Re: Intense Struggle Season 2! (Round 1: Training Facility ONX)
07-13-2010, 02:49 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by bobthepen.
Lillian never heard the Monitor's performance or introductions. While the power of the grand master held her body upright and her eyes open, it did not break the subtle spell of sleep that had been cast on her moments prior. Wrapped in a blanket of dreams, Lillian was protected from the harshness of her undue summoning. She did, however, experience the very peculiar sensation of having fallen asleep on a train. Now, I don't know if you have ever fallen asleep on a train (Lillian certainly had not, and it may be that the experience is a tad different for everyone) but it is a type of sleep where a bit of reality always manages to find its way in. You know that you are going someplace, but you're not entirely sure where. And you know that you are not alone, but you're not certain who is riding with you. And, if you have never ridden a train before, the rattling of the windows and the clack-clack of the tracks reminds you that something very new and very exciting is happening.
So it was with Lillian when she awoke, on her back, on the cold hard floor to which the Monitor had sent her. She yawned, stretched her arms in a wide arc, and brushed the sleep out of her hazel eyes as naturally as if she was waking in her own bed. The sleep given to her was such that whoever awoke from it felt a subtle calm and confidence instead of the drowsiness that often follows a good nap. Lillian opened her eyes and propped herself up with a start. The room was hardly inviting. A sickly green goo lined portions of the floor, broken glass was scattered about, and the walls were made of a cold dull gray steel. Yet there was one quality of the room which appealed to Lillian more than any other, a quality which, with the magic of her sleep not yet worn off, overruled all the nastiness of the cramped little room. It was new. Never before had Lillian seen such a place, as dreary as it was. The green goo had an emerald luster, and the broken glass spoke volumes of mysteries. What mysterious creature or person could have made all this? Perhaps a lone architect shunned by society for his unorthodox designs, or a very meticulous mole stumbled onto a silver mine and lined the walls of his home with it? Soon every aspect of the unknown room became fuel for the excited and imaginative girl.
The Kindred Spirit did not share Lillian's thoughts. It had seen the Monitor's keep and heard the purpose of the contest. It saw the broken shards of glass and could feel the air of rage and frustration and danger left behind by the one who broke them. It knew that beyond these doors elsewhere in this structure were beings and creatures who were expected to kill the girl it had sworn to protect, and it did not know if it could stop them.
Lillian sensed the Spirit's apprehension and for the first time felt that some caution was required. The excitement remained, however, as an increasing suspicion gained prevalence in her mind.
"Spirit?" Lillian asked, "Is this part of the world?"
The Kindred Spirit replied with uncertainty.
"Well it could be part of the world. I mean, what else could it be if it wasn't? Though..." Lillian gazed down at the talisman. "I'm not fourteen yet, so I really shouldn't be out of the township...How?...How did we get here? I remember falling asleep, then having the strangest feeling, like I was traveling somewhere."
The Spirit said nothing, not wishing to frighten its bright-eyed charge.
"Well I think it was magic." Lillian continued without the kindred spirits input, as she often did. "Rosalie says there is no such thing as magic but I knew she was wrong. I told her, 'with a name as pretty as Rosalie the very least you could do is believe in magic.' Of course, here I am in a mysterious cave, and Rosalie isn't, so I suppose that says something for believing in magic."
The Kindred Spirit gave an encouraging twinkle.
Lillian turned ahead and began strutting down the goo-spotted hallway.
"No use in waiting here I suppose. I'm incredibly curious to see where this goop leads, and I bet it's nothing half as dangerous as you seem so worried about. Besides, if anything sticky happens you'll protect me, right Spirit?"
The Spirit twinkled, but its apprehension remained.
Lillian never heard the Monitor's performance or introductions. While the power of the grand master held her body upright and her eyes open, it did not break the subtle spell of sleep that had been cast on her moments prior. Wrapped in a blanket of dreams, Lillian was protected from the harshness of her undue summoning. She did, however, experience the very peculiar sensation of having fallen asleep on a train. Now, I don't know if you have ever fallen asleep on a train (Lillian certainly had not, and it may be that the experience is a tad different for everyone) but it is a type of sleep where a bit of reality always manages to find its way in. You know that you are going someplace, but you're not entirely sure where. And you know that you are not alone, but you're not certain who is riding with you. And, if you have never ridden a train before, the rattling of the windows and the clack-clack of the tracks reminds you that something very new and very exciting is happening.
So it was with Lillian when she awoke, on her back, on the cold hard floor to which the Monitor had sent her. She yawned, stretched her arms in a wide arc, and brushed the sleep out of her hazel eyes as naturally as if she was waking in her own bed. The sleep given to her was such that whoever awoke from it felt a subtle calm and confidence instead of the drowsiness that often follows a good nap. Lillian opened her eyes and propped herself up with a start. The room was hardly inviting. A sickly green goo lined portions of the floor, broken glass was scattered about, and the walls were made of a cold dull gray steel. Yet there was one quality of the room which appealed to Lillian more than any other, a quality which, with the magic of her sleep not yet worn off, overruled all the nastiness of the cramped little room. It was new. Never before had Lillian seen such a place, as dreary as it was. The green goo had an emerald luster, and the broken glass spoke volumes of mysteries. What mysterious creature or person could have made all this? Perhaps a lone architect shunned by society for his unorthodox designs, or a very meticulous mole stumbled onto a silver mine and lined the walls of his home with it? Soon every aspect of the unknown room became fuel for the excited and imaginative girl.
The Kindred Spirit did not share Lillian's thoughts. It had seen the Monitor's keep and heard the purpose of the contest. It saw the broken shards of glass and could feel the air of rage and frustration and danger left behind by the one who broke them. It knew that beyond these doors elsewhere in this structure were beings and creatures who were expected to kill the girl it had sworn to protect, and it did not know if it could stop them.
Lillian sensed the Spirit's apprehension and for the first time felt that some caution was required. The excitement remained, however, as an increasing suspicion gained prevalence in her mind.
"Spirit?" Lillian asked, "Is this part of the world?"
The Kindred Spirit replied with uncertainty.
"Well it could be part of the world. I mean, what else could it be if it wasn't? Though..." Lillian gazed down at the talisman. "I'm not fourteen yet, so I really shouldn't be out of the township...How?...How did we get here? I remember falling asleep, then having the strangest feeling, like I was traveling somewhere."
The Spirit said nothing, not wishing to frighten its bright-eyed charge.
"Well I think it was magic." Lillian continued without the kindred spirits input, as she often did. "Rosalie says there is no such thing as magic but I knew she was wrong. I told her, 'with a name as pretty as Rosalie the very least you could do is believe in magic.' Of course, here I am in a mysterious cave, and Rosalie isn't, so I suppose that says something for believing in magic."
The Kindred Spirit gave an encouraging twinkle.
Lillian turned ahead and began strutting down the goo-spotted hallway.
"No use in waiting here I suppose. I'm incredibly curious to see where this goop leads, and I bet it's nothing half as dangerous as you seem so worried about. Besides, if anything sticky happens you'll protect me, right Spirit?"
The Spirit twinkled, but its apprehension remained.