|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 5:52 pm
Central was large. Very much so. In the time it would've taken Valeriu to explore Middling and Downers combined, he'd only begun to familiarize himself with the Eastern Suburbs and Commerce. His interest had been piqued when he'd heard about the University up north; Seamus and Murphy had already joined the construction crew that worked on campus, and had been not-so-subtly dropping hints abut the Architectural Design program available for a major, though he told them again and again he couldn't attend.
Today, however, he was wandering through the Fields as he pushed further and further east, towards the walls. The presence of these green fields in a City was an amazement to him, who'd been surprised to find even the rarest specks of green back in Southern.
Taking a break had never seemed like a better idea. The sun was shining, the grass was comfy, and Valeriu was content to lie back at the edges of the Field away from everybody else and just enjoy the moment of peace.
No Godlings to bother him. Just the laughter of children playing nearby and the chatter of adults tossing frisbees and walking pets.
He sighed, pleased.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:19 pm
Writ looked relatively normal to the inhabitants of Central. With just a few minutes in a mirror, Writ could pull off normalcy for the day. Shapeshifting was, quite literately, a blessing. But this was Writ, and Writ, would never, ever be quite "Normal".
Take the crossbow in his backpack for example.
The name of the game was Arrow Roulette, and it was the most dangerous childhood game in Southern. Seeing that Southern was toast, Writ figured it was time for a little bit of cultural exchange.
Writ plopped down next to Vale, and it seemed that Kitty's serene moment of peace was going to come to an abrupt end.
"Hey Vale."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:47 pm
He stifled a groan.
Maybe, if he didn't open his eyes, it would go away. Cease to exist. Disappear in a puff of denial like Tinker Bell.
As far as Writ went, Valeriu was an atheist.
"I do not believe in tricksters," he muttered underneath his breath in a fervent prayer. After a moment, he cracked open an eye, staring balefully at the all-too-present Ascended.
"You know, for a god, you are still very v'orrisomely normal. V'alking around, being a pest-" His hand snaked out to bap Writ in the leg. "-corporeal. Hn. I am not impressed."
So very not so.
His ears did p***k up beneath the layer of hoodie, however, as a question rose to mind.
"So...how? V'hat did you do? And v'hat about Coyote?"
Writ was going to spill the beans. Him and Seth had made this spectacular jump, and this time he was determined to be the one to beat Quinn to the punch. Any information he could claw out of the other Godling - God? - he would.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:29 pm
Writ laughed, "Oh Vale, out of all the players in this, I thought you'd figure it out by now." He shrugged his backpack off and zipped it open, peeking inside to check on his crossbow.
"That's my little secret." He smiled, "But hey, watch me long enough, and maybe you'll learn something. Writ picked himself up and offered Vale a hand, "Come on, walk and talk."
Writ stopped walking when Vale mentioned Coyote. He looked back at Vale, and smirked.
"What about him?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:37 pm
"Fine. Be secretive. I don't care, at all. V'hatever. You are boring, and I am not caring." A cross noise rose in his throat, half growl and half huff at Writ's smugness. He deliberately snubbed the proffered hand, turning his nose away-
"Obviously I v'ould not v'ant to catch any god cooties you have."
-but grumbled and rose to his feet, agreeing to a walk.
"V'hat is in Writ's magical backpack today?" he asked aloud of himself, snarkily, after seeing Writ check it. "Hm - bombs, maybe. Alcohol, definitely."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:55 pm
"Oh, Vale, I know you want to know." Writ was going to slam that fact in Vale's face all day. "Just watch and learn."
Writ looked around for any stray cameras before pulling out his crossbow. There was a wild smile on his face.
"Say Vale, you still remember that game that kids in Southern used to play?" He loaded the bolt into the crossbow and pointed it in the air, "It's time for a little bit of cultural exchange..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:05 pm
No, Valeriu did not know what game Writ was talking about. He'd never really known other kids in Southern, nor what games they played. His block was relatively quiet and kidless except for Quinn, who he'd somehow never managed to meet when growing up, probably because he'd never really left his parents' sides.
So, it was with incomprehension he watched Writ pull out the crossbow.
"V'hy are you carrying that around?"
Or better yet, seeing the wild smile on Writ's face--
"V'ait, v'hat are you-"
The bow pointed straight up into the midday sun, and with a jolt of panic Valeriu realized exactly what was going to happen next.
"You are crazy! Put the bow down!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:22 pm
"ARROW ROULETTE!"
Twang.
The bolt flew into the sky, lost in the noonday sun.
Writ looked at Vale, "Farthest from the arrow loses." He said quickly, before running through the fields, screaming, "Arrow roulette! Everybody run!"
The madman caught a few ears, there weren't too many people out when the sun was high, but Writ had caught the interests of some of the older kids around him. Most of them thought that he might've been just a teeny bit insane.
That was until a crossbow bolt found itself into one of the kid's bike wheels.
"My bike!" The emover'd, stripy shirted rider cried out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:50 pm
Valeriu's first inclination was to scramble for cover, legging it right out of Fields.
And then Writ had said the magic words.
Farthest from the arrow loses.
A feral, crazed grin of challenge spread across his face.
And, like an idiot driven by his competitive edge, he stayed, eyes on the sky and hoping he might be fast enough to dodge should the point come falling back towards him. However, the arrow was driven through a bike wheel, and he leaped forward, snatching it from the rubber for his own.
"I v'in!"
And then he ran, sprinting past Writ, before any of the adults or guards along the wall had the sense to take the nutcases down.
"Goddammit, Writ!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:34 pm
"What was that?" Emover barely even saw the black blur snatch the bolt away from the wheel.
Writ watched his friend speed past him. He pointed a thumb his way- "That would be Vale."
He yelled after kitty, "Hey, Vale! Come back here before you make a scene!" Writ turned back to Emover, "Sorry about that, we were just playing a game."
"What kind of game uses that?" Emover pointed to the crossbow.
"The best kind." Writ smiled.
"You're crazy man, what are you going to do about this?" Emover pulled up his bike, and showed Writ the flat wheel.
Writ pulled out his wallet, "I'll pay for it, but first- you wanna play with us?"
"You serious? You want me to play a game with a crossbow, with an arrow that nearly killed me?"
"Yep."
Emover gave Writ a good long look.
"Ah hell, why not?"
Writ yelled at the horizon again, "Hey Vale! We need our arrow back!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:40 pm
When Vale stopped at Writ's call, there was already nearly half a field of distance between them. He stared back at the other Godling with an air of dismissal, but eventually wandered, swaggering, back over, holding tightly to the arrow like it was a trophy.
"I v'on," he declared, loftily, and if his tail hadn't been tucked into his pants it would be waving just as smugly and slinkily as the rest of his body. "This is mine, now."
His eyes just dared Writ to try and take it back.
"You should have bought extras," he advised.
But it would've done no good - Valeriu would simply take those, too.
He liked the feathers on the end.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:00 am
"Fine! I guess we'll just change the game into 'Let's crossbow rocks at the winner of arrow roulette!'" Writ picked up a stone on the ground. He pulled the bowstring back, balanced the rock on the crossbow and pulled the trigger. One hundred pounds of force launched the rock Vale's head, "I know you'll love this game!"
Emover started to back away. These people might be a bit dangerous.
Writ turned back to him, "Oh come on, we don't bite!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:15 pm
"V'ha-ahg!" Valeriu yelped as he ducked reflexively, the rock shooting over his head. His neck craned to look back at it, before snapping back towards Writ. "b*****d! Are you trying to kill me? Arrows and rocks-" He grumbled and snipped, still clutching the arrow as he stomped over.
"No, no, Writ, I have better game - it is called Kick the Puppy," he hissed. "Is very simple."
Valeriu looked disdainfully at the poor kid whose bike had been punctured.
"V'e do." He smiled, long and slow like his god did, flaunting the too sharp teeth. "He is a liar. Do not listen to him, or he v'ill lie to you, too, and you v'ill v'alk home only to realize your v'allet is gone."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:00 pm
Writ laughed, "Oh come on Vale, I'm just jokin' around."
He still took a couple steps back when Vale came over. "Kick the Puppy" didn't sound like a fun game at all. Especially to his more delicate parts. Writ didn't like where Vale's leg seemed to be headed.
Emover cringed when Vale flashed his fangs. Perhaps he could live with buying a replacement. He began to back away, but Writ grabbed him by the shoulder, and pulled him over.
"Relax... What's the rush? Here."
Writ pulled out some money and gave it to the kid.
"I don't know how much a bike tire costs around here, but it should be enough."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:17 pm
"So am I." Valeriu smiled, very insincerely. "In fact, come closer, and I v'ill show you."
He snorted, giving up on his endeavors to terrify both Writ and bike-boy in favor of pocketing the arrow, back to sitting on the grass, boredly.
"V'hy are you harassing bike-boy, Writ? Look at him, look at his little bike-boy face - he obviously does not v'ant to be your friend. You are v'eird, and he is going to call the cops about sexual predators in the park the first chance he gets. Right, bike-boy?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
