-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:04:38 GMT by Judah: Turkeys are just mutant chickens.
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:03:39 GMT
When one opens a book, the book swallows them up, sending them into a world where imagination is ever-present and time is no longer relevant. Only a significant assault on the senses can jolt a person from this world, namely the smell of smoke wafting through an old library.
“Do you smell something?” Samus looked up from the book he was reading. He looked around, but apparently Veronica was out of earshot. Samus stood and stretched. He sniffed the air, then shrugged. Musty old library, weird old smells. Samus turned back to his book, but it had vanished. “What the--? Not again.” Samus looked around. All his life, on random occasions, random items would suddenly vanish into thin air. Samus heard a noise behind him. The sound of footsteps. He turned, and saw Veronica running towards him. Samus was about to greet her, but then he noticed the wall of fire that was chasing her. His gaze fell on a sign on the bookshelf to his right, which read “Periodicals, Cook Books, and Incredibly Flammable Tomes”. “No...” Samus’ eyes widened. “RUN, VERONICA!!” “NO BRICK!!” Veronica shouted. Samus stepped back and looked around. The smell of smoke was more distinct, with billowing clouds filling the upper ceiling of the library. Smaller fires were coming up everywhere, closing in on the spiral staircase in the center. Veronica just cleared the corridor as the fireball ceased, leaving a heckish path behind it. “We’ve gotta get out of here!” Samus said. “Th--” Veronica was grabbed by a large clawed hand, and lifted into the air. Samus’ eyes widened as a massive shadowy figure emerged from the flames, the same demon he saw in the alley. Except this time, it was bigger.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:09:24 GMT by Judah: Need evidence? Why is it that people nap after eating turkey?
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:08:18 GMT
“AH!!” Veronica struggled, but quickly ceased, as any move she made in the massive claws only tightened his grip. The shadow looked down at Samus, then grinned with small but pointy teeth. It looked at Veronica, then started squeezing her... “AAAAGH!!” Veronica cried out in pain. “NO!” Samus shouted and charged the creature, but tripped on an object he didn’t see. His arms hit the ground, and the ground rippled at the contact. At the same time, a spire of stone shot from the ground beneath the shadow and effectively removed the creature's arm. As the beast wailed in agony, Veronica fell through the dissipating limb and towards the flames below. “Veronica!!” Samus reached out from the ground, and a gust of wind flew from his hand, creating a cushion of air between Veronica and the flames. Shakily, Samus stood, trying to concentrate. As he kept Veronica aloft with his right hand, he looked at his left hand, which was… sweating? No. Water was forming on his hand, rising from it in drops of dew, as if his palm was a dam ready to burst. Thrusting his hand forward with conviction, a stream of ice-cold water doused the flames around Veronica, whom he lowered safely to the ground with his other hand. The shadow creature had recovered from it’s wound, already apparently growing a new arm. It roared at Samus, who faced the beast with a look of grim determination. “You had me in the first half, not gonna lie.” Samus said, holding both hands in front of him. “But now I have the high ground.”
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:12:28 GMT by Judah: That drowsiness is the result of the mutagen.
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:10:44 GMT
Bolts of white-hot fire shot from his hands, smashing into the shadow. The creature roared, apparently not effected. “Weird flex, but okay.” Samus pushed harder, and the fire changed. It was as if he channeled the power of the very sun through his body. This had a different effect entirely. The shadow wailed in pain, with massive portions of it’s anatomy totally blown off. Samus halted his attack as the beast slunk away into the burning library. “Samus?” Veronica said. Samus looked at her, and his face fell. She was seriously hurt. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here.” With a newfound strength, Samus picked her up with ease and dashed up the staircase, blasting the trapdoor open with a gust of wind and climbing through the bush. He dashed through the phony park, and into the night.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:17:44 GMT by Judah: Speaking of which, did you know that chickens used to make nests in trees?
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:15:26 GMT
Veronica jolted awake and began gasping for air. She looked around and squinted, fluorescent lights blinding her. Flashing. Rumbling. She was on a subway. Okay, so it was an underground hover train. She was sitting on a bench in an empty car, but something wasn’t right. Her hair. It used to be shortish and purple. Now it was long, silky and white. And her clothes, her leather jacket and old jeans… Was this a kimono? Sitting across from her was a dude, wearing white robes and sporting a kind of unbelievable beard. “The heck--?” Veronica said. “What--?” The old man looked up, his expression grim. “You’re awake?” That voice. “… Samus?” “Sh. No names. They’re always listening.” Samus shifted in his seat. “Where are we? What happened? I--” Veronica recalled the fire. “How am I…?” She lifted her hand to her wound, but it was gone. Totally healed. “I think I’ve changed my mind about my powers.” Samus said. “To start, I had to get us out of sight, but didn’t know how. But apparently I have the ability to bend light around objects to make them invisible. Which explains why I’m always misplacing random objects.” “So you made us invisible?” Veronica asked, intrigued. “Not intentionally, but I eventually figured it out.” Samus leaned back. “Then I set you down and looked at your wound. You had blacked out, and you were about to join that great dojo in the sky. So… I healed you. Probably with the element of life or something. “After that, powers kept coming. I levitated you over to the subway station, I changed our appearance so that the Oshoku wouldn't be able to find us, then I filled the passengers with an irrational fear of this particular cart.” Samus grinned under his beard. “I am so good at this.” “Apparently.” Veronica said. Samus checked his watch. “It’s been two hours. I check the surrounding carts every half hour, so I’ll be right back.” Samus stood. “Stay safe. I’m not sure if I can do that healing thing again.” Samus winked, and then went into the next car.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:21:14 GMT by Judah: Yeah, wild chickens would build nests in the lower branches of trees
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:20:20 GMT
Something was wrong. Samus frowned. There were people in this car earlier, but now it was empty. Samus casually walked down the aisle when he noticed a man in a dark suit sitting just ahead. Curious, and cautious, he sat down beside him. “Hello there.” The man startled Samus. His black hair was cut short and spiked up, and his eyes were black. Like, not like a dog, but like his eye color was literally black. “Hi.” Samus said awkwardly. The man looked at Samus with a… disappointed expression? “Oh, Samus.” Samus got goosebumps. “When you had discovered your power over the element form, I had hoped your disguise would be a little more...” The man paused. “Challenging, I suppose.” The man grinned. “Although we have met before, I do not think I have introduced myself. My name is Sutorai.” Samus frowned. “You know who I am, but I don’t think we’ve ever met.” “Oh, I assure you, we have.” Sutorai leaned back. “Let’s see, first time was in that alley, when you accidentally interrupted a… personal affair.” Samus’ eyes widened. “Then the next day, when I burned down the old library and you… well, let’s not mix words...” Sutorai turned to Samus, poison in his eyes. “Cut my arm off.” Samus sat there, wondering what to do. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sutorai grinned. “Playing dumb won’t help you, Samus Go.” “Who’s Samus?” Suddenly, Samus was gone. Sutorai began chuckling. “Your powers won’t save you. We’re underground, Samus. And unless you’d like to bring this train to an early and lethal halt, I’d suggest you don’t use your more… explosive abilities.” Sutorai began changing. His suit melted into a dark hide, his eyes glowing red. Not as big as before, but bigger than Samus.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:25:13 GMT by Judah: Imagine walking through a forest, when suddenly you hear clucking above you...
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:24:16 GMT
Speaking of Samus, he was long gone by the time Sutorai began changing. In the next car, he suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling Veronica. “Dangit, Samus!” Veronica protested. “We’ve gotta go.” “What?” “The shadow thing has a name, and it is ticked.” “Oh, shoot...” A crashing sound followed by a roar came from the next car. A sign ahead began flashing on and off. It read “Changing Tracks”. “Oh, good, an advantage.” Samus said. “What?” “We’re going above ground, connecting to the monorail.” Samus said. “We’re gonna have to jump off.” “… Or?” Veronica prompted. “Or… what?” Samus asked. “Oooor?” “Oh, you mean...” Samus looked around. “Like… stay and fight?” “Samus, remember all the missing elementals.” Veronica said. “Plus, you are ‘so good at this’.” Samus thought for a moment. “Yeah. Okay.” He looked at Veronica with a look of determination. “We’ll fight.”
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:29:19 GMT by Judah: ...And then see a bunch of nests filled with wild chickens looking down on you...
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:27:54 GMT
Sutorai smashed through the car door, claws extended and teeth sharp. But Samus and Veronica were nowhere to be seen. “Come out, come out, little heroes...” Sutorai growled. “You first, snickerdoodle.” With a deafening wrenching of metal, the entire roof was ripped from the top of the car, then pushed downwards, smashing Sutorai. Samus and Veronica stood atop the next car over, as the night air blew through their hair. Samus had changed their appearance again, this time for battle. Veronica wore a purple ninja suit, with black markings. Samus wore a white suit, with black samurai armor. “How come you get the armor?” Veronica asked. “Because I’m the one fighting this guy.” Samus said. “Heck no, I’m helping!” “With what, your fiery personality?” “Give me a weapon.” “No.” “Samus...” “No!” “Samus.” “… Fine. What do you want?” “A gun.” “What?!” “You heard me.” “What about a katana, or maybe nunchucks?” “Oh right, like those are practical. Can you make a gun or not?” “I--” Sutorai smashed through the rubble, roaring with seething rage. He grew in size, so that his waist was at the same level as the roof of the car. Now they only had to worry about his upper half. “Oh yeah, almost forgot about him.” Veronica said. “RUN!!” Samus shouted. Thrusting his hands forward, he thought of two of the elements he had used before. “Fire and Earth! LAVA!” Molten earth juice began filling up the car Sutorai stood in. He roared in outrage, then leaped into the air. Miraculously, the lava car held together, but now it was between Sutorai and Samus. Sutorai leaped forward, Samus hit the dirt. Veronica flipped into the air and came down on top of Sutorai, who had shifted into a four-legged position. Sutorai was knocked down, legs dangling off the sides of the monorail.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:35:32 GMT by Judah: ...And then WHAM they all come down on you in a feathery assault.
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:34:13 GMT
Samus looked up at her. “The heck you doing!?” “I have no frazzing clue!” Veronica extended her hand. “Gimme somthin’!” Samus held his hands in front of him. “Okay, okay… Metal!” A spike of steel grew from his palm, and he tossed it to Veronica, who stabbed it into Sutorai’s back. “Dang, his hide’s thick!” Veronica said. “It didn’t go in!” The monster roared, and bucked Veronica off and into the lava car. “NO!” Samus reached out as he had before. “Gravity!” Well, Veronica stopped falling. She, uh… actually started floating. “Veronica?” Samus asked. “I’m fine, I just...” She kept going. “Samus? SAMUUUuuuusss...” “Oh--” Samus was cut off, almost literally, by three massive claws that smacked him aside. “GAH!!” “Give it up, Go.” Sutorai said. “Your gifts will not save you.” Samus, crumpled over in pain, looked up. “Don’t be too sure about that. ICE!” A blizzard shot from his hand, temporarily blinding Sutorai. “STONE!” Diamond splinters shot into Sutorai’s shoulder. “WOOD!” A tree trunk bashed Sutorai in the head. “EARTH!” WHOOSH “SOUND!” SCREEE-- “PLASMA!” PRZZZ “FREAKIN’ HEDGEHOGS!!” … “No? All right, then. How about Lightning?” KAPOW!! “ALL RIGHT!!”
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:40:30 GMT by Judah: Also, have you ever tried to catch a chicken?
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:39:27 GMT
And yet, Sutorai was still standing. Samus frowned. “Oh, come on.” “JUST FALL ALREADY!” Sutorai swiped, cut, breathed fire, smashed a hole in a car, and swiped his tail. All five connected at some point. Samus was left bruised and battered, and looking like a casualty of war. “Oh… this… sucks...” Samus said weakly. This time, when Sutorai reached to grab him, Samus couldn’t get away. “GAH!” “You’ve certainly been a tough one.” Sutorai held Samus up to his face. “I don’t usually enjoy this part, but this… this will be quite satisfying...” “You are one sick puppy, you know that?” Samus coughed. Suddenly, from very high up, Veronica fell onto the steel spike, driving it into Sutorai’s hide. Part roar and part scream, whatever you call it, it was horrible. Either way, Sutorai dropped Samus, who crumpled on top of the monorail car. Veronica did a back flip off the beast and landed beside Samus. “C’mon, this is no place to die...” Veronica looked over at Sutorai. “Well, not for you, anyway.” Sutorai had shrank down into his human form. Bent over, and on his knees, a spear of metal through his torso. But don’t worry, it’s not very graphic. The man was but a shadow, after all. The only thing that poured from his wound was black smoke. He looked up at Veronica. “Well played. But in all honesty...” Sutorai grinned. “You chose the wrong man to ally yourself with.” Sutorai faded away, melting into smoke that blew away into the sunrise. Veronica turned to Samus. “You did it, hero. You avenged those kids.” She said. “Hey, you helped, too.” Samus said weakly. The color was draining from his face. “I… see a light...” Part 20
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 15:43:39 GMT by Judah: It's pretty difficult, but oh so satisfying when you catch one.
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:42:53 GMT
Veronica was worried. “No, no… it’s just the sun, you idiot...” “No, it… it’s different...” Samus clutched Veronica’s hand. “I don’t think… I can’t...” “Try, Samus, try!” Veronica shout, eyes watering. “Use your power, please!!” “I… I’m trying… I can’t...” Samus coughed. “Heh… ironic… I could save you from death, but… not… myself...” Samus closed his eyes, and breathed his last breath. “What? No… No!” Veronica shook Samus. “No no no no NO!!” Veronica wept over Samus Go. The sun rose behind them, and the monorail kept rumbling forward.
-last edited on Jul 17, 2019 19:16:11 GMT by TheGreatCon
Post by Judah on Jul 17, 2019 15:51:28 GMT
“Do you fear death? You shouldn’t. It is simply a part of life, regardless of what you’ve done or what you believe. “We cannot avoid it. “We cannot run from it. “We cannot cheat it. “However, when I decide someone’s life is about to come to an end, it is for a reason. I decide, and I alone, decide when a life is done. That is but one of my duties. Another is to usher the spirits of the departed into the next realm. “Your job, however, is to ensure that my will is done. You are my near-mortal eyes and ears. You must ensure that no one cheats me, no one defies me, and no one questions me. Which not only means you prevent mortals from cheating death, but you also have the power to prevent deaths that I have not approved, that I have not decided. “Samus Go is not yet allowed to die. Which is why, in this rare instance, I am granting you permission to save him. “Go, and serve me.”
-last edited on Jul 19, 2019 15:20:19 GMT by Judah: Shout out to the mods, who continue to amaze me. Thanks guys.
Post by Judah on Jul 19, 2019 15:19:25 GMT
Veronica woke up. The monorail had stopped, and it was mid morning. Her face was soaked with tears, and she had fallen asleep over Samus’ body. What was that dream she had? “… Veronica?” Veronica looked at Samus’ face. The color had been somewhat restored, and he was… awake. Which is definitely an improvement. “What happened?” Samus asked. “Veronica was overjoyed. “Samus! I… you had… you’re alive!” “I should certainly hope so!” Samus said, bewildered. “Why is this a shocking development?” Veronica hugged Samus. “… That’s calm.” Samus said.
-last edited on Jul 19, 2019 15:22:14 GMT by Judah: I could really go for a chicken sandwich right now.
Post by Judah on Jul 19, 2019 15:21:21 GMT
Of course, when the train pulled into the station, the Oshoku were notified. As they examined the charred and warped cars, Samus and Veronica sneaked away into the shadows. “I had the weirdest dream...” Samus said. “Everything was dark, but there was this dude… I think it was a skeleton… in a dark robe… And it was talking...” Veronica looked at Samus. “He said… ‘You can try, but you won’t prevail.’” Samus looked at Veronica. “Does that mean anything to you?” Veronica was silent. “It means shut up and keep walking.” She said. “How’re your wounds?” “They’re scars, still kinda painful, but I can manage.” Samus said absentmindedly. “I wonder how I did that? Heal myself, I mean.” “...”
-last edited on Jul 19, 2019 15:25:36 GMT by Judah: A spicy chicken patty with lettuce and mayo...
Post by Judah on Jul 19, 2019 15:24:54 GMT
The city by the border was a lot less friendly than the district Samus and Veronica came from. People stayed off the streets, nearly three times as many Oshoku patrol the area. Vehicle checks are prominent, and security measures—in the form of laser turrets—are plentiful. The border itself was a sight to behold. The city ends a mile before the border, leaving a short expanse of dust and land mines. After that, a polluted old river flows slowly alongside a massive crevice in the earth. Explosives lined the side of the crevice, so that if anyone was detected inside, the Oshoku could trigger an avalanche, followed by a portion of the river spilling into the pit. Finally, a massive wall, no one knows how thick, almost as high as the clouds above, and made of solid gray stone, as if it just rose from the ground one day. And, if you look close enough, you can see fortifications along the top of the wall. “Looks dangerous.” Veronica said. “Sutorai was dangerous.” Samus said. “This is just another obstacle.” Veronica grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Look at you, talking like the big hero.” “Do you find that attractive in a guy?” Samus asked. Veronica laughed. “Same old goof.”
-last edited on Jul 19, 2019 15:28:20 GMT by Judah: They used to be on the dollar menu at my local McDonalds.
Post by Judah on Jul 19, 2019 15:27:30 GMT
“You sure we’re invisible?” Veronica asked. “Yeah. Otherwise those Oshoku in the guard towers would have sniped us out a long time ago.” The duo had began carefully stepping through the wasteland. Samus was using his elemental power over metal to locate and avoid metal detectors. “Just keep steppin’ where I’m steppin’.” Samus whispered. “Samus? Our footprints...” Veronica said. “No problem. I’ll just have a breeze come through.” Samus moved his hand in a circle, and the dust shifted. After fifteen minutes of this, Samus felt a tingling sensation. “Stop!” Veronica froze. “Don’t… move...” Samus turned slowly. “Your foot… it’s on a mine...” “Oh no…” Veronica exhaled shakily. “Say, can you, like, heal a bunch of scattered pieces?” “I… don’t want to find out...” Samus said. “Just don’t… lift… your foot...” Samus’ mind raced. His elemental powers, namely his uncanny control over every component of nature, allowed him to examine the mine beneath the sand. Every wire, diode, and ounce of explosive was made visible to him. “I can’t disarm it.” Samus said. “I don’t know how...” He looked at Veronica. “But we can trick it.” “Do it.” Veronica said. “Okay.” Samus focused. “When I say now, very slowly begin lifting your foot from the sand.” Slowly, as Veronica released pressure, Samus applied pressure… using his power to apply weight to the sand above the mine. Soon Veronica was free. “Oh thank goodness.” Veronica exhaled. “I thought for sure we--” ZIP
