Re: The Great Belligerency [Round 2: New Shambhala]
11-09-2010, 11:53 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by MalkyTop.
It was disorienting. The whole thing was. She had been pulling her ward along. She had been running from the fruits of the goddess' strange labor (and yes, she was sure it was her, the crazy dirt earth goddess weirdo). But all of a sudden, all was well. That wasn't really how a story went, she couldn't help but think. There was a climax and then there was descending action. It didn't just all...stop. And where was the lesson? She was sure there was supposed to be a lesson back there but she just couldn't see it. Or, to be honest, stories didn't always need to have lessons, but the ending at least involved someone taking over a kingdom or something like that.
This time, Soft actually listened to what the dark shadow man had to say. At least it might alleviate some of her confusion. But no, instead it just made her even more worried as soon as she heard the word 'Earth.' The last time she was on Earth, she hadn't left on good terms with any of the gods. In fact, she was pretty sure they said they would have to do something drastically horrible to her if she ever came back. Shoot, they weren't still around, were they?
But as she stood on the ship, as she gazed about, taking in the pinnacle of artificial creation, the product of the collaborative efforts of the greatest minds in the universe, she saw no gods, no self-righteous, almighty beings to smite her or at least dismiss her from Fairy Tale Duty.
People passed her by, creatures she somewhat recognized and some too bizarre even for fairy tales. No angry gods, though. She relaxed a little. Either the gods had changed their view on her policies or...they simply died out. Sometimes that happens. In any case, she took this as an invitation to go ahead and do whatever she saw fit.
No longer burdened with the fear of gods disapproving of what she did outright, she looked around with a different, more analytical view. Everybody walking around so content. So happy. No conflict. She scowled. One of the most important elements of a story was conflict.
She looked up at the sky and stomped on the floor a bit, as if experimenting how solid it was. She vaguely remembered dark shadow guy saying something about it being up in the sky...
Ah, now this she knew what to do about. She looked around again, a sharp grin on her face. The people here were no longer content and happy. They were haughty and big-headed. Really. A city in the sky. Now why would they go and build that? To feel superior, perhaps? This was exactly like a few stories from the past. What was the oldest one? That kid with the wings? This would definitely be the perfect allegory for reaching beyond one's capabilities.
"Hah, you think you could just sit up here like gods, looking down on everybody else?" Soft scoffed out loud, which might not have been the smartest thing to do, considering she was still on a crowded street.
"What?" said one strange creature, a large, furry thing with arms that could engulf a grown man. Its eyes were just barely visible as it blinked slowly at the girl. "What did you just say?"
"Little teddy bear," Soft sang, pointing the axe towards the large beast. This was probably also not a smart move. Passerby were no longer passing by, but staring at her and crowding around her, wondering what the hell she was doing, ready to hold her back if she was going to cause trouble. "How does this oh-so perfect city stay afloat in the air, hmmmm?"
"I'm not sure if I should be telling you that, little girl," the large furry thing rumbled slowly, frowning contemplatively at the sharp axe that was swinging dangerously in his direction. "Where're your parents? Where did you get that thing?"
"You don't disrespect others," Soft warned, her voice getting darker. "I don't need your condescension. I just want to know wherever the thing is that is keeping this stupid thing up."
The furry thing frowned again. "Little girl, if you are planning something...we will have to stop you, do you realize that? Do you think you can deal with the whole city stopping you?"
Soft grinned. "It's okay, because whether you help me or not, I'll make this city fall, all the way back to the ground, where you belong~"
It was disorienting. The whole thing was. She had been pulling her ward along. She had been running from the fruits of the goddess' strange labor (and yes, she was sure it was her, the crazy dirt earth goddess weirdo). But all of a sudden, all was well. That wasn't really how a story went, she couldn't help but think. There was a climax and then there was descending action. It didn't just all...stop. And where was the lesson? She was sure there was supposed to be a lesson back there but she just couldn't see it. Or, to be honest, stories didn't always need to have lessons, but the ending at least involved someone taking over a kingdom or something like that.
This time, Soft actually listened to what the dark shadow man had to say. At least it might alleviate some of her confusion. But no, instead it just made her even more worried as soon as she heard the word 'Earth.' The last time she was on Earth, she hadn't left on good terms with any of the gods. In fact, she was pretty sure they said they would have to do something drastically horrible to her if she ever came back. Shoot, they weren't still around, were they?
But as she stood on the ship, as she gazed about, taking in the pinnacle of artificial creation, the product of the collaborative efforts of the greatest minds in the universe, she saw no gods, no self-righteous, almighty beings to smite her or at least dismiss her from Fairy Tale Duty.
People passed her by, creatures she somewhat recognized and some too bizarre even for fairy tales. No angry gods, though. She relaxed a little. Either the gods had changed their view on her policies or...they simply died out. Sometimes that happens. In any case, she took this as an invitation to go ahead and do whatever she saw fit.
No longer burdened with the fear of gods disapproving of what she did outright, she looked around with a different, more analytical view. Everybody walking around so content. So happy. No conflict. She scowled. One of the most important elements of a story was conflict.
She looked up at the sky and stomped on the floor a bit, as if experimenting how solid it was. She vaguely remembered dark shadow guy saying something about it being up in the sky...
Ah, now this she knew what to do about. She looked around again, a sharp grin on her face. The people here were no longer content and happy. They were haughty and big-headed. Really. A city in the sky. Now why would they go and build that? To feel superior, perhaps? This was exactly like a few stories from the past. What was the oldest one? That kid with the wings? This would definitely be the perfect allegory for reaching beyond one's capabilities.
"Hah, you think you could just sit up here like gods, looking down on everybody else?" Soft scoffed out loud, which might not have been the smartest thing to do, considering she was still on a crowded street.
"What?" said one strange creature, a large, furry thing with arms that could engulf a grown man. Its eyes were just barely visible as it blinked slowly at the girl. "What did you just say?"
"Little teddy bear," Soft sang, pointing the axe towards the large beast. This was probably also not a smart move. Passerby were no longer passing by, but staring at her and crowding around her, wondering what the hell she was doing, ready to hold her back if she was going to cause trouble. "How does this oh-so perfect city stay afloat in the air, hmmmm?"
"I'm not sure if I should be telling you that, little girl," the large furry thing rumbled slowly, frowning contemplatively at the sharp axe that was swinging dangerously in his direction. "Where're your parents? Where did you get that thing?"
"You don't disrespect others," Soft warned, her voice getting darker. "I don't need your condescension. I just want to know wherever the thing is that is keeping this stupid thing up."
The furry thing frowned again. "Little girl, if you are planning something...we will have to stop you, do you realize that? Do you think you can deal with the whole city stopping you?"
Soft grinned. "It's okay, because whether you help me or not, I'll make this city fall, all the way back to the ground, where you belong~"