CD's Right Writes

[Roxie1563]

Haha thanks. I had a ton of fun writing it as well. And as an adult I've still had moments where I've found spiders too big for me to handle and had to have someone else take care of them. And nah that's the end of the story. The last paragraph was just there for an 'oh shit' moment and I threw it in at the last second. The story was supposed to end before that, that's why the last paragraph is so short!



Sure, sounds like fun! Though you'll have to give me a small setting or situation or something so I have a bit to work off of.

Aww.. D: But I can see your point though. A word to the wise: always check for spiders before you hop in the shower or going to bed! I've had moments that when laying down for the night, you'd see something up on the ceiling, moving then realizing that there are multiple spiders (babies, really) everywhere. That's when you either girl up or just cry hard. Luckily, I managed to kill them all. Lol. XD

Well, I'm saving the first date for them in the role-play, but there is nothing wrong with hanging out at the local beach with the gang and end up in a mischievous situation involving both girls having to resort to teach some lessons to the boys while licking some sea salt ice-cream.

 

[KingdomKey]

Well, fuck.

I certainly didn't expect that kind of ending! That's got to be embarrassing or a nightmare to think the spiders just happened to disappear like that. However, I'm greatly amused by Casper fulfilling his end of the bargain with his sister and Zoey. I loved how all three of them said "God damn it." This was an incredible piece to read and it fits the challenge extremely well. C: I really enjoyed it. Zoey and Crystal certainly are goofballs. I wonder who their neighbor was? Probably meant to be comedy, but I kept thinking of Saito. Lol.

 

[Cassette-Disk]

The last part of Relent and my 9th Writing Challenge! Woot. Part one is here and part two can be found in three separate parts starting here. Also, while irrelevant to this challenge, my 24 Hours Challenge can be found here.

---

Relent pt 3 (Confessions)
​

I ran down the long carpeted hallway. My feet made no sound as they connected with the flooring, nor did the sack I had slung over my shoulder, filled with pieces of gold and silver. There was an intersection ahead of me and I darted to the left, hiding in the corner behind a set of decorative armor. Two sets of feet trampled along the path I had just deserted. They paused as they reached the intersection.
“Damn it,” a female voice cried, “which way did he go?!”
“You go right,” the second woman answered, “I'll go straight ahead. If he plans to make a quick escape then he would have gone to the aerial stables to take a pegasus, or gone back to ground level. Get going.”
“Yes, ma'am,” was the response before the two scattered as I smiled to myself. They were on the right path, metaphorically speaking. The path to the right would have gotten me to the Flying Lancers' stables but I already knew none of the pegasus would trust me enough to ride it. The path straight ahead would lead me to the spiral staircases and grant me access to the ground floor, but I knew it would be heavily guarded. The path I had chosen would lead me to a dead end, but I had an ace up my sleeve. After a few seconds of staying completely quiet and making sure the coast was clear, I ran down the corridor. In all honesty I should have already been out of the Flying Lancers headquarters by now. We had everything planned out and if it weren't for my greed I would be home clear at this point. The weight of my loot bouncing against my back reminded me that I was the cause of this situation but we could still escape unscathed if I played my cards right. I had recently discovered a hidden cache of treasure unknown to us that was separate from those in the Lancers' vault and I just had to have it. When I reported it to Sana, she begged me to leave it behind and only take what we had previously discussed. The Band of Thieves was already going forgive my previous failure since I had managed to not only gain control of the Pearl, but the large vault housed in the Flying Lancers, but I was determined to empty the place out completely. In fact, it was all I could to stop myself from taking their silverware as well.

The corridor was leading to its dead end: a large circular window besides a wooden bench. Many people often took breaks here because of the great view of the city. I was one of those people at some point this past month. At either side of the bench was a bathroom, left for women and right for men. Because the Flying Lancers consisted of mostly females the men's room was, more often than not, completely empty. I had also learned that this path was aligned neatly with the training grounds, where new recruits practiced riding their mounts. I had a few laughs watching though the window as the inexperienced riders flop around in the skies as their coaches rode below them in case they fell. The better flyers were a sight to see though, and I had been mesmerized more than once. At any rate, the location of the training grounds gave me the idea for my escape. Before reaching the large window, I dashed into the men's restroom. I reached into my pockets and produced a small brown brick-like item with a fuse twirling around it. It stuck easily to the wall opposite the bathroom door and I squeezed both sides of the brick tightly for three seconds. It emitted a soft hissing sound as it shifted into a redder color. I quickly ran out of the bathroom and shut the door behind me. Another three seconds passed before the floor below me rocked slightly, accompanied by a loud crashing noise. I had to move quickly now, they'd be able to triangulate my position. Opening the door revealed a thick cloud of dust. I wasted no time in running in it and through the crude hole my explosive had created. I took care not to trip over any bricks that had been dislodged before jumping completely out into the open.

The training ground was built on the roof of the lower section of the building, and there was a higher section above me where more advanced training took place. This lower section allowed me to cut right through the majority of the building's interior and into the extraction point we had established. The roof I stepped through was laid with grass for the pegasus' convenience while a large portion of the outer areas were constructed out of wood. I scrambled through the grassy rooftops and towards the open door on the other end of the area but a large shadow covered the floor ahead of me. In an instant, three winged horses dived in front of me and halted my progress. The three woman mounting them wore similar iron armor with green capes. I smiled at the trio.
“Stop, Ellery!” The one in the center called as the pegasus landed, “we don't want to hurt you!”
“I doubt you'll be able to,” I answered. This was wasting time I didn't have but I knew I'd be able to turn this around for me quickly.
“You really think you can take on three Flying Lancers?”
“No I don't, but I don't count three Flying Lancers.” I gave her my best devilish grin before nodding to the two woman to her side. “I count one Flying Lancer and three members of the Band of Thieves.” The woman flinched
“The band of--?!” Instantly, her two companions trotted their horses ahead of her and turned to face her. “Traitors! Would you really sell your loyalty so easily?!”
“Sell their loyalty?” I scoffed, “That's implying they were ever loyal to your ranks in the first place.”
“What are you talking about?” The two moles crossed their lances together, blocking off the knight.
“It's amazing how easily we were able to infiltrate your ranks. Didn't you notice the slew of new faces in the past few months?”
“N...no, you don't mean--”
“They were all part of my plan.” She looked back and forth between the two.
“Cain...Abel...You were both agents from the start?” I couldn't help but laugh.
“Cain and Abel? That's the names you two chose? I love it.” I adjusted the sack against my shoulder. “You should surrender right about now. We won't hurt you if you do, and instead will be on our merry lil' way.”
“You expect me to give up?!”
“Yes,” I approached her though to my surprise, her pegasus lunged at me. She stabbed at me but my associate to my right was already on top of her and easily redirected the attack with her own weapon. I yanked at the knight's spear, but she refused to give it up. I pulled harder and, with the help of my other associate, manged to pull the woman off her mount. Still, she held on to her weapon, refusing to give it up.

“I will fight you!” She screamed, her pegasus obviously uneasy at everything that was happening. It stood on its hind legs, wings spread, but was unable to do anything.
“No you won't,” I snapped my fingers and the two infiltrators quickly took hold of the woman after dismounting. They bound her tightly with rope and laid her on the floor. “Someone should be coming to investigate the explosion soon. When they do, they should notice you. Sorry to leave so abruptly but we're behind schedule.” I hopped over her and walked to the opposite building.
“Why?!” The woman screamed, “Why would you do this? You helped us, you recovered the Pearl and stopped it from gaining power!”
“So?” I turned around and pointed to our right. The skyline was red. Dusk was passing us and by the time we would be ready to leave, it would be under the cover of darkness. “You two go secure the skies. I don't want any problems when we leave. They still don't know where we're leaving from and I'd rather you misdirect the rest of the Lancers to a different location.”
“Beth!” The Lancer called out, “Beth trusted you—no she loved you, Ellery!” I glared at her. How dare she? A sneer passed my face as I pulled out my dagger.
“Go,” I told my two underlings.
“But sir--” She was eying my weapon.
“That's an order, kid. Get goin'. The both of you.” The pair looked at each other before flying into the skies. I approached the tied up woman and squatted next to her. She was wide-eyed and was taking in gasps of air as I turned the blade over in my hands.
“Listen close, yeah? Beth was the biggest bloody mistake in this whole thing. She annoyed me to no end! My biggest regret was gettin' close to her, but havin' someone that high up the ranks in my back pocket was what let me do this heist so smoothy.”
“Th-that's a lie!” She was literally crawling away like a worm. Her arms were tied and she was trying to escape? I couldn't help but smile at the pathetic attempt. “I've seen how you two act around each other!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Whenever you two had lunch in the great hall,” she sobbed, “you hung on her every word! Whenever she laughed your eyes had a glint in them. One that you never gave anyone else!”
“You're insane,” I dragged her back to her starting location and brought the dagger against her heaving throat.”
“No I'm not! I know the looks you were giving her, when you thought no one else was watching.”
“And why, might I ask, do you know about these so called looks?”
“Because...they....Because they were the looks I wish you had given me!” I pulled my weapon away instantly and took a step back. “You saved us all, Ellery! You could have left after giving us the Pearl but instead you stayed and even wanted to protect it! We thought you were being selfless and caring!” I let out a deep sigh. “And you always helped us around the halls too! Even when it came to the pegasi you were so gentle, I thought...” Fresh tears streamed down her face as I sheathed my dagger.
“Tough shit.”
“What?”
“I don't even know your name. Though I gotta say, it's genuinely adorable you still think my name is Ellery.” I squatted besides her again and lightly gripped her chin as I forced her to look up at me.
“What are you--”
“Relax, I'm not gonna kill you,” I told her. Instead I brought my lips against her forehead.
“St...no, no stop!” I pulled away while looking into her eyes.
“Hey, let's run away.”
“What?!”
“Yeah, why not? You can join us in the Band of Thieves. I'll make sure you get placed in a higher circle. Somewhere where you can reach me.”
“I...”
“We can take care of your pegasus too.”
“No, no I couldn't!”
“Why not?” I gently rubbed her cheek. “Haven't you wanted more out of your life? I can give you anything you want, you know.”
“No. No, I--”
“You sure?”
“I can't, Ellery. I'm sorry.”
“You shouldn't be,” I stabbed at her neck with a needle I kept up my sleeve. The injection was going to force her into a two day slumber and already I could see her eyelids begin to droop. “It wasn't a real offer.”

I had wasted too much time playing with that girl. My feet pounded against the carpet as I made my way to the extraction point before we were found out. I made a right at first turn and ran on. I was nearly to the designated room. We had chosen this specific room because it had a small blind spot in the Lancer's usual patrol pattern: the room above it had a large awning under the window that covered a significant line of sight from above. This would make it easy for me to slip out with a pegasus. The rest of the loot had already been taken underground and was heading home. I was the last to leave with my extra baggage. I was the distraction that gave us the window to escape, now I just needed to high tail it out myself. The major problem with the extraction point was the owner of the room and as I skidded the corner to reach it, I saw her standing before it expectantly. She was alone and her face dropped as I approached.
“I didn't want it to be true,” Beth told me, eying the sack.
“Move out of the way, Beth.”
“Ellery... Please tell me it isn't true. This is some kind of joke, right?”
“Sure, why not. Now move.”
“Ellery, please!” Tears had formed around her eyes. “This is some kind of mistake, isn't it? You're...being controlled by magic, right? Is it the Pearl? Are you being possessed?” She reached for my face but I slapped her arm away from me.
“Of course not, little girl.”
“Wh--”
“This was the plan from the start. None of you had any idea, did you?”
“You saved us, Ellery. We thought--”
“I just had this conversation a few minutes ago. The last person who told me that same thing is tied up and unconscious. Unless you'd like to join her, you should move out of the way.”
Beth sniffled, “You could have been a hero, Ellery. You could have been happy with us—with me.”
“I am happy,” I gripped her shoulder and pushed Beth aside, opening the door. The bedroom window was wide open, and I could clearly see Sana sitting on top of a pegasus on the balcony.
“Chive!” She called out, “Finally. Hurry up we don't have a lot of time!”
“Ellery wasn't even your real name?” Beth cried. I turned to face her with a smile.
“You never knew a thing about me, huh? If you plan to stop me, this is your final chance.”
“What the hell are you doing?! We gotta move!” I had a finger to Sana, who sighed angrily. I looked into Beth's eyes, but there was no fire burning. Her will to resist was nonexistent, and instead she fell to her knees and sobbed.
“This was always going to be the outcome, Beth,” I told her, “remember that.” I quickly went to the balcony and climbed behind Sana. As soon as I did, she ushered the winged horse forward and we began to fall. The beast's mighty wings flapped once and we gained altitude. There was no sign of any pursers behind us. I laughed before slipping the sack into a pouch on the pegasus' saddle. My hands gripped around Sana's torso as I pulled myself closer to her.
“You alright back there?”
“Mm-hm,” I lightly bit her earlobe.
“Hey, I need to concentrate. I'm still not too used to flying one of these things.”
“Fine, fine. You know something, Sana?” The thought of Beth crying her eyes out flashed through my mind. “We're not good people.”
“I already knew that.” I smiled in response.
“Just wanted to make sure.”

 

[KingdomKey]

Relent pt 3 (Confessions)

Damn. Chive. What a bastard. Or maybe player is more accurate? I like how he confesses what was really going on to the people he lied to. Seriously, tough love going all around is pretty hilarious. Furthermore, I absolutely loved seeing Chive give the girls time to learn the truth, or be left on the floor in sobs. That's so devious and I like it. And what makes this so priceless is knowing how most of the Flying Lancers are women. So Chive had plenty of fish to go through to perform his heist and be likable to be trusted. I imagine Sana is someone that's likely a bed buddy. Overall, bravo. I love how this was all Chive. <3

24 Hour Challenge

This was awesome in every way possible and the most entertaining thing I've read in a while. <3 I really wish there was more of this because, I instantly liked Kyle as a character and the just desserts he gave his co-worker for being an a hole. I like how he was hit on too and the way he handled it. There is so much I like about this story because, it's about his life and the things he had to go through. And I like the additional of time stamps being apart of the story too.

 

[Cassette-Disk]

I can't get into the rhythm of things lately. This feels like crap but I still managed to write it out. It's way too short, is too dialogue heavy, and is ham-handed. I really really didn't want to have this count for two challenges because of the quality of it but it fits and honestly at the rate I'm going lately I don't have another way to reach the 12 Challenges. I'll work harder next year.

---
Emma Kate's Accident (Song Challenge/Hospital Challenge)
​

I placed two paper coffee cups on the small table.
“Thank you for coming to pick me up.”
“He should be doing this, you know.”
“Can we really not do this?” She took her cup and drank with her left hand. The hospital's cafeteria was slightly crowded, just enough for a dull roar of murmurers to fill the room. Still, her voice carried well despite her unsightly appearance. Indeed, the sling and cast that held her right arm against her chest was the first thing most people would notice at a glance, but there were other signs as well. Her eye—though slightly healed now—was still a darker tone than the rest of her skin. A small scratch was visible on her cheek and I could see a few bruises along her arm.
“Emma Kate, I--”
“Please don't call me by my full name.” Her eyes refused to look at me and instead slowly focused on different parts of the room.
I ignored her and pressed on, “I just want to know what happened.”
“Nothing happened, Casper. I just fell down the stairs, is all. You've seen how rough the edges are, yeah? They banged me up pretty good.”
“Bullshit,” I whispered.
“What was that?” Her threatening tone shook me but I didn't back down.
“Last time you said you walked into a door.”
“Which I did.”
“Before that you said you accidentally hit yourself while opening a bottle or something.”
“Caught myself right on the jaw, I did.”
“And before that you were said something about a wall?”
“What's you're point, Casper?” I cracked my knuckles nervously, which caused her to flinch. It was a habit I've developed to crack my knuckles when stressed, but her reaction was all I needed.
“Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like--”
“You didn't,” her left had rubbed her shoulder tentatively and I could again see her eyes scanning the room.
“Look, you've been getting very...'clumsy' these past few months--”
“Yeah I have. I've been developing two left feet.” I saw her lightly scratch the tip of her nose with her thumb. She always did that when she lied.
“Emma Kate--”
“I told you not to use my full name.” I ignored her again.
“I know the truth,” my fingers interlocked with each other, still unsure of how to handle themselves.
“Wh...what 'truth?'”
“You were never clumsy. Never. The only thing that's changed these past months has been--”
“Casper.” I inhaled deeply before pushing forward.
“Him.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. Emma Kate's eyes had begun to tear up but she refused to say a word.
“I looked at your chart,” I told her. She looked up at me sharply, her brows furrowed. “It was hanging from your bed. The injuries you have...you can't get them from gravity alone.”
“How would you know?” Her voice was a harsh whisper, hardly audibly from the clamoring discussions that surrounded us.
“I didn't want to believe it at first,” I heard my own voice crack slightly and cleared my throat. It didn't help and I could still feel the lump in my throat as I struggled to go on. “Whenever we talked I always listened as hard as I could for the truth but even when I found it I refused to believe it.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“I'm sorry,” I rubbed at my eyes, “If I had only acknowledged it. If I had spoken up I could have saved you so much grief.”
“It's...it's not what you think, Casp. Really, it isn't. I promise. Look, I just...I brought on myself, okay? It was my own fault.” I was shocked.
“Why are you defending him?!”
“I'm not, I'm just telling you the truth!”
“What...no, what are you talking about? This isn't your fault, you can't just let him off the hook for what he's done to you.”
“He hasn't done anything wrong, Casper. It was all me.”
“Emma Kate--”
“Stop calling me that,” she slammed her left fist against the table, sending a loud bang throughout the room. Her raised voice earned us the gaze of the majority of the people and I found myself fidgeting. My right fist covered my mouth as my left arm crossed my stomach as I was completely unsure of how to place myself.
“I can't,” I inhaled deeply and let it out. The eyes of the people slowly lost interest in us as I went on, “I have to call you by your full name. It helps me stay rational in this...situation.”
“What?”
“I can't stand knowing this. It's killing me to know what he's doing to you. I feel like none of this would have happened if I hadn't let you go.”
“It's far too late for us, Casper,” she told me bitterly.
“I know. I know. But if we could have worked things out you never would have been placed in this situation. If I don't call you by your full name,” I felt my eyes well up, “I...I wouldn't even be able to look at you in the eyes.”
“This isn't your problem, Casper. It's mine.”
“You're wrong. I've talked to your friends--”
“You...! You had no right to--”
“They're all worried about you and are sick of seeing you hurt.”
“They don't know anything.”
“They figured it out faster than I did. They told me they talked about it with you? But you refused to tell them anything about it. They want you to break up with him, and I agree with them.”
“What?! No, no I can't.”
“Why not?”
“Because I... I love him.”
“No you don't.” Emm slammed the table again and stood from her seat, forcing the entire room into silence. The sling holding her broken arm up was visibly trembling.
“What do you know about me and love? You didn't even realize our own had died until it was too late.” It felt like she had crushed my heart with her bare hands. I took a shaky breath.
“There's a difference between loving and being in love, Emm.” She blinked. “Please think on that. I'm begging you.”
Her voice was low and barely audible, even in the silent cafeteria, “Take me home, Casp. Just take me home and please don't bring this up again.” I wanted to refuse. To force her to take action. But I wasn't strong enough and looked away. Again.
“Okay.”

 

[Roxie1563]

I had to think on how to say on this, but there aren't any because it reminds me of what my mom went through with my ex-father when I was growing up. Just reading about it brought back some memories that needed to be buried and seeing this just snapped it back to me.

Honestly, there is only so much excuses for her to use before having to deal with the full reality that this really truly happened to her. Casper seems to really care and I used to be in that position before minus the hospital part.

This really highlights the problem of dating violence that young girls are going through these days and there are always ways to avoid/seek help before it actually gets worse or else.

So, CD, this wasn't crummy or whatnot but a well intended lesson for all of us. bravo.

 

[KingdomKey]

Sometimes having something short is what makes it a good story. The dialogue may be heavy, but the best part about it? Hooks me right in and keeps me there. This was intense. What I really liked about it is how Casper wouldn't let what was happening to Emma Kate go uncalled for. He's right. Her boyfriend should've picked her up to see what he's done to her. The hard part about this is being an outsider looking in on an abusive relationship. How it takes a long time for the victim to realize for themselves that it's unhealthy despite friends warnings and concern. I'm glad Casper is still there for her, even though it must of stung having to take her back home, and told to stop talking about it.

I've never been in this situation myself, except for being an outsider to my sister's relationship. Recently she broke up with her bf after figuring it out for herself that she deserved better and shouldn't be with someone who'd hit somebody else out of a temper. And you know, this doesn't ever come up much in books these days. So it was nice to see a change of pace with relationships and the uglier side of it, cause those are important issues in real life. Well done. C:

 

[Cassette-Disk]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I'll admit I was being a biiit too hard on myself though I still want to strive to become better at writing even if it's just a hobby. ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

I had to think on how to say on this, but there aren't any because it reminds me of what my mom went through with my ex-father when I was growing up. Just reading about it brought back some memories that needed to be buried and seeing this just snapped it back to me.

Honestly, there is only so much excuses for her to use before having to deal with the full reality that this really truly happened to her. Casper seems to really care and I used to be in that position before minus the hospital part.

This really highlights the problem of dating violence that young girls are going through these days and there are always ways to avoid/seek help before it actually gets worse or else.

So, CD, this wasn't crummy or whatnot but a well intended lesson for all of us. bravo.

Ah shit, sorry to bring back bad memories. I usually don't write serious stuff so I didn't even think to include a legitimate trigger warning or anything, though hopefully I won't have to in the future either. Thanks for reading along though, means a lot!

Sometimes having something short is what makes it a good story. The dialogue may be heavy, but the best part about it? Hooks me right in and keeps me there. This was intense. What I really liked about it is how Casper wouldn't let what was happening to Emma Kate go uncalled for. He's right. Her boyfriend should've picked her up to see what he's done to her. The hard part about this is being an outsider looking in on an abusive relationship. How it takes a long time for the victim to realize for themselves that it's unhealthy despite friends warnings and concern. I'm glad Casper is still there for her, even though it must of stung having to take her back home, and told to stop talking about it.

I've never been in this situation myself, except for being an outsider to my sister's relationship. Recently she broke up with her bf after figuring it out for herself that she deserved better and shouldn't be with someone who'd hit somebody else out of a temper. And you know, this doesn't ever come up much in books these days. So it was nice to see a change of pace with relationships and the uglier side of it, cause those are important issues in real life. Well done. C:

I completely forgot something many professors have told me in the past. "How long does it have to be? As long or as short as it needs to be." Thanks for reminding me of that, and thanks for reading (as always!)

 

[Roxie1563]

Ah, it's okay, CD. There was no way of knowing about it, but it was a good read though!

And you're welcome! Keep at it and the warning you'd might want to do it beforehand when dealing with real world stuff like you did above. Keep the train chugging along, CD!

 

[Cassette-Disk]

This one's a mess! XD I had originally planned for a certain storyline but changed my mind halfway through. Then I had decided to change the characters and that totally ruined things too! It's pretty obvious when you read this, as the whole thing is scatterbrained but I still kind of like how it all went down. Also though this was intended for my 'First/Last' challenge, it can also count for the 'Past, Present, Future' challenge. Whoops. Let's call it a baker's dozen Summer Challenges lol. Also at the end I posted a very short version of what the story was supposed to be about. Just to give everything more context, I guess.

---
Ellin (Your First/Last / Past, Present, Future Challenge)
​

Ellin is a special place for me. I'm not even sure where to start though...let's see... There's this place way up north, just before you hit the ice caps, I think. It's an amazing village built along the trees of the forest; the houses are sticking right out of the outlandishly large tree trunks. The whole village is so ingrained with nature, it blows my mind to think about even today. There's no electricity or anything, the water they gather is from the frequent rainfall and each house has a series of troughs on their roofs that channels the rain into storage barrels while illuminating the night is done with odd glowing flora that are used as lanterns. And the greenery! The trees have a layer of foliage so the entire forest always looks green, but you can still always see the blue sky. The trees are also interconnected via wooden rope bridges. The bridges not only connect houses but they also lead to various other landmarks that are used by the community, like parks and safe drop zones where wooden pulleys are used to reach the ground below, and vice-versa. It's such a peaceful place and one I visited often. So much so I nearly considered moving there completely. I decided against it though. As nice as it was, I doubted I'd be able to find a house of my own. You might have already figured it out, but the name of this forest-village was Ellinia. Yeah, alright it's not an exact one-to-one name swap but give me a minute, the story's not even close to finishing, okay? Anyway, Ellinia's residents were mostly fairies as well, and they didn't really trust humans all that much. Even though I was from the Magical Library—Yeah I'm mixing this story into the CLASSIC universe just try and stop me!—they still weren't very hospitable to me at first. Thankfully there was an elderly elf there who welcomed me every time I visited and they fairies eventually warmed up to me so my visits were much more frequent.

It was during one of these visits that I met her. The forest that surrounds the village is fairly thick and it's easy to get lost in, but I already knew the way to Ellinia, so I never had any issues finding it. There was a path that led you through the forest and to the exit on the opposite end, but the village itself deviated from the path. I was making my way through the early morning fog when I heard a sharp cry. My body stiffened as it reached my ears, unsure of what I had just detected. Then a second scream echoed through the tree lines. It was quickly accompanied by the thrashing sound of my feet slamming across the fallen leaves, toward the distressed cry. The large moss-covered roots of a tree ahead of me created a natural ramp that I ran over, and I easily jumped between neighboring branches. They were so close together, the jumps I made were more like skips. I kept my eyes low trying to find the source of the yell and before long I spotted a pair of green transparent blob-like slimes huddled near the base of another tree. I halted myself and peered toward them. They were too busy concentrating on whatever was at the tree to even have a chance of noticing me. A flash of red hair caught my eye as the woman held her arms defensively at the approaching monsters. Was this really happening? The monsters in this area always kept to themselves and generally avoided any travelers yet here was this woman about to be attacked. I leapt from my perch and outstretched my hands towards the two slimes. A small flash of light appeared within my palms and was replaced with a large spiked piece of ice. The pair of icicles flew ahead and struck the slimes, drawing their attention to me. The landing impact softened as I rolled along the ground. The woman looked up in time to see me reach her in a hurried run, and I grabbed her arm as soon as I reached her. We dashed away from the slimes, though I noticed they were now accompanied by a wolf and goblin.
“Hey!” She yelled out in protest. I ignored her and ran on.
“What the hell is going on?!” I pushed passed some bushes into a clearing, pulling the woman closer to me.
“Excuse me?!” She cried as I forced her to huddle close to me. Instead of answering, I waved my free hand in a circle around us. The ground beneath us began to vibrate and soon a large chunk of it broke apart from the earth. The small section under us I had dissected rose into the air and propelled upwards as the monsters rushed toward us. We flew up as the creatures neared us, and they merely stared at us as we escaped into the high branches.

A few seconds passed and the slab of dirt beneath us began to slow until it floated completely still near a wooden scaffolding. I motioned for the woman to walk on it and I followed behind her.
“That was kind of sketchy. You alright?”
“Yes, I'll be fine.” I looked at her for the first time; really looked at her. Her clothing was pretty out there, in fact all I could really see was the red armor covering her body along with a short shattered scarlet cape. She obviously wasn't a simple adventurer like myself with that getup; my green cloak hiding the leather armor I wore was a huge contrast to her outfit. Her sharpened eyes and analytical glare gave me the impression that she was used to being part of a chain of command, though I had no real proof of this. Her dull grey pupils scanned me in confusion as she pushed a lock of her long red hair behind her ear. “You're staring,” she told me, “it's making me nervous.” Whoops.
“I was deep in thought.”
“About what?”
“Those monsters. Why were they about to attack you? The mobs here are usually so docile and tend to avoid people. By the way, my name's Zachary.”
“I'm Lili, and though I appreciate your interference, it really wasn't necessary.”
“Whoa, what? I heard you scream. Twice!”
“Like you said, these monsters don't usually attack travelers. I was simply using the cry of man to scare them off.”
“Uh-huh, sure. And if they didn't?”
She turned to the side, revealing a sword hanging from her hip, “I'm a very gifted swordsman. I nearly became captain of the Sword Guild's Seventh Division.” I took a step back, surprised.
“Holy crap, seriously?! I—I'm sorry to get in your way, ma'am! Someone in the Guild definitely wouldn't need a guy like me!” Lili gave me a smile. It was a smile that warmed my insides like honey.

“I'm...no longer a member of the Guild.” This confused me. I wasn't too familiar with how things worked in the Sword Guild, but I don't think someone that close to a seat of power would just quit. Even if she didn't get to become captain, it wouldn't make sense for her to just leave. A small droplet of water fell in front of me. It was followed by its multiple brothers and sisters as rain began to fall throughout the forest. I held my hand upwards and did my best to use my magic as an umbrella, forcing the drops to arc over me and fall to my sides, leaving me dry. Lili, on the other hand, didn't even flinch as the soft torrent of rain hit her. The armor she wore caused the rain to nosily clang against her, and her fiery red hair quickly became wet and heavily. I couldn't help but stare as she looked up at the sky, her slick beautiful hair completely knocked me off balance. She quickly turned her gaze to me and her smokey grey eyes caught me off guard.
“I...ah...W-why aren't you in the Guild anymore? Did you just quit?” Her eyes evaded my own and an odd sad look crossed her face.
“No. I...Something came up and I was forced to leave the Guild due to unfortunate circumstances.”
“Unfortunate circumstances?”
“It's not important. This, however, is,” Lili produced a small clear circular gemstone. It almost looked like a marble but even I could tell it was valuable. I could also tell it was magical though I wasn't able to sense the type of magic. Lili offered it to me, dropping it in the palm of my hand. As soon as it landed, I felt a strong surge of mana flow through the gemstone. My hand was visibly shaking as the female knight quickly took it back.
“What...what is that?! Why is it protruding such a strong magical aura?”
“Have you heard of Crimson Keep?” My mouth dropped. This...She wasn't serious, was she? Had she really ventured to Crimson Keep? Supposedly, it was a large castle outside of this forest built into the harsh snowy mountains. It was once a place where the greatest warriors went to train but was overtaken by a foul evil and was overrun by incredibly powerful monsters who were said to wipe out even the strongest parties. From then on, Crimson Keep was shrouded with a miasma-like aura that summoned an endless wave of monsters to keep intruders out and away from the infinite number of treasures locked away inside. There was no way to simply force one's way inside; furthermore, Crimson Keep was a fairy tale. Just a story the bards sang about in pubs or ones that guilds and adventurers told one another in an impossible dream to take the imaginary Keep back. And yet, the pearl had released such a strong sinister stench of mana that I had no choice to believe it.
“You've... You've been to Crimson Keep? Alone, even?” She nodded. “So it's real? It truly exists?”
“Yes, it exists.” I had a sudden eureka moment.
“This is why the monsters attacked you! The aura the gem is producing draws out the monsters' feral instincts!”
“Aura?”
“Can't you sense it?” Of course she couldn't. The only reason I could was because I was a mage that specialized in buffs and debuffs to assist or determent others. Even those slimes I hit when I saved Lili didn't die; I only used a curse to cause them to move slower, letting us escape. I couldn't sense any real magical prowess within her so it wouldn't make sense if she could sense the auras around her.
“No I can't. Either way, if that's the case then I should finish up as quickly as possible. Thanks for the save, I guess.” Lili gave me a quick wave and turned away.

“W-wait!” She stopped and face me, but I wasn't sure what to tell her. The rain continued to fall and I saw a drop of water slip from a strand of her hair above her forehead. “L...let me come with you.” She didn't answer and only raised an eyebrow. “I don't know what you're up to but if you're dealing with that...crystal thing, then you'll need the help of a mage.”
“I appreciate the offer, Zachary.” My heart skipped a beat.
“Then you'll let me--”
“But it would be far too dangerous for me to take anyone else with me, especially if monsters are attracted to me.”
“But I can help you! That gem is filled with a dangerous magic. If you mess up when using it, you could end up overwhelming your body with its mana and dying!”
“Is that so?”
“I don't know what you're planning but I doubt you can do it if you're dead.” Lili looked at the small sphere in her hand. Her smoky grey eyes scanned over it but could see nothing out of the ordinary. Finally she sighed and made eye contact.
“Alright. But if anything goes wrong I want you to run back to Ellinia as fast as you can, alright? Forget about me and get to safety.” I only nodded, more than happy to be accompanying her. “Good. First we need to head into town. I have someone waiting for us there.” She turned and began to walk away, not waiting for my response. My footsteps splashed against the wet wooden surface as I caught up to her. I stayed a few steps behind her, admiring her elegant appearance. Her scarlet armor gleamed against the rain, and her fiery hair complemented it very well. I wasn't sure if her armor was red just to match her hair or if it was simply issued to her. The rainwater continued to fall nosily against her armor, and I snapped my fingers at the sudden realization.
“You're the Scarlet Lightning Bolt!” I cried. She stopped in her tracks. “Oh gods, sorry! I had no idea! I—I wouldn't have interfered at all if I—”
“Shut up.” Her sudden harsh tone completely knocked me backwards.
“Wh...what?” She turned her head slightly so I could only see one of her eyes. She was giving me an odd look—not one of anger or unpleasantness, but almost of sadness and pain.
“Don't ever mention that name to me. I have no relation with her. That's all you need to know.”
“Oh. Okay. Um, here, sorry,” I held both palms out towards her. The downfall suddenly halted around her and instead bounced against an invisible shiel above her, protecting her from the water. “I probably should have given you that when I did it to myself. And...sorry. Again.” She only nodded before continuing her march. ...She wasn't a very talkative person. In fact, I wasn't sure what I had just gotten myself into or why just mentioning the Scarlet Lightning Bolt struck such a strong nerve. I'd have to watch my tongue with her.

It wasn't until we reached the border of Ellinia that I finally asked, “Hey Lili? What are we doing anyway?” We rounded toward a small house with a circular red roof. She knocked before answering.
“I'm...not well, Zach. I'm not myself. I can't speak any more about it but I'm hoping this gem will let me fix myself.”
“Fix yourself?” The door swung open before I could hear her response. An elderly old man I didn't recognize dabbed in a blue cloak opened the wooden door. His aged white beard hung dangerously close to the ground. It made me nervous for him.
“Dat you, Lil?” The old man rasped.
“Hello again, Grin.”
“Didn' think you'd come back alive. Half expected yer ghost to haunt me.”
“Do you have it ready?” Lili asked.
“'Course I do. It's in the back, come on.” The old man led us into his dimmed home. The only light available was that provided by the weak natural light from the windows. The house's interior was all wooden and I could see his living room table littered with open books and articles from other towns. I didn't get a chance to observe much else as he led us into a doorway. Just like the room before it, this one was hardly lit at all, but it was much smaller than his living room. It only barely had enough room to fit all of us together. It reminded me of a walk-in closet. “Welp, I'll leave ya to it then,” the old man announced before walking out, closing the door behind him. I was very much aware of the miniscule distance between Lili and I in the crowded room but said nothing, hoping she couldn't hear my heart quickly slam itself against my ribcage. We stood silently for a few seconds before I spoke up.
“Uh, so what--” I felt a warmth wrap around my hand, silencing me. Her fingers reached around my own and opened my palm. The cool gem fell and landed against my skin, its raw energy giving me goosebumps.
“You can handle this, right?”
“I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing,” I croaked. A sudden light appeared before us. There was an archway against the bare wall created with odd shining materials I couldn't recognize. The false doorway lit up brightly as its interior broke in a while blinding light. “Is that a portpoint?”
“Almost. A portpoint would let us travel through distance.”
“Okay. What's this one do?”
“This one, Zach, will let us travel through time.”

That had to be a joke. Time magic existed, sure, but that only extended into one's one perspective of time. By slowing it down the user could react and move at incredible speeds...but traveling into the past? That was impossible. A fairy tale. Then again, up until a few hours ago I had also believed Crimson Keep to be a fairy tale as well. I inhaled deeply and let it go.
“What do you need me to do?”
“The gem is what's going to let us travel. There should be a slot against the archway for it. Once it's inserted, we'll be able to walk in and out of time.” That made it sound far too easy. I inspected the doorway and located the 'slot' she mentioned. It was more like a small slab protruding from the frame with a circular indentation. The gem would fit snugly into it and I was surprised when inserting it brought no ill consequences. In fact it went very smoothly and the time-based portal's pure white vision was replaced with a luscious green rain forest, similar to the one we had just left behind.
“That's it!” Lili cried. She quickly moved passed me and entered the portal. I wasn't sure what to expect but I followed behind. Once through, I was amazed at the sudden realization of being part of a different time period. I wasn't fully aware of the current year, but the mere motion that I had departed from my own time line sent shivers down my spine. The very air around us was different, pulsating with a different kind of mana that was similar to my own time's, but at the same time was very foreign. It was easy to forget just how vital mana is to magic users, but standing here was as if I had been doused with warm relaxing water. The forest itself was different as well. Looking up I could see the leaves swaying against the wind, dropping colorful puffs as they did so. The puffs fell like snow. Colorful snows of greens, blues, and reds against the light rain that fell. Large flowers bloomed around us, matching my own height with flourishing shades of colors that lit as brightly as an open flame. I couldn't help but stare in wonder.

“When is this?” I heard Lili ask.
“I'm...not sure,” I admitted, turning to face her. I took a step back in shock. “Your eyes...!”
“Hmm?”
“They're...they're yellow.” Footsteps approached us and Lili quickly stood in front of me, her hand on the hilt of her sword. A brief moment later was all we needed for an answer as a young man in homemade clothing rushed out of the foliage.
“Whoa,” he halted in front of us, confused, “Who are y'all?”
“Travelers,” Lili answered quickly, “I'm this man's knight.” I felt my face burn at her statement but said nothing.
“A female knight?! Hoo boy, now I've seen everything. Hey, ya'll seen any wagons pass through here? I dun got separated.”
“Cargo wagons?” I asked.
“Reckon so! We's be heading to the Ellin Settlements. Figured that's where ya'll came from, right?”
“Naturally,” Lili answered.
“Shoot, you talk funny, ma'am. Not that ain't surprisin,' seein as you's a knight and all. I gots t' get going though. Ma must be worried sick!” The man ran off in the opposite direction he came in and neither Lili nor myself stopped him.
"The Ellin Settlements!” I whispered in awe.
“What are those?”
“It's when Ellinia was first being constructed! Humans made their homes but were eventually expunged by the faeries!” I saw Lili's face drop.
“...How long ago was that?”
“At least two, maybe three hundred years ago. Give or take a--”
“Damn it!” Lili lashed out at one of the large flowers, snapping it into two. The petals dropped to the ground unceremoniously as she breathed heavily.
“Whoa whoa, Lili, calm down!”
“How can I? That doorway can only take us to one specific time. This...this is useless to me.” She turned to face me, her yellow eyes blaring out sharply. “We're leaving,” she announced.

Before I could offer any words of condolences, Lil ran through the portal and back into Ellinia. I followed behind but the house was bare. No Lili, no old man Grin, no furniture, nothing. The only thing left was the portal and the gem, the latter of which I kept for myself. I wasn't sure how the time portal worked, but keeping it open at all times seemed like a bad idea. I never saw Lili again. I never got any answers as to what her plan was, why her eyes changed color, or what her next move would be. I asked around Ellinia and people confirmed seeing her leave, though they didn't know anything about the owner of the house. I wanted to go with her, to help her with her quest. But I never got the chance to ask. All I have left of her is the small gem and the short memories of Ellin. Sometimes I open the portal and visit the Settlements, careful not to reveal too much about myself to the locals. It's all I have of her and though it's selfish to use such incredible magic for my own personal reasons, I'll enjoy Ellin Forest for as long as I am able.

---​

Spoiler Show

Playing the MMO Maplestory as a teen, started a new thief character named ChiveCloc O!!!). Meet new player girl who was playing as a mage by the village of Ellinia; I can't remember her real name nor her user name. Think it was something in French and the word Rose or something. Anyway, help her out cuz I'm a noice guy and she's struggling with funding her character. We join a guild and make some coo' friends. Guildmates keep teasing us that we're always together like lovebirds. Whatever guildies, u just mad cuz we stylin' on u. Whoops she actually does develop feelings for me but I'm not interested in long distance relationships, especially ones formed in video games. Whoops, jk my heart's going doki-doki as she confesses to me. Whoops we're in a long distance relationship now. Whoops guildmates were right. Spend more time on Maplestory just to talk to her and less on actually playing. We play other MMOs together and have a good time all around. Time passes and we go back to Maple. Take her to a section of the game with a time machine thing that takes us to the past, she had no idea it existed. The time machine takes us to Ellin, which is Ellinia just as people started populating it as travelers. Nice cool atmosphere, it's always lightly raining, small colorful orbs fill our field of vision, music is super chill, she says the place takes her breath away. Feels good, man. She says something along the lines of “I'll always remember this place when I think of you.” Hhhnnrrggg my heart. Fun times ahead but eventually she starts playing less and less, as do I. Eventually stop playing all together, never see each other again. Not sure if I even want to at this point. Whoops. The village named Ellin stuck with me forever since then, I use it for everything. But I can't remember her real name or user name??? lol. BITTERSWEET MEMORIES~ It's amazing how distorted this story became, but I like it!

 

[Cassette-Disk]

A bit cold out today, innit? Super short piece.

---
Sunday
​

The brisk breeze blowing throughout the city could be felt throughout the apartment. Despite the past week's warm weather, a sudden chill had flowed throughout the town overnight, bringing with it a sudden freshness that summer often neglected. The shifting of seasons always hit so unexpectedly and abruptly, as if mother nature realized she was on a deadline and rushed the next season in as soon as she could, like a painter frantically putting the finishing touches on a piece she thought she had more time on. The apartment itself was silent and still in the early hours. Even the usual early bird had slept in, huddled warm between her blankets. Lying next to her in a small ball was her pet tabby cat, brown and striped with black. It, too, huddled against his master to keep warm in the lazy morning. In the other bedroom, Crystal's roommate was also fast asleep. By her side was her lover, though she had seized nearly all the blankets and rolled herself tightly, leaving Casper with only the ends of the covers. Thankfully he was a heavy sleeper and hardly noticed or cared. Even with her blanket cocoon, Zoey still leaned heavily on him for warmth as he was spread open on the bed, his light snoring lulling her into a deeper sense of security and sleep. A single drip of water dribbled from the bathroom's faucet, echoing idly throughout the apartment and, as if to extend the morning as long as possible, grey clouds rolled throughout the skies, hiding away the sun's light. The hours turned but no one stirred, still caught in their dreams. It was ironically Zoey, the late riser, who broke free from her slumber first. Realizing her midnight greed, she groggily undid her barrier and shared it with the boy next to her. Her hand brushed against his cold bare skin and she felt a pang of guilt at her selfishness. So much so that she cuddled against his chest in an attempt to right her wrong. Casper, of course, was still completely unconscious and knew nothing of what she had done. Still, she felt as if this was the proper thing to do though she quickly lost herself to the dreary sleep once again. By that time, Crystal had awoken in a haze. She dimly made out her ceiling and shuffled about, waking her cat in the progress. Chopin purred loudly as he readjusted himself and Crystal instinctively scratched his head lightly. Naturally, this caused him to purr even louder. The girl smiled in response as her mind mingled. The cool air and napping cat made it difficult to stay awake, let alone get out of bed, and it was an effort for her to do so. After many failed attempts, Crystal final brought herself to a sitting position. Her sight was still blurry with sleep as she stood against the cold wooden flooring, which creaked against her footsteps. The water that streamed from the bathroom's faucet was icy, dully shocking her senses. Without much thought, Crystal went into the living room and sat on the couch while wrapped in a blanket. She peered through the window, taking in the overcast city. The streets were empty; there wasn't a single car or person mingling anywhere. Just doing that was nearly enough to lull her back into sleep. To combat this, she rolled her neck which caused various small cracks to sound throughout the room. She did the same with shoulders and let out a relieved sigh as she stretched her arms upwards. Chopin had removed himself from Crystal's bed and retraced her steps into the living room. He soundlessly jumped onto the cushion next to her and yawned, showing off his fangs. Crystal quickly inserted her finger sideways into his mouth and as he clamped down, he was visibly confused by the foreign object. She giggled to herself as the cat moved away from her finger before settling down into another nap. The girl lightly scratched her cat behind his ears as she waited for everyone else to awaken.

 

[Roxie1563]

Wow, I actually enjoyed Ellin! It was such a good read and I'm actually hoping you'd write more of it because I can tell there is so much potential that it could be the best series to read ever.

Also, mixing it with CLASSIC was just perfect but I also got the impression the characters popped out of a Tales of games and into this story because that's what happened in Tales of Zestria. See, you got the lady knight that is similar to the second main character in the game.

Oh, oh! You could actually make a role-play out of this as well. lol, I'm just huge fan of fantasy stories like the Eragon series.

 

[Cassette-Disk]

Wow, I actually enjoyed Ellin! It was such a good read and I'm actually hoping you'd write more of it because I can tell there is so much potential that it could be the best series to read ever.

Also, mixing it with CLASSIC was just perfect but I also got the impression the characters popped out of a Tales of games and into this story because that's what happened in Tales of Zestria. See, you got the lady knight that is similar to the second main character in the game.

Oh, oh! You could actually make a role-play out of this as well. lol, I'm just huge fan of fantasy stories like the Eragon series.

Sorry, I meant to reply to this earlier but it slipped my mind lol. I'm glad you liked it! As for writing more of it, it's kind of a mixed bag. I'm not sure if I want to invest the time into it since Lili is actually part of my solo CLASSIC writings.

Spoiler Show

Lili's last name is Alma and she's Bryer's estranged sister ("I nearly became captain of the Sword Guild's Seventh Division.”. She went missing for a few months (a year, I think?) while on a mission at sea. When she eventually returned, her mind was twisted and she tortured and mutilated three men who were held in custody. She somehow escaped her prison before her punishment could be received and has been exiled from Blueshire. This story was of her trying to go back in time before the events that led to her losing her mind and stopping that from happening though I'm hesitant to say it's canon to CLASSIC's story.

I actually haven't played Tales of Zestria though I do have it downloaded on my computer. I've played through Symphonia, Symphonia 2, Abyss, and Phantasia though and loved those. I'm hoping Zestria will be the treat when I finally get to it!

 

[Roxie1563]

Sorry, I meant to reply to this earlier but it slipped my mind lol. I'm glad you liked it! As for writing more of it, it's kind of a mixed bag. I'm not sure if I want to invest the time into it since Lili is actually part of my solo CLASSIC writings.

Spoiler Show

Lili's last name is Alma and she's Bryer's estranged sister ("I nearly became captain of the Sword Guild's Seventh Division.”. She went missing for a few months (a year, I think?) while on a mission at sea. When she eventually returned, her mind was twisted and she tortured and mutilated three men who were held in custody. She somehow escaped her prison before her punishment could be received and has been exiled from Blueshire. This story was of her trying to go back in time before the events that led to her losing her mind and stopping that from happening though I'm hesitant to say it's canon to CLASSIC's story.

I actually haven't played Tales of Zestria though I do have it downloaded on my computer. I've played through Symphonia, Symphonia 2, Abyss, and Phantasia though and loved those. I'm hoping Zestria will be the treat when I finally get to it!

What, seriously?! And ooh, snapberries! I knew I recognized that name somewhere and now thanks to you, I know where, lol. Well, since it's somehow part of the CLASSIC universe, you could say this story is an alternative take on what could have been if she was successful in preventing those events from ever happening. But then the events wouldn't happen for Bryer to find her again after all this time.

I don't know why I'm spouting nonsense but I absolutely love this universe, lol. XD more I say!!

Oh, also Tales of Bertisa (not sure if I got the name right) comes out next year and it takes place in the distant past of Zerstira, thus making bot games in the same universe as well.

Anyway, keep on writing!

 

[KingdomKey]

Ellin

(Your First/Last / Past, Present, Future Challenge)​

​

Is this the first time we met Zachary btw? I feel like we've met him before. :3 Anyways, I feel really bad for Lili. I wished she could've found a way to cure herself from whatever madness keeps her from being her usual self. I like how Zachary helped her out. And I'm dying to know if we'll be seeing Crimson Keep again, or if this will be the only time we've heard of it. I wonder how Lili got a hold of the gem? Or why being Scarlet Lightning Bolt's daughter. I feel like there's a story there that maybe will turn into an Expansion Pack someday? Lol. If not, it's okay. I'm naturally curious is all. xD Anyways, I loved this story. And I couldn't help but aw, at the real story behind this one. I like how Ellin came to be with your origin story. That's freaking awesome. <3

​

​

Sunday

Zoey is so adorable and cute. Concerning herself about Casper's well being after hogging the blankets is just too much. It's so gooey and sweet like a marshmallow and I want to wrap myself up in it. *loves cute and adorable things* Furthermore, it sounds so damn perfect having a lazy day to sleep in, huddling beneath the covers to keep warm, and seeing how cloudy it is outside that there isn't anything that needs to be done in a hurry. My kind of day. I love those days during the fall. And Crystal is so much like me in the morning. Except I don't stick my finger inside of a cat's mouth. xD And Chopin is a fantastic name for their cat. <3 Ah, I love this short story. It was cold last week, but it's been hot, muggy and humid here. (xD)

 

[Cassette-Disk]

Ellin

(Your First/Last / Past, Present, Future Challenge)​

​

Is this the first time we met Zachary btw? I feel like we've met him before. :3 Anyways, I feel really bad for Lili. I wished she could've found a way to cure herself from whatever madness keeps her from being her usual self. I like how Zachary helped her out. And I'm dying to know if we'll be seeing Crimson Keep again, or if this will be the only time we've heard of it. I wonder how Lili got a hold of the gem? Or why being Scarlet Lightning Bolt's daughter. I feel like there's a story there that maybe will turn into an Expansion Pack someday? Lol. If not, it's okay. I'm naturally curious is all. xD Anyways, I loved this story. And I couldn't help but aw, at the real story behind this one. I like how Ellin came to be with your origin story. That's freaking awesome. <3

​

​

Sunday

Zoey is so adorable and cute. Concerning herself about Casper's well being after hogging the blankets is just too much. It's so gooey and sweet like a marshmallow and I want to wrap myself up in it. *loves cute and adorable things* Furthermore, it sounds so damn perfect having a lazy day to sleep in, huddling beneath the covers to keep warm, and seeing how cloudy it is outside that there isn't anything that needs to be done in a hurry. My kind of day. I love those days during the fall. And Crystal is so much like me in the morning. Except I don't stick my finger inside of a cat's mouth. xD And Chopin is a fantastic name for their cat. <3 Ah, I love this short story. It was cold last week, but it's been hot, muggy and humid here. (xD)

We've never met Zach, no. I used his name waaaay back on page 1 though for that Etrian Odyssey piece I had written for my friend. Crimson Keep miiiight show up again but if it does, it won't be for a long time. I kinda like the idea about following Lili around but like I told Roxie, I'm not too sure. Might be fun to do when I'm in a slump and don't feel like writing anything else though.

The morning I wrote that piece was a rare chilly day and I was so lethargic. That's what pushed me to write it out haha. Though I love huddling against my blankets. Lately I leave the window open when I sleep just so my room would be cool enough for me to do so lol.

 

[Cassette-Disk]

Consider this a warm up. I wanted to get my feet wet before focusing on more pressing things, like RPs and my stories I've left unattended. The ending to this is pretty weak but that's okay, I guess. Also, though unintentional at first, this is a sequel to Sunday. It kinda just fit together nicely, I guess. This is also somewhat based off a writing prompt Max gave me, though not entirely. Anyway, I like Lisa as a character and feel as though I could work on and develop her well into the cast. Her and Kyle as well. I have one more piece I want to finish before I actually get to work on real stuff, but I should be able to finish it up tomorrow/today.

---
​

I felt my legs give way under me as I splashed across the concrete rooftop, causing me to slide over puddles until I crashed into the enclosed brick wall leading to a staircase. Dimly, I recollected the fact that I wasn't supposed to be here on my own, especially in the rain. Donny had told me so himself. He said a rookie should always have someone with them to make sure their techniques are properly executed. The rain added its own problems as well: lack of traction, as I just found out. I rolled onto my back with a groan; I was going to need a minute to recover from that trip. The soft rain trickled onto my face. It bothered me just enough to turn my head away and face a towering streetlight. The light's glow reflected the sky's tears in the early morning gloom, and each drop of rain stood out to me as I watched. The tiny water drops appeared to fall diagonally against the luminescent orb. I brought my hand towards the cold rooftop, damp from the rain thanks to the shelter the wall I was against provided. How long have I been doing this? A few weeks? That was when I was running late and hopped a few fences. Apparently I had passed by a group of people that were really into parkour. They followed my run to the bus stop and told me I looked like I knew what I was doing. Of course I didn't, but they thought I did. They asked me to join their group and learn how to do real free running stuff. I was late so I just agreed on the spot. Since then I've been learning how to navigate the city on foot, though I'm way too inexperienced to do anything crazy. Like hop rooftops alone in the rain, I mused. I tore my gaze away from the glowing streetlight and focused on the clouds above me again, bringing my arm away from the roof and over my brows. What would mom say? I inhaled deeply. For a while now I've had dreams about her. Or more like memories from when I was a child. How she would always hold me back, gripping my shoulder tightly and refused to let me play with the other kids. A girl like you shouldn't be getting all dirty and worked up like that out there, Elizabeth. That's what she always told me.

I exhaled and rose to my feet, using the wall for support. My side was a bit sore but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I felt the back of my head to make sure my pony tail was still in place before looking around. There were a few places I could head to from here. All of the adjacent rooftops were only a few feet apart and easily within jumping distance. The one in front of my reached a street ahead but I could turn left or right and keep my momentum up for another roof hop to the side buildings. Or I could call it quits for the morning and head home. The enclosed staircase was right here, after all. I brushed the thought away and reviewed the jump I was about to make. It looked to be about four feet across or so. These apartments where very closely compacted which made it easy pickings. The only problem was the rain. I'd have to make sure my footing was weighed down and constant to avoid another spill, especially since there would be a nasty drop if I slipped before my actual launch. I took another breath and jogged forward, gaining speed until I reached a full sprint. My footsteps splashed below me, reminding me to keep as much friction as possible. I did my best but then it happened; I miscalculated a skip over a puddle that forced me to lose my balance. I was already mere feet away from the ledge and would be unable to halt my forward momentum, but I was fumbling and the gap was quickly approaching. It all happened too quickly for me to make any real decision and my left foot hit the final piece of concrete before I realized it. My right foot would have nothing to land on. In a desperate claw for salvation I kicked off the very tip of the ledge of the roof, the corner between rooftop and wall and prayed it would be enough to ferry me across the river of air. My eyes looked downwards without command. A small dark alleyway with a metal trashcan was below me. The lid was open, as if it was welcoming me as its new coffin. I shut my eyes tightly, unsure of my fate. Pain raced through my right leg as it connected with flat concrete. I didn't expect to make it. As a result, I ended up tripping forward, falling face first onto the roof. My troubles didn't end there as I tumbled forward and rolled onto my back. I felt as though I was inside a drier: wet, cold, and rolling forward with every second that passed. It didn't take too long for my body to finally stop rolling, but that was only because I ran out of roof. I felt a pit in my stomach as the sound of rushing air passed my ears. The red brick wall of the apartment was above me, stretching upwards as I realized I was falling. There was a thunderous metallic noise that roared through my entire body as pain flooded through me. How strange, I thought as darkness clouded my vision, an apartment without windows.

“Where did she even come from?!”
“I don't know! I was just sitting on the couch when she landed there!”
“What do we do now?!”
I ached. It was all I could do to keep myself from falling unconscious again.
“'m sorry,” I muttered.
“She's waking up,” I heard a man's voice said.
“I'm sorry, mom,” I went on, “...know you told me not to...go.”
“What's she saying?” A high pitched woman asked.
“...But I had to. Couldn't...sit at home...bored...”
“She's still out of it,” another woman said. I could feel her warmth over me.
“Sorry mom,” I told her, bringing a painful arm over her shoulder for what I thought was a hug.
“I'm calling an ambulance,” the man said. I groaned out as I slowly got a grip on myself and forced my eyes open. Beautiful purple pupils stared down at me against a brown face and white background. I really had died, then.
“Are you an angel?” I asked.
“No, that's just my sister.” The male said. I peered sideways and saw the man in question. He stood next to a pale freckled girl with messy hair and a worried expression. The tan man had a grey beanie on that covered his hair. He had a brightly lit phone out but dimmed it with a tap of a button before pocketing it. “Ambulance is on its way,” he announced.
“Ambulance?”
“Do you remember your name?” The first girl asked. I glanced at her. Her purple eyes still caught me off guard, but now I could see the resemblance between her and the man from before.
“Lisa,” I told them, “Short for Elizabeth.”
“E-liz-a-beth,” The freckled girl whispered oddly. “Lisa?”
“I like it better than 'Liz' or 'Izzy,'” I told her as I tried to sit up, though the first girl held me down.
“Stay still, stay still. You're hurt.” I brought my hand up and touched my arm. It caused a sharp pain to race through me. Then I felt my torso and felt the same sharp pain. Finally, I touched my thigh and felt the exact same sharp pain as before. I was worried until I realized it wasn't my body parts that hurt, it was my hand that was broken. Stupid Lisa, stupid stupid. Despite the girl's protests, I forced myself to sit up.
“I'm okay.” My voice was hoarse and I visibly shook. “I'm just...rattled, I think. I also think I landed on my hand or something.” I realized I had been placed on a sofa in the middle of a living room. I was inside an apartment. A tabby cat jumped on the sofa next to me, catching me by surprise.
“Chopin, no! Down!” The purple eyed girl said, moving to grab the cat. I petted the animal easily with my uninjured hand, and the young woman stopped her movements. On the coffee table I saw a reddened white towel. It took me a moment to realize it was red with blood and another moment to realize it was,in fact, my blood. I felt under my chin with my arm, careful not to hurt my hand any further than it already had been. I had landed harshly on the roof, and it showed. My face had been scrapped up a bit, but I doubt it'd be anything serious. I looked at my arm and saw a bit of blood that had rubbed off on it. “Oh,” I said stupidly. The girl in front of me grabbed the towel and dried my arm up before gently nursing my chin, obscuring my vision.
“My name's Crystal. That's Zoey and Casper. Do you remember what happened?”
“I...was doing parkour.” I felt my face blush. What a stupid thing to tell others. I felt like a child. Just a kid that fell out of a tree.
“In this rain?” Casper asked. “You got a death wish or something?”
“Casper, don't be rude,” Crystal scolded.
“Yeah, Casp!” Zoey joined in, “I think it's awesome! You're like a super hero, dashing through rooftops!”
“I...I guess.” 'Awesome,' huh? I never really thought about it. In fact I had been swept through the entire ordeal without questioning what it was I was really doing. It only now dawned on me that I had just been launching myself through the air in between rooftops. Maybe I should have taken it all more seriously. I nearly died today. I didn't want to think about that.

“How long have you been doing this?” Casper asked. Crystal backed away from me and walked into a different room.
“I don't know...Two? Maybe three weeks?”
“Weeks?!”
“I'm not supposed to be doing it alone yet,” I admitted, “especially not in this weather.” Crystal came back with a fresh white towel.
“You want anything to drink?” She asked me. “Water?”
“That...y-yeah. Water. Thank you.” I saw her reach under a counter next to the refrigerator and produced a clear plastic bottle. She handed it to me before taking a seat on the table. “Thank you,” I repeated as I took hold of it. I was about to unscrew the top when I stopped. “Ah. I-I uh. Can't open it. It's just...my hand.” I lifted my damaged and shaking hand for the group to see. It still hadn't sunken in that my hand might actually be broken. It only hurt when it came into contact with something and I forced myself to push the thought of it away.
“Oh sorry!” Despite Crystal standing up, it was Zoey who reached out and undid the cap for me.
“Thanks. Again.” I drank deeply from the bottle and was surprised when I pulled it away; I had drained it completely as the sounds of echoing sirens in the distance caught my attention.
“Pretty quick,” Casper commented.
“It's an early Sunday morning. Not much traffic right now,” Zoey told him, to which he only nodded. The ambulance drew nearer until it was outside the apartment complex. Crystal stood in front of me as her brother approached me from the side.
“How are you feeling?” She asked. “Can you stand?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I can manage that. I think I'm fine, like I said I'm just shaken up.” I brought myself to my feet with some effort as footsteps approached the door. They were quickly followed by four heavy knocks.
“Anyone in there?” A woman's voice rang out.
“Yeah, coming!” Crystal answered before motioning to Zoey to answer the door with a nod of her head. She did so quickly, and let in two women wearing blue jackets. I just barely made out a red cross on one of their shoulders.
“We got a call about a woman?” One of them asked.
“H-Hi,” I waved. “I...might have fallen off the roof.”
“And on to our balcony,” Crystal added. The EMTs rushed over with practiced precision and looked me over.
“I-I-I feel fine, just my hand. I think it's broken.” Both Crystal and Casper had backed away next to Zoey in order to give the professionals space. I felt the redheaded woman lightly grab my hand.
“Feel any pain?”
“A little.” She lightly squeezed each of my fingers individually and asked me again if I felt pain in them. I shook my head each time. She then squeezed my palm, forcing me to pull my body away from her.
“Ah, I got it.”
“What are you thinking?” Her partner asked
“Slight dislocation. Do you mind if I fix it here, miss?” I nodded hesitantly. “It will hurt a bit.” I paused but nodded again. It was going to hurt no matter wha--
“SSSSOWWwww!” I cried as the EMT applied pressure directly on my hand, causing a cracking pain to flush through it. “Ow ow ow ow!” I yanked my hand away and cradled it with my other one. Though it had hurt, I was surprised to find the pain subsiding. “Ow...oh?” As my hand felt better, the EMTs took me downstairs into their ambulance, with my three new acquaintances following behind. The EMTs looked me over quickly and determined that I didn't need to head to the hospital, as there was no other lasting pain.
“We can still take you there if you'd like,” the redhead told me. I shook my head and told her I felt decent, besides some light back pain from the landing and body aching from skidding around the roofs. She nodded once as her partner entered the driver's side of the ambulance. “If you feel any new pains don't hesitate to check yourself in or to call 911, got it? Especially around your torso area. We didn't feel anything out of place but it's still possible for your ribs to be bruised or damaged. For now just get some rest and clean up your wounds.” I nodded again as she entered the ambulance. I turned around as they began to drive away. Though the rain had let up, it was starting to fall once again.
“I guess I'm okay,” I told the trio.
“You going home?” Casper asked. “We were gonna set up breakfast and wouldn't mind having you around. You know, make sure you're okay and stuff?” I looked at the two girls. Their smiles were genuine and inviting, but they were also letting me know it was okay to say 'no.' I looked away with a smile. I wasn't used to having others watch over me like this. It was an odd feeling, but one I didn't mind.
“...Sure,” I walked towards them with a broad smile.

 

[KingdomKey]

This was so good! <3 I was absolutely absorbed into this story! I really like Lisa crashing into Casper, Zoey, and Crystal's apartment like that. xD The way she handles her hand being dislocated is greatly amusing to me. And I like that she's allowed to tag along for breakfast. I like how the group cares about her to help take care of her until the ambulance arrives. Actually, I'm surprised she didn't get a concussion from her fall. Otherwise, she's definitely lucky. Would love to know more about Lisa though. xD <3