Spoons: Wow. O.o someone actually requested another chapter. Welcome back!
Zebra: Stay away if you know what's good for you. --
Bird: Nonsense. This fic is good.
Spoons: Thank you, Bird. nods
Bird:
Zebra: grumbles suck-up.
Spoons: Sadly, I do not own Okage. If I did, Marlene would die a horrible death and Linda would get lost somewhere in the snowfields, never to return. And Stan's human form wouldn't be...not quite so ugly. He'd be very delicious with long, black hair. And Epros would lose the annoying red bowtie. I'm sorry, but that thing really bugs me!! whacks Epros over the head.
Epros: Oww...I like my bowtie. It looks great on any guy!! XD
Zebra: ;; Urrrrgrhh...
Bird: Erm...gives forced smile
Spoons: --;;; I told you I couldn't rhyme. But these are just the author's notes. I promise to make the rhymes in the story good!!
Zebra: Let's...hope so.
Spoon: Um...I think I've fried my muses. Anyway, the rating is PG-13 as of now, and may go up to R (heh) let's hope not.
Epros: ?
Spoons: Someone get him out of here. --
Zebra: Gladly. kicks Epros with his back hooves, sending the phantom ghost flying out a window
Spoons:
Zebra: I thought you liked him. stares warily at Spoons
Spoons: Well, yes. But I don't want him to rhyme anymore. ;;
Bird: Good point. ;
Zebra: Okay, on to the fic, already.
Spoons: Enjoy!!
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"blah" = speech
'blah' = character thinking
blah = word/phrase emphasis (italics)
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I Am a Lonely Wanderer
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I am a lonely wanderer On my way towards death. I love the clarity of air Each time I take a breath.
--------
I love the friends who walk with me And then must go their way. I love the rose at dawn and dusk That celebrates each day.
------
I love to laugh at all the things That do not know they're fun, And weep at all the things that wound And shrivel up the sun.
-------
I never saw my father's face And will not have a child, But even so, I share with you My joy, wind-whipped and wild.
------
Poem by Nicholas Gordon
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"Ari? Ari, can you hear me?"
"He's been knocked out, Rosalyn. Of course he can't hear you." Kisling's voice was faint and hard to hear, almost like it was very far away. Ari blinked and tried to move, but found that he couldn't. Even though he had his eyes open, everything was pitch black, and his head felt like it was splitting open, probably from being hit by that Masterless Sword. "Oh, look! His eyes are open! Ari? Are you feeling alright?"
Ari blinked his eyes a few times and, with much effort, raised his hands to his face to rub them. After a moment the dark forms of Rosalyn and Kisling appeared above him, their edges rather blurred.
"What a relief. I thought for a moment that you'd never wake up." Rosalyn said with a sigh, sitting down on one of the room's small chairs. Ari groaned in pain and sat up slowly, aided by Kisling. His vision was still blotchy, but from what he could make out he was in a small room with three beds, each with their own little table and a complementary flower placed in a simple, white vase on top. The walls and floor were, oddly enough, made of what appeared to be a slightly rusty metal, black with little nuts and screws in intervals. There was a single, dingy window in the wall. It was too dirty to see out of, and had a large crack in the glass that looked more like it had been caused by age rather than vandalism, as was typically the case. Judging by the light, it was sometime late at night or very early in the morning.
"Wh-"Ari began, coughing fitfully before he'd gotten a word out. Kisling frowned and handed him a glass of water in a metal cup. After drinking the foul water, Ari continued. "Where are the others?" He asked, his voice raspy.
"They're in the other room. Big Bull is fine, but Linda, unfortunately, has suffered a broken arm. We're lucky to have escaped with just that." Kisling took a sip of the water, grimacing at the taste, and sat down on the bed next to Ari's. "You see, after you fainted the swords were relentless in trying to rip us all to shreds, it seemed. But after a few minutes they all just...stopped."
"Stopped?" Ari looked across the room at Rosalyn for some sort of clarification, but she had her head down and her eyes closed. Kisling continued.
"Yes, stopped. They all started looking around like they were lost and then just flew off. All in the same direction, too. It certainly was very odd that they showed up in the first place." He leaned forwards, his voices quiet. "The others may not know this, but those ghosts aren't native to anywhere near here. They must have traveled very far." He coughed quietly and took another reluctant sip from the cup. "Oh the air here is absolutely horrid! It'll shorten your life by a day or so every time you inhale!" He said, waving his hand around as if he were driving away the bad air. Rosalyn mumbled a quiet agreement and walked over to the remaining bed, lying down without so much as an upward glance. Her parasol was hanging from a hook on the door, exposing her shadow to be a bright shade of pink (this was a result of Stan having possessed her once a long time ago when they first met). She was still fully clad in her warrior's clothes. Ari noticed a lot of fresh bloodstains on the back of her shirt that looked like slash wounds. He took on a concerned expression and looked back to Kisling, who nodded solemnly.
"She got those trying to keep the swords from harming you and Linda. She blocked them with her own body when they grabbed her rapier." He whispered so that Rosalyn wouldn't hear. "Chances are the two of you owe her your lives. I just hope those injuries heal. They're rather deep." He lay back with his head on the pillow and took out one of his books, laying it over his face so that it covered his eyes. "We'll head on to Rashelo tomorrow morning. I personally don't want to spend anther minute in this horrible town, but we don't have a choice. Well, goodnight Ari. Rosalyn."
"Good night." Ari replied. Rosalyn was silent. Either she hadn't heard him or was already asleep. He lay motionless for a while, listening to the grinding sounds of countless gears and pegs turning in the walls and floor. He hadn't heard much about other towns. No one in his village had ever traveled very far beyond its borders, and it was so out-of-the-way that no travelers ever came to visit. But from what he had heard, this was most likely the town of Madril, the gear town. It was said to be an ancient place, built over a deep, rocky canyon, and made up entirely of gears and metal. People passed through it daily to get across the canyon, but it was not a very popular town. He was beginning to see why. Breathing the thick air felt like inhaling sawdust, and the water tasted like a month-old medicine that had gone bad long ago. He could only imagine what the food would be like. And yet, it was common knowledge that Madril was the most populated town for thousands of miles.
He frowned and rolled over, his head throbbing. The pain was subsiding now, enough so that he could ignore it altogether. From the bed next to the door he could hear Rosalyn's slow, heavy breathing. A small snore came from Kisling's own bed next to the window. As usual, the scientist had wrapped himself in a cocoon of blankets, his thin, frizzy hair sticking out of the top. Ari smiled and closed his eyes, still exhausted from the day's events. Stan hadn't appeared yet, but that wasn't unusual. He would remain a shadow until he felt the need to come out, not before. Soon the rhythmic creaking and groaning of the gears lulled Ari to sleep, despite the dull pain in his head.
A loud crash was what finally woke him, jerking him out of the nightmarish dream he'd been having about thousands of the Masterless Swords, endlessly circling around him and his friends. A girly shriek followed the crash, unmistakably Linda's voice. He coughed hoarsely and blinked a few times until his eyes adjusted to the fractured, morning light pouring through the window, sitting up slowly as he searched for the cause of the sound. Kisling's bed was empty, but Rosalyn seemed to be still asleep, her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around her dusty blanket. An unfamiliar voice was yelling something now, but the door was closed and it was too faint to hear. Ari stood and put his hand on the steel wall for support. His head had stopped hurting, but there was a sizeable lump where he'd been struck that stung when he touched it. Another crash, this time louder, issued from the hallway. He carefully made his way to the door and opened it cautiously to poke his head out. Big Bull was backing up slowly down the hall, smiling nervously at a gigantic, burly man, who was easily three times his height and who's face was contorted in a sort of homicidal glare, and Linda was standing off to the side by a closed door, her arm in a cloth sling. She was casting worried glances at the two of them, occasionally opening her mouth as though to say something, but changing her mind a moment later. The burly man clenched his hands into fists and made a primal growling noise that would have been quite comical in a different situation. Big Bull raised his hands up defensively as his back thumped against the wall at the end of the hallway.
"Hey now...it was an accident. I swear. I didn't mean to knock it over! My tail just has a life of it own, sometimes, you know? Ha ha..." He said, cowering under the haughty glare directed at him. The man stopped a few feet from him and punched the wall, denting it slightly and causing Linda to squeak in fear. He made a grumbling noise and turned around slowly to walk the other way, giving Big Bull one last dirty look. After he was out of sight Big Bull sighed and slumped against the wall, wiping a hand across his brow. "Whoo! 'Thought I was done for!"
"Oh Big Bull! He almost killed you!" Linda said, running up to place her free hand on his shoulder. "That brute was so mean! He was just angry because he was jealous! He was way uglier than you are!" She said passionately. Big Bull looked up at her and smiled slightly.
"Thanks, I think. Hey, Ari! You're alive! We all thought you were done for!" He bellowed, running over to engulf him in a bone-crushing hug. Linda followed, but stayed at a slight distance until the bull had released him.
"Oh, coach! You're alright! Linda's so happy!" She sang, prancing back and forth on both feet.
"Where's Kisling?" Ari choked, his ribs slightly warped from the death-hug.
"He went into town to find a map and some other things. Those swords ripped up the one we had, along with pretty much everything else." Big Bull said, his tail lashing back and forth. Ari looked down and noticed that Linda had her microphone cradled in her sling, the end poking out where her hand was. "I take it sister Rosalyn's still crashed out? She was pretty bloodied up after those ghosts left, so I don't blame her. Still, the sooner we leave this putrid town, the better!"
Linda nodded her agreement, gently coughing into her hand. Big Bull said that he and Linda would take care of the inn fees, if Ari would go to wake Rosalyn. Ari agreed, walking back inside the room and shutting the door quietly.
The room was far brighter than it had been last night, the increased light revealing thick clouds of dust floating about in the air. It was still impossible to see anything clearly out the window. Ari made his way over to the other side of the room and stood facing said window, squinting as he pressed his nose against the grimy glass. The smell was positively revolting, but the street was now somewhat visible. He could barely make out the dark forms of people walking past, and the box-like outline of another building immediately across from the inn. He stepped away from the window and rubbed his nose, trying to remove the blackened grease it had left. The people's voices were a dull roar that echoed slightly off of the metal walls and ceiling. He walked over to Rosalyn's bed and, careful not to touch any part of her back, shook her lightly. The bloodstains had dried overnight, leaving her white coat in need of a good washing. She grumbled and opened her sand-colored eyes, turning her head slightly to look up at Ari.
"Are you feeling alright?" Ari asked, removing his hand from her shoulder. She cleared her throat and coughed, shaking her head at him. "Kisling's gone to find us a new map and some supplies before we start off for Rashelo. I've heard that it's quite a ways from here, but there are some shortcuts we could take if he can find a map that's recent enough. Big Bull and Linda are taking care of the inn fee. Can you walk?"
'I think so." She sat up very slowly, wincing in pain, her pink shadow spilling across the old pillow. Ari handed her the small metal cup with a little of the water left in it. She took it and thanked him, downing it in one gulp with a slightly horrified expression at the flavor. She coughed again and handed it back to Ari. "Urrg. That was awful. I hope Kisling comes back soon." She said, her voice much clearer. "Are you feeling alright, Ari?"
"Yes, I'm fine. It's only a bump on the head. And Linda's doing fine, too. She didn't seem to be in any pain when I talked to her."
"That's good."
"Um...Kisling told me what you did. About those Masterless Swords and all. And, I just wanted to say thank you. On behalf of both Linda and I." He said quietly as he looked down at the dark floor by the bed frame, knowing that Linda, with her airheaded demeanor, would never get around to thanking her, and probably didn't even know about what had happened. Rosalyn was silent for a moment, her expression unreadable.
"I did what heroes are meant to do. We protect people who need it the most. You really didn't have to thank me, but you're welcome all the same." She said kindly, a small smile gracing her features. Ari smiled back at her, placing the cup on the table next to the bed. "Now there's something I haven't seen for a while. You always look so gloomy, Ari. I had begun to think that it was normal for you." She said, her smile growing wider. At this moment, the door opened and Linda walked into the room, waving her trusty microphone around in her hand.
"We've paid the fee, coach! Oh, Rosalyn! You're finally awake. Linda was getting worried." She walked over to Rosalyn's bedside and began hopping back and forth on her feet energetically. "Kisling's back from the shop, so we're going to leave soon. Are you hurt very badly?" She asked, taking on a more pitying tone, which apparently annoyed Rosalyn.
"No, I'll be fine. Tell that scatterbrained scientist to draw out the road to Rashelo before we get moving, this time." She said as she stood up, seeming to ignore the searing pain from the slash wounds. Ari reached out to help her but she shook her head. "We should get out of here as soon as possible."
"But, Rosalyn." Ari began as Linda exited the room, humming one of her songs happily. "Your wounds...they haven't been treated yet..."
"I'll be fine." She repeated, grimacing as she knelt down to pull her small, brown bag out from under the bed. "They're nothing too serious. Besides, getting out of this cursed town fast is better than lingering here to bandage up a few scratches." She undid the clasp and pulled out another white coat, spreading it across the bed.
"They aren't scratches..." Ari said softly to her back, trailing off as she pulled her shirt and coat over her head and stuffed them into the bag. He turned around sheepishly and stared at the sunlit window instead. He was never much for arguing, and certainly wouldn't be able to convince her to listen to him, especially when she was determined like this.
"Now there are several ways we could go" Rosalyn said, observing their new map as they threaded their way through thick crowds of people. Ari tried to look over her shoulder at it, but was slammed into by a large, shabby- looking man and knocked backwards into Big Bull.
"Careful there, brother. We wouldn't want you to get trampled!" He said with a large grin. Ari mumbled a quick thank you and resumed walking behind Rosalyn. So far she was the only one, besides Big Bull, who hadn't been run into or knocked down, probably because she was carrying a large rapier at her belt.
"We could go through the western pass, which is rocky and barren, or we could try the eastern pass, which is also rocky, but provides lots of trees and grass for cover from ghosts and the like. On the other hand, the Western pass is much faster." She continued, her brow furrowed in concentration. Avi was knocked backwards again and almost lost sight of her in the crowd. The smell out here was far worse than it had been in the inn, the air clouded with fumes and dust from the massive gears that were sticking out of the buildings and canyon wall at odd angles. From the lower level of Madril, the sky appeared to be a sickly gray. Madril itself consisted of three levels: the upper level, the lower level, and the sewer, which was actually deep inside the canyon walls rather than the ground. The buildings on the lower level were poorly constructed lumps of metal and turning gears that looked as though they could collapse at any moment, while the road was a wide metal walkway that snaked between the buildings. Immediately below the walkway were revolving gears and pipes, while on either side the darkness of the deep canyon was all that was visible. There were no safety rails on the walkway. Ari was nervously listening for the horrified scream of someone who'd stepped or had been knocked accidentally over the edge and down into the dark recesses of Madril canyon. Needless to say, he wasn't too fond of heights. "Of course, if we take the eastern pass, we can travel along the river, so we won't have to worry about our food supply. Since we're in no hurry to get to the next town, we should go along the river."
"That's settled, then! The eastern pass it is!" Kisling belted out enthusiastically. Ari still found it odd that a scientist like him would have such a passion for traveling. After a few more minutes of walking they reached the lift to the second level where the northern exit was. It was incredibly crowded. A wall of bodies blocked them from getting anywhere near the lift, and it didn't seem like it would clear up very fast. A little girl with a green dress bumped into Linda's back and smiled innocently, running after her mother who had continued walking. Linda murmured unhappily and clutched her broken arm.
"This crowd is much too thick. Linda's arm hurts from everyone bumping into it." She said, her voice barely audible above the roar of everyone's voices.
"Yes, this crowd seems packed indeed. 'Tis enough to make one's eardrums bleed."
Avi raised his brow and stared at the strange man next to him, who smiled back with a friendly nod. He had long, blonde hair down to his shoulders that curled at the bottom and was streaked with darker shades of yellow, and unusual, scarlet-colored eyes. But the most unnerving feature about him (at least, Ari thought it was a "him") was his excessive indigo eye shadow, giving him a very theatrical appearance. Suddenly Big Bull wrapped his arms around Avi's waist and dragged him through the crowd
"C'mon, brother! Rosalyn's got us a spot on the lift!" He bellowed, knocking people over right and left. Ari saw the strange man wave farewell before he was blocked from sight by the hoards of people. Big Bull pulled him through the masses and over to the rickety old lift, stuffing him inside. He pushed his way in after him and nodded to Rosalyn, who pushed the little red button on the side. The lift gave a reluctant screech and hauled them high above the first level. Ari shifted uncomfortably, the dozens of bodies pressing against him. The smell of sweat and rust was almost unbearable, combined with the horrible grating of the lift and the thick clouds of dust and grit flying around in the air. A feeling of claustrophobia began to set in. Luckily the lift came to a grinding halt at the second floor, its doors slowly opening. The crowd of people pushed their way out, knocking Ari flat onto the ground. He was stepped on several times before Kisling hauled him up onto his feet.
"Oh this is much better!" Linda chirped happily. The second level was about half the size of the first level, but had much fewer people around, and the buildings didn't look like heaps of metal and gears. Instead the structures were large, neatly built metal houses and factories. The air wasn't quite so bad, either, due to this level being at a much higher elevation than the first. Sunlight streamed down from the sky, bathing the buildings and giant gears in a pale, welcoming light.
"Now there's something I've missed." Kisling said, spreading his arms to the blue-gray sky.
"Slave!" Stan suddenly popped up behind Ari in a cloud of black, startling a few bystanders. They stared for a few moments before walking away quickly. "Why are we in this backwater town when we should be looking for the imposter Evil Kings!?"
"Oh hello there, Stan. We were just about to leave here and begin our journey to Rashelo." Kisling said happily. Rosalyn had ignored the Evil King and was still mumbling to herself while she stared at the map. Linda ran up to Stan and twirled around once, balancing gracefully on one foot.
"Once we get out of here, Linda will be so happy!" She sang, thoroughly enjoying herself. Big Bull blinked at her.
"You sure seem happy now, sister Linda! I thought you hated this place!" He said with a grin. Linda nodded at him and launched into a song about leaving bad towns that she made up as she went along, which was actually surprisingly good. For a ditz, Ari thought to himself as Kisling tapped his foot to the beat, she sure has a lot talent.
"Let's hurry up, then!" Stan growled, disappearing with a loud poof.
"Alright, everyone! This way!" Rosalyn yelled over the noise. They all started walking again, no longer in danger of getting trampled or knocked down. After a few more minutes, the famous Madril town exit reared into view.
To anyone not familiar with Madril, the town exit would appear to be nothing more than a pair of giant gears, about fifteen feet high and twenty feet across. They stood partially embedded in the canyon rock, blocking the walkway where it ended in front of them. Unlike the rest of the town, the Exit Gears were clean and well maintained. If they ever malfunctioned for any reason, Madril's inhabitants would be stranded in the canyon without any way of accessing the outside world. On the lower level, at the southern end of town, was another pair of Exit Gears identical to these. They were the only possible way in and out of Madril, unless one was to scale the massive canyon walls and then somehow make it down the other side and onto the walkway after crossing the huge gap between the wall and the town itself. Several attempts had previously been made, Kisling had once told him, to dig under the canyon's walls and up into the town so that an underground passage could be made, but the rock was simply too hard. It was for that same reason that a new exit could not be made if the Gears ever stopped working. There was no existing knowledge of how they had been put into the wall in the first place, either. Madril was a unique town, in that no one knew who had built it or how. It had simply always been there.
They stopped in front of the Exit Gears. Rosalyn walked over to the side of the walkway and pressed a small, red button on a pole that stuck out of the wall at an odd angle. It flashed and made three shrill beeping noises, warning everyone to stand clear of the exit. The Gears began to rumble and turn slowly, bits of rock and dirt scattering over the walkway. They suddenly sped up and stopped with an earthshaking thump. Each of the Gears had a large chunk cut out of it, which had been hidden beneath the rock, that were now aligned with each other, creating a passage out of the town. Visible through the opening were thin trees and fields of grass that stretched out for miles. Everyone gave a collective sigh of happiness. Even Ari smiled and stepped out into the grass, taking a deep breath of the dust- free air, which now smelled of flowers rather than grease and rust.
"Come on, everyone. Let's cover as much ground as we can before it gets dark." Rosalyn said, starting out on the path. Everyone else followed, chatting happily with each other or just breathing in the clean, perfumed air. Ari walked along behind the group. He looked out over the field and sighed, willing to take as much time as possible to reach the port town of Rashelo.
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Spoons: Duuuude! I can actually do endings!! I never thought it physically possible, but I CAN DO ENDINGS!! XD
Zebra: You...call that an ending? Oo
Bird: I think it was a wonderful ending for the second chapter. They're all so happy and friendly.
Spoons: Hahaha! But it won't stay that way! I have many plans for them...heh heh rubs hands together many plans indeed. :)
Zebra: --; please review and tell us what you think. And, Spoons? Lean real close so I can tell you something important.
Spoons: Yes? leans over
Zebra: This...was...WAY TOO LONG!!!
Spoons: falls over meep XP
Bird: oh dear.
Zebra: XD Please don't come back. nods happily
Bird: --;
Zebra: Stay away if you know what's good for you. --
Bird: Nonsense. This fic is good.
Spoons: Thank you, Bird. nods
Bird:
Zebra: grumbles suck-up.
Spoons: Sadly, I do not own Okage. If I did, Marlene would die a horrible death and Linda would get lost somewhere in the snowfields, never to return. And Stan's human form wouldn't be...not quite so ugly. He'd be very delicious with long, black hair. And Epros would lose the annoying red bowtie. I'm sorry, but that thing really bugs me!! whacks Epros over the head.
Epros: Oww...I like my bowtie. It looks great on any guy!! XD
Zebra: ;; Urrrrgrhh...
Bird: Erm...gives forced smile
Spoons: --;;; I told you I couldn't rhyme. But these are just the author's notes. I promise to make the rhymes in the story good!!
Zebra: Let's...hope so.
Spoon: Um...I think I've fried my muses. Anyway, the rating is PG-13 as of now, and may go up to R (heh) let's hope not.
Epros: ?
Spoons: Someone get him out of here. --
Zebra: Gladly. kicks Epros with his back hooves, sending the phantom ghost flying out a window
Spoons:
Zebra: I thought you liked him. stares warily at Spoons
Spoons: Well, yes. But I don't want him to rhyme anymore. ;;
Bird: Good point. ;
Zebra: Okay, on to the fic, already.
Spoons: Enjoy!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"blah" = speech
'blah' = character thinking
blah = word/phrase emphasis (italics)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------
I Am a Lonely Wanderer
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I am a lonely wanderer On my way towards death. I love the clarity of air Each time I take a breath.
--------
I love the friends who walk with me And then must go their way. I love the rose at dawn and dusk That celebrates each day.
------
I love to laugh at all the things That do not know they're fun, And weep at all the things that wound And shrivel up the sun.
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I never saw my father's face And will not have a child, But even so, I share with you My joy, wind-whipped and wild.
------
Poem by Nicholas Gordon
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"Ari? Ari, can you hear me?"
"He's been knocked out, Rosalyn. Of course he can't hear you." Kisling's voice was faint and hard to hear, almost like it was very far away. Ari blinked and tried to move, but found that he couldn't. Even though he had his eyes open, everything was pitch black, and his head felt like it was splitting open, probably from being hit by that Masterless Sword. "Oh, look! His eyes are open! Ari? Are you feeling alright?"
Ari blinked his eyes a few times and, with much effort, raised his hands to his face to rub them. After a moment the dark forms of Rosalyn and Kisling appeared above him, their edges rather blurred.
"What a relief. I thought for a moment that you'd never wake up." Rosalyn said with a sigh, sitting down on one of the room's small chairs. Ari groaned in pain and sat up slowly, aided by Kisling. His vision was still blotchy, but from what he could make out he was in a small room with three beds, each with their own little table and a complementary flower placed in a simple, white vase on top. The walls and floor were, oddly enough, made of what appeared to be a slightly rusty metal, black with little nuts and screws in intervals. There was a single, dingy window in the wall. It was too dirty to see out of, and had a large crack in the glass that looked more like it had been caused by age rather than vandalism, as was typically the case. Judging by the light, it was sometime late at night or very early in the morning.
"Wh-"Ari began, coughing fitfully before he'd gotten a word out. Kisling frowned and handed him a glass of water in a metal cup. After drinking the foul water, Ari continued. "Where are the others?" He asked, his voice raspy.
"They're in the other room. Big Bull is fine, but Linda, unfortunately, has suffered a broken arm. We're lucky to have escaped with just that." Kisling took a sip of the water, grimacing at the taste, and sat down on the bed next to Ari's. "You see, after you fainted the swords were relentless in trying to rip us all to shreds, it seemed. But after a few minutes they all just...stopped."
"Stopped?" Ari looked across the room at Rosalyn for some sort of clarification, but she had her head down and her eyes closed. Kisling continued.
"Yes, stopped. They all started looking around like they were lost and then just flew off. All in the same direction, too. It certainly was very odd that they showed up in the first place." He leaned forwards, his voices quiet. "The others may not know this, but those ghosts aren't native to anywhere near here. They must have traveled very far." He coughed quietly and took another reluctant sip from the cup. "Oh the air here is absolutely horrid! It'll shorten your life by a day or so every time you inhale!" He said, waving his hand around as if he were driving away the bad air. Rosalyn mumbled a quiet agreement and walked over to the remaining bed, lying down without so much as an upward glance. Her parasol was hanging from a hook on the door, exposing her shadow to be a bright shade of pink (this was a result of Stan having possessed her once a long time ago when they first met). She was still fully clad in her warrior's clothes. Ari noticed a lot of fresh bloodstains on the back of her shirt that looked like slash wounds. He took on a concerned expression and looked back to Kisling, who nodded solemnly.
"She got those trying to keep the swords from harming you and Linda. She blocked them with her own body when they grabbed her rapier." He whispered so that Rosalyn wouldn't hear. "Chances are the two of you owe her your lives. I just hope those injuries heal. They're rather deep." He lay back with his head on the pillow and took out one of his books, laying it over his face so that it covered his eyes. "We'll head on to Rashelo tomorrow morning. I personally don't want to spend anther minute in this horrible town, but we don't have a choice. Well, goodnight Ari. Rosalyn."
"Good night." Ari replied. Rosalyn was silent. Either she hadn't heard him or was already asleep. He lay motionless for a while, listening to the grinding sounds of countless gears and pegs turning in the walls and floor. He hadn't heard much about other towns. No one in his village had ever traveled very far beyond its borders, and it was so out-of-the-way that no travelers ever came to visit. But from what he had heard, this was most likely the town of Madril, the gear town. It was said to be an ancient place, built over a deep, rocky canyon, and made up entirely of gears and metal. People passed through it daily to get across the canyon, but it was not a very popular town. He was beginning to see why. Breathing the thick air felt like inhaling sawdust, and the water tasted like a month-old medicine that had gone bad long ago. He could only imagine what the food would be like. And yet, it was common knowledge that Madril was the most populated town for thousands of miles.
He frowned and rolled over, his head throbbing. The pain was subsiding now, enough so that he could ignore it altogether. From the bed next to the door he could hear Rosalyn's slow, heavy breathing. A small snore came from Kisling's own bed next to the window. As usual, the scientist had wrapped himself in a cocoon of blankets, his thin, frizzy hair sticking out of the top. Ari smiled and closed his eyes, still exhausted from the day's events. Stan hadn't appeared yet, but that wasn't unusual. He would remain a shadow until he felt the need to come out, not before. Soon the rhythmic creaking and groaning of the gears lulled Ari to sleep, despite the dull pain in his head.
A loud crash was what finally woke him, jerking him out of the nightmarish dream he'd been having about thousands of the Masterless Swords, endlessly circling around him and his friends. A girly shriek followed the crash, unmistakably Linda's voice. He coughed hoarsely and blinked a few times until his eyes adjusted to the fractured, morning light pouring through the window, sitting up slowly as he searched for the cause of the sound. Kisling's bed was empty, but Rosalyn seemed to be still asleep, her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around her dusty blanket. An unfamiliar voice was yelling something now, but the door was closed and it was too faint to hear. Ari stood and put his hand on the steel wall for support. His head had stopped hurting, but there was a sizeable lump where he'd been struck that stung when he touched it. Another crash, this time louder, issued from the hallway. He carefully made his way to the door and opened it cautiously to poke his head out. Big Bull was backing up slowly down the hall, smiling nervously at a gigantic, burly man, who was easily three times his height and who's face was contorted in a sort of homicidal glare, and Linda was standing off to the side by a closed door, her arm in a cloth sling. She was casting worried glances at the two of them, occasionally opening her mouth as though to say something, but changing her mind a moment later. The burly man clenched his hands into fists and made a primal growling noise that would have been quite comical in a different situation. Big Bull raised his hands up defensively as his back thumped against the wall at the end of the hallway.
"Hey now...it was an accident. I swear. I didn't mean to knock it over! My tail just has a life of it own, sometimes, you know? Ha ha..." He said, cowering under the haughty glare directed at him. The man stopped a few feet from him and punched the wall, denting it slightly and causing Linda to squeak in fear. He made a grumbling noise and turned around slowly to walk the other way, giving Big Bull one last dirty look. After he was out of sight Big Bull sighed and slumped against the wall, wiping a hand across his brow. "Whoo! 'Thought I was done for!"
"Oh Big Bull! He almost killed you!" Linda said, running up to place her free hand on his shoulder. "That brute was so mean! He was just angry because he was jealous! He was way uglier than you are!" She said passionately. Big Bull looked up at her and smiled slightly.
"Thanks, I think. Hey, Ari! You're alive! We all thought you were done for!" He bellowed, running over to engulf him in a bone-crushing hug. Linda followed, but stayed at a slight distance until the bull had released him.
"Oh, coach! You're alright! Linda's so happy!" She sang, prancing back and forth on both feet.
"Where's Kisling?" Ari choked, his ribs slightly warped from the death-hug.
"He went into town to find a map and some other things. Those swords ripped up the one we had, along with pretty much everything else." Big Bull said, his tail lashing back and forth. Ari looked down and noticed that Linda had her microphone cradled in her sling, the end poking out where her hand was. "I take it sister Rosalyn's still crashed out? She was pretty bloodied up after those ghosts left, so I don't blame her. Still, the sooner we leave this putrid town, the better!"
Linda nodded her agreement, gently coughing into her hand. Big Bull said that he and Linda would take care of the inn fees, if Ari would go to wake Rosalyn. Ari agreed, walking back inside the room and shutting the door quietly.
The room was far brighter than it had been last night, the increased light revealing thick clouds of dust floating about in the air. It was still impossible to see anything clearly out the window. Ari made his way over to the other side of the room and stood facing said window, squinting as he pressed his nose against the grimy glass. The smell was positively revolting, but the street was now somewhat visible. He could barely make out the dark forms of people walking past, and the box-like outline of another building immediately across from the inn. He stepped away from the window and rubbed his nose, trying to remove the blackened grease it had left. The people's voices were a dull roar that echoed slightly off of the metal walls and ceiling. He walked over to Rosalyn's bed and, careful not to touch any part of her back, shook her lightly. The bloodstains had dried overnight, leaving her white coat in need of a good washing. She grumbled and opened her sand-colored eyes, turning her head slightly to look up at Ari.
"Are you feeling alright?" Ari asked, removing his hand from her shoulder. She cleared her throat and coughed, shaking her head at him. "Kisling's gone to find us a new map and some supplies before we start off for Rashelo. I've heard that it's quite a ways from here, but there are some shortcuts we could take if he can find a map that's recent enough. Big Bull and Linda are taking care of the inn fee. Can you walk?"
'I think so." She sat up very slowly, wincing in pain, her pink shadow spilling across the old pillow. Ari handed her the small metal cup with a little of the water left in it. She took it and thanked him, downing it in one gulp with a slightly horrified expression at the flavor. She coughed again and handed it back to Ari. "Urrg. That was awful. I hope Kisling comes back soon." She said, her voice much clearer. "Are you feeling alright, Ari?"
"Yes, I'm fine. It's only a bump on the head. And Linda's doing fine, too. She didn't seem to be in any pain when I talked to her."
"That's good."
"Um...Kisling told me what you did. About those Masterless Swords and all. And, I just wanted to say thank you. On behalf of both Linda and I." He said quietly as he looked down at the dark floor by the bed frame, knowing that Linda, with her airheaded demeanor, would never get around to thanking her, and probably didn't even know about what had happened. Rosalyn was silent for a moment, her expression unreadable.
"I did what heroes are meant to do. We protect people who need it the most. You really didn't have to thank me, but you're welcome all the same." She said kindly, a small smile gracing her features. Ari smiled back at her, placing the cup on the table next to the bed. "Now there's something I haven't seen for a while. You always look so gloomy, Ari. I had begun to think that it was normal for you." She said, her smile growing wider. At this moment, the door opened and Linda walked into the room, waving her trusty microphone around in her hand.
"We've paid the fee, coach! Oh, Rosalyn! You're finally awake. Linda was getting worried." She walked over to Rosalyn's bedside and began hopping back and forth on her feet energetically. "Kisling's back from the shop, so we're going to leave soon. Are you hurt very badly?" She asked, taking on a more pitying tone, which apparently annoyed Rosalyn.
"No, I'll be fine. Tell that scatterbrained scientist to draw out the road to Rashelo before we get moving, this time." She said as she stood up, seeming to ignore the searing pain from the slash wounds. Ari reached out to help her but she shook her head. "We should get out of here as soon as possible."
"But, Rosalyn." Ari began as Linda exited the room, humming one of her songs happily. "Your wounds...they haven't been treated yet..."
"I'll be fine." She repeated, grimacing as she knelt down to pull her small, brown bag out from under the bed. "They're nothing too serious. Besides, getting out of this cursed town fast is better than lingering here to bandage up a few scratches." She undid the clasp and pulled out another white coat, spreading it across the bed.
"They aren't scratches..." Ari said softly to her back, trailing off as she pulled her shirt and coat over her head and stuffed them into the bag. He turned around sheepishly and stared at the sunlit window instead. He was never much for arguing, and certainly wouldn't be able to convince her to listen to him, especially when she was determined like this.
"Now there are several ways we could go" Rosalyn said, observing their new map as they threaded their way through thick crowds of people. Ari tried to look over her shoulder at it, but was slammed into by a large, shabby- looking man and knocked backwards into Big Bull.
"Careful there, brother. We wouldn't want you to get trampled!" He said with a large grin. Ari mumbled a quick thank you and resumed walking behind Rosalyn. So far she was the only one, besides Big Bull, who hadn't been run into or knocked down, probably because she was carrying a large rapier at her belt.
"We could go through the western pass, which is rocky and barren, or we could try the eastern pass, which is also rocky, but provides lots of trees and grass for cover from ghosts and the like. On the other hand, the Western pass is much faster." She continued, her brow furrowed in concentration. Avi was knocked backwards again and almost lost sight of her in the crowd. The smell out here was far worse than it had been in the inn, the air clouded with fumes and dust from the massive gears that were sticking out of the buildings and canyon wall at odd angles. From the lower level of Madril, the sky appeared to be a sickly gray. Madril itself consisted of three levels: the upper level, the lower level, and the sewer, which was actually deep inside the canyon walls rather than the ground. The buildings on the lower level were poorly constructed lumps of metal and turning gears that looked as though they could collapse at any moment, while the road was a wide metal walkway that snaked between the buildings. Immediately below the walkway were revolving gears and pipes, while on either side the darkness of the deep canyon was all that was visible. There were no safety rails on the walkway. Ari was nervously listening for the horrified scream of someone who'd stepped or had been knocked accidentally over the edge and down into the dark recesses of Madril canyon. Needless to say, he wasn't too fond of heights. "Of course, if we take the eastern pass, we can travel along the river, so we won't have to worry about our food supply. Since we're in no hurry to get to the next town, we should go along the river."
"That's settled, then! The eastern pass it is!" Kisling belted out enthusiastically. Ari still found it odd that a scientist like him would have such a passion for traveling. After a few more minutes of walking they reached the lift to the second level where the northern exit was. It was incredibly crowded. A wall of bodies blocked them from getting anywhere near the lift, and it didn't seem like it would clear up very fast. A little girl with a green dress bumped into Linda's back and smiled innocently, running after her mother who had continued walking. Linda murmured unhappily and clutched her broken arm.
"This crowd is much too thick. Linda's arm hurts from everyone bumping into it." She said, her voice barely audible above the roar of everyone's voices.
"Yes, this crowd seems packed indeed. 'Tis enough to make one's eardrums bleed."
Avi raised his brow and stared at the strange man next to him, who smiled back with a friendly nod. He had long, blonde hair down to his shoulders that curled at the bottom and was streaked with darker shades of yellow, and unusual, scarlet-colored eyes. But the most unnerving feature about him (at least, Ari thought it was a "him") was his excessive indigo eye shadow, giving him a very theatrical appearance. Suddenly Big Bull wrapped his arms around Avi's waist and dragged him through the crowd
"C'mon, brother! Rosalyn's got us a spot on the lift!" He bellowed, knocking people over right and left. Ari saw the strange man wave farewell before he was blocked from sight by the hoards of people. Big Bull pulled him through the masses and over to the rickety old lift, stuffing him inside. He pushed his way in after him and nodded to Rosalyn, who pushed the little red button on the side. The lift gave a reluctant screech and hauled them high above the first level. Ari shifted uncomfortably, the dozens of bodies pressing against him. The smell of sweat and rust was almost unbearable, combined with the horrible grating of the lift and the thick clouds of dust and grit flying around in the air. A feeling of claustrophobia began to set in. Luckily the lift came to a grinding halt at the second floor, its doors slowly opening. The crowd of people pushed their way out, knocking Ari flat onto the ground. He was stepped on several times before Kisling hauled him up onto his feet.
"Oh this is much better!" Linda chirped happily. The second level was about half the size of the first level, but had much fewer people around, and the buildings didn't look like heaps of metal and gears. Instead the structures were large, neatly built metal houses and factories. The air wasn't quite so bad, either, due to this level being at a much higher elevation than the first. Sunlight streamed down from the sky, bathing the buildings and giant gears in a pale, welcoming light.
"Now there's something I've missed." Kisling said, spreading his arms to the blue-gray sky.
"Slave!" Stan suddenly popped up behind Ari in a cloud of black, startling a few bystanders. They stared for a few moments before walking away quickly. "Why are we in this backwater town when we should be looking for the imposter Evil Kings!?"
"Oh hello there, Stan. We were just about to leave here and begin our journey to Rashelo." Kisling said happily. Rosalyn had ignored the Evil King and was still mumbling to herself while she stared at the map. Linda ran up to Stan and twirled around once, balancing gracefully on one foot.
"Once we get out of here, Linda will be so happy!" She sang, thoroughly enjoying herself. Big Bull blinked at her.
"You sure seem happy now, sister Linda! I thought you hated this place!" He said with a grin. Linda nodded at him and launched into a song about leaving bad towns that she made up as she went along, which was actually surprisingly good. For a ditz, Ari thought to himself as Kisling tapped his foot to the beat, she sure has a lot talent.
"Let's hurry up, then!" Stan growled, disappearing with a loud poof.
"Alright, everyone! This way!" Rosalyn yelled over the noise. They all started walking again, no longer in danger of getting trampled or knocked down. After a few more minutes, the famous Madril town exit reared into view.
To anyone not familiar with Madril, the town exit would appear to be nothing more than a pair of giant gears, about fifteen feet high and twenty feet across. They stood partially embedded in the canyon rock, blocking the walkway where it ended in front of them. Unlike the rest of the town, the Exit Gears were clean and well maintained. If they ever malfunctioned for any reason, Madril's inhabitants would be stranded in the canyon without any way of accessing the outside world. On the lower level, at the southern end of town, was another pair of Exit Gears identical to these. They were the only possible way in and out of Madril, unless one was to scale the massive canyon walls and then somehow make it down the other side and onto the walkway after crossing the huge gap between the wall and the town itself. Several attempts had previously been made, Kisling had once told him, to dig under the canyon's walls and up into the town so that an underground passage could be made, but the rock was simply too hard. It was for that same reason that a new exit could not be made if the Gears ever stopped working. There was no existing knowledge of how they had been put into the wall in the first place, either. Madril was a unique town, in that no one knew who had built it or how. It had simply always been there.
They stopped in front of the Exit Gears. Rosalyn walked over to the side of the walkway and pressed a small, red button on a pole that stuck out of the wall at an odd angle. It flashed and made three shrill beeping noises, warning everyone to stand clear of the exit. The Gears began to rumble and turn slowly, bits of rock and dirt scattering over the walkway. They suddenly sped up and stopped with an earthshaking thump. Each of the Gears had a large chunk cut out of it, which had been hidden beneath the rock, that were now aligned with each other, creating a passage out of the town. Visible through the opening were thin trees and fields of grass that stretched out for miles. Everyone gave a collective sigh of happiness. Even Ari smiled and stepped out into the grass, taking a deep breath of the dust- free air, which now smelled of flowers rather than grease and rust.
"Come on, everyone. Let's cover as much ground as we can before it gets dark." Rosalyn said, starting out on the path. Everyone else followed, chatting happily with each other or just breathing in the clean, perfumed air. Ari walked along behind the group. He looked out over the field and sighed, willing to take as much time as possible to reach the port town of Rashelo.
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Spoons: Duuuude! I can actually do endings!! I never thought it physically possible, but I CAN DO ENDINGS!! XD
Zebra: You...call that an ending? Oo
Bird: I think it was a wonderful ending for the second chapter. They're all so happy and friendly.
Spoons: Hahaha! But it won't stay that way! I have many plans for them...heh heh rubs hands together many plans indeed. :)
Zebra: --; please review and tell us what you think. And, Spoons? Lean real close so I can tell you something important.
Spoons: Yes? leans over
Zebra: This...was...WAY TOO LONG!!!
Spoons: falls over meep XP
Bird: oh dear.
Zebra: XD Please don't come back. nods happily
Bird: --;