Re: The Battle Majestic (Round 2 - Firestar)
02-23-2010, 04:57 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Sruixan.
Somewhere somewhat separate from the above reality, a computer monitor flickered fleetingly, stubbornly searching for someone who was no longer there to latch on to, before calling it a day and giving in forever. Or at least, until the man who owned it took it to be repaired. As it was, that one person was in no desire to do such a thing, and was at that moment hunched over another, completely separate monitor that offered no vista on the proceedings in the Bubble. In fact, it took another minute or two before the other occupant of the complex spotted the death...
"I thought you'd said you'd be watching the proceedings like a hawk! Some bugger's gone and snuffed it alrea... oh dear..."
Saying that the bubble was looking a little worse for wear was something of an understatement. For a start, it was now only a sphere by an exceptionally loose definition of the term "sphere". The countless cracks that adorned the surface and botanical bulges escaping from them shattered the image of the perfect utopian world that the arena was designed to be and instead gave the impression of the greys and greens and blacks and browns having been splattered onto the canvas of space by an enthusiastic four year old child. The net result was a somewhat startling transition from immaculate order to desolate destruction that had hardly taken two hours. Admittedly, three hours ago the whole place, planet and all, hadn't even been thought of, but it was instead the non-existance of his charges that was giving Talis food for thought...
"We're down one Alexander Striensand, Sruix. I'd get to informing Kaito, but I'm kinda, you know, ever so slightly concerned that, well, there might just be the slightest of chances that we end up with seven other corpses on our hands? This is a fight to a death, not a competition to see who can hold their innards in for the longest..."
There was a gentle sigh from the heap of hair beside Talis.
"Don't worry about it... there is still time. Besides, there's been a slight change in plan... I'm backtracking a bit, but I'm going to use our original plan for this round, alright? Don't ask, and I won't tell. It shall be... fitting."
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Where there had been carnage and chaos of whatever description fitted each contestant's perception of the frenzy, now there was something old; a black void, untarnished by the trifles of simple stuff. It was supposed to be brief, but in fact it lasted about a second longer than it should have - still not quite enough to let the contestants disconnect themselves from the bubble universe, and so when the light came, the change was still something of a shock.
It was quite a lot of light, in comparision to the rapidly dimming tones the dying sun of the previous round had emitted. Most of it caught the water lapping lackadaisically against the shore - the glimmers were hypnotic, and thankfully they continued up onto the beach, where grains of diamonds, assumedly, were trying desperately to outshine the sea. Someone has prepared this beach, for the same pattern of circles that had penetrated the darkness at the very start of the competition had been etched out in the sand, confining the remaining seven contestants once more. But now there were only seven combatants, and so that left one circle thrown at the mercy of the eternal cycle of waves.
The two gentlemen were standing there, in the middle, as immaculately dressed as the last time, with at least one discernablely devious smile on display. One could but assume, under the hair, S was wearing a similar smirk.
"People. Well, beings. That'll do... yes, right, first off; well done with the Bubble. I would be surprised if, in an hour or so, there was actually some of that sphere left. Your carnage was dealt much faster than I'd estimated, so I think you all deserve to give each other a pat on the back, though you might have to leave Sen out of that equation..."
By now the first few heads were drifting round, and the highlight of this new arena was quite apparent - the contestants were standing on the shore of a tropical island, yes, but how do most of those form? Well, through volcanoes like the one that towered over the landscape, that's how. It was the classic sort of volcano - tall, cylindrical and topped off with a waft of gainsboro smoke.
"It is called Firestar. Not the most original of names, perhaps, but trust me, it fits. The natives, see, aren't that advanced, and so I'd be pleased if I were you about the fact they've actually constructed a relatively decent metaphor by stringing two concepts together. Maybe I just have low expectations. Either way, rest assured, it might be dormant but I am pretty certain that it's not due for an eruption just yet. If you came here in a year or so, then yes, you could be worried, bu-"
Talis saw it fit at that moment to whisper something presumably into S's ear, though one never could be quite sure if you were communicating with his nose or not.
"...ah. OK, make that six months. Sorry, really, sorry. These things are pretty hard to predict, but I'd trust Tails over me anyday. You on the other hand might want to be wary... um, right, where was I..."
"Allow me - now, generally you've got a little more room to maneuver here, but, well, you know the natives S mentioned? Well, I booked a slot in the last hallucination experienced by their shaman and, you know, maybe said something to him about The Seven coming to bring about The End relatively soonish. Amazingly, they actually believe that guy - his brain is gradually turning into one of those mushrooms of his, let me tell you - and I'd recommend being a little cautious of them. I mean, they might come at you with pointed sticks, or flaming torches, or pointed flaming sticks. You might laugh, but as lovely as their temple is, you don't want to see the gorgeous carvings in it whilst tied upside down to a stick - that detracts from the experience, if you know what I mean. Anything else, S?"
"Just the fact that the nearest decent civilisation is about eight thousand miles away, as the crow flies, and none of you, as far as I am currently aware, are crows. Goodbye."
With that, they had vanished, and the contestants felt their ethereal bonds breaking, until they were able to move once more.
Somewhere somewhat separate from the above reality, a computer monitor flickered fleetingly, stubbornly searching for someone who was no longer there to latch on to, before calling it a day and giving in forever. Or at least, until the man who owned it took it to be repaired. As it was, that one person was in no desire to do such a thing, and was at that moment hunched over another, completely separate monitor that offered no vista on the proceedings in the Bubble. In fact, it took another minute or two before the other occupant of the complex spotted the death...
"I thought you'd said you'd be watching the proceedings like a hawk! Some bugger's gone and snuffed it alrea... oh dear..."
Saying that the bubble was looking a little worse for wear was something of an understatement. For a start, it was now only a sphere by an exceptionally loose definition of the term "sphere". The countless cracks that adorned the surface and botanical bulges escaping from them shattered the image of the perfect utopian world that the arena was designed to be and instead gave the impression of the greys and greens and blacks and browns having been splattered onto the canvas of space by an enthusiastic four year old child. The net result was a somewhat startling transition from immaculate order to desolate destruction that had hardly taken two hours. Admittedly, three hours ago the whole place, planet and all, hadn't even been thought of, but it was instead the non-existance of his charges that was giving Talis food for thought...
"We're down one Alexander Striensand, Sruix. I'd get to informing Kaito, but I'm kinda, you know, ever so slightly concerned that, well, there might just be the slightest of chances that we end up with seven other corpses on our hands? This is a fight to a death, not a competition to see who can hold their innards in for the longest..."
There was a gentle sigh from the heap of hair beside Talis.
"Don't worry about it... there is still time. Besides, there's been a slight change in plan... I'm backtracking a bit, but I'm going to use our original plan for this round, alright? Don't ask, and I won't tell. It shall be... fitting."
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Where there had been carnage and chaos of whatever description fitted each contestant's perception of the frenzy, now there was something old; a black void, untarnished by the trifles of simple stuff. It was supposed to be brief, but in fact it lasted about a second longer than it should have - still not quite enough to let the contestants disconnect themselves from the bubble universe, and so when the light came, the change was still something of a shock.
It was quite a lot of light, in comparision to the rapidly dimming tones the dying sun of the previous round had emitted. Most of it caught the water lapping lackadaisically against the shore - the glimmers were hypnotic, and thankfully they continued up onto the beach, where grains of diamonds, assumedly, were trying desperately to outshine the sea. Someone has prepared this beach, for the same pattern of circles that had penetrated the darkness at the very start of the competition had been etched out in the sand, confining the remaining seven contestants once more. But now there were only seven combatants, and so that left one circle thrown at the mercy of the eternal cycle of waves.
The two gentlemen were standing there, in the middle, as immaculately dressed as the last time, with at least one discernablely devious smile on display. One could but assume, under the hair, S was wearing a similar smirk.
"People. Well, beings. That'll do... yes, right, first off; well done with the Bubble. I would be surprised if, in an hour or so, there was actually some of that sphere left. Your carnage was dealt much faster than I'd estimated, so I think you all deserve to give each other a pat on the back, though you might have to leave Sen out of that equation..."
By now the first few heads were drifting round, and the highlight of this new arena was quite apparent - the contestants were standing on the shore of a tropical island, yes, but how do most of those form? Well, through volcanoes like the one that towered over the landscape, that's how. It was the classic sort of volcano - tall, cylindrical and topped off with a waft of gainsboro smoke.
"It is called Firestar. Not the most original of names, perhaps, but trust me, it fits. The natives, see, aren't that advanced, and so I'd be pleased if I were you about the fact they've actually constructed a relatively decent metaphor by stringing two concepts together. Maybe I just have low expectations. Either way, rest assured, it might be dormant but I am pretty certain that it's not due for an eruption just yet. If you came here in a year or so, then yes, you could be worried, bu-"
Talis saw it fit at that moment to whisper something presumably into S's ear, though one never could be quite sure if you were communicating with his nose or not.
"...ah. OK, make that six months. Sorry, really, sorry. These things are pretty hard to predict, but I'd trust Tails over me anyday. You on the other hand might want to be wary... um, right, where was I..."
"Allow me - now, generally you've got a little more room to maneuver here, but, well, you know the natives S mentioned? Well, I booked a slot in the last hallucination experienced by their shaman and, you know, maybe said something to him about The Seven coming to bring about The End relatively soonish. Amazingly, they actually believe that guy - his brain is gradually turning into one of those mushrooms of his, let me tell you - and I'd recommend being a little cautious of them. I mean, they might come at you with pointed sticks, or flaming torches, or pointed flaming sticks. You might laugh, but as lovely as their temple is, you don't want to see the gorgeous carvings in it whilst tied upside down to a stick - that detracts from the experience, if you know what I mean. Anything else, S?"
"Just the fact that the nearest decent civilisation is about eight thousand miles away, as the crow flies, and none of you, as far as I am currently aware, are crows. Goodbye."
With that, they had vanished, and the contestants felt their ethereal bonds breaking, until they were able to move once more.
Spoiler