8BTFreek: Another chapter, another set of reviews. Let's answer them!
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Rain Child: I read, I reviewed, and thanks for the review.
Mesoforte: I am afraid I cannot confirm nor deny your opinion. Suffice it to say that if you read the chapters carefully, you will find proof of what you seek. And yes, Alex does deserve that. Poetic justice, I think. And also, I should probably mention that [noise in background blocks out Freek's voice] Thanks for the review.
Allexandra: Yeah, it's taken them a while to realize it and... Well, you'll see. Thanks for reviewing!
Ral: I know! I myself enjoy a cup of green tea every once in a while. I just don't see Jenna liking tea all that much. I think she's more of a coffee person. As for your question, I don't believe Alex got the full Golden Sun. And the reason why Isaac didn't display a big power increase is because it's power over FIRE, which he's never had cause to use. However, I also feel that Isaac mainly got the power to heavily resist fire, and since Alex is a Mercury Adept, he'd need to actually gain the full power of the Golden Sun to use the power of fire. Of course, I'm just opining. And as for your PS... Holier events have not been prophesized. Too bad it won't happen any time soon...
Joker: Oddly enough, the GS character I identify myself with the most is Garet - he's larger than the rest of his friends, stronger in some ways, and determined. He doesn't make a decision unless he feels he has enough information, and he'll stick to his decision until he's forced to look it over. He has his own quiet intelligence, which tends to make others think he's dimwitted or slow, but he just wants to make sure he's done the right thing. He's also almost always hungry. I just wish I could use Psynergy... [misty look covers eyes]
END RESPONSES
8BTFreek: I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging so long. To make up for it, I'll put up five new OneShots very soon. 'Kay? Well, let's see, the song kick is still on, the song title is by ELO (the Electric Light Orchestra, in case you didn't know - and shame on you if you didn't!) and Camelot owns Golden Sun and The Lost Age, as well as all characters, places, and ideas, except for what I made up (including a whole civilization.)
[XII]Turn to Stone, or How to Prophesize Without Experience[XII]
The board had evolved in the past few days. At first, it had merely been styled after a checkerboard. Later, as the pieces began moving to match their counterparts' alliances, the board took on a whole new look. Slowly, it had changed from being plain stone to being a replica of a cutaway view of Vale. Three houses and one mountain were all that should be concentrated on, though.
In one house, the figures of Hama, Felix, and Piers all huddled close together. In another, Kay and those who were joined in opinion with her stood alongside each other. And in the third week of Alex's imprisonment, Isaac's figure, along with Jenna's, Mia's, and Garet's, moved to a third corner.
All of the Jupiter Adepts had purple glows surrounding their statues' bases. The Mars Adepts had red, the Mercury Adepts blue, and the Venus Adepts green. Alex's statue's base switched between blue, purple, and green. The Wise One glowed gold, and Rhoen's had an odd mixture - blue and red mixed with a silvery color.
Also, bonds were shown on the board by means of Psynergetic "strings", little lines that connected the figures. Lovers were connected by gold strings, and those who were married had gold strings of double thickness. Copper-colored strings connected friends that weren't lovers, gray strings connected those who were somewhat enemies, and black strings connected those who hated each other. Double-thickness black strings signified mortal enemies.
But details bore some people, and so we must turn away from the board for a moment. Standing in the room, some distance from said board, are four statues, one in each "corner" of the circular room. Yes, "corner." They form a square. So sue me. Anyway, each statue represents one of the Four Elements of Alchemy. A man stands, connected by almost-invisibly Psynergetic strands to three of the statues. The fourth holds a small connection to a man so far away that the strand just dissipates before it reaches him, but he holds the power of part of the Golden Sun.
The man in the room, however, is digging through the bare rock. His thoughts are on empire, on conquest, on destruction. He uses his powers to drill through the mountainside, trying to force a way out. He will find things perfect for taking on the other side, but only if things do not change before the year is out. Occasionally, he cleans out his working-space, tossing rocks over his shoulder.
In the sleepy village below, it has been three weeks since a not-so-silent menace was silenced for a short period of time. All fear it, but the place is polarized. Three groups, fighting each other silently, none budging an inch. Friendships are slowly but surely breaking, alliances are slowly but surely moving towards an inevitable battle. And not all are happy about the change.
The outsider sits in his room, his lover bustles about the kitchen, the married couple are still slugabed, and the lonely one sits on the couch, bored and angry, and very lonely. (Well, what did you expect? Lonely one suggests loneliness!) But this is only one house.
In another, the lovers plan a date, while the married couple looks after its child, now two. The child is a handful. The four of them do not realize the crucial nature of their position.
And here is a look at the third house. The other married couple, as well as the semi-immortal, are deep in contemplation (or, in the case of the wife, slumber without the disturbing dreams that would normally plague her.) The two children are running outside, and they know nothing of the fate that could be theirs, if time is cruel.
But we have digressed far enough. The board must be read, but there is nobody save us to do it. So we must look.
At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a board filled with small figurines. That is when you notice that it shifts subtly. At the feet of Ivan and Feizhi, a small child's figure flashes, almost imperceptibly. It is more frequent now than last week, when the first flash happened. Now, it is daily.
Two weeks ago, the string connecting Garet and Mia briefly flashed double, then turned back to a single thin strand of gold. Around the figure of Isaac sometimes flashes a red shield. Jenna's figure keeps shifting slightly towards Sheba and Kay's figures before scurrying back to Mia's and Isaac's. The small figure of Jade sits at her father's feet. Such is not the case with Wil or Josef's figures.
These small stones sit in the middle of the board, unsure of where they belong. Rhoen's figure flashes silver more often than not, signaling something. What it is, we can only guess. Kay's figure is bound to his by a thin thread of gold, and although the thread is threatening to split, change is also hanging over the pair, like a deadly cloud.
Piers and Sheba are still connected by a thread of gold, but now it is slowly turning gray as they grow separate and solidify their position as enemies. Yet, for some reason, their figures are slowly creeping towards the statuettes of the twins in the center of the board.
Alex is bound to all by strings of black, double-strings connecting him to everyone there. But on his end, the string connected to Mia is colored green, always a single string. What the coloration means is anyone's guess.
A chip flies from Alex's refuse pile. It knocks over Rhoen's figure, which flashes a brilliant silver before reverting to its original form and straightening up. The chip bounces, eventually, landing in a part of the board that might symbolize the south of Vale, and it lands. The board absorbs it, but now a small hole is where the rock was. Another chip flies. After bouncing off of Rhoen, who once again glows silver, it strikes Alex's figure. Rhoen's figure still glows silver as the rock strikes, and Alex's figure flashes bright before falling. The stone continues to bounce, bouncing off of Kay and then hitting Alex again, and his statuette shatters, the bright flash exploding across the board before everything is repaired.
Alex turns to look at his board, confused by the several flashes that came from it. Not seeing anything, he shrugs, then goes back to his work. After all, he can't waste a minute tunneling if he's to be out by the end of a year.
{eoc}
8BTFreek: I also apologize for the trend that happened here. It changed into the present tense because... because that's how it came from my mind. I'm sorry. [ducks down]
Rand: Pathetic. Well, review. Review, or I create a large person-sized hole where you used to be. Got it?
Alex: Must you be so violent? And can I kick him for making me appear so... so... detestable?
Rand: Request noted and ignored, permission denied. Kicking him is my job.
8BTFreek: HEY! Just please review, people.
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Rain Child: I read, I reviewed, and thanks for the review.
Mesoforte: I am afraid I cannot confirm nor deny your opinion. Suffice it to say that if you read the chapters carefully, you will find proof of what you seek. And yes, Alex does deserve that. Poetic justice, I think. And also, I should probably mention that [noise in background blocks out Freek's voice] Thanks for the review.
Allexandra: Yeah, it's taken them a while to realize it and... Well, you'll see. Thanks for reviewing!
Ral: I know! I myself enjoy a cup of green tea every once in a while. I just don't see Jenna liking tea all that much. I think she's more of a coffee person. As for your question, I don't believe Alex got the full Golden Sun. And the reason why Isaac didn't display a big power increase is because it's power over FIRE, which he's never had cause to use. However, I also feel that Isaac mainly got the power to heavily resist fire, and since Alex is a Mercury Adept, he'd need to actually gain the full power of the Golden Sun to use the power of fire. Of course, I'm just opining. And as for your PS... Holier events have not been prophesized. Too bad it won't happen any time soon...
Joker: Oddly enough, the GS character I identify myself with the most is Garet - he's larger than the rest of his friends, stronger in some ways, and determined. He doesn't make a decision unless he feels he has enough information, and he'll stick to his decision until he's forced to look it over. He has his own quiet intelligence, which tends to make others think he's dimwitted or slow, but he just wants to make sure he's done the right thing. He's also almost always hungry. I just wish I could use Psynergy... [misty look covers eyes]
END RESPONSES
8BTFreek: I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging so long. To make up for it, I'll put up five new OneShots very soon. 'Kay? Well, let's see, the song kick is still on, the song title is by ELO (the Electric Light Orchestra, in case you didn't know - and shame on you if you didn't!) and Camelot owns Golden Sun and The Lost Age, as well as all characters, places, and ideas, except for what I made up (including a whole civilization.)
[XII]Turn to Stone, or How to Prophesize Without Experience[XII]
The board had evolved in the past few days. At first, it had merely been styled after a checkerboard. Later, as the pieces began moving to match their counterparts' alliances, the board took on a whole new look. Slowly, it had changed from being plain stone to being a replica of a cutaway view of Vale. Three houses and one mountain were all that should be concentrated on, though.
In one house, the figures of Hama, Felix, and Piers all huddled close together. In another, Kay and those who were joined in opinion with her stood alongside each other. And in the third week of Alex's imprisonment, Isaac's figure, along with Jenna's, Mia's, and Garet's, moved to a third corner.
All of the Jupiter Adepts had purple glows surrounding their statues' bases. The Mars Adepts had red, the Mercury Adepts blue, and the Venus Adepts green. Alex's statue's base switched between blue, purple, and green. The Wise One glowed gold, and Rhoen's had an odd mixture - blue and red mixed with a silvery color.
Also, bonds were shown on the board by means of Psynergetic "strings", little lines that connected the figures. Lovers were connected by gold strings, and those who were married had gold strings of double thickness. Copper-colored strings connected friends that weren't lovers, gray strings connected those who were somewhat enemies, and black strings connected those who hated each other. Double-thickness black strings signified mortal enemies.
But details bore some people, and so we must turn away from the board for a moment. Standing in the room, some distance from said board, are four statues, one in each "corner" of the circular room. Yes, "corner." They form a square. So sue me. Anyway, each statue represents one of the Four Elements of Alchemy. A man stands, connected by almost-invisibly Psynergetic strands to three of the statues. The fourth holds a small connection to a man so far away that the strand just dissipates before it reaches him, but he holds the power of part of the Golden Sun.
The man in the room, however, is digging through the bare rock. His thoughts are on empire, on conquest, on destruction. He uses his powers to drill through the mountainside, trying to force a way out. He will find things perfect for taking on the other side, but only if things do not change before the year is out. Occasionally, he cleans out his working-space, tossing rocks over his shoulder.
In the sleepy village below, it has been three weeks since a not-so-silent menace was silenced for a short period of time. All fear it, but the place is polarized. Three groups, fighting each other silently, none budging an inch. Friendships are slowly but surely breaking, alliances are slowly but surely moving towards an inevitable battle. And not all are happy about the change.
The outsider sits in his room, his lover bustles about the kitchen, the married couple are still slugabed, and the lonely one sits on the couch, bored and angry, and very lonely. (Well, what did you expect? Lonely one suggests loneliness!) But this is only one house.
In another, the lovers plan a date, while the married couple looks after its child, now two. The child is a handful. The four of them do not realize the crucial nature of their position.
And here is a look at the third house. The other married couple, as well as the semi-immortal, are deep in contemplation (or, in the case of the wife, slumber without the disturbing dreams that would normally plague her.) The two children are running outside, and they know nothing of the fate that could be theirs, if time is cruel.
But we have digressed far enough. The board must be read, but there is nobody save us to do it. So we must look.
At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a board filled with small figurines. That is when you notice that it shifts subtly. At the feet of Ivan and Feizhi, a small child's figure flashes, almost imperceptibly. It is more frequent now than last week, when the first flash happened. Now, it is daily.
Two weeks ago, the string connecting Garet and Mia briefly flashed double, then turned back to a single thin strand of gold. Around the figure of Isaac sometimes flashes a red shield. Jenna's figure keeps shifting slightly towards Sheba and Kay's figures before scurrying back to Mia's and Isaac's. The small figure of Jade sits at her father's feet. Such is not the case with Wil or Josef's figures.
These small stones sit in the middle of the board, unsure of where they belong. Rhoen's figure flashes silver more often than not, signaling something. What it is, we can only guess. Kay's figure is bound to his by a thin thread of gold, and although the thread is threatening to split, change is also hanging over the pair, like a deadly cloud.
Piers and Sheba are still connected by a thread of gold, but now it is slowly turning gray as they grow separate and solidify their position as enemies. Yet, for some reason, their figures are slowly creeping towards the statuettes of the twins in the center of the board.
Alex is bound to all by strings of black, double-strings connecting him to everyone there. But on his end, the string connected to Mia is colored green, always a single string. What the coloration means is anyone's guess.
A chip flies from Alex's refuse pile. It knocks over Rhoen's figure, which flashes a brilliant silver before reverting to its original form and straightening up. The chip bounces, eventually, landing in a part of the board that might symbolize the south of Vale, and it lands. The board absorbs it, but now a small hole is where the rock was. Another chip flies. After bouncing off of Rhoen, who once again glows silver, it strikes Alex's figure. Rhoen's figure still glows silver as the rock strikes, and Alex's figure flashes bright before falling. The stone continues to bounce, bouncing off of Kay and then hitting Alex again, and his statuette shatters, the bright flash exploding across the board before everything is repaired.
Alex turns to look at his board, confused by the several flashes that came from it. Not seeing anything, he shrugs, then goes back to his work. After all, he can't waste a minute tunneling if he's to be out by the end of a year.
{eoc}
8BTFreek: I also apologize for the trend that happened here. It changed into the present tense because... because that's how it came from my mind. I'm sorry. [ducks down]
Rand: Pathetic. Well, review. Review, or I create a large person-sized hole where you used to be. Got it?
Alex: Must you be so violent? And can I kick him for making me appear so... so... detestable?
Rand: Request noted and ignored, permission denied. Kicking him is my job.
8BTFreek: HEY! Just please review, people.