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wiltingMyosotis · 07-21-2017, 03:02 PM

> Wonder where your life went wrong, immediately realize that it was probably when you died.

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typeandkey · 07-21-2017, 08:33 PM

>A blank stare at first. Then a sharp draw of breath. Oh-no... A window-shattering wave of sound explodes outwards. For miles and miles everyone stops what they're doing to listen to what can only be described as the scream to end all screams.

Alice, oh Alice,
where did your life go wrong?
Was it when you cried?
Could you have died?
Perhaps it's your new throng.

Maybe it's malice?
We'll have to wait and see,
with storms on the way
all we can say
"Welcome to the Cloudsea".

NotABear · 07-22-2017, 01:49 PM

Alice opened her mouth, and then closed it. Then she closed her eyes, and counted to five. One. Two. Three. Fou-

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She always got this urge to just- scream her lungs out, but it was always quickly over-ridden. She wondered what part of that was the universe, and what part of that was Empty helping keep her emotions in check, and how much of that was her own doing.

She turned to look down at Viss, and slowly opened her eyes. Viss let out a quiet gulp, and flicked her tongue a few times.

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Viss let out a sad sound and released Alice, spinning about dramatically on one foot and hopping up to sit on the edge of the bed.

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Viss had hopped off the bed again, and had pushed up Alice's undershirt. She was unhappy with this, but was curious about what Viss had- Oh.

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Alice rolled her eyes a little. Undershirt down. She finished pulling on and buttoning her overshirt. Then she found that they had picked her out a very nice green vest from her clothes. White shirt, black undershirt, green vest, green trousers and black boots.

Viss was continuing to freak out the entire time, to the point where Alice heard someone come down to the door of the room, but they didn't open it. Probably was just listening. That's rude. She adjusted her collar, and brushed herself off.

She turned, knelt down, and put her hands on Viss' shoulders. Viss stood there, mouth open, tongue standing straight out, before she couldn't hold it anymore, and her tongue flopped against her bottom jaw. It was cute, and weird.

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The door slowly opened. Qhen put a hand through the door. Viss instantly pulled away from Alice and jumped up on the bed and looked- particularly subdued all of a sudden.

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Alice was decidedly less angry than she was when she started this day. Lunch- It was breakfast. Breakfast was tasty, and simple. She never thought about it much, but a steam-powered airship would definitely be able to afford redirecting some of that heat into a oven-steamer. As such, breakfast was soft steamed buns with a spread of oven roasted fruit and honey. Turns out Qhen is fairly handy around an oven.

She was even willing to forgive Viss her. . . Exuberance. But don't tell her that. Alice is aware that Viss' concept of affection was- flawed was a cruel word, and not what she intended. Damaged? Different? Different. Viss is from a difference place and upbringing than herself. Qhen as well. Alice is pretty sure the last person who had otherwise seen her even partially nude was the doctor who had to remove a piece of metal piping from her shoulder because- well let's not dwell on that.

She was even willing to forgive this impromptu kidnapping. They hadn't like, taken her and run. The airship was slowly doing circuits over the island. Occasionally, Alice had looked over the side to see some of the crew below, still helping with the search and salvage situation. . .

. . .What was her plans now? Surely, this ride on the airship was something to do with that, but she had remained silent, Qhen was further back and up, navigating the ship. Viss was sitting nearby, but not too close, and she looked like she was deep in thought- Alice didn't want to disturb her. But she wasn't going to get anywhere just watching the scenery go by.

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Viss waved an arm at Qhen. Qhen waved back and turned the wheel sharply, to point the nose of the ship towards the center of the island, then the entire thing went silent. Qhen had pulled something from the wheel, something on a long chain, which they slipped over their neck. A few moments later they were pulling a box over on which to sit.

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Qhen thrust a key on a chain out at Alice. Alice looked at the key. Then Qhen. Then the Key. Then Viss.

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Qhen and Viss looked at each other while Alice looked out into the clouds. Viss smiled at Qhen, and Qhen allowed themselves to smile back, while they got up and walked back up to the wheel. They were all hiding something from each other. They knew that.

Viss was thrilled with the possibility of getting to go out adventuring again. She only truly felt alive when she was being threatened with danger. She tried not to think about how messed up that was- but recently, because of Alice, and the developments with Qhen. . . She was starting to become a little more aware of how many scars she had covered up, or simply healed. She was absentmindedly rubbing one of the worse ones- it always ached when she wasn't keeping her mind preoccupied with other things- like how good Alice looked in that little black top. Also her skin is quite smooth. She sort of just wanted to nuzzle up against her and----

. . .Viss really is kinda trash. She knows.

Qhen was relieved that Alice said yes. It was like- a weight had been lifted off their shoulders. Figuratively and literally. It was something that Qhen had argued with the captain about often. . . Even on the night when he died. The captain had wanted to retire- and Qhen adamantly refused to take the job. . . Said they didn't have any right to be in charge of other people's well being, when they couldn't even take care of themselves. . .

When- when it all happened, the captain gave Qhen the key, and told them to run. Captain said it didn't matter that Qhen didn't want to be the captain. Qhen would know what to do with the key, and would either take the job, or find someone good enough to take their place.

. . .Qhen wouldn't have dared admit it- But sometimes Alice's eyes make them think of the captain. Sometimes when Alice was thinking very hard- she had this. . . amazing gaze. . . It made Qhen pause sometimes.

Alice. . .

Alice wasn't sure what to think. Everything was still moving so fast. Was this what life was like outside her shell? It kinda made her want to crawl back in. But she has the distinct feeling that 'the universe' would give her guff for it. . . Of COURSE she wants to explore! She wants to see things, things like she's read about in her books! Beautiful, amazing things. . .

But that also means having to see the less beautiful, more horrifying things. Qhen had asked her if she knew what the Imperial Sphere was like. Sometimes she forgot she even lived in it. The island barely had a presence of them, she had honestly forgotten. . . She's not even sure she's really seen anything about the Imperial Sphere except what she's read in books. It's not always the most flattering things.

But all of that aside, Alice was secretly thrilled- and honestly a little touched that Qhen had worked up the courage to do that. She was also a little touched- literally, but still- by Viss. Viss seemed genuinely worried with Alice's well being, which was something she was not particularly good at. Like, she could get up, do some exercise, eat well, but she still spent most of her time indoors, alone.

Whatever. She can figure out what she's going to do, after she talks to Qhen and Viss about the ship.

So. An interesting bit of participation, I'd like your help designing the Brasstack! Just log your choices after anything you might have to suggest to Alice, Qhen and Viss (yes, Viss can hear you again.) and I will use the suggestions to help put together the pieces.

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Thanks for humoring me. ' <'

Lordlyhour · 07-22-2017, 04:30 PM

MYSTERIOUS SKYBOAT OF MYSTERIOUS MYSTERY!
Design? MYSTERY!
SECRET WEAPON? MYSTERY~!
Balloons? The Mystery is Where did they go? And Why do we have so many propellors?!
and then the Breeze Map. For Easier Travel TO Mystery!
Unless not relying on Balloons 'd free us from being as dependent on aircurrents to get us places in a timely manner, in which case, maybe, like Bomb Bay Doors? Like, we have our own personal Alchemist on Board. Having something on our ship allowing for easy Ability to huck explosives out the bottom'd allow us to better UTILISE that.

and could probably, in a pinch, be used to load cargo more easily

...mystery

A-cha · 07-22-2017, 06:32 PM

> Congrats Capt. Alice. Maybe you could be like those people in your books! Adventure! Drama! Awkward romance! ... Well eesh you're most of the way there already without having a ship. Take a look around, get to know the ship. At the least you can find a nice spot for your void space door.

> Are you ok, Qhen? A lot has been going on. Do you think the crew will be happy on the island? They have a lot of material they can recycle.. Were there any buildings that came out intact?

> Viss! Viss Viss Vissssssss, you trash-lizard, you are a treasure. Maybe ask Alice later after she's had time to decompress if you can help with the scars. She's still new to this whole touchy-feely thing.

> C. Mysterious design, my favorites for extras are Landing gear (especially harpoon rope!), Cargo loading door, and Balloon-less design!

typeandkey · 07-22-2017, 09:48 PM

Part 1:
>Option C, it may look add and mysterious, but it still packs a punch with an imposing silhouette. Any aggressors would think twice before engaging.
Part 2:
>Deployable sailwings
>Secret Weapon
>Balloonless design
>karaoke bar

>So Alice, congratulations on your new job promotion, mon capitaine. Most librarians need to work their way up to the captain position and have at least 2 years of Sea Shanty School.

>Alright, and bear with me here, now that you have a ship, is it out of the question to immediately become a bunch of shanty-shouting, rum-swilling pirates? Just asking...

NotABear · 07-23-2017, 10:07 AM

Alice sat alone. Not that her house was empty. Viss was nearby- After such a short time, she was quite aware of how it felt when Viss and Qhen were in her proximity. She also had learned this unusual prickling that meant that Viss was watching. For now, Viss was not.

Viss was outside, on the other side of the wall, talking with some of the crew. When they learned that Alice had agreed to the exchange- Well, the 'temporary captain' at the time had come by to find out what it was Alice wanted. They were. . . Relieved? To learn that Alice intended for them to finish their work before they were allowed to properly settle in, and that she was also going to look at everything they salvaged, and made a decision on what they could have afterwards.

Jules, their name was? Jules thought the entire thing amusing. Agreed that Qhen had found a 'proper captain' for the ship. They had even brought a peace offering. . . Apparently Jules was originally the engineer, and had been given the captain role because they knew the ship best. So she gave Alice the best thing they could think of as an offering.

They gave Alice the designs for the airship.

Jules used to work for Her Imperial Majesties, in the royal research society. Jules didn't offer up a reason as to why she was no longer with them, and why she had taken a ship and all of it's design documents with her. . .and Alice didn't ask.

She had spent a couple hours pouring over the designs. The ship was fascinating. It was steam-powered, which is. . . rare. Mostly because charge stones were fairly plentiful and powerful enough to drive the propellers to move even a larger ship for at least a week or so- it and were small enough that it was easy (but not cheap, maybe. . .) to keep spares on board.

At least, that's how she understood it. But this design- It was fascinating! The ship's exterior shell was made entirely out of high strength steel! It was a costly material, but it's strength meant you could have thinner walls, and it was reinforced with wood and metal struts that helped absorb impacts. . .

And this steam engine. . . If it did what it looked like, to Alice's novice eye- this thing could practically last forever! It only needed elemental stones to keep the heat going, and it even had a coal box for emergency heating. . . And it only needed water if the 'Main Cannon' was fired? She hadn't really figured out what that was all about yet, and she wasn't sure if she cared right now. She closed the folder of scrawling and scribbles and diagrams and blueprints, and flopped back in her chair in the downstairs study.

Before she chased everybody outside, Viss and Qhen had stopped to let Alice know what they thought. They respected her, and cared for her, and making her the captain was just as much for her as it was for Viss and Qhen and the rest of the ex-crew. It wasn't anything exceptional, but it had made Alice think for a while, which she was doing again.

Alice has no idea what the outside world is like. She's been living on this- picturesque island for so long. . . There have been no problems. . . No worries. . . No-

. . .No, wait. Something feels off. Something. . .hurts. . .

No! Can't think about it. She needs to get out of this room. Out of this house. Outside! She can go out the back door and have a breath of air.

She nearly tripped as she threw open the back door and stumbled out, catching herself on a support for the back porch. She held onto it and breathed. Her head stopped hurting, little by little.

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Qhen was sitting on the grass. It took a moment for Alice's eyes to readjust, but she was quickly aware of the small red cape hanging around Qhen's shoulders.

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Alice smiled. Free wasn't there, but Alice could see them bow politely when she walked over and plopped down- Right next to Qhen. Her head fell on their shoulder. Qhen blinked, then coughed politely, to themselves.

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. . .Alice slowly sat up. She looked at Qhen. Qhen smiled back at her. She turned and looked out off into space. Everything got- incredibly quiet. She was hyperaware of not only Qhen, but Free's gaze. It made her uncomfortable, but not as much as the question did. What was Freedom? A dictionary would say 'the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.'

That was probably the Freedom that Qhen and Free pursued. What would Freedom to Viss be? Probably 'the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.' She could tell that Viss' past was an incredible weight that she had to deal with every day.

So, what was Freedom to her? Alice van Vaugen. Young woman. Bookworm.

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( ) "I don't know."
( ) "I don't care."
( ) "Anywhere but here."
( ) "I want to see another island."
( ) "I want to see what the world is like."
( ) "A bar? Adventures start there, right?"
( ) [SECRET ANSWER: Can Alice trust Qhen with this one?]
( ) "How about the CloudSea?"
( ) [Quick, Change to another character!]

Tuesbirdy · 07-23-2017, 10:36 PM

(x) BAR BAR BAR BAR BAR tipsy shenanigans must ensue

A-cha · 07-23-2017, 11:21 PM

(X) SECRET TUNN- er secret answer!

Lordlyhour · 07-23-2017, 11:55 PM

( ) "I don't know."
( ) "I don't care."
( ) "Anywhere but here."
( ) "I want to see another island."
( ) "I want to see what the world is like."
( ) "A bar? Adventures start there, right?"
( ) [SECRET ANSWER: Can Alice trust Qhen with this one?]
(✓) "How about the CloudSea?"
( ) [Quick, Change to another character!]

typeandkey · 07-24-2017, 12:04 AM

>Why not head to a bar on another island. Just make sure it's a classy place. A captain and her distinguished crew can't be seen rubbing shoulders with the common rabble, now can they?

NotABear · 07-24-2017, 11:19 AM

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Qhen blinked. They looked at Alice. They said nothing. They listened. Just sat there- and stared, and listened. It made Alice a little uncomfortable- Not because Qhen was staring, but because they seemed to really care so much about the things she said. It was. . . a weird feeling.

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Viss plopped down on the other side of Alice, and got very comfortably, snuggling up against her and watching her intently. Alice stared off into space, and counted to three.

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Spoiler

Alice Wrote:"Well now I don't want to say it because either Viss is going to make fun of me, or it's just going to be stupid and-"

Viss Wrote:"Aliss! You wound Viss! Viss does not make fun of Aliss! Viss might be the most impure maiden Aliss has ever met, but Viss means everything she says about Aliss! Viss is very honest, when you get to know her."

Alice Wrote:". . ."

Qhen Wrote:"Well. . .It's true, to an extent. She certainly is quick to speak her mind, as long as she's not talking about herself."

Alice Wrote:". . .Fine. But it's really alright that you came back here to hang out with us?"

Viss Wrote:"Psssh. Crew loves Viss, Viss loves crew, but crew is getting rowdy, and Jules made them all go back to work. Said they sooner they were done, the sooner they could settle in. They apparently have plans to reclaim the farm, if you don't mind that. . ."

Alice Wrote:"I don't actually care. I just want- The more I've been thinking about it, the further away from here I want to get. Even for a little bit. If I could, I'd just- wipe away the city and rebuild it anew. Every time I walk down to help, I think..."

Viss Wrote:". . .Viss would be satisfied with a taste of Aliss' tear-sSSPTh."

Alice Wrote:"Why is it impossible to have a serious conversation with you around?! You stay down there in the grass until I tell you that you're allowed to get up!"

Viss Wrote:"Ssspth."

Qhen Wrote:"You think about how things could have been different. I think Viss and I can tell you that's not a very healthy way to think. . .So let's change the subject back to the dream. What about it?"

Alice Wrote:". . .Well- I mean. . . I want to find it. My dream. That seemingly endless pool of water, that beautiful white sand that stretched on forever. . .I want to find that place."

Qhen Wrote:"And if you can't find it?"

Alice Wrote:"I don't know. I can't even realistically think that far ahead. I'm still running in circles in my head at the concept of being in charge of you two and expecting you two to take me seriously and get us to the next island."

Qhen Wrote:"Not to worry. I promise not to make your job any harder- and besides, you'll grow into the job. I believe you have what it takes to make Viss respect you."

Alice Wrote:"As irritated as I am at her, that seemed a little harsh."

Viss Wrote:"mmmmph."

Alice Wrote:"You know what? Fine. We leave tomorrow. How about that?"

Viss turned her head a little bit, to look over at Qhen, who shared the glance. Qhen stood up and brushed themselves off, then pointed at Viss.

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They moment they were gone, Alice fell over into the grass. Okay. So many things she had to plan ahead for.

First, she was leaving! That was terrifying! The island was so safe- but that was the problem. She wasn't going to find freedom that way. . . She wasn't going to find purpose! What was it that she wanted to do? Did she just want to explore? That sounded like a really good way to get lost and never come back. Ugh...

And the voices weren't helping for once! She didn't want to just let them invisibly influence her actions! They were really good when she needed help in an emergency. . . But sometimes they just pulled her in so many directions, she was afraid she was going to snap.

. . .The power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity. Maybe that's all she wanted. She has had this terrible feeling, in the back of her head. But- she wasn't going to think it right now. She could feel the universe watching her- and she didn't want to open that particular pandora's box just yet. . .

So she was going to sit here, and think to herself, and work it out.

She was afraid of leaving. But she knew if she stayed, at best, she would lead a boring, unfulfilling life. She's had a taste of action. Of adventure. Her heart cried out for more.

No, not her heart. Something else. A distant feeling. That feeling she got, like when she was laughing in her own head. It was like she was shaking herself awake after a long nap. Like she was an observer in her own life- Well, that is the case, isn't it? Doesn't everybody have that voice, that halfway through doing something stupid, makes you painfully aware of how much dirt you're going to eat when you land from your childish flights of fancy?

She knew if she stayed, her 'inner self' would be disappointed. SHE would be disappointed. At best. But at worst. . .

Alice knew the townspeople were gone. Whatever had killed her had taken them away. She wasn't even sure what had actually happened. That night- it was all nightmares and bad dreams and her head hurt when she thought about it. Like something was keeping her from remembering properly. There were all sorts of things like that. . . Things that if she told Qhen and Viss, they would only worry needlessly. She wanted them to worry, least of all. She couldn't work out why, but she was happier when they were happy.

Probably something about creatures spreading joy through their own lives spreading happiness back- what was it... a number of quotes came to mind, from some distant place. . . A book? Ah- Shared pain is lessened. Shared joy is increased. Thus do we refute entropy.

Ha. Thinking about that made her smile. She sat back up, and looked up at the sky. It was already getting dark. She can't remember the last time she looked at her clock. There were thirty hours in a day. Ten days in a week. One for each of the 'Legendary Ten Explorers' that helped make the Imperial Sphere safe. Three weeks in a month, one for each major phase of the moons. Waxing. Full. Waning. Ten months a year. Again, one for each of the legends.

Time, like many things, was a manifestation. A product of men. A machination of mortality. Time. Wealth. Possessions. Words. Numbers. She closed her eyes, and pushed everything to one side, like her head was a massive desk. All of it, off, onto the floor. Everything around her began to grow incredibly silent. The coolness of the air gave way to something else. The feeling of the grass and ground below her gave way to nothing.

Everything was gone. Everything was still. It was just her, and this desk. This massive object that held the things she thought about all the time. She put her hand on it, and began to smear letters into it's surface. A question.

[What do I want out of life?]

She sat there, and stared at the letters. She felt something envelop her- she felt the nothingness envelop her. It pulled her in, and here- here, she could think. The letters began to change- change to the question she really kept asking herself. . .

[Who is-]

( Alice. )

Like a strained metaphor, she was back in the now. The present. Her head whipped around, and she sighed-

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With her answer received, Alice left to go get some rest. She slept well. Her dreams were quiet and delightful, and she remembered nothing.

Qhen and Viss worked through the night, helping the ex-crew unload their personal belongings, laughing, joking- They could not properly express what had happened in the past half week or so. They were ready to have another adventure. They wanted to see more- but more importantly, they wanted to see it with Alice.

They argued on which island they should visit first. Which bar would be better suited to a young woman like Alice. They talked about what they would need to go out into the CloudSea again. . . And they talked about Alice's dream. After everything Alice had done for them, they were wondering if they could help Alice's dream come true. What were the chances of finding something like that? How far would they have to search? How far could they search?

Free watched Qhen and Viss work. It reached up and touched itself on the chest. Their heart continued to beat. Continued to pump blood. They thought about what might have happened, if Alice and Empty hadn't stopped them. Free wondered if Viss would ever awaken her muse. She was so... used to lying to herself. Her heart had stopped giving off those negative feelings, but it feels less like- those feelings have stopped, and more like she just found the cracks in her armor, and sealed them up.

Of course, Free was more worried about Qhen, but that's because Qhen was their host. They were like. . . two sides of a coin? No. . . a bow and arrow? No- but closer. . . Two things that were amaaing together, but each separately was still useful. . . Hm. It was going to think on this for a while.

Empty stood. They stood at the edge of the land, where Alice had left them. They walked right up to the edge. They stared down into the clouds. The breeze blew against their cloak. Their hair. Their tears.

Empty stood at the edge of the island all night.

Alice stood on the deck of the airship. Her airship. HER airship. It was hers now. That was still confusing. It had really been like, a day and a half, because Viss and Qhen worked so hard that Alice forced them to take a nap first. Speaking of, Viss was below, checking on the steam engine, while Qhen quietly did calculations with the breezemap. The Brasstack slowly drifted away from the island. She was already feeling homesick. Nervous. Excited- Not that she had to worry! She had- okay, she didn't. The universe helped her with an amazing idea. . . She installed a door to the voidspace! It would allow her to pop back to the voidspace and-

Qhen was bringing the Brasstack in to dock. This island felt off, but Alice couldn't figure out why. It might just be because it's entirely man made! Just one big city. . . There was dirt sure, but it was like- Like any grass or trees she saw, it felt like someone had planted there just so it would look nice.

Well, that could be the reason entirely. Hm. Alice helped deploy the docking hooks that roped the Brasstack up to the docks, and the airship slowly wound down. . . And as she looked out to the docks, she saw. . .

( ) A lot of people.
( ) Too many people.
( ) Holy cow, Qhen said this was the closest trading hub, but Alice didn't know that meant this many people!
( ) a Bird Person?
( ) Very nice looking building that had a sign that read "Cafe" on it.
( ) Nobody.

Tuesbirdy · 07-24-2017, 11:36 AM

(x) bird person

A-cha · 07-24-2017, 04:49 PM

> Holy cow that's a lot of peop- is that a bird person?

typeandkey · 07-24-2017, 07:48 PM

>A Cafe absolutely filled to the brim with bird people. Can cafes really get this large? Holy Cow! I wonder what today's special is.

>Now-now. There's no need to shout, Captain. Pirates can be distinguished depending on how much loot they've accumulated. No one's going to want to mess with a man who has a solid gold peg-leg.

wiltingMyosotis · 07-24-2017, 09:53 PM

> bird people!!!!!! So many bird people. Maybe too many bird people.

NotABear · 07-25-2017, 02:29 AM

Bird people? No. Bird person. Just one. Alice barely had a glimpse of them before they vanished around a corner.

She was already following them. She wandered off the boat, and immediately began weaving into the crowd as if it was a second nature. She walked when she could, stopped when she must. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she had to find that person. There was no way they would still be in that alleyway. . . But she still had to know. Maybe there would be a clue, a way to follow them.

Then someone grabbed her wrist. It was probably Qhen but-

It wasn't Qhen.

It was a stranger. A man. At first, she mistook him for someone younger, but realized that while he seemed 'small', it was all in his posture. She wondered if he would be stepped on if someone wasn't looking down when they walked in his direction. He looked up at Alice, and she stared into a dark void- His glasses were quite dark. She could barely see his eyes, but suspected she didn't want to. His face was kinda twitchy. She was doing pretty well at repressing the urge to scream or otherwise break away from this person. Something about them was- not calming, not reassuring. . . What was it? Was it something about his shirt, which looked like he had been using to clean paintbrushes for months? Was it the weird smelling thing he was smoking?

She did not fear this person for a moment. If she wanted, she could reach out and just push him over. Compared to her, he was weak- and that's saying something.

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Alice reached down with her other hand, and pushed his hand away. He didn't react negatively. He just continued to watch her. He was clutching something. Was that a pile of papers? It was loosely bound. Was he a writer?

She looked in the direction of the alley. She looked back to this strange person. If she went to go down the alley, he might just follow her, and there was no promise that there would be any sign of the bird down there. Alice could feel Qhen and Viss getting closer. Qhen was walking normally, but Viss was definitely not. She was stalking around, behind this strange man.

Again, he seemed harmless. But maybe that was just the best way to get close to someone to- . . . To WHAT? She didn't dress very well. The airship was interesting, but if anything, it feels like it should make someone want to think twice before robbing someone like her. She might be dangerous, flying something like that. Then again, with the weapons hidden away, it just looked like a cargo ship she's seen diagrams of, just. . . metal.

Qhen walked past her. They made no indication of recognition, just walked right past Alice, and into the alley. Then she could see that Qhen was standing at the edge, waiting. Ah. She looked back to this strange. . . stranger.

What does one do in a situation like this? What does one ask?

( ) "Um, Hello?"
( ) "Who are you?"
( ) "Did you see that bird walk past?"
( ) "Do you know where I can find a place to get a drink and maybe some information?"
( ) "Do I know you?"
( ) "Would you come with me?"
( ) "Run! Run, little strange person! My crew mate is coming for you and I do not want to be responsible for any injuries you sustain because of her powerful jealousy!"
( ) "What are you smoking?"
( ) "Where did you get such strange clothes?"
( ) "What is that? (papers)"

. . .Alice admitted her mind was going everywhere right now. See? It's times like these she could use a bit of guidance.

wiltingMyosotis · 07-25-2017, 02:30 AM

> What are those papers. Paperwork. Work of papers. Work that make papers. paperpaperpaper.

Lordlyhour · 07-25-2017, 05:24 AM

Ask about the Papers and How it is He knows you

typeandkey · 07-25-2017, 06:20 AM

>Freak him out a little, he seems high strung enough. Tell him to "Run, run!" He might have a panic attack.
>If he still has the ability to speak intelligibly, ask him where he got his strange clothes and if whatever he is smoking is legal.

Tuesbirdy · 07-25-2017, 06:39 AM

(07-25-2017, 05:24 AM)Lordlyhour Wrote: »Ask about the Papers and How it is He knows you

NotABear · 07-25-2017, 12:33 PM

You know what? Alice agreed with the universe for once.

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The guy shuffles a little bit- not nervously though. He adjusts his sunglasses and grips his pile of paper in both hands. As he talks, Alice thinks about his voice. It's gruff, and reminds her of a master she had, who also smoked constantly. But at the same time, it made her think of herself, as a child- when she used to read, and do the voices for the characters in her own head- and sometimes NOT in her own head. Something about him was just- constantly off.

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He talked a LOT. Alice just watched him. He was all over the place. He was like- It was hard to describe. But it was like he said. He wasn't crazy. You could call him a lot of things. But he was- there. And- oddly aware. Alice looked past him to Viss, who was just within arms reach, and had been there for a little while. She looked confused. Alice looked back at him.

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Suddenly, he froze. He looked at Alice. He pushed up his sunglasses. He looked tired. His eyes were sunken. Red. Unfocused. For a brief moment, Alice was simultaneously afraid and sorry for this man. The amount of energy he was using. . . She wondered if he even know where he actually was.

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With that, he turned, and walked towards the Alley. Alice looked at Viss. Viss shrugged to themselves, and slipped away the knife that Alice wasn't even aware she had out, until now. Viss went first, and Alice followed. When they got there, the guy was sitting on a crate that had been left between the buildings. Qhen was standing nearby, watching him.

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He waved the pile of papers in his hands. Dust- ash? Shook off of them. He flipped through them. As if he was counting them. The pages were hand bound, with thick thread passed through the sides of the page multiple times. It was fairly well made. Then he passed it to Alice, and she opened it up.

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Alice was no longer amused. She stopped being amused the moment she opened the book. It was a very rough- VERY ROUGH first draft. Not written either. Printed. They have a home-print machine?

It was called 'The CloudSea Chronicles: Allison Vargas'. Below that it mentioned 'Book 1'. It was- fascinating, in a terrifying way. How did he know all of this? How did it all seem so familiar, yet so- wrong? There were just enough details. . . Misplaced, Incorrect. . . It was a broad telling of a story. Her story. The name was wrong. All the names were wrong. But it described them all the same. It talked about muses. It talked about their internal struggles. Alice wondered if the thoughts written in here were actually the thoughts of Qhen and Viss. . . She closed the book. Her fingers gripped the pages a little tighter.

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Spoiler

Alice Wrote:"I'll ask you one more time. Who are you? What is this? How do you know who I am?"

???? Wrote:"I don't know."

Alice Wrote:"That's not good enough."

???? Wrote:"I know. But I don't. I just- woke up one day. I must have... burned out. Complete self immolation. My brain was full of sparks and lights. There was blood everywhere. . ."

Qhen Wrote:"Wait- hold on."

???? Wrote:"And I had a typewriter- and I had my clothes, and some books. I can only guess I was a writer, and I was halfway through writing that book you're holding."

Alice Wrote:". . ."

???? Wrote:"I read it. I had a drink. I passed out. I woke up with voices in my head. Chattering away. Telling me things. Like a bunch of screeching, hooting beasts, they told me to write. FORCED me to write, you understand? Practically held me at gunpoint! So I typed, and I learned more- and then I learned that we would meet today. I had to see you. I had to get answers."

Alice Wrote:". . ."

???? Wrote:"You don't believe me. That's good. That's good. It means you got a good head on your shoulders. Just let me leave. You can keep the book. Won't hear from me ever again. I've been thinking of giving up writing. It's a horror show, you know? I've had the editors sending me letters. I guess I write for the Histicions. Crazy, huh? What'cha gonna do?"

Alice Wrote:". . .So why did you freak out when I asked about the book?"

???? Wrote:"Freak out? No. No. Relieved. All these voices in my head. The things I was writing down. I was starting to think I had blasted myself into some sort of sagely bullshit. But you didn't ask the same questions. Still not a coincidence, but it means that I'm not writing the exact future. Who would want that kind of power?"

Alice Wrote:". . . Do you know where that. . . 'avelle' is? Or where I can get a drink?"

???? Wrote:"I know where you can probably find both."

Alice Wrote:"Good. You're coming with us, I'm buying."

???? Wrote:"How can I turn down an offer like that? Can I have the book back? I'm uncomfortable with it being out in the open for so long."

Alice Wrote:". . . I wanna read it a little more first, but I'll put it in my pouch, if it'll make you feel better."

???? Wrote:"A little. Follow me. There's this lovely place down the street. You certainly picked a good place to come for drinks and company! This is technically a CloudSea hub! You can get all sorts of great shit here."

???? got up and started to walk down the alley. Qhen and Viss looked at each other, and between them, silently decided that Qhen would follow him closer. Viss stuck closer to Alice.

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( ) [Alice is at a loss for options. She needs help here.]

typeandkey · 07-25-2017, 07:19 PM

>Follow the crazy man.
>Ask the crazy man what his name is.
>Also, once you get to the place, check out their menus.

wiltingMyosotis · 07-25-2017, 09:26 PM

> I personally I have no idea who that is.
> You should drink a little water definetly, Alice.

A-cha · 07-26-2017, 12:24 AM

> Nope, but I'm about to! For now follow him and see if you can find the bird! I'm curious now. Plus hubs are good, information, supplies, connections..

> Hey mister, it would be nice to give Alice a name. Or at the least something to call you. Could you tell her more about the avelle person?