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 Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 2:57 pm
More than a play, this was beginning to sound like one of those text adventure games! Man, when was the last time Thalia played one of those? Once this was all over, he'd go back to his hive and pop in one of his old favorites. This kid had a lot of imagination-- the kind of kid Thalia could relate to.
"Not a trace of them?" Thalia remarked to himself. This was a tough case to crack, but it had to start somewhere. Many questions ran through Thalia's mind as he blankly looked at Khanda. "Did this merchant give this elixir to anyone else? What about the merchant's blood color? Perhaps we could track them down that way." Thalia wasn't sure of himself, but he sounded sure of himself, and that's what mattered.
From gentleman to problem sleuth in the blink of an eye!
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 3:14 pm
He was really getting in to this! He was asking good questions! He sure was smart, surely if they put their brains together they would find them! Khanda beamed as she thought over his questions. "I don't really know if anyone else had any, but the merchant said they were free samples so I wouldn't be surprised if someone else got some." she said. To be honest she had never thought about the possibility of anyone else being afflicted with this. Were there other trolls running around trying to regain their older bodies like her? Oh well, no time to think of that! She had to worry about her own problems! "I don't actually know what their blood color was, since they were a big trench coat that covered their symbol, but they had blue bands in their hair so they were probably a blueblood!" she chirped happily. Then she realized she wasn't giving any definitive answers to any of his questions. The last time she saw them had been a week ago at some stalls that no longer existed, she didn't know if anyone else had taken a free sample like her, had she wasn't 100% positive about their blood color. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.
Then she remembered something. "Oh! The redblood I met earlier said that there was some kind of market that seadwellers aren't allowed to go to! Maybe they went there after the stalls got taken away? He said it was called. . . um. . . Oh! The Black Market!" she said excitedly. Even though he was a seadweller too, maybe he at least knew where this market was. A market was sure to have merchants so that was a good place to look, right? They could ask the other merchants if they knew about the de-aging elixir seller once they found a way in. Really, it was so silly, why wouldn't they allow seadwellers at that marketplace? That's just rude!
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:30 am
The questioning sadly did not take Thalia where he wanted to go. Khanda wasn't sure about any of the facts! So much so that they couldn't really be considered as facts and more as hearsay. The thought of it being a blueblood was an interesting one. Why would a blueblood make such a strange magical elixir and give it out with no real intentions about who it'd be used on. Weird.
An epiphany came from the little seadweller! Ah, yes, Thalia had forgotten about the other troll she met earlier (apparently a redblood). She talked of a hidden marketplace-- how mysterious! And then she said the name: the black market. Thalia held back the urge to laugh. Did she really think the black market was an actual place and not a concept? That was pretty adorable, and definitely a kid thing to say. He wanted to correct her, but he had a feeling that would only make her cry again.
"The Black Market? Yes.." Thalia turned his head slightly down and to the side. "I know of that place." He said in a hushed down. He had to amp up this imaginary place! Make it seem like something spooky and scary and cool. "I've heard stories," he paused, wishing he had a cigarette and lighter to be the ultimate noir type of guy. "That place isn't safe for the likes of us."
Where was he supposed to go from there? He didn't know where any actual market would be and he couldn't go dragging her off someplace. Thalia would have to gather more clues! "I don't know how to get there... We'd have to find a lowblood with that info." That worked. Just more wandering around and maybe the kid wouldn't want to actually hike across the map.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:05 am
Khanda could feel her collapsing and expanding bladder based aquatic vascular system flutter with excitement as he began to talk about the Black Market. It sounded so mysterious the way he talked bout it! Holding her breath she whispered, "Why isn't it safe for us?" She wasn't exactly sure why she was whispering, but it seemed like the thing to do when talking about such a mysterious place. Did vicious landdwellers capture seadwellers like them and cut off their fins? She felt a shiver run down her spine as she quickly pushed that horrible thought away. The land was turning out to be a scary place after all.
She wasn't sure how she felt about finding another lowblood to ask for directions. The last one refused to take her there. Plus she didn't want to get sidetracked looking for some lowblood when all she wanted to find was that merchant. Then again this market was her only lead so if they had to find a lowblood to find the market to find the merchant so be it! She wasn't going to stop until she found the cure! Even if her journey took her all the way to the desert she would find this merchant and get them to change her back! Her face full of determination she punched a fist in the air. "Let's go!"
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:29 am
Oho, the little seadweller asked her question in a whisper. This was really getting fun! He'd have to come up with an elaborate answer for this one. "You see," he turned his head side to side, inspecting the area, keeping a look out for anyone nearby. "They don't like the seadwellers. They just don't know their place!" Thalia gave a firm nod, looking at Khanda right in the eyes. "At The Black Market they treat us like red-blooded pondscum..! Forced into slavery and servitude.." He trailed off, eyes shining with the wetness of tears to come.
"I-- I can't go on," Thalia faltered, bringing up a hand to cover his eyes and his supposed tears. That was totally rad. Thalia mentally gave himself a pat on the back for his performance.
Khanda was determined, however! She even gave a tiny fist pump and a shout. This kid was serious.
"Alright! Our adventure begins now, Miss Khanda!" A sudden breeze swept through the town and blew Thalia's hair back in an over-the-top dramatic fashion. Radical. Their adventure would really begin, though. He began to march in some random direction of his choosing to search for some lowblood informants. Weee!
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:58 am
Was he crying? Oh dear, the Black Market surely was an awful place! The little troll bit her lip as the tiniest bit of fear crept up on her again. No! She could do this! With Thalia with her she could do anything! As he marched off she quickly padded after him with a smile on her face. They were starting a real adventure, weren't they? Full of mystery and danger. It was all so exciting! Being a little scared only helped fuel her enthusiasm. This was so much better than staying locked up in her hive all the time! The wind in her hair, a guide by her side, even the dirt under her feet, it was all so wonderful!
Walking with Thalia the city didn't seem nearly as big and looming. She happily looked around at all the beautiful architecture that was falling apart. Tugging at Thalia's sleeve she would point out buildings and ask him questions. What's that? What is that used for? Why was that put there? She had lots of questions. There was plenty she still didn't know about how things worked outside of her hive. She might as well ask about them here, even if the city was run down. At some points she would run ahead and peek into windows and open doorways, peering into the dusty inner workings of the buildings. It was all so spooky!
"Thalia!" she called out from the doorway of a hotel. "Look at this!" Ducking inside she walked up to the fountain in the middle of the lobby and peered in the basin. Of course the pump had been turned off long ago, but there was still water. It was filled with algae, but Khanda swore she could see some beetles resting at the bottom in some of the clear patches. That was so odd! Why would there be money in this slimy water?
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:20 am
Thankfully Thalia had been to Old Hemisect City many times and could answer most all of Khanda's questions. If he didn't know what something was, he could infer what it was pretty fast, or lie well enough to make it seem like he knew what he was saying. Whatever the case was, Thalia was enjoying playing tour guide for the little lady. He was usually alone whenever he came to Old Hemisect-- well, he was usually alone in general.
Khanda called out for him as she entered a hotel. What could get her so excited? A lump formed in Thalia's throat upon the realization that she might've found another troll. That wasn't safe at all! Sprinting to her location inside, the girl was standing by the fountain in the lobby. He looked every which way, but didn't see anyone there. Whew. Thalia walked up beside her and followed her eyes to the stagnant water. Had she never seen anything like this? Wait, she never really left her hive...
"It's a fountain!" Thalia announced happily. "Back when it worked, it had clear water running through it and it would shoot water into the air." He lifted up both hands in arching motions to demonstrate. "I bet it was beautiful," he murmured to himself. He had seen a working fountain in celebration of another highblood before. They almost seemed symbolic of the superiority of the seadwellers, such as himself. Maybe that's why the next part of what he was about to say would make sense. "Trolls would throw money into the fountain and make a wish on it, hoping for it to come true."
Thalia enjoyed the concept of the fountain-- the fairy tale-like story that went along with it. As much as he wished to be an actor and respected, he could never bring himself to actually make a wish. He could never believe in things like that.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:31 am
She looked up at the carved curves of the fountain. It certainly did sound pretty, all the water sparkling and flowing. As he mentioned the wishes she blinked up at him. "They would just throw their money in and make a wish?" she asked as she looked back into the water. The idea didn't make much sense to her, but then again wishes weren't really things that made sense. Wishes were like magic and fairies, things that couldn't be explained yet others believed in them. The simple power of believing was all some trolls needed. She had plenty of wishes. Maybe. . . Maybe she could make a wish. "Um. . . Thalia? Do you think you could make a wish even if the fountain wasn't working?" she hesitantly asked without looking up. Maybe hoping she could make a wish was too much. The fountain wasn't flowing and the water was disgusting, whatever magic it may have possessed probably wouldn't work now.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:46 am
He looked down to Khanda at the mention of his name. She did not bother looking at him when she spoke, but Thalia didn't mind. She sounded unsure of her question, and almost a bit sad. Thalia's eyebrows went up in sympathetic understanding. He couldn't go and disappoint this girl now.
Kneeling to the ground and then folding his legs, Thalia sat down next to Khanda. "The fountain has laid dormant for years... It was a conduit for all of trollkind's hopes and dreams." Thalia now stared into the filthy water-- perhaps he could personify the fountain. "No one has given it a wish to grant in a very long time. And just maybe, if someone would make a wish again... the fountain's power would spring to life!"
He was actually feeling bad for an object. This was on a whole new level for Thalia. It was pretty sad to see something once loved and admired to be forgotten and in ruins. He silently wondered if he would eventually be forgotten too.
"I think you should try making a wish."
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:59 am
Looking over at him as he kneeled down next to her she listened as he wove a lonely tale. It was a short story, but it felt very powerful. Here was a magnificent piece, forgotten by time, left to wait. Though it had been abandoned it regally stood in this lobby, waiting for the night a troll would notice it and make a wish once more. At Thalia's urging she slowly pulled out a small money bag. She was smart enough to grab this before making her escape from her overprotective lusus. Opening the little bag she pulled out a beetle and looked at it.
What sort of wish should she make? There were wishes she had since grubhood, wishes to be a great leader and be respected, wishes to have fun adventures and surrounded by trolls. Then there was her current predicament. Perhaps she should use her wish to rectify this situation. It was a difficult choice. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and tossed the beetle into the scummy water. When she opened her eyes she turned to Thalia. "Are you going to make a wish?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:14 am
Watching Khanda make her own wish brought some happiness to Thalia. Maybe if she really believed, whatever she wished for would come true. That was an even happier thought.
Thalia's delight was broken when she asked if he'd do the same as her. Make a wish? Despite being no more than a child himself, his belief in the fantastical died a while ago. He wasn't sure if he wanted to waste a beetle on something so trivial, but he didn't want to disappoint Khanda.
"Do you want me to?" He finally asked the young girl, looking back at her. "I don't want to use up all the fountain's power! I want you to be able to have your wish come true." It was true that he wanted her wish to be fulfilled, but maybe saying this would get him out of having to make a wish.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:30 am
Did she want him to? It really didn't matter to her. She asked simply because she was curious. Then he went on to talk about using up the fountain's power. She didn't want that to happen! She wanted her wish to come true! If he didn't want to make a wish she didn't want him wasting the fountain's power. Shaking her head she said, "No, it's fine. We should go. We're still searching for the market." Stowing away her money bag she turned and walked back towards the door.
As she exited the hotel she was lost in thought. There was a lot to think about. The power of the fountain and the power of wishing, was it all just stories to entertain wrigglers? How long until her wish was granted, if ever? Had she made the right choice in a wish? Thalia had been so nice to her. She was really glad he had found her and he was able to answer all of her questions. What would he had wished for? She walked in silent contemplation with all these thoughts mulling around in her thinkpan. There was much she still didn't know and much that still needed to be done.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:44 am
Another situation avoided! Thalia would not have to do any of that silly wish-making nonsense after all. It was just nonsense, right..? No, it was definitely nonsense. He cracked a nervous smile at his own thoughts, but shook his head quickly to return to a more neutral expression.
She wanted to keep searching for the mysterious Black Market, and so that's exactly what he was going to do. There was a lot of looking in old, decrepit buildings, searching alleyways, exploring ruins. No lowbloods to note in this whole quest of trying to find one. It was, admittedly, a fairly exhausting endeavor. The city was surprisingly big and there were all sorts of nooks and crannies to look in. Thalia hoped that Khanda would get sick of it by now, but she was as determined as ever.
He pounded his fist into his open palm in an epiphany. Soon, daylight would be coming and would assuredly put this mission to a halt. It was pretty fun, but jeez was it draining!
"Miss Khanda!" Thalia called as the girl was busy investigating something. "Soon it'll be daylight. You need enough time to return to your hive, right? How far away is it?" Thalia wished that it was close by. Huddling pathetically and seeking shelter in the ruins here was a sad sight. He had done it before, but that was long ago when Thalia was no more than a grub. He never wanted to do it again.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:01 am
Khanda pushed herself away from the window she was peering into, her face crestfallen. No! It couldn't be daylight soon! She hadn't even found any clues to help her in her quest yet! Running up to Thalia she grabbed the front of his sweater and looked up earnestly into his face. "I can't go back home! Not yet! If I go back now Bessy won't ever let me leave! I can't stay like this forever! I can't go back until I found a cure." she cried out desperately. If she went back home without finding the cure she'd never be able to find it! Bessy would never leave her alone after her two escapes if she remained in the this tiny, feeble body!
Khanda felt so scared at the idea of going back empty handed. To be stuck this way and to never leave her hive ever again, it was such a terrifying thought! Clinging to Thalia she pleaded with him. "There must be somewhere I could stay! Even. . . Even if I had to hide in one of these dirty old buildings until the sun is gone! I just can't go back!" she said as she felt her eyes welling up with tears. It could hardly be considered safe to spend the day holed up in one of these dilapidated buildings, but if it was her only choice she would take it. Even if she had to go without sopor slime, risk the sunlight, risk a floor or wall crumbling around her, any of that was better than the prospect of being locked up in her hive forever a child.
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Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:19 am
He was being assaulted! She was grabbing his beloved sweater and shouting at him! Oh no, Thalia must've said the wrong thing. Usually he was so good at saying the right thing. Children were just too unpredictable for his usual spiel! And boy, she did not want to go to her hive at all. And--
"Even if I had to hide in one of these dirty old buildings until the sun is gone!"
Nope.
That was a nope. The biggest of nopes. A nope towering so high that it could eclipse the sun and serve as shelter.
"Now, wait a second!" Thalia interjected, waving his hands in front of him to try and get her to clam down and stop crying. He did not want to make a child cry twice in the same evening. Thalia Melpom: a*****e extraordinaire. He did not like the sound of that title and he needed to rectify the situation.
The gears turned, and ground in his thinkpan. He couldn't stay out here, she wouldn't go to her hive, and he'd be just about the douchiest guy in town if he just up and abandoned a kid in Old Hemisect. That's when the idea hit him. Glub, it was a terrible idea, but the only idea.
"You could... come stay with me in my hive for the day." Thalia stated hesitantly. No, what was he doing? No, stop. Why? The floating question marks were back around his head. He could not stop this.
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