Chapter 1: Buckets of Fun
Keeping Up Appearances
(Authors note: When I wrote this story I kinda imagined it played like a PS4 fighting game with a lot of story in between the fights (basically a story over gameplay fight) This chapter has some notes in it to clear up some details that will come up from beginning to end).
As soon as she was sure it was safe, Elizabeth "Liz" Warden stepped out of her house to get the mail. It was a fine morning in England today and the neighborhood was peaceful, but to Liz and anyone living in this area they knew that looks could be deceiving. As Liz got to the mailbox, she felt a familiar sense of doom lurking towards her. "Maybe for once I`ve caught a break. Maybe it won`t happened.", she nervously told herself as she took the letters, hoping she didn`t get spotted already.
Once all the letters were in her hand, she glanced at the neighboring house and then her own front door and began to quickly move for the door at a steady pace. 30 feet…20 feet…10…
"Elizabeth!", came a loud shout next door suddenly. Elizabeth stopped in frustration and turned to see her neighbor Hyacinth Bucket, dressed in her usual high class attire with a new small blue hat today. Looking as high class as she could, Hyacinth waved to her neighbor as she walked out to her garden. Trying not to let her defeat of getting caught outside again get shown, Liz forced a smile and said, "Hyacinth", while also approaching her after quickly shoving the letters through her mail slot.
"Oh how nice it is outside today. It surely reflects how polished my windows are. My Richard got the most expensive brand of window cleaner and scrubbed them until they truly shined", Hyacinth boasted, gesturing towards her house while hoping someone important would pass by it today and notice the detail.
As Liz passively noted the shining windows, she tried to excuse herself before the inevitable happened: tea time. "Yes, they are very nice Hyacinth, but I`m afraid…".
"My dear Richard worked so hard yesterday as I encouraged him to get those windows cleaned for my candle light supper. He did it with such vigor, though I don`t know why he sounded a tad off. Anyway, care to come in for some tea and biscuits?", Hyacinth continued as if she didn`t even hear Liz speak. Knowing that it would be pointless to decline at this point, Liz sighed and nodded.
Before Liz could take a step forward though, a loud rumbling sound from above caught the women's attention. "That`s strange, and not a cloud in the sky.", Hyacinth noted before signaling Liz inside her place. As Liz entered the house and was made to take off her shoes in the front as to not damage the pristine floor inside, neither she nor Hyacinth noticed that the sky above was starting to slowly darken. After Hyacinth closed the front door, several unknown figures appeared out of nowhere at the end of the block and their malicious intent quickly began.
Inside the household, Liz and Hyacinth entered the kitchen. "Do sit down anywhere you like.", Hyacinth told her guest as Liz looked at the only two chairs at the kitchen table. While Hyacinth approached her kitchen cabinet to get some tea cups and a tray, Liz went for the seat farther from the door. As she sat down Hyacinth suddenly looked back and added, "Not there though. I like to face the window", making Liz jump out of the chair as if it were on fire. She quickly moved for the other chair and barely sat down before Hyacinth asked her, "China cup or beaker for your tea?", "Beaker. Definently beaker.", Elizabeth quickly stated, knowing that any time she handled Hyacinths china tea cups (or any cup here) she ended up dropping it and in turn caused a huge mess on the floor, much to her and Hyacinths horror.
"I should have you know that my next candlelight supper will be something that will be very special", Hyacinth said as she put the cups of tea on a tray. "Really? How so?", Liz asked not letting her hopes up too much within, as every candlelight supper she ended up attending seemed special.
Boastfully, Hyacinth declared, "My dear son Sheridan is coming home tonight. After studying hard to achieve the highest honors, he`s coming over to see his mummy and daddy. He also said that there will be big news that everyone can`t wait to hear", before approaching the table and handing Liz her teacup. As Hyacinth sat down and started to drink her own tea, Liz thought she heard what sounded like a loud laser blast outside followed by a scream. "Hyacinth, what is that noise?", she asked almost standing up, so baffled she didn`t feel nervous about spilling something for a moment. "Oh, sit down and relax Elizabeth. Probably some kids playing too noisily. You know how they can be, acting disrespectful to the neighbors like their own personal space and time means nothing to them", Hyacinth casually replied, missing the irony of her statement.
As Liz picked up her tea cup and found her hand shaking in fear right away over the fear of spilling it, Hyacinth picked up a small plate full of biscuits and offered her one. "No thanks", Liz quickly declined before the two women suddenly felt a sudden chill in the house. "Oh, it`s starting to feel a bit draft", Liz commented after setting down her cup (and nearly spilling it) to rub her hands warm. "Yes, it is isn`t it? Well, I`m going to call the heating service and let them know that they have been slothful towards their duties in keeping this household at an acceptable room temperature. Thank heavens Sheridan isn`t here to experience this travesty. He would have been in a frenzy", Hyacinth replied before leaving the kitchen.
In the hallway, Hyacinth closed the kitchen door and approached the phone. Hoping nobody important would call during her talk, she opened up the phone book next to the device and dialed the number for the electric company, intending to get the CEO on hold. As the phone rang, several other laser blasts and screams were heard outside making Hyacinth look a bit concerned. "Better not be a riot the day my boy comes home", she could only say before she reached someone on the other end.
As soon as Hyacinth was gone, Liz also heard more screaming and chaos outside; distant but giving the illusion that something very dangerous was going on. This was not what she expected from a visit to this house. Things were stressful enough without the constant fear of spilling coffee and her brother Emmet was out today doing errands.
Realizing she was quivering without anything to spill for once, Liz took a deep breath and told herself to stop it. There was no way something severe was taking place outside. Was there? It could be a celebration or…or…
Liz`s curiosity finally took over as she got up and approached the kitchens screen door to get a look outside, wondering if she could spot the source of all the racket. As she noted the darkened sky above and tried to look for more details as to what was going on, she heard Hyacinth talk a bit from the hallway. "…that`s B-U-C-K-E-T. Bouquet, not bucket…What do you mean you can`t help? I would like to let you know that you`re speaking to one of the most recognizable people in the upper class communities with the fanciest windows in town…"
Feeling Hyacinth would be no help for the moment, Liz returned all her focus to the events outside again where she suddenly noticed that something strange was now standing in Hyacinths backyard that wasn`t there moments earlier. It looked like a killer robot from a sci-fi that was painted grey from head to toe and had what could best be described as mini cannons for hands, with icy vapor emitting from both of them. The second she got a good look at it, she could only gasp in terror and slowly back away from the door, the sight of the thing making her feel scared right away and in disbelief. Every step she took back had the drone hover closer to the house.
"Hyacinth!", she could barely say aloud. "What is it Elizabeth? I`m trying to get ahold of the head of the British Electric Company. It`s very peculiar. Almost sounds like there`s a riot on the other end of the phone! Surely this could not do", Hyacinth answered with concern.
"There`s…there`s…", Liz began in a panic as she backed into the kitchen table. Her tea cup, already on the edge of the table, began to tilt over prompting Liz to yelp and quickly grab it, taking her eyes off the drone for a split second. As she looked up again, she noticed the drone was literally at the screen door and held an arm up; its weapon pointed directly at her and about to fire. "Elizabeth? Are you alright?", Hyacinth called as Liz`s instincts screamed for her to move.
(Before a fight takes place in the story, sometimes some QTE segments will appear in a similar matter to "Injustice: Gods Among Us". If the player hit the prompt in time, the character(s) in harms way will get no damage, but if the player misses then a certain percentage of the characters health before a fight is lost).
Prompt: X Button
Pressed in time- Before Liz could answer, the drone suddenly charged though the screen door and fired a ball of ice at her. Luckily for her, Liz managed to dive out of the way of the blast and stood up near the counter as the drone stopped close to where she was a moment ago. "Back off!", Liz shouted throwing her beaker at the drone, making it move back a little as the liquid made its circuits go briefly haywire. As it lumbered around, the drone ended up smacking the kitchen table and cut it in two and fired a stray blast that hit the cabinet containing a lot of the Bucket household's dishware, making Liz flinch as Hyacinth called out in utter dismay, "Elizabeth, did you spill your tea again?", "Sort of", Liz replied a bit meekly as her foe regained its composure and moved in for another attack.
Failed to press- Before Liz could answer, the drone suddenly charged though the screen door and fired a ball of ice at her. Just as Liz was about to move, the icy blast managed to hit her and freeze a part of her torso, making it impossible for her to move as the drone got to her and slammed her. Liz found herself hit the kitchen table while struggling to get out of her icy restraints. As she tried to withhold the pain, Hyacinth called out from the hallway, "What`s going on in there Liz? You sound like you`re in a scuffle." Before Liz could answer to that, the drone then hit her again sending her flying into the china cabinet where her icy restraints as well as her beaker and a lot of the Buckets household dishware also broke. Liz managed to get up quickly as she saw her foe get ready for another attack. (Elizabeth: -5% health)
In the hallway during the whole attack, Hyacinth noted that the sounds in the kitchen really did sound like a warzone and flinched. She would have hung up and investigated her rapidly growing concerns, but the person she was speaking too on the other end came back, and the feeling that this call was too important to hang up to overtook her instincts, though what she was hearing got her more concerned by the second. "Yes, this is the lady of the Bouquet household speaking…what`s wrong with your tone? You sound more panicked then before…I don`t care if you keep saying the end of the world is happening. You can have a better tone in your voice", Hyacinth said to the panicked gibberish on the other end as another loud crash was heard in the kitchen, making her flinch even more in dread. "I`m sorry, but I must hang up. Be sure to let your boss know that I called and that he should answer immediately to my concerns."
After Hyacinth hung up, she quickly polished the phones handle with a dust rag in her pocket before heading towards the kitchen door. Things inside suddenly sounded like they got very quiet.
"Elizabeth, is there someone…" Hyacinth began to call in panic before the drone and Liz suddenly burst from the wall behind her and into her phone, making the lady of the house fall to the floor and scream in panic. What she saw was Liz punching the drone in the head repeatedly as it held her head with one transformed arm into a near choking grip while the other hand pointed the freeze cannon at her with the intent to fire at close range.
Prompt: Square button
Hit in time- In a quick display of instinct, Liz managed to grab onto the household phone with her free hand and smashed it into the drone, making it stumble back through the hole in the wall as it let go of her. Amazed by what she did, Liz took a second to compliment her achievement before rushing to Hyacinth. As she helped Hyacinth up, Liz then exclaimed quickly, "Did you see that? I don`t know how lucky I got.", "Lucky my Sheridan isn`t here to see his childhood home in a state of disarray. He would have broke down in hysteria", Hyacinth could only reply with dread noting all the damage done to her perfect house.
Failed to press- Before Liz could do anything, the drone suddenly hit her with an icy blast and froze a fraction of her head. "Liz! You let go of her you ruffian! I hope the neighbors aren`t watching this!" Hyacinth yelled getting up and grabbing a piece of debris on her way to the drone. As the drone dropped Liz and made the ice on her face shatter, Hyacinth whacked the drone hard enough to send it stumbling back to the kitchen. "Liz!? Are you alright?!", Hyacinth asked in alarm as she saw her neighbor get up rubbing the part of her face that was frozen. "Yes Hyacinth. Just…trying to get the blood to flow from within again", Liz meekly replied. (Elizabeth: -5% health)
Before either woman could do or say anything else, the drone suddenly reemerged in front of them. Even though its face was generic and lacked emotion they both felt the device in front of them was really angry. "Hyacinth. I think we`d best run!", Elizabeth exclaimed before dragging her friend to the living room. As the two women made their way amid the mess, icy blasts sailed past both of them making Hyacinth yelp in terror; the drone was eager to finish what it was programed to do.
As the two women reached the living room, the drone stopped at the doorway and fired a blast at Hyacinth, looking like it would be a direct hit. As she glanced back, Hyacinth ended up realizing this as well.
Prompt: X Button
Hit in time- Luckily for her though, Hyacinth managed to step out of the way at the nick of time. The icy blast ended up flying past her and hit the window behind her, shattering it. Upon seeing what the device did to Richards hard work, Hyacinth then flinched with dread and for once felt happy that nobody else had to see the damage. Think of all the gossip it could have sparked.
Failed to press- Before Hyacinth could react, the blast ended up hitting her in the back and sent her flying into the armchair close by, flipping her and the chair to the floor. Running over, Elizabeth helped Hyacinth up as she mumbled, "Don`t worry about me Elizabeth. Nothing can hurt my upperclass pride…ow…" and rubbed her back immediately as she got back to her own two feet. (Hyacinth: -5% health)
"Hyacinth, we have to do something about that thing! I don`t know how long we`ll survive!", Liz exclaimed in panic as the two women evaded another blast. "Elizabeth, are you saying that we fight that device head on!?", Hyacinth exclaimed, startled that her sensitive friend could think of something brutal quickly. "No, I didn`t suggest…", Liz began when another blast hit a nearby cabinet and knocked over all the contents. Hyacinth looked at the damage in alarm. "No! Some of my favorite photos of Sheridan were in that cabinet! Now I possibly can`t show them to you or Emmet or anyone important if I invite them over!"
As Liz suppressed a satisfied grin at the thought of that (as she had seen quite a lot of those photos more than once during some "visits" to this place) Hyacinth raised her fists and gestured for the drone to come to her. "Come on Elizabeth. Let's teach this monster a lesson. Nobody invades my household, attacks my friend and dirties the place up and gets away with it!", she declared before grabbing Liz with one hand and moving closer to the enemy with her as the drone itself looked suddenly ready to throw some punches.
Fight 1-1:
Fighters to select:
-Elizabeth
-Hyacinth
Opponent:
1 freeze drone
(At this point in the game, the fight would have broken out. How it would work is that the player would select in order which characters they wished to use for the fight, controlling one at a time. Then, in a hybrid of the Injustice and Super Smash Bros. style, the character would fight all the enemies listed in the opponent section. If the playable character runs out of health, the next one that was selected will be the fighter. Once all the foes are defeated, the story would move on)
After the fight:
As soon as the last punch was delivered, Liz and Hyacinth took a few steps back as they watched the drone spin around a bit while fizzing out electricity. Finally, it stopped functioning and hit the floor with a loud thud. After an intense moment of silence, Liz picked up a nearby lamp and slowly approached the device while Hyacinth stayed back. The moment Liz got close enough to the drone, she tapped it with the lamp and got no reaction. "I think it`s dead", Liz told Hyacinth, making her give a huge sigh of relief. A stray jolt of electricity suddenly popped, making Liz jump and drop the lamp on the ground where it shattered.
Looking at the damage and then at Hyacinth alarmed, Liz exclaimed in a panic, "Oh dear. I`m so sorry Hyacinth. I didn`t…", "That`s okay Elizabeth. It was just a rare antique lamp my mum once gave me. I`m…sure it can be replaced", Hyacinth said trying to muster as much calm as she could.
Thankfully for Liz, a series of loud noises outside suddenly took the attention off the lamp. Cautiously, both women approached the window and peered out. There, they saw a few more of the drone's hover by. "Good heavens! There`s more of those things!?", Liz exclaimed. Hyacinth then signaled Liz to be quiet as she heard someone down the block run by screaming.
Both women saw what looked like a middle aged man running from a pair of drones, which fired their icy cannons at him. To their horror, the duo watched the man get fully encased in ice with some well-timed blasts. After a moment passed, the frozen man then started to float up into the sky. After he was 30 feet up, he then vanished in midair as the drones left to find other targets.
Hyacinth and Liz found themselves backing away from the window in fear and disbelief. "It`s even worse than I feared. We are being taken over by an alien race or something equally horrifying", Liz exclaimed, her voice shaking more than ever. As she inhaled and exhaled deeply, Hyacinth suddenly looked equally panicked.
"Richard", "What?", "I sent Richard into town an hour ago for the best turkey he could get for my candlelight supper. He`s out there in the cold and unknown world that has fully turned to anarchy!", Hyacinth boasted in panic.
Liz suddenly looked alarmed at the mention of Richard. "Emmet. He went out as well today. He could also be in danger! And my daughter, Gayle!", she realized. Quickly, Liz began to head for the front door with a confused Hyacinth following. "Wait Liz, what are you doing?", "Going to find my brother and daughter. I know it`s risky but I must do what I can. They might be in danger."
After looking at the damage the single drone managed to do to her perfect house, Hyacinth ran up to Liz as she put her shoes back on in the hallway. "Wait for me Liz. I`m coming with you. My dear Richard is probably worried about how he will make it home to me. Oh, poor Richard! Being sent out to get a turkey and possibly coming home to find that I have nowhere proper to serve it!", she boasted as Liz got her shoes on.
"All right. You can come with me. Just please don`t make too much noise.", Liz apprehensively said making Hyacinth stop her worried squeals. As Liz opened the front door slowly, she peered out and said in a whisper, "We can take my car to the town. Might get lucky and find everyone we need."
And with that, Liz and Hyacinth both stepped outside into what could best be described as the start of a warzone. Hyacinth closed the door after herself, polished the handle quickly and followed Liz as she urgently gestured her neighbor to follow.
