|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:10 pm
The best part about being in the Greek part of Middling is that there was always kids just ready to play Soccer. Like, they have their cleats and their balls and everything all set, all you had to do was make teams and play. What is really fun is getting some of the Italian kids in the neighborhood to play Soccer against the Greeks. They were hardcore, pushing and slide tackling one another for the ball and going crazy when they scored. Many victories and defeats took place in the dusty, empty lot. The brick goals etched in chalk. Writ wasn't Greek or Italian himself, but he often tagged along with the Italian kids, and they always let him in on the game, he had a good kick. His position was defense, all he had to do was launch the ball to the other team's side, no need for passes or dribbling, just kick it away as hard as you could.
It was an intense game, and Writ had been kicking the ball right and left, he was on a streak today. The ball rolled past him, and Writ booted it, it went flying, straight into the open door of the florist, followed by the piercing sound of crashing glass.
"RUN!" One of the boys yelled.
The mob of kids bolted from the dusty field. Except Writ, who was headed to the open door to retrieve the ball. One of the boys suddenly tackled him from behind, yelling, "Leave it!"
Writ looked back at the kid, it was Manuel, the large Italian goalie. Being underneath him wasn't exactly comfortable, he was gonna get crushed. Wit thought to himself, So this is what a Soccer ball feels like. Manuel got off of him and offered a hand. Writ took it and asked, "Why?"
Another kid came onto the scene, Manuel's tiny little brother, Alfred. He wanted to see why the two weren't running with the rest of them, he cried out in rapid Italian, "Fretta! O la signora verde li otterrà !"
"What?" Writ was confused, his ears swerved back.
"La signora verde!" The boy said, then realizing he was talking to Writ, translated, "The Green lady!"
"Kids go in that door, they never come out again." Manuel stated gravely, looking at the door with fear in his eyes.
A few more Soccer players came up to the scene, and soon, the whole Italian Soccer team was there asking things like, "Why aren't you running?" "Are you crazy?" Along with more cries of "La signora verde! "
Writ asked about what was so scary about some green lady, he got a myriad of answers all at once, but it took Manuel to silence them and let him give Writ the lowdown.
"She's the owner in that shop, you can't look at her, because she kills you when you look at her. I looked at her once through the window for a second, she had this green stuff on her face and her arms, it's so weird!"
Writ didn't have time to ask about how Manuel could see this "Green Lady" and still be here when someone from the back piped up,"She yelled at me when I touched a vine, I thought I was gonna DIE!"
"I saw this boy go into the shop, and he- he- he- he- he had these strange neck things! I think that's her kid!" Another player stuttered out. The words of the rest of the team dissolved in a squabble of English and Italian.
"I heard, that she eats kids, and uses their bones for fertilizer!" Alfred squeaked loudly through the mess.
There was silence.
...
Writ asked, "...What's fertilizer?"
Alfred shrugged, "Ionno." The rabble erupted once again.
"Whatever!" Writ yelled, quieting the crowd, "I'm just going to get the ball back." began to walk again when the whole Italian team pulled him down with a tangle of arms, he would've fell if Manuel wasn't there keeping him up.
"Aren't you listening? You'll get killed!" Manuel screamed, his voice cracking.
"They're just stories." Writ said, smirking at how worked up these guys were getting. Manuel got off his shoulders, "What's the worse that could happen?"
Manuel sighed and hesitated, then gave Writ a salute.
Alfred popped up in front of the team and asked, "If you get eaten, can I have your stuff?"
Writ's ears flinched in slight annoyance, and his smile faded a little. Some friends he had. He turned and began to walk to the door. The whole team began to hum Taps. Writ looked back, and the funeral march stopped abruptly. He rolled his golden eyes, shook his head, and kept moving.
"There goes a good kid." Manuel muttered somberly.
Wit's ears swerved back, catching the words, "I heard that!" He said loudly as he walked forward.
Writ was curious more than ever about that door, probably even more curious than he was of The Game. Well, right now anyway, his attention was on the Soccer game before, and he was thinking about how to get in The Game before that, now he was concentrating on that shop, just one mystery to another.
He cautiously walked through the door and looked around for the ball. There it was, right next to the broken vase and a bunch of spilled Carnations. Writ picked it up and looked around, there didn't seem to be anyone here... He shrugged and walked further in, there were plants everywhere, there was more green then he's ever seen in his relatively short life. This place was amazing! He wondered why the guys were so scared to come in...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:46 pm
Persy had been attending to private business in her back room: with more and more activity in relations to the Game, there were more and more Gods to deal with, more appointments to schedule, and more brats to keep track of. She was halfway out of thumbtacks already, and at the rate she was using them, she'd need Fish to go fetch some more soon. Either way, a particularily nasty conference had left her with a serious headache and a case of deja moo: that somehow, somewhere, she'd heard this bull before.
However, it was then that all of her problems hit the fan, or rather, the window. Her eyes widened, then turned into a scour, and her expression darkened as she realized from the muffled cries outside what had happened. Oh, no, it wasn't the shouts of the children that bothered her: her poor Carnations were hurt! Someone was going to pay for harming her babies, and chances were they were going to receive a bit of her pent-up frustration as well.
The first door from the back room slammed open and shut behind her, which might have caused the illusion of terrifyingly large footsteps from the front of the store. Any myths, though, were dispelled the moments Persy stormed into the room: whatever the kids said, it was apparent that she could do much, much, worse.
However, as her eyes met Writ and his strange features, the crazed look in them reluctantly slipped away, and she put a hand through her hair to help comfort herself. Slowly, she counted to ten in her mind, then calmly stepped towards the plants, gently cupping them in her hands by the roots and placing them on the counter. No sooner had she touched them had their broken stems mended, and upon leaving them to themselves, their roots began to wrap around the front desk, securely holding on in case of any other flying objects.
Turning back to the delinquent, Persy forced herself not to scream, but nevertheless approached him with clenched fists and gritted teeth. Had it been any other child, she would've used him to start several more rumors about the 'la signore verde'.
"So..." Persy paused, her voice strained from held-back anger and her thoughts waiting for a spirit guide to whisper the boys name, "...Writ, is it? You do realize what you've done, don't you?"
She tilted her torso to meet the boy's height (she wasn't that much taller, to be truthful), and glared into his eyes with her own bright green pupils. "You're lucky you have a guardian to watch over you, or else I'd have quite a few things to say right now, most of which should never be exposed to such young pointed ears." Crossing her arms, she straightened her posture and kept up her intimidating glare, waiting for a begging, pleading apology.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:08 pm
Writ was shaking when he heard footsteps, his first reaction was to bolt from the door and run as fast as he can home. It was the only thing he really could do. There was something though, that wanted him to stay, and from the looks of it, that thing had more control over his legs than he did. So he did what he was planning on doing second.
"AHHHHHH!"
Writ's scream came from the back door of the shop, Manuel and the Italian soccer team didn't run to save him, they ran as far from the cursed shop as their legs could bring them, their screams of terror heard around the block.
Okay... He was stuck here, the Green Lady was coming after him.... What to do n-
Ohsnapshewashere.
Writ turned away, but he turned back, curiousity and that unknown force prodding him to. Manuel was right, about the green stuff anyway. Whoa.... Whatever those green things were, they seemed alive, and... He couldn't quite describe it. Oh yeah, and he wasn't dead! Thank goodness that wasn't true.
What was even more freaky was the fact that she knew his name! And she was talking to him!
"Um...No?" Writ answered, confused, "How'd you know my name?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:19 pm
Persy smirked at the boy's question, and slowly turned to walk back to her seat at the counter, where she felt she had more authority. "That, young one, is for me to know and you to question for the rest of your mortal life." Leaning against the wooden table top, she looked to the unpotted Carnations beside her and frowned, swatting at a leaf. Reluctantly, the roots receded and it unhooked itself from it's holding, but nonetheless Persy scolded, "I told you not to do that!"
Looking back up to Writ, she examined his features, as well as the imprint his god left upon him. Nope...it wasn't a Greco-Roman god. She doubted it was Egyptian either. Which meant that any sort of conference was likely going to be unpleasant, and because of that, she shook her head and let out a moan. "I can't say I know who you belong to, but you're definitely marked by one of the gods. Tell me, Writ, have you heard of the Game?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:39 pm
"Yeah..." Writ hesitated, wanting to follow her, but at the same time, he felt perfectly safe here. What did the Green Lady know about the game? Obviously he had a lot more questions then that, like if he could poke that green stuff, why was she talking to those flowers, and what the heck fertilizer was, along with other pressing matters. So he decided to follow slowly, she didn't kill him yet, might as well press his luck. Writ got there eventually and climbed up on the counter and took a seat, facing the florist.
"What do you mean, 'Belong to'?" Writ said, pointing to himself, "I belong to me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:56 pm
Persy winced as he clambored onto the counter: one wrong move and he would've been sitting on Carnation cushions. Thinking that she was probably going to need pills to quell her anxieties, Persy rubbed her temples and sighed, only looking back to the boy when she was ready to answer.
"Well, that's the thing...everyone who plays the Game belongs to someone, that someone being a god or goddess from one of many earthly pantheons. Each child belonging to said deity is marked with certain features." She paused, gesturing to the markings on his face and his pointed ears. "And even though I don't recognize the resemblance, I'm sure with a little research I-" Her voice was interrupted by the low rumbles of a growl, eminating from the same back room in which she'd come from. The sound resonated with power, and Persy was sure that Writ would be able to feel it just as strongly as she, because if she was guessing correctly, that was his god.
"Just a moment," she said, slipping into the back room. Nothing could be seen after she left, but there were few quiet moments before the audio could clue Writ in: a splash followed by a yell, and a howling cackle that could hardly be considered human. Then the power faded from the shop, and Persy re-emerged, soaking wet and about as happy about it as a drowned cat. In her hand was a small arrowhead, a leather string wrapped around it to act as a charm holder. She grumbled, then tossed the trinket to Writ, mumbling something about "damn trickster gods" and "skinned fur coats".
"It seems you belong to Coyote...a Native American mischief god...oh, joy." Persy shuddered as she added an extra note of sarcasm to the last part of her sentence, shaking the water from her hair. "I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:26 pm
Writ didn't know what "Earthly" And "Pantheon" Meant exactly, but they seemed to be a big deal. He's learned about Gods and Goddesses in his Social studies class, like how these guys called the Aztecs sacrificed stuff, his teachers never told him exactly what they sacrificed, but whatever. So one of these Gods owned him? That was what he was getting from this, and the idea didn't sit well with him, but if that's what it took to get into this exciting game, why not?
"So-"
The growling echoed through the shop, and Writ's ears perked up invoulentarily. The child felt a strange heaviness in his head, as if someone put a bit of pressure on his skull, and his ears folded back. The Green Lady headed to another room, and Writ followed. Of course, the door closed on him before he could get a glimpse of what was inside, so he contented himself by putting a pointed ear to the door.
There was a splash, then a howl was heard, and Writ swore that he heard laughing mixed in with the inhuman sound. It sounded familiar...
Before he can contemplate anything more, the door crashed into the side of his face, and the florist came out soaking wet, she seemed annoyed too. Was there a pool or something? Who keeps a pool in a shop?
Before he could ask, she answered, and he was given something. He's never seen one of them before, but he already liked it, he rubbed the rough edges of the shining black arrowhead. Writ unraveled the strap and immediately put it on.
He went back to the counter and sat upon it again, almost crushing the Green Lady's precious carnations.
"Coyote?" Writ asked, "Was that-?" He pointed to the door.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:46 pm
Persy growled to herself as she began wringing out her hair, sending a hateful glare to the boy when he spoke. "Yeah: that was Coyote," she snarled, apparently not too happy about the fact that she was wet. Had she not been so agitated already, she would've snapped about the Carnations, but at this point she didn't really care.
She had a trickster god on her hands. Oh, joy.
"Since you've been officially inducted, it seems, you'll be starting tomorrow," Persy explained, the drone in her voice suggesting that she'd given the same speech a million times. "The object of the Game is to beat the fellow players by means of combat, at which time you'll...bleh, you don't need to hear the details. Go out, use your spiffy powers, kick some godling butt or have your own handed to you on a silver platter."
Rummaging behind the counter, Persy found a towel, and put it on her head, rubbing it to get the excess moisture out. "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and you can't screw around. The winner of the Game will have the world eating out of their hand, and the losers...you don't wanna lose."
With a grave look, she reached out and grabbed the arrowhead around his neck, tugging it lightly. "Which is why you want to keep track of this. It'll help you keep in touch with Coyote, and he can help give you advice. You're also allowed to ask me one question, about anything about a godling, god, or other aspect of the Game that I am obliged to answer truthfully and without bias." She paused, a grin spreading across her face. "Any other information, however, you'll have to barter for. Which reminds me, the central hub of the Game and the only neutral zone in the City is here. So, if you want safety, you get to Middling."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:49 pm
Powers? Induction? Beating people (Literately)? and Middling was base? Sweet!
But all he had was One question. Writ frowned slightly. He had so many questions! The boy felt sorely tempted to ask if he could touch those green things, but he knew better than to do that. Besides, if she was like what the rumors said, he'd probably get eaten, or worse. The florist seemed nice though, but he better not take his chances.
One question, one question... If he asked if he could save the question for later, that might count as a question! He didn't want something like that to happen. Hmm...
"Umm..." Writ started, trying to word the question as specificly as possible, "What do you have to do with the game?" It was the only one he could think that was useful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:13 am
He wanted to use his question already? That was neither strategic nor smart, and Persy nearly told him that he wouldn't want to use it this early in the Game. However, rules were rules, and he'd used his one question, meaning that she was forced to tell him everything.
"Basically, I'm the logkeeper for the Game. I know where every Godling is, who they're allied with, and who they've been fighting. I can directly speak with any of the gods who watch over you, and at times I act as referee to matches that occur." Persy paused, taking a breath. This was going to be a long speech.
"I also act as the informational central to the Game, so if you want to know something, anything at all, you can trade things for me. I can tell you all sorts of things about the people you may fight, from where they live and who they care for, all the way down to what color shirt they might be wearing at this particular moment. I know these things because I can talk to spirits of the dead, and they see everything in this City and beyond. Everything you do is watched, and anything you do I can find out about."
Persy crossed her arms and smirked, making herself a tad more intimidating. "Because of that, most of the information you have to offer for trade any other time is useless. What I need to know are strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, things about your mind that no amount of watching will produce...I also give information in exchange for items, at times." At this point, she was speaking less to answer his question and more to suit her needs, so she wouldn't have to deal with any crappy offers.
"And because you've used your free question, you can ask me to clarify on any of the things I have told you, in order to make them more clear to you," she concluded, hoping that at least half of her words didn't go in one ear and out the other. She didn't want to have to waste her breath again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:36 am
Wait, he could've saved his question?! Doh! That was stupid. Ah well, he could get what she needed, and get more questions out of her. No big deal. But why did he need to? Knowing her, she'd probably want some old person's spleen. Something pressed against his head, and it made him relax. Well, he thought, he had his own eyes and ears, despite what she says, he could find out everything himself.
"Uhh, what kind of 'Items' are you talking about?" Writ asked, getting the most out of this free question. He was also thinking, PleasenospleensPleasenospleensPleasenospleens
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:31 pm
"Mostly, I want personal information to fill in my notebook on you guys, but on occasion I'll accept other things, like your talismens, or something that would otherwise be valuable to you. It could go from something as simple as a beloved toy to as complicated as your voice or eyesight, depending on what you need from me," Persy responded, a wicked smirk creeping on to her face towards the end of her sentence, which made her seem even more conspicuous.
"The items with the highest value, though, are things you've earned from other godlings. Their belongings have power, and you can either use that against them, or trade them to me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:10 pm
Eyesight? You can give eyesight? Writ shivered, and the look that the Green Lady gave him didn't calm him. This game might've been a bit more dangerous than first anticipated. What kind of person would do that for information? He may be foolish, but he wasn't stupid, it sounded like a unfair trade to him.
On the bright side, she didn't mention any spleens, so that was good.
"Okay, I think I get it." Writ said, giving a nod and a grin.
He got the gist of this game, the rules will make themselves known as he goes along. So with his curiousity quelled for now, he pushed himself off the counter, but not before crushing a few of the carnations underneath a misplaced hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:17 pm
Persy winced as the flowers cried out in pain to her, but she gritted her teeth and counted to ten slowly. If she killled a child, she would get sent back to Olympus, she told herself. If she killed a child, she would get sent back...Getting sent back was a bad thing...So she didn't want to kill the child...
"You should probably go," the woman instructed, her fiery anger barely bit back with a cold tongue. "And the next time you come here, pay some mind to my god-damned plants."
She didn't care if she'd cursed in front of the boy: in fact, her language was the furthest thing from her mind. All five feet of her was standing rigid, and she crossed her arms as her eyes narrowed. She hoped the boy would catch her point, or else she'd be making a few decisions that she'd later regret.
"Have fun, Writ...Get yourself-I mean, don't get yourself killed too early." She added a strained smile to her last sentence, then grumbled and turned away, rushing over to tend to her plants. No longer was her attention on the boy, and if he had any wits, he would sneak out now and it would stay that way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
