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 Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:30 am
[ otherworld online ][ part 2 ]
The problem of time not working in Other Ashdown brought up another issue: did wifi even exist? Moreover, did computers work? Her phone didn't get cell service (which made sense to her), but wifi? Wifi was... standard. Wifi was life.
Erin packed up a laptop into her bookbag, and pulled up her phone's texting app. With one thumb she tapped out a short message to Asiya:Quote: Asiya, hi! so i've noticed some things from the last time we were in OA, like did you notice time can't be measured? that's so weird. anyway, if you're up for it, i'm gunna try to get to OA and see if they got wifi or even working computers. btw, do you know how to even get to OA or does it just... happen?
Right, how did you get to other Ashdown? She'd meant to figure that out, but then Will decided he wanted to try to burn down the shop and it was a nightmare of write-ups and Brent finally actually did something useful. Needless to say, this was her first day to try. She'd asked Asiya to come, out of enjoying the other girl's presence, as well as to have a second pair of eyes in case crazy s**t happened again.
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:17 pm
Asiya's hands were in the middle of a lump of clay when she received the text message from Erin. "Fudge buckets..." she cursed, pulling her hands out from the clay and holding them up as a surgeon would to keep them sterile. They would need to be washed before she could answer, and the last thing she needed was to get clay everywhere else. Yet the artist managed, pushing up the faucet of her kitchen sink with a brush of her shoulder. Remnants of clay washed down the drain, and once her hands were squeaky clean (and dried), she headed back over to grab at her phone.
Her stomach fluttered when she saw Erin had messaged her, and she couldn't help but grin. It was nice to finally have a friend back home. Things were starting to feel normal again, now that she had someone else to talk to.Asiya's Text to Erin Asslamu-aleikum, Erin! I did not notice that about Other Ashdown when we were there. Most of the time, I was just confused about everything and trying to make sense of it all. However -- I'd totally be down for exploring it with you. I have no idea whether Wifi would work there or not, but it would be interesting to check out. I'll be there as soon as I can, insha'Allah. - Asiya P.S. - Unfortunately, I have no idea how to get to Other Ashdown. I guess we'll figure it out as we go?
"Be good, Guava," she called out to her bird, whom she had just fed and watered. While she didn't expect to be out too terribly long, as far as Other Ashdown was concerned, one could never be too careful. "Guard the apartment."
She just hoped that they didn't get lost or something. Getting lost in Other Ashdown would be horrible.a-disgruntled-dragon Asiya will be there in no time! ;D
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 3:43 am
She was still not used to the whole friend thing. All her life, Erin had been the butt of one joke or another, used and bullied because she liked video games, or talked weird, or generally was an odd person. No one really stuck around long enough to figure out who she was, or what she liked, or to even want to hang around with her.
The fact that Asiya replied, and continued to text since their little meeting in the coffee shop was so startling that Erin had, for a period of three days, actually spent time with real people, albeit in the coffee shop playing Pokemon or reading. Besides work, it was the longest she'd gone without retreating into her shell like the awkward turtle she was and hiding in the house. Then Will made an a** out of himself trying to sabotage her, again, and back to awkward I'm-really-stunned-anyone-wants-to-hang-with-me Erin she went.
Her giant cat Tetra yowled from the kitchen for food, and she fed her while waiting for Asiya to arrive. The last time she'd gone to Other Ashdown (to be referenced there on out in her mind as OA) she'd simply walked out the door. She hadn't wanted to, or expected to, but it was foggy and raining and suddenly time stopped working properly. Also teleportation was a thing, or something.
Maybe it would work the same today? Just walk out the door, this time with intent, and viola? Other Ashdown entered? Maybe?
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Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 10:50 am
The drive to Erin's apartment was not a difficult one. Having lived in Ashdown her whole life before going off to college, Asiya was familiar with the roads around town. She arrived within fifteen minutes of leaving her house, parked her car outside, and locked it, and then headed toward the door.
Her head was adorned with a scarf, as it usually was. This time it was simply solid white to compliment her black and white attire. She wore a black sports jacket, and underneath that a black and white striped tank-top. Then black pants and black and white shoes to finish off her look. Generally, Asiya preferred to wear more colors, bright and vibrant so she'd stand out, but this would be a trip to Other Ashdown. Monochrome shades just seemed more appropriate.
A hand extended up once she reached the door, and Asiya gave it a firm knock. She then paused and waited outside, looking around to get a better look at her surroundings. Maybe a way to Other Ashdown would reveal itself inside? Or maybe if they stepped back out, they'd be magically transported? Who knew how it worked, but they would find a way. Then they could get to the bottom of things.
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 12:13 am
Erin fought with Tetra for space to open the door. "Oi Tetra mooooove, no I don't care you are not being let out to back to your food you miniature tiger baaaaackkk ooffffffff," she said, forcing the cat back while opening the door. Tetra meowed her greetings to Asiya - that was all she was doing silly human - and trotted off back to the kitchenette area.
".. That would be Tetra the maine coon. If you sit down, she's probably going to lay on top of you and demand pets. Anyway..." She ushered Asiya in, and closed the door.
"Last time, I walked out the door and there I was. Maybe we gotta... want to go? And we will?" WHO KNEW how weird magic worked. It was magic. Definitely couldn't hurt to try though.
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 10:02 pm
Asiya's thoughts immediately went back to when her first trip to Other Ashdown occurred. It was the same time that Erin, herself, had went. And just like Erin, Asiya simply slipped out of her door and was in the strange, peculiar place. The only other time that she had went there was in a dream, and she knew going in person would be a bit different. Regardless of how the two of them got there, though, it was going to be weird.Everything about Other Ashdown was weird.
And none of it made sense. That frustrated Asiya to no end.
"I imagine it happens when you least expect it or something," the artist found herself commenting, hazel eyes falling on the maine coon. Perhaps the cat would know how to get there? Felines seemed to have an affinity for the other realm, so maybe Tetra could feel it, too? "Other Ashdown works when it wants and how it wants, without much thought or care for us, it seems..." She then trailed off, her thoughts turning to those that called the realm their home. How did they get there in the first place?
"Guess we'll have to wait and see."
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 10:37 pm
Whatever thoughts the girls had concerning the other place must have had some effect. There is a ripple in the air, a barely perceptible change. If they listen closely, there is the sound of what seems to be a music box, playing in the distance. Outside. Something in their stomach churns, pulling them in the direction of the front door.
Maybe they should go and look?
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 8:32 pm
Erin turned towards the door, piece of hair flicking over her shoulder. In a movie, it would have been in slow motion, the faint sound of a music box overlaying it, and probably a shift in the frame, panning between them to the door. Tension would mount, and one of them would start for the door first. All very slowly, to stretch out the feeling and really add suspense.
In reality, and much to Erin's disappointment, it happened quickly and without suspense. It was anti-climatic really.
"I think..." she said, moving to the door and shoving Tetra out of the way again. Her hand closed around the knob and she opened the door. Brown eyes looked over her shoulder to Asiya.
"It's time to go." The purple haired young woman nudged her cat out of the way once more and disappeared out the door without another word.
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 9:52 pm
Most probably would have been creeped out by the eerie music box, but not Asiya. If anything, she was intrigued by it, and found herself drawn to the melody as a child would be if a music box lulled them to sleep. "Do you hear that," the hijabi asked, glancing back to look at Erin, who was shoving her cat out of the way.
The poor feline. She didn't mean to be in the way, Asiya imagined.
Erin was the first to step out of her apartment, and Asiya lingered back and watched her as she did. It was always intriguing to see the change from the Ashdown they knew, to the peculiar Other Ashdown. Once she was sure the pair of them were in the other realm for sure, Asiya then followed after. "We should follow the sound," she went on to say, eager to figure out where the source of the melody was coming from. Who knew who it belonged to, and there was really only one way to find out.
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 12:19 pm
The music is, for lack of better description, haunting. It sounds out of key, its notes slightly out of time and flat from what you would expect. But then, why would you even know this song? You aren't sure how you do, but it's familiar somehow. Comfortable, if not for the eerie quality to it. All in all, the entire thing is unsettling.
If the girls follow the tune, it seems to get louder as they approach the center of town. The sound leaves their mouths dry and their stomachs unsettled. Odd how they're almost compelled to follow it.
In front of town hall, there is a monstrous shape. It is as dark as the midnight sky, and it seems to be the source of the eerie music.
The question is now, do you dare approach it?
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Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:52 pm
Anything was supposedly possible in this place, right? Believe hard enough and you could part the skies and rend the earth. She stared up at the monstrous shape and pulled on that belief of magic, of her tucked away and hidden hope that someday, somehow, magic could be real. It sank into her limbs and chest and churned there, waiting for her.
The music had been unsettling, the whole concept was unsettling and she should be terrified. Yet a sort of recklessness burned in her heart. How could she possibly be afraid when she had the chance to do the impossible for the first time in her life? How could she run from that?
She'd never live with herself if she did.
"A colossus...? singing maybe. You said anything's possible here, right? I'm of a mind to test that theory," she said, an unknown cockiness bubbling over. Erin held her hands out at her sides, palms turned to the ground. Too many years of video games and movies, and Hollywood's interpretation of magic but she didn't care.
The young woman stepped forward slowly, watching the giant shape cautiously.
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Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:07 pm
The creature in the front of town hall did not make her feel good physically. All of a sudden she was thirsty and her stomach hurt at the same time. Not a fun combination at all. A bottle of water would have been nice at the moment. Yet despite these feelings, Asiya did her best to push them to the back of her mind. That wasn't the important thing. The important thing was that she was in Other Ashdown with Erin, and that there was some sort of monster in front of them.The artist followed Erin's lead and walked carefully. Over her twenty-four years, she had seen enough wildlife documentaries to know that a lot of predators were all over skittish prey. She was not about to get eaten on her second real trip to the other-realm. Her eyes locked on to the monstrous shape and stayed there after that.
"I'm going to try something, too..." she replied, her words trailing off so she could focus on what she wanted to do.
The creature was shrouded in darkness, and so they were at a disadvantage. They couldn't see what it actually was. Hoping to shed some light on it and possibly get a better glimpse of the thing, Asiya thought of light. She pictured a form of pure light surrounding the creature, whatever it was, and illuminating it so they could see what it was. As she focused, Asiya could feel warmth spreading through her, and she allowed it to envelope her as if she were basking in warm rays of the sun.
She didn't want to hurt the creature, nor did she want to alarm it. She just hoped the light would bring her and Erin some clarity, so they might see what they were actually encountering. Just how long this light would last, she also had no idea, but she'd keep it up for as long as she could. She just had to stay focused.
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:56 am
The light casts over the being. For a moment, it seems as though it has worked- the shape is revealed to be more natural, though its coat is made of the night sky. Endless stars and galaxies seem to populate the creature's back, and in its strangeness, it is beautiful. But then, it looks up.
And it screams.
The noise is enough to make nearby humans double over in pain. The beast raises its wings and dispells the light, plunging itself back into comfortable darkness. Rather than fold its wings back upon itself, it covers its faces, hunched over in a defensive pose.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" It cries in a thousand voices, angry. Frightened. Rather than turn to address the girls, it shuffles closer to the music box... protecting it?
If they look closely enough, the masks that litter the creature's back no longer seem to be passive. They are ANGRY. The air around Erin and Asiya is full of whispers, words they cannot quite make out.
"Cease this foolishness IMMEDIATELY. Act out of line- do not do as I say- again, and I WILL be forced to respond."
The thousand voices calm. There is just one, now. The owl's head twists in a perfect one hundred and eighty degrees, its void-filled eyes fixing on Erin.
"Put your hands down. Come here. Now."
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:19 pm
Oh for Arceus' sake.
She winced at the scream, covering her ears for a moment until the owl... collosus - owlossus - stopped screaming. What was she doing? What was it doing!? She couldn't have possibly known it wasn't going to attack!
"Foolishness? I'm sorry but keeping your guard down while approaching a giant creature with unsettling music is generally how people die," she retorted, yet Erin lowered her hands, tucking them into her pockets. Brown eyes met void-filled and she raised one eyebrow, walking forward.
"I'm sorry I frightened you, but you are rather large and I am not familiar with those who live in this place. I was simply cautious." Erin gave a sort of formal bow to the owllossus out of respect. She'd played enough video games to at least have an idea of how to ad-lib her way through this and hopefully not die.
Hopefully.
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:37 pm
Asiya expected the monster to attack them. She figured it would lunge and maul the two young women, leaving nothing but grisly bones in its wake. What she didn't expect was the scream, and she instinctively placed her hands over where her hijab was covering her ears. The fabric of the scarf did little to help muffle the sound. Noise canceling fabric; if only there were such a thing.
"I'm really sorry," Asiya blurted out, not evening waiting for the creature to respond to either of them. She hadn't meant to make it upset. All she wanted to do was to shed light on the creature, and to see if it was really a friend or a foe. Instead, all she did was scare and anger the towering owl, and that probably screwed everything up. When the owllossus said to put their hands down, it did not need to tell Asiya twice. Her hands slipped downward, falling limply to her sides.
A wave of exhaustion ran over her in that instant. The use of the light magic, while it had proven briefly effective, had disappeared quickly. It also took a lot of energy out of her, and the world around her seemed to spin. Uggh -- vertigo was the worst feeling. Dizzy, but not wanting to upset the creature further, Asiya found herself just simply standing there and watching as Erin approached. The owl seemed focused on her, so she would let the two of them talk. She had caused enough trouble with her light magic the way it was. Better to keep quiet and to herself for the time being.
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