RE: The Fearsome Encounter (GBS3G8) [Round 3: Ark of Hope]
05-21-2014, 06:08 AM
Triumphian momentarily paused, raising a single claw in the air and deciding to confer with his guest.
After a quick back and forth on how much they wanted to lie to the small child, Triumphian spoke up, "The ark? You mean this boat?"
Cate shook her head, "No... its the key to The Ark. The one that... he... always has." The girl seemed to shrink a little with every word, as if she was waiting for some sort of retaliation.
Triumphian lowered himself and put his hand on her shoulder.
As he silently stared at the small girl, he felt conflicted. Never, in all of his life had he had to deal with a situation like this. While there had been plenty of people dealing with tragedy and situations out of their control in his long history both before and after becoming pope, most of it was impersonal, and it was never with someone so small and fragile.
It was obvious that this line of questioning was uncomfortable to Cate, Triumphian knew that something was amiss here, that there was something more to the story, and if he was going to get anywhere, he needed to figure out what that was.
This is a rather unpleasant situation, but I don't think it can get any worse, maybe you should reassure little Cate here before asking her anything else.
Triumphian took a deep breath and then looked at Cate in the eye. "Listen Cate, I wish to help you. There is nothing that you can say which will cause me to hurt you. It is obvious that you have been through an unpleasant time, but I am here to help. I am going to ask you one more thing, do you think you can do that?"
Cate nodded slowly, looking a tiny bit less scared.
"Thank you." Triumphian once again took a deep breath and then asked, "Just how did you get the key?"
Cate made a small whiny noise and looked down at her feet.
After a bit of coaching, Triumphian responded with, "It is OK Cate, take your time, take a deep breath."
Cate closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and then calmly exhaled. After a few breaths, she looked up at Triumphian and started to say, "Okay."
However, after letting that word out, Triumphian heard a small squeak, followed by a pop.
Triumphian put his hand over Cate's mouth and whispered, "Be quiet," and then observed the room very carefully.
There was only one door, the one they had entered, and it was still shut. The room was small, with only a table, a chair, and a light source. No windows, the light was part of the ceiling and... "There!"
Triumphian spotted an air vent, where he could see a small shadow with two beady eyes staring at him. "Oh. It's just a rat." Triumphian motioned towards the rat, releasing Cate, who proceeded to yell, "Stop!"
Triumphian looked back at the child midstep, asking, "What?" as something sprung up from the ground, sticking to his foot and then recoiling backwards. Triumphian helplessly lost his balance and fell down, his foot now awkwardly placed a bit closer to the vent than the rest of his body. He could not move it.
"What sorcery is this?" Triumphian said with some of the anger he had been repressing.
Hmmm, Triumphian do you feel something, a presence in the air that was not there before?
Triumphian once again quelled his anger and looked around the room, the rat was still there, but he felt something different about it. Triumphian closed his eyes and focused.
"Rat... you hide something from me... unfortunately for you... the eyes of god see ALL!" Triumphian's eyes glowed and after a moment, he saw that the rat was not alone.
Floating a ways above the rat was a small saucer shaped thing, with fur all around it and a small glowing bottom. It was spinning around lopping to the side as it began to move forward, as did the rat. Triumphian acted quickly, tossing his staff a bit upwards and catching it on its end, then thrusting it towards the saucer.
The rat screeched, causing Triumphian to lower his staff. The saucer lowered closer to the rat, Triumphian watched silently as the saucer disappeared and the rat returned into the vents.
"Blast! We need to move, and be on our guard. Cate, are you harmed?"
Triumphian held his staff back towards the top, as it should be, and then turned towards the young girl. He then dropped his staff to the floor, screaming, "What?" and taking a step back.
Cate was standing in a corner of the room, where Triumphian had left her, but she was not alone. Above the little girl was an eyeless wolf-like creature, glowing in a similar way to the saucer. Then it disappeared and having noticed Triumphian's reaction, Cate began to cry.
Triumphian flinched even more, his large gaping maw frozen in utter shock and panic at the crying child before him.
Don't just stand there like a fool, go and comfort her!
With as little movement as possible, Triumphian whispered, "How?"
Anaminendes was momentarily silent as he tried to pin down just what was wrong with this species. R...really? Uhm... okay... how about you try to laugh?
Triumphian paused for a moment.
You... you've laughed before right?
"Uhm... not like this?"
Look, the point is if we don't act quickly, someone might come, or worse, that rat might get some friends. We need to move out! Bite your pride! A child won't think lesser of you for comforting them.
Triumphian gurgled with some disappointment, took a deep, deep breath, and then let out his best, "WOO HWA HWA HWA!"
Cate opened her eyes, but there were still tears and a frown on her small face.
Come on now Triumphian! Take it a step further! Make a silly face!
Not wanting to make this torture last any longer than it had to, Triumphian raised his arms into the air, arched his head to the side, and loudly proclaimed, "WOO HWA HWA HWA!!!!"
"Hee hee hee," Cate giggled at the display, her hands trying and failing to cover her laughter at the absurdity in front of her.
Triumphian lowered his head, picked up his staff, and then kneeled down in front of her. "Alright Cate, we need to go now."
Wait! Triumphian, you should apologize for your reaction!
While Triumphian did think that was a good idea, and that it would potentially lead to the answering of at least one of the many questions he now had, he couldn't help but feel like Anaminendes was having a bit of fun at his expense. That said, as Triumphian put out a claw to Cate's hand, he said, "I apologize for my surprised reaction, after the saucer attacked me... seeing another creature similar to it was startling... could you tell me more about yours? Perhaps that will help me be more... comfortable with it."
"Wait, you can see them?"
"Ye.. yes, why?"
"Well... mmmn..."
Once again Cate went to her silence. Internally, Triumphian sighed, "It is alright child, we can talk more later. Come."
Uhm, Triumphian.
Wordlessly, Triumphian turned around. He was already at the door and behind him, Cate had hardly left her corner. The Pope let out another internal sigh.
"Cate, let me carry you."
Triumphian left the room, cradling Cate in one arm and holding his staff in the other. The world leader turned impromptu father figure looked across the halls, wondering if anyone had heard them and come to investigate. After making sure the coast was clear, he began to walk towards an empty hallway, hoping that he would find clarity soon, be it via the somewhat awkward child or through someone, anyone, else.
After a quick back and forth on how much they wanted to lie to the small child, Triumphian spoke up, "The ark? You mean this boat?"
Cate shook her head, "No... its the key to The Ark. The one that... he... always has." The girl seemed to shrink a little with every word, as if she was waiting for some sort of retaliation.
Triumphian lowered himself and put his hand on her shoulder.
As he silently stared at the small girl, he felt conflicted. Never, in all of his life had he had to deal with a situation like this. While there had been plenty of people dealing with tragedy and situations out of their control in his long history both before and after becoming pope, most of it was impersonal, and it was never with someone so small and fragile.
It was obvious that this line of questioning was uncomfortable to Cate, Triumphian knew that something was amiss here, that there was something more to the story, and if he was going to get anywhere, he needed to figure out what that was.
This is a rather unpleasant situation, but I don't think it can get any worse, maybe you should reassure little Cate here before asking her anything else.
Triumphian took a deep breath and then looked at Cate in the eye. "Listen Cate, I wish to help you. There is nothing that you can say which will cause me to hurt you. It is obvious that you have been through an unpleasant time, but I am here to help. I am going to ask you one more thing, do you think you can do that?"
Cate nodded slowly, looking a tiny bit less scared.
"Thank you." Triumphian once again took a deep breath and then asked, "Just how did you get the key?"
Cate made a small whiny noise and looked down at her feet.
After a bit of coaching, Triumphian responded with, "It is OK Cate, take your time, take a deep breath."
Cate closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and then calmly exhaled. After a few breaths, she looked up at Triumphian and started to say, "Okay."
However, after letting that word out, Triumphian heard a small squeak, followed by a pop.
Triumphian put his hand over Cate's mouth and whispered, "Be quiet," and then observed the room very carefully.
There was only one door, the one they had entered, and it was still shut. The room was small, with only a table, a chair, and a light source. No windows, the light was part of the ceiling and... "There!"
Triumphian spotted an air vent, where he could see a small shadow with two beady eyes staring at him. "Oh. It's just a rat." Triumphian motioned towards the rat, releasing Cate, who proceeded to yell, "Stop!"
Triumphian looked back at the child midstep, asking, "What?" as something sprung up from the ground, sticking to his foot and then recoiling backwards. Triumphian helplessly lost his balance and fell down, his foot now awkwardly placed a bit closer to the vent than the rest of his body. He could not move it.
"What sorcery is this?" Triumphian said with some of the anger he had been repressing.
Hmmm, Triumphian do you feel something, a presence in the air that was not there before?
Triumphian once again quelled his anger and looked around the room, the rat was still there, but he felt something different about it. Triumphian closed his eyes and focused.
"Rat... you hide something from me... unfortunately for you... the eyes of god see ALL!" Triumphian's eyes glowed and after a moment, he saw that the rat was not alone.
Floating a ways above the rat was a small saucer shaped thing, with fur all around it and a small glowing bottom. It was spinning around lopping to the side as it began to move forward, as did the rat. Triumphian acted quickly, tossing his staff a bit upwards and catching it on its end, then thrusting it towards the saucer.
The rat screeched, causing Triumphian to lower his staff. The saucer lowered closer to the rat, Triumphian watched silently as the saucer disappeared and the rat returned into the vents.
"Blast! We need to move, and be on our guard. Cate, are you harmed?"
Triumphian held his staff back towards the top, as it should be, and then turned towards the young girl. He then dropped his staff to the floor, screaming, "What?" and taking a step back.
Cate was standing in a corner of the room, where Triumphian had left her, but she was not alone. Above the little girl was an eyeless wolf-like creature, glowing in a similar way to the saucer. Then it disappeared and having noticed Triumphian's reaction, Cate began to cry.
Triumphian flinched even more, his large gaping maw frozen in utter shock and panic at the crying child before him.
Don't just stand there like a fool, go and comfort her!
With as little movement as possible, Triumphian whispered, "How?"
Anaminendes was momentarily silent as he tried to pin down just what was wrong with this species. R...really? Uhm... okay... how about you try to laugh?
Triumphian paused for a moment.
You... you've laughed before right?
"Uhm... not like this?"
Look, the point is if we don't act quickly, someone might come, or worse, that rat might get some friends. We need to move out! Bite your pride! A child won't think lesser of you for comforting them.
Triumphian gurgled with some disappointment, took a deep, deep breath, and then let out his best, "WOO HWA HWA HWA!"
Cate opened her eyes, but there were still tears and a frown on her small face.
Come on now Triumphian! Take it a step further! Make a silly face!
Not wanting to make this torture last any longer than it had to, Triumphian raised his arms into the air, arched his head to the side, and loudly proclaimed, "WOO HWA HWA HWA!!!!"
"Hee hee hee," Cate giggled at the display, her hands trying and failing to cover her laughter at the absurdity in front of her.
Triumphian lowered his head, picked up his staff, and then kneeled down in front of her. "Alright Cate, we need to go now."
Wait! Triumphian, you should apologize for your reaction!
While Triumphian did think that was a good idea, and that it would potentially lead to the answering of at least one of the many questions he now had, he couldn't help but feel like Anaminendes was having a bit of fun at his expense. That said, as Triumphian put out a claw to Cate's hand, he said, "I apologize for my surprised reaction, after the saucer attacked me... seeing another creature similar to it was startling... could you tell me more about yours? Perhaps that will help me be more... comfortable with it."
"Wait, you can see them?"
"Ye.. yes, why?"
"Well... mmmn..."
Once again Cate went to her silence. Internally, Triumphian sighed, "It is alright child, we can talk more later. Come."
Uhm, Triumphian.
Wordlessly, Triumphian turned around. He was already at the door and behind him, Cate had hardly left her corner. The Pope let out another internal sigh.
"Cate, let me carry you."
Triumphian left the room, cradling Cate in one arm and holding his staff in the other. The world leader turned impromptu father figure looked across the halls, wondering if anyone had heard them and come to investigate. After making sure the coast was clear, he began to walk towards an empty hallway, hoping that he would find clarity soon, be it via the somewhat awkward child or through someone, anyone, else.