presentation to the Alexanders.
They'd honestly had some misgivings about the whole 'Big Brother' aspect of the idea and had actually gotten along quite nicely, thank you, up to now doing some things the old fashion way.
It made more sense then to keep the representation on any given device's screen at a blob like resolution and not try to fine tune things to a silhouette level of detail.
As he waited to see what was meandering back and forth, but generally headed in his direction, he began to rethink that decision...
Last edited by TazManiac on Mon Nov 09, 2015 2:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Sgt. Howard
- Posts: 3384
- Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:54 pm
- Location: Malott, Washington
Re: Doing it right...
+FreeFlier wrote:aka a Spark.GlytchMeister wrote: . . . "A crazy nerd."
--FreeFlier
In accordance to Mechanicsburg Municipal Regulation 243.75-14A, sub paragraph 5
"Unregistered sparks submitting creative efforts into multi-authorshipped fan fiction efforts must submit a four Drachma fee to the House of Howard or suffer the indignity of having their moustache publicly shaved... where applicable."
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
Re: Doing it right...
[OK, I'm bonking so this here post is a placeholder until morning, whereupon I'll erase this temporary text and we'll see what jumps out of the bushes at Stanley...] <-- even I'm not 100% sure yet...
(sorry fellow collaborators, it's not an intentional cliffhanger...)
EDIT- Sorry it took so long, speed right on past this speed bump in the proceedings, I'm posting later on down the line after all...
(sorry fellow collaborators, it's not an intentional cliffhanger...)
EDIT- Sorry it took so long, speed right on past this speed bump in the proceedings, I'm posting later on down the line after all...
Last edited by TazManiac on Mon Nov 09, 2015 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GlytchMeister
- Posts: 3734
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
- Location: Central Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
(Sorry for the time jump, I had a horrible day at work... My lunch break was spent on the floor, with my swollen, sore feet elevated, eating a Culver's triple bacon cheese butterburger meal and a concrete mixer as though I hadn't seen a burger in fifty years. So, bear with me as I jump back and recount Glytch's dinner)
Glytch listened as Atsali told him about the various quirks of paranormal society. He wasn't the least bit surprised by how many similarities there were between purely human and paranormal high schools. Cliques, pecking orders, bigotry, prejudice, and rampant hormones. It was all too familiar. Atsali, on the other hand, was astonished. "I figured a high school with just humans would be a whole lot more..." She paused, furrowing her brow.
"Normal?" Glytch smirked.
"Yeah."
"Define normal. If nothing else, the lack of the major differences between species just ends up putting the focus on all the little things. Teens, or whatever age a particular species is when they hit puberty, are remarkably similar in a few key, basic ways. We... Or, I guess, they, seeing as I'm past twenty nowadays, are all teetering on the edge of hormonal induced insanity. They all think they know what they're doing. And the all haven't got a single iota of a clue about what they're doing. It's a recipe for disaster."
"No kidding... And all the social stuff... I just don't get how people can have a whole conversation by just... Waggling their eyebrows and twisting their lips a certain way."
"Ooooh... You have trouble reading faces? Yeah, that can be a pretty big issue. But there are ways around it, or through it. The face is not the only expressive part of the body. The whole body is expressive... And it's possible to learn and memorize nonverbal signals in a more clinical, less instinctive way than most people."
"Like a... Code?" Atsali leaned forward.
"More like a different language...You know how in Spanish, if you translate to English one word at a time, you sound like Yoda? Mhhm, delicious, these chimichangas are!"
"Yeah, the word order is all weird." Atsali nodded, laughing.
Glytch suddenly noticed Buck, who was already none too pleased with his antics from the day, was apparently doing his level best to give Glytch a sunburn by staring as hard and as threateningly as he possibly could while still being polite.
Glytch and Atsali continued to chat about this and that, and Glytch fielded a question regarding the SD cards Al had loaded up with recon photos, before the topic suddenly became focused on Glytch and the Directional EMP. Following his scolding, Glytch was significantly subdued. He really wanted to try out his creation. It was a short time before May poited in, and the discussion resumed... And this time, it cast a shadow over the group.
Glytch and Atsali fell silent, tuning out Castela's jabbering while the big shots discussed the enemy... The golem. Apparently his name was Nodaki, and he was a real piece of work.
Daisy suggested waiting him out, and Glytch decided to jump in. "This guy can't be waited out. He's not going to get bored and give up - he's motivated. If what May said is true, he's dying, and quickly. The man was promised immortality and instead got an expiration date. He's going to expend every effort getting what he wants. You four - just how powerful are you? What's the worst you can do?"
"Alone? I'm not sure we've tested that limit..." May spoke carefully, glancing at Bud and Brandi.
Glytch crossed his arms. "I'm trying to make a point here, ma'am... What's the worst a Golem has done?"
Bud closed her eyes and took a deep breath. All eyes turned to her. "Three golems... Were able to raze half the planet to glass and hit it so hard the geomagnetic field was altered."
Glytch blinked a few times, struggling to comprehend the energies required to pull that off. "So... To put it in scale, a single Golem has about the same destructive force at their disposal as the asteroid that offed the dinosaurs. A walking extinction event."
Bud and Brandi nodded mutely. Jin's golden eyes bored into him, her gaze uncomfortably sharp.
"My point, Ma'am," Glytch turned to look at Daisy. "Is that we can no sooner wait out Nodaki as we can wait out an extinction-level cataclysm."
Glytch was methodically soaking up the last of his stew with some French bread, letting none go to waste (a habit he had picked up in Scouts that tended to surface whenever money was tight or the food was tasty), when Atsali returned with a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream. "What did you do?"
"I had an idea for a way to screw with the enemy - take out their tech while preserving ours. But that's hard to... You know what, it's complicated and I'm not feeling super in the mood to talk about it. I made a thing that's a little too crazy, and I kind of went overboard in getting it made. It was a really good idea."
"It must have been downright nuts to have irritated Uncle Neil like that."
"Now that I'm thinking about it like this, I'm realizing it would be dangerous to people with pacemakers, insulin pumps, artificial hearts, anybody driving by... I was too focused." Glytch chewed his stew-soaked bread thoughtfully. "I guess I could just make a little one when I get the time and money, just to see if it works." He shrugged dispassionately.
"Or..." Billens suddenly appeared and sat down next to Atsali. "You can find a reason good enough to change Neil's mind... Even just a little bit."
"How?" Glytch perked up a little, and Atsali smiled faintly at Billens.
"My boss is here. And you piqued her interest."
At this point, Brandi sat down next to Glytch. "Not only is your device promising to be an effective Electromagnetic Pulse generator, it's also non-nuclear, directional, and has a built-in safe zone. And you put it together from bits of farming equipment and an unfortunate manufacturing plant."
"Oh... Kay?" Glytch narrowed his eyes and grinned slightly. "So..."
"So., the MIB are very interested. The last time we ran into a device that did this was made by the same kind of people as Nodaki. And Lanthian tech is known for being completely crazy... Yours is far more trustworthy." Brandi shook her head, apparently remembering some very interesting memories.
"MIB will pay the Alexander's for their inconvenience and to pay for any damage the DEMP might sustain during testing." Billens added. "Plus, I think you might have a riot if all those workers have to take apart their baby without shooting it at least once."
Glytch listened as Atsali told him about the various quirks of paranormal society. He wasn't the least bit surprised by how many similarities there were between purely human and paranormal high schools. Cliques, pecking orders, bigotry, prejudice, and rampant hormones. It was all too familiar. Atsali, on the other hand, was astonished. "I figured a high school with just humans would be a whole lot more..." She paused, furrowing her brow.
"Normal?" Glytch smirked.
"Yeah."
"Define normal. If nothing else, the lack of the major differences between species just ends up putting the focus on all the little things. Teens, or whatever age a particular species is when they hit puberty, are remarkably similar in a few key, basic ways. We... Or, I guess, they, seeing as I'm past twenty nowadays, are all teetering on the edge of hormonal induced insanity. They all think they know what they're doing. And the all haven't got a single iota of a clue about what they're doing. It's a recipe for disaster."
"No kidding... And all the social stuff... I just don't get how people can have a whole conversation by just... Waggling their eyebrows and twisting their lips a certain way."
"Ooooh... You have trouble reading faces? Yeah, that can be a pretty big issue. But there are ways around it, or through it. The face is not the only expressive part of the body. The whole body is expressive... And it's possible to learn and memorize nonverbal signals in a more clinical, less instinctive way than most people."
"Like a... Code?" Atsali leaned forward.
"More like a different language...You know how in Spanish, if you translate to English one word at a time, you sound like Yoda? Mhhm, delicious, these chimichangas are!"
"Yeah, the word order is all weird." Atsali nodded, laughing.
Glytch suddenly noticed Buck, who was already none too pleased with his antics from the day, was apparently doing his level best to give Glytch a sunburn by staring as hard and as threateningly as he possibly could while still being polite.
Glytch and Atsali continued to chat about this and that, and Glytch fielded a question regarding the SD cards Al had loaded up with recon photos, before the topic suddenly became focused on Glytch and the Directional EMP. Following his scolding, Glytch was significantly subdued. He really wanted to try out his creation. It was a short time before May poited in, and the discussion resumed... And this time, it cast a shadow over the group.
Glytch and Atsali fell silent, tuning out Castela's jabbering while the big shots discussed the enemy... The golem. Apparently his name was Nodaki, and he was a real piece of work.
Daisy suggested waiting him out, and Glytch decided to jump in. "This guy can't be waited out. He's not going to get bored and give up - he's motivated. If what May said is true, he's dying, and quickly. The man was promised immortality and instead got an expiration date. He's going to expend every effort getting what he wants. You four - just how powerful are you? What's the worst you can do?"
"Alone? I'm not sure we've tested that limit..." May spoke carefully, glancing at Bud and Brandi.
Glytch crossed his arms. "I'm trying to make a point here, ma'am... What's the worst a Golem has done?"
Bud closed her eyes and took a deep breath. All eyes turned to her. "Three golems... Were able to raze half the planet to glass and hit it so hard the geomagnetic field was altered."
Glytch blinked a few times, struggling to comprehend the energies required to pull that off. "So... To put it in scale, a single Golem has about the same destructive force at their disposal as the asteroid that offed the dinosaurs. A walking extinction event."
Bud and Brandi nodded mutely. Jin's golden eyes bored into him, her gaze uncomfortably sharp.
"My point, Ma'am," Glytch turned to look at Daisy. "Is that we can no sooner wait out Nodaki as we can wait out an extinction-level cataclysm."
Glytch was methodically soaking up the last of his stew with some French bread, letting none go to waste (a habit he had picked up in Scouts that tended to surface whenever money was tight or the food was tasty), when Atsali returned with a bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream. "What did you do?"
"I had an idea for a way to screw with the enemy - take out their tech while preserving ours. But that's hard to... You know what, it's complicated and I'm not feeling super in the mood to talk about it. I made a thing that's a little too crazy, and I kind of went overboard in getting it made. It was a really good idea."
"It must have been downright nuts to have irritated Uncle Neil like that."
"Now that I'm thinking about it like this, I'm realizing it would be dangerous to people with pacemakers, insulin pumps, artificial hearts, anybody driving by... I was too focused." Glytch chewed his stew-soaked bread thoughtfully. "I guess I could just make a little one when I get the time and money, just to see if it works." He shrugged dispassionately.
"Or..." Billens suddenly appeared and sat down next to Atsali. "You can find a reason good enough to change Neil's mind... Even just a little bit."
"How?" Glytch perked up a little, and Atsali smiled faintly at Billens.
"My boss is here. And you piqued her interest."
At this point, Brandi sat down next to Glytch. "Not only is your device promising to be an effective Electromagnetic Pulse generator, it's also non-nuclear, directional, and has a built-in safe zone. And you put it together from bits of farming equipment and an unfortunate manufacturing plant."
"Oh... Kay?" Glytch narrowed his eyes and grinned slightly. "So..."
"So., the MIB are very interested. The last time we ran into a device that did this was made by the same kind of people as Nodaki. And Lanthian tech is known for being completely crazy... Yours is far more trustworthy." Brandi shook her head, apparently remembering some very interesting memories.
"MIB will pay the Alexander's for their inconvenience and to pay for any damage the DEMP might sustain during testing." Billens added. "Plus, I think you might have a riot if all those workers have to take apart their baby without shooting it at least once."
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
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AmriloJim
- Posts: 1190
- Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 10:47 pm
- Location: 35ºN 101ºW (for the GPS-challenged, that's Amarillo TX)
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
The sticker covers the hook and magnet, as well as the access screws for the battery cover.TazManiac wrote:Paraphrasing two things;
"As I peeled off the sticker..."
"Save These Warnings..."
-
GlytchMeister
- Posts: 3734
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
- Location: Central Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
I have no drachma or moustache... So pppbth! (Blows a raspberry)Sgt. Howard wrote:+FreeFlier wrote:aka a Spark.GlytchMeister wrote: . . . "A crazy nerd."
--FreeFlier
In accordance to Mechanicsburg Municipal Regulation 243.75-14A, sub paragraph 5
"Unregistered sparks submitting creative efforts into multi-authorshipped fan fiction efforts must submit a four Drachma fee to the House of Howard or suffer the indignity of having their moustache publicly shaved... where applicable."
In other news, I'm too messed up to keep writing coherently - I'm exhausted and need a hearty serving of sleep followed by rest with a side of relaxation.
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
-
jwhouk
- Posts: 6053
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
- Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
In keeping with the slightly sad news we got in today's comic, I bring you the following:
---
At the urging of his oldest son, Brian Wahnee had taken a day off from his job at the shop. Business had slowed down over the last few days, after picking up shortly after Justin had asked for his daughter's hand in marriage.
Winter had held off from doing its annual dumping of ungodly amounts of snow on the Twin Cities at that point, so he decided to take a drive over to Lakewood Cemetery.
Pulling in the gates, he drove right to the spot – almost unconscious in the effort. As the years go by, you learn exactly where they laid your loved ones to rest.
He parked the car on the edge of the narrow driveway. A memory came back – he'd brought Shelly here to learn how to drive, and near immediately regretting it. She missed a few headstones along the roadway before he suggested she pull over and he take the wheel. Peter did most of the driver's ed supervision after that.
He zipped up his coat, stepping out into the cold late November day. Clicking the key fob to lock his doors, he took the path he'd memorized by this point – about ten stones from the row, and about three from…
He saw the markers before he even realized it. There were three of them, all together – along with an empty space. He read them off:
BERNARD WAHNEE
BELOVED FATHER
1916-1998
PHYLLIS WAHNEE
BELOVED MOTHER
1915-1940
BEATRICE WAHNEE
BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER
1940-1991
The empty plot was right next to Beatrice. It was his; dad had bought the large four-plot segment after mom had passed. It'd been relatively inexpensive back in the day; this part of Minneapolis was still considered the "sticks" back then.
His dad had insisted that Beatrice be buried there, instead of up in Brainerd. The plot that he'd bought up there instead had gone to Peter, for his wife and his brothers – not that they were in need of it anytime soon.
Brian looked around the cemetery. There weren't many visitors that day. Almost all of the flower displays on the various headstones had been removed for the winter, save for a few remaining flags from Veterans' Day.
He looked back down at the headstone of his wife. Hers had been the hardest to take. His dad had been in the nursing home at the old Abbott Hospital for a few years when he finally passed; he'd made his peace with him and accepted his death. His mom – "Phyllis", a name that always seemed odd to him – he had never really known. He'd only come to the gravesite on occasion, mostly with his dad. His dad had never really lingered at the site, and thus he never did himself.
Until he lost Bea.
The memories of that time came flooding back. The overnight power outage, that cut the phone lines too. The sickening feeling he had when he got back in bed after finding a flashlight, and discovering…
His head shook involuntarily. He didn't want to think about it. Shelly had had nightmares about that night, nearly to the day she left for college. He could only guess that she still had those nightmares – he wasn't one to ask.
But at least it appeared she'd found someone. Shel was happy – he'd seen when she introduced Justin to her brothers. And in the brief moments he'd seen her since they'd set the wedding date, she'd been thrilled with the concept of marriage.
He wondered if Shelly had brought Justin out here, to "meet" her mother and grandparents. It didn't look like there'd been much foot traffic as of late, but you couldn't quite tell at Lakewood. They were meticulous about keeping the grass trimmed for even the oldest of headstones.
Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer for his beloved. After a moment, he lifted up his head, sighed, and walked back to the car.
As he pulled away, he never noticed a pair of eyes that had watched the whole procession. The little girl with the long hair watched as his car wound its way back to the entrance of the cemetery.
Do you see it now? A voice filled her head. Do you see how your actions affect those around you?
The little girl rolled her eyes. Yes, Dad, I get it. But it worked out, right? I'm still going to be at the wedding. And so is he. And Phix.
You still have much to learn, Bia, the voice returned.
Wordlessly, she walked away towards a set of bushes that separated sections of the graveyard. She stopped to consider whether anyone ever suspected that both burial plots were empty before poiting herself back to the Library.
---
EDIT: Fixed two continuity errors. See explanation later in story.
---
At the urging of his oldest son, Brian Wahnee had taken a day off from his job at the shop. Business had slowed down over the last few days, after picking up shortly after Justin had asked for his daughter's hand in marriage.
Winter had held off from doing its annual dumping of ungodly amounts of snow on the Twin Cities at that point, so he decided to take a drive over to Lakewood Cemetery.
Pulling in the gates, he drove right to the spot – almost unconscious in the effort. As the years go by, you learn exactly where they laid your loved ones to rest.
He parked the car on the edge of the narrow driveway. A memory came back – he'd brought Shelly here to learn how to drive, and near immediately regretting it. She missed a few headstones along the roadway before he suggested she pull over and he take the wheel. Peter did most of the driver's ed supervision after that.
He zipped up his coat, stepping out into the cold late November day. Clicking the key fob to lock his doors, he took the path he'd memorized by this point – about ten stones from the row, and about three from…
He saw the markers before he even realized it. There were three of them, all together – along with an empty space. He read them off:
BERNARD WAHNEE
BELOVED FATHER
1916-1998
PHYLLIS WAHNEE
BELOVED MOTHER
1915-1940
BEATRICE WAHNEE
BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER
1940-1991
The empty plot was right next to Beatrice. It was his; dad had bought the large four-plot segment after mom had passed. It'd been relatively inexpensive back in the day; this part of Minneapolis was still considered the "sticks" back then.
His dad had insisted that Beatrice be buried there, instead of up in Brainerd. The plot that he'd bought up there instead had gone to Peter, for his wife and his brothers – not that they were in need of it anytime soon.
Brian looked around the cemetery. There weren't many visitors that day. Almost all of the flower displays on the various headstones had been removed for the winter, save for a few remaining flags from Veterans' Day.
He looked back down at the headstone of his wife. Hers had been the hardest to take. His dad had been in the nursing home at the old Abbott Hospital for a few years when he finally passed; he'd made his peace with him and accepted his death. His mom – "Phyllis", a name that always seemed odd to him – he had never really known. He'd only come to the gravesite on occasion, mostly with his dad. His dad had never really lingered at the site, and thus he never did himself.
Until he lost Bea.
The memories of that time came flooding back. The overnight power outage, that cut the phone lines too. The sickening feeling he had when he got back in bed after finding a flashlight, and discovering…
His head shook involuntarily. He didn't want to think about it. Shelly had had nightmares about that night, nearly to the day she left for college. He could only guess that she still had those nightmares – he wasn't one to ask.
But at least it appeared she'd found someone. Shel was happy – he'd seen when she introduced Justin to her brothers. And in the brief moments he'd seen her since they'd set the wedding date, she'd been thrilled with the concept of marriage.
He wondered if Shelly had brought Justin out here, to "meet" her mother and grandparents. It didn't look like there'd been much foot traffic as of late, but you couldn't quite tell at Lakewood. They were meticulous about keeping the grass trimmed for even the oldest of headstones.
Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer for his beloved. After a moment, he lifted up his head, sighed, and walked back to the car.
As he pulled away, he never noticed a pair of eyes that had watched the whole procession. The little girl with the long hair watched as his car wound its way back to the entrance of the cemetery.
Do you see it now? A voice filled her head. Do you see how your actions affect those around you?
The little girl rolled her eyes. Yes, Dad, I get it. But it worked out, right? I'm still going to be at the wedding. And so is he. And Phix.
You still have much to learn, Bia, the voice returned.
Wordlessly, she walked away towards a set of bushes that separated sections of the graveyard. She stopped to consider whether anyone ever suspected that both burial plots were empty before poiting herself back to the Library.
---
EDIT: Fixed two continuity errors. See explanation later in story.
Last edited by jwhouk on Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:20 am, edited 3 times in total.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
-
Just Old Al
- Posts: 1693
- Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:43 am
- Location: Wilderness of Massachusetts
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
As dinner broke up Al and Daisy wandered toward Al's Alcove, as the space had been pithily named.
Al was troubled - he'd been more than aware of the dynamics at the table around Atsali, young Master Glytch and her father, Buck. Glytch was being Glytch - a gentleman, despite his age - and Atsali was being the charming though moody young lady she always was. With this, Buck was doing what fathers since time immemorial have always done when young men are anywhere near their attractive nubile daughters - he was preparing to strangle the life out of any potential suitor with his bare hands if need be.
Al had taken quite a shine to the young genius, and given his recent change of romantic status was feeling well disposed toward giving the young lad a hand surviving the parental wrath of one Buck Alexander.
"Daisy, dear - I need to have a man-to man, er centaur chat with your son. Would you excuse me for a minute?" Daisy, looking somewhat alarmed, asked "What's going on?" in that voice any male recognizes as a warning growl. Al quickly explained, "I am concerned that your son sees Master Glytch as a threat to his daughter Atsali - and I think putting a word in for the lad might be in order." Suitably mollified, she released him from the arm about his waist and sent him off on his errand, stopping him only for a kiss and an entreaty to return soon.
Al casually wandered over toward the conversation space where Buck, Katherine and several of the others were sitting, nursing drinks and generally being merry. Walking up to Buck, Al, feeling in a playful mood, casually asked, "Master Buck, might I have a moment of your time to discuss a matter of great import?"
"Certainly good sir, you may!" Buck said, falling into the Elizabethan speech Al was badly mangling. Al led toward the paddock, both stopping for their coats in this cold November twilight. Buck was somewhat mystified - why would Al want that much privacy?
Once outside Buck asked, "So what is going on? This is not like you - and if it were business you'd have just talked in there." Al hesitated - he really was treading on thin ice here, despite his relationship with Buck's mother. Buck saw this hesiitation as reluctance to talk, and like the alpha stud he was pushed right to the point.
"OK - out with it."
"Welll....it's about young Master Glytch. "
Buck was nonplussed. He'd expected something very, very different.
"What about him?" Buck's back was up on this subject, Al could see, so to avoid ending up roadkill he pressed on.
"Noticing the interactions at dinner tonight I gather you consider young Master Glytch a threat to Atsali. I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth."
Buck was annoyed. Here was this old two-legs poking into his business with his family and doing so completely unapologetically. It was none of his business. He opened his mouth intending to say this, but Al pressed on.
"First off I am speaking in loco parentis - and Glytch has no idea we're having this conversation Young Master Glytch is a gentleman despite his very odd ways. I've watched the two of them, and I've spent more than a fair amount of time with the lad since he came here and exiled himself with our little group. I've also noticed the good that his presence and friendship has done Atsali - she's pulling out of the well of despair that she was in. I'm sure you've noticed it as well." Al was taking a serious step here vouching for Glytch to Buck - but having spent time with the young man he realized that while it was a risk, it was not a great one.
Buck thought for a moment, his irritation with Al still present but receding as the took in the import of the old man's words. Atsali had seemed better of late - not her bouncy self by any stretch of the imagination, but no longer the depressed teenager she'd been. Perhaps the old two-legs was on to something.
Seeing his words take effect gave Al the courage to press on. " They are the only two people here of that approximate age - everyone else is either older or much younger. She's got no one to talk to or interact with, so they would naturally be interested in each other as contemporaries - and that's what I'm seeing. You have every right to look askance at potential suitors or lads who would be too forward with the young lady - I know I would! - but let me assure you that Glytch's intentions are as I can see the noblest possible."
Buck nodded, seeing the sense in the old man's words. "So, I've been too hard on him?"
"Not in the slightest. You've done due diligence as a parent and ensured that the young man knew he was under chaperonage - but let's not kill their friendship. If he should step out of line I will be the first to hammer him so hard he will be breathing through his belt buckle - though I think the young lady could do a far more effective job if need be."
"Is that it?" Buck was amused, through still slightly nettled at Al's interference.
"No, it isn't"
The way that flat statement was made put Buck on his guard. That was Al in a completely new light.
"I am sure it has not escaped your notice that your dam and I have "hooked up" as the popular media expresses it. I need to assure you that my intentions are nothing but the noblest" Buck snickered - he was well aware of Al's "Intentions" and the subsequent damage to the house "and that I am well and truly in love with your mother. I never want to be separated from her again - she has become the light of my life.
HOWEVER, if you perceive my intentions as anything but noble speak now, so I can either allay your fears or find a way to do so. Either way I am not leaving unless she tells me to."
WELL, that was a switch! Feeling very much the parent of an attractive girl again but for a completely different reason, he said "Al, yes, I am quite aware of your relation with my dam." He let a stern note enter his voice and said "Let me make you aware of MY take on this. You enter our house and capture her interest. You capture her heart and leave her no escape...and I couldn't be happier with it. I hope you two are as happy together as Katherine and I are - and it lasts for the rest of your lives."
Suddenly, Al breathed again, being aware that this was necessary all of a sudden. "Thank you, Buck - That means a lot to an old fool like me." Al held out his hand and Buck took it - pulling him into a crushing hug. Al, finding himself squashed against a set of rock-hard pectorals, thought bemusedly that he could see what Katherine saw in Buck...indeed.
"Al, you and my dam deserve all the love and happiness you can get, Both of you have been alone too long, and the fact that you've found each other is just a good omen for this damn mess. Go with the gods' blessings."
Fearing to speak for exposing the emotion in his voice, Al turned as did Buck, and both walked back toward the lights of the house.
Al was troubled - he'd been more than aware of the dynamics at the table around Atsali, young Master Glytch and her father, Buck. Glytch was being Glytch - a gentleman, despite his age - and Atsali was being the charming though moody young lady she always was. With this, Buck was doing what fathers since time immemorial have always done when young men are anywhere near their attractive nubile daughters - he was preparing to strangle the life out of any potential suitor with his bare hands if need be.
Al had taken quite a shine to the young genius, and given his recent change of romantic status was feeling well disposed toward giving the young lad a hand surviving the parental wrath of one Buck Alexander.
"Daisy, dear - I need to have a man-to man, er centaur chat with your son. Would you excuse me for a minute?" Daisy, looking somewhat alarmed, asked "What's going on?" in that voice any male recognizes as a warning growl. Al quickly explained, "I am concerned that your son sees Master Glytch as a threat to his daughter Atsali - and I think putting a word in for the lad might be in order." Suitably mollified, she released him from the arm about his waist and sent him off on his errand, stopping him only for a kiss and an entreaty to return soon.
Al casually wandered over toward the conversation space where Buck, Katherine and several of the others were sitting, nursing drinks and generally being merry. Walking up to Buck, Al, feeling in a playful mood, casually asked, "Master Buck, might I have a moment of your time to discuss a matter of great import?"
"Certainly good sir, you may!" Buck said, falling into the Elizabethan speech Al was badly mangling. Al led toward the paddock, both stopping for their coats in this cold November twilight. Buck was somewhat mystified - why would Al want that much privacy?
Once outside Buck asked, "So what is going on? This is not like you - and if it were business you'd have just talked in there." Al hesitated - he really was treading on thin ice here, despite his relationship with Buck's mother. Buck saw this hesiitation as reluctance to talk, and like the alpha stud he was pushed right to the point.
"OK - out with it."
"Welll....it's about young Master Glytch. "
Buck was nonplussed. He'd expected something very, very different.
"What about him?" Buck's back was up on this subject, Al could see, so to avoid ending up roadkill he pressed on.
"Noticing the interactions at dinner tonight I gather you consider young Master Glytch a threat to Atsali. I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth."
Buck was annoyed. Here was this old two-legs poking into his business with his family and doing so completely unapologetically. It was none of his business. He opened his mouth intending to say this, but Al pressed on.
"First off I am speaking in loco parentis - and Glytch has no idea we're having this conversation Young Master Glytch is a gentleman despite his very odd ways. I've watched the two of them, and I've spent more than a fair amount of time with the lad since he came here and exiled himself with our little group. I've also noticed the good that his presence and friendship has done Atsali - she's pulling out of the well of despair that she was in. I'm sure you've noticed it as well." Al was taking a serious step here vouching for Glytch to Buck - but having spent time with the young man he realized that while it was a risk, it was not a great one.
Buck thought for a moment, his irritation with Al still present but receding as the took in the import of the old man's words. Atsali had seemed better of late - not her bouncy self by any stretch of the imagination, but no longer the depressed teenager she'd been. Perhaps the old two-legs was on to something.
Seeing his words take effect gave Al the courage to press on. " They are the only two people here of that approximate age - everyone else is either older or much younger. She's got no one to talk to or interact with, so they would naturally be interested in each other as contemporaries - and that's what I'm seeing. You have every right to look askance at potential suitors or lads who would be too forward with the young lady - I know I would! - but let me assure you that Glytch's intentions are as I can see the noblest possible."
Buck nodded, seeing the sense in the old man's words. "So, I've been too hard on him?"
"Not in the slightest. You've done due diligence as a parent and ensured that the young man knew he was under chaperonage - but let's not kill their friendship. If he should step out of line I will be the first to hammer him so hard he will be breathing through his belt buckle - though I think the young lady could do a far more effective job if need be."
"Is that it?" Buck was amused, through still slightly nettled at Al's interference.
"No, it isn't"
The way that flat statement was made put Buck on his guard. That was Al in a completely new light.
"I am sure it has not escaped your notice that your dam and I have "hooked up" as the popular media expresses it. I need to assure you that my intentions are nothing but the noblest" Buck snickered - he was well aware of Al's "Intentions" and the subsequent damage to the house "and that I am well and truly in love with your mother. I never want to be separated from her again - she has become the light of my life.
HOWEVER, if you perceive my intentions as anything but noble speak now, so I can either allay your fears or find a way to do so. Either way I am not leaving unless she tells me to."
WELL, that was a switch! Feeling very much the parent of an attractive girl again but for a completely different reason, he said "Al, yes, I am quite aware of your relation with my dam." He let a stern note enter his voice and said "Let me make you aware of MY take on this. You enter our house and capture her interest. You capture her heart and leave her no escape...and I couldn't be happier with it. I hope you two are as happy together as Katherine and I are - and it lasts for the rest of your lives."
Suddenly, Al breathed again, being aware that this was necessary all of a sudden. "Thank you, Buck - That means a lot to an old fool like me." Al held out his hand and Buck took it - pulling him into a crushing hug. Al, finding himself squashed against a set of rock-hard pectorals, thought bemusedly that he could see what Katherine saw in Buck...indeed.
"Al, you and my dam deserve all the love and happiness you can get, Both of you have been alone too long, and the fact that you've found each other is just a good omen for this damn mess. Go with the gods' blessings."
Fearing to speak for exposing the emotion in his voice, Al turned as did Buck, and both walked back toward the lights of the house.
Last edited by Just Old Al on Mon Nov 09, 2015 11:48 am, edited 3 times in total.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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jwhouk
- Posts: 6053
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
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Re: Doing it right...
Of course, Buck probably failed to mention to Al that one little detail about his step-daughter's girlfriend...
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
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Just Old Al
- Posts: 1693
- Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:43 am
- Location: Wilderness of Massachusetts
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
None of Al's business though he's not stupid. He was addressing the fact that Buck wanted to use Glytch as a horseshoe nail...jwhouk wrote:Of course, Buck probably failed to mention to Al that one little detail about his step-daughter's girlfriend...
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
Re: Doing it right...
Unless, of course, that regulation was misquoted slightly and it actually reads "... will have their pubic moustache shaved." Sparks are as sensitive about their personal dignified as the rest of usGlytchMeister wrote:I have no drachma or moustache... So pppbth! (Blows a raspberry)Sgt. Howard wrote:In accordance to Mechanicsburg Municipal Regulation 243.75-14A, sub paragraph 5
"Unregistered sparks submitting creative efforts into multi-authorshipped fan fiction efforts must submit a four Drachma fee to the House of Howard or suffer the indignity of having their moustache publicly shaved... where applicable."
In other news, I'm too messed up to keep writing coherently - I'm exhausted and need a hearty serving of sleep followed by rest with a side of relaxation.
Sleep well... perhaps your dreams will tell you where to find a few drachmas!
Last edited by Dave on Mon Nov 09, 2015 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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lake_wrangler
- Posts: 4300
- Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:16 am
- Location: Laval, Québec, Canada
Re: Doing it right...
That reminds me of a funny scene in the movie Clue:Dave wrote:Unless, of course, that regulation was misquoted slightly and it actually reads "... will have their public moustache shaved." Sparks are as sensitive about their personal dignified as the rest of us
Sleep well... perhaps your dreams will tell you where to find a few drachmas!
imdb.com wrote:Wadsworth: Mrs. White, you've been paying our friend, the blackmailer, ever since your husband died under, shall we say, mysterious circumstances?
Miss Scarlet: Ah!
[laughs]
Mrs. White: Why is that funny?
Miss Scarlet: I see! That's why he was lying on his back, in his coffin.
Mrs. White: I didn't kill him.
Colonel Mustard: Then why are you paying the blackmailer?
Mrs. White: I dont want a scandal, do I? We had had a very humiliating public confrontation. He was deranged. He was
[points to head]
Mrs. White: a lunatic! He didn't actually seem to like me very much; he had threatened to kill me in public.
Miss Scarlet: Why would he wanna kill you in public?
Wadsworth: I think she meant he threatened, in public, to kill her.
[rolls eyes]
Miss Scarlet: Oh. Was that his final word on the matter?
Mrs. White: Being killed is pretty final, wouldn't you say?
Wadsworth: And yet, he was the one who died, not you, Mrs. White, not you!
Miss Scarlet: What did he do for a living?
Mrs. White: He was a scientist, nuclear physics.
Miss Scarlet: What was he like?
Mrs. White: He was always a rather stupidly optimistic man. I mean, I'm afraid it came as a great shock to hime when he died, but, he was found dead at home. His head had been cut off, and so had his, uh... you *know*.
[Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, and Mr. Green cross legs]
Mrs. White: I had been out all evening at the movies.
Miss Scarlet: Do you miss him?
Mrs. White: Well, it's a matter of life after death. Now that he's dead, I have a life.
Wadsworth: But, he was your second husband. Your first husband also disappeared.
Mrs. White: But that was his job. He was an illusionist.
Wadsworth: But he never reappeared!
Mrs. White: [admittedly] He wasn't a very good illusionist.
Re: Doing it right...
Stan waited while the sounds of leaves being rustled and twigs being snapped grew closer.
He put away his devices, double checking they were in silent mode, and awaited his 'guest'.
He'd picked a good spot to lay in wait, right next to a game trail-
it was obvious the person heading his way was a tenderfoot and didn't know from moving about in the woods.
Finally, he saw the guy break through the underbrush. He was a middle aged man, in a suit, and hat, a Fedora? of all things, and he was mumbling to himself as he crept along...
"Don't know why I even listened to that ol rummy..."
"I should have my head examined..."
"Why didn't I just drive through the front gate and ask for an interview?"
So, he seemed to be a journalist, Stan thought to himself.
"Well", he thought, "I suppose this is as good as any other real life validation, this thing I've cobbled together is getting past the prototype stage."
Stan had eased the bag's shoulder strap off and made sure his feet had good purchase.
He started alternately tensing and relaxing his muscle groups in turn to avoid the dangers of crouching in one position too long, and he steeled himself for what would come next.
His mind started to calm and release unneeded distractions, it was like a form of tunnel vision he'd found useful in the past.
He'd been later taught that it could be a liability and to not loose awareness of his surroundings, it had been a hard struggle to unlearn this thing he had come so easily to.
In this case he relied on it too recklessly, and it would cost him...
Closer... Closer... Now!
Stan catapulted himself out of his concealment and fell upon the unsuspecting intruder like some jungle predator.
The man, caught completely unawares bleated out a surprisingly high pitch "Eeeek!" and then tried "Wait!", but it was too late; he'd been grappled up and subdued with little hope of escape.
Who. The. Hell. Are. You.
"Ma, my, my name is..." 'cough' "My name is Dailey, William Randolph Dailey and I just came here to get a story. I'm a newspaperman."
"How, Mr. Dailey, did you come to be 'here' exactly?"
Seeing as how the guy had the drop on him, he figured the truth might set him free.
"I was hanging out in a bar on Hennepin and I got a lead that there where some big do'ins out here on the Alexander spread."
"Some guy told another guy that there was all these bounties that could be collected if only you had the guff to take a chance."
"See'n as how most everybody who 'took a chance' in the last little bit aint came back I figured there must be a hell of a story too so I 'took a chance' to come see for myself."
"Maybe I can get the StarTribune or the Pioneer Press to pick me up on a permanent basis. I gotta get me another newspaper job; I tried all the Internet Web garbage but it aint fer me, I got Ink in my veins!..." 'urk!'
Stan hastily pushed the limp body away, sure that the thing that had splattered the late Mr. William Randolph's blood all over his face had been meant for one Mr. Stanley instead.
Rolling behind the cover of the nearest tree, he tried to get a bead on the threat somewhere out there.
"Feeling kinda stupid you didn't phone in what was happening, now don't you?" he thought to himself.
He felt his face and grimaced when his palm came back with blood on it, he must be covered in the stuff. Luckily it wasn't his.
His next thought was that he'd told Tina to meet him out here this morning, and he couldn't have her walking into some ambush.
When the dark shape came at him from out of the shadow of a group of trees, he didn't hesitate. He charged.
Tina was getting close to the clearing the two of them had begun to think of as 'theirs'.
She knew there wasn't too much real privacy out here in the forest; the trees knew what they had been up to, so did the birds, and the 'furry critters' as Stan liked to call them.
And there were other things out here too...
Suddenly, she heard a yell, some commotion up ahead, and tearing out of the bushes, of all things, a fox!
It ran right past her legs, limping as if injured, eyes wild with excitement and fear and took off down the path Tina had just come up. Tina could feel it's pain and sense trouble up ahead.
She took off at a run, her easy going morning had just gotten too interesting.
Stanley thought of himself as an able man, trained and toughened up over the years, and he'd not had much time to reason out whether a frontal assault was the best strategy against an unknown assailant.
He hadn't been exposed to the paranormal world for too long and hadn't yet readjusted to his new reality.
He thought this would be Mano e Mano, Hand to Hand.
He didn't intend though that it would be a fair fight...
The next thing Stan knew he was ass-over-tea-kettle, coming to rest against a tree trunk with a 'whack!', sliding down it's bark and into unconsciousness.
The last thing he could make out was a shape looming over him, then darkness...
He put away his devices, double checking they were in silent mode, and awaited his 'guest'.
He'd picked a good spot to lay in wait, right next to a game trail-
it was obvious the person heading his way was a tenderfoot and didn't know from moving about in the woods.
Finally, he saw the guy break through the underbrush. He was a middle aged man, in a suit, and hat, a Fedora? of all things, and he was mumbling to himself as he crept along...
"Don't know why I even listened to that ol rummy..."
"I should have my head examined..."
"Why didn't I just drive through the front gate and ask for an interview?"
So, he seemed to be a journalist, Stan thought to himself.
"Well", he thought, "I suppose this is as good as any other real life validation, this thing I've cobbled together is getting past the prototype stage."
Stan had eased the bag's shoulder strap off and made sure his feet had good purchase.
He started alternately tensing and relaxing his muscle groups in turn to avoid the dangers of crouching in one position too long, and he steeled himself for what would come next.
His mind started to calm and release unneeded distractions, it was like a form of tunnel vision he'd found useful in the past.
He'd been later taught that it could be a liability and to not loose awareness of his surroundings, it had been a hard struggle to unlearn this thing he had come so easily to.
In this case he relied on it too recklessly, and it would cost him...
Closer... Closer... Now!
Stan catapulted himself out of his concealment and fell upon the unsuspecting intruder like some jungle predator.
The man, caught completely unawares bleated out a surprisingly high pitch "Eeeek!" and then tried "Wait!", but it was too late; he'd been grappled up and subdued with little hope of escape.
Who. The. Hell. Are. You.
"Ma, my, my name is..." 'cough' "My name is Dailey, William Randolph Dailey and I just came here to get a story. I'm a newspaperman."
"How, Mr. Dailey, did you come to be 'here' exactly?"
Seeing as how the guy had the drop on him, he figured the truth might set him free.
"I was hanging out in a bar on Hennepin and I got a lead that there where some big do'ins out here on the Alexander spread."
"Some guy told another guy that there was all these bounties that could be collected if only you had the guff to take a chance."
"See'n as how most everybody who 'took a chance' in the last little bit aint came back I figured there must be a hell of a story too so I 'took a chance' to come see for myself."
"Maybe I can get the StarTribune or the Pioneer Press to pick me up on a permanent basis. I gotta get me another newspaper job; I tried all the Internet Web garbage but it aint fer me, I got Ink in my veins!..." 'urk!'
Stan hastily pushed the limp body away, sure that the thing that had splattered the late Mr. William Randolph's blood all over his face had been meant for one Mr. Stanley instead.
Rolling behind the cover of the nearest tree, he tried to get a bead on the threat somewhere out there.
"Feeling kinda stupid you didn't phone in what was happening, now don't you?" he thought to himself.
He felt his face and grimaced when his palm came back with blood on it, he must be covered in the stuff. Luckily it wasn't his.
His next thought was that he'd told Tina to meet him out here this morning, and he couldn't have her walking into some ambush.
When the dark shape came at him from out of the shadow of a group of trees, he didn't hesitate. He charged.
Tina was getting close to the clearing the two of them had begun to think of as 'theirs'.
She knew there wasn't too much real privacy out here in the forest; the trees knew what they had been up to, so did the birds, and the 'furry critters' as Stan liked to call them.
And there were other things out here too...
Suddenly, she heard a yell, some commotion up ahead, and tearing out of the bushes, of all things, a fox!
It ran right past her legs, limping as if injured, eyes wild with excitement and fear and took off down the path Tina had just come up. Tina could feel it's pain and sense trouble up ahead.
She took off at a run, her easy going morning had just gotten too interesting.
Stanley thought of himself as an able man, trained and toughened up over the years, and he'd not had much time to reason out whether a frontal assault was the best strategy against an unknown assailant.
He hadn't been exposed to the paranormal world for too long and hadn't yet readjusted to his new reality.
He thought this would be Mano e Mano, Hand to Hand.
He didn't intend though that it would be a fair fight...
The next thing Stan knew he was ass-over-tea-kettle, coming to rest against a tree trunk with a 'whack!', sliding down it's bark and into unconsciousness.
The last thing he could make out was a shape looming over him, then darkness...
Re: Doing it right...
Waiting for each entry in this story reminds me of how it must have felt in the early 1800s to be waiting on the dock in Baltimore for each episode of the serial novels of Charles Dickens to arrive by ship from England.
Thank God the "ships" move faster these days!
Thank God the "ships" move faster these days!
What happens in the lab needs to stay in the lab... because it's such a bloody drag to have to rebuild civilization all over again.
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jwhouk
- Posts: 6053
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
- Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
---
Brandi looked at the photos that Al had taken of the Grand Hall at the A-Mill Lofts. To say that anything in the pictures were "grand" was like calling a shrimp "jumbo".
"This is ridiculous," she told Bud. "If this is where Shelly's gonna get married, she'd be better off getting hitched at the local dump."
"I think she'd be open to ideas," Bud said, closing out the folder on the laptop with the pics.
"Hm. Lemme call a few people..."
Brandi looked at the photos that Al had taken of the Grand Hall at the A-Mill Lofts. To say that anything in the pictures were "grand" was like calling a shrimp "jumbo".
"This is ridiculous," she told Bud. "If this is where Shelly's gonna get married, she'd be better off getting hitched at the local dump."
"I think she'd be open to ideas," Bud said, closing out the folder on the laptop with the pics.
"Hm. Lemme call a few people..."
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
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GlytchMeister
- Posts: 3734
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
- Location: Central Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
{Credit to Al for the conversation between Brandi, Billens, and Neil}
Glytch, Brandi, and Billens all made their way over to Neil in his favorite winged armchair - it was quickly becoming known as his chair, and fewer and fewer people were sitting in it lately, leaving it open for the ancient yet young general.
He didn't see them approaching, but he recognized the gaits and footfalls of three people... And this particular trio didn't promise to make for an easy conversation.
"This is going to be about that... thing, isn't it?" He spoke without turning in his chair, instead letting the others move to where he could see.
Brandi took the lead. "Yes. I've talked a little with Billens, and a device like this is very interesting, to say the least. Such resources are always of value to the MIB. I would like you to reconsider your previous order regarding the DEMP... Simply let my people have a look at it, see it in action, and then take it apart and scatter the pieces across the globe so it may never be put back together again." Her lips quirked and a twinkle in her eye appeared at the last part as she sat in the other wingback, crossing her legs.
"And I'd like to call attention to how everyone who worked on that monstrosity would feel and act if they were all told to destroy it themselves without even getting the chance to see how all of their hard work turned out." Billens stood to Brandi's right, his hands clasped behind him and his face as stoic as ever. "I imagine they would be none too pleased."
Neil wasn't convinced. "You do realize, of course, that this is a completely untested design that he put together with tractor parts?"
"Yes, we do..." Brandi had slipped completely into her role as the Director of the MIB. "In any case the design shows remarkable promise - and even a test-firing of the device will give us valuable data. We do agree, however, that the device itself is far too dangerous to be used anywhere outside a test ground."
"Very well then - I yield to your request." Neil leaned forward in his chair, emphasizing his next words. "However, anything damaged will be paid for by MIB, correct?"
Brandi uncrossed her legs and leaned forward as well, putting her hands on her hips as her lips quirked again, her speech dripping with blatant fake shock. "Why, Neil - do you seriously think we would stick you with the bill?"
Neil, now grinning openly, shook his head. "Young Tom Edison I said, and Young Tom Edison I meant. I love him dearly, but geniuses are often...erratic."
Glytch stepped forward now. "Thanks, Neil... If it makes you feel any better, I promise to start slow- how about half-power? Just to make sure if it does fail, it won't spawn a lightning ball or turn into a Tesla monstrosity."
"I'd appreciate that, Glytch... But simply knowing those are even a remote possibility did nothing to make me feel better."
Brandi and Billens, confident the matter was taken care of, decided to exit stage left... But Glytch lingered.
"One more thing... You're running the show here, so I figured you'd want me to ask this; I coded a computer virus that will hunt down computers associated with Mr. Robinson's and destroy them. It's safe, I've coded it to avoid frying innocent computers. I wanted to ask you when you think would be the best time to release the virus?"
Neil thought for a moment, frowning slightly. "Just... Keep it at the ready. With things like this, it's sometimes best to wait for the opportune moment to disrupt the enemy. I'm sure I'll appreciate having such a disruption in my back pocket when the time comes."
Glytch nodded, understanding. It's hard to plan in as a chaotic situation as this... "Alright. I'll have it ready to go and put in a simple remote activation capability on my phone. All you'll have to do is tell me to burn some circuits... And I assure you, they will be nice and crispy."
Neil smiled, shaking his head. "I can't help but be glad you are only human."
Glytch smiled menacingly from under his hood. "Only human?" He stood, taking a deep breath. "Well, now that that's all cleared up, I have an elf to go practice archery with!" And with that, he turned and went to his room to change.
Neil chuckled softly. "Only human, indeed..."
Glytch eagerly stripped his street clothes off and began to pull out the gear from the bag Eme' had given him... Gradually becoming more astonished as he pulled more and more material from the one bag. The bag had absolutely no business holing so much stuff. Trousers, the hooded tunic, bracers, fingerless gloves, boots, a chainmail coif, and more.
"What the hell?" Glytch wondered at the pack, then decided to shove his arm as deep into the bag as he could.
He couldn't reach the bottom. The inside of the pack big enough to fit his internal-frame camping backpack, fully stuffed, with room to spare.
"what the hell?!?" Glytch held the pack at arm's length. It was no bigger than his everyday backpack. It would pass for carry on luggage. "I need to figure out how she did that..." It was even stranger than the Library hallway... There was at least a building and plausible way for all of the spacetime-warping equipment to be hidden... But this was just a leather bag!
He put the conundrum of the mind-boggling bag on the back burner and put on the gear. The chainmail coif was uncomfortable on a thin shirt, so Glytch pulled out a brown hoodie and used that for padding, keeping the leather hooded tunic on top of everything else. It was lighter and finer than any he had seen before, but he suspected it would stop a blade or arrow just as easily as the more heavy-duty stuff he had seen in museums.
He left the Manor at sunset, a little disappointed at the shortness of the winter days, and began his short hike to the haybales, a smile on his face.
Glytch, Brandi, and Billens all made their way over to Neil in his favorite winged armchair - it was quickly becoming known as his chair, and fewer and fewer people were sitting in it lately, leaving it open for the ancient yet young general.
He didn't see them approaching, but he recognized the gaits and footfalls of three people... And this particular trio didn't promise to make for an easy conversation.
"This is going to be about that... thing, isn't it?" He spoke without turning in his chair, instead letting the others move to where he could see.
Brandi took the lead. "Yes. I've talked a little with Billens, and a device like this is very interesting, to say the least. Such resources are always of value to the MIB. I would like you to reconsider your previous order regarding the DEMP... Simply let my people have a look at it, see it in action, and then take it apart and scatter the pieces across the globe so it may never be put back together again." Her lips quirked and a twinkle in her eye appeared at the last part as she sat in the other wingback, crossing her legs.
"And I'd like to call attention to how everyone who worked on that monstrosity would feel and act if they were all told to destroy it themselves without even getting the chance to see how all of their hard work turned out." Billens stood to Brandi's right, his hands clasped behind him and his face as stoic as ever. "I imagine they would be none too pleased."
Neil wasn't convinced. "You do realize, of course, that this is a completely untested design that he put together with tractor parts?"
"Yes, we do..." Brandi had slipped completely into her role as the Director of the MIB. "In any case the design shows remarkable promise - and even a test-firing of the device will give us valuable data. We do agree, however, that the device itself is far too dangerous to be used anywhere outside a test ground."
"Very well then - I yield to your request." Neil leaned forward in his chair, emphasizing his next words. "However, anything damaged will be paid for by MIB, correct?"
Brandi uncrossed her legs and leaned forward as well, putting her hands on her hips as her lips quirked again, her speech dripping with blatant fake shock. "Why, Neil - do you seriously think we would stick you with the bill?"
Neil, now grinning openly, shook his head. "Young Tom Edison I said, and Young Tom Edison I meant. I love him dearly, but geniuses are often...erratic."
Glytch stepped forward now. "Thanks, Neil... If it makes you feel any better, I promise to start slow- how about half-power? Just to make sure if it does fail, it won't spawn a lightning ball or turn into a Tesla monstrosity."
"I'd appreciate that, Glytch... But simply knowing those are even a remote possibility did nothing to make me feel better."
Brandi and Billens, confident the matter was taken care of, decided to exit stage left... But Glytch lingered.
"One more thing... You're running the show here, so I figured you'd want me to ask this; I coded a computer virus that will hunt down computers associated with Mr. Robinson's and destroy them. It's safe, I've coded it to avoid frying innocent computers. I wanted to ask you when you think would be the best time to release the virus?"
Neil thought for a moment, frowning slightly. "Just... Keep it at the ready. With things like this, it's sometimes best to wait for the opportune moment to disrupt the enemy. I'm sure I'll appreciate having such a disruption in my back pocket when the time comes."
Glytch nodded, understanding. It's hard to plan in as a chaotic situation as this... "Alright. I'll have it ready to go and put in a simple remote activation capability on my phone. All you'll have to do is tell me to burn some circuits... And I assure you, they will be nice and crispy."
Neil smiled, shaking his head. "I can't help but be glad you are only human."
Glytch smiled menacingly from under his hood. "Only human?" He stood, taking a deep breath. "Well, now that that's all cleared up, I have an elf to go practice archery with!" And with that, he turned and went to his room to change.
Neil chuckled softly. "Only human, indeed..."
Glytch eagerly stripped his street clothes off and began to pull out the gear from the bag Eme' had given him... Gradually becoming more astonished as he pulled more and more material from the one bag. The bag had absolutely no business holing so much stuff. Trousers, the hooded tunic, bracers, fingerless gloves, boots, a chainmail coif, and more.
"What the hell?" Glytch wondered at the pack, then decided to shove his arm as deep into the bag as he could.
He couldn't reach the bottom. The inside of the pack big enough to fit his internal-frame camping backpack, fully stuffed, with room to spare.
"what the hell?!?" Glytch held the pack at arm's length. It was no bigger than his everyday backpack. It would pass for carry on luggage. "I need to figure out how she did that..." It was even stranger than the Library hallway... There was at least a building and plausible way for all of the spacetime-warping equipment to be hidden... But this was just a leather bag!
He put the conundrum of the mind-boggling bag on the back burner and put on the gear. The chainmail coif was uncomfortable on a thin shirt, so Glytch pulled out a brown hoodie and used that for padding, keeping the leather hooded tunic on top of everything else. It was lighter and finer than any he had seen before, but he suspected it would stop a blade or arrow just as easily as the more heavy-duty stuff he had seen in museums.
He left the Manor at sunset, a little disappointed at the shortness of the winter days, and began his short hike to the haybales, a smile on his face.
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
-
DinkyInky
- Posts: 2382
- Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:38 am
- Location: Where there's more than Corn.
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
Still reeling from fixing the monster, and fervently wishing this day would close...perhaps with another prank on Glytchie, and some target practice, and giving the sweet girl her new coat, Emerauld found herself patrolling the expansive Alexander properties.
She was broken out of her reverie by a red fox, severely injured, reeking of poison, and trying not to cry.
Alarmed, she drew energy from a leyline and cast a quick cure and heals.
"Who did this, friend fox?" she barked. A series of yips and barks gave to her a picture of something that should not be here, let alone attacking two humans. Eyes turning icy, she barked a query for directions.
She cast a protection on the fox, and drawing energy from the leyline until glutted, she sped off silently after her back to a clearing to find two men covered in blood, and sent the fox away to safety with thanks.
A strange female...that's not exactly right, as she saw through to the core of her, with silver eyes more like an obfuscation, yet the Truth showed her to be honourable...interesting.
She started to approach her when she sensed "it", and saw it's form stalking the woman.
Drawing her bow, she drew four arrows from her quiver, whispered an incantation, and let them fly in rapid succession, striking it in the legs and arms.
"L'puul fuer'yon, dos orn naut jivviim jalbyr!" she cried, drawing a gleaming vial, which she tossed at it, and not satisfied with that, she summoned roots to bind him in place.
"Stand clear! I'm not sure it will hold this foul thing! No, back! It will kill all of you, then I'll have to fight six! Hold, Lady! Let me help!"
Replacing her bow and drawing a sigil in the air, she covered the creature completely in a cage of thorns, then went and dragged the two men to the edge of the clearing.
"I'm sorry, but this one is dead;" she said, saying a prayer after closing his eyes.
Sensing life in the other, she quickly and wordlessly cast spell after spell, removing the poisons she knew were there, and healed the head wound from striking the tree, who she reassured was not to blame for his injury.
"Wha hap'n?" queried Stan, his speech thick with confusion.
"Nay Lady, touch him not. The blood is poisoned, and until it is removed, it will affect any that touch it." She said as the woman began to move to his side.
Discarding her gloves on the ground, she opened her pack. Rummaging a bit rewarded her a fresh set of gloves, and with various tunics, trousers and boots, and a tattered quilt she laid on the ground. She pulled a vial and a small cloth from one of her wristpouches, and saturated the cloth, which turned an iridescent blue.
"Disrobe quickly, and you, use this to wipe off any blood. Do. Not. Make. Me. Do. It." She said she as sounds of protest came out of both of them, and she handed the female the cloth.
"I do not have much magic left, so please hurry." With that, she turned away and drew her swords and stood in a guard stance.
"What the hell, was that your surprise?" She seethed through gritted teeth, furiously scrubbing the bloodied spots with the cloth until he was nearly raw.
"Ow! No. Tinaaaa...Nonononononono!" He said in a shuddering stutter.
Tina took pity and helped select tunic and trousers and boots hanging from the tree, who she could almost swear was trying to cop a feel!
Cleaned, dressed and starting to calm, he said in rapidfire succession, "Thanks for saving Tina...and me. Do you know who he is? Oh, and thanks for the gift, I swear I was not intentionally stalking you...ow! What was that for?" Tina hit him in the back of the head at that remark, feeling slightly green-eyed.
"Please refrain from doing that. I just healed him and do not have much magic left should more be required. It is a beast whose name should not be said, nor shall I utter it here. It poisons, duplicates, kills all living things and finally, I left no gift, I can assure you."
"You did, and I greatly appreciate them. I have not had a chance to show her these, as I was busy being attacked," he said, drawing the four pairs of weapons from his pack, which thankfully, was not near him when he got jumped. With that, he handed them to her after she sheathed her swords.
"Again, I did not gift you with any--Gi ho dalninil d'anthe, vel'bol zhah nindol? As I said, I did not make these, after we take care of this(pointing at the creature), maybe I shall introduce you." She said, shaking with mirth.
"For now, goto the manor house, and find the one called Phix and tell her to send one of her clay maiden friends here, I need help containing it."
Chanting an incantation, they both felt energised, and after he repacked his bag, correction, the bag now holding his items("Take that, sis!" she thought with a giggle) he and Tina raced out of sight.
Looking toward the heavens, she exclaimed, "May the Lord and Lady protect and bless."
Translations in common:
Foul beast, you will not harm another!
Oh ho sister dear, what is this?
She was broken out of her reverie by a red fox, severely injured, reeking of poison, and trying not to cry.
Alarmed, she drew energy from a leyline and cast a quick cure and heals.
"Who did this, friend fox?" she barked. A series of yips and barks gave to her a picture of something that should not be here, let alone attacking two humans. Eyes turning icy, she barked a query for directions.
She cast a protection on the fox, and drawing energy from the leyline until glutted, she sped off silently after her back to a clearing to find two men covered in blood, and sent the fox away to safety with thanks.
A strange female...that's not exactly right, as she saw through to the core of her, with silver eyes more like an obfuscation, yet the Truth showed her to be honourable...interesting.
She started to approach her when she sensed "it", and saw it's form stalking the woman.
Drawing her bow, she drew four arrows from her quiver, whispered an incantation, and let them fly in rapid succession, striking it in the legs and arms.
"L'puul fuer'yon, dos orn naut jivviim jalbyr!" she cried, drawing a gleaming vial, which she tossed at it, and not satisfied with that, she summoned roots to bind him in place.
"Stand clear! I'm not sure it will hold this foul thing! No, back! It will kill all of you, then I'll have to fight six! Hold, Lady! Let me help!"
Replacing her bow and drawing a sigil in the air, she covered the creature completely in a cage of thorns, then went and dragged the two men to the edge of the clearing.
"I'm sorry, but this one is dead;" she said, saying a prayer after closing his eyes.
Sensing life in the other, she quickly and wordlessly cast spell after spell, removing the poisons she knew were there, and healed the head wound from striking the tree, who she reassured was not to blame for his injury.
"Wha hap'n?" queried Stan, his speech thick with confusion.
"Nay Lady, touch him not. The blood is poisoned, and until it is removed, it will affect any that touch it." She said as the woman began to move to his side.
Discarding her gloves on the ground, she opened her pack. Rummaging a bit rewarded her a fresh set of gloves, and with various tunics, trousers and boots, and a tattered quilt she laid on the ground. She pulled a vial and a small cloth from one of her wristpouches, and saturated the cloth, which turned an iridescent blue.
"Disrobe quickly, and you, use this to wipe off any blood. Do. Not. Make. Me. Do. It." She said she as sounds of protest came out of both of them, and she handed the female the cloth.
"I do not have much magic left, so please hurry." With that, she turned away and drew her swords and stood in a guard stance.
"What the hell, was that your surprise?" She seethed through gritted teeth, furiously scrubbing the bloodied spots with the cloth until he was nearly raw.
"Ow! No. Tinaaaa...Nonononononono!" He said in a shuddering stutter.
Tina took pity and helped select tunic and trousers and boots hanging from the tree, who she could almost swear was trying to cop a feel!
Cleaned, dressed and starting to calm, he said in rapidfire succession, "Thanks for saving Tina...and me. Do you know who he is? Oh, and thanks for the gift, I swear I was not intentionally stalking you...ow! What was that for?" Tina hit him in the back of the head at that remark, feeling slightly green-eyed.
"Please refrain from doing that. I just healed him and do not have much magic left should more be required. It is a beast whose name should not be said, nor shall I utter it here. It poisons, duplicates, kills all living things and finally, I left no gift, I can assure you."
"You did, and I greatly appreciate them. I have not had a chance to show her these, as I was busy being attacked," he said, drawing the four pairs of weapons from his pack, which thankfully, was not near him when he got jumped. With that, he handed them to her after she sheathed her swords.
"Again, I did not gift you with any--Gi ho dalninil d'anthe, vel'bol zhah nindol? As I said, I did not make these, after we take care of this(pointing at the creature), maybe I shall introduce you." She said, shaking with mirth.
"For now, goto the manor house, and find the one called Phix and tell her to send one of her clay maiden friends here, I need help containing it."
Chanting an incantation, they both felt energised, and after he repacked his bag, correction, the bag now holding his items("Take that, sis!" she thought with a giggle) he and Tina raced out of sight.
Looking toward the heavens, she exclaimed, "May the Lord and Lady protect and bless."
Translations in common:
Foul beast, you will not harm another!
Oh ho sister dear, what is this?
Last edited by DinkyInky on Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Yanno how some people have Angels/Devils for a conscience? I have a Dark Elf ShadowKnight and a Half Elf Ranger for mine. The really bad part is when they agree on something.
Aphyon chu kissa whol l'jaed.
--Safyr Drathmir
Aphyon chu kissa whol l'jaed.
--Safyr Drathmir
-
GlytchMeister
- Posts: 3734
- Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
- Location: Central Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Doing it right...
The moment John hit the floor, Monkca realized this had to be a slow process. She cast about in her memory, trying to think of a good place to gradually re-acclimate John to Earth. "I can't believe this... I have a price on my head, and I'm stuck babysitting this oversensitive hothead..." She muttered. Where to take him... Somewhere remote, not associated with her or her friends and family, and someplace ridiculously clean...
After some thought, she finally settled on taking John to the server room of the Library. The place was a cleanroom fit for building expensive satellites, it was temperature-regulated, and the crystalline quantum servers used by the Library created no noise for John. Plus, it wasn't on Earth, far removed from the whole mess Joe and Justin started.
It took John a few minutes to wake up. "Holy crap... My head!" He grimaced and covered his face with his arms, shielding him from the light. At least he wasn't being smited by smell. "What happened? Where was I? Where am I?
Monica's voice sneered from over him. "You got your ass beat by the air. I'm trying to reacclimate you to Earth... So you're in a cleanroom. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll take you someplace slightly smellier."
Tepoz giggled, right next to John's right ear. "Need a pick-me-up?"
John merely groaned.
After some thought, she finally settled on taking John to the server room of the Library. The place was a cleanroom fit for building expensive satellites, it was temperature-regulated, and the crystalline quantum servers used by the Library created no noise for John. Plus, it wasn't on Earth, far removed from the whole mess Joe and Justin started.
It took John a few minutes to wake up. "Holy crap... My head!" He grimaced and covered his face with his arms, shielding him from the light. At least he wasn't being smited by smell. "What happened? Where was I? Where am I?
Monica's voice sneered from over him. "You got your ass beat by the air. I'm trying to reacclimate you to Earth... So you're in a cleanroom. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll take you someplace slightly smellier."
Tepoz giggled, right next to John's right ear. "Need a pick-me-up?"
John merely groaned.
Last edited by GlytchMeister on Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!