1
LBT Fanart / Taunt's Crazy Train
« on: April 02, 2020, 07:28:51 PM »
Behold all his glory!
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2
Visual Art / DarkHououmon's Artwork
« on: August 18, 2019, 09:17:47 PM »
So I finally got around to doing this. I forget if I had another thread where I posted various artwork, so I decided to make a new one. I'll be posting artwork in this thread instead of creating a new one for each image. I'll start off with these couple of images:
https://i.imgur.com/4N3CCvZ.png
https://i.imgur.com/YbVSpTr.png
https://i.imgur.com/KrWR9sp.png
Some pretty old concept art for some of my alimon characters.
https://i.imgur.com/4N3CCvZ.png
https://i.imgur.com/YbVSpTr.png
https://i.imgur.com/KrWR9sp.png
Some pretty old concept art for some of my alimon characters.
3
The Fridge / Harddrive is dying
« on: June 26, 2016, 08:02:43 PM »
I'll be gone for a while. Not sure how long. I'll be back when I can.
4
The Fridge / What I've been up to
« on: February 12, 2016, 11:32:12 AM »
I have been meaning to make a topic about this, but I kept forgetting to.
For the past few months, I have been attending a school. Not so much a college, but a dedicated learning center. Highly reputable with an amazing after-school employment rate. I started in September and I am set to finish soon. Either next month or so.
I have been going for their computer technology course, going for my A+ certification, and later I will be going for Network+ and Security+.
I presently am mostly finished with A+. I still need to take my certification, but that won't be until later. I am almost finished with Network+. I will be taking a test before I go onto Security+. I will not be taking my certification with Network+ or Security+ until much later. But if all goes well, it might be next year that I take them and recieve two more certifications.
I have been learning a large array of things, including how to take apart and reassemble a computer, various commands, different plugs and card types, among other things. There's still more things on the agenda and I still need to do some studying before I can even think of taking my A+ certification. I will post an update regarding that and if I passed or not.
Other than that, the only other bit of news I have is related to family.
Back in December, my eldest youngest sister had visited on Christmas Day with her boyfriend. She had given mom a present box and told her to open it. And so mom did. And she soon pulled out a small sky blue shirt. Mom was absolutely shocked and kept staring at my sister to know if this was a joke or not, but it wasn't and mom (and later dad) congratulated her.
Yep, my sister is pregnant. She recently found out. She is a couple months into it. She is due in August of this year. So in a few months, I am going to be an aunt for the first time.
I am not sure what plans my sister has so far, as she lives a bit far from me. But I'm sure there's a lot of planning going on. My youngest sister is already making preparations and my parents are quite excited to finally be grandparents.
For the past few months, I have been attending a school. Not so much a college, but a dedicated learning center. Highly reputable with an amazing after-school employment rate. I started in September and I am set to finish soon. Either next month or so.
I have been going for their computer technology course, going for my A+ certification, and later I will be going for Network+ and Security+.
I presently am mostly finished with A+. I still need to take my certification, but that won't be until later. I am almost finished with Network+. I will be taking a test before I go onto Security+. I will not be taking my certification with Network+ or Security+ until much later. But if all goes well, it might be next year that I take them and recieve two more certifications.
I have been learning a large array of things, including how to take apart and reassemble a computer, various commands, different plugs and card types, among other things. There's still more things on the agenda and I still need to do some studying before I can even think of taking my A+ certification. I will post an update regarding that and if I passed or not.
Other than that, the only other bit of news I have is related to family.
Back in December, my eldest youngest sister had visited on Christmas Day with her boyfriend. She had given mom a present box and told her to open it. And so mom did. And she soon pulled out a small sky blue shirt. Mom was absolutely shocked and kept staring at my sister to know if this was a joke or not, but it wasn't and mom (and later dad) congratulated her.
Yep, my sister is pregnant. She recently found out. She is a couple months into it. She is due in August of this year. So in a few months, I am going to be an aunt for the first time.
I am not sure what plans my sister has so far, as she lives a bit far from me. But I'm sure there's a lot of planning going on. My youngest sister is already making preparations and my parents are quite excited to finally be grandparents.
5
The Written Word / Preview of a short story
« on: July 21, 2015, 08:37:00 PM »
The young alimon bowed her head. She closed her eyes as the large claw was placed against her shoulder. She ignored the sharp sting as the claw was dragged along the skin, creating a small red mark.
A while ago, I wrote a short story (no name yet) that took place before the events of my alimon story (which is still in the works). This short story, which ended up being 24 pages in length, focuses on Blackhole's past.
I decided to post the first scene, which is the first two pages and a quarter of the story itself.
sss
“Your new name is Blackhole.”
The alimon reopened her eyes and stared up at the adult who stood before her. Her head only reached to about the middle of his neck. She stood up from her seated position and kept her head low. She would not move until he said so.
She could feel everyone's eyes on her. She could feel the eyes of her proud mother and father, the leaders of the pack, as she was given the honor of her permanent name. This was a right of passage. For the first time, she truly felt like she was an adult. She wanted to assert her new rights. She had earned them. If only all members of the pack shared this quality.
The alimon who stood before her had gone silent. She waited quietly for him to continue. The ritual was not yet done. She had to wait for one more thing.
The choosing.
“I have spent many sun days and moon days watching you. It is hard to believe how rambunctious you used to be. Now look at you.” The alimon smiled wildly. “You have grown up to be a fine example of what an alimon should be.”
It took a while for Blackhole to stop the warm swelling of pride in her chest. She did not want to let herself get too worked up. She knew what happened to alimons who took too much pride in what they do. She simply bowed her head in respect.
“Based on what I have seen, I know exactly where you will be placed.”
“What have you chosen, Browndwarf?” Blackhole asked in a silent and respectful tone.
She tilted her head slightly up and looked at the alimon. The mentor of her pack, Browndwarf, truly lived up to his name. He was among the shortest of the pack and with scales and tall neck feathers almost the same color. Even his stripes were faded, and only a little bit of his belly was light-colored.
This reminded her of herself in some ways. Her stripes, despite being lighter than most, were not as noticeable as others due to her scales being so dark brown, they almost blended in. Her grey underside, however, was easily noticeable.
“You will be assigned to Icane's pack.” Browndwarf stated.
At this, there were many whispers and murmurs.
This reaction did not evade Blackhole. Her eyes widened and she wondered if Browndwarf knew what he was doing. To be assigned to another pack meant she would have to break off loyalties with her birth one. It was a hard decision to make and it was only ever suggested if there was something to gain from it. But she did not know if she could say goodbye to her home. She wondered why Browndwarf would do this.
She knew the rules of being assigned to another pack. She was not to speak about her life here. She was not to tell the names of anyone. She would not be allowed to come back except with permission and an escort. Her life would begin anew. That was such the way of her people. There was nothing she could do about it.
“I know you are shocked.” Browndwarf said. He looked down at her, his expression soft with sympathy. “But you should be proud. Icane's pack is highly esteemed. You will learn much there.”
Blackhole knew the best thing to do was to keep quiet and let him finish. But her curiosity was getting the best of her. “What is my assignment?”
Browndwarf pulled his head back. He turned his head and glanced at the alimons in the immediate area. He gave a proud smile as he looked back down at Blackhole. His voice was somewhat booming, loud enough to let everyone hear him. “You will go there to study to be a seer.”
“A seer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Browndwarf smiled at her. “I know you may not think you are qualified for such a role.” He lowered his head and moved it close to her. “But I have seen what you can do. You are more than capable. You just need to hone your skills in.”
Blackhole lowered her head and thought about this. A seer? That was one of the most honorable positions in a pack. But it also entailed so much responsbility. Would she be able to pull it off?
The next words froze her and silenced the small room.
“You will also be learning the human tongue.”
Blackhole could feel her mouth drop open. She let this information sink in. Not many alimons knew that language. It was difficult to learn. The fact that she had been assigned to learn it meant that Browndwarf had far more plans for her than he had initially implied.
Things had been getting rocky with their human neighbors as of late. She had recalled a recent dispute which left one human without a leg and an alimon without an eye. That had just been one of many. She was thankful that her pack had not gotten caught up in such a mess so far.
The humans were hunters like them. This meant they were in constant coflict for resources. Her people often occupied areas too hostile for humans. But sometimes, they seem to find their way over into their territory. Communication was important. By learning their language, she would become a bridge, and her status would be ranked higher than most other alimons.
It was a huge responsibility. She understood that Browndwarf had a lot of belief in her. But perhaps he was thinking too deeply in this? What made her qualified for this?
“You will help aid Icane and his pack negotiate with the humans. They are in need of a new translator.”
“But I thought that...” Blackhole did not get a chance to finish.
“Yes, they do have one. Rootwater will be your teacher.” Browndwarf affirmed as he tapped his foot against the ground. “But she was nearly injured in her last meeting. Icane wants a second translator in case something were to happen to her.”
Blackhole felt her stomach churn at those words. Her previous excitement for her assignment was replaced with trepidation and fear. She did not want to put her life on the line for a pack that she held no personal alliance with. She did not mind going there to learn, but if that learning put her at risk of being hurt...
Although she managed to regain some control of herself, the cold, stinging feeling continued to plague her. She reminded herself that risk of attack was present for all translators, a fact that she had nearly forgotten about. Even if she was not to replace Rootwater, she would still need to face possible danger.
She looked back at her parents. Where once they looked so proud and happy, now they had some hint of fear in their eyes. They were still smiling. They did not make a move to protest. She could tell that they were proud of her. They were just thinking about this with more caution.
The other pack members were less fearful. They did not cheer, but their smiles were broader than her parents'. If they were allowed to speak, she knew full well that they would be showering her with congratulations and wishing her the best of luck.
She tried not to laugh. Luck... She would need a lot more than just luck for this.
“Do you accept?” Browndwarf asked.
She looked up at him. She remained silent as she thought about this. What should she say? She had some uncertainties about this. If it had just been a relocation to be a seer, she would more likely have said yes. Despite missing her family, working with the esteemed Icane was an honor she did not dare foil up.
But having to face humans in potential life and death situations? To be placed in such potential hostility? She was not sure if she could willingly say yes to that too quickly. She was aware of how dangerous humans could be. She did not mind occasional contact with them, like for trading and negotiation purposes. But she was not prepared to be thrown in a situation where hostile humans may be common.
Their technological levels were similar to theirs. Only humans were a bit more cowardly. They used guns. The thought made her feel sick in disgust. But she was not a fool. She was aware of the danger level of guns. A human could shoot her down from a distance if they aimed well enough. No one would know until it was too late, unless they were lucky enough to get their smell.
She did not want to offend her mentor. She had no desire to make the pack think less of her. Not with such an honorable, though dangerous, position. Instead of rejecting or accepting, she opted for the more neutral of choices.
“May I think about this?” Blackhole kept her head low. “This is a lot to take in.”
Browndwarf nodded his head slowly. “Yes you may.” He gave her an understanding smile. “I did not expect you to agree so quickly. You may have one sun day and one moon day to make up your mind.” He turned to the side, a signal that the meeting was over. “You may return to your parents now.”
Blackhole did not say another word as she returned to her parents' side. She tried to ignore the confused and slightly disappointed expressions her packmates were giving her. She tried not to pay heed to her parents' own worried expressions. She simply sat down next to them, her head lowered. Her mind would not stop swimming with thoughts.
She had a lot to think about.
A while ago, I wrote a short story (no name yet) that took place before the events of my alimon story (which is still in the works). This short story, which ended up being 24 pages in length, focuses on Blackhole's past.
I decided to post the first scene, which is the first two pages and a quarter of the story itself.
sss
“Your new name is Blackhole.”
The alimon reopened her eyes and stared up at the adult who stood before her. Her head only reached to about the middle of his neck. She stood up from her seated position and kept her head low. She would not move until he said so.
She could feel everyone's eyes on her. She could feel the eyes of her proud mother and father, the leaders of the pack, as she was given the honor of her permanent name. This was a right of passage. For the first time, she truly felt like she was an adult. She wanted to assert her new rights. She had earned them. If only all members of the pack shared this quality.
The alimon who stood before her had gone silent. She waited quietly for him to continue. The ritual was not yet done. She had to wait for one more thing.
The choosing.
“I have spent many sun days and moon days watching you. It is hard to believe how rambunctious you used to be. Now look at you.” The alimon smiled wildly. “You have grown up to be a fine example of what an alimon should be.”
It took a while for Blackhole to stop the warm swelling of pride in her chest. She did not want to let herself get too worked up. She knew what happened to alimons who took too much pride in what they do. She simply bowed her head in respect.
“Based on what I have seen, I know exactly where you will be placed.”
“What have you chosen, Browndwarf?” Blackhole asked in a silent and respectful tone.
She tilted her head slightly up and looked at the alimon. The mentor of her pack, Browndwarf, truly lived up to his name. He was among the shortest of the pack and with scales and tall neck feathers almost the same color. Even his stripes were faded, and only a little bit of his belly was light-colored.
This reminded her of herself in some ways. Her stripes, despite being lighter than most, were not as noticeable as others due to her scales being so dark brown, they almost blended in. Her grey underside, however, was easily noticeable.
“You will be assigned to Icane's pack.” Browndwarf stated.
At this, there were many whispers and murmurs.
This reaction did not evade Blackhole. Her eyes widened and she wondered if Browndwarf knew what he was doing. To be assigned to another pack meant she would have to break off loyalties with her birth one. It was a hard decision to make and it was only ever suggested if there was something to gain from it. But she did not know if she could say goodbye to her home. She wondered why Browndwarf would do this.
She knew the rules of being assigned to another pack. She was not to speak about her life here. She was not to tell the names of anyone. She would not be allowed to come back except with permission and an escort. Her life would begin anew. That was such the way of her people. There was nothing she could do about it.
“I know you are shocked.” Browndwarf said. He looked down at her, his expression soft with sympathy. “But you should be proud. Icane's pack is highly esteemed. You will learn much there.”
Blackhole knew the best thing to do was to keep quiet and let him finish. But her curiosity was getting the best of her. “What is my assignment?”
Browndwarf pulled his head back. He turned his head and glanced at the alimons in the immediate area. He gave a proud smile as he looked back down at Blackhole. His voice was somewhat booming, loud enough to let everyone hear him. “You will go there to study to be a seer.”
“A seer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Browndwarf smiled at her. “I know you may not think you are qualified for such a role.” He lowered his head and moved it close to her. “But I have seen what you can do. You are more than capable. You just need to hone your skills in.”
Blackhole lowered her head and thought about this. A seer? That was one of the most honorable positions in a pack. But it also entailed so much responsbility. Would she be able to pull it off?
The next words froze her and silenced the small room.
“You will also be learning the human tongue.”
Blackhole could feel her mouth drop open. She let this information sink in. Not many alimons knew that language. It was difficult to learn. The fact that she had been assigned to learn it meant that Browndwarf had far more plans for her than he had initially implied.
Things had been getting rocky with their human neighbors as of late. She had recalled a recent dispute which left one human without a leg and an alimon without an eye. That had just been one of many. She was thankful that her pack had not gotten caught up in such a mess so far.
The humans were hunters like them. This meant they were in constant coflict for resources. Her people often occupied areas too hostile for humans. But sometimes, they seem to find their way over into their territory. Communication was important. By learning their language, she would become a bridge, and her status would be ranked higher than most other alimons.
It was a huge responsibility. She understood that Browndwarf had a lot of belief in her. But perhaps he was thinking too deeply in this? What made her qualified for this?
“You will help aid Icane and his pack negotiate with the humans. They are in need of a new translator.”
“But I thought that...” Blackhole did not get a chance to finish.
“Yes, they do have one. Rootwater will be your teacher.” Browndwarf affirmed as he tapped his foot against the ground. “But she was nearly injured in her last meeting. Icane wants a second translator in case something were to happen to her.”
Blackhole felt her stomach churn at those words. Her previous excitement for her assignment was replaced with trepidation and fear. She did not want to put her life on the line for a pack that she held no personal alliance with. She did not mind going there to learn, but if that learning put her at risk of being hurt...
Although she managed to regain some control of herself, the cold, stinging feeling continued to plague her. She reminded herself that risk of attack was present for all translators, a fact that she had nearly forgotten about. Even if she was not to replace Rootwater, she would still need to face possible danger.
She looked back at her parents. Where once they looked so proud and happy, now they had some hint of fear in their eyes. They were still smiling. They did not make a move to protest. She could tell that they were proud of her. They were just thinking about this with more caution.
The other pack members were less fearful. They did not cheer, but their smiles were broader than her parents'. If they were allowed to speak, she knew full well that they would be showering her with congratulations and wishing her the best of luck.
She tried not to laugh. Luck... She would need a lot more than just luck for this.
“Do you accept?” Browndwarf asked.
She looked up at him. She remained silent as she thought about this. What should she say? She had some uncertainties about this. If it had just been a relocation to be a seer, she would more likely have said yes. Despite missing her family, working with the esteemed Icane was an honor she did not dare foil up.
But having to face humans in potential life and death situations? To be placed in such potential hostility? She was not sure if she could willingly say yes to that too quickly. She was aware of how dangerous humans could be. She did not mind occasional contact with them, like for trading and negotiation purposes. But she was not prepared to be thrown in a situation where hostile humans may be common.
Their technological levels were similar to theirs. Only humans were a bit more cowardly. They used guns. The thought made her feel sick in disgust. But she was not a fool. She was aware of the danger level of guns. A human could shoot her down from a distance if they aimed well enough. No one would know until it was too late, unless they were lucky enough to get their smell.
She did not want to offend her mentor. She had no desire to make the pack think less of her. Not with such an honorable, though dangerous, position. Instead of rejecting or accepting, she opted for the more neutral of choices.
“May I think about this?” Blackhole kept her head low. “This is a lot to take in.”
Browndwarf nodded his head slowly. “Yes you may.” He gave her an understanding smile. “I did not expect you to agree so quickly. You may have one sun day and one moon day to make up your mind.” He turned to the side, a signal that the meeting was over. “You may return to your parents now.”
Blackhole did not say another word as she returned to her parents' side. She tried to ignore the confused and slightly disappointed expressions her packmates were giving her. She tried not to pay heed to her parents' own worried expressions. She simply sat down next to them, her head lowered. Her mind would not stop swimming with thoughts.
She had a lot to think about.
6
Silver Screen / Pixels
« on: June 08, 2015, 04:41:12 PM »
Anyone looking forward to this?
The plot of the movie is that a message was sent into space in the 80s, and the aliens that found it interpreted it as a declaration of war (thanks to gameplay footage of video games at the time) and they send out real life versions of video game characters such as Pac-Man and Centipede to come attack us, and video game champions are summoned to take them on.
Here is the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIOcWZOQL5M
I do look forward to this.
The plot of the movie is that a message was sent into space in the 80s, and the aliens that found it interpreted it as a declaration of war (thanks to gameplay footage of video games at the time) and they send out real life versions of video game characters such as Pac-Man and Centipede to come attack us, and video game champions are summoned to take them on.
Here is the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIOcWZOQL5M
I do look forward to this.
7
Visual Art / Rikki Tikki Tavi review
« on: February 23, 2015, 11:19:16 PM »
I haven't done this kind of review before, with moving pictures and not just a still picture or just written. The review itself isn't 100% done, but for the moment, I do have a preview of it available. I'll work on it more tomorrow and try to have it completed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QBj9shVepE&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QBj9shVepE&feature=youtu.be
8
The Written Word / Story snippets
« on: February 02, 2015, 07:56:11 PM »
I wrote a series of short scenes for an alimon story I started to write back in November for NanoWrimo. These scenes were written with the purpose of trying to world build a little, figure out some of the plot, and to develop the characters a little.Try to get a feel of what hey are like. Nothing is concrete yet as I'm still developing the story and the characters.
The story itself involves my invented dinosaur species, the alimon (ingottosaurus, their scientific name I came up with that means copycat lizard, due to them being a theropod that looks like a sauropod). I haven't written too many scenes. I'll post the first one today. I'll add the rest later.
Blackhole relaxed in her favorite spot. High on the mountains, her stomach laying across a rock. She did not have much to worry about today. She had gotten all her duties finished about an hour ago. Now was the time to rest and relax her mind.
It was not like anyone was going to come up here and disturb her. Everyone was down below, discussing other matters of day to day life. Not many would venture up here. She went up a difficult path. Winding and spikey and sharp. It was a dangerous path to travel on. Most would think she was insane for using this pathway, and wonder why she did not choose some place safer.
Well, she had her reasons. Did not everyone? Different motivations, everyone had for what they did. No one had found out about her actions, and if they did, she would bet they would jump to conclusions instead of asking her.
She came here to enjoy some solitude. Away from the others, where she could relax. Sure, she had her own place that was high and secluded from the others. But sometimes, it was just nice to really get away from it all. Her place could still be visited by some alimons, such as the leaders, Icane and Pound. She may not be able to relax long before someone would show up and ask her for some assistance.
There were some downsides to being the advisor of the pack, as well as the seer. Many looked up to her for her knowledge and wisdom when it came to aspects she knew most about. Not everyone was given the same level of knowledge. Specialization was common practice among the pack. It was not something she questionsed, although this resulted in her constantly sought after, for she knew the most about stellar objects, and whatever else they needed. Her own name, Blackhole, was a testament to that.
But here, away from the others, she could relax and settle herself down. She could relax and avoid the constant ramblings of the other alimons, and avoid having to divulge more information, taking away her chance to relax.
Sometimes she wondered if the other alimons even understood how hard it was for her to study and retain all that information. Her head still ached from time to time as she recalled how difficult it was. A pleasant experience, it was not.
She closed her eyes softly, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. She could barely hear anyone else besides herself. The ramblings and talk of the other alimons was so faded, no words could be comprehended. Even the distant calls of eagles and falcons sounded more like lullabies than the usual warning calls that they were.
She opened her jaws and let out a loud yawn, her lips pulling back slightly, exposing her sharp teeth and her pink gums for a few seconds. She could feel the heaviness of exhaustion push down onto her shoulders. It was time for her to get some real rest. She might be up all night again doing some work. She needed take this chance now befor she forgot.
Her eyes closed slowly. The blackness immediately overcame her vision. She tilted her head to one side, her tail curving inward. Slowly, she began to descend into the comforting dark silence that was sleep.
Just then, before she could get too far in her sleep, she could hear something. A crack. A rubble. Her eyes snapped open and she shot her head up. She looked left and right, her eyes scanning the grooves and twists of the mountain. She did not see anything, and at first, it was possible she just heard things. But she knew better than that. Time to pull out her next sensory organ.
Her nose. Always reliable, it was. An advantage to being a meat-eating being. Its power rivaled some of the animals of the area, perhaps even surpassing them. She lifted her head up, her head in a diagonal slant, and began to sniff.
The scents assaulted her nose immediately. The wind wafered through it, tingling the inside of her muzzle and sending rapid signals to her brain. With that single sniff, she was able to detect the dank smell of the recent rain, the wet rocks around her, a sour-smelling berry patch not far, and even a carcass being fed on by vultures.
It was not difficult for her to pinpoint the foreign smell. One scent stood out among the others. Even in an area filled with rotting flesh and tasty blood, she would still be able to recognize this scent, for it would be hard to miss. She had known this smell since she was little.
Her eyes narrowed slowly. The more she sniffed, the more she realized that she had been followed. And not by someone she had particularly wanted to see right now. She lifted up her head and turned it to where the smell was coming from.
Of all the alimons, it had to be him.
“Embertinker..” Blackhole said as she lifted her body off the ground. “What an unpleasant surprise.”
A tall, skinny alimon appeared from the side of the mountain. He almost slinked along the wall, as if he were a part of it. His feathers were at their neutral height, this tail held up in greeting. Despite how cold she sounded, Embertinker still looked happy to see her. It was as if she had not tried to show how displeased she was to see him.
Embertinker moved forward, making his way towards her. Soon he stood a few feet away from her. His side was exposed to her. A gesture that was two fold. Show a side to an enemy, and it was a challenge, a way of showing how big they were. Show a side without the accompaniment of growls and snarls, and it was a ëI will not harm you’ gesture. After all, the side and flank were among the most vulnerable parts on an alimon. They were hard to defend, which was why they were a major focus when it came to armor.
“I thought I might find you up here.” Embertinker said, a broad grin spreading across his face. “It was just a matter of following your scent.”
Blackhole snorted at this. She gave a half smile. In a bemused tone of voice, she said, “I take it the herbal rememdy I used before did nothing to hide my smell?”
Embertinker shook his head. “Nope. You are pretty easy to find, sister. Then again..are you surprised?” Embertinker put his head close to hers. She moved her head away, glaring softly at him. “I was always so good at finding you! Even as a cubbie!” He chuckled at this. “Those were good times.”
“Yeah, sure.” Blackhole was deadpan, rolling her eyes. “A real riot.”
She was going to have to talk to Nightherb about that remedy she was given. She had specifically asked for something that would mask her scent. She did not tell Nightherb what it was for, just that it was part of an experiment. Nightherb insisted it would work.
Well it was clear as a sun day that it was not. She would not be able to talk to her again as it was going to be tomorrow soon. And moon days were not a good time to speak to anyone, as those were the days people slept around here. She would have to wait until the next sun day.
Luckily, that is not a terribly long wait. She just had to be patient. She hoped that Nightherb could come up with something better this time around. Something that could fool even Embertinker and his wonder snout.
“So..why are you up here, anyway?” Embertinker asked as he moved closer to his sister. He settled down beside her. She inched herself away. Embertinker tilted his head to one side. “Is this where you have been disappearing to?”
Blackhole was silent for a moment. She thought about lying to her brother. She did not want him following her whenever she disappeared. Her hiding spot had been put in jeopardy because of him. What was going to stop him from telling the other alimons?
But she knew that she would not get far with lying. Embertinker was often good at picking out lies. Something about how he could smell it or something. She knew a lot of things, but that was something that still alluded her comprehension.
“I just want to get away from the others. Take a break and relax.” Blackhole said. She lowered her head to the ground, her paws splaying out at her sides. Her chin on the ground, she gave a sigh. “I do not think you can comprehend what it is like having so many alimons come at you day after day, asking for information on this and that. Being the advisor and seer of this pack can take its toll on you. Believe me. It is not as glamorous as some may say.”
“Some alimons strive for your position. You should consider yourself lucky that you have this.” Embertinker looked over at her. His green eyes rested on her. “It is hard getting into this position at all. You could have gone your whole life without having this opportunity.”
Blackhole gave a bitter smirk. “If they want my job so badly, they can take it.” She lifted her head slightly. Her muzzle pointed downward. “They have no idea what they would be getting themselves into. That is why I would be happy to alleviate myself of that duty.”
“And you would give others the burden just because you want a break from it?” Embertinker stared at her in shock. “Blackhole, I am surprised at you! I would think that you would be better than this!”
Blackhole turned her head away. A low growl eminated from her through.”You do not know my burden, Embertinker. You do not know how much I just want to throw it all away, to run and flee from my job just for a day of normality.” She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing them shut. “How I miss the old days...”
She felt a hard nudge against her. Something soft moved against her body. There was slight pain from the force. She rose her head up and looked over. It took her only moments to realize that Embertinker had pushed her with his snout. He was looking down at her, a soft glare plastered over his eyes.
“What?” She hissed through her clenched teeth. “What do you want?”
“You think you are so special, do you not? You think you are the only one in this pack that has to contribute? You think you are the only one with such burdens placed upon you? You think you are the only one who is looked to day in, day out, with no end in sight?” Embertinker growled uncharactistically, his tail and feathers raising up.
Blackhole glared back at him. She climbed up to her feet. She had her back arched and her head lowered. Some sense of hostility began to cling to the air as the two of them stared at one another. Tails swished in agitation, their eyes locked onto each other. After a few moments, Blackhole hissed, “You are wrong. That is not what I am saying at all. It is just that...”
“Many go through what you are feeling, Blackhole. Many share a similiar burden.” Embertinker said in a stern voice. “Have you ever thought about Icane and Pound? They are our leaders, Blackhole. They are in charge of everything. All the information pathways lead to them, as they need to know all this stuff to run things around here. And they are the ones who have the final word on everything, and the ones we must follow in a crisis.”
Blackhole continued to glare at her brother. She panted a few times as his words entered her mind, sifting through. But none of the words fully registered with her head. Anger still clung to her, preventing her from realizing the point that her brother was trying to make.
“They have help. They have each other.” Blackhole said. “They all have help. Me? I have no one!” Her teeth flashed, glinting off the evening light as the sun was setting, the moon rising up for the start of the moon day. “I only have myself as person after person comes in for my advice! And I am the one stuck running the schedules here! I have to keep track of the days and let everyone know how much time had passed! Do you think that is easy for me to do alone?!”
Embertinker’s eyes widened sightly. They then relaxed, and he obtained a more neutral posture. His tail relaxed behind him, lowering towards the ground. He gave his head a slight shake. “No. I do not think that.” His voice was calm and gentle this time. “I just feel upset that you overlook a single factor right before your eyes.”
“Oh? And what is that?” Blackhole asked in a sullen voice. “What has your fantastic snout detected in the air this time?”
Embertinker replied almost immediately. “I know how you feel.”
Blackhole glared softly at him. “Oh really now?”
Embertinker glared back at her. “What? You think I cannot understand?” He placed his paw against his chest, his palm curving slightly over his chest ridge. “You think that I have not felt the stress when it came to my job? Being in charge of inventing and creating?”
Blackhole rolled her eyes at this. “So you have to make something new every once in a while. That is not as bad as having to keep track of things day after day.”
The orange and yellow alimon that was her brother before her did not appear to agree with her. His lip curled up into a slight snarl. Not anger, but frustration. It was clear that Embertinker was not happy with her right now. Then again, she was not happy with him.
How could he possibly understand what she has to go through? He was not given assignments as often. He did not have to deal with the stress of expectation every day. He only needed to help push their technology forward. Despite his silly attitude that he displayed off and on, he was quite brilliant in several aspects. And that intelligent mind of his allowed him to create things to help the pack as a whole.
She wondered if this was just a cheap attempt at him getting her to see that she ëwas not alone’. If that were the case, she hoped that he would trample off soon. She did not need to hear his pathetic attempts at cheering her up if this was what he was going to do.
“I understand how you feel more than you are realizing, Blackhole. Yes, I am only tasked with a new invention when required. So on the surface, it looks like I am not doing as much work.” Embertinker said. “But...” He raised his claw up at this. “There is more to it than that.”
“Oh?” Blackhole muttered softly. “Like what?”
“Who do you think has to handle all the troubleshooting and proofing of the new device? Who do you think everyone turns to when it comes to new inventions? Who do you think everyone turns to when the devices break down? Who do you think is responsible for mass producing the inventions? In case you have forgotten, sister, I work alone. I have no one to back me up.” Embertinker leaned towards his black and white sibling. “Just like you...”
Blackhole blinked her eyes a couple of times at this. Slowly, she widened them. She could feel her anger start to leave her. Slowly, but surely, she could feel her blood cooling d own. Realization began to strike at her, and she felt angered with herself for not seeing this before.
She could not argue with her brother on that. She knew that he was right. She had not thought about it before. She had dismissed this part of his job, not bothering to consider what he must be going through each and every day. The job of an inventor was not all roses and petals. She could not believe she did not see it before.
It was true. He really was the only inventor in this pack. Well the only progressive one able to come up with amazing new concepts. He was so smart and intelligent, and he was the go to alimon for all kinds of new gear. She was well aware of this. What she did not take into considering was the fact that he might be alone in all of this. She had never seen him with any other alimons while he invents. She should have realized it then. But she did not.
Now it was laid bare before her. And she could not feel more ashamed of herself. She lowered her head. She did not want to look at her brother in the eyes. She did not deserve it. She had pushed him away when he had only wanted to help. What kind of sister was she? How could she not have seen that he suffered just as she had?
Speaking in a soft, calm voice, she said, “I am...sorry. I had no idea...”
Embertinker’s expression softened up at this, she imagined. He moved a couple steps towards her, indicated by the footfalls he was making. “That is because you never asked. You and I used to hang out so much when we were little. Now it seems like you do not have much time for me at all. Understandable. We have gone our separate ways.”
Blackhole lifted up her head. She looked towards her sibling. “That is not an excuse, though. I should have been paying more attention. I should have talked to you more, so I would understand how you felt.” Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. “Is that why you came to find me?”
Embertinker stared at her for a moment. He then smiled slightly and nodded. “You can say that, yes. It gets...lonely by myself. I want to, you know..sometimes relax like you.” He lifted his head and looked up towards the sky. “This is a nice spot. I can tell that you are able to relax here.”
Blackhole did not answer right away. She looked down in shame once more. The realization that her brother came to her because he, too, wanted to escape the stress, hit her like a wild beast. He just wanted to relax like that, for his heart, too, was twisted in frustration of all the responsibilities he had been dumped with.
And for her to even think of sending him way because of it, that was so cruel of her. How could she even think like that?
She knew she had to make it up to him somehow. She had to show him how sorry she was. A simple apology would not work. No, she needed to do something to really let him know that she was apologetic for her actions and her words.
And she knew just the thing.
“Well I best be going.” Embertinker’s voice said, cutting Blackhole from her thoughts. “I do not wish to disturb your resting time.” The orange alimon began to head back down the mountain. “I do hope you are able to relax.”
“Wait!” Blackhole called out. She reached her paw out towards him. Embertinker paused and waited. “Would you..uh...like to join me?”
Embertinker looked behind him. His expression was that of bewilderment. “Really?”
Blackhole nodded her head a few times. “Well sure. I mean..there is plenty of room around here.” Indeed, there were plenty of places for them to rest. There was more than enough room for her brother to pick a spot and just lay down and relax. “And...well..I am kind of lonely myself.” With a nervous smile, she rubbed the side of her face. “It..would be nice to have the company at least.”
Embertinker looked down at his sibling. His tail moved slowly from side to side as silence fell upon the air. He looked surprised by her offer. At first, with the lack of a response, Blackhole wondered if she had upset her brother too much for him to want to join her. If that were the case, she would feel so bad. She never meant for him to get that upset.
She was proven wrong with this when Embertinker turned around to face her. His surprised look was replaced with a smile, which she gladly returned. He raised his feathers up in greeting, and he lowered his head, his feathers drooping in the way that males do to greet a loved one.
Pressing his face against hers, nuzzling her, Embertinker said, “I would love to keep you company, dear sister.”
Embertinker settled down beside Blackhole. He pressed his flank against hers, the way a loved one does to another loved one. He rested his head on top of her back, one paw dropping across her.
Blackhole smiled at this. The warmth of her brother seeped through her body, providing her with a level of comfort she had not experienced before during her outings alone. She laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes. Soon, the only thing that she could hear was the calm breathings from her brother and herself. It became a lullaby that made her tired, unable to reopen her eyes.
Soon, like her brother, she was engulfed in a peaceful silence, her relaxed mind becoming devoid of all thoughts. At last, peaceful sleep was upon them.
The story itself involves my invented dinosaur species, the alimon (ingottosaurus, their scientific name I came up with that means copycat lizard, due to them being a theropod that looks like a sauropod). I haven't written too many scenes. I'll post the first one today. I'll add the rest later.
Blackhole relaxed in her favorite spot. High on the mountains, her stomach laying across a rock. She did not have much to worry about today. She had gotten all her duties finished about an hour ago. Now was the time to rest and relax her mind.
It was not like anyone was going to come up here and disturb her. Everyone was down below, discussing other matters of day to day life. Not many would venture up here. She went up a difficult path. Winding and spikey and sharp. It was a dangerous path to travel on. Most would think she was insane for using this pathway, and wonder why she did not choose some place safer.
Well, she had her reasons. Did not everyone? Different motivations, everyone had for what they did. No one had found out about her actions, and if they did, she would bet they would jump to conclusions instead of asking her.
She came here to enjoy some solitude. Away from the others, where she could relax. Sure, she had her own place that was high and secluded from the others. But sometimes, it was just nice to really get away from it all. Her place could still be visited by some alimons, such as the leaders, Icane and Pound. She may not be able to relax long before someone would show up and ask her for some assistance.
There were some downsides to being the advisor of the pack, as well as the seer. Many looked up to her for her knowledge and wisdom when it came to aspects she knew most about. Not everyone was given the same level of knowledge. Specialization was common practice among the pack. It was not something she questionsed, although this resulted in her constantly sought after, for she knew the most about stellar objects, and whatever else they needed. Her own name, Blackhole, was a testament to that.
But here, away from the others, she could relax and settle herself down. She could relax and avoid the constant ramblings of the other alimons, and avoid having to divulge more information, taking away her chance to relax.
Sometimes she wondered if the other alimons even understood how hard it was for her to study and retain all that information. Her head still ached from time to time as she recalled how difficult it was. A pleasant experience, it was not.
She closed her eyes softly, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. She could barely hear anyone else besides herself. The ramblings and talk of the other alimons was so faded, no words could be comprehended. Even the distant calls of eagles and falcons sounded more like lullabies than the usual warning calls that they were.
She opened her jaws and let out a loud yawn, her lips pulling back slightly, exposing her sharp teeth and her pink gums for a few seconds. She could feel the heaviness of exhaustion push down onto her shoulders. It was time for her to get some real rest. She might be up all night again doing some work. She needed take this chance now befor she forgot.
Her eyes closed slowly. The blackness immediately overcame her vision. She tilted her head to one side, her tail curving inward. Slowly, she began to descend into the comforting dark silence that was sleep.
Just then, before she could get too far in her sleep, she could hear something. A crack. A rubble. Her eyes snapped open and she shot her head up. She looked left and right, her eyes scanning the grooves and twists of the mountain. She did not see anything, and at first, it was possible she just heard things. But she knew better than that. Time to pull out her next sensory organ.
Her nose. Always reliable, it was. An advantage to being a meat-eating being. Its power rivaled some of the animals of the area, perhaps even surpassing them. She lifted her head up, her head in a diagonal slant, and began to sniff.
The scents assaulted her nose immediately. The wind wafered through it, tingling the inside of her muzzle and sending rapid signals to her brain. With that single sniff, she was able to detect the dank smell of the recent rain, the wet rocks around her, a sour-smelling berry patch not far, and even a carcass being fed on by vultures.
It was not difficult for her to pinpoint the foreign smell. One scent stood out among the others. Even in an area filled with rotting flesh and tasty blood, she would still be able to recognize this scent, for it would be hard to miss. She had known this smell since she was little.
Her eyes narrowed slowly. The more she sniffed, the more she realized that she had been followed. And not by someone she had particularly wanted to see right now. She lifted up her head and turned it to where the smell was coming from.
Of all the alimons, it had to be him.
“Embertinker..” Blackhole said as she lifted her body off the ground. “What an unpleasant surprise.”
A tall, skinny alimon appeared from the side of the mountain. He almost slinked along the wall, as if he were a part of it. His feathers were at their neutral height, this tail held up in greeting. Despite how cold she sounded, Embertinker still looked happy to see her. It was as if she had not tried to show how displeased she was to see him.
Embertinker moved forward, making his way towards her. Soon he stood a few feet away from her. His side was exposed to her. A gesture that was two fold. Show a side to an enemy, and it was a challenge, a way of showing how big they were. Show a side without the accompaniment of growls and snarls, and it was a ëI will not harm you’ gesture. After all, the side and flank were among the most vulnerable parts on an alimon. They were hard to defend, which was why they were a major focus when it came to armor.
“I thought I might find you up here.” Embertinker said, a broad grin spreading across his face. “It was just a matter of following your scent.”
Blackhole snorted at this. She gave a half smile. In a bemused tone of voice, she said, “I take it the herbal rememdy I used before did nothing to hide my smell?”
Embertinker shook his head. “Nope. You are pretty easy to find, sister. Then again..are you surprised?” Embertinker put his head close to hers. She moved her head away, glaring softly at him. “I was always so good at finding you! Even as a cubbie!” He chuckled at this. “Those were good times.”
“Yeah, sure.” Blackhole was deadpan, rolling her eyes. “A real riot.”
She was going to have to talk to Nightherb about that remedy she was given. She had specifically asked for something that would mask her scent. She did not tell Nightherb what it was for, just that it was part of an experiment. Nightherb insisted it would work.
Well it was clear as a sun day that it was not. She would not be able to talk to her again as it was going to be tomorrow soon. And moon days were not a good time to speak to anyone, as those were the days people slept around here. She would have to wait until the next sun day.
Luckily, that is not a terribly long wait. She just had to be patient. She hoped that Nightherb could come up with something better this time around. Something that could fool even Embertinker and his wonder snout.
“So..why are you up here, anyway?” Embertinker asked as he moved closer to his sister. He settled down beside her. She inched herself away. Embertinker tilted his head to one side. “Is this where you have been disappearing to?”
Blackhole was silent for a moment. She thought about lying to her brother. She did not want him following her whenever she disappeared. Her hiding spot had been put in jeopardy because of him. What was going to stop him from telling the other alimons?
But she knew that she would not get far with lying. Embertinker was often good at picking out lies. Something about how he could smell it or something. She knew a lot of things, but that was something that still alluded her comprehension.
“I just want to get away from the others. Take a break and relax.” Blackhole said. She lowered her head to the ground, her paws splaying out at her sides. Her chin on the ground, she gave a sigh. “I do not think you can comprehend what it is like having so many alimons come at you day after day, asking for information on this and that. Being the advisor and seer of this pack can take its toll on you. Believe me. It is not as glamorous as some may say.”
“Some alimons strive for your position. You should consider yourself lucky that you have this.” Embertinker looked over at her. His green eyes rested on her. “It is hard getting into this position at all. You could have gone your whole life without having this opportunity.”
Blackhole gave a bitter smirk. “If they want my job so badly, they can take it.” She lifted her head slightly. Her muzzle pointed downward. “They have no idea what they would be getting themselves into. That is why I would be happy to alleviate myself of that duty.”
“And you would give others the burden just because you want a break from it?” Embertinker stared at her in shock. “Blackhole, I am surprised at you! I would think that you would be better than this!”
Blackhole turned her head away. A low growl eminated from her through.”You do not know my burden, Embertinker. You do not know how much I just want to throw it all away, to run and flee from my job just for a day of normality.” She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing them shut. “How I miss the old days...”
She felt a hard nudge against her. Something soft moved against her body. There was slight pain from the force. She rose her head up and looked over. It took her only moments to realize that Embertinker had pushed her with his snout. He was looking down at her, a soft glare plastered over his eyes.
“What?” She hissed through her clenched teeth. “What do you want?”
“You think you are so special, do you not? You think you are the only one in this pack that has to contribute? You think you are the only one with such burdens placed upon you? You think you are the only one who is looked to day in, day out, with no end in sight?” Embertinker growled uncharactistically, his tail and feathers raising up.
Blackhole glared back at him. She climbed up to her feet. She had her back arched and her head lowered. Some sense of hostility began to cling to the air as the two of them stared at one another. Tails swished in agitation, their eyes locked onto each other. After a few moments, Blackhole hissed, “You are wrong. That is not what I am saying at all. It is just that...”
“Many go through what you are feeling, Blackhole. Many share a similiar burden.” Embertinker said in a stern voice. “Have you ever thought about Icane and Pound? They are our leaders, Blackhole. They are in charge of everything. All the information pathways lead to them, as they need to know all this stuff to run things around here. And they are the ones who have the final word on everything, and the ones we must follow in a crisis.”
Blackhole continued to glare at her brother. She panted a few times as his words entered her mind, sifting through. But none of the words fully registered with her head. Anger still clung to her, preventing her from realizing the point that her brother was trying to make.
“They have help. They have each other.” Blackhole said. “They all have help. Me? I have no one!” Her teeth flashed, glinting off the evening light as the sun was setting, the moon rising up for the start of the moon day. “I only have myself as person after person comes in for my advice! And I am the one stuck running the schedules here! I have to keep track of the days and let everyone know how much time had passed! Do you think that is easy for me to do alone?!”
Embertinker’s eyes widened sightly. They then relaxed, and he obtained a more neutral posture. His tail relaxed behind him, lowering towards the ground. He gave his head a slight shake. “No. I do not think that.” His voice was calm and gentle this time. “I just feel upset that you overlook a single factor right before your eyes.”
“Oh? And what is that?” Blackhole asked in a sullen voice. “What has your fantastic snout detected in the air this time?”
Embertinker replied almost immediately. “I know how you feel.”
Blackhole glared softly at him. “Oh really now?”
Embertinker glared back at her. “What? You think I cannot understand?” He placed his paw against his chest, his palm curving slightly over his chest ridge. “You think that I have not felt the stress when it came to my job? Being in charge of inventing and creating?”
Blackhole rolled her eyes at this. “So you have to make something new every once in a while. That is not as bad as having to keep track of things day after day.”
The orange and yellow alimon that was her brother before her did not appear to agree with her. His lip curled up into a slight snarl. Not anger, but frustration. It was clear that Embertinker was not happy with her right now. Then again, she was not happy with him.
How could he possibly understand what she has to go through? He was not given assignments as often. He did not have to deal with the stress of expectation every day. He only needed to help push their technology forward. Despite his silly attitude that he displayed off and on, he was quite brilliant in several aspects. And that intelligent mind of his allowed him to create things to help the pack as a whole.
She wondered if this was just a cheap attempt at him getting her to see that she ëwas not alone’. If that were the case, she hoped that he would trample off soon. She did not need to hear his pathetic attempts at cheering her up if this was what he was going to do.
“I understand how you feel more than you are realizing, Blackhole. Yes, I am only tasked with a new invention when required. So on the surface, it looks like I am not doing as much work.” Embertinker said. “But...” He raised his claw up at this. “There is more to it than that.”
“Oh?” Blackhole muttered softly. “Like what?”
“Who do you think has to handle all the troubleshooting and proofing of the new device? Who do you think everyone turns to when it comes to new inventions? Who do you think everyone turns to when the devices break down? Who do you think is responsible for mass producing the inventions? In case you have forgotten, sister, I work alone. I have no one to back me up.” Embertinker leaned towards his black and white sibling. “Just like you...”
Blackhole blinked her eyes a couple of times at this. Slowly, she widened them. She could feel her anger start to leave her. Slowly, but surely, she could feel her blood cooling d own. Realization began to strike at her, and she felt angered with herself for not seeing this before.
She could not argue with her brother on that. She knew that he was right. She had not thought about it before. She had dismissed this part of his job, not bothering to consider what he must be going through each and every day. The job of an inventor was not all roses and petals. She could not believe she did not see it before.
It was true. He really was the only inventor in this pack. Well the only progressive one able to come up with amazing new concepts. He was so smart and intelligent, and he was the go to alimon for all kinds of new gear. She was well aware of this. What she did not take into considering was the fact that he might be alone in all of this. She had never seen him with any other alimons while he invents. She should have realized it then. But she did not.
Now it was laid bare before her. And she could not feel more ashamed of herself. She lowered her head. She did not want to look at her brother in the eyes. She did not deserve it. She had pushed him away when he had only wanted to help. What kind of sister was she? How could she not have seen that he suffered just as she had?
Speaking in a soft, calm voice, she said, “I am...sorry. I had no idea...”
Embertinker’s expression softened up at this, she imagined. He moved a couple steps towards her, indicated by the footfalls he was making. “That is because you never asked. You and I used to hang out so much when we were little. Now it seems like you do not have much time for me at all. Understandable. We have gone our separate ways.”
Blackhole lifted up her head. She looked towards her sibling. “That is not an excuse, though. I should have been paying more attention. I should have talked to you more, so I would understand how you felt.” Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. “Is that why you came to find me?”
Embertinker stared at her for a moment. He then smiled slightly and nodded. “You can say that, yes. It gets...lonely by myself. I want to, you know..sometimes relax like you.” He lifted his head and looked up towards the sky. “This is a nice spot. I can tell that you are able to relax here.”
Blackhole did not answer right away. She looked down in shame once more. The realization that her brother came to her because he, too, wanted to escape the stress, hit her like a wild beast. He just wanted to relax like that, for his heart, too, was twisted in frustration of all the responsibilities he had been dumped with.
And for her to even think of sending him way because of it, that was so cruel of her. How could she even think like that?
She knew she had to make it up to him somehow. She had to show him how sorry she was. A simple apology would not work. No, she needed to do something to really let him know that she was apologetic for her actions and her words.
And she knew just the thing.
“Well I best be going.” Embertinker’s voice said, cutting Blackhole from her thoughts. “I do not wish to disturb your resting time.” The orange alimon began to head back down the mountain. “I do hope you are able to relax.”
“Wait!” Blackhole called out. She reached her paw out towards him. Embertinker paused and waited. “Would you..uh...like to join me?”
Embertinker looked behind him. His expression was that of bewilderment. “Really?”
Blackhole nodded her head a few times. “Well sure. I mean..there is plenty of room around here.” Indeed, there were plenty of places for them to rest. There was more than enough room for her brother to pick a spot and just lay down and relax. “And...well..I am kind of lonely myself.” With a nervous smile, she rubbed the side of her face. “It..would be nice to have the company at least.”
Embertinker looked down at his sibling. His tail moved slowly from side to side as silence fell upon the air. He looked surprised by her offer. At first, with the lack of a response, Blackhole wondered if she had upset her brother too much for him to want to join her. If that were the case, she would feel so bad. She never meant for him to get that upset.
She was proven wrong with this when Embertinker turned around to face her. His surprised look was replaced with a smile, which she gladly returned. He raised his feathers up in greeting, and he lowered his head, his feathers drooping in the way that males do to greet a loved one.
Pressing his face against hers, nuzzling her, Embertinker said, “I would love to keep you company, dear sister.”
Embertinker settled down beside Blackhole. He pressed his flank against hers, the way a loved one does to another loved one. He rested his head on top of her back, one paw dropping across her.
Blackhole smiled at this. The warmth of her brother seeped through her body, providing her with a level of comfort she had not experienced before during her outings alone. She laid her head on the ground and closed her eyes. Soon, the only thing that she could hear was the calm breathings from her brother and herself. It became a lullaby that made her tired, unable to reopen her eyes.
Soon, like her brother, she was engulfed in a peaceful silence, her relaxed mind becoming devoid of all thoughts. At last, peaceful sleep was upon them.
9
LBT Fanfiction / Preview from an upcoming fanfic
« on: January 02, 2015, 10:31:39 PM »
This is the beginning of a new fanfic I started. It won't be too long, hopefully. I intend on this being a oneshot. It will focus mostly on Littlefoot, and be, likely, entirely from his viewpoint.
I have yet to name the story. I haven't thought of a title yet.
Here is the first scene-
ëWhy did he do it? Why did he just...leave like that?’
This question played over and over again in Littlefoot’s mind. He knew it was fruitless to keep asking himself that question. His dad had already answered it for him when they had met each other for the first time, back at Crater Valley. His story had been short and simple, but it was enough for him to have a good idea on his father’s mindset and motivations.
...or did it? He had thought he was satisfied, and had even spent some time bonding with him. He had gotten to know his father well, to the point when it came time for him to leave or choose to stay, it was hard to make the decision. Whatever he had chosen would have resulted in a loss of something. He couldn’t ask his friends to stay, and he couldn’t beg his father to abandon his herd. Yet...the question remains.
Why? Why was he so unsatisfied with his dad’s answer? Why couldn’t he just let it go? It was old news. His dad felt bad about it, and if he could, he would have done things differently. So why hang onto it?
Deep down, Littlefoot knew what the problem was. He was still angry with his father. He hadn’t realized it before. He had been too focused on hanging out with his dad, and the bright circle nearly falling out of the sky, that it just...left his mind. It had taken the whole month since he had come back for the old, bitter feelings to return. It was not a pleasant sensation, and Littlefoot was left constantly in the grip of nausea.
He had to do something about it, but what? It wasn’t like his dad was anywhere nearby. He couldn’t just walk all the way to Crater Valley by himself just to speak with him. And he couldn’t expect his father to do the same.
Still, he had to find some way to talk to him. The question was just going to keep burning his mind if he didn’t find out. Maybe he can talk to his grandparents. Yeah, they might know of something.
The young longneck rested at the edge of the small cliff, his head positioned over the jagged edge. He looked down below, seeing his friends play in the distance, running around in an open field. They couldn’t see him; his body was covered up by the green food, mostly cast in the shade of the bright circle. He didn’t want to be seen. He wasn’t in the mood to play today. At the moment, his mind was off wandering too much to really focus on whatever game they wanted to play. He felt guilty for lying to them earlier about being sick, but...he had no choice. He needed time to clear his mind.
His friends would have wanted to help. He knew that’s what they would have said if they find out later he lied. He would have accepted their help. He just didn’t think they could help him with this. He didn’t want them to have the burden they did not deserve. No, he would deal with this his own way.
He felt something moving in the ground. Vibrations, the thuds of heavy feet. At first, he thought it was his grandparents. No, the feet thuds weren’t heavy enough. Mr. Clubtail, perhaps? No, not quite...
Littlefoot’s eyes widened when the bush not far from him parted, revealing the familiar, greyed face of Mr. Threehorn. He immediately turned himself around and stared at the large dinosaur before him.
ëWhat’s he doing here? Did he follow me?’ Littlefoot mentally shook his head at that crazy thought. ëNo, that’s not like him. He usually has better things to do than hang out with longnecks.’
Littlefoot lowered his body as he saw the massive threehorn stare down at him. For a moment, their eyes locked. The young longneck was instantly reminded of when they first met. The intensity of that glare...so much like he was giving now... Littlefoot would never forget that moment. He hadn’t been as terrified as, say, going up against Sharptooth, but that wasn’t saying much. Even now, he still felt a level of...not fear completely, but..apprehension? Yes, apprehension, around him.
Mr. Threehorn looked surprised to see him. Not that it surprised Littlefoot all that much. He was pretty well hidden in the bush, and it wasn’t like he was making a lot of noise. That surprised expression was soon replaced with that familiar frown that he knew all too well. Littlefoot waited for a condescending remark from him, or for him to simply turn around and walk away.
What he got instead was entirely unexpected, considering just who Mr. Threehorn was.
“What is the matter, kid? Got something on your mind?”
Littlefoot spluttered. He hadn’t expect that kind of response from him. Mr. Threehorn wasn’t usually the type to ask how others were feeling. Unable to respond, he just stared at him.
Mr. Threehorn snorted. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me that way.”
“You...never asked me that before...” Littlefoot finally managed a response. “I-I was just...”
Mr. Threehorn tilted his head to one side. He looked at Littlefoot with a single, scrutinizing eye. “What? You think I’m not capable of asking such a question?”
“N-No! That’s not it!” Littlefoot shook his head. “I-It’s just that...” He stammered, struggling to get his sentence finished. “I-I don’t know...”
The large, grey threehorn glared down at him. After a second, there was a slight softening of his expression. Not much, but for him, it was a big deal. “Oh, that’s quite all right. It isn’t a question I ask normally...unless it was with Cera, but that goes without saying.”
Littlefoot nodded his head. Of course he would ask that of Cera at least once. She was his daughter after all, and the only member left of his family. Littlefoot felt his heart sting at this realization. Shaking it out of his mind, he turned around and laid himself back down. His chin rested on the ground as his legs were crossed.
“Oh, nothing is wrong.” Littlefoot spoke softly. “I just...came up here to rest. I wasn’t feeling well and...I...” He fell silent for a few moments. “I’m fine.”
“I know something is on your mind, Littlefoot. You can’t keep it hidden from me.” Mr. Threehorn said. Littlefoot could feel the ground move slightly as the large dinosaur took a step forward. When Littlefoot didn’t respond, Mr. Threehorn snorted, his impatience practically transparant. “I’m not stupid, Littlefoot. I know you well enough to recognize when something is bothering you.” He lifted his head up swiftly in a gesturing motion. “Usually, you’re out playing with my daughter and your other friends. To see you sitting here, by yourself, and then trying to lie to me... Yeah, something’s definitely eating you.”
Littlefoot’s eyes widened in horror. “Something is eating me? Where?!” Littlefoot immediately looked around his body.
Mr. Threehorn chuckled dryly. “It was just an expression, Littlefoot.”
Littlefoot relaxed at this. “Oh...” He sat back down. He lowered his head, giving the threehorn an upwards glance. “So..how did you know I was lying?”
“I have my ways, kid.” Mr. Threehorn said with a smile. “Having Cera for a daughter has taught me some tricks in how to tell when someone is lying to me. Besides...” He raised up his foot and motioned it towards Littlefoot. “Your tail was twitching a little too much, and your voice was a little higher pitched than normal. I think it’s safe to assume that you weren’t being all that truthful.”
“Oh..” Littlefoot gave a half smile of embarrassment. “Am I that easy to figure out?”
“If you want to lie, you should try a little harder.” Mr. Threehorn opened his mouth and ripped out some grass from the ground. He chewed it up and swallowed. He turned back to Littlefoot. “So why don’t we start over from the beginning, this time with the truth?”
Littlefoot gritted his teeth. He didn’t feel all that comfortable with talking to Cera’s dad, of all dinosaurs, about his problems. He wasn’t exactly the sentimental type. Even Cera admitted that he was hard to speak to at times. And Littlefoot being a longneck certainly didn’t help things. He had his doubts that Mr. Threehorn would be able to help him, or even want to try all that hard.
Then again, what did he have to lose? It would be good to get this off his chest, even if it was with Mr. Threehorn. If anything, this could be good practice for when he spoke to his grandparents on the issue.
“Well, you see...I...I was just thinking about my dad...” Littlefoot managed to say.
Mr. Threehorn’s expression softened up again, only by a tiny bit. “You mean Bron?” Littlefoot nodded his head. “Yes..I believe Cera mentioned him to me when you kids got back.” There was a slight annoyance in his voice. It was clear that he was not happy that Cera left with the rest of her friends unguarded. “Okay...so what about him?”
“I’m just trying to understand why he left.” Littlefoot admitted. “You see, many years ago, when I was still... Before I was an egg, my dad left to find a safe place to raise me. But when he came back, everything had changed and we were gone. He tried to find me, but he never did... And he eventually found Crater Valley and formed a herd.”
“So he forgot about you?” Asked Mr. Threehorn.
“No! No, it wasn’t like that.” Littlefoot struggled to remember what else his dad had told him. “He was trying to find me. He found out my mom was dead, so he tried to find me. Day in, day out, he looked. But he had no luck.” He turned his head away. “I...guess he thought I was dead.”
“I see.” Mr. Threehorn nodded once, appearing to understand. “Did you two make it up?”
“Yeah. I met him at Crater Valley and he explained what happened. We got to know one another and we did make up for lost time. I was even..reluctant to return. It felt so hard leaving him...” Littlefoot would never forget the look on his dad’s face when he had to leave him behind.
Mr. Threehorn frowned at this. “And...so?”
Littlefoot looked at up him in surprise. “Huh?”
“So...what? If he explained what happened to you, and if you’re on good terms with him, then..what about him is bothering you? Is there something that you aren’t telling me?”
The longneck pondered about how he should tell Mr. Threehorn. How could he word this without sounding weird? He had never admitted something like this before to anyone. He never expected Mr. Threehorn to be his first go. He felt like he was being rushed. The threehorn’s glare wasn’t helping him.
He soon realized that he had no idea how he was going to say this. He knew what was wrong and what was bothering him. But to put it to words... That was a whole different story. Organizing the proper thoughts and sentences in his head was a lot harder than he thought it was going to be. He wondered if this was what dinosaurs like Mr. Thicknose had to go through when trying to explain something personal. He recalled it wasn’t exactly easy for the thicknose to confess about him never having left the Great Valley and how all his knowledge of the outside world came from farwalkers.
Before he could speak another word, Mr. Threehorn’s voice stopped him.
“It’s because you aren’t satisfied with his answer...isn’t it?”
Littlefoot stared wide-eyed at the grey threehorn. Was he a mind reader? Swallowing dryly, he nodded. “Yeah... I mean...I know he told me what he could, but..something just feels...wrong, I guess.” He looked away. “I’m not sure how to explain it.”
“You feel that he could have done more. You feel that he shouldn’t have left, and you can’t come to peace with what he did.” Mr. Threehorn said as he stared down at Littlefoot. The longneck didn’t look up. He heard the sound of chewing and swallowing. He felt another step towards him. “Trust me, kid. I know how you feel.”
“Y-You do...?” Littlefoot raised his head a little higher. “How? Did you have a father that left you?” Mr. Threehorn shook his head. “Then how could you possibly understand...?” Littlefoot rested his head back down. He should have known that the old dinosaur wouldn’t understand.
“Because I am a father...and I’m a leader.” The grey dinosaur backtracked and corrected himself. “I was a leader...” For a moment, there was a look of sorrow in the threehorn’s eyes. It was brief and fleeting, and with a quick shake of his head, it was gone. “I have had to make many hard decisions in my life, both for my family, and for the good of my herd. Sometimes, they were the right choice. Other times, they would backfire horribly on me. I felt every loss, even if I didn’t show it. But I would always question why I made them, why I didn’t try something different, how things might have been different.”
Littlefoot looked at the threehorn sympathetically. The inflexion of his voice suggested some..personal experience with bad decision making. He wondered if this had anything to do with the disappearance of his mate and other children. He decided it was best not to press the matter. “So...do you know why my dad would just..leave like that?”
Mr. Threehorn snorted at this. “Of course not! I don’t know him! But you do.” He lowered his head slightly. “Only you can fully answer that.” He raised his head back up. “However, I can tell you what I think. I can give you an idea of what it must have been like for him. Now, I don’t know how you longnecks run your herds, and frankly, I’m not all that interested.” He shook his head. “But I’m sure that Bron’s reason was at least partially influenced by the burden of being the leader.”
“Leader?” Littlefoot narrowed his eyes in confusion.
“Wasn’t he the leader of your family group?” Asked the threehorn.
“I...” Littlefoot looked left and right. He had never really thought to ask his dad that. He was the leader of the current herd, yes. But he did not know about his immediate family group, with his mom and grandparents. Well, it would make sense if he was. “I..think so.”
“Then if he was, when he made the choice, a thousand questions must have been racing through his mind. Something must have prompted the decision for him to leave.” Mr. Threehorn explained.
“But what? Why couldn’t he have stayed?” Littlefoot tried his best to keep himself under control. He didn’t mean to get this emotional about it. But the anger was still there, yearning for understanding. “Why didn’t he just take my mom with her? Then we would have been together! We....”
“Could all have been killed.” Mr. Threehorn’s answer was blunt, precise, and to the point. Littlefoot couldn’t even think of a response to that. “I was around during that time. I remember being with my...mate, discussing the decision to move on. The land we lived in was great, so full of food and life. But..the winds of change had been long approaching, and we knew it was only a matter of time before something happened.”
“The winds of change?” Littlefoot was confused. What did the threehorn mean by that?
“It’s something you longnecks wouldn’t understand. But you see...we threehorns have a better sense of smell.” Mr. Threehorn explained. “It’s not noticeable when we are kids, but as adults, we can smell things better than most other kinds. It’s not as good as sharpteeth’s... but it’s still better than yours.”
“I see...” Littlefoot tried to wrap his mind around that. He didn’t expect threehorns to have that good sense a smell. He tried not to dwell on it too much. “So you could smell something was coming?”
Mr. Threehorn nodded his head. “Yes. It’s...hard to explain. But yes, we could definitely smell something was coming. So we had to leave. We didn’t stick around for long and we departed.” He raised his head up, his eyes fixating towards the sky for a few seconds. “I’m sure your father probably saw me leave, and realized something was wrong.” He looked down at Littlefoot. “We threehorns are the toughest dinosaurs in existence.”
Littlefoot tried not to smirk at his show of arrogance. This was more like the Mr. Threehorn that he knew. “So when you guys leave, everybody knows something is up?”
Mr. Threehorn nodded. “Precisely.”
“So...how would my folks have died if they left together?” Littlefoot narrowed his eyes in confusion. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Oh I didn’t?” Mr. Threehorn widened his eyes slightly. “Oh yes, I forgot to add that part.” He cleared his throat. “Well, our herd was migrating at the time, and we had come in front the direction your father headed in.”
“I thought you left before him.” Littlefoot interjected.
“We did. But it’s hard to miss a massive dinosaur like your father, even from a distance.” Mr. Threehorn said with a smile. The smirk quickly faded as he continued, “That land had a lot of dangers in it, kid. Nothing like you had ever faced before. I’m surprised that he went alone, let alone even survived it.”
Littlefoot’s eyes widened in horror. “Why would my dad take such a risk?”
“Because there was food there. There was a land beyond that we had been to before. Great place.” Mr. Threehorn said. “It was the pinnacle of herd migrations before the Great Valley was ever brought up again. Tree Sweet Meadows I believe it was called. It was surrounded by these plants that masked our scent and warded off sharpteeth, so it was a pretty safe place to be.” He tilted his head to one side. “I’m sure that’s where your father was going.”
The mention of the plants immediately reminded Littlefoot of those stinky plants that Chomper hid them in. He didn’t know how they could work on a large scale like that. But perhaps the old dinosaur was talking about a larger, more robust version of the plant, with a stronger smell. Littlefoot wrinkled his nose at the thought. He wasn’t sure if he would like the idea of living in a place like that.
“I know how you feel, kid. But you get used to the smell.” Said Mr. Threehorn.
“Yeah, I’m sure...” Littlefoot looked up at Mr. Threehorn. “So you’re saying that my mom could have been killed by these...dangers that you mentioned?”
Mr. Threehorn said, “I wouldn’t doubt it. In her...condition, she would have been a bit slower, and sharpteeth would have picked up on her condition and attacked her. Bron might be a young, strong longneck I’m sure, but even he would have a hard time defending his pregnant mate in a place like that. Even if the sharpteeth were taken care of, there was the land itself, and...” A quick flash of horror graced his face. “Be glad you will never have to go there, kid.”
Littlefoot’s mind played through images of dangers that the threehorn could be referring to. His imagination rapidly went wild as bizarre and horrendeous things came to mind. He shook his head, getting those thoughts out of his head. “So, my dad couldn’t stay because of the winds of change...and he couldn’t take mom with because she might have been killed...along with me...”
Mr. Threehorn nodded his head. “That sounds about right, yes. Now I’m not saying that’s how it would have been. But...as a leader, and a father, you have to be careful with your choices. Bron may have thought him leaving on his own, and then coming back, would have been the best choice.” He paused for a moment. “Was it the best choice? Maybe not. Does he regret it? I’m sure he does. But that’s the thing about leadership, Littlefoot. You will always make a decision you don’t like.”
Littlefoot lowered his head. “I just wish I knew exactly why he left...”
“You could always ask him...if he ever happens to stop by.” Suggested the threehorn.
“Yeah...I could.. Thanks.” Littlefoot said softly, his mind sifting through this new information he had been given. Even if he didn’t still fully understand, Mr. Threehorn did at least help put things into perspective.
“Well I better get going now.” Mr. Threehorn turned his head, looking back to where he guessed the nest was. “Cera will be coming back to the nest shortly for supper.” He eyed Littlefoot. “I won’t tell her about your little lie if you promise you don’t tell her about this conversation. It never happened. Got it?”
Littlefoot smirked and nodded. “My mouth is closed.”
“Good.” With that, Mr. Threehorn turned and walked away.
Littlefoot watched as the threehorn left. He was not surprised by the threehorn’s request. If anything, he would have been more shocked if he didn’t bring that up. Mr. Threehorn usually didn’t carry out conversations like this, especially not with another kind. He probably didn’t want his daughter thinking that he was going soft.
He looked back out towards his friends. It was a little easier to see them now. They were coming closer. They still hadn’t spotted him, not even Petrie. He was glad. He was still not comfortable with speaking to them on this manner. Maybe he will later on, once he came to grips with his feelings on the subject, and once he understood things better. He took Mr. Threehorn’s words into consideration. Yeah, talking with his father might work, an idea he had before.
Littlefoot didn’t know when he was going to see his dad again, though. And he realized that there may be only one way he could get in touch with him. He hated the idea of leaving the Great Valley again, especially since it felt as though he had just gotten back. But there were little options available to him.
Getting up from his resting spot, the longneck turned and headed back towards his nest. It was time to speak to his grandparents.
I have yet to name the story. I haven't thought of a title yet.
Here is the first scene-
ëWhy did he do it? Why did he just...leave like that?’
This question played over and over again in Littlefoot’s mind. He knew it was fruitless to keep asking himself that question. His dad had already answered it for him when they had met each other for the first time, back at Crater Valley. His story had been short and simple, but it was enough for him to have a good idea on his father’s mindset and motivations.
...or did it? He had thought he was satisfied, and had even spent some time bonding with him. He had gotten to know his father well, to the point when it came time for him to leave or choose to stay, it was hard to make the decision. Whatever he had chosen would have resulted in a loss of something. He couldn’t ask his friends to stay, and he couldn’t beg his father to abandon his herd. Yet...the question remains.
Why? Why was he so unsatisfied with his dad’s answer? Why couldn’t he just let it go? It was old news. His dad felt bad about it, and if he could, he would have done things differently. So why hang onto it?
Deep down, Littlefoot knew what the problem was. He was still angry with his father. He hadn’t realized it before. He had been too focused on hanging out with his dad, and the bright circle nearly falling out of the sky, that it just...left his mind. It had taken the whole month since he had come back for the old, bitter feelings to return. It was not a pleasant sensation, and Littlefoot was left constantly in the grip of nausea.
He had to do something about it, but what? It wasn’t like his dad was anywhere nearby. He couldn’t just walk all the way to Crater Valley by himself just to speak with him. And he couldn’t expect his father to do the same.
Still, he had to find some way to talk to him. The question was just going to keep burning his mind if he didn’t find out. Maybe he can talk to his grandparents. Yeah, they might know of something.
The young longneck rested at the edge of the small cliff, his head positioned over the jagged edge. He looked down below, seeing his friends play in the distance, running around in an open field. They couldn’t see him; his body was covered up by the green food, mostly cast in the shade of the bright circle. He didn’t want to be seen. He wasn’t in the mood to play today. At the moment, his mind was off wandering too much to really focus on whatever game they wanted to play. He felt guilty for lying to them earlier about being sick, but...he had no choice. He needed time to clear his mind.
His friends would have wanted to help. He knew that’s what they would have said if they find out later he lied. He would have accepted their help. He just didn’t think they could help him with this. He didn’t want them to have the burden they did not deserve. No, he would deal with this his own way.
He felt something moving in the ground. Vibrations, the thuds of heavy feet. At first, he thought it was his grandparents. No, the feet thuds weren’t heavy enough. Mr. Clubtail, perhaps? No, not quite...
Littlefoot’s eyes widened when the bush not far from him parted, revealing the familiar, greyed face of Mr. Threehorn. He immediately turned himself around and stared at the large dinosaur before him.
ëWhat’s he doing here? Did he follow me?’ Littlefoot mentally shook his head at that crazy thought. ëNo, that’s not like him. He usually has better things to do than hang out with longnecks.’
Littlefoot lowered his body as he saw the massive threehorn stare down at him. For a moment, their eyes locked. The young longneck was instantly reminded of when they first met. The intensity of that glare...so much like he was giving now... Littlefoot would never forget that moment. He hadn’t been as terrified as, say, going up against Sharptooth, but that wasn’t saying much. Even now, he still felt a level of...not fear completely, but..apprehension? Yes, apprehension, around him.
Mr. Threehorn looked surprised to see him. Not that it surprised Littlefoot all that much. He was pretty well hidden in the bush, and it wasn’t like he was making a lot of noise. That surprised expression was soon replaced with that familiar frown that he knew all too well. Littlefoot waited for a condescending remark from him, or for him to simply turn around and walk away.
What he got instead was entirely unexpected, considering just who Mr. Threehorn was.
“What is the matter, kid? Got something on your mind?”
Littlefoot spluttered. He hadn’t expect that kind of response from him. Mr. Threehorn wasn’t usually the type to ask how others were feeling. Unable to respond, he just stared at him.
Mr. Threehorn snorted. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me that way.”
“You...never asked me that before...” Littlefoot finally managed a response. “I-I was just...”
Mr. Threehorn tilted his head to one side. He looked at Littlefoot with a single, scrutinizing eye. “What? You think I’m not capable of asking such a question?”
“N-No! That’s not it!” Littlefoot shook his head. “I-It’s just that...” He stammered, struggling to get his sentence finished. “I-I don’t know...”
The large, grey threehorn glared down at him. After a second, there was a slight softening of his expression. Not much, but for him, it was a big deal. “Oh, that’s quite all right. It isn’t a question I ask normally...unless it was with Cera, but that goes without saying.”
Littlefoot nodded his head. Of course he would ask that of Cera at least once. She was his daughter after all, and the only member left of his family. Littlefoot felt his heart sting at this realization. Shaking it out of his mind, he turned around and laid himself back down. His chin rested on the ground as his legs were crossed.
“Oh, nothing is wrong.” Littlefoot spoke softly. “I just...came up here to rest. I wasn’t feeling well and...I...” He fell silent for a few moments. “I’m fine.”
“I know something is on your mind, Littlefoot. You can’t keep it hidden from me.” Mr. Threehorn said. Littlefoot could feel the ground move slightly as the large dinosaur took a step forward. When Littlefoot didn’t respond, Mr. Threehorn snorted, his impatience practically transparant. “I’m not stupid, Littlefoot. I know you well enough to recognize when something is bothering you.” He lifted his head up swiftly in a gesturing motion. “Usually, you’re out playing with my daughter and your other friends. To see you sitting here, by yourself, and then trying to lie to me... Yeah, something’s definitely eating you.”
Littlefoot’s eyes widened in horror. “Something is eating me? Where?!” Littlefoot immediately looked around his body.
Mr. Threehorn chuckled dryly. “It was just an expression, Littlefoot.”
Littlefoot relaxed at this. “Oh...” He sat back down. He lowered his head, giving the threehorn an upwards glance. “So..how did you know I was lying?”
“I have my ways, kid.” Mr. Threehorn said with a smile. “Having Cera for a daughter has taught me some tricks in how to tell when someone is lying to me. Besides...” He raised up his foot and motioned it towards Littlefoot. “Your tail was twitching a little too much, and your voice was a little higher pitched than normal. I think it’s safe to assume that you weren’t being all that truthful.”
“Oh..” Littlefoot gave a half smile of embarrassment. “Am I that easy to figure out?”
“If you want to lie, you should try a little harder.” Mr. Threehorn opened his mouth and ripped out some grass from the ground. He chewed it up and swallowed. He turned back to Littlefoot. “So why don’t we start over from the beginning, this time with the truth?”
Littlefoot gritted his teeth. He didn’t feel all that comfortable with talking to Cera’s dad, of all dinosaurs, about his problems. He wasn’t exactly the sentimental type. Even Cera admitted that he was hard to speak to at times. And Littlefoot being a longneck certainly didn’t help things. He had his doubts that Mr. Threehorn would be able to help him, or even want to try all that hard.
Then again, what did he have to lose? It would be good to get this off his chest, even if it was with Mr. Threehorn. If anything, this could be good practice for when he spoke to his grandparents on the issue.
“Well, you see...I...I was just thinking about my dad...” Littlefoot managed to say.
Mr. Threehorn’s expression softened up again, only by a tiny bit. “You mean Bron?” Littlefoot nodded his head. “Yes..I believe Cera mentioned him to me when you kids got back.” There was a slight annoyance in his voice. It was clear that he was not happy that Cera left with the rest of her friends unguarded. “Okay...so what about him?”
“I’m just trying to understand why he left.” Littlefoot admitted. “You see, many years ago, when I was still... Before I was an egg, my dad left to find a safe place to raise me. But when he came back, everything had changed and we were gone. He tried to find me, but he never did... And he eventually found Crater Valley and formed a herd.”
“So he forgot about you?” Asked Mr. Threehorn.
“No! No, it wasn’t like that.” Littlefoot struggled to remember what else his dad had told him. “He was trying to find me. He found out my mom was dead, so he tried to find me. Day in, day out, he looked. But he had no luck.” He turned his head away. “I...guess he thought I was dead.”
“I see.” Mr. Threehorn nodded once, appearing to understand. “Did you two make it up?”
“Yeah. I met him at Crater Valley and he explained what happened. We got to know one another and we did make up for lost time. I was even..reluctant to return. It felt so hard leaving him...” Littlefoot would never forget the look on his dad’s face when he had to leave him behind.
Mr. Threehorn frowned at this. “And...so?”
Littlefoot looked at up him in surprise. “Huh?”
“So...what? If he explained what happened to you, and if you’re on good terms with him, then..what about him is bothering you? Is there something that you aren’t telling me?”
The longneck pondered about how he should tell Mr. Threehorn. How could he word this without sounding weird? He had never admitted something like this before to anyone. He never expected Mr. Threehorn to be his first go. He felt like he was being rushed. The threehorn’s glare wasn’t helping him.
He soon realized that he had no idea how he was going to say this. He knew what was wrong and what was bothering him. But to put it to words... That was a whole different story. Organizing the proper thoughts and sentences in his head was a lot harder than he thought it was going to be. He wondered if this was what dinosaurs like Mr. Thicknose had to go through when trying to explain something personal. He recalled it wasn’t exactly easy for the thicknose to confess about him never having left the Great Valley and how all his knowledge of the outside world came from farwalkers.
Before he could speak another word, Mr. Threehorn’s voice stopped him.
“It’s because you aren’t satisfied with his answer...isn’t it?”
Littlefoot stared wide-eyed at the grey threehorn. Was he a mind reader? Swallowing dryly, he nodded. “Yeah... I mean...I know he told me what he could, but..something just feels...wrong, I guess.” He looked away. “I’m not sure how to explain it.”
“You feel that he could have done more. You feel that he shouldn’t have left, and you can’t come to peace with what he did.” Mr. Threehorn said as he stared down at Littlefoot. The longneck didn’t look up. He heard the sound of chewing and swallowing. He felt another step towards him. “Trust me, kid. I know how you feel.”
“Y-You do...?” Littlefoot raised his head a little higher. “How? Did you have a father that left you?” Mr. Threehorn shook his head. “Then how could you possibly understand...?” Littlefoot rested his head back down. He should have known that the old dinosaur wouldn’t understand.
“Because I am a father...and I’m a leader.” The grey dinosaur backtracked and corrected himself. “I was a leader...” For a moment, there was a look of sorrow in the threehorn’s eyes. It was brief and fleeting, and with a quick shake of his head, it was gone. “I have had to make many hard decisions in my life, both for my family, and for the good of my herd. Sometimes, they were the right choice. Other times, they would backfire horribly on me. I felt every loss, even if I didn’t show it. But I would always question why I made them, why I didn’t try something different, how things might have been different.”
Littlefoot looked at the threehorn sympathetically. The inflexion of his voice suggested some..personal experience with bad decision making. He wondered if this had anything to do with the disappearance of his mate and other children. He decided it was best not to press the matter. “So...do you know why my dad would just..leave like that?”
Mr. Threehorn snorted at this. “Of course not! I don’t know him! But you do.” He lowered his head slightly. “Only you can fully answer that.” He raised his head back up. “However, I can tell you what I think. I can give you an idea of what it must have been like for him. Now, I don’t know how you longnecks run your herds, and frankly, I’m not all that interested.” He shook his head. “But I’m sure that Bron’s reason was at least partially influenced by the burden of being the leader.”
“Leader?” Littlefoot narrowed his eyes in confusion.
“Wasn’t he the leader of your family group?” Asked the threehorn.
“I...” Littlefoot looked left and right. He had never really thought to ask his dad that. He was the leader of the current herd, yes. But he did not know about his immediate family group, with his mom and grandparents. Well, it would make sense if he was. “I..think so.”
“Then if he was, when he made the choice, a thousand questions must have been racing through his mind. Something must have prompted the decision for him to leave.” Mr. Threehorn explained.
“But what? Why couldn’t he have stayed?” Littlefoot tried his best to keep himself under control. He didn’t mean to get this emotional about it. But the anger was still there, yearning for understanding. “Why didn’t he just take my mom with her? Then we would have been together! We....”
“Could all have been killed.” Mr. Threehorn’s answer was blunt, precise, and to the point. Littlefoot couldn’t even think of a response to that. “I was around during that time. I remember being with my...mate, discussing the decision to move on. The land we lived in was great, so full of food and life. But..the winds of change had been long approaching, and we knew it was only a matter of time before something happened.”
“The winds of change?” Littlefoot was confused. What did the threehorn mean by that?
“It’s something you longnecks wouldn’t understand. But you see...we threehorns have a better sense of smell.” Mr. Threehorn explained. “It’s not noticeable when we are kids, but as adults, we can smell things better than most other kinds. It’s not as good as sharpteeth’s... but it’s still better than yours.”
“I see...” Littlefoot tried to wrap his mind around that. He didn’t expect threehorns to have that good sense a smell. He tried not to dwell on it too much. “So you could smell something was coming?”
Mr. Threehorn nodded his head. “Yes. It’s...hard to explain. But yes, we could definitely smell something was coming. So we had to leave. We didn’t stick around for long and we departed.” He raised his head up, his eyes fixating towards the sky for a few seconds. “I’m sure your father probably saw me leave, and realized something was wrong.” He looked down at Littlefoot. “We threehorns are the toughest dinosaurs in existence.”
Littlefoot tried not to smirk at his show of arrogance. This was more like the Mr. Threehorn that he knew. “So when you guys leave, everybody knows something is up?”
Mr. Threehorn nodded. “Precisely.”
“So...how would my folks have died if they left together?” Littlefoot narrowed his eyes in confusion. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Oh I didn’t?” Mr. Threehorn widened his eyes slightly. “Oh yes, I forgot to add that part.” He cleared his throat. “Well, our herd was migrating at the time, and we had come in front the direction your father headed in.”
“I thought you left before him.” Littlefoot interjected.
“We did. But it’s hard to miss a massive dinosaur like your father, even from a distance.” Mr. Threehorn said with a smile. The smirk quickly faded as he continued, “That land had a lot of dangers in it, kid. Nothing like you had ever faced before. I’m surprised that he went alone, let alone even survived it.”
Littlefoot’s eyes widened in horror. “Why would my dad take such a risk?”
“Because there was food there. There was a land beyond that we had been to before. Great place.” Mr. Threehorn said. “It was the pinnacle of herd migrations before the Great Valley was ever brought up again. Tree Sweet Meadows I believe it was called. It was surrounded by these plants that masked our scent and warded off sharpteeth, so it was a pretty safe place to be.” He tilted his head to one side. “I’m sure that’s where your father was going.”
The mention of the plants immediately reminded Littlefoot of those stinky plants that Chomper hid them in. He didn’t know how they could work on a large scale like that. But perhaps the old dinosaur was talking about a larger, more robust version of the plant, with a stronger smell. Littlefoot wrinkled his nose at the thought. He wasn’t sure if he would like the idea of living in a place like that.
“I know how you feel, kid. But you get used to the smell.” Said Mr. Threehorn.
“Yeah, I’m sure...” Littlefoot looked up at Mr. Threehorn. “So you’re saying that my mom could have been killed by these...dangers that you mentioned?”
Mr. Threehorn said, “I wouldn’t doubt it. In her...condition, she would have been a bit slower, and sharpteeth would have picked up on her condition and attacked her. Bron might be a young, strong longneck I’m sure, but even he would have a hard time defending his pregnant mate in a place like that. Even if the sharpteeth were taken care of, there was the land itself, and...” A quick flash of horror graced his face. “Be glad you will never have to go there, kid.”
Littlefoot’s mind played through images of dangers that the threehorn could be referring to. His imagination rapidly went wild as bizarre and horrendeous things came to mind. He shook his head, getting those thoughts out of his head. “So, my dad couldn’t stay because of the winds of change...and he couldn’t take mom with because she might have been killed...along with me...”
Mr. Threehorn nodded his head. “That sounds about right, yes. Now I’m not saying that’s how it would have been. But...as a leader, and a father, you have to be careful with your choices. Bron may have thought him leaving on his own, and then coming back, would have been the best choice.” He paused for a moment. “Was it the best choice? Maybe not. Does he regret it? I’m sure he does. But that’s the thing about leadership, Littlefoot. You will always make a decision you don’t like.”
Littlefoot lowered his head. “I just wish I knew exactly why he left...”
“You could always ask him...if he ever happens to stop by.” Suggested the threehorn.
“Yeah...I could.. Thanks.” Littlefoot said softly, his mind sifting through this new information he had been given. Even if he didn’t still fully understand, Mr. Threehorn did at least help put things into perspective.
“Well I better get going now.” Mr. Threehorn turned his head, looking back to where he guessed the nest was. “Cera will be coming back to the nest shortly for supper.” He eyed Littlefoot. “I won’t tell her about your little lie if you promise you don’t tell her about this conversation. It never happened. Got it?”
Littlefoot smirked and nodded. “My mouth is closed.”
“Good.” With that, Mr. Threehorn turned and walked away.
Littlefoot watched as the threehorn left. He was not surprised by the threehorn’s request. If anything, he would have been more shocked if he didn’t bring that up. Mr. Threehorn usually didn’t carry out conversations like this, especially not with another kind. He probably didn’t want his daughter thinking that he was going soft.
He looked back out towards his friends. It was a little easier to see them now. They were coming closer. They still hadn’t spotted him, not even Petrie. He was glad. He was still not comfortable with speaking to them on this manner. Maybe he will later on, once he came to grips with his feelings on the subject, and once he understood things better. He took Mr. Threehorn’s words into consideration. Yeah, talking with his father might work, an idea he had before.
Littlefoot didn’t know when he was going to see his dad again, though. And he realized that there may be only one way he could get in touch with him. He hated the idea of leaving the Great Valley again, especially since it felt as though he had just gotten back. But there were little options available to him.
Getting up from his resting spot, the longneck turned and headed back towards his nest. It was time to speak to his grandparents.
10
The Written Word / Play The Game
« on: November 17, 2013, 10:21:49 PM »
This is the sequel to Sinful Behaviors. It is still in the works. It takes place a year and a half after the events of Sinful Behaviors.
Plot-"I know very well who you are...Snap White. You are the zoner that beat the odds against the Dark Creator. But can you save your dear friends...from me? Time is running out, Snap. You better hurry."
PROLOGUE-
The jail..no..the reform facility, as some have chosen to call it, was very quiet. There would usually be the bustling and shouting of inmates locked up for whatever crime they had committed. In addition to that, there would usually be the sound of wardens trying to get the prisoners to calm down and not start a riot. Riots had been occurring a little too frequently, and they wanted to put an end to it.
But right now, it was just quiet. And it wasn’t because anything strange was going on. There was no bailout where most of the prisoners escaped. It was just time for them to sleep. It was difficult to tell, at least to someone outside of ChalkZone, when it was time to sleep when ChalkZone was divided into Day and Night Zones, neither changing.
During these times, the wardens didn’t have much to do. They would sit around, perhaps eat donuts and drink coffee. Sometimes they would tell jokes or play games. What else could they do? They had no prisoners to keep in line. And they didn’t have to worry about anyone escaping. Security cameras were activated all the time, and if anyone tried to get in and out, they would see it.
But now, this time, things were going to be a little different...
It all began with the alarm. The red flashing light gave the room a pale red hue, alerting them. The wardens got out of their seats and immediately checked what the problem was. Going through their security cameras, they did not see anything unusual. All the prisoners were sound asleep.
Yet still the alarm went off, and something was not right. Soon a shadow moved along the wall. The wardens got out their guns and readied themselves for a fight.
“Who is there? Show yourself!” A warden shouted.
Something that looked like a blur of yellow and red rushed towards him. A horrible scream as something punctured his arm. The warden fell to the ground, clutching his arm in absolute agony. The other wardens stared at him in horror as the arm started to swell.
A second warden began to open fire at the blur. He only got two shots in before there was a colorful slash, and then blood spewed from his neck. He fell backgrounds and crumpled onto the ground.
As the remaining wardens rushed their fallen comrades, pulling out their radios to call for help, the yellow blur moved quickly down the hallways, prisoners on both sides. The commotion woke up some of the prisoners and they scowled at the strange intruder, unsure of what to make of what was going on. Some of the prisoners were amused by the intruder’s actions, while others were clearly frightened and backed away, not wanting to get killed as well.
But this intruder had other plans. He had no use for any of these prisoners. There was only one that mattered. He moved down the halls, looking left and right. He would bare his teeth when he saw he didn’t find the prisoner that he wanted. And as he took each step without finding this particular one, the angrier he began to look.
Then, finally, he saw what he was looking for. Ears swiveled upright as a smirk came across his face. His long fangs, dripping with blood, were exposed in demented glee. There, at the end of the hallway, was a very large cell, closed off by huge, thick bars. There was only one prisoner this place had that would require such a strong cell to hold.
The intruder made his way over quickly. He slowed to a walk and he stopped in front of the cell. He stared into the room, eyeing the prisoner that was kept inside.
A large zoner, standing high above him easily. Large wings with hooks at the end of each elongated finger. Bushy fur covering his body. A tail that swished back and forth. Piercing eyes staring into his, and a long muzzle with sharp teeth, exposed as the lips were pulled back into a snarl.
“What do you...want...?” The zoner asked, his voice low, dark, and growly.
The intruder stayed quiet. He examined this zoner up and down. He was bigger than he thought he was going to be. And he certainly was ferocious. He could see that the zoner had been chained to the wall, a clear sign of his brutality. If that wasn’t enough evidence, the floor and walls had clear signs of claw marks, deep and long. Yes, he would do quiet nicely.
The intruder placed his hand on one of the thick cell bars. His mouth contorted into an evil smile.
“I want to make a deal with you.” The intruder said, green eyes brightening.
The zoner tilted his head. He looked surprised at first. Then a glare replaced that initial surprise. “What did you have in mind?”
“Something..that you would enjoy. Oh so much.” The intruder said.
The alarm was still going off. The intruder knew he did not have much time left to get this zoner. He turned his head to make sure the wardens hadn’t come over yet. He knew that the remaining wardens wouldn’t be dumb enough to come after him without reinforcement.
He turned his attention back to the zoner. He used a thick claw to pick the lock. And open it swung. He took a few steps into the cell, staring at the winged zoner.
“If you agree to help me, I will get you out of this dump.” The intruder said. “And you can have what it is you desire so much... I can sense it. And if you help me, you will get it.”
The zoner stared at him, eyes narrowed into slits and teeth bared. It looked like, at first, the zoner did not believe him and had no desire to take orders from anyone. But then, the angry look was soon replaced with an evil smile of his own.
The zoner said, “Okay then... Free me, lead me out of here...and tell me what this..plan of yours is.”
The intruder went up to the control panel that kept the zoner locked in those chains. With a swipe, three deep gashes cut through, destroying it in an instant. The zoner stretched his wings, letting out a screech. The intruder jumped onto his back. Like he was requested, he guided the winged zoner out, knocking down anyone who stood in their way.
They took off into the air. The wardens, including the reinforcements that came, began to shoot at them. But each bullet missed. They were horrified by what had transpired. One warden pulled out his radio and shouted into it in a panicked voice.
“Attention! Code red! Draow has escaped!”
Plot-"I know very well who you are...Snap White. You are the zoner that beat the odds against the Dark Creator. But can you save your dear friends...from me? Time is running out, Snap. You better hurry."
PROLOGUE-
The jail..no..the reform facility, as some have chosen to call it, was very quiet. There would usually be the bustling and shouting of inmates locked up for whatever crime they had committed. In addition to that, there would usually be the sound of wardens trying to get the prisoners to calm down and not start a riot. Riots had been occurring a little too frequently, and they wanted to put an end to it.
But right now, it was just quiet. And it wasn’t because anything strange was going on. There was no bailout where most of the prisoners escaped. It was just time for them to sleep. It was difficult to tell, at least to someone outside of ChalkZone, when it was time to sleep when ChalkZone was divided into Day and Night Zones, neither changing.
During these times, the wardens didn’t have much to do. They would sit around, perhaps eat donuts and drink coffee. Sometimes they would tell jokes or play games. What else could they do? They had no prisoners to keep in line. And they didn’t have to worry about anyone escaping. Security cameras were activated all the time, and if anyone tried to get in and out, they would see it.
But now, this time, things were going to be a little different...
It all began with the alarm. The red flashing light gave the room a pale red hue, alerting them. The wardens got out of their seats and immediately checked what the problem was. Going through their security cameras, they did not see anything unusual. All the prisoners were sound asleep.
Yet still the alarm went off, and something was not right. Soon a shadow moved along the wall. The wardens got out their guns and readied themselves for a fight.
“Who is there? Show yourself!” A warden shouted.
Something that looked like a blur of yellow and red rushed towards him. A horrible scream as something punctured his arm. The warden fell to the ground, clutching his arm in absolute agony. The other wardens stared at him in horror as the arm started to swell.
A second warden began to open fire at the blur. He only got two shots in before there was a colorful slash, and then blood spewed from his neck. He fell backgrounds and crumpled onto the ground.
As the remaining wardens rushed their fallen comrades, pulling out their radios to call for help, the yellow blur moved quickly down the hallways, prisoners on both sides. The commotion woke up some of the prisoners and they scowled at the strange intruder, unsure of what to make of what was going on. Some of the prisoners were amused by the intruder’s actions, while others were clearly frightened and backed away, not wanting to get killed as well.
But this intruder had other plans. He had no use for any of these prisoners. There was only one that mattered. He moved down the halls, looking left and right. He would bare his teeth when he saw he didn’t find the prisoner that he wanted. And as he took each step without finding this particular one, the angrier he began to look.
Then, finally, he saw what he was looking for. Ears swiveled upright as a smirk came across his face. His long fangs, dripping with blood, were exposed in demented glee. There, at the end of the hallway, was a very large cell, closed off by huge, thick bars. There was only one prisoner this place had that would require such a strong cell to hold.
The intruder made his way over quickly. He slowed to a walk and he stopped in front of the cell. He stared into the room, eyeing the prisoner that was kept inside.
A large zoner, standing high above him easily. Large wings with hooks at the end of each elongated finger. Bushy fur covering his body. A tail that swished back and forth. Piercing eyes staring into his, and a long muzzle with sharp teeth, exposed as the lips were pulled back into a snarl.
“What do you...want...?” The zoner asked, his voice low, dark, and growly.
The intruder stayed quiet. He examined this zoner up and down. He was bigger than he thought he was going to be. And he certainly was ferocious. He could see that the zoner had been chained to the wall, a clear sign of his brutality. If that wasn’t enough evidence, the floor and walls had clear signs of claw marks, deep and long. Yes, he would do quiet nicely.
The intruder placed his hand on one of the thick cell bars. His mouth contorted into an evil smile.
“I want to make a deal with you.” The intruder said, green eyes brightening.
The zoner tilted his head. He looked surprised at first. Then a glare replaced that initial surprise. “What did you have in mind?”
“Something..that you would enjoy. Oh so much.” The intruder said.
The alarm was still going off. The intruder knew he did not have much time left to get this zoner. He turned his head to make sure the wardens hadn’t come over yet. He knew that the remaining wardens wouldn’t be dumb enough to come after him without reinforcement.
He turned his attention back to the zoner. He used a thick claw to pick the lock. And open it swung. He took a few steps into the cell, staring at the winged zoner.
“If you agree to help me, I will get you out of this dump.” The intruder said. “And you can have what it is you desire so much... I can sense it. And if you help me, you will get it.”
The zoner stared at him, eyes narrowed into slits and teeth bared. It looked like, at first, the zoner did not believe him and had no desire to take orders from anyone. But then, the angry look was soon replaced with an evil smile of his own.
The zoner said, “Okay then... Free me, lead me out of here...and tell me what this..plan of yours is.”
The intruder went up to the control panel that kept the zoner locked in those chains. With a swipe, three deep gashes cut through, destroying it in an instant. The zoner stretched his wings, letting out a screech. The intruder jumped onto his back. Like he was requested, he guided the winged zoner out, knocking down anyone who stood in their way.
They took off into the air. The wardens, including the reinforcements that came, began to shoot at them. But each bullet missed. They were horrified by what had transpired. One warden pulled out his radio and shouted into it in a panicked voice.
“Attention! Code red! Draow has escaped!”
11
The Written Word / Sinful Behaviors
« on: September 30, 2013, 02:35:00 PM »
I've been writing quite a bit lately, more than I have in a while. Within the past few months, I wrote and completed 3 fanfics. 2 Code Lyoko ones (Fall and Rise) and an Animaniacs one (Running Around In Circles). This is the latest story, a ChalkZone fanfic called Sinful Behaviors.
I'm not sure how many members here know about ChalkZone or even like it. It's an old show that used to be on Nickelodeon, following the adventures of a 10 year old boy who, along with his friend Penny, have adventures in a place called ChalkZone, where chalkboard drawings come to life after they're erased in the real world. The third main character is Snap, one of Rudy's creations, a blue 'superhero'-type character. It's been about 10 years since I wrote a fanfic for this show.
Plot: "I don't think you understand your potential, Tabootie. You waste your talents on creating useless friends, prancing around as their 'hero'. But you can be more than that. Oh so much more..."
PROLOGUE-
"It...it can't be..." A woman whispered under her breath, her eyes fixated.
She sat in her chair, thinking. She tried to make sense of what she saw. She rubbed her chin, contemplating all the possibilities through her mind. Some logical explanation would make itself known. Soon, any time now...
...no, nothing could explain this. Nothing that was within her field of understanding. The 40-year old woman looked at the photograph time and time again. No amount of eye rubbing and shakes of the head could erase what she saw. It challenged everything she knew about logic and rules of physics. Had this been a CGI picture, she'd buy it. But no, this was a photograph, and none like she had ever seen before.
In the photograph was a 15 year old boy. Brown hair, wearing a dull green shirt and brown pants. He looked like he needed to see the dentist as he had buck teeth sticking out of his mouth. With him was a girl looking to be around the same age. She appeared to be hispanic, had a pair of glasses on, dirty yellow shirt with a plaid skirt, and her hair was also brown, though taking more of a reddish color.
They were standing near the chalkboard, appearing to be erasing it. Nothing unusual there. But there was more to it than that. If it had just been that, she would have given the person who gave her the photo a good slap on the wrist for wasting her time. No, what was of interest wasn't the teenagers specifically, but what was in the photo with them.
She had to look really closely, but she saw something appearing to almost...glow behind the geography map covering part of the chalkboard. It was subtle, but it was enough to send an alarm bell ringing in the woman's mind. There would not have been any light source to produce that. It was clear where the light source was coming from. She could see the outline of a hole.
And that wasn't the only thing she noticed...
Something blue was visible in the hole. It was really hard to tell. There wasn't much of the hole revealed. But she could have sworn she could see a blue-colored face staring at the children.
In her mind, the woman had to wonder if there was a room hidden behind the chalkboard. It would explain everything, the glowing light and the mysterious figure. He could be a friend or acquaintance wanting to scare the two teenagers. Even at that age, they can still be a little immature, so she'd expect such behavior from them.
Yet something didn't add up. She had been to this school before. She had seen enough of its architecture to know a hidden room just wasn't possible. And what teacher could use a hidden room anyway? And how did that blue boy get in this supposed room? There would have been no place, unless he crawled in. But what kind of room only has a circular opening? What's the purpose?
Something else seemed off about this blue boy. Something she didn't notice until she brought out a magnifying glass and peered closer. Something was off about his body. There appeared to be a sort of outline...Outline? But people don't have outlines... Why did this boy have it? And why did it look porous, almost like a...chalk drawing?
The woman stared, mouth open, as she fell back against her chair. Could it really be possible? All the sanity in her told her it was impossible. Yet here was the evidence before her. The photograph wasn't altered. She had been given the camera by the guy she hired and got the pictures developed. This was the real deal.
She tried to keep her heart from racing and rubbed her head, fighting off the ache that was starting to take her. This started out as such a simple project. They were documenting student misconduct, photographing students that had broken school rules. Granted they were supposed to get permission from the students to be photographed, but the man she sent out to take the photos didn't care about that.
And now she wasn't sure if she was happy or deeply disturbed. Never once, in this routine 'find a story for the paper' had she expected something like this. Could she really send this to the newspaper? What if the...the thing she saw was a chalk drawing come to life?
As absurd as that sounded, she didn't want to take the chance this get out to public. A riot was the last thing she wanted. But...she couldn't just keep this to herself, could she? No, this was too...incredible to just keep to herself. Who could she tell? Who would believe her?
She almost jerked in surprise when a large hand rested on her shoulder.
"What is the matter, Ms. Saffron?"
She looked up, staring into familiar eyes. Where had he come from? How long had he watched her before doing anything?
"Mr. Cosmo, I..."
Without asking permission, he grabbed the photograph from her hands and examined it. From the expression on his face, it was clear he had noticed the same thing she did. But instead of being horrified like she expected, or outright question it, a smile, almost eerie, crept across his face.
He murmured in a near inaudible voice, "So...there's another..." He looked over at her. "Prepare for long nights, Ms. Saffron. We are going to be busy, you and I."
She scooted out of her seat. "Sir, what are you planning?"
His foosteps ceased. He gave her a sideways glance. "You will see..."
I'm not sure how many members here know about ChalkZone or even like it. It's an old show that used to be on Nickelodeon, following the adventures of a 10 year old boy who, along with his friend Penny, have adventures in a place called ChalkZone, where chalkboard drawings come to life after they're erased in the real world. The third main character is Snap, one of Rudy's creations, a blue 'superhero'-type character. It's been about 10 years since I wrote a fanfic for this show.
Plot: "I don't think you understand your potential, Tabootie. You waste your talents on creating useless friends, prancing around as their 'hero'. But you can be more than that. Oh so much more..."
PROLOGUE-
"It...it can't be..." A woman whispered under her breath, her eyes fixated.
She sat in her chair, thinking. She tried to make sense of what she saw. She rubbed her chin, contemplating all the possibilities through her mind. Some logical explanation would make itself known. Soon, any time now...
...no, nothing could explain this. Nothing that was within her field of understanding. The 40-year old woman looked at the photograph time and time again. No amount of eye rubbing and shakes of the head could erase what she saw. It challenged everything she knew about logic and rules of physics. Had this been a CGI picture, she'd buy it. But no, this was a photograph, and none like she had ever seen before.
In the photograph was a 15 year old boy. Brown hair, wearing a dull green shirt and brown pants. He looked like he needed to see the dentist as he had buck teeth sticking out of his mouth. With him was a girl looking to be around the same age. She appeared to be hispanic, had a pair of glasses on, dirty yellow shirt with a plaid skirt, and her hair was also brown, though taking more of a reddish color.
They were standing near the chalkboard, appearing to be erasing it. Nothing unusual there. But there was more to it than that. If it had just been that, she would have given the person who gave her the photo a good slap on the wrist for wasting her time. No, what was of interest wasn't the teenagers specifically, but what was in the photo with them.
She had to look really closely, but she saw something appearing to almost...glow behind the geography map covering part of the chalkboard. It was subtle, but it was enough to send an alarm bell ringing in the woman's mind. There would not have been any light source to produce that. It was clear where the light source was coming from. She could see the outline of a hole.
And that wasn't the only thing she noticed...
Something blue was visible in the hole. It was really hard to tell. There wasn't much of the hole revealed. But she could have sworn she could see a blue-colored face staring at the children.
In her mind, the woman had to wonder if there was a room hidden behind the chalkboard. It would explain everything, the glowing light and the mysterious figure. He could be a friend or acquaintance wanting to scare the two teenagers. Even at that age, they can still be a little immature, so she'd expect such behavior from them.
Yet something didn't add up. She had been to this school before. She had seen enough of its architecture to know a hidden room just wasn't possible. And what teacher could use a hidden room anyway? And how did that blue boy get in this supposed room? There would have been no place, unless he crawled in. But what kind of room only has a circular opening? What's the purpose?
Something else seemed off about this blue boy. Something she didn't notice until she brought out a magnifying glass and peered closer. Something was off about his body. There appeared to be a sort of outline...Outline? But people don't have outlines... Why did this boy have it? And why did it look porous, almost like a...chalk drawing?
The woman stared, mouth open, as she fell back against her chair. Could it really be possible? All the sanity in her told her it was impossible. Yet here was the evidence before her. The photograph wasn't altered. She had been given the camera by the guy she hired and got the pictures developed. This was the real deal.
She tried to keep her heart from racing and rubbed her head, fighting off the ache that was starting to take her. This started out as such a simple project. They were documenting student misconduct, photographing students that had broken school rules. Granted they were supposed to get permission from the students to be photographed, but the man she sent out to take the photos didn't care about that.
And now she wasn't sure if she was happy or deeply disturbed. Never once, in this routine 'find a story for the paper' had she expected something like this. Could she really send this to the newspaper? What if the...the thing she saw was a chalk drawing come to life?
As absurd as that sounded, she didn't want to take the chance this get out to public. A riot was the last thing she wanted. But...she couldn't just keep this to herself, could she? No, this was too...incredible to just keep to herself. Who could she tell? Who would believe her?
She almost jerked in surprise when a large hand rested on her shoulder.
"What is the matter, Ms. Saffron?"
She looked up, staring into familiar eyes. Where had he come from? How long had he watched her before doing anything?
"Mr. Cosmo, I..."
Without asking permission, he grabbed the photograph from her hands and examined it. From the expression on his face, it was clear he had noticed the same thing she did. But instead of being horrified like she expected, or outright question it, a smile, almost eerie, crept across his face.
He murmured in a near inaudible voice, "So...there's another..." He looked over at her. "Prepare for long nights, Ms. Saffron. We are going to be busy, you and I."
She scooted out of her seat. "Sir, what are you planning?"
His foosteps ceased. He gave her a sideways glance. "You will see..."
12
Gamers Zone / Pokemon The Origin
« on: August 19, 2013, 04:38:37 PM »
For those who love the classic Pokemon Red and Green (Blue in America), this will be a treat for you. Coming soon, the first Pokemon games will be recieving their own special. No Ash and no Gary; this time it's Red and Green.
Here's the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m_985-nr78
Here's the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m_985-nr78
13
Computer and Electronics / My computer is broken
« on: April 24, 2013, 04:06:43 PM »
For the past month or two, my computer has been suddenly shutting down, but always turned itself back on. I thought it was because it was overheating. My computer hadn't been dusted in a while. I let it go while I was backing up my stuff before dusting, just in case something went wrong. Last week or two, my dad dusted out my computer for me after about 90% of my stuff was backed up. And for a while, it seemed to work.
But then yesterday, my computer suddenly shut down in the morning and booted back up. What was strange is that the computer didn't get as hot as before, which suggested there was actually an additional problem. I left the computer in sleep mode for a few hours before getting back on in the afternoon.
Then it finally happened. My computer kicked the bucket. It suddenly shut down, but this time, things were different. The lights stayed orange instead of turning off like before. And the computer wouldn't boot up anymore. I turn it off, the orange light slowly faded rather than quickly turn off. The computer makes no sound at all when I push the power button.
I spoke to a friend of mine and he thinks it is a power supply issue. So for the time being, I will be without a computer. I'll only be online, using either my neighbor's computer, my family's computer, or the library's computer, checking up on stuff and maybe posting updates. I do not know how long I will be without a computer unfortunately. I am not in a financial situation to be buying computer parts or a new computer.
So I'll see you when I can. Bye.
But then yesterday, my computer suddenly shut down in the morning and booted back up. What was strange is that the computer didn't get as hot as before, which suggested there was actually an additional problem. I left the computer in sleep mode for a few hours before getting back on in the afternoon.
Then it finally happened. My computer kicked the bucket. It suddenly shut down, but this time, things were different. The lights stayed orange instead of turning off like before. And the computer wouldn't boot up anymore. I turn it off, the orange light slowly faded rather than quickly turn off. The computer makes no sound at all when I push the power button.
I spoke to a friend of mine and he thinks it is a power supply issue. So for the time being, I will be without a computer. I'll only be online, using either my neighbor's computer, my family's computer, or the library's computer, checking up on stuff and maybe posting updates. I do not know how long I will be without a computer unfortunately. I am not in a financial situation to be buying computer parts or a new computer.
So I'll see you when I can. Bye.
14
Gamers Zone / Nintendo massive DMCA
« on: April 18, 2013, 08:49:23 AM »
A couple years ago, back in September 2010, some Pokemon fansites were targeted by Nintendo and its lawyers. The site owners were told that what they did not only infringed on Nintendo's rights, but supposedly caused or will cause substantial damage to Nintendo. They were asked to pull all Pokemon related images and videos from their site or suffer further legal action.
ROMs were not the cause of concern here. No, what had Nintendo ruffled is the fact that these sites hosted pictures and content from Pokemon Black and White. While Nintendo claimed that they were worried about spoilers, the DMCA takedown notices were sent after the games were already released. It is unknown why they started in 2010 to do this when they haven't reacted this way during the older Pokemon's initial releases.
I looked this stuff up and at first it seemed really questionable. Could Nintendo have really decided to take down fansites? Well if the site owner of Pokebeach is to be believed, this is certainly the case. In one of their articles regarding the aftermath with Nintendo, they say that the letters, despite supposed spelling mistakes and inconsistencies, was in fact real and the lawyer they spoke to was very real.
If this happened two years ago, why am I bringing it up now? Well because word got out that Nintendo is resuming its attacks on fansites. A site was recently set a DMCA takedown notice and its Pokemon gallery vanished. Serebii.net supposedly recieved a notice to take down their website. Pokemon fanart is being targeted as well. And there is concern that Pokemon creepypasta and fanfiction will be next on the chopping block afterwards.
Sadly, this isn't really all that farfetched. Nintendo is not the first company to go on a "destroy all fan content" of one of their franchises. Years ago, in the 90s, FOX went on a witchhunt for Simpsons fansites. Now this is before the advent of easy video uploading, so there were likely no sites hosting full episodes. Why did FOX order the takedown of Simpson fansites? Pictures. Just because of pictures. FOX felt that any site hosting screenshots of their work infringed on their copyright and was a big enough threat for them to order the takedown of most Simpsons fansites.
What do you guys think of this? Also, if this is more suited for After Midnight, I apologize for posting it here; I wasn't sure if I should put it in After Midnight or Gamers Zone.
ROMs were not the cause of concern here. No, what had Nintendo ruffled is the fact that these sites hosted pictures and content from Pokemon Black and White. While Nintendo claimed that they were worried about spoilers, the DMCA takedown notices were sent after the games were already released. It is unknown why they started in 2010 to do this when they haven't reacted this way during the older Pokemon's initial releases.
I looked this stuff up and at first it seemed really questionable. Could Nintendo have really decided to take down fansites? Well if the site owner of Pokebeach is to be believed, this is certainly the case. In one of their articles regarding the aftermath with Nintendo, they say that the letters, despite supposed spelling mistakes and inconsistencies, was in fact real and the lawyer they spoke to was very real.
If this happened two years ago, why am I bringing it up now? Well because word got out that Nintendo is resuming its attacks on fansites. A site was recently set a DMCA takedown notice and its Pokemon gallery vanished. Serebii.net supposedly recieved a notice to take down their website. Pokemon fanart is being targeted as well. And there is concern that Pokemon creepypasta and fanfiction will be next on the chopping block afterwards.
Sadly, this isn't really all that farfetched. Nintendo is not the first company to go on a "destroy all fan content" of one of their franchises. Years ago, in the 90s, FOX went on a witchhunt for Simpsons fansites. Now this is before the advent of easy video uploading, so there were likely no sites hosting full episodes. Why did FOX order the takedown of Simpson fansites? Pictures. Just because of pictures. FOX felt that any site hosting screenshots of their work infringed on their copyright and was a big enough threat for them to order the takedown of most Simpsons fansites.
What do you guys think of this? Also, if this is more suited for After Midnight, I apologize for posting it here; I wasn't sure if I should put it in After Midnight or Gamers Zone.
15
Visual Art / I'll Be Fine In The Fire
« on: February 17, 2013, 01:55:38 AM »
I worked on this earlier today. It's a Rozen Maiden AMV I'm working on, specifically a tribute to Suigintou, the main antagonist of Series 1. The song I used is Fix Me by 10 Years. I felt it fit Suigintou pretty well in the first series of Rozen Maiden, as she is determined to win back Rozen (the 'father' of the dolls) by any means necessary.
http://youtu.be/OZHTzX17Kbk
http://youtu.be/OZHTzX17Kbk
16
Silver Screen / Aoi Sekai no Chuushin de
« on: December 11, 2012, 08:54:52 PM »
Has anyone heard of this anime? It is fairly new. No idea if it'll be dubbed or not. I found out about this anime from a friend of mine. It is based on the console wars of Nintendo and Sega.
The anime's plot revolves around Nintendo and Sega fighting each other for control of the world. By the anime's start, Nintendo is winning. But Sega plans on turning that around with Sonic and his super speed. The plot seems to paint Nintendo as the antagonists, but since I haven't seen it, I don't know for sure if they are the bad guys of the anime.
Also, the intro seems to show the main bad guys as, surprise, Mario and Luigi. Unless I looked at it wrong of course. The characters as well as Nintendo and Sega get completely different names (looks too for the characters).
Here are the characters:
Gia – Sonic (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Opul – Opa-Opa (Fantasy Zone)
Neru – Nei (Phantasy Star)
Tejilof – Tetris (apparently a third-party mercenary hired by Segua)
Ramses – Columns
Marcse – Mario
Greege – Luigi
Zerig – The Legend Of Zelda
Carval – Kirby
Fare – Fire Emblem
Masa – Mother
Saroid – Samus (Metroid)
Pirika – Pikachu (PokÈmon
Fosta – Fox (Star Fox)
Intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nViUNjvzT0A
I don't recall if a topic like this was made before. If so, I apologize.
The anime's plot revolves around Nintendo and Sega fighting each other for control of the world. By the anime's start, Nintendo is winning. But Sega plans on turning that around with Sonic and his super speed. The plot seems to paint Nintendo as the antagonists, but since I haven't seen it, I don't know for sure if they are the bad guys of the anime.
Also, the intro seems to show the main bad guys as, surprise, Mario and Luigi. Unless I looked at it wrong of course. The characters as well as Nintendo and Sega get completely different names (looks too for the characters).
Here are the characters:
Gia – Sonic (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Opul – Opa-Opa (Fantasy Zone)
Neru – Nei (Phantasy Star)
Tejilof – Tetris (apparently a third-party mercenary hired by Segua)
Ramses – Columns
Marcse – Mario
Greege – Luigi
Zerig – The Legend Of Zelda
Carval – Kirby
Fare – Fire Emblem
Masa – Mother
Saroid – Samus (Metroid)
Pirika – Pikachu (PokÈmon
Fosta – Fox (Star Fox)
Intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nViUNjvzT0A
I don't recall if a topic like this was made before. If so, I apologize.
17
Visual Art / Fear Before The Fall
« on: November 20, 2012, 09:00:47 AM »
I started working on this last night. It's a Dinosaur King amv to Beyond The Stars by Evans Blue. I may be submitting this to Otakon's amv contest in 2013.
https://vimeo.com/53914108
https://vimeo.com/53914108
18
Computer and Electronics / How to not delete flash cookies?
« on: September 27, 2012, 10:12:18 AM »
Does anyone know if there is a way to stop flash cookies, at least from a certain program, from being deleted? At the moment, I use Comodo and Vipre as my two active protections. I have not been able to find any option to help me out.
The reason why I'm asking for a way to prevent the deletion of flash cookies is because there's a game I love to play called Dino Run that stores player information in the form of flash cookies. Something is deleting them, which means all of my work is erased and I have to start over every time. I contacted the people who made the game and they say that a program that I'm running is removing the flash cookies.
I played in a browser in the past with no trouble, but suddenly my save games were disappearing. I bought the game to play on the computer, hoping that would work, but the same issue arises even then.
So anyone know what I can do?
The reason why I'm asking for a way to prevent the deletion of flash cookies is because there's a game I love to play called Dino Run that stores player information in the form of flash cookies. Something is deleting them, which means all of my work is erased and I have to start over every time. I contacted the people who made the game and they say that a program that I'm running is removing the flash cookies.
I played in a browser in the past with no trouble, but suddenly my save games were disappearing. I bought the game to play on the computer, hoping that would work, but the same issue arises even then.
So anyone know what I can do?
19
The Written Word / Tale Of The Three
« on: September 20, 2012, 08:07:47 PM »
I had started writing a Dinotopia fanfic sometime ago. I hadn't continued it in a long time. I began writing the story after some chats with Malte regarding Dinotopia. The story itself involves an aggressive dolphinback arriving on Dinotopia.
The story will focus on just 3 characters, though other characters will appear.
The 3 main characters are:
Darcy: Dolphinback. She washes ashore of Dinotopia. She has an aggressive streak and isn't afraid of sticking up for herself.
Richard: Dinotopian. Richard is the first nativeborn Dinotopian Darcy runs into. While having good intentions, Richard has trouble controlling his temper.
Elijah: Dolphinback. He's the main antagonist of the story. Elijah hates the dinosaurs and believes he must save the islanders from them.
Here's a link to the story:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/512010/chapters/902608
Criticism is welcome.
The story will focus on just 3 characters, though other characters will appear.
The 3 main characters are:
Darcy: Dolphinback. She washes ashore of Dinotopia. She has an aggressive streak and isn't afraid of sticking up for herself.
Richard: Dinotopian. Richard is the first nativeborn Dinotopian Darcy runs into. While having good intentions, Richard has trouble controlling his temper.
Elijah: Dolphinback. He's the main antagonist of the story. Elijah hates the dinosaurs and believes he must save the islanders from them.
Here's a link to the story:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/512010/chapters/902608
Criticism is welcome.
20
Gamers Zone / Dino Crisis Source
« on: September 13, 2012, 10:22:27 PM »
http://www.moddb.com/mods/dino-crisis-1-source
I found this while looking through Mod DB. It's a remake of Dino Crisis using the Source engine, which powers the Half-Life 2 games.
For those who might not know, Dino Crisis is a Resident Evil-style game, a survival horror (marketed as a panic horror) in which you take the role of Regina, exploring an island where much of the inhabitants have been mysteriously slaughtered. Complicating it all, hordes of dinosaurs appear to try to kill you. Pretty much think of Resident Evil, but replace the zombies with dinosaurs, and keep in all the puzzle solving, fixed camera angles, and you have Dino Crisis.
There is a chance I'll be on the team. I had contacted the guy about possibly doing models for him, although he needs to make sure the test file I sent him works before I can move on.
Oh curious. Since this game will be created using the Source engine, does anyone know the polygon count limit for Half-Life 2: Episode 2?
I found this while looking through Mod DB. It's a remake of Dino Crisis using the Source engine, which powers the Half-Life 2 games.
For those who might not know, Dino Crisis is a Resident Evil-style game, a survival horror (marketed as a panic horror) in which you take the role of Regina, exploring an island where much of the inhabitants have been mysteriously slaughtered. Complicating it all, hordes of dinosaurs appear to try to kill you. Pretty much think of Resident Evil, but replace the zombies with dinosaurs, and keep in all the puzzle solving, fixed camera angles, and you have Dino Crisis.
There is a chance I'll be on the team. I had contacted the guy about possibly doing models for him, although he needs to make sure the test file I sent him works before I can move on.
Oh curious. Since this game will be created using the Source engine, does anyone know the polygon count limit for Half-Life 2: Episode 2?