-last edited on Sept 3, 2018 7:22:44 GMT by Gnuehchcaz
Post by Gnuehchcaz on Sept 3, 2018 7:22:29 GMT
"Luckily we haven't bumped into many people, have we?" Temptation asks. "No, I don't think so. Just those guys at the restaurant, but no one else." Joy replies. They both look behind them one more time as they continue walking forward, still seeing no suspicious characters.
All of a sudden they accidentally collide into someone in front of them. "Excuse me." The person in front of them says. Joy turns her head forward and responds, "I'm sorry about that. We didn't see you there." The person in front of them nods, puts his hands into his pockets, and maneuvers around them. "Well, we better watch where we are going." Joy says to Temptation.
Meanwhile, the person who bumped into them, now walking away from Temptation and Joy, pulls his brown hood back and chuckles to himself. "He could be the evil spirit Temptation, and that girl may have a sword, but they're no match for illusion and misdirection." He takes his right hand, reaches into his left arm's sleeve, and pulls out a small bag of Temptation's chocolate chip cookies, still smelling like they came out of the oven.
Temptation and Joy continue walking. Idly, Temptation fingers the place on his belt beneath his robes where his pouch would be. He freezes in place. He continues feeling for it. Nothing. "Luke?" Joy realizes he's stopped, and looks over at him. No. He runs both his hands over his belt and around the sleeves of his robes. No, no, no. Please, no. "What's wrong?" "My-- my pouch. On my belt." He rasps. "It's gone." Those cookies. . . Joy's eyes widen with realization before his. "That man--!" Before she can continue, a woman's shriek splits the air. Both Temptation and Joy whirl around and gape. A few yards behind them, in the middle of the street, the very man who had bumped into them just a minute ago was thrashing and struggling wildly on the ground, as if he were battling an invisible foe sitting in his chest. His eyes rolled around wildly, glazed and unseeing. His breath came out in ragged gasps and chokes, with spit rising at his mouth and dripping down his beard. The people nearby, a moment ago chattering with jolly good humor, now gasped and watched in increasing horror at the struggling man. The skin around his jawline, just at the neck, began to darken. First it was like a mere shadow, and those who saw it didn't pay much attention to it. Then it spread; his flesh became a dark, grimy gray color, like ash. The shadow spread beneath his shirt and rose to his face. It covered his entire face, then began to peel, like burned paper. The man was still alive; his voice was evidence to that. Temptation's gaze flickers to the ground nearby the flailing man. There lay the pouch, with several tasty-looking chocolate chip cookies had spilled out. Nearby those was another. . . one with a generous bite taken out of it. "Gosh-darnit, he ate the cookie." Temptation groans under his breath.
"What does this mean?" A villager from the crowd asks. "It's that spirit Temptation! He strikes again!" Another villager replies. "It's time we search for this Temptation and bring him to justice!" Another villager shouts.
For the very first time in his life, Temptation felt bad about giving cookies. In his past, he did it as part of his job, but now all he could feel was guilt. He felt scared, and he believed he had no choice but to run and hide. Temptation backed away from the crowd and away from Joy, who was observing the infected man and didn't notice him leave, and took off in another direction.
Meanwhile, Joy said, "That man needs help Luke. It looks like Temptation has cast his cookie spell on the man who bumped into you. What do we do now?" She expected a reply, but she heard nothing.
"Luke?" She asks again.
Joy turns around and she suddenly realizes that Luke was gone.
(Sorry for the late update to the story. I had an exam. )
(No worries, life likes to pull that sort of trick. )
The infected man was still screaming. His voice rang throughout the streets and alleys as Temptation ran. He jostled past startled bystanders and darted between two buildings, disappearing from sight. He ducked in and out of the alleys of the winding streets, panting for breath. He had no idea where he was going. He only knew that he had to get away -- to get away from that awful screaming, to escape the evidence of his crime. . . His other victims of the past -- it had always been done in the dark of the night and the shadow of the forest, far away from civilization and help. He had learned to ignore the cries and the pain, accepting it all as part of what defined him, as part of the ice that had become him. He had accepted the ice, even welcomed it and enjoyed it at times. Yet. . . yet when it happened like this, in front of so many scared people and Joy -- especially Joy -- somehow that made it different. It made it worse. The repulsion and self-hate he'd experienced when it all began came rushing back. Keep running, just keep running. Fear made it feel as if he were choking. Temptation continued to run, his long sleeves and the folds of his robes flapping behind him wildly. He looked like some dark phantom that flitted up and down the dirty alleyways. Heart pounding, breath gasping, he saw an opening that led out to a quiet street, and he ran for it. He turned the corner-- --And ran smack-dab into two of the town's local guardsmen in charge of keeping the law in check. "Hey!" One man exclaimed when the youth ran into them and stumbled back a couple of steps. "You made me drop my burger!"
Wow, nice to see you too. My tiny life manages to be problematic. I only get an hour or so on here usually and there are a lot of notifications to answer.
Always a pleasure, m'lady. That sounds oddly familiar... Once upon a time I dealt with that too...it's rough.
Can't argue with that. I wonder why… I'm ready for it to be once upon a time for me too. XD
Temptation and Joy continue walking. Idly, Temptation fingers the place on his belt beneath his robes where his pouch would be. He freezes in place. He continues feeling for it. Nothing. "Luke?" Joy realizes he's stopped, and looks over at him. No. He runs both his hands over his belt and around the sleeves of his robes. No, no, no. Please, no. "What's wrong?" "My-- my pouch. On my belt." He rasps. "It's gone." Those cookies. . . Joy's eyes widen with realization before his. "That man--!" Before she can continue, a woman's shriek splits the air. Both Temptation and Joy whirl around and gape. A few yards behind them, in the middle of the street, the very man who had bumped into them just a minute ago was thrashing and struggling wildly on the ground, as if he were battling an invisible foe sitting in his chest. His eyes rolled around wildly, glazed and unseeing. His breath came out in ragged gasps and chokes, with spit rising at his mouth and dripping down his beard. The people nearby, a moment ago chattering with jolly good humor, now gasped and watched in increasing horror at the struggling man. The skin around his jawline, just at the neck, began to darken. First it was like a mere shadow, and those who saw it didn't pay much attention to it. Then it spread; his flesh became a dark, grimy gray color, like ash. The shadow spread beneath his shirt and rose to his face. It covered his entire face, then began to peel, like burned paper. The man was still alive; his voice was evidence to that. Temptation's gaze flickers to the ground nearby the flailing man. There lay the pouch, with several tasty-looking chocolate chip cookies had spilled out. Nearby those was another. . . one with a generous bite taken out of it. "Gosh-darnit, he ate the cookie." Temptation groans under his breath.
Temptation backed away from the guard and ran off again.
"Get him!" The guard shouted as two more guards joined him. They raced through the village with the guards chasing after Temptation like a cat and mouse chase. Eventually, Temptation encountered a dead end surrounded by buildings with no exit path.
No, no no! What do I do? Temptation said to himself. He turned around and saw the three guards pointing their spears at him and slowly paced toward him. He thought he was doomed and he closed his eyes even though no one could see them through the cowl of his hood.
All of a sudden, to everyone's surprise, a girl came from behind the guards. She leapt over the guards and landed in between the guards and Temptation like a gymnast, and she drew her shortsword.
"Hey! Back away from him!" Said the girl. Temptation opened his eyes and recognized that figure. Joy had came, and he had no idea why.
Temptation and Joy continue walking. Idly, Temptation fingers the place on his belt beneath his robes where his pouch would be. He freezes in place. He continues feeling for it. Nothing. "Luke?" Joy realizes he's stopped, and looks over at him. No. He runs both his hands over his belt and around the sleeves of his robes. No, no, no. Please, no. "What's wrong?" "My-- my pouch. On my belt." He rasps. "It's gone." Those cookies. . . Joy's eyes widen with realization before his. "That man--!" Before she can continue, a woman's shriek splits the air. Both Temptation and Joy whirl around and gape. A few yards behind them, in the middle of the street, the very man who had bumped into them just a minute ago was thrashing and struggling wildly on the ground, as if he were battling an invisible foe sitting in his chest. His eyes rolled around wildly, glazed and unseeing. His breath came out in ragged gasps and chokes, with spit rising at his mouth and dripping down his beard. The people nearby, a moment ago chattering with jolly good humor, now gasped and watched in increasing horror at the struggling man. The skin around his jawline, just at the neck, began to darken. First it was like a mere shadow, and those who saw it didn't pay much attention to it. Then it spread; his flesh became a dark, grimy gray color, like ash. The shadow spread beneath his shirt and rose to his face. It covered his entire face, then began to peel, like burned paper. The man was still alive; his voice was evidence to that. Temptation's gaze flickers to the ground nearby the flailing man. There lay the pouch, with several tasty-looking chocolate chip cookies had spilled out. Nearby those was another. . . one with a generous bite taken out of it. "Gosh-darnit, he ate the cookie." Temptation groans under his breath.
-last edited on Sept 7, 2018 11:45:31 GMT by LordTigress: ooh, joy's fired up now! :P
Post by LordTigress on Sept 7, 2018 11:44:35 GMT
Temptation gapes at her. How'd she find me? Why's she here? The guardsmen look equally surprised, but they still grip their spears in a threatening position. "Stand aside, girlie," A burly dark, bearded soldier growls. "No need for a lady to get hurt here. We just wanna know what this dude is up to." Joy's blue* eyes flash. "Run, Joy," Temptation rasps quietly. "Please." A couple of the soldiers, realizing that this young girl isn't about to move aside of her own accord, get impatient and make a move toward her. As fast as lightning, she lunges forward and delivers a hard blow to the nose of the man closest to her. He cries out and stumbles back, dropping his spear and clutching his nose in pain. One of his companions laugh. "Ha, ha! You got hit by a girl!" "It th'till hurtsh!" The wounded man complains, glaring bitterly from his streaming eyes. The color red can be seen flowing from his hands cupped over his nose and through his fingers. "Aw, darnit. I t'ink b'y d'ose is'b broken'b." A second soldier starts forward. Joy grips her short sword with one hand and slashes it in the direction of her opponent. The soldier, surprised, startles back, but quickly recovers and jabs his spear at her. "Come on, baby girl, no games now--" She grabs the end of the spear with one hand and shoves it toward the soldier, jamming the butt of the weapon into his stomach. The man is wearing a thin chainmail shirt beneath the covering with the sign of the military on it, but it's a strong enough blow to send him reeling to the ground with a pained "Oomf!" That's enough to send the men still standing after her. They jab their spears and try to force her into the corner with Temptation, but Joy uses her sword to block the blows of the spears and shove them back, slashing back and forth smoothly between the men ganging up on her. Once she manages to strike one of them in the shoulder -- a shallow wound, nothing serious, but it was enough to elicit a pained cry from her opponent and a dark scowl of rage in her direction.
Temptation gapes at her. How'd she find me? Why's she here? The guardsmen look equally surprised, but they still grip their spears in a threatening position. "Stand aside, girlie," A burly dark, bearded soldier growls. "No need for a lady to get hurt here. We just wanna know what this dude is up to." Joy's blue* eyes flash. "Run, Joy," Temptation rasps quietly. "Please." A couple of the soldiers, realizing that this young girl isn't about to move aside of her own accord, get impatient and make a move toward her. As fast as lightning, she lunges forward and delivers a hard blow to the nose of the man closest to her. He cries out and stumbles back, dropping his spear and clutching his nose in pain. One of his companions laugh. "Ha, ha! You got hit by a girl!" "It th'till hurtsh!" The wounded man complains, glaring bitterly from his streaming eyes. The color red can be seen flowing from his hands cupped over his nose and through his fingers. "Aw, darnit. I t'ink b'y d'ose is'b broken'b." A second soldier starts forward. Joy grips her short sword with one hand and slashes it in the direction of her opponent. The soldier, surprised, startles back, but quickly recovers and jabs his spear at her. "Come on, baby girl, no games now--" She grabs the end of the spear with one hand and shoves it toward the soldier, jamming the butt of the weapon into his stomach. The man is wearing a thin chainmail shirt beneath the covering with the sign of the military on it, but it's a strong enough blow to send him reeling to the ground with a pained "Oomf!" That's enough to send the men still standing after her. They jab their spears and try to force her into the corner with Temptation, but Joy uses her sword to block the blows of the spears and shove them back, slashing back and forth smoothly between the men ganging up on her. Once she manages to strike one of them in the shoulder -- a shallow wound, nothing serious, but it was enough to elicit a pained cry from her opponent and a dark scowl of rage in her direction.
) 
I didn't know you were reading that -- or, if I did, I forgot. 
I never really said anything because I'm taking such a long time to do it. XD
My tiny life manages to be problematic. I only get an hour or so on here usually and there are a lot of notifications to answer. 
