Quest for Destiny! (White Version)

[ZeekeXIV]

I was just about to ask about that language. Very creative, my man.

Just to clear something up, I'm not really saying Nintendo's decision to delay the game was blasphemy. Basically, I'm just pissed that I have to wait until next year to play what just might be the greatest game of this generation.

And like I said before, its expectations like that that are keeping this game in development for another few months...

Man... 50 chapters... And from what I remember, none of them are filler material. That's pretty serious. I thought my writing 26 chapters was amazing, though I am guilty of writing filler material...

Here's to another fifty!

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Actually, a decent amount of this stuff is filler material, but it's done in a way that still has some relevance to everything else.

I want to start the next Chapter tomorrow, since I have no work. We'll see how it goes.

Here's to April., hoping I can play Twilight Princess during SPring Break.

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Great updates. I still don't understand the language.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

-_-' You just don't particularly TRY to absorb things, do you? *sigh* Ah, well. A reader IS a reader.

It's not a very comp;lex language, 2002. You can run through the sentences WORD FOR WORD and go, "Ah, this word means this, and this word means this." I guess it's not ALWAYS that simple, but close enough.

College classes start tomorrow...I still need stuff.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Well, it's the morning of my third day of classes, and I'm switching from a commuter to a dorm student this weekend.

Anyway, that's not important. What's important is that I have the first scene of this chapter done.

The Destinia Saga...

Quest for Destiny!

Chapter 51- A Reason

The magnificent building before her was a beautiful establishment beyond anything Frankie had ever seen back home. Sparkling water that looked like liquid mother-of-pearl slowly flowed in a deep moat around it, and a finely cut lawn of black grass ran across the academy’s yard, with all types of flowers arranged in intricate and ornate patterns in patches of color.

“Star Haven Academy of Magic…” Frankie murmured, reading the bold and elegant sign aloud. The eye-catching sign stood proudly above the large, glass double doors, their golden text acting as a large arm to reach out and welcome in students and guests alike.

Frankie paused before the glossy doors, staring inside at the children who were chatting in the main lobby, which was, as near as she could tell, breathtaking. The small taste she took in through her eyes numbed her body into a dumbfounded awe, and her hand clung to the brass door handle for a few moments, until she willed herself to push on it and propel herself into the beyond that was the greatest school in all of Stellon.

Her feet moved like lead as she pushed herself onward, struggling not to be overcome by the…stunning masterpiece that was the fountain, or the…the…heavenly painting that watched over her from the ceiling. Frankie couldn’t seem to think of words that could describe the images and give them justice at the same time. Heavenly? Meh, that was about as close as she could get.

Then she remembered something: she was, technically speaking, in the ‘heavens’ already. Star Road could certainly be qualified as the ‘heavens,’ she thought. She was drawn upward, into the ceiling’s majesty, like a deity’s hand was tugging her. She was so captured by the flood of royal jelly that her mind couldn’t eat it all fast enough.

“Miss? Watch out, Miss, you’ll—”

Frankie was thrown off of her balance when her right foot bumped into something hard, causing her body to stumble forth. Her arms haphazardly lunged forth, splashing into a half foot of water. Her arms were smattered with the sparkling, unworldly liquid, and she found herself on her knees, her body arcing over a stone rail. She’d almost walked straight into a fountain. As she recovered from the shock, she slowly stood up, whipping droplets from her hands. A young boy—about twelve, she would have guessed—was at her side, checking to make sure she wasn’t injured.

“Are you OK, Miss? Geez, you gotta be more careful!”

Frankie, whose sight had congealed with the mystical fountain, pried her eyes to the boy, a precious little guy with glimmering sapphire eyes and hair as white as snow—a very messy, soft-spiked set of snow. He was wearing a loose black T-shirt and denim black jeans, and had a yo-yo strapped to his finger.

Frankie chuckled in spite of herself, replying with a nod, “Yea, I guess so…” She couldn’t help but steal another glance at that fountain. It was amazing…It was crafted of some mother of pearl-like material, and was carved the shape of two small children. The image of the boy wore a straw hat, big, floppy shoes, gloves that looked better fit on a scarecrow than anything, and held a ragged, wooden staff. His face wasn’t recognizable, though two vertical slits for eyes were etched into the orb of a head. Something about those simple eyes expressed sorrow, anger, and loneliness. The other figure, who stood at his side, was a little girl in a priestess cloak. Her elegance was portrayed in the way she clasped a delicate hand to her chest, and her closed eyes, her somber expression, radiated grace. Two locks of thick hair tumbled over her ears and down her cheeks, while the rest of her head was covered by the hood she wore, which had triangles etched onto its edge. A ghostly figure of innocence, she held her staff to the middle of the fountain to touch the other wizard’s, both objects identical in appearance. They marked as a welcoming to all who entered, and water mysteriously flowed from a spot in midair, just above the touching staves. It shot a light spray into the air, and the majestic sight almost made Frankie want to cry.

“So, can I help you, Miss?” the boy piped up after a few awkward seconds of silence. He fiddled with his little yo-yo for a moment as he waited for a response.

“Oh!” Frankie mentally smacked herself and snapped her brain to the boy. “Um, yea…” She suddenly came to realize that the boy’s physical appearance was very much like her own. “Hey, looks like you’re a human, too,” she cheerily pointed out, beaming. “You’re one of the first I’ve met here, ya know.”

The boy’s yo-yo seemed to whither in some way, hanging drearily from his finger. His eyes glazed over a bit, and he mumbled something inaudible as he struggled to regain his composure. What had she said? Oh, man, he really looked upset. In her instinct, Frankie sunk to her knees and placed two compassionate hands on the boy’s shoulders.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did I say something? I’m sorry,” she quickly spat out, hoping that some part of that would get through. It seemed to work, as the boy managed to fake a smile her way. Frankie knew better, but she decided to play along, as whatever had crumbled in the boy’s heart was probably not her business.

“I’m OK,” he mumbled, doing his best to sound unshaken. “Umm…So, do you need any help, Miss…--?”

“Just call me Frankie,” she told him with a grin.

The boy bobbed his head slightly in respect and answered, “My name’s Genis.”

“All right, then, Genis,” Frankie casually got back to her feet. She was so used to going from her feet to knees and back that it was a wonder her knees still WORKED. “Can you help me find someone named Professor Raine?”

Genis’ face had a smirk smeared across it at that comment, and he sneakily replied, “Of course I can.”

~*~*~*~*~*

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Great update. Who is Genis? I have never heard of him.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Ah, sooo...You haven't played Tales of Symphonia.

'Tis a shame.

Oh, well.

Here's Professor Raine...

And here's Genis:

They're brother and sister.

 

[ZeekeXIV]

Man, I didn't even get a notification that you updated. Thanks a lot, Smashboards...

Cool minichapter. I get the feeling I should know those kids you described that were carved onto the fountain. I'd ask who they are, but I have a feeling they're significant, and it might lead to a spoiler. I guess I'll chill out and wait.

I'm looking forward to the rest of this chapter.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Right, then. Here we go.

~*~*~*~*~*

They walked, and walked, and walked…It felt like forever. But, then again, doing anything kind of felt like forever in this place…Was it even a place? It felt more like…nothing. Questions irritated her one by one as time passed, each one an unwelcome splinter. Ow. Ouch. Ow! Ehhh!

The whimper actually escaped her in a verbal sense, causing her guide to pause in his relentless march through the emptiness. His gloved hand gripped her arm with firm diligence, but it loosened slightly when that insipid little moan spilled from her lips.

“What’s wrong?” the grim, rough voice of the furry, spiky-headed creature before her asked. She stared at him with two critical, dark green eyes glazed over with fear.

“Wh-where are we?” she whispered, forcing the murmuring out of her mouth. Her escort could feel her supple hand quivering within his own. His crimson retinas, set within large, slanted eyes, pierced through her very being, jolting her with a bizarre mixture of fear and trust.

“I can’t give you an accurate answer to—”

“Wh-what am I doing here?” she interrupted, a hysterical confusion slowly wrapping itself around her, like a set of thorny vines. “Who…who ARE you?” she demanded, her trembling voice picking up force, a snowball of doubt rampaging down a steep incline. She tore her hand from his with a sharp jerk, her lithe arm having no trouble with such a task. Recoiling in fear, she glared at him, her arms shaking so much so that it was visible from a few feet away. “I-I-I don’t understand…Wh-what’s going on? Where are you taking me?! What’s wrong with me?!”

The being before her, only half her height, maybe a bit more, crossed his thin arms over the ruffle of white fur on chest. He let out a long, irritated sigh as he ran his hand over the black spines that protruded from his head like hair. He proceeded to drawl on in monotone to the girl, responding to every question in quick succession.

“You are being led to the headquarters of the agency I work for. My name is Shadow the Hedgehog—I’m from a nearby planet called Mobius. You don’t understand the situation because you no longer possess a mind in the literal sense, and thus you cannot retrieve your memories as readily as normal.”

The horrified eyes of the girl widened, while the pupils seemed to shrink. No mind…?

“What’s going on, you ask? You died rather recently, and I’m here to take your worthy soul to a place where it can be put to good use rather than being sucked back into the Life Stream of your world…” Shadow continued to droll onward, not taking a breath, it seemed, to let the poor soul behind him comprehend it all. “I’ve already told you where I’m taking you. You are no doubt experiencing very powerful emotions of fear, anxiety, frustration…--” He tossed his arm casually. “This is normal. You are currently going through a phase we at the agency refer to as ‘Extra Life Shock.’ Having your soul ripped from its home and coming ‘back to life’ can be a very traumatic experience to endure.”

Shadow left the matter for Rebecca to sort out herself from then on. As he dragged her onward through the nothingness, he carefully examined her face—tear-stained cheeks composed of porcelain skin, somehow visible, though there was physically no light present. Her eyes were still dripping, and her body quivered and quaked in confusion and fear, just as he had expected. Shadow nodded mechanically, but ended with a blunt, somber, and genuine clincher: “I know exactly how you feel.”

~*~*~*~*~*

“We understand your concerns, Sir Hyblaze, but…This is indeed a price to pay. Are you sure such an undertaking is worth the effort?”

“Honorable Eldstar, I comprehend the hefty request I burden you with, but I assure you that such an investment will prove to be rewarding in the end. I do not mean to lecture you, but I’m sure you realize the dire need we have for warriors. How can we accomplish our goals with such little resources to work with?”

The council of Honorable Star Spirits circled him, each one on a glimmering podium. Hyblaze, the well-respected Charizard of Star Road, expressed his need to the group of critical spirits.

“Merely 48 hours ago—less, even—our home was put under attack by forces whose identity we have no solid confirmation on. They destroyed Star Way an various parts of our state. Who is to say that tomorrow they won’t strike again? In said case, are we prepared?” The bold, sharp tongue of the Charizard lashed at the leaders of Star Road, and he was treated with contrite shakes of the head, while others simply continued to stare critically at his sculpted face.

“Sir Hyblaze,” began Eldstar, his eyes glancing stubbornly at the scroll that hovered before him, “we acknowledge the points of your plans, and we welcome them to congeal with our own. However, as much as the benefits may outweigh the cons, the truth of the matter is that we simply do not have the resources to go about such an undertaking.”

“Then we must cone up with such resources!”

“This is foolishness!” another Star Spirit—one with a small mustache of straight black hairs—declared. “We should be focusing our energies on strengthening the cards in our hand, not hitting up for more and counting on the luck of the draw!”

“Indeed,” a Spirit with bifocals murmured, a stingy nod disproving Hyblaze’s call to action. He rambled for a bland second or two, his tone packed with doubt. “If you are concerned about another attack, what good do you think swordsmanship will do against armed spacecraft?”

Before the Charizard could reply, Eldstar fired another cannon at his damaged battleship.

“What need have we for such beings? Yes, they are noble, loyal…Their souls are as worthy as any other. But what good are they to our cause? For every soul we borrow from a planet, that planet becomes that much weaker.”

“And if we don’t do this, then those planets will fall!” Hyblaze roared in frustration. “What good is a worthy soul if it cannot protect? By contracting to take Essence from Emblina, or anywhere else, we are taking energy that would otherwise be wasted. The planets themselves can only do so much with what they have. It is our job to harness the true potential of that power and sharpen it so that we may help Emblina protect itself.”

There were a few moments of taught silence, and the council grew dead silent, entering a phase of debate with one another through telepathy of some sort.

Hyblaze KNEW what he was talking about…How could the Star Spirits not see that? Then, before he could reflect further, he received his answer.

“Very well then, Sir Hyblaze. You may continue your duties as you deem fit.” Relief swept over the Charizard, and he bowed in gratitude. “However,” Eldstar strictly adhered, “You will make sure that the contracts are well documented. You will report to us on a bi-daily basis with your progress, and, most importantly, you will ensure that these beings prove to be as necessary as you proclaim. You have a week to show us results, and we know you well enough to expect that you will not disappoint. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, Honorable One. Your decision will lead to good things, Council. This I promise.”

~*~*~*~*~*

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Great update. My favorite part was when Hyblaze spoke to the council. It's very hard to picture the place Shadow and Rebecca are.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yea, so you know, those two scenes were connected pretty closely.

Um...As for where Shadow and Rebecca are...I think I make the imagery rather clear: they are walking through nothingness.

So, I guess the best visual explanation would be...nothingness. You could say blackness, I guess. So, imagine absoulately nothing but blac. No distinguishment between walls or floors because neither exist here. So they're walking on some kind of 'floor,' persay, but not really. Obviously, weird. Kinda hard to really explain this take on limbo/pergatory, I guess.

---

Hm...Next-Gen Sonic Screenshots ? Um...OK...I'd rather see some VIDEO, but, hey...

What's that? Set to release for PS3 and XBox 360 in 06? Um...Crap.

And they're promising to bring speed back into the formula, and what-not, but let;s hope they had CONTROL to that as well. Sonic Advance 2 had lots of speed, but all you really did was run in one direction, for the most part.

Yeaa...Really wondering about the differences in next-gen consoles now...The machines are looking to be rather different, and if that means not being able to play different games on different platforms, that could really annoy me. I don't want a Revolution that can only play certain games, while those 3rd party titles on the Rev. can be on PS3 and 360, but not vice versa because the machine isn't powerful enough. That could be irritating. But I'm more concerned about Mario Kart DS, Advent Children, college, and trying to find a girlfriend. Of course, it'll be more like one finding ME, I suppose.

*sigh* Kinda difficult here, though, since this is a hyperly-Christian college, so everyone (it seems, though I know it's exaggeration) is all like, "I don't want to date someone unless I know they're the one God wants for me, etc."

Kinda frustrating, since I'm the type that takes things as they come.

I'm like Shikamaru, mixed with Hinata, and with a hint of Naruto thrown in...For anyone here that watches Naruto and has ANY IDEA what I'm talking about.

What? You don't watch Naruto?

Oh, well, if you get Cartoon Network, tune in this Saturday night, people! Naruto is making his US debut on Toonami. Hopefully, they won't f5ck it up.

 

[ZeekeXIV]

There actually is a video for that next-gen Sonic game.

Or, at least, I saw a video for the next-gen Sonic deal. The site that had the link seems to have taken it down or something...

It was at http://revogaming.net. The video basically had Sonic running around, he later gets jumped by a million enemies, then he turns into Super Sonic and decimates everything. The video was supposedly running in real-time, also. I'll wait for confirmation before I believe that, though. I was pretty sad when I learned about that Killzone 3 video...

With your concern about Revolution 3rd-party titles being made for the other two systems, but not vice-versa, I don't think that'll happen. Why? I have no concrete reasoning. I just really hope it doesn't come to that point. If anything, it'll probably just be like this generation: some game just won't come to the system because developers decide not to do it.

As for Naruto: eh, I think I can do without it. I heard it's like DBZ with different characters; not to say that DBZ wasn't good at one point, but if there's that threat of having to sit through several powering-up/exposition episodes... Ugh...

If I really need to check it out, I'll just use my good friend's resources to find Naruto episodes. I believe you might know him, too. His name is Bittorrent.

Oh yeah, I read your latest chapter (or latest addition to the chapter) a while back. Good work, as usual. I didn't comment on it right away, though, because there wasn't much to comment on.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

*evil grin*

Bitorrent and I are much closer friends than you'll EVER be. Mwaha.

I've already watched the first 75 episodes of bitorrent. Then there's ALL of Cowboy Bebop, ALL of FMA, and all of my PS1 ISOs. And then there's some other stuff, too, but...

Anyway, I will admit that Naruto is not as good as Cowboy Bebop and FMA, etc., and it does have that sort of drawn out feeling at points that DBZ did.

Too bad Naruto characters don't really power up. Most battles will not last more than an episode, but some of the bigger ones do. And yea, if you're an impatient little bugger, this isn't the show for you, I don't think.

But when fights DO take a long time, there's actually a point behind it. Naruto is one of those shows that often tries to explain everything to the viewer. Instead of watching some spiky haired gorilla charge up a million times, a series of different moves will happen, and how they happen is sometimes explained (in the battles that last a long time, anyway).

Though this can make things drawn out, it sort of gives you more understanding. HOW can he move so fast? How can he run up walls like that? How did he miss? Etc.

Ninjas fighting eachother is more or less a game of strategy. So, like a good strategy game, you can try and predict the outcome. There's been plenty of times when a battle ends far from what I expected, but makes perfect sense, and others when exactly what I predicted happened.

I dunno. Is the show good? Hard to say. Does it have quality? Couldn't tell you.

Do I enjoy watching it? Is it fun?

He11 yes.

Unlike DBZ, Naruto has a delightful ensemble of characters ranging from both sides of the ninja spectrum, and one of the great things about Naruto is how all of these characters become important at some point or another, and you learn more about them. DBZ seems to just focus on the fighting and th emain characters, (though they probably have delved into villain pasts, like Buu, or something.)

Point is, Naruto is a fun lil' show that shares elements with DBZ, but is completely different in its own right.

---

Edit:

Dear GOD...

Advent Children was amazing. The first movie ever to truly devote itself to the game its based off of. Right down to the Limit Breaks, Advent Children stays true to the series in every way I can think of.

But having the guy next to you CONSTANTLY talking about how hot Tifa is, or how Aeris' rack is big for a 'church girl' or how Yuffie is 'amazingly hot'...Yea...

I mean, I can't really disagree with him, but ****, is it rude when I'm trying to watch the movie for the first time.

I'm sure I'll have watched it another two or three times by the next time you hear from me.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

OMG, it's an update!

Why? Where? How?

Well, that's hard to say.
But boo-ya.

Enjoy.

~*~*~*~*~*

“Her office is right there—see?” Genis’ stubby finger jabbed through the air gently, poking toward the green door down the hallway.

Frankie nodded, staring at the entrance in the distance. “Yea, thanks,” she murmured, awed by the smooth walls, their glossy surfaces drowned in murals of all kinds—one to her left looked to be painted by young children, while one to her right possessed the refined details of the adolescent, and the ceiling was even further developed.

The flowing paint strokes curved around the doorways and hugged their edges, threatening to crawl over the doors themselves. Frankie slowly waded through the colors with caution, careful not to slip and fall into the vortex around her.

“Professor Raine Sage,” read the gold sign plastered to the door. It was written in a stylish cursive—legible, but elegant at the same time. Frankie stood in awkward silence for a moment, the door’s face her only company. It certainly wasn’t being very social. Was the professor working? She’d hate to interrupt the woman’s work…But Miss Sage was expecting her, right? Yea. So it’d be fine…hopefully…

Frankie forced out her worries in a single huff and rapped at the door with her knuckles four times. Her light, reluctant taps reverberated off the stone walls, the resulting echo far stronger than expected. A tense silence was followed by the clicking sound of the doorknob being rotated. The clean green doorway slowly revealed the room it concealed with a silky motion and no sound. The curious face of a woman who looked the same age as Frankie appeared. Frankie was surprised—this woman could be no more than 25 years old…She was expecting someone…older…being a professor and all. When she’d been in college, there wasn’t a single professor under 35. This lady must’ve been really smart, Frankie deduced.

The two stared at one another for a couple of moments, their wide eyes expectant and puzzled.

“Um…--”

“Oh!” the professor cried out in realization. Eureka, she’d found it—her memory, that was. “You must be Miss Foster.” Her voice was stern but soft. She certainly sounded like the scholarly type.

“Yea,” Frankie murmured shakily. “I’m not interrupting something, am I?”

Raine gave her desk a quick glance and shrugged. She paused, then corrected her gesture and shook her head quickly to her guest. Removing herself from the doorway, she bid Frankie to come inside. It was an interesting office, if anything. It was rather sloppy, as a matter of fact. Yellow sticky notes were plastered all over, various papers were stacked in every free corner of the room, and folders littered the shelves.

Raine herself, however, didn’t exactly reflect her office—she was rather attractive, Frankie decided in surprise. She had never had a professor in college that was so young and beautiful. Then again, she didn’t think she’d had any professors that weren’t ugly, for that matter.

She had soft blue eyes the color of icicles and fluffy, spiked hair that flowed over her head in pointed waves, white as snow. Her face was gentle and kind, as was her demeanor. But beneath it, Frankie could sense the slight bitter cold of ice itself. She wore a very simple outfit at the time, which didn’t draw much attention to her figure. She was garbed in a pair of slick black pants, red business shoes, and a white sweatshirt with the insignia of the academy she was teaching at.

“Please, please, have a seat,” she insisted in a hasty rush, shoving a wooden chair from a corner of the room beside her desk.

Frankie smiled at the poor woman’s embarrassment as she placed herself into the chair and found a comfortable position.

“I apologize for the mess, Miss Foster,” she fumbled out. Her brows furrowed in self-frustration as she sighed an exhausted sigh and fell into her black leather swivel chair.

“No, it’s fine,” Frankie chuckled. “My workplace is worse than this. Anyway, just call me Frankie.”

Professor Sage nodded courteously and held out her delicate hand. “You may call me Raine. It’s nice to meet you, Frankie.”

“Likewise.” Frankie eagerly took her hand, and they exchanged a gentle greeting gesture.

“Now, then…” Raine’s eyes froze on Frankie’s face as her brain ran its clockwork, retrieving the memory it required. “Ah! Yes.” Those icicle eyes lit up with delight as she came to. “Your question—about your home.”

With a casual nod, Frankie let Raine continue. Sage was certainly more energetic than most professors she knew of.

“OK. I’ve done pondering about it, and I think I may have an explanation. But first, tell me what happened, exactly.” With content ears, Raine awaited the story.

Frankie could feel her insides twist as recent memories trickled to her.

“Well…It all started this one day when one of the imaginary friends at our…institution…started to act…very different.”

The image flashed through her mind—a hulking purple monstrosity crashing through walls, his bloodshot eyes thirsting for destruction.

“He was such a…gentle guy, ya know?” She glanced at Raine with remorse plaguing her expression. “But, out of nowhere, he just started acting…so violent…he went and…--” Frankie forced herself to stop before tears came welling up. She shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, her voice quivering as she went on. “But it didn’t end with him. Within a few days…it was as if every single imaginary friend in sight was just…unpredictable. The mean ones started acting nice, the happy ones…got all depressed…and so many of them were violent.” Her eyes slowly opened, and she brushed at her eyes with her sleeves.

“There were even some that simply…ceased to exist,” Raine added with dark foreknowledge. Frankie gave the professor a contrite nod. “Just as I thought…” Raine murmured conclusively. As Raine took a deep breath to ease herself, Frankie followed suit, and both tried to climb out of the hole of regret and sorrow they’d tripped into.

“I see,” mumbled Raine, folding her palms together. “Well, Frankie…First, we have to review the concept of Universal Mana.”

Frankie’s brows lifted in awe and confusion, and Raine smiled weakly.

“I didn’t think you’d know what that was. You see,” she explained gently, “it’s something we first introduce to our Level 6 students in our science curriculum.” Still receiving a completely blank and wondrous stare, Raine muttered, “Uh, it’s the equivalent of what you would call ‘Fifth Grade’ material. So it’s rather elementary to explain.”

Frankie nodded in a daze. After what had happened to her in the past few months, she had been forced to realize that there was much more to the universe than what she had known on her home—while it had existed, at least.

“All right,” Raine whispered to herself as she formulated a simple way to explain. “Mana is…energy. It’s the essence of, well…everything. It’s spirit. Every living thing lives by mana.” She waited, giving Frankie and expectant glance, and Frankie replied with a comprehending nod. “So, you see, a planet has its own mana—we call the mana that runs directly through and a around a planet it’s Life Stream. When anything with life is born, the Life Stream gives up some of its mana, and whenever something dies, the mana returns to the Life Stream. Are you with me so far?”

“Yea…I think so,” Frankie mumbled with a dubious shrug.

“It seems simple, but you really must grasp this concept—it’s important. You’re sure you understand?” Raine’s nervous eyes were patient and concerned.

“No, I-I understand,” Frankie insisted. “I just need to…come to grips with it, I guess…I wasn’t raised with that, so…it just sounds a little…fairy-tale-ish.”

“I know,” Raine agreed. “Many things I’ve come to learn sound fairy-tale-ish. You’ll come to truly understand it, sooner or later. Now then…” She jumped from that to where the idea was leading to. “On your planet, people could imagine a creature, and it would appear, correct?”

“Yea. People would create imaginary friends.”

“And how did imaginary friends die?”

“…Um…Well…They could be killed, just like people…”

“Mm…yes…” Raine nodded. “So, would you say there were more imaginary friends born each day than those who died?”

Frankie shrugged, having no idea. “Sure. That sounds right.” It clicked, right then and there, and her expression froze. “Oh…”

“You see now, what I’m getting at,” Raine noticed, letting her hands slip to her lap. “Those imaginary friends were born of mana, but the people of your planet could use their minds to directly control it and form it into a living being. The problem must’ve been that so many imaginary friends were created, it upset the balance of mana in the Life Stream. There were many natural disasters just before everything collapsed, weren’t there?”

Frankie’s mind was blasted by the final days on he planet, and it all made sense now.

“Yea…” she mumbled, dazed by it all.

“Then there was little anyone could do about it,” Raine admitted regrettably. “It sounds to me that your world was doomed from the start…”

Frankie’s face shifted to a shadowy anger. “Why wasn’t I?” she seethed, confused. “Why was I spared?”

Raine’s tone dimmed to sorrow as Frankie’s frustration, and she placed a consoling hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“I ask myself that question sometimes…The only answer I can give you is that I think you were spared for a reason.”

Frankie sniffed and dabbed her sleeve at her face some more, painful thoughts battering her heart and mind. Raine continued to try and ease her.

“Either way, Frankie, here you are. Don’t waste the life that you still have. Do something with it.”

Frankie grumbled, “I’ve spent the past weeks babysitting…”

“And imagine what you’re doing for those children, Frankie!” Raine insisted. “You’re giving those children love and care. You’re helping to form them into the people they will be someday…Just as I am through my teaching. Believe me, Frankie, I know you’ve done more than you give yourself credit for.”

“…Thanks,” Frankie choked out with a half-hearted smile.

“I know it’s difficult, but believe me, as long as you never give up on yourself, you won’t give up on others. I’m new to this community, as well, but I can tell you with sheer certainty that you are here for a reason, your work is appreciated, and that this place is full of people who understand your pain.”

“…Yea…” Frankie moaned. “I’ve just been so lonely. I lost everything…”

“Many here have lost everything. Now we have each other. Don’t forget that. I know you have friends here. After all, one of them introduced you to myself, remember? And now you have me.”

Frankie’s cheeks turned pink at the Raine’s kind words reaching out to her.

“Thanks, Raine…” she whispered. “I’m glad we met.”

Raine returned her weak grin with a compassionate nod and a smile to match. “Me, too, Frankie. I’m glad I was able to help.”

Frankie stood up from her chair and brushed at her face again. “I guess I’ll see you around, then…”

“My door is always open,” Raine assured. “Oh, and—” she stuck out her index finger as Frankie went to leave. “—could you tell my little brother that we’re going to eat lunch in ten minutes?”

“Sure,” Frankie answered. “He’s a cute little guy.”

Raine beamed with pride. “He’s a smart one, too.”

“Just like his big sister, huh?”

Raine shrugged and waved. “Have a good day, Frankie.”

“You, too, Raine.”

~*~*~*~*~*

Oh, and, er...I have a Grimer.

<<<

And you guys don't. So Not that I really get what the Grimer is there for, but ya know, whatever.

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Great update. Nice to know what happened to Frankie's world...I guess. The Grimer says you have access to the backroom.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yea, I figured that. Still not entirely sure how I got a Grimer, but, 'ey...fine with me. Yea, what happened to Frankie's world isn't particularly important to much besides Frankie's own story, but it was a good way to introduce the 'mana' concept as far as life forms are conerned.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Here's the rest of the Chapter. Took long enough, eh?
~*~*~*~*~*

The peaceful waves rolled across the fine sands, hypnotizing May with their rhythmic motion. Standing there at the shore, she was beginning to have doubts about her decision. It was a little rash, wasn’t it? How could she make such a decision on a spur of the moment?

But this is my only chance, she told herself. This feels right…

It may have felt right—that this was what she should do—but it didn’t mean there weren’t any worries. She would be leaving so much behind…And what about her little brother? Her insides churned as she dwelled on that thought, but something she couldn’t explain was tugging at her to remain here. She knew she was giving up so much, but somehow, something told her it was worth it.

“Hellooooo!”

Hm? What was that? Oh, right…It was that little Meowth. What was her name again? Claws? Yea, that was right.

“Oh, hi,” May mumbled, awakening from her worries. “What is it, Claws?”

The snappy Meowth rubbed the golden charm on her head and gave the girl a warm smile. Such a cute girl, she thought. A bit cloudy in the head, maybe, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It kinda makes her more charming,

“Your friends are getting ready to leave,” the cat Pokemon informed calmly. “Gabe told me I should come get you.”

“Oh! Th…they’re leaving…?” May whimpered in shock. “Already?” Claws’ eye brows curved in sympathy and she nodded.

“Yea. You should get down to the beach,” May fumbled with the bag strapped around her waist, noting the empty pokeballs within.

“Where are my Pokemon?” she cried out in fret. They could be anywhere! How could she be so foolish and lose track of time?

“May, calm down!” Claws insisted. “They’re not going to leave without you—they don’t know you’re staying.” May’s heart was shaken as she realized that she still had to tell them her decision. It wasn’t going to be fun, she was sure of that. “Your Pokemon are at the beach waiting for you.”

“Oh, oh, um…right…” she sputtered, her hands trembling with worry. “OK…thanks, Claws. I, um, I’ll see you, um…later,” May spat out in a nervous rush, shaking out a wave.

Claws chuckled and nodded warmly, returning the gesture. “Good luck, May. I’m glad we’ll be seeing more of you.” Claws reflected on the thought, Such a sweet girl. Such a klutz, too!

As May went sprinting from where she had been pacing moments before toward the magnificent beaches to the north, her friends were waiting for her. Along the way, she happened upon Gabe’s Ponyta, Speed, who noticed her haste and graciously gave her a lift.

As the flaming steed approached the dock, May’s traveling companions were lined up on the beach, greeting her with enthusiasm and calling her.

“Hey, May,” Max cried out. “What took you so long?”

“Yea, we’ve been waiting for you,” Ash added, tightening his backpack.

“Y-yea, um, sorry, guys.” May carefully hopped from Speed’s back, nearing falling flat on her face. Swiftly rising from her knees, she sucked in a deep breath and grinned a plastic grin. She shot Gabe a petrified glance, pleading for help, and her pleas were answered by a reassuring nod and a palm.

“May, May! It’s not true! It’s not true, is it?” shrieked a Torchic, scrambling to her side and clinging to her ankle. Of course, May couldn’t comprehend a word of it.

“Torchic,” she whimpered, her eyebrows curving in sympathy. She knelt down to pet her friend on the head. Her bright blue eyes were dulled and damp, and though she didn’t know what the Pokemon had asked, the bird certainly knew what the answer was.

As May began rounding up her Pokemon, her friends seemed a bit confused—she was acting very sentimental, and it wasn’t like her. As she wrapped up her good-byes, she wiped away a tear. “Max,” she sniffled, not able to gaze at his face.

“Yea?” Max felt his insides quivering as he stumbled to his older sister’s side. He was shocked when May shoved her hand in Max’s face—a few pokeballs rested within. “Wh…--?” Max was left speechless.

“Please take good care of them, Max…” May whispered.

“Wh-what are you talking about, Sis?” Max stammered, his jaw agape.

May turned her head to his, still bent down on her knees, and gazed into his eyes.

“I’m staying here,” she simply replied. Before anyone could object, she explained. “I’m not sure why, but something is telling me to stay here. But my Pokemon still need to keep growing and seeing new people and places.”

The drained face of May’s little brother was begging her to come—he clearly couldn’t understand why she would break the group apart.

“Max,” May insisted, “I’m really sorry. But I think it’d be good for you to…ya know…” She let out a sigh of regret. “I think it’d be good for you if I wasn’t pushing you around. You need some more space so you can grow, too.”

With Ash and Brock staring in awe and doubt behind them, Max and May shared a moment of teary-eyed silence. May shattered the tranquility by squeezing Max in a tight hug, letting her teardrops trickle down his shoulder.

“I love you, Max.” May’s shaky voice squeaked as she added, “Don’t forget that, OK?”

“OK,” Max choked back. “I love you, too, Sis…I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you,” May assured as she let him go. This would be the first time Max had ever really gone anywhere without someone in his family to watch over him. He was growing up, and he needed some more space.

May wiped at her face with her sleeve and, with her hand over Max’s shoulder, eased him over to his group. She gave Ash and Brock a weak smile. “I’m going to miss you guys, too.”

Gabe slipped onto the boat unnoticed to let them say their goodbyes, and both Ash and Brock received a hug from the torn girl. He sat at the steering wheel, reflecting on whether or not May was making the right decision. Maybe it would’ve been better for him to not have made the offer he had. Why had he, anyway? Maybe the same reason May had chosen to accept it.

~*~*~*~*~*

“If we’re to have any hopes of saving them, we’re going to have to leave soon.”

“I know, Lyndis…Be patient. Sir Hyblaze is arranging a search party.”

“Elliwood’s right, Lyn. Simmer down. We’d be better going as one large unit than in waves.”

“I suppose…”

“Ah! Sir Hyblaze! Come hither!”

“Haha! Sir Elliwood! Eager as always, I see.” The Charizard swiftly glided to his comrades. “I’m sure you’re all concerned. Worry not, as preparations are nearly complete. We’ll be departing soon.”

“Wonderful!” Lyndis exclaimed.

“Indeed,” Hyblaze agreed with a quick nod.

Before any more plans could be discussed, however, the ringleader of the operation turned to welcome the two figures who had been following him. One was a black hedgehog, and the other was a green-haired young woman.

Rebecca, having had the situation explained to her on her journey from Pherae to…wherever…was feeling better, but was certainly afraid and worried as to what would become of her. The three familiar faces presented before her brightened her mood almost immediately.

“Shadow was able to go in and rescue an old friend of yours—if all goes well, she’ll be joined by many of your comrades from Pherae.”

Rebecca bumbled away from Shadow, who smirked and gave Sir Hyblaze a brief salute. His gesture was received with a nod, and as the Charizard approached him to brief the situation, Rebecca stood in dumbfounded awe at the three figures before her.

On the left was a beautiful woman with a long, flowing ponytail of green. She had a gentle face and radiant eyes of emerald, and wore green apparel of flowing cloth. Her name was Lyndis.

At her side was a brutish man with a fierce physique and short, clean blue hair. A goatee of the deep blue accented his strong chin. Adorned upon his hulking figure was a black chest plate and various pieces of armor to match. Sir Hector was his name.

The third of the trio was the one closest and most recognizable to Rebecca—Sir Elliwood, the man whose kingdom she had served. The man whom she had sworn her life to serve. The father of Roy, Elliwood was once the lord of the kingdom. Rebecca had been his most acknowledged retainer and a dear and close friend. A slender man with rough red hair like his son (though not quite as wild), Elliwood wore a dignified cape of navy blue and a suit of white.

“Sir Elliwood,” Rebecca gasped out, her eyes bulging from her skull. The girl could feel her heartbeat quicken with excitement as a face engraved in her memories smiled at her.


“Rebecca,” he called out cheerily, having expected to see her. With a face warm as the rising sun plastered on his face, Elliwood stretched his arms out to catch the tear-stained girl, who eagerly tackled him.

“Lord, I missed you,” Rebecca murmured, squeezing his back tightly.

“And I, you,” he responded with a melancholy sigh. What had she been through since his death? What had she lost?

“All right,” Hyblaze bellowed, breaking the moment. “We must depart—every second matters at this point. Time is short.”

Elliwood had to let his loyal friend go. With hands on her shoulders, he explained, “We’ll catch up later, Rebecca. I must leave now.”

Rebecca’s face was pale and full of anxiety at his words. She had just found someone so familiar in this time of doubt and loss, and now he was being taken away. Why? When would she see him again?

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Lyndis assured her. “We have very important matters to resolve.” Staring into her cold, petrified eyes of emerald, Lyndis felt her insides tie in a knot.

“Come, Rebecca,” Shadow called, gliding to her side on his rocket-sneakers. “You’ll see your friends later. For now, we need to take you to your temporary residence.”

Rebecca felt like a child who had been given an ice cream cone, and just as she had licked it and tasted the luscious memories, only to have the cone snatched away from her. Powerless and still in a state of shock, Rebecca could do nothing but submit to the forces around her and continue to let the black being lead her away.

~*~*~*~*~*

[Starbound V7.0]

Username: ~Adopt_Imagination~
Password: **********

[Logging in…]

[Welcome, Frances. You have 1 new message in your inbox.]

[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
WASSUP??!!!1!1
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Oh, hi, Cirrus! How are you?
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
im good im good .but how did j00r trp to rains go??
[Sparx343 has joined the conversation.]
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
It went great. Thanks a lot for hooking us up.
[Sparx343 says:]
Heee~! Next, we have to hook you up with a cute guy!
[Sparx343 says:]
It’s nice to meet you, Franky. Cirrus has told me all about you.
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
no prob Frankie
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Nice to meet you, too, um…Sparkle, right?
[Sparx343 says:]
That’s me! =^_^=
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
luna shood be on soon
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
d00d we n33d to m33t l4t3r!!
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
What…?
[Sparx343 says:]
Heehee! She said we should hang out today sometime.
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Oh, all right. Yea, that sounds great! I’d love to meet you in person.
[o0LunarEclipse0o is online.]
[Sparx343 says:]
Same here! 
[o0LunarEclipse0o has joined the conversation.]
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Hey guys what’s goin on?
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Oh, Frankie right? Hi nice to met you.
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Yea, you, too. So when are we going to get together, and what are we gonna do?
[Sparx343 says:]
Hiya, Luna.
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
y0 luna
[Sparx343 says:]
Hey, let’s go and find Frankie a boyfriend~! ;P
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Hey lets not! >_>
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
O_O Um, I don’t think that’s such a good idea…
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
lol
[Sparx343 says:]
Sorry! ^_^’ Can’t help myself.
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Well why don’t ya get a boyfreind for YOU before you wrry about people ya dont even know?
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Haha. Sounds like she has a point.
[Sparx343 says:]
@_@ Yea, good point.
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
hey lets play cards at my place!!
[Sparx343 says:]
Your place? Why not mine?
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Why not Frankies?
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
What? Mine? But I just moved in…
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
oms oms!! Dats p3rf3ct!!1
[Sparx343 says:]
Oh my Stars, yea, we could help you out and spruce your place up a bit.
[Sparx343 says:]
If that’s OK with you, of course.
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
That’s fine. That’d actually be really cool.
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
He he he
[Sparx343 says:]
Totally awesome! What time, then?
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
Well, it’d have to be kind of late.
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
ya we gt outta work late
[Sparx343 says:]
That’s fine with me.
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Yea i can come.
[~Adopt_Imagination~ says:]
OK, um…Then we’ll meet at about midnight, all right?
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Kay.
[Sparx343 says:]
Can’t wait! ^o^
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
sw33t
[o0LunarEclipse0o says:]
Well Ive got stuff to do before then. So I’ll see you guys later.
[o0LunarEclipse0o has signed off.]
[Sparx343 says:]
Time for lunch~ Byes!
[Sparx343 has signed off.]
[L17713L05TS0UL says:]
b33rt!m3 for me! >
[L17713L05TS0UL has signed off.]

[Frances,]
[You have received 1 message from:]
[1UpAgency@haven.gov]

Subject: Temporary Resident

Dear Ms. Foster,

You have been selected to provide housing for an incoming resident of Star Haven. We are currently experiencing a wave of newcomers beyond our anticipation and require the aid of local residents to help provide temporary housing. We implore you to cooperate—food and capital will be provided.

We thank you for your cooperation as we work through these difficult times.

Here is information on the resident you will be housing:

Name: Rebecca (last name unknown)

This resident is a special case. As she has just recently been revived from her planet’s Life Stream, her spirit shell and mental state are distorted from her true age. Because of this, she may suffer from Extra Life Shock, and may remember memories from her past life. She may require attention and support beyond a normal resident.
You have been recognized as a Haven Spirit with special skills useful for helping such a patient.
We thank you for your aid and wait to see good things from you.
We hope that friendship will be fostered and that your resident will feel welcomed here.

The Stars bless you.
Have a good evening.

President Hyblaze
The 1Up Agency

[Do you wish to sign off?]
[Starbound V7.0 signing off…]

Knock! Knock!

~*~*~*~*~*

“It’s almost like…Jirachi granted a wish, or something…”

“Jirachi, huh?” A chuckle poured out into the dreamy afternoon air. “When I first came here, I realized this whole island was a dream come true…”

May, her body resting in the sand as she gazed up into the playful clouds of cumulus above, giggled and shook her awe-filled head.

“I just can’t believe I’m having a conversation with Pokemon…”

The paw of a Pikachu patted her head a few times as its owner told her with a grin, “If you’re going to stay here with us, you’d better get used to it, then!”

“I know!” she cried back in excitement. “It’s just so wild…” She dusted sand off her back and she sat up to stare at the faces of her new friends. “I kind of feel like I’ve been missing out on something,” she admitted. “I’ve never been able to talk with my Pokemon like this…”

No one seemed to know what to say to that, and if anyone did, they didn’t, as something seemed to cause them all to grow silent. May was perplexed by their faces as they seemed to bottle up laughter inside—as if someone was doing something behind her. Her brow arced, she turned her head to see a pair of denim overalls. Before she could look up, she was blinded by a splash of white liquid being spilled over her face. She shrieked in surprise and wiped at her face to remove the liquid—which seemed to be milk of some kind.

The figure that had dumped coconut milk upon her head in a joking manner now realized that May didn’t find it terribly funny. As Snorkel, Gabe’s Squirtle, blasted water at May to clean her of the milk, the man scratched at his mustache and shrugged with regret.

“Don’t think she appreciates that kind of humor,” Thunder jabbed at him, rolling her eyes and smiling at him.

“No, it’s OK,” May muttered, dripping wet. “I just wasn’t expecting it, and…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to absorb the image of the man before her.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled, extending his hand down to her. She shook it with a wary motion, and he introduced himself. “The name’s Mario, Miss. You must be this ‘May’ I keep hearing about, huh?”

“Yea,” she moaned, very dissatisfied with the fact that she was drenched. Her body was quickly warmed up as Torch blew warm hair at her like a gentle blow-dryer, causing her to smile and giggle at the action. “Thank you, guys.”

“Hey, you’re on our island now, so we’ll look after you,” Torch assured, arms crossed. He accompanied his comment with a wink, and May snickered some more, charmed by is attitude.

“So what’s a girl like you doing here?” Mario wondered. Before May could answer, Thunder piped up, pinching May’s cheek playfully.

“She’s here because our little Gabe gets her twitterpated,” Thunder coyly explained, adding a devilish “hee” at the end. May’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree that only had red lights, anyway—and red needles. A flurry of laughs and friendly jabs barraged May, and she shielded her blushed face in embarrassment.

“OK, I admit it, I like him,” she whimpered. “I like him a lot. I don’t know why, it’s really strange, so don’t pick on me.” Her shaky voice concealed her confusion and anxiety. The Pokemon around her exchanged glances, many of them sharing the sentiment of how adorable the girl was.

“I think he likes you, too,” Falco slyly assured her. “Other girls have tried making moves on him, but you’re the first I’ve ever seen him let get away with it.”

May’s face lit up with hope and her arms fell as she gazed with wide-eyes at the Pidgeotto as the bird flapped her way to the top of a nearby palm tree.

“You really think so?”

“May, Gabe has never given anyone the same sort of invitation he’s given you,” Snorkel explained. “I mean, I don’t know for sure if he likes you, ya know, that way, but he certainly must like you in one way or another.”

“You two would make a wonderful couple,” Thunder decided, nodding with approval at her own suggestion.

“Really?” May shyly wondered, her heart fluttering. She was met with a collection of smiles, nods, and approving comments.

“We want to see you two get together as much as you to,” Rubee, Gabe’s Ninetales, chimed in.

“Speaking of which,” Falco called out from her palm tree perch, “I think I see Gabe on his way here now.”

“We’re not sure exactly why you’re here, May,” Torch told as everyone rose to their feet. “But I’m sure you’re here for a reason.”

“Oh, she is,” Mario agreed with a confident nod. “We all are.” He gave May a pat on the shoulder. “If I was you, I’d be enjoying this vacation while you can, ‘cuz it ain’t gonna last forever.” With that said, Mario’s gaze wandered to the heaven’s above, their bright blue expanse calling to him like a war horn.

~*~*~*~*~*

 

[Aurus]

Hmmm.....I think its compelling but the dialogue is forced and irritating, and the chapter names are absurd. Still, good work.

 

[Lightning Snake]

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an update! I can say that it is a fascinating one, but it seemed to somewhat lack in comparison to the other recent updates. The Pokémon parts just seemed to be a little... There's only one word for it, meh. However, the bulk of it was quite good and I am interested to see how the whole Rebecca thing turns out.

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Good update. There is not too much going on here. I'm wondering what other reason May has for staying besides Gabe.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yea, I know, it's crappy compared to what it could be, but when you've been hardly writing for a year, and you get rusty, what else can one expect?
The Pokemon scenes aren't meshing as well as they should be, but I can't quite pin why.
I'm taking a bit of a break from the big, dramatic stuff, but if you've been paying attention, you'd realize that there are things developing, they're just in the background right now.
And was that a review of the whole story thus far, Aura, or just the past Chapter?

And I happen to like some of the names of Chapters very much.
Some, anyway.
YOU try to come up with 51 Chapter names.
It gets a bit tedious.

Maybe things will pick up if I start writing more this summer and start getting some support back.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Hey, yea, pretty much...not writing this right now...which is sad.
Probably never gonna finish it, honestly.
Lost support, lost motivation, college threw me for a loop...
Anyway, here's a pic a good net friend of mine drew for me.
Maybe you'll recognize the scene (even if there's a Squirtle where a Piedgeotto should be!)

Check it out! SO CUTE!

Her art is amazing, I'm a big fan. Check her right here!

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

That's a nice pic from your friend. It's not that you lost my support, it's just that I don't bump topics =p.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Well...
It's been a ride, hasn't it?
I really can't say I'm going to continue this anymore...
Maybe so, most likely not...

Simply to many ideas on too grand a scale and I just don't have the motivation or time for it anymore...

Maybe if I could get some of my personal friends to read my work, it would motivate me to continue...it was what started me writing fiction in the first place with my very first work--Torch's Tale, the story of a Charmander and his maturing from a naive, selfish child to a confident, selfless young man...

As I began writing my Pokemon characters in this story, basing their introduction on creating a love story between Gabe and May, I realized, "Wow, they're really grown...just like I have."

Earlier you said my Pokemon segments lacked a little...something.
"Meh" was how you described them.
And I think I know why--I was writing those parts for ME.
I wrote those with complete disregard to my readers because they are a tribute of my own work, of my own youth, for myself.

LS, you look back and read them and shrug and shake your head and say 'meh,' but I look back and read them and think, "Wow, my kids have grown up--and so have I."

Ya know what's funny?
I just look up on my computer, I have NONE of my fiction writing saved on here. Nothin'.
That means ever since I wiped my computer at the beginning of the school year, I didn't even care to transfer it over from whatever place I saved it to.

That's kinda sad.

I don't know if this story will ever end.
Maybe I should try and find someone who wants to continue it, pass the gauntlet on to another creative writer and see where it goes.
Psh, I don't even know.
Life has changed a whole lot in the past year. I don't know why, exactly, but it has.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

*bump*
This is a shameful bump with the purpose of letting you know that I have found someone who is willing to work with me to continue this story.
I'm still unsure as to how it will all work out at this point...
I will outline the scenes, he will write some, I will probably write others...Hard to say at this point.

But I guess I cna say that soon, you should see an update of some sort...

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

That's good news. Does that mean the fic is going on a road you never expected when you first started out? Who is the person who is willing to work with you? I'm going to wait and see where this leads.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

I'm not entirely sure where it's headed.
Fortunately, the person working with me is a fan of my work and seems intent on seeing that the plot goes where I intended it to.

I am currently sketching the outline of the next chapter for him, and we'll see where it goes.

I also recently applied to work for a gaming news site--The Hylia.
We'll see how that pans out.
But I'll definitely come here when something is presentable, and somehow you'll meet the guy who's collaborating with me.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Finally, another update!!

I am proud to announce that work with my co-conspirator has begun, and he has done a wonderful job.

This next scene is the culmination of both our work. Basically, I gave him the basic structure of the scene, a few minor details, and let him have at it. You'll notice that this scene introduces a new character. I gave him little to no information on this character, waiting to see what he came up with.

Suffice it to say, he came up with some interesting ideas I wouldn't have thought of, and I was eager to expand and capitalize on them.
It will probably be hard for you to tell which things are mine and which are his, which is great.
I will admit, much of this is my own writing, but a decent chunk of it is editing his own sentences to sound better and more detailed, but if it weren't for J-Brown, it wouldn't have been written at all, anyway. Even my own details and expanding wouldn't had inspiration wer eit not for his initiative.

It's thanks to his assertiveness to build the backbone and some organs of the scene that I was able to add in the muscles and skin.

If you want to give him a word up, head on over here to his DevArt page!

Give him your thanks for his contributions to this update.

~*~*~*~*~*

Kamek was getting it all--power, respect, obedience, and even his own castle. But there was one incredibly useful thing he still lacked: a secretary. Really--in the grand scheme of things--it was a minor oversight; Kamek reasoned to himself that any oversight was a major oversight, however. Any leak of a folly to his servants which even hinted at any short-sightedness could gravely cost him more than just some respect. Kamek especially didn't want to show any sign of weakness whatsoever at this crucial stage in the game, or else he could lose everything. He had yet to command the power required for his plans to be possible, and until he had a dominant leading role with unquestioned authority, the game was still afoot.

Upon his initial realization of just how useful a secretary could prove, Kamek immediately sought among his own kind--the Magikoopa-- to find an individual worthy and capable of aidinh him in secretarial services. This job would require efficiency and intelligence, and would help make the process of carrying out his myriad of future plans much more manageable. At first, Kammy, an old friend, had made an offer to take on the position. However, Kamek declined her flat out, stating that such a role could not be handled by one as forgetful as she, and such a job would be too much stress for the elderly. Kammy could not disagree with him, insulted as she was; she was unaware that Kamek harbored suspicions toward her due to her previous loyalty to the ex-Lord Bower.

And so the search continued again, with many unqualified wannabes applying. Kamek lost patience and began to lose hope, until just the day before, when word came that one worthy Magikoopa had answered his call: Alexia Callida, a 23 year-old graduate of Terra Kooparius University who looked to fit the bill beautifully. Kamek did not do as thorough a history check as he normally would, caught in a desperate spot as he was, but he could tell from her records that she was not looked at as average by any means, and from most opinionated views, this was a bad thing.

She was considered queer among the Magikoopa community, to say the least. Many thought she was eccentric, and only a handful could tolerate being around her--barely. Kamek was one of those few, despite the girl's awkwardness among the Magikoopa Klan. She wasn't clumsy, nor was she incompetent--very much the opposite. Sly, intelligent, graceful, and even endowed with good looks for kicks, she was quite wholly suitable for the position, regardless of how others viewed her. Yet there was something undeniably...un-Magikoopa-ish about her; nobody could put a finger on what, exactly, this was, but none could deny its existence.

Kamek had word sent to her to come to his castle immediately, and a day passed, leaving him to simmer in his own thoughts as he had gone about plotting and commanding out his next objectives. Just before his lunch, word came to him that the girl had arrived. Kamek bid his servants to feed her and then guide her to his throne room when she was prepared for the interview.

Kamek sat in his expansive throne room for a while, awaiting her arrival. However, his anxious mind took a stroll. Glancing upon the meticulously sculpted statue heads of Lord Bowser which still hung from the walls, Kamek sighed at how vain the young prince had become as time had swept by. He groaned with regret at how history had taken its course. Had the King and Queen not been killed that day...perhaps the Koopa Kingdom would not have taken the awful turn it had. Why, the conflicts between the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdom may not even have started...And then the haunting question tugged at his insides: "What if I had been a better parental figure?"

In the end, it was lava under the bridge...a bridge long since torn down. And as Kamek sat in his humongous throne, rather oversized for his comparably puny being, he reflected on his actions. He had passed the point of no-return the moment he had taken that which he had sworn to protect and cast him out of his own castle. The greatest promise of his life, to the two people he had admired the most...they were like his siblings...and yet he had broken that promise.

For the first time since he had set his plans into motion, Kamek questioned his intentions. There was an element of vengeance, to be sure...if it hadn't been for the weakness of those two humans, his beloved Caelum and Terra would not have sacrificed themselves...And even to this day, their children lived on, meddling in the affairs of the Koopa Kingdom. To their credit, had Bowser grown to be the majestic man his father had been, many things would be different. However, it was more than revenge, more than a desire for power...But what was it, really? He couldn't quite place his claw on it...

THOK! THOK!

The thundering knocks erupted into the room, piercing through Kamek's mind. His conscious gave one last glance to what rested in its hands before carefully placing it back in its old and dusty chest, shoving that chest in a dark corner of the attic of his mind, and stuffed the key in his pocket.

The doors slowly creaked open, bending outward as two Koopatrol guards granted Kamek's guest entrance. Kamek couldn't help but admire the majesty of those doors every time they opened. Hand crafted by King Caelum himself thirty years ago, they represented everything that that marvelous man had stood for. But part of Kamek knew that it was those very things which led to his untimely demise, and, in turn, the downfall of the Koopa Kingdom itself.

The applicant's image began to become apparent, and Kamek's reflective slouch transformed into a confident repose as she paced along the refined floor carpet to him. She held a confident, cocky air about her, approaching Kamek with her head held high, and her arms crossed behind her back. Her steps were graceful and seemingly innocent, but her smug grin burned with confidence. Her eyes were shielded by a black pair of sleek sunglasses, contrasting Kamek's silver goggles. However, it was not the arrogant air about her that immediately struck Kamek's attention, but rather the shocking garb she adorned herself with--a crimson shade of red. The traditional Magikoopa attire didn't sail her Airship, it seemed, as she had opted for a stylized cloak and cap of a deep red hue. This was more than a mere fashion statement--this was a blasphemy against the Magikoopa Klan, against tradition!

While it was true that many Magikoopas wore varying colors to represent their varying skills, though this practice was not endorsed by many. It was custom which dictated that only very skilled Magikoopas officially recognized by elder mages could choose or be assigned a color to adorn themselves with. There were a number of exceptions to this, but as a general rule, especially in formal settings, blue was simply what a Magikoopa was to wear. It was only with consent from a respectable elder or royalty that one was entitled to wear a different color, as a sign of respect and honor to be distinguished from all other Magikoopas. Magikoopas were to treat each other as equals, and only when they received such recognition could they be viewed as deserving of any more respect than everyone else. To wear another color without official consent was to declare yourself unequal and greater than your fellow Koopa.

Those who gallivanted about in whatever color they saw fit were usually rogue magicians who bore the Magikoopa title only by calling themselves as such. Those who committed such acts of disrespect to tradition were shunned and ridiculed and eventually conformed or were exiled. This young girl had no recognition, no title, and no merit worthy of such a blasphemous act as disrespecting the tradition of the Magikoopa dress code. And yet, there Alexia stood proudly, garnished in a crimson robe that faintly sparkled and complimented by a red wizard's cap with a tip that flopped backward. Kamek stared dumbfoundedly at her with his brows furrowed, lost for words. He was shocked, even horrified. The nerve of this girl, to show herself before him in such attire.

"Master Kamek, I presume?" Her surprisingly soft voice yawned out in what was almost a drone. "I am Alexia; I applied for your secretary position."

Kamek's aghast expression stuck to his face for a few more seconds, and Alexia noticed, growing hot with irritation. Kamek sucked in a deep breath through the slits on his nose, doing his best to focus on the situation at hand rather than the girl's attitude and appearance. As off key a chord as she had struck within him at first glance, she was far too skilled to let her usefulness go to waste. He'd simply have to break her as one would do with a wild horse.

"Er, uh--" he shifted his goggles a bit, regaining composure."Yes. Miss Alexia Callinda. Welcome to my castle. We are pleased to have you among us." Alexia scoffed at his pleasantries.

"Pff," she huffed out, belittled by his words. "That so, hm? It's hard to tell with all the dirty looks I've gotten since I stepped foot in here," she snipped, the annoyance in her boiling inside her like a tea kettle.

For a moment, anger ebbed in Kamek, as well. The gall of this little wench! The nerve! How dare she enter his castle wearing red and being so guile and arrogant, as if it were her birthright? From Kamek's own past experiences, he knew how great a weakness arrogance was. His opinions remained unspoken for the moment, though she awaited a reply.

"If nasty looks have you received," began Kamek slowly, "they are well deserved for your garments and conceit. It is hard not to notice you walking into my castle mocking centuries of Magikoopa tradition." His last phrase was forced through clenched teeth, not allowing to much to slip out too fast.

Alexia narrowed her eyes as her anger peaked--she thought for a moment that her anger would shoot from her eyes and melt both barriers that separated her own from his. He was speaking to her like she was below him, like he was her superior! To Kamek's credit, and her ignorance, he was, very much so. Many more years of experience were encrusted beneath his short stature.

"If my actions and appearance bother you," she quipped, "then let me make it clear here and now that I am myself and not my ancestors."

Her slender arms glided to her chest and folded themselves over her bosom in defiance to his accusations. Kamek sighed and let his tense shoulders drop. He sat back in his throne, though it dwarfed him, and continued to stare down at her as she protested in stubborn defense. She almost snarled back at him from three marble steps below him. After a moment, he sighed in defeat and broke the silence, questioning her with curiosity.

"Then at least tell me: why red?"

There was a brief pause as Alexia's face puffed up with an almost childlike hesitation, scrambling for an answer.

"Because blue is weak!" Alexia finally replied fervently. "Because blue is tranquility, blue is peace and preservation. Bah!" she scoffed, shaking her head and whipping her arm. "Blue stands no chance of asserting itself at all in any world."

The slightest sign of a grin cracked Kamek's otherwise resolute face, and his gaze stayed strong on her. She glanced at him for any sign of response, and after receiving none, she sought a conclusion.

"Red is different," she started calmly before exploding in a burning flurry of words. "Red is synonymous for bravery, gallantness, passion, change, and, of course, power..." Her hand, which had slapped her opposite palm with each adjective she had spewed, swiped through the air in resolve. "I won't suffer the weakness and impotency of blue."

Kamek should have been insulted for her blasphemous words, and, were he like most other Magikoopas, he would have. Instead, a respect for Alexia kindled itself in him. He couldn't help but admire her sense of divergence and her need to be unique. He couldn't help but feel compelled by her passion. She reminded him of himself as a younger lad, in his glory days. In a way, he would admit to himself later that evening, she had more courage than he ever had--he could feel it pulsating from her very being.

"I believe you read my resume," Alexia noted in a questioning tone. "I'm sure you'll find me more than qualified for the job," she snapped in quick conclusion. And the arms went crossed over her chest once again, and the chin tilted itself up just enough to irritate Kamek.

Despite her arrogance (such things could be dealt with in due time) and awkward demeanor, Kamek could see grand things in her. He could also tell that she had no clue whatsoever as to his intentions. This could prove to be a problem, depending on what sense of morals the girl posessed...but if she refused, then she would leave, and Kamek would rest assured knowing that she wasn't the right one to hire in the first place.

However, as he stared at her veiled face, cocky scowl, and exurberant posture, he could tell that everything he had once strove for at his age, he found in her.

"Alright," Kamek said dismissively. "You may have the position. You can take the office near the throne room. You will start your work as soon as you are moved in." For the first time since she entered, Alexia cracked a genuine smile as he bantered on in a businessman's rushed time-is-money tone. "I will have your lodging prepared by the evening. Tomorrow is when your true work will begin. I would suggest you prepare yourself."

Alexia gave her new boss a slight bow--she saw no need in showing any signs of weakness, especially now that she had won her case.

"Thank you sir. I will not fail you," she assured him, struggling to mask her anxiety with formality.

"I'm sure you won't," Kamek answered, his crack of a smile giving way into a smirk. "You may have your leave."

Alexia oblidged, and spun full circle to exit the room, the air about her quite possibly even more self-righteous than when she had entered. That would have to be fixed. But as the girl stood before the great metal doors the color of blood, Kamek sighed in disdain. As the doors were slowly opened outward, he nodded to himself in confirmation of his own decision.

"Alexia!" he called across the hall, his shout reverberating off the slick walls.

The girl paused and turned her head to him, a rather pleasant "Yes, Sir?" erupting from her excited face. Kamek tapped his fingers together over his lap contemplatively. He began his next sentence with a friendly tone but metamorphosized it to a firm and unquestionable command.

"Tomorrow...wear blue."

The girl's overzealous attitude was shattered in an instant, and she slowly turned her head away from him, cursing him under her breath.

Just as he had once done.

~*~*~*~*~*

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

This update was really good. I liked how the detail was described during the conversation and how the history of the Magikoopa was given. Alexia seems like she's going to be very important later on, with the last line maybe foreshadowing what's in store in the future. I would like to give J-Brown a word up, but I don't feel like getting a Deviantart account. He did a very nice job with his contributions to the update.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Callida--Latin for "Clever."

Terra--Latin for "Earth."

Caelum--Latin for "Sky."

Anyway, glad you liked it. I send your words to J-Brown.
I look forward to seeing what we crank out next...
I relaly enjoying fleshing out this scene.

And I'm glad you're getting the impression that Alexia will be very important.
It was interesting, I had an original concept for her character--J-Brown took that basic idea and added a whole new spin on it, and pretty much crafted the skeleton of the her personality.

This caused me to change my decision in her role in the story--it will be much more important than I originally intended. And as a result, it will give me a chance to develop Kamek's character further, so he is not simply some "Great Evil" but rather someone much more morally ambiguous.

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

That's nice to know you have new ideas for character development from what J-Brown contributed. It would be interesting seeing Kamek's history and personality develop more as the story progresses. For some reason I think Alexia will eventually attempt to overthrow Kamek like he did to Bowser. That might not happen though. I like where this story is going, and I hope to see updates more often in the future.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Developing Kamek and Alexia's characters is something I hope is done well as the story progresses.

I have the next Frankie/Rebecca/Cirrus...stuff...In the works.
J-Brown isn't helping with that stuff, though, I want to work on that stuff completely on my own.

I can't say for certain how often we'll be having updates, but once ina while is a lot more often than never.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yes, a bump, but a very productive bump.

This scene is all me. I want to keep this part of story completely under my own influence, at least for the time being. Hopefully your memory is clear enough to recall what's going on with all of this.

~*~*~*~*~*

The images of a million young girls all meshed together to form a dark, shadowy enigma within Frankie's mind as she awaited the arrival of her no-doubt shaken guest.

Frankie could remember very well when she had been rescued from her own planet during its destruction. She had decided to call the 1Up Agency after receiving her notification e-mail in order to collect details to better equip her for understanding the situation of her soon-to-be housemate, Rebecca.

Apparently, Rebecca had once been a strong-willed general in an army on a planet running on medieval technology--she'd been killed in a battle that marked the end of her kingdom, dying for her country and family. She'd had a husband and son, and both had died minutes after she had passed on. While their spirits had moved on, congealing with the planet's Life Stream, her spirit had been snatched away by the 1Up Agency, as she refused to join her planet's Life Stream, and could prove to be a valuable asset to help those still alive fight.

Frankie couldn't begin to fathom how this whole system worked--they were taking the souls of dead beings and bringing them back to life! How could such a thing happen? However, as unbelievable as it was, Frankie's mind had been numbed to such things since she had moved to Star Road. In a way, this bizarre process made perfect sense.

Frankie's insides refused to stop churning at the thought of taking care of this girl--what if she couldn't? How could she comfort this girl who had lost so much? She kept telling herself that all would be fine, but the worrying would not desist. Not until the girl was there, in her new house, would the worrying end.

It was at 5:47 that afternoon that Frankie's door was jolted with a harsh "tok-tok-tok," ripping her from her myriad of thoughts and doubts. With her stomach churning and a shaky sigh slipping from her lips, she lifted her body off of the couch. Her trembling hand twisted the knob and ripped the door open, revealing a pair of dampened, shimmering eyes of emerald set upon the tear-stained face of a teenage girl. A short human-like hedgehog with black fur and frigid eyes gave her a solemn glance and a nod of confirmation. Frankie returned it, intimidated by the young man and his grim nature.

“Greetings, Miss Foster,” he bellowed. “This is Rebecca. You’ll be watching over her until further notice. You have sufficient quartering space, yes?”

Frankie gulped, her stomach churning, and nodded briskly in reply, giving the trembling girl a glance before being yanked back to the hedgehog, who turned to his left to speak to the poor girl.

“Rebecca, this is Francis. She will be your roommate and guardian. You will do as she says—she will look after you. Understand?” His tone was firm but not over-bearing. The type of tone one uses toward a child they wish to protect—telling them to do what’s good for them. Rebecca gave a rushed nod to the creature and attempted to smile to Frankie, who, with eyebrows curved in sympathy, smiled back.

“Don’t worry, Rebecca,” Frankie assured, widening her smile with empathy. She placed a consoling and gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I’ll take good care of ya.”

Frankie took the girl under her wing, so to speak, leading her into her house. The two turned to wave farewell to the black hedgehog, who murmured, “Should you require assistance, you know how to reach me.” With that, he flicked his feet to propel him backwards, and his shoes ignited, like rocket-powered rollerblades. He skated off in a flash, no doubt to his next appointment.

That veil of awkwardness that sets in at such moments flopped itself over the two girls, and Frankie frantically flailed to throw it off.

“Well, uh…How about we take you inside and show you around, Rebecca?”

Rebecca, her face flushed with anxiety, bobbed her traumatized head and obeyed. As the cozy though slightly empty living room-kitchen combo came into sight, Rebbeca’s soul eased up a bit. This was the first home environment she’d been in since her rebirth, and it was all the more welcoming. Frankie coerced Rebecca to the couch, which she took with open arms and a deep sigh of exhaustion.

“So, um…” Frankie muttered as she took the middle cushion beside the poor girl. “Do you like Rebecca, or Becca, Becky…--?” Rebecca’s emerald eyes wandered to the ceiling for a moment as she pondered the thought.

“Um...” Her nimble index finger rose to her cheek. “Not Becky,” she said with a little giggle. “Rebecca…Becca…Those are fine…” Her glance turned back to her new roommate and she shrugged at the silence.

“OK,” Frankie nodded. “So, uhhh…You don’t have any stuff, huh?” she mumbled, remembering what it was like not long ago for her. Rebecca’s thin green brow raised, bemused.

“Stuff? I don’t have anything, no…” Her lips tilted in sadness at the thought—she felt so lost…She really didn’t have anything. She didn’t even have her memory—only fragments of it.

Frankie nodded, bobbed her head a little.

“Yea…I remember what it was like coming here, too. I didn’t have anything, either. Things were pretty rough for a while…I mean, I guess they still are, but…I’ve met some new friends…And now I have you, too—and you have me, right?” she murmured, knowing in her heart that the two of them would get along just fine.

Rebecca seemed to share this sentiment, as she nodded slowly, wiping her eyes hurriedly. Though she had no rational reason to, Frankie leaned over and enveloped the girl in an empathetic hug.

“I’m sorry about what happened to you…I know exactly what it feels like…I lost everything, too…” Rebecca, taken aback from this sudden gesture, began to well up with gratitude. “I know you’ve lost so much more than me, Rebecca,” Frankie continued, surprised by her own blunt actions. “We both may have come from different ships,” she began, releasing her embrace. She wiped a tear of her own as she finished, “But we’re in the same boat now.”

Just as a child attaches itself so much easier than a more matured being does, Rebecca found herself instantly affectionate toward this new friend. She held a good sense of understanding her, she was so kind, so passionate…Here Rebecca was, amongst so many who all seemed strong and invincible, yet this girl came right out and showed her weakness. She had felt so alone in that darkness…but she was alone no longer. And that feeling was without equal. Her anxiety and fear had melted away in the instant those two arms had wrapped around her. She was safe now.

“You look so tired,” Frankie noted after a silent moment. “Do you want to go lay down?”

“No, I’m fine,” Rebecca mumbled, shaking her head. “Although I am a bit warm…” she noted. A yawn slipped from her mouth a second later. “Well,” she grinned. “Maybe I am a little tired…”

“It’s no wonder you’re warm,” Frankie noted. “You have this…leather…what is it?” Frankie gestured to the girl’s chest, which was covered in a piece of leather armor of some kind.

“Oh, this? This is…--” Rebecca’s sentence tripped and fell flat on its face as she ran her hands over the familiar yet unknown item she adorned. “…I don’t know what this is,” she mumbled. That worry began to set in again, and Frankie could see it. Somehow the child’s attire hadn’t fully hit her yet—she truly was dressed like a girl from medieval times…And though Frankie had read about her life from what the 1Up Agency had sent her via e-mail, it was still a bit of a shock. She was clad in a green bandana, leather armor, and boots to match, accompanied by a brown miniskirt and a black sleeveless. A blue sash wove around her waist.

“Well, don’t worry about it,” Frankie spat out, rising to her feet. “I’m sure I have some things lying around you can fit in. For now, take your boots off, and that...thing…” Rebecca eagerly worked the cumbersome clothing off, relief setting in. “Here, I’ll go put these by the door,” said Frankie as she took the boots. Rebecca let out another sigh, but this one was that of relaxation as she stretched her body back against the fluffy cushion of the couch’s back. “I’ll take this and find some stuff for you to get into. You can take a shower, too, I have everything in there you should need…”

“A shower? What kind of plant is that?” Rebecca almost hummed, her eyes closed.

Frankie paused for a moment to spite her ignorance.

“Oh, it’s…I’ll have to explain later,” she said with a chuckle. This could take some work, she realized. “I’ll be back in a second, so just make yourself at home…since it…well, it IS your home now…” Her banter quieted as she disappeared down a hall with the odd leather chest plate. She tossed it into an empty laundry basket in her small laundry room, and while she was at it, she took her dampened clothes from the washer and dumped them into the dryer. They had been completely forgotten, hadn’t they? After picking up a blanket and pillow from her bedroom for Rebecca’s comfort, she saw fit to head back out.

By the time she returned, she was charmed to see that Rebecca was doing just fine, curled up on the couch in an exhausted heap. Her mouth was agape, an arm dangled off onto the floor, and breathed deep. Frankie beamed at the adorable sight, happy that the poor girl was finally taking a break from the no-doubt taxing confusion that had occurred that day, the first of her new life in Star Haven. There was only a few years of difference in their ages—about five or so, Frankie figured—but she looked so childish at that moment, and Frankie couldn’t help but wonder if she herself had been in such a state not long before.

To think, within a few hours she would make the acquaintance of even more friends. Things were certainly looking up. She may have lost everything she had once had, but at least the powers above were granted her many things she could now fully appreciate, having lost them before.

~*~*~*~*~*

(just finished the next scene, too, for what that's worth)

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

This scene is somewhat shorter, but still good. I liked how they bonded so fast. Frankie's personality is almost the same as in the show, except she doesn't have her impatience. I don't really know who Rebecca is, I just remember she was in a previous update somewhere behind. That's probably since I have never played the game she was in. I can get a general vision of what she looks like by your description, but probably not a very accurate one in my head. This scene was sweet, and I'm excited for the next update whenever it comes.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yea, they had a very blunt bonding immediately.

This is mainly due to the fact that Rebecca's soul is very traumatized--like a child, she'll get easily attached to anything that shows her attention right now.

Frankie, being educated in child psychology some, understands this.

And yes, I intentionally have Frankie less impatient than on the show, though I do feel that I have her personality down pretty good.

You have to keep in perspective two things: Frankie is almost never seen without having to be taking care of someone or something--essentially babysitting and cleaning--and furthermore, it's implied that her character has grown a bit from who she is on the show because everyone she once knew is pretty much, well, dead.

That changes a person. Frankie's not impatient near as much as she was because, as I tried to say in that scene, she now has a much greater appreciate for what she once had and has now--she has every intention of making the most of it.

You picked up on a lot of that, it seems, so I guess I did my job.

I really need to get this fic elsewhere. I need to find some other message boards or website, SOMETHING where I can get this to people.

Let's face it, Smashboards is dead as far as fiction is concerned.

And by the way...

Although she obviously doesn't have a bow and quiver on her person at the moment.
And, well, she also technically doesn't boots or leather...whatever-ya-call it...either...

--

Also, just in case someone reads this at some point or another and has no idea what Frankie looks like...here are some renditions of her.

This one.
And...
This one...

And I'm partial to this one, myself...

This one's a bit different, but it's a lot better than most.

And for those purists out there,
this is what she looks like on the show she's from.
Wow, yea, she actually looks pretty...evil...in those ones.

Oh, well.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Aw, heck...

---

~*~*~*~*~*

[Starbound V7.0]

Username: ~Adopt_Imagination~
Password: **********

[Logging in…]

[Welcome, Frances. You have 2 new messages in your inbox.]

[Frances,]
[You have received a message from:]
[L17713L05TS0UL@haven.com]

Subject: w00t!

yo sup franky???

so wuts with dis gurl j00r takin care of huh?
wuts she like? U 2 gettin along good?

3y3m actully on my lunch break right now so i gottza go.
but i so cant wait to meet her n chill with j00!!!

i no ur prolly a lil worried bout meetin my othr friends,but youre gonna luv em, trust me. n their pyched to see u 2!! 3y3 no it!!

Neway i’ll see j00 soon, franky!

l4t3r d4y2!
*huggle*
---
Send to: L17713L05TS0UL@haven.com
Subject: Re: w00t!

Heya, Cirrus.
Thanks for sending me an e-mail. It’s been a little bit of a rough day, I was real worried about my new roommate. But we’ve met, and just know we’re gonna get along. She’s such a sweet girl, I feel so bad about everything that’s happened, the poor thing…=(
She’s so tired, she passed out right on my couch while I was gone for a minute!

I think meeting more people will be good for her, and I can’t wait to meet your friends in person, either. What about your other friend? Crystal, right? What’s happening with her? Is she all right?

And what on earth is l4t3r d4y2?
Well, I guess I’m not on earth, anymore, huh? ^_^;

But I’m starting to love it here now that I’ve met you and all of these other wonderful people. Can’t wait to see you again tonight.

Thanks for everything, Cirrus. =)
*huggle back*

~Frankie Foster
---
Adopt an Imaginary Friend today! Don’t let good ideas be forgotten!

[Frances,]
[You have received a message from:]
[Sparx343@haven.com]

Subject: Soooo…

I’m totally loving my day off! How about you? Breaks are the best!
And to think, just later tonight, we’ll be having all sorts of fun! =^_^=

So what about this new girl you e-mailed us about? Is she OK?
Poor dear sounds like she’s been through a lot…=(
I hope we don’t frighten her…You dont think we will, do you?

I guess I don’t have mch else to say right now! Silly me.
I so totally can’t wait to meet you, especially after what Cirrus has told me about you. You sound like you’d make a good mom.
Were you a mom? Before, well…you know…
Either way, I’m sure you’ll meet someone nice here at Star Haven and be a great mom!
=D

I’ll see you tonight, Frankie! ~huggle~

~Sparkle~
---
Send to: Sparx343@haven.com
Subject: Re: Soooo…

Haha, yea, it’s nice to have a good day off. And I’m sure we’ll have lot so fun tonight. I can’t wait to meet you face-to-face.

Rebecca is doing just fine, she’s taking a nap on my couch—she was so tired when she got here! I feel so bad for her…she doesn’t seem to remember anything…-_-

Don’t be afraid—the poor girl is so lonely that I’m sure she’ll be delighted to meet some friendly faces, no matter how different they are from her own. =)
We’ll have to make sure she feels welcome.
After what I’ve learned about her situation and what I know about how to approach them, she really needs to feel secure and loved right now—her whole reality is unstable and lonely.

A mom, huh? Don’t make me blush.
I’m only 22. I mean, I could’ve gotten married by now, sure…but I’m not ready for that sort of thing yet. Besides, I would need a good guy to settle down with, anyhow.
I haven’t been on a real date in…oh, gosh, I’d say over a year now. And the date I did go with turned out to be a total jerk who hated kids!

I should probably go find some clothes for Rebecca to wear tonight. I’m even going to have to explain to her how to use a shower because from where she comes from, they don’t exist! That oughtta be interesting…=P

Haha! Huggles from you, too, huh? That’s such a cute word.
~huggle back~

Can’t wait to have you over, Sparkle.

~Frankie Foster
---
Adopt an Imaginary Friend today! Don’t let good ideas be forgotten!

~*~*~*~*~*

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

Frankie gets interesting e-mails =P. I either forgot who those other people she's talking to are, or I don't know who they are. It's hard for me to discern =/. I never expected Frankie to keep "Adopt an Imaginary Friend today! Don't let good ideas be forgotten!" in her signature since her home no longer exists. It would be very interesting to see what happens when they all meet.

Yeah, the fan fiction part of the forum had been dead long ago. I remember the days where I'd go read a fic and there were lots of responses. That second picture of Frankie is my favorite. Besides that, I don't really have much to say. If I do, I probably forgot what I was going to say.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Yea, you're totally forgetting Frankie's entire story arc--but that's OK.

If you're concerned, you could always read back a couple pages.

Anyway, Frankie keeps that in her signature as sort of a memorial to those she loved.

And yes, it's going to be interesting, I'm sure of that.
No-doubt lacking of excitement but packed with character and context development.

And probably laden with estrogen. But, well, if people don't like that, too bad.

 

[MewtwoMaster2002]

I know their names are Cirrus and Sparkle...I just forgot if they were original characters by you or if they were from a game. From looking back a few pages, all I got was they talk to each other a lot, they have some kind of a connection to Geno, and they were upset that Crystal was leaving. I didn't have time to read because I have to study for finals, so I just skimmed them.

 

[Destiny Smasher]

Haha, that's OK.
If you need clarification, you can always go back.

Finals?
WHA??
But it's January...
Is your school year radically different from mine, or something?