[Round 1] Loser Won't Walk Home (Set Two)

OoC: Character link in sig, fourth one down. Good luck!

BiC:

“Round and round and round and round and--Weeee! Hahahah!”

Near dug his silver talons into the rooftop of the carriage as it shook and trembled violently, spinning in circles around a miniature fountain in the middle of town. The driver held the reins tightly, tilting his body to one side when the carriage balanced on two wheels as it circled. He twisted himself, grabbing hold of the ropes with one hand while cursing the unwanted hitchhiker and waving his hand threateningly at him.

The man growled as the carriage made another turn around the white marble masterpiece. The horses neighed and snorted furiously, kicking up dust behind them as the world spun in a blur around Near.

And for a second, a single moment in time, the world stopped going in circles.

“Uh ohhhh!” The sky went one way while the carriage went the other, smashing into the ground and raising a large cloud of dust, frightening away curious spectators. The wooden contraption slid on the gravel with the two passengers still attached. Near was grinning from ear to ear with his talons digging deeper into the wood, while the driver screamed bloody murder as he struggled to keep himself and his expensive-looking top hat as far away from the ground as possible.

The carriage grinded to a slow halt.

Near’s silver talons slid out of the holes he created. He made his body go limp and intentionally fell to the ground.

“Wowowww.” Near spread out his arms and looked up at the sky. There was a loud snorting nearby. He turned to his right, looking at the horse that loomed over him, exhaling on him.

“Horseeeyy!”

Before he could get up and greet the animal properly, he heard a grunting to his left. The driver of the carriage stumbled as he got up, obviously shaken by the recent events. Near gently pushed the horse’s snout to the side and stood up, but didn’t take a step forward.

“Whoooaaa…” his breath passed his lips as he moved his eyes very slowly from side to side, surveying the swirling world.

“Dizzy Matthew is dizzy-dizzy…!” Near stumbled forward, then backward and then he moved sideways. And then forward again, he tilted sideways and waved his arms, trying to cure his dizziness. But before he could have done that, a flash of purple caught his eyes. They immediately brightened as the fair lady in the purple gown gracefully flowed passed him. She brandished an equally purple parasol, made of thin cloth and a fluffy edge--more for style than protection from the rain or rays of the sun.

Without thinking twice, Near began following the woman, admiring the flow of her elegant garments. He walked with kicking steps, lifting one foot high in front of him and pushing himself forward with his other foot, making strides as large as his body permitted. The woman twirled her parasol as she walked along; seemingly not noticing the person behind her, whose odd way of getting around was turning most of the heads on the streets.

She twirled her parasol again, this time, in front of a small building from which numerous loud noises rose out from. There was much laughing and shouting coming from within--this is what drew his attention away from the woman and attracted him.

“Grand entrance time!” he grinned, running forward and bursting through the doors to the tavern with a graceful forward flip. He twisted his body in mid-air and landed hard on one of the stools near the counter. Near let his left hand hang down, allowing the cowl to cover it from the eyes of the now silenced people within the bar. With his right hand, he rubbed and patted his lower tush.

“Owwwiiee…” he muttered.

OoC:Making my post.

Marce had been in the town for a few days looking for work. It seemed like a pretty quiet town though. Not a lot that was actually interesting went on here. Marce really seemed to stick out like a sore thumb in this sunny little town. Most of the people seemed to be dressed up like they were going to some event. Marce was walking along the road in his usual brown cloak.

He was getting tired of looking in this place. It was just so...calm. It wasn't boring though. It had just enough activity to keep a person awake. This just wasn't the kind of place for Marce's kind of work. The people on the street were just going about leisurely, minding their own business. Some would occasionally stare at Marce going by in his cloak.

He finally just decided to look or somewhere to relax for a while. He looked around as he walked and saw a tavern that seemed pretty active. He walked in and sat down at the bar. He ignored most of the other people in the bar, and he just ordered a drink.

He hadn't been sitting there for ten minutes when a very strange man jumped in and landed on the seat next to him. He apparently didn't account for a direct landing on the seat like that hurting.

"What's with the entrance, weirdo?" Marce said bluntly.

OoC: Unfortunately, due to the fact that I'm off to Spain tomorrow, the end of this piece is extremely rushed.

IC:

The airport was alive with activity. Stewards stood behind dull, grey counters, uttering their painstakingly rehearsed lines, trolleys beat their chattering, washboard chorus on the tiled floors, arrivers and departers were conversing with animation, giving and receiving both haunting goodbyes and joyous welcomes. The din of drab airport music hummed in the background, always present but never appreciated. I stood amid all this, my mind in the same, restless turmoil.

For years I had dreamed of this very day, always dwelling on the glorious sensation of freedom I would undoubtedly feel and the open arms with which I would greet it, but now, on the threshold of adventure, I wavered, stumbling and second guessing.

Never before had I contemplated that it would be fear and anxiety thriving in my heart on such a day. Never before had my mind wandered so far from its goal, only now, when realization was so close, did it dare. The images of exotic lands and travels laden with adventure that had occupied me for so long were changing, undergoing the strangest metamorphosis. The luscious tropics and fantastical peoples were replaced with the mundane – my present life, the one which I had forever been planning to abscond. My mother’s face flickered past my mind’s eye. I could feel the guilt twisting in the pit of my stomach. I was abandoning my family, all of them; my mother, my father, my sister and even my younger brother. I was, without a doubt, selfish beyond saving. Were I a better man, I would have long since rejected my fairytale dreams and resigned myself to a life of normality. It had always been my own selfish desires that fuelled me. That – above all else – was my defining trait.

The bleating horn of an angry luggage cart tore me from my thoughts. It seemed I had picked a rather precarious place to gather my thoughts – right in the centre of the luggage channel. I gave my swift apologies to the red-faced conductor, then bent down, gathered my possessions and moved hastily out of the way. Grunts and comments such as “dozy ****er” reached my ears. I knew better than to make any quick-witted retort; it would have been wasted on such a slow-minded creature. Instead, I ignored the vulgarities and concentrated on taking stock of my surroundings.

Behind me were the spinning, glass doors of Dublin Airport through which I had entered no more than five minutes prior. To my left, west we shall call it for wanting to sound intellectual, was a sea of marketing booths, their colours a whole spectrum of variety. A few, confused looking foreigners, Italians by my reckoning, were consulting with a blonde car saleswoman. From the few words I grasped, it sounded as though they were not impressed by her flamboyant language and manner. To the east, my new poetic right-hand side, was a long, shining corridor, whose velvet black walls had a pleasant, reflective quality. Short walkways led off the corridor and onto services such as sparkling toilets and glossy payphones. Strangely, seeing such things infuriated me – thus was my abhorrence of modern society, triggered by the utter lack of respect of the modern business man, the entrepreneur and the high-society female. They claim that children and teens are the scum of the world but nay! It is they, the materialistic cosmopolitan that is tarnishing the beautiful world of nature. They vandalize the forests, graffiti the streets with billboards and pollute the minds of the innocent. There is but one thing that separates children from men; it is their belief in the magical quality of life!

As we grow up, we lose it. The world becomes cold and harsh. A world without imagination or mystery is one we will never come to love. Routine unexciting occupations kill our senses, not to mention our sensitivity. The magical element is life is extinguished and along with it our love for the world. We listen to the sciences and facts that are the dictator of this modern existence. Our respect for nature is replaced with a callous self preservation. We are told to protect the world, but not for its stake, but our own. My disposition towards modern life is so strong that even now, amid all my excitement for the coming journey I can’t contain my hatred for it.

Now towards the north, directly in front of me that is, was my goal. Looking at it set butterflies fluttering within me. It was a simple ticket stand. There I would find my ticket to freedom, freedom from this oppressive society in which we live. There was but one thing holding we back – my family and my loved ones. However, my longing for liberty and loathing of contemporary life we’re a greater force. I began a slow, long walk to the stand, feeling the prickling heat of guilt building at the base of my neck and cheeks. Whether or not that one decision was for the better or the worst, I will never truly know.

On closer inspection, the stand was not some simple. Pamphlets and brochures were stacked in their thousands, one upon another, their vivid colours were almost painful to behold. They were those unnatural, sickly bright shades of reds, yellows, blues and greens. I would have rathered a raw sienna any day. I walked around the stand, my eyes fixed on the advertisements. My sight searched for signs of somewhere untouched by time. Blinded by my zealous hunt, I found myself crashing into a large, chubby man. My arm disappeared for a second, sinking into the thick layers of fat about his hips.

“Oh sorry, I’m very sorry sir,” I gathered myself, mustering my words of apology.

The man’s head turned to face me. It was nearly as though he was just realizing me. It appeared he lacked feeling in the outer-extremities of hanging flesh. “What for young lad?” He smiled a cheerful smile, one that invited confidence. “Oh, you’re not a customer by any chance are you?” He muttered something to himself under his breath; something that I have never been able to recall.

“That I am. I was hoping for something cheap.” He, I supposed, was the stall’s keeper and thus I did not waste time in inquiring about a flight and tickets. “Cheap but exciting. Somewhere that will inspire.”

The man’s smile grew even large, threatening to leap right off his pudgy face. “Well, well, I think I have just the thing.” He glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if there was anyone watching. His face drew closer and whispered in my ear with magic words, words I couldn’t help but trust. “Follow me to your destiny.”

My destiny! Oh how does words entangled me, spinning a web of desires, longings and cravings about my already extensive yearning. I nodded my acceptance, then followed, blinded by my own ambitions.

The large man headed away from the stand, towards one of the departure gates. All around images became blurs, my sight was fixed with near magical quality on the man; following him was my sole intention. He turned to the left just in front of the gate, he pushed open a plan white door and beckoned me inside, again, I followed. Inside it was dark, very dark.

“I recognise you. I’ve been waiting for you, Stephen. All my life I’ve been waiting.” I heard the man’s voice to my east, his words were still layered with that trustworthy quality. I did not fear him, nor should I have. Suddenly, an intense golden glow filled the small space, shocking my vision with its incredible brightness. My eyes adjusted quickly and focused on the source of light. It was a ticket. “This, my good sir, is what you want. What you need! I know the imagination you possess – the willingness to embrace life that you hold is indeed a great gift. I could feel it the second my eyes fell on you. This ticket, it was meant for you!”

My mind was boggling, the ticket was, without a doubt, magical beyond denial. This was what I had longed for! Adventure! Were I a smarter man, I would have left the room then and there but I couldn’t, not then, not with my future on the horizon. “Where will it take me?”

The man’s smile grew larger than ever before, “That’s its beauty! It will take you whenever your imagination desires! Countless universes and worlds will be at your fingertips! Take it Stephen! Take it and embrace it!” He held the ticket before him, shaking it before my eyes.

I hesitated but then, reached out. My fingers tingled as they touched the sleek surface. My eye might the man’s once more, for a single second. There was a message there, deep in his mind. We will meet again. That was his message.

The tingling spread throughout my body, quickly rushing through my blood. The golden light was all I could see. Then, my sight returned to me. No longer was I in that cramped room, instead I stood amid a crowd of people. They were all staring at something, a collapsed horse carriage. It seemed I hadn’t left only my life behind, but rather, my entire world.

A shadow crossed through Kartaikian's mind, a figure of a person, and he followed behind it as it traipsed quickly through his dreams. He couldn't ever seem to get a glimpse of the figure's face, for it was obscured in darkness, but he knew the person was familiar; someone he knew or perhaps even loved. The shadow stopped moving for a moment, and Kartaikian was able to catch up to it. As it turned to face him, Kartaikian could briefly see its eyes...

With a laugh and a smirk, the shadow transfigured into the mocking form of Tragedy, the orange-eyed demon of despair. With a shout of anger, Kartaikian rushed at Tragedy, sword drawn and discharging green arcs of electricity. There was no contact between sword and demon, however, as the figure simply vanished into the darkness, leaving Kartaikian as alone as ever, as alone as he always was.

Kartaikian awoke with a start, sitting up against a tree he'd been sleeping under. Beside him was his mystic green sword, Psychizo, stabbed halfway into the ground. It was quite dark, being as late at night as it was, but Kartaikian could still see his horse sleeping nearby, its cloudy gray coat lit up by the brilliant white face of the pale waning Moon. The thick-barked trunk of the juniper tree Kartaikian was sitting under had several deep gashes carved into it, recently inflicted by some sharp implement.

Kartaikian stood up, brushed himself off, and sheathed his glimmering sword. He whistled lightly, causing his horse to wake up and approach him. "I've had enough of this place, Tempest. Let us continue our futile search," Kartaikian said to his only true acquaintance. From his black leather backpack he drew out a long shimmering golden chain with a sparkling red ruby pendant hooked onto the end. He shaped the chain into a circle on the ground, encompassing both him and his horse.

He removed the ruby from the end of the chain, and with his eyes closed he spoke in whispers to it. With a sudden flash of bright light, Kartaikian and Tempest were removed from that world, their own world, leaving behind only a burnt circle in the grass and the golden chain. The dimension-hopping was literally instantaneous, and the very next moment, in just the blink of an eye, Kartaikian found himself standing somewhere else, in another world entirely, where it was the middle of the day. As a general magical precaution and side effect of the special deep magics contained within the ruby, nobody even noticed that he was there at first, and when they did they didn't question how he got there. Although it goes without saying that the darkened circle of ground he was standing on might have raised some questions, but no one felt like it was really worth bothering him about.

He took the time to look around him, and found that he was now in a small town, standing in a busy plaza. In the middle was a fountain, perpetually throwing crystalline water into the air, catching the sunlight in its several droplets, which created a small rainbow. There were many diverse people passing through the plaza, all of them seeming quite busy as it were. There was also a carriage driver standing next to his slightly damaged carriage, looking somewhat bewildered at something. As Kartaikian looked around at everything, he thought for a moment that he saw a familiar face in the crowd, and with a quick double-take, looked for it again.

He thought he saw it again, and began to follow after the crowd of people. He searched the multitude, trying to find the person again, but it was all in vain. He breathed a sigh of exasperation, feeling yet again so lonely and hopeless. He knew that Tragedy was there, causing him distress and enjoying his despair. Looking around, Kartaikian found himself outside a bar. He wasn't sure where his horse was right now, but it wouldn't get lost or in trouble.

A glass of wine would be wondrous right about now... Kartaikian thought to himself as he stepped into the bar.