RE: THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELED [S!1][ROUND THREE: PORT CERIDWEN]
09-09-2017, 07:11 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-09-2017, 08:19 AM by Pharmacy.)
The harbor that supposedly led to Morfran’s Ward was innocuous-looking enough. The horizon vibrated with magic, shattering the moons into a thousand pink pieces. Tschichold scanned the barnacle-pitted area, trying his best not to breathe in the scalding air. He frowned.
“Real fixer-upper, no?” Bennie cheerfully said. She somehow procured a hat while he was not looking. He politely decided not to question this. “Morfran’s Ward had been closed ages ago, since the time of Braud.”
“We should go back and get Aaron.”
“WHY?!” Bennie bristled, although she seemed to relax after she saw him jolt back. “I mean…why. As much as it is a good idea, there is the issue of urgency. We simply do not have the…time.”
Tschichold slowly nodded, not because he necessarily agreed with her but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Time wasn’t really an issue when you could literally teleport with a nap but Bennie was…odd. Hard to reconcile the fact that the murderer on stage and the oh-so-determined investigator was the same person. Perhaps, Bennie just changes her personality like how she changes clothes. How…mercurial. Confident. He envied her.
He walked into the ocean with Bennie because there was nowhere else to go. Also, no boat.
--
Shadows shrouded the sunken city. Alien light revealed the buildings, highlighting their unnatural shapes and angles. Walking was more of a falling sensation than a feet-on-ground deal and the temperature was just shy of burning, a fever dream. As much as Tschichold hated to admit it, he felt right at home here. He did not want to ponder the implications.
“So! How are you?”
“I’m fine…I guess?” Tschichold was a bit taken aback. “Could be better.”
“Oh definitely,” Bennie beamed a plastic-tiger smile. She was charming enough to make him crack a smile back, but he stopped. He knew what she did after all. “At least look on the bright side, at least someone would dig your missing eye. You really need to get an eyepatch, by the way.”
“Jesus!” Tschichold snarled. How long was his eye gone? How long?
“How long have you been going without one? It was never mentioned on your dossier.”
“I thought we are here to probe secrets about the Egg, not about my tragic backstory – ”
“ – the Egg?”
Two mermen – city guards – accosted them. They were rather beautiful, the piscine features only serve to heighten their attractiveness, but it was a threatening sort of beauty one might get from a predatory animal, only in fey form. Tastefully displayed scars, the near-perfect musculature – it was rather…distracting. Tschichold thanked his lucky stars and thanked the surrounding darkness.
“We can’t have secrets flying in the open, can we?” A trident was threateningly waved in his face, destroying any level of desirability he had in him. “Not especially from a softskin like you.”
“We were sent by the Council,” Tschichold carefully chose his words. “On the blessings of – ”
“ – OUR HONOR!”
“Our honor,” Bennie shoved aside Tschichold. She had morphed into a princess-warrior outfit, bodice and all. Her eyes had a wildness that even her currently glam-rock hair could not compare to. “Our blood and honor.”
“You wish to fight? You are willing to throw your life away for this damaged, one-eyed brat?” The merman stroked at his chin, clearly more impressed by the fancy costume than any word from the Council. He smiled dangerously. “I like that.”
Tschichold froze and mouthed, Bennie, no.
Bennie turned around and winked. Bennie, yes, the wink said.
“WHY are you doing this?” Tschichold screamed as she was led away. Mildly relieved by a temporary lack of Bennie, he contemplated his next course of action. He could follow her, but he could not. BUT on the other hand...his decision was made for him by a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re part of this too,” the other merman wrinkled his nose. “Along with a new change of clothes.”
--
The coliseum was one of the few well-maintained landmarks of Morfran’s Ward. Upkeep was rare due to the regular onslaught of local monsters. The city was practically crawling with nightmares and the humidity was certainly not helping. Blood-sports were probably one of the few indulgences they had. Tschichold sympathized. He knew too well how an environment could get to you.
So you might as well adapt. His reflection frowned back. He was moderately armored and in a cloak forged from some dream-beast. As much as he was embarrassed, he felt rather pleased in his appearance. A wearable, generic-fantasy reinterpretation of his past. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt more…confident. There was probably a point to Bennie’s antics.
“You’re not too shabby yourself.”
“What’s the point? Leaving behind a good-looking corpse?”
“Ha! I like that!”
Tschichold was discombobulated. He had mixed feelings about Bennie. She was agreeable, he supposed. She knew what to say but her volatile nature left something to be desired and she most definitely did something to Freefall. He preferred Aaron, but he was starting to have second thoughts. The ravaged inn-guests, the library-serpent, the currency (the currency) – the situation in Port Ceridwen was much…closer than he thought. He could guess why. He didn’t want to.
He only could trust his own judgement, he realized. He was alone. Again.
“Real fixer-upper, no?” Bennie cheerfully said. She somehow procured a hat while he was not looking. He politely decided not to question this. “Morfran’s Ward had been closed ages ago, since the time of Braud.”
“We should go back and get Aaron.”
“WHY?!” Bennie bristled, although she seemed to relax after she saw him jolt back. “I mean…why. As much as it is a good idea, there is the issue of urgency. We simply do not have the…time.”
Tschichold slowly nodded, not because he necessarily agreed with her but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Time wasn’t really an issue when you could literally teleport with a nap but Bennie was…odd. Hard to reconcile the fact that the murderer on stage and the oh-so-determined investigator was the same person. Perhaps, Bennie just changes her personality like how she changes clothes. How…mercurial. Confident. He envied her.
He walked into the ocean with Bennie because there was nowhere else to go. Also, no boat.
--
Shadows shrouded the sunken city. Alien light revealed the buildings, highlighting their unnatural shapes and angles. Walking was more of a falling sensation than a feet-on-ground deal and the temperature was just shy of burning, a fever dream. As much as Tschichold hated to admit it, he felt right at home here. He did not want to ponder the implications.
“So! How are you?”
“I’m fine…I guess?” Tschichold was a bit taken aback. “Could be better.”
“Oh definitely,” Bennie beamed a plastic-tiger smile. She was charming enough to make him crack a smile back, but he stopped. He knew what she did after all. “At least look on the bright side, at least someone would dig your missing eye. You really need to get an eyepatch, by the way.”
“Jesus!” Tschichold snarled. How long was his eye gone? How long?
“How long have you been going without one? It was never mentioned on your dossier.”
“I thought we are here to probe secrets about the Egg, not about my tragic backstory – ”
“ – the Egg?”
Two mermen – city guards – accosted them. They were rather beautiful, the piscine features only serve to heighten their attractiveness, but it was a threatening sort of beauty one might get from a predatory animal, only in fey form. Tastefully displayed scars, the near-perfect musculature – it was rather…distracting. Tschichold thanked his lucky stars and thanked the surrounding darkness.
“We can’t have secrets flying in the open, can we?” A trident was threateningly waved in his face, destroying any level of desirability he had in him. “Not especially from a softskin like you.”
“We were sent by the Council,” Tschichold carefully chose his words. “On the blessings of – ”
“ – OUR HONOR!”
“Our honor,” Bennie shoved aside Tschichold. She had morphed into a princess-warrior outfit, bodice and all. Her eyes had a wildness that even her currently glam-rock hair could not compare to. “Our blood and honor.”
“You wish to fight? You are willing to throw your life away for this damaged, one-eyed brat?” The merman stroked at his chin, clearly more impressed by the fancy costume than any word from the Council. He smiled dangerously. “I like that.”
Tschichold froze and mouthed, Bennie, no.
Bennie turned around and winked. Bennie, yes, the wink said.
“WHY are you doing this?” Tschichold screamed as she was led away. Mildly relieved by a temporary lack of Bennie, he contemplated his next course of action. He could follow her, but he could not. BUT on the other hand...his decision was made for him by a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re part of this too,” the other merman wrinkled his nose. “Along with a new change of clothes.”
--
The coliseum was one of the few well-maintained landmarks of Morfran’s Ward. Upkeep was rare due to the regular onslaught of local monsters. The city was practically crawling with nightmares and the humidity was certainly not helping. Blood-sports were probably one of the few indulgences they had. Tschichold sympathized. He knew too well how an environment could get to you.
So you might as well adapt. His reflection frowned back. He was moderately armored and in a cloak forged from some dream-beast. As much as he was embarrassed, he felt rather pleased in his appearance. A wearable, generic-fantasy reinterpretation of his past. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt more…confident. There was probably a point to Bennie’s antics.
“You’re not too shabby yourself.”
“What’s the point? Leaving behind a good-looking corpse?”
“Ha! I like that!”
Tschichold was discombobulated. He had mixed feelings about Bennie. She was agreeable, he supposed. She knew what to say but her volatile nature left something to be desired and she most definitely did something to Freefall. He preferred Aaron, but he was starting to have second thoughts. The ravaged inn-guests, the library-serpent, the currency (the currency) – the situation in Port Ceridwen was much…closer than he thought. He could guess why. He didn’t want to.
He only could trust his own judgement, he realized. He was alone. Again.