@Beks: He's a mix of several people ^_^
@Jessi: It's the coat ;)
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
NK Origins: Queen Mara
Started by
Mara=^.^=
, Sep 24 2008 02:57 AM
179 replies to this topic
#101
Mara=^.^=
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Benevolent, All-Seeing Eye
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Posted 18 April 2009 - 07:27 AM
#102
kohirihiri
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Self-Proclaimed Narcissist
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Posted 18 April 2009 - 06:47 PM
OMG WE'RE ALL SO CUTE AND HOT AND WE REALLY LOOK LIKE US!!
HOLY KUHRAP I would totally wear that. O___O
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
I'm sharing this with friends. ^-^
HOLY KUHRAP I would totally wear that. O___O
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
I'm sharing this with friends. ^-^
#103
Mara=^.^=
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Benevolent, All-Seeing Eye
- Nickname:Mara
- Gender:Female
- Location:VT
Posted 19 April 2009 - 06:16 AM
This chapter is crap :'(
Next chapter explains all! :thumbsup:
______
Chapter 5, in which everything gets really confusing
The red sun descended steadily toward the Western horizon. We stood assembled in the open launch bay, basking in a warm summer breeze that was lightly scented with hints of approaching autumn.
“Ooh, I don’t like this suit at all!” cried Steph pathetically as the five of us prepared to mount our hover scooters and depart. The last vestige of her civilian outfit – a polka dot headband – stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the ensemble. “I want my little dress back. This outfit is so stifling!” She tugged at the dark fabric, which defiantly snapped back around her substantial curves.
“What are you talking about, Brad?” asked Contis lazily, picking out a scrap of sandwich from between his two front teeth and flicking it to the wayside. “You look like a million bucks.”
Cami, who had shredded her own catsuit in strategic locations to ‘simulate battle damage’, draped herself over Steph and ran her hands up the poor girl’s sides. “Oooh, sweeeeet moneh,” she purred lustily, rubbing her cheek against Steph’s shoulder.
“Cami, save the sexual harassment for after the mission,” I chided, wagging a finger at her.
“You’re just jealous that you’re not in on the action,” she retorted, and squeezed her victim’s bottom.
Steph fidgeted in supreme discomfort, and ultimately Captain had to intercede on her behalf. “Cami, get your barely-clad ass over here and get on your scooter before I make you ride in front of Contis.”
She immediately scrambled to obey, and I took the opportunity to hop on board my own craft. Our captain walked from scooter to scooter, handing out tiny skin-colored earpieces with an attached microphone.
“We’ll use these to keep in contact during the mission,” he informed us. “Touch the button on the side of the earpiece to broadcast to the others. Keep in mind that these devices are a potential liability – avoid using them unless absolutely necessary.”
We all nodded, and Contis shoved his transmitter into his ear and then revved his engine noisily. I laughed.
“Vroom vroom!” I imitated, making muscles at him. “Fear me! I am the sound of testosterone!”
“Now, now, Mara,” said the Captain with false piety. “Let’s show a little team solidarity, shall we? We’re here to love and support each other.”
“I supported yer MAWM last night!” cat-called Cami, pulling out in front of the rest of us. “Buuuuuuuurn!”
I rolled my eyes, and we zoomed off after her, falling into silence as the ship slowly receded into the distance. We floated through the evening air, and I glanced around at my fellow riders; the fiery light of sunset painted them in golden tones. Steph waved at me happily, and Cami turned corkscrews through the air, zipping in between us like a disoriented insect. Contis bobbed from side to side, beat-boxing a song to himself. Captain rode slightly behind me and to my left, and I turned and flashed him a smile, which he reservedly returned. I allowed myself a moment of pure happiness – in that instant, surrounded by this group of people, I belonged.
Captain broke the contented silence a moment later to point to a hill which rose in the distance. “That’s where we’re headed.”
We grew sober and serious as we approached our destination. Our flight drew to a close, and we touched down on a grassy hill just outside the walls of a large castle – in the plunging sunlight, it stood regal and tall against the surrounding countryside.
“Lovely…” I breathed as I drank in the fabulous sight.
“Dangerous,” corrected Captain, dismounting from his hover-scooter. “Get your game faces on, people. It’s show-time.”
“So serious,” I mused absently as I took my spot in our circle and waited for my instructions.
“I trust you all remember your assignments,” said Captain. “Cami, do whatever it is that you normally do when you steal stuff. Get inside the walls, find the treasury, and get your greedy little paws on every scrap you can.”
“I am a pantherrrrr,” she purred, running her tongue over the top of her hand and then using it to “wash” her hair, in the manner of a feline.
“You’re insane,” said Captain matter-a-factly, then turned to the others. “Steph, you and Contis will distract the guards at the side entrance like we discussed earlier, allowing Mara and I to slip inside the main walls. Once we get inside, we’ll take up strategic positions to help transport the loot out. We’ll work in an assembly line, handing off the stolen items to each other until we’ve taken all that we can. If someone attacks you, shoot. I’ve installed silencers on your weapons…nobody will be able to hear you. And remember,” he warned smoothly, “they will torture you if they catch you. Don’t give them that chance.”
I felt a cold lump form inside me. No wonder he was so serious. This was the real thing.
“All right, that’s it. You’re dismissed!”
Cami tiptoed off in a great show of exaggerated stealth, and I grinned to myself, wishing that I had the guts to do half the zany stuff she did. Contis and Steph wandered off to execute their part of the plan, leaving me alone with Captain. I was about to strike up a conversation when he raised a hand to silence me.
“Shh. Something doesn’t feel right. We should take cover while we’re waiting for the signal from Contis.”
He guided me over to a shady area next to outer wall. We rested with our backs against the stone; the cold surface leeched the warmth from my body.
That’s what I get for wearing this ridiculous catsuit, I thought grouchily, though I kept my expression blank. I didn’t want Captain to see how nervous I was. Does he ever get nervous? I wondered in silence as I glanced over at the impassive figure next to me. Of course he doesn’t get nervous. He knows what’s going to happen before it does.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked suddenly.
It took me a moment to formulate a response. “What’s it like,” I asked at last, “never being surprised? Is it hard to bear?”
He turned and smiled warmly. “Not always. Sometimes it’s nice, hearing things more than once.”
Somehow this statement seemed very personal, and I fidgeted awkwardly. I was spared from another smile when Contis’s voice patched through Captain’s earpiece.
“Uh, Cap’n, something weird’s goin’ on,” he said. “Hold on, we’re almost to you.”
Footsteps approached, and Steph and Contis rounded the bend and joined us a moment later. Captain didn’t bother to ask for an explanation; he merely waited for them to volunteer the information.
“Uhhh…You know how you told us to distract the guards?” asked Contis, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, the thing is…they’re kinda not there.”
Captain frowned sharply. “The guards were missing?”
Steph nodded. “It was so weird, and such a shame, because Contis and I rehearsed all afternoon to perfect our diversion. But at least the way is clear. You two can go in.”
Captain’s expression became so intensely suspicious that it almost made me giggle. “You two wait outside and keep a sharp eye out,” he commanded. “Mara and I will investigate.”
He motioned for me to follow, and I cocked both my guns and switched the safety off. We crept through the gate and into the courtyard, to find it empty and eerily silent. We prowled across the cobblestones, slowly making our way toward the inner portico. I pointed to the grove of tall cedar bushes lining one side of the wall. “We can use that for cover,” I mouthed quietly, and he nodded.
Crouching low, we sprinted across the dusty ground and ducked behind the evergreens. I caught a whiff of the fresh pine scent as we crept forward along the red stone wall. It was slow going, and I winced every time a twig snapped or a branch rustled. Captain put his arm on mine to steady me, and I heaved an inward sigh of relief, more grateful than ever for his precognitive abilities.
As if to confirm my thoughts, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. “What are you doing here?” he demanded loudly, without so much as a backward glance.
A female voice answered from behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my own skin. I whirled around, and found myself face to face with a girl of about my own age. She had a cutely expressive square face and strawberry blond hair, with a rainbow headband wrapped twice around her vibrant locks. She wore a shiny copper breastplate and purple sash, with an empty scabbard slung across her hips.
“What do you mean what am I doing here?” she asked, brandishing a gleaming sword in one pale hand. “What are you doing here?”
Captain turned around and glared in her direction. “Get out of here, Ko,” he commanded firmly. “You’re messing up my op.”
“That’s funny,” she said, re-sheathing her sword, “did you just give me an order? Because I was under the impression that I was Queen around here, not you. And for your information, this is my op, not yours.”
They engaged in their fierce staring contest for a moment longer, and I coughed loudly. “Um, excuse me,” I ventured, raising one hand, “but I’m standing right here.”
The girl drew her breath in sharply. “My apologies!” she said, before bowing with exaggerated elegance. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Queen Kohirihiri, leader of the Neutron Knights and purveyor of goodness, justice, and all things brightly colored.”
My eyes widened in surprise. A Queen? The Neutron Knights? I had heard the name thrown around quite a bit, but I always assumed the organization had died out before I was born. The Neutron Knights were a group of skilled warriors who had, in days of yore, ruled Neutronia with integrity and justice, presiding over an era of peaceful prosperity. But, with the Civil War raging and fragmentation of leadership rampant across the countryside, a revival in their ranks hadn’t seemed very likely until the present moment. I didn’t know whether to curtsy, or bow, or kiss her hand, or what. I glanced over at Captain for some sort of clue, but he merely scowled pointedly into space.
She touched a thoughtful finger to her lips as she sized me up. “Hmm...so, is this her?”
When he didn’t reply, she kicked a pebble at him, which he deftly stopped with the tip of his boot. “Hey Traffic-jam, is she the one?” repeated Ko, tapping her knuckles against the side of her head.
He shuffled uncomfortably for a moment, then nodded in the affirmative. “Ko, this is Mara,” he muttered.
I barely had time to feel confused before Ko jumped on me and enveloped me in a crushing hug. I squeaked in surprise, and she stepped back and broke into a little victory dance right there on the spot.
“Oh my gosh oh my gosh I’m soooo excited! You have nooo idea!” she gushed, her words coming out a mile-a-minute. “I’ve been waiting to meet the third for so long!”
“The third?” I echoed, utterly baffled. “What are you talking about? And more importantly, how on Earth do you two know each other?”
“Oh… Captain and I go waaaay back,” she smiled as she slung an arm around his shoulder. “He’s my little brother.”
My mouth fell open in astonishment. “What?? Your brother?!” I looked from one to the other, trying unsuccessfully to detect the faintest hint of familial resemblance. “But you look nothing alike!”
Captain pushed her arm off. “Not her actual brother,” he corrected. “More like a foster brother. We’ve been raised together since we were kids.”
She laughed musically. “Kind of like a long-term prison sentence, isn’t it, you little snot!”
“You have no idea,” he said dryly as she ruffled his hair.
Regardless of their parentage, their mannerisms were certainly sibling-like as they stood there, making a great show of their enmity despite evidence to the contrary hiding in their eyes. The idea of Captain as someone’s little brother filled me with mirth, and I giggled.
“Oh, the embarrassing stories I could tell!” she sang, tilting her head back and forth whimsically. “Like the fact that his name isn’t really Captain. It’s – ”
He clapped a hand over her mouth before she could blurt out the incriminating words. “Now is hardly the time, is it sister-dear? We both have missions to complete.”
He removed his hand, and she sighed wearily. “I suppose you’re right. Better tell me your objective then.”
“Simple. We’re going to steal every ounce of gold in the place.”
She shook her head. “I might have known. For my part, I’m here to re-take the castle. One of my mages recently discovered that this building is the ancestral home of the Neutron Knights – King Greenburg-something-or-another built it waaaay back when – so it’s rightfully ours. And, as it so happens, a couple of my Knights – Rat Lady and Writer Woman to be exact – were recently captured by that festering pustule of an alien who owns the place now. So, I thought I’d feed two birds with one birdfeeder, and rescue them while storming the castle.”
“You’re sloppy, as usual, Ko,” returned the captain sternly. “You should never storm a castle when the enemy is holding one of your number hostage. They could torture or kill the prisoner. Stealth is better than brute force in a case like this.”
She brushed off his concern. “You give the Yolkians too much credit, Captain. We already cleared out the guards around the perimeter. I’ve got Knights lying in wait all over the grounds, just waiting for my signal to launch the full attack. We can pull this off.”
“Never underestimate your enemy, Ko. And what have I told you about cost versus benefit? You take too many unnecessary risks.”
“And you’re a boring ol’ codger obsessed with planning and strategy games.”
“At least I think before I charge blindly into a dangerous situation!”
“All you ever DO is think!” she yelled. “Life isn’t a game of chess, you know. Ever since you were eight years old, you’ve done nothing but…”
They began to argue, and I stood there, gaping at them in amazement. Had they completely forgotten our situation? I pushed my way in between them.
“Whoa, whoa, cease and desist you guys! Have you lost your minds? We’re in enemy territory in the middle of a rescue op, and you two are standing in the bushes shouting at each other?”
Rightfully ashamed of their behavior, they fidgeted like a couple of guilty children, keeping their gazes locked to the ground.
“Now just calm down and try to keep a cool head,” I soothed levelly. “I’m assuming that you both possess some common sense under there somewhere, so let’s try using it, shall we? The solution is obvious. Contact Cami and have her smuggle the prisoners out. As soon as they’re out of harm’s way, we attack. We kill Goobot and disable his forces. Then Ko can get her castle, and Captain can get his gold. There, problem solved.”
They rapidly exchanged glances, and Ko broke into a wide grin. “Now that’s the kind of thinking we need!” she laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. “You heard the lady, Captain. Get to it.”
He had the good sense to shut up and do as he was told. He touched a finger to his ear, then spoke into his mouthpiece. “Cami, can you hear me? Please respond, over.”
There was a rush of static from the other end. After a pause, Cami’s irritated voice replied. “Why do you always call me when I’m repelling backward down a wall? I’m at a 90 degree angle here! I’m practically horizontal!”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he muttered under his breath, before answering for real: “Cami, there’s been a change of plans. I need you to bust some people out of jail. There are two prisoners being held in – ” he looked to Ko to fill in the blank.
“The lower dungeon.”
“ – the lower dungeon,” he finished before her words were even out. “Both are young women, and they answer to the names Rat Lady and Writer Woman. Get them out of the castle as quickly as you can. I’ll leave it up to you to figure out how.”
“But Captain, what about the gooold?” she whined. “Rescuing people isn’t any fun! Prisoners are whingeing, sniveling, cry-baby fusspots! Besides, it’ll take me a good twenty minutes just to get to the dungeon!”
“They’re Neutron Knights, Cami, not scared villagers. They won’t cause you any problems. Now quit making such a scene and get to work. I promise, you can have as much gold as you like as soon as those prisoners are safe. Radio me when you’ve finished.” He immediately cut her off and turned back to us. “I hope you’re happy. Cami will be mad at me for weeks.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” said Kohirihiri amiably.
He ignored her comment. “Show me what you’ve got planned.”
The Queen pulled out a crumpled map from her sash and, after unfurling it, spread it out on the ground. We knelt around it, squinting at the topology in the dim light of evening. A series of X’s marked the location of other Neutron Knights, and criss-crossing arrows showed the planned paths of attack.
Captain threw up his hands. “Ko! This is the most godawful strategy I’ve ever seen! You’ve got half your men exposed to gunmen on the right wall, and your entry through the portcullis here could easily lead you into an ambush.” He pointed to a clear section of the map. “And why don’t you have someone stationed here? It’s clearly the strongest vantage point.”
She shrugged. “You’re the tactical master, not me, remember?”
He pulled out a marker from his jacket and rapidly made corrections to the map. Straightening, he returned the writing implement to his pocket. “There. Now we at least stand a chance of not getting massacred.”
She peered down at the new configuration, then clapped her hands in delight. “Captain, you’re a genius!” She looked over at me. “Isn’t he a genius? Have you ever met anyone as brilliant and talented as he is?”
He raised an eyebrow. “As much as I appreciate your endless capacity for flattery, Ko, I know you better than that. What do you want?”
She twisted a lock of hair around her finger. “Well…I was just thinking…wouldn’t it be so much easier and more effective if you led the attack?”
“No.”
“But – ”
“No.”
She scampered over to me and threw an arm around my shoulder. “But I need to educate Mara on her up-and-coming starring role! I’d say you’ve forfeited the chance to do it yourself. She’s been living on your ship for six months, and nary a word about the Neutron Knights? I’m ashamed of you, Captain.”
“You know I swore all this off two years ago, Ko. I won’t fight your battles for you. And I don’t want you getting Mara involved either. You can’t force this on her. Let her have a normal life.”
“Oh, because living on your pirate ship is a normal life?” she shot back.
By this point I was practically dying of curiosity, and I had to interject. “Actually, I’d love to get in on…well, whatever it is you guys are talking about. You obviously know something that I don’t. I’d like to remedy that situation as soon as possible.”
“You see!” said Ko triumphantly. “She wants to know.”
“Fine,” he snapped, “it’s your choice. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He gathered up the map and re-adjusted his pack before addressing his foster sister. “I’ll find your knights and then lead them in the frontal attack as soon as I get confirmation from Cami that the prisoners are out of harm’s way. You two can circle around back and lead in the second wave. Try to draw some of Goobot’s forces away from the central courtyard – remember: divide and conquer. Disable the enemy by whatever means necessary. And when you meet Goobot, shoot to kill.”
Ko saluted cheerfully, thrilled to have gotten her way. “Aye-aye, sir!”
He looked her straight in the eye. “Ko, you know I love you, but this is the last time I’m going to do your duties for you. I’m not King. It’s not my job to lead your troops into battle. I won’t do it again.”
With this final pronunciation, he turned heel and walked off down the path between the cedars and the wall. I opened my mouth to offer a parting word, but I lost my nerve, and instead turned to the girl Queen beside me. She smiled warmly and offered me her arm.
“Well, Miss Mara, I’m so excited to meet you at last! We have a LOT to talk about…”
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
Next chapter explains all! :thumbsup:
______
Chapter 5, in which everything gets really confusing
The red sun descended steadily toward the Western horizon. We stood assembled in the open launch bay, basking in a warm summer breeze that was lightly scented with hints of approaching autumn.
“Ooh, I don’t like this suit at all!” cried Steph pathetically as the five of us prepared to mount our hover scooters and depart. The last vestige of her civilian outfit – a polka dot headband – stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the ensemble. “I want my little dress back. This outfit is so stifling!” She tugged at the dark fabric, which defiantly snapped back around her substantial curves.
“What are you talking about, Brad?” asked Contis lazily, picking out a scrap of sandwich from between his two front teeth and flicking it to the wayside. “You look like a million bucks.”
Cami, who had shredded her own catsuit in strategic locations to ‘simulate battle damage’, draped herself over Steph and ran her hands up the poor girl’s sides. “Oooh, sweeeeet moneh,” she purred lustily, rubbing her cheek against Steph’s shoulder.
“Cami, save the sexual harassment for after the mission,” I chided, wagging a finger at her.
“You’re just jealous that you’re not in on the action,” she retorted, and squeezed her victim’s bottom.
Steph fidgeted in supreme discomfort, and ultimately Captain had to intercede on her behalf. “Cami, get your barely-clad ass over here and get on your scooter before I make you ride in front of Contis.”
She immediately scrambled to obey, and I took the opportunity to hop on board my own craft. Our captain walked from scooter to scooter, handing out tiny skin-colored earpieces with an attached microphone.
“We’ll use these to keep in contact during the mission,” he informed us. “Touch the button on the side of the earpiece to broadcast to the others. Keep in mind that these devices are a potential liability – avoid using them unless absolutely necessary.”
We all nodded, and Contis shoved his transmitter into his ear and then revved his engine noisily. I laughed.
“Vroom vroom!” I imitated, making muscles at him. “Fear me! I am the sound of testosterone!”
“Now, now, Mara,” said the Captain with false piety. “Let’s show a little team solidarity, shall we? We’re here to love and support each other.”
“I supported yer MAWM last night!” cat-called Cami, pulling out in front of the rest of us. “Buuuuuuuurn!”
I rolled my eyes, and we zoomed off after her, falling into silence as the ship slowly receded into the distance. We floated through the evening air, and I glanced around at my fellow riders; the fiery light of sunset painted them in golden tones. Steph waved at me happily, and Cami turned corkscrews through the air, zipping in between us like a disoriented insect. Contis bobbed from side to side, beat-boxing a song to himself. Captain rode slightly behind me and to my left, and I turned and flashed him a smile, which he reservedly returned. I allowed myself a moment of pure happiness – in that instant, surrounded by this group of people, I belonged.
Captain broke the contented silence a moment later to point to a hill which rose in the distance. “That’s where we’re headed.”
We grew sober and serious as we approached our destination. Our flight drew to a close, and we touched down on a grassy hill just outside the walls of a large castle – in the plunging sunlight, it stood regal and tall against the surrounding countryside.
“Lovely…” I breathed as I drank in the fabulous sight.
“Dangerous,” corrected Captain, dismounting from his hover-scooter. “Get your game faces on, people. It’s show-time.”
“So serious,” I mused absently as I took my spot in our circle and waited for my instructions.
“I trust you all remember your assignments,” said Captain. “Cami, do whatever it is that you normally do when you steal stuff. Get inside the walls, find the treasury, and get your greedy little paws on every scrap you can.”
“I am a pantherrrrr,” she purred, running her tongue over the top of her hand and then using it to “wash” her hair, in the manner of a feline.
“You’re insane,” said Captain matter-a-factly, then turned to the others. “Steph, you and Contis will distract the guards at the side entrance like we discussed earlier, allowing Mara and I to slip inside the main walls. Once we get inside, we’ll take up strategic positions to help transport the loot out. We’ll work in an assembly line, handing off the stolen items to each other until we’ve taken all that we can. If someone attacks you, shoot. I’ve installed silencers on your weapons…nobody will be able to hear you. And remember,” he warned smoothly, “they will torture you if they catch you. Don’t give them that chance.”
I felt a cold lump form inside me. No wonder he was so serious. This was the real thing.
“All right, that’s it. You’re dismissed!”
Cami tiptoed off in a great show of exaggerated stealth, and I grinned to myself, wishing that I had the guts to do half the zany stuff she did. Contis and Steph wandered off to execute their part of the plan, leaving me alone with Captain. I was about to strike up a conversation when he raised a hand to silence me.
“Shh. Something doesn’t feel right. We should take cover while we’re waiting for the signal from Contis.”
He guided me over to a shady area next to outer wall. We rested with our backs against the stone; the cold surface leeched the warmth from my body.
That’s what I get for wearing this ridiculous catsuit, I thought grouchily, though I kept my expression blank. I didn’t want Captain to see how nervous I was. Does he ever get nervous? I wondered in silence as I glanced over at the impassive figure next to me. Of course he doesn’t get nervous. He knows what’s going to happen before it does.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked suddenly.
It took me a moment to formulate a response. “What’s it like,” I asked at last, “never being surprised? Is it hard to bear?”
He turned and smiled warmly. “Not always. Sometimes it’s nice, hearing things more than once.”
Somehow this statement seemed very personal, and I fidgeted awkwardly. I was spared from another smile when Contis’s voice patched through Captain’s earpiece.
“Uh, Cap’n, something weird’s goin’ on,” he said. “Hold on, we’re almost to you.”
Footsteps approached, and Steph and Contis rounded the bend and joined us a moment later. Captain didn’t bother to ask for an explanation; he merely waited for them to volunteer the information.
“Uhhh…You know how you told us to distract the guards?” asked Contis, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, the thing is…they’re kinda not there.”
Captain frowned sharply. “The guards were missing?”
Steph nodded. “It was so weird, and such a shame, because Contis and I rehearsed all afternoon to perfect our diversion. But at least the way is clear. You two can go in.”
Captain’s expression became so intensely suspicious that it almost made me giggle. “You two wait outside and keep a sharp eye out,” he commanded. “Mara and I will investigate.”
He motioned for me to follow, and I cocked both my guns and switched the safety off. We crept through the gate and into the courtyard, to find it empty and eerily silent. We prowled across the cobblestones, slowly making our way toward the inner portico. I pointed to the grove of tall cedar bushes lining one side of the wall. “We can use that for cover,” I mouthed quietly, and he nodded.
Crouching low, we sprinted across the dusty ground and ducked behind the evergreens. I caught a whiff of the fresh pine scent as we crept forward along the red stone wall. It was slow going, and I winced every time a twig snapped or a branch rustled. Captain put his arm on mine to steady me, and I heaved an inward sigh of relief, more grateful than ever for his precognitive abilities.
As if to confirm my thoughts, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. “What are you doing here?” he demanded loudly, without so much as a backward glance.
A female voice answered from behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my own skin. I whirled around, and found myself face to face with a girl of about my own age. She had a cutely expressive square face and strawberry blond hair, with a rainbow headband wrapped twice around her vibrant locks. She wore a shiny copper breastplate and purple sash, with an empty scabbard slung across her hips.
“What do you mean what am I doing here?” she asked, brandishing a gleaming sword in one pale hand. “What are you doing here?”
Captain turned around and glared in her direction. “Get out of here, Ko,” he commanded firmly. “You’re messing up my op.”
“That’s funny,” she said, re-sheathing her sword, “did you just give me an order? Because I was under the impression that I was Queen around here, not you. And for your information, this is my op, not yours.”
They engaged in their fierce staring contest for a moment longer, and I coughed loudly. “Um, excuse me,” I ventured, raising one hand, “but I’m standing right here.”
The girl drew her breath in sharply. “My apologies!” she said, before bowing with exaggerated elegance. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Queen Kohirihiri, leader of the Neutron Knights and purveyor of goodness, justice, and all things brightly colored.”
My eyes widened in surprise. A Queen? The Neutron Knights? I had heard the name thrown around quite a bit, but I always assumed the organization had died out before I was born. The Neutron Knights were a group of skilled warriors who had, in days of yore, ruled Neutronia with integrity and justice, presiding over an era of peaceful prosperity. But, with the Civil War raging and fragmentation of leadership rampant across the countryside, a revival in their ranks hadn’t seemed very likely until the present moment. I didn’t know whether to curtsy, or bow, or kiss her hand, or what. I glanced over at Captain for some sort of clue, but he merely scowled pointedly into space.
She touched a thoughtful finger to her lips as she sized me up. “Hmm...so, is this her?”
When he didn’t reply, she kicked a pebble at him, which he deftly stopped with the tip of his boot. “Hey Traffic-jam, is she the one?” repeated Ko, tapping her knuckles against the side of her head.
He shuffled uncomfortably for a moment, then nodded in the affirmative. “Ko, this is Mara,” he muttered.
I barely had time to feel confused before Ko jumped on me and enveloped me in a crushing hug. I squeaked in surprise, and she stepped back and broke into a little victory dance right there on the spot.
“Oh my gosh oh my gosh I’m soooo excited! You have nooo idea!” she gushed, her words coming out a mile-a-minute. “I’ve been waiting to meet the third for so long!”
“The third?” I echoed, utterly baffled. “What are you talking about? And more importantly, how on Earth do you two know each other?”
“Oh… Captain and I go waaaay back,” she smiled as she slung an arm around his shoulder. “He’s my little brother.”
My mouth fell open in astonishment. “What?? Your brother?!” I looked from one to the other, trying unsuccessfully to detect the faintest hint of familial resemblance. “But you look nothing alike!”
Captain pushed her arm off. “Not her actual brother,” he corrected. “More like a foster brother. We’ve been raised together since we were kids.”
She laughed musically. “Kind of like a long-term prison sentence, isn’t it, you little snot!”
“You have no idea,” he said dryly as she ruffled his hair.
Regardless of their parentage, their mannerisms were certainly sibling-like as they stood there, making a great show of their enmity despite evidence to the contrary hiding in their eyes. The idea of Captain as someone’s little brother filled me with mirth, and I giggled.
“Oh, the embarrassing stories I could tell!” she sang, tilting her head back and forth whimsically. “Like the fact that his name isn’t really Captain. It’s – ”
He clapped a hand over her mouth before she could blurt out the incriminating words. “Now is hardly the time, is it sister-dear? We both have missions to complete.”
He removed his hand, and she sighed wearily. “I suppose you’re right. Better tell me your objective then.”
“Simple. We’re going to steal every ounce of gold in the place.”
She shook her head. “I might have known. For my part, I’m here to re-take the castle. One of my mages recently discovered that this building is the ancestral home of the Neutron Knights – King Greenburg-something-or-another built it waaaay back when – so it’s rightfully ours. And, as it so happens, a couple of my Knights – Rat Lady and Writer Woman to be exact – were recently captured by that festering pustule of an alien who owns the place now. So, I thought I’d feed two birds with one birdfeeder, and rescue them while storming the castle.”
“You’re sloppy, as usual, Ko,” returned the captain sternly. “You should never storm a castle when the enemy is holding one of your number hostage. They could torture or kill the prisoner. Stealth is better than brute force in a case like this.”
She brushed off his concern. “You give the Yolkians too much credit, Captain. We already cleared out the guards around the perimeter. I’ve got Knights lying in wait all over the grounds, just waiting for my signal to launch the full attack. We can pull this off.”
“Never underestimate your enemy, Ko. And what have I told you about cost versus benefit? You take too many unnecessary risks.”
“And you’re a boring ol’ codger obsessed with planning and strategy games.”
“At least I think before I charge blindly into a dangerous situation!”
“All you ever DO is think!” she yelled. “Life isn’t a game of chess, you know. Ever since you were eight years old, you’ve done nothing but…”
They began to argue, and I stood there, gaping at them in amazement. Had they completely forgotten our situation? I pushed my way in between them.
“Whoa, whoa, cease and desist you guys! Have you lost your minds? We’re in enemy territory in the middle of a rescue op, and you two are standing in the bushes shouting at each other?”
Rightfully ashamed of their behavior, they fidgeted like a couple of guilty children, keeping their gazes locked to the ground.
“Now just calm down and try to keep a cool head,” I soothed levelly. “I’m assuming that you both possess some common sense under there somewhere, so let’s try using it, shall we? The solution is obvious. Contact Cami and have her smuggle the prisoners out. As soon as they’re out of harm’s way, we attack. We kill Goobot and disable his forces. Then Ko can get her castle, and Captain can get his gold. There, problem solved.”
They rapidly exchanged glances, and Ko broke into a wide grin. “Now that’s the kind of thinking we need!” she laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. “You heard the lady, Captain. Get to it.”
He had the good sense to shut up and do as he was told. He touched a finger to his ear, then spoke into his mouthpiece. “Cami, can you hear me? Please respond, over.”
There was a rush of static from the other end. After a pause, Cami’s irritated voice replied. “Why do you always call me when I’m repelling backward down a wall? I’m at a 90 degree angle here! I’m practically horizontal!”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he muttered under his breath, before answering for real: “Cami, there’s been a change of plans. I need you to bust some people out of jail. There are two prisoners being held in – ” he looked to Ko to fill in the blank.
“The lower dungeon.”
“ – the lower dungeon,” he finished before her words were even out. “Both are young women, and they answer to the names Rat Lady and Writer Woman. Get them out of the castle as quickly as you can. I’ll leave it up to you to figure out how.”
“But Captain, what about the gooold?” she whined. “Rescuing people isn’t any fun! Prisoners are whingeing, sniveling, cry-baby fusspots! Besides, it’ll take me a good twenty minutes just to get to the dungeon!”
“They’re Neutron Knights, Cami, not scared villagers. They won’t cause you any problems. Now quit making such a scene and get to work. I promise, you can have as much gold as you like as soon as those prisoners are safe. Radio me when you’ve finished.” He immediately cut her off and turned back to us. “I hope you’re happy. Cami will be mad at me for weeks.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” said Kohirihiri amiably.
He ignored her comment. “Show me what you’ve got planned.”
The Queen pulled out a crumpled map from her sash and, after unfurling it, spread it out on the ground. We knelt around it, squinting at the topology in the dim light of evening. A series of X’s marked the location of other Neutron Knights, and criss-crossing arrows showed the planned paths of attack.
Captain threw up his hands. “Ko! This is the most godawful strategy I’ve ever seen! You’ve got half your men exposed to gunmen on the right wall, and your entry through the portcullis here could easily lead you into an ambush.” He pointed to a clear section of the map. “And why don’t you have someone stationed here? It’s clearly the strongest vantage point.”
She shrugged. “You’re the tactical master, not me, remember?”
He pulled out a marker from his jacket and rapidly made corrections to the map. Straightening, he returned the writing implement to his pocket. “There. Now we at least stand a chance of not getting massacred.”
She peered down at the new configuration, then clapped her hands in delight. “Captain, you’re a genius!” She looked over at me. “Isn’t he a genius? Have you ever met anyone as brilliant and talented as he is?”
He raised an eyebrow. “As much as I appreciate your endless capacity for flattery, Ko, I know you better than that. What do you want?”
She twisted a lock of hair around her finger. “Well…I was just thinking…wouldn’t it be so much easier and more effective if you led the attack?”
“No.”
“But – ”
“No.”
She scampered over to me and threw an arm around my shoulder. “But I need to educate Mara on her up-and-coming starring role! I’d say you’ve forfeited the chance to do it yourself. She’s been living on your ship for six months, and nary a word about the Neutron Knights? I’m ashamed of you, Captain.”
“You know I swore all this off two years ago, Ko. I won’t fight your battles for you. And I don’t want you getting Mara involved either. You can’t force this on her. Let her have a normal life.”
“Oh, because living on your pirate ship is a normal life?” she shot back.
By this point I was practically dying of curiosity, and I had to interject. “Actually, I’d love to get in on…well, whatever it is you guys are talking about. You obviously know something that I don’t. I’d like to remedy that situation as soon as possible.”
“You see!” said Ko triumphantly. “She wants to know.”
“Fine,” he snapped, “it’s your choice. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He gathered up the map and re-adjusted his pack before addressing his foster sister. “I’ll find your knights and then lead them in the frontal attack as soon as I get confirmation from Cami that the prisoners are out of harm’s way. You two can circle around back and lead in the second wave. Try to draw some of Goobot’s forces away from the central courtyard – remember: divide and conquer. Disable the enemy by whatever means necessary. And when you meet Goobot, shoot to kill.”
Ko saluted cheerfully, thrilled to have gotten her way. “Aye-aye, sir!”
He looked her straight in the eye. “Ko, you know I love you, but this is the last time I’m going to do your duties for you. I’m not King. It’s not my job to lead your troops into battle. I won’t do it again.”
With this final pronunciation, he turned heel and walked off down the path between the cedars and the wall. I opened my mouth to offer a parting word, but I lost my nerve, and instead turned to the girl Queen beside me. She smiled warmly and offered me her arm.
“Well, Miss Mara, I’m so excited to meet you at last! We have a LOT to talk about…”
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
#104
Flank
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Nothing is ever so simple
Posted 19 April 2009 - 09:54 AM
Love it. Very interesting and wrotten in your usual excellency of using the richness of English and beauty of style. I like the twist of situation and relation, reading your fanfictions is a nice way to spend Sunday morning. I also like Captain's attitude towards planning and battles, I'd say exactly the same.
Morecatsu Neutron Knights adventures! :thumbsup:
More
#105
RocksmySocks
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DJ was here.
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Posted 19 April 2009 - 01:45 PM
And ENTER THE NEUTRON KNIGHTS!
Heck yeah!
Lol, even though our entrance was kind of sad. Two captured and a crappy strategy to get them back.
But yes, Mara, this was fanTASTIC, again! My god, you are going to go places as an author, no doubt about it.
I was giggling into my oatmeal at all of your lovely innuendos, lol. :thumbsup:
Ko's entrance was great! I hope we get to meet Writer Woman next! I'm so psyched!
Heck yeah!
Lol, even though our entrance was kind of sad. Two captured and a crappy strategy to get them back.
But yes, Mara, this was fanTASTIC, again! My god, you are going to go places as an author, no doubt about it.
I was giggling into my oatmeal at all of your lovely innuendos, lol. :thumbsup:
Ko's entrance was great! I hope we get to meet Writer Woman next! I'm so psyched!
#106
Mara=^.^=
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Posted 19 April 2009 - 06:58 PM
I wish I had oatmeal! :oI was giggling into my oatmeal at all of your lovely innuendos, lol. :thumbsup:
LOL, thanks Katie. I was THIS close to including a Dark Knight reference as well ("why so serious?"), but then I decided that would be a bit much. ;)
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
#107
Beks
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Posted 19 April 2009 - 07:18 PM
Yay Ko! Queen of all things colorful! :lol:
Aw man! I was captured? :o No fair! <_< The last thing I need is to be rough handled by a bunch of eggheads. :rolleyes:
But that also probably means I get some action! And meet Cami. :P
Aw man! I was captured? :o No fair! <_< The last thing I need is to be rough handled by a bunch of eggheads. :rolleyes:
But that also probably means I get some action! And meet Cami. :P
#108
RocksmySocks
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DJ was here.
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Posted 19 April 2009 - 07:35 PM
Are those two things correlated?But that also probably means I get some action! And meet Cami. :P
Hehehe, *nudgenudge winkwink*.
#109
Beks
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Posted 19 April 2009 - 07:40 PM
What? NO! HECK NO!....Unless she's a very convincing person. :rolleyes:
#110
kohirihiri
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 06:04 AM
You know me too well. It's almost scary. Like we've talked in person, but we haven't. :blink: :lol:
And I DO have a guy friend whom I call my little brother (even though he's taller) and treat like I treat the captain....
This sounds really familiar too:
You're a genius! Wish we could make a film of this.
I was doing that as I read that. I literally started twirling my hair a few seconds before I read that and I was like, "WhaaAATTT???" and kinda hid my hand behind my back like, "NO WAI!" XDDDDtwisted a lock of hair around her finger.
And I DO have a guy friend whom I call my little brother (even though he's taller) and treat like I treat the captain....
I feel like I've seen so much of this before... Like deja vu of real life. O_oI didnt know whether to curtsy, or bow, or kiss her hand, or what. I glanced over at Captain for some sort of clue, but he merely scowled pointedly into space.
Sounds like my little sister when I'd have her flush my goldfish.Ko, you know I love you, but this is the last time Im going to do your duties for you. Im not King.
L. O. L!!!!Im at a 90 degree angle here! Im practically horizontal!
Wouldnt be the first time,
This sounds really familiar too:
You take too many unnecessary risks.
And youre a boring ol codger obsessed with planning and strategy games.
At least I think before I charge blindly into a dangerous situation!
All you ever DO is think!
Haha yeahhhhhhh...I thought Id feed two birds with one birdfeeder
You're a genius! Wish we could make a film of this.
#111
Mara=^.^=
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 06:05 AM
You're just such a memorable Person :P
When I talked to you on the phone I got a really good impression of your personality :thumbsup:
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
When I talked to you on the phone I got a really good impression of your personality :thumbsup:
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
#112
kohirihiri
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 06:10 AM
OoooooOOOoooOOOOhhhh!!! Voice interpretation!!! ;D ;D ;D
:thumbsup: (I just had to do that back.. I never used that smiley before. And now I have! :dance: )
:thumbsup: (I just had to do that back.. I never used that smiley before. And now I have! :dance: )
#113
Mara=^.^=
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 07:24 AM
Wheeeee this chapter is full of dialogue and character analysis! My favorites! :dance:
Also, the inner workings of the Neutron Knights are finally explained! Get ready for a history lesson! ;)
____
Chapter 6, in which Mara gets handed a silver platter
Kohirihiri and I crouched in a small alcove near the back wall, killing time while we waited for Cami to complete her rescue and for Captain to start his assault. Unlike her brother, my loquacious companion seemed to have no objection whatsoever to carrying out a conversation while we were in hiding. I did my best to keep a watchful eye out while she spouted forth information like a water faucet.
“So, Miss Mara, what do you know about the history and function of the Neutron Knights?”
“Not much,” I admitted truthfully. “Only that, for the most part, it has had a positive impact on the country. I believe at one time it even controlled all of Neutronia.”
Kohirihiri nodded. “Little is known about the time before our organization was created; what we do know for a fact is that it was founded by Lady Queen Derryberry in 2126. She was succeeded by King Walker, who was, according to legend, the kindest of all the rulers. Unfortunately, there were some who took advantage of that kindness, and he was assassinated by Lord Strych, the patriarch of the Strych family, after a decade of being on the throne. In a subsequent attack, Lord Strych destroyed the original home base of the Neutron Knights, as well as burned all of the historical documents pertaining to the members. Naturally, this is why we know very little about its early history.”
I felt my heart darken as I thought of the Strych family. They were an arrogant aristocratic line who held much of the Northern country under their gilded thumbs. Their youngest son and heir apparent was known across the northern hamlets as a vengeful and mean-spirited brat with no regard for anything except money. I gritted my teeth together as I thought of all the people whose lives they had made miserable so that they could live in excess.
Ko noticed the change in my countenance, and she grinned. “Good, good. I’m not a big fan of the Strych clan either. But back to my story. After Walker’s assassination, full-scale civil war broke out. His intended successor Queen Lawrence stepped forward, and after ten long years of fighting, she finally defeated Strych’s forces. She was a dark and dangerous woman who was well-skilled in combat and strategy. Her stern and merciless rule, however, did not translate well into peacetime, and after another ten years she stepped down and turned over the crown to the man who would come to be known as Great King Greenburg. His 80 year reign is considered by many to be the Golden Age of Neutronia. It was he who built this very castle. He was in turn succeeded by Queen Scales, and she by King Paulsen.”
The name rang a bell. “King Paulsen?” I chimed in. “I’ve heard bad things about him. They say he was a negligent despot who was responsible for the death of thousands.”
Ko shook her head. “History remembers King Paulsen unfairly. You see, a terrible famine took hold over all of Neutronia a mere 5 years into his rule. Despite his weather-controlling abilities, Paulsen was not able to save the crops or the livestock; the disease that ravaged them was simply beyond anyone’s control. The famine lasted for 9 long years, during which time the whole country descended into anarchy. In fact, many people blamed the King’s powers for the whole thing. Eventually the scourge came to an end, but not before the name of the Neutron Knights was discredited and their power was stripped away. Paulsen was left to die a broken man.”
I shook my head in sympathy for this sad tale, and Kohirihiri continued. “Our next King took the throne against his will. Blanche DeCarlo wanted to be a comedian since the age of five – he was a goofy, off-kilter sort of guy who, while very kind-hearted, was NOT what the country needed. He was an ineffectual military leader who had no stomach for standing up to the many villains that were marauding across the country. He ruled for a while, during which time the Neutron Knights faded into idleness and obscurity. He disappeared mysteriously 6 years ago.”
“6 years ago? You mean…?”
“That’s right. I’m his successor Kohirihiri, 8th ruler of the Neutron Knights. And I’m left to clean up the shambles and try to restore Neutronia to some sort of semblance of law and order.”
I frowned. “How did you become Queen? And what did you mean before when you said that DeCarlo took the throne against his will? Surely there was someone else who could have done a better job.”
She shook her head. “There was no one else, and I’ll tell you why. Pay close attention – this is the part of the story that concerns you.”
“Please, go on,” I urged, my attention heightened.
“Mara, do you know how the Kings and Queens of the Neutron Knights are chosen?”
“I haven’t the fuzziest.”
“Well, as you can imagine, if we chose our rulers based on bloodlines or even through elections, there would be a huge potential for dissent and fratricide. Instability, jealousy, competition, and disagreement would quickly spread through our ranks if the decision-making process were left up to us. Luckily, we never have to do the choosing ourselves.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? If you don’t choose, then who does?”
“The relic.”
“The relic?” I repeated, totally lost.
“We call it Vox. It’s a piece of technology left over from the reign of Lady Queen Derryberry. Some people think it’s magical, others – myself included – suspect it is some sort of lost science.”
“How does it work?”
“On the day a new ruler ascends the throne, he or she must take part in ‘The Ceremony of Choosing’. It works like this: the new ruler takes Vox out into the company of assembled Knights. Then, in the midst of the gathering, he asks Vox the question: ‘Who is most qualified to succeed me’? Vox then churns out the names of three people, along with the locations of their births, even if they have not been born yet – three names, three possible successors.”
“Three? Why three?”
“We’re not entirely sure, actually. But whatever the reason, it works, because it gives us definitive candidates without committing us to a single ‘chosen’ leader. The system has been in place for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, it’s built right into our very emblem. The atom, with its three overlapping circles, represents the three potential rulers of any given era. Any one of those three has the capacity to lead, but depending on who ends up ruling, the outcome will be different. In the case of King DeCarlo, the other two potential rulers had already died in the famine. He was the only one who could take the throne. He was forced to give up all his life dreams to fulfill his duty – a regrettable fate indeed.”
I was not interested in DeCarlo, and I urged her on. “If all three survive, how is the ruler chosen?”
“Well,” she replied, “all three are typically gifted with some sort of supernatural power. However, generally one of the three will demonstrate an aptitude that distinguishes them from the others. He or she may show remarkable skills as a leader, politician, or military strategist. In the case of Queen Scales, – who stood at over 6 feet 6 inches tall – a physical distinction was evident as well.”
“Are the chosen three told of their selection?”
“Generally, yes. The parents of the child are informed, and it is left up to their discretion to choose the appropriate time to tell their son or daughter.”
My body suddenly grew very cold. It was realizing the truth before my mind came to terms with it. “Then…if you’re one of the chosen three…and you called me ‘third’…then I must be??”
Ko grinned. “You’re the third possible successor, yes. Unfortunately, your father disappeared before he could tell you the truth, and your mother was too distraught to tell you – because telling you would mean that she’d lose you, too. The Neutron Knights considered intervening, but decided against it. You see, they already had a successor in mind.”
“You?”
She laughed. “No, not me. I’m talking about the second person chosen – an orphan boy from an inconsequential village in the East. Real name: Traffas Thayne, with too many aliases to count. Your pirate captain.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Captain?”
“Yes, Captain, though that’s obviously not his real name.”
“But how did he –?” My mind whirled as I tried to picture Captain as a duty-bound member of the Neutron Knights. His talents and persona suddenly took on a whole new light.
Ko shot me a sideways glance. “I can see what you’re thinking. I first met Traffas Thayne – or Traffic, as I like to call him – when he was four years old, and I six. Traffic, you see, was orphaned shortly after his 3rd birthday – his parents were killed during a political struggle over leadership in his village. The Neutron Knights, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, took him in and brought him up.”
“And you? I thought you said you were raised together.”
“We were. I was born in a neighboring village, to a poor family with too many children. As soon as my parents were informed of my choosing, they were only too glad to hand me over to the Knights – they were proud of the distinction and, on a more practical note, were silently thankful for one less mouth to feed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? Growing up under the tutelage of the Neutron Knights was a great experience – well, for me anyway. Since the Knights had no home base at the time, we traveled around a lot and met all sorts of interesting people. I was allowed to do pretty much whatever I wanted, since I was never intended to succeed King DeCarlo at all. Traffic was their prodigy – he was always destined for the throne.”
Ko heaved a sigh and glanced skyward, face radiant with memory. “My little brother was always special. As young as age six he showed a frightening level of skill in any subject he put his mind to. As part of our early training, the more senior members of the Neutron Knights used to play games of strategy and trivia with us. Traffic won every time, and he did it effortlessly. His opponents never let him win. He was just smarter than all of them.”
I believed it.
“At age eight, his precognitive abilities awakened. It happened during a raid on the farm where we were staying. He fought off the attackers with nothing more than a piece of nail-studded timber – because he knew what they were going to do before they did it. He was lauded as a hero by everyone, but I don’t think he ever got over just how easy it had been for him to slaughter those men. I remember walking into his tent one night to find him staring down at his hands, marveling at just how simple it had been to kill them all. He was never quite the same after that. Our Neutron Knight guardians, however, were blinded by their desire to stop the war and re-unite the country – so they pushed him on without any regard for his feelings. They forgot that he was still a kid.”
“What happened?”
“For four years, Traffic was the shining star of the Neutron Knights. As he was given more and more responsibility, he proved himself to be both a brilliant domestic and military leader. He was a natural people person who seemed to genuinely care about his subordinates. But, more importantly, no one was his equal in battle. In both hand-to-hand and tactical combat, he not only beat his enemies, he destroyed them. Everyone was so thrilled with their favorite that nobody paid much attention to me. So when, at age 13, I suddenly awakened my own ability, I got nothing more than a pat on the back.”
She waved away my sympathetic remark before it could be made. “No, no, don’t feel bad. I loved being left to my own devices. I had so much freedom back then. It was wonderful.”
“What’s your ability?” I asked.
“Oh, nothing as exciting as your Captain’s – I can read colors.”
“Read colors?”
“I can see people’s auras and learn about them based on the arrangement of the colors,” she gestured at her rainbow headband. “It’s a fairly rare power; I don’t really know how to explain it. The colors I perceive don’t exist in the physical world. I just look at a person, and I suddenly know things about them based on what I see. I can always tell when someone is evil or ill-intentioned, and I’m never wrong. For example, looking at you right now, I can tell that, while you are hurting because of the past, you are slowly healing. You are afraid to trust people, especially men, but you do care about others.”
I giggled a little to cancel out the effect her words. “Forgive me, but you sounded like a fortune teller for a moment there.” I cleared my throat. “It’s actually very interesting, and I confess that I’m a bit jealous. I wish I had some sort of supernatural power.”
“You probably do. However, since you were never trained as a child, you haven’t awakened it yet. You might still discover it someday, or you might not. It’s pretty much left up to chance.”
I filed that information away for future thought, and she continued. “Anyway, back to the story. As his 12th birthday approached, I noticed a change in Captain’s aura. Something was bothering him…a lot. He spent hours and hours sitting by himself, reading history books or silently thinking. He became restless and guarded, even around me. So, I wasn’t too surprised when, on the day of his intended coronation, he announced that he would be stepping down from his position and defecting from the Neutron Knights.”
“Wow,” I said. “Just like that?”
“Just like that. Everyone was flabbergasted. Gifted, dependable, save-the-world Traffas Thayne took his inheritance, changed his name, and announced he was going to become a pirate captain. It was absolutely bizarre. He told everyone that he was tired of being controlled and that he wanted to live a life of freedom – but he just stole those words from me. That’s MY bone to pick with Queenship, not his. I know he was lying. I could see his true colors, so to speak. I know why he really left.”
I leaned forward in suspense, practically intoxicated with all these new revelations. “Why did he leave?”
“He was afraid of his own potential,” she answered simply. “They say absolute power corrupts absolutely, right? Well, as King, Captain would have had that kind of power. You think it would have taken him long to re-conquer the country? He could do it in a summer. No enemy can outmaneuver him on the battlefield. No assassin can kill him. He sees a system and immediately knows how it works – the entire world is laid open before his eyes. Were he to take one step in the wrong direction, Captain would have all the makings of …well, to be honest…a really appalling despot.”
“Captain? A despot?”
She nodded. “He’s petrified of becoming corrupt. He knows that all the knights trust him, and for that reason he doesn’t trust himself. Why should he, when killing comes so easily to him? With nobody to challenge him, nobody to act as a counterbalance, he is afraid that he will abuse his power. I’m not sure how he became so cynical, but he’s convinced that all rulers eventually become selfish and cruel if given the chance. So, he won’t give himself that chance.”
“Wait a minute,” I challenged. “He was afraid of becoming corrupt, so he decided to become a criminal instead? How does that make any sense?”
“My little brother is a difficult person to understand, I’ll admit. Even with my color sensing ability, I sometimes have a hard time decoding his motivations. In his mind, though, I’m sure it makes sense. Now that Captain’s a criminal, people expect him to do bad things. Nobody trusts him blindly. He may still have power – with his skills, he’s pretty much stuck with that – but it’s no longer legitimate power. He can do whatever he likes, without it reflecting poorly on the Neutron Knights or on the institution of Kingship. Of course, my little Traffic will never stop being a Neutron Knight at heart. That’s why, even though he runs half the criminal underworld now, he’s still working to make Neutronia a better place. For my part, I take comfort in this fact. As long as Captain is pulling the strings, organized crime won’t stop…but it will remain controlled.”
“I think I understand,” I said, my emotions all astir from this exceedingly puzzling account. “It seems a bit extreme, though.”
“That’s my brother for you. He’s hell-bent on doing things his own way – but, just this once, I know he’s wrong. He may be a creepy little twerp, but he’s not a bad person. The very fact that he is so afraid of becoming corrupt proves that he is capable of staying honest. But of course, he won’t listen to me, and so he’ll just keep running away from who he is.”
“And so, you’re stuck being Queen.”
“Not for long,” she grinned.
“…You don’t honestly expect me to take over for you,” I said dryly, expecting her to laugh. Instead, she faced me with a perfectly serious expression.
“Actually, I do. As of tomorrow morning, I’m resigning. I’m not cut out for this job; I never was. I’m just too whimsical and capricious. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life saddled with this kind of responsibility. I have so many creative ideas, and there are so many things I want to see and do in the world. I’m going to achieve great things…I just know it. But I can’t do that if I’m stuck here, fighting pointless battles against freakish egg-people in the middle of the night.”
I was flabbergasted. “So you’re going to dump it all on me??” I asked incredulously. “What on God’s green earth could POSSIBLY make you think I’m the best person for this job? I have no training. No political connections. I don’t even know these people. Do you honestly expect me to just stroll up to them and be like, ‘yo, I’m your new Queen’?”
“Hey, I never said you were the best person for the job. Obviously Captain is the best choice, but he’s as stubborn as a herd of old people, so we’re left with you.”
I gritted my teeth. “Very flattering, Ko.”
“The Knights will understand. You can do it, because you’re one of the three. Plain and simple.” Noticing my death glare, she amended her statement. “…And, for what it’s worth, I am personally convinced that you will make an excellent Queen. You see, Captain and I are complete opposites – but you fall somewhere in the middle. ‘Seek the path of moderation’, you know?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yet, somehow, I felt intrigued. Ko most have sensed this, because she continued, this time pursuing a slightly different angle.
“Captain thinks you have what it takes to be Queen,” she said, peering out at me from under her reddish lashes, to see what effect these words would have on me. “Otherwise he wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to keep you away from the Neutron Knights.”
“Oh?”
“After you escaped from prison, Captain and I made a bet to see who would get to you first. Of course he won, ‘cause he's an obnoxious little know-it-all, but it was still lots of fun to watch him scurry around trying to get his hands on you. He had to get one of his crew members to find you and bring you back to the ship without her even being aware of the fact that she was looking for you…it was a pretty bit of handiwork.”
Sweet mother above us, I thought dizzily. Just how much of my life has been shaped by people hiding behind the scenes, without me ever knowing about it? How much of my life belongs to me?
Ko touched her headband. “It's no use arguing, really. I can read you like a book. You’re curious; you want to know how things work. You want the where, the how, and most importantly, the why. You’re not satisfied with the way the world is; you hate corruption and injustice and war. You want to make this messed up country we live in a better place. Well, here’s your chance. I’m handing you power and influence on a silver platter. Think about what you can do with it.” She looked me straight in the eye. “I’m not going to force you to take my position as Queen – I certainly don't want this job, but it's up to you to decide whether or not to take it. I But before you refuse, answer me this one question: is there really anything else you’d rather be doing with your life right now?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out.
“And there we have it,” she said simply.
____
....more soon!
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
P.S. Oh yeah...the illustration that I made actually goes with this chapter.
Also, the inner workings of the Neutron Knights are finally explained! Get ready for a history lesson! ;)
____
Chapter 6, in which Mara gets handed a silver platter
Kohirihiri and I crouched in a small alcove near the back wall, killing time while we waited for Cami to complete her rescue and for Captain to start his assault. Unlike her brother, my loquacious companion seemed to have no objection whatsoever to carrying out a conversation while we were in hiding. I did my best to keep a watchful eye out while she spouted forth information like a water faucet.
“So, Miss Mara, what do you know about the history and function of the Neutron Knights?”
“Not much,” I admitted truthfully. “Only that, for the most part, it has had a positive impact on the country. I believe at one time it even controlled all of Neutronia.”
Kohirihiri nodded. “Little is known about the time before our organization was created; what we do know for a fact is that it was founded by Lady Queen Derryberry in 2126. She was succeeded by King Walker, who was, according to legend, the kindest of all the rulers. Unfortunately, there were some who took advantage of that kindness, and he was assassinated by Lord Strych, the patriarch of the Strych family, after a decade of being on the throne. In a subsequent attack, Lord Strych destroyed the original home base of the Neutron Knights, as well as burned all of the historical documents pertaining to the members. Naturally, this is why we know very little about its early history.”
I felt my heart darken as I thought of the Strych family. They were an arrogant aristocratic line who held much of the Northern country under their gilded thumbs. Their youngest son and heir apparent was known across the northern hamlets as a vengeful and mean-spirited brat with no regard for anything except money. I gritted my teeth together as I thought of all the people whose lives they had made miserable so that they could live in excess.
Ko noticed the change in my countenance, and she grinned. “Good, good. I’m not a big fan of the Strych clan either. But back to my story. After Walker’s assassination, full-scale civil war broke out. His intended successor Queen Lawrence stepped forward, and after ten long years of fighting, she finally defeated Strych’s forces. She was a dark and dangerous woman who was well-skilled in combat and strategy. Her stern and merciless rule, however, did not translate well into peacetime, and after another ten years she stepped down and turned over the crown to the man who would come to be known as Great King Greenburg. His 80 year reign is considered by many to be the Golden Age of Neutronia. It was he who built this very castle. He was in turn succeeded by Queen Scales, and she by King Paulsen.”
The name rang a bell. “King Paulsen?” I chimed in. “I’ve heard bad things about him. They say he was a negligent despot who was responsible for the death of thousands.”
Ko shook her head. “History remembers King Paulsen unfairly. You see, a terrible famine took hold over all of Neutronia a mere 5 years into his rule. Despite his weather-controlling abilities, Paulsen was not able to save the crops or the livestock; the disease that ravaged them was simply beyond anyone’s control. The famine lasted for 9 long years, during which time the whole country descended into anarchy. In fact, many people blamed the King’s powers for the whole thing. Eventually the scourge came to an end, but not before the name of the Neutron Knights was discredited and their power was stripped away. Paulsen was left to die a broken man.”
I shook my head in sympathy for this sad tale, and Kohirihiri continued. “Our next King took the throne against his will. Blanche DeCarlo wanted to be a comedian since the age of five – he was a goofy, off-kilter sort of guy who, while very kind-hearted, was NOT what the country needed. He was an ineffectual military leader who had no stomach for standing up to the many villains that were marauding across the country. He ruled for a while, during which time the Neutron Knights faded into idleness and obscurity. He disappeared mysteriously 6 years ago.”
“6 years ago? You mean…?”
“That’s right. I’m his successor Kohirihiri, 8th ruler of the Neutron Knights. And I’m left to clean up the shambles and try to restore Neutronia to some sort of semblance of law and order.”
I frowned. “How did you become Queen? And what did you mean before when you said that DeCarlo took the throne against his will? Surely there was someone else who could have done a better job.”
She shook her head. “There was no one else, and I’ll tell you why. Pay close attention – this is the part of the story that concerns you.”
“Please, go on,” I urged, my attention heightened.
“Mara, do you know how the Kings and Queens of the Neutron Knights are chosen?”
“I haven’t the fuzziest.”
“Well, as you can imagine, if we chose our rulers based on bloodlines or even through elections, there would be a huge potential for dissent and fratricide. Instability, jealousy, competition, and disagreement would quickly spread through our ranks if the decision-making process were left up to us. Luckily, we never have to do the choosing ourselves.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? If you don’t choose, then who does?”
“The relic.”
“The relic?” I repeated, totally lost.
“We call it Vox. It’s a piece of technology left over from the reign of Lady Queen Derryberry. Some people think it’s magical, others – myself included – suspect it is some sort of lost science.”
“How does it work?”
“On the day a new ruler ascends the throne, he or she must take part in ‘The Ceremony of Choosing’. It works like this: the new ruler takes Vox out into the company of assembled Knights. Then, in the midst of the gathering, he asks Vox the question: ‘Who is most qualified to succeed me’? Vox then churns out the names of three people, along with the locations of their births, even if they have not been born yet – three names, three possible successors.”
“Three? Why three?”
“We’re not entirely sure, actually. But whatever the reason, it works, because it gives us definitive candidates without committing us to a single ‘chosen’ leader. The system has been in place for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, it’s built right into our very emblem. The atom, with its three overlapping circles, represents the three potential rulers of any given era. Any one of those three has the capacity to lead, but depending on who ends up ruling, the outcome will be different. In the case of King DeCarlo, the other two potential rulers had already died in the famine. He was the only one who could take the throne. He was forced to give up all his life dreams to fulfill his duty – a regrettable fate indeed.”
I was not interested in DeCarlo, and I urged her on. “If all three survive, how is the ruler chosen?”
“Well,” she replied, “all three are typically gifted with some sort of supernatural power. However, generally one of the three will demonstrate an aptitude that distinguishes them from the others. He or she may show remarkable skills as a leader, politician, or military strategist. In the case of Queen Scales, – who stood at over 6 feet 6 inches tall – a physical distinction was evident as well.”
“Are the chosen three told of their selection?”
“Generally, yes. The parents of the child are informed, and it is left up to their discretion to choose the appropriate time to tell their son or daughter.”
My body suddenly grew very cold. It was realizing the truth before my mind came to terms with it. “Then…if you’re one of the chosen three…and you called me ‘third’…then I must be??”
Ko grinned. “You’re the third possible successor, yes. Unfortunately, your father disappeared before he could tell you the truth, and your mother was too distraught to tell you – because telling you would mean that she’d lose you, too. The Neutron Knights considered intervening, but decided against it. You see, they already had a successor in mind.”
“You?”
She laughed. “No, not me. I’m talking about the second person chosen – an orphan boy from an inconsequential village in the East. Real name: Traffas Thayne, with too many aliases to count. Your pirate captain.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Captain?”
“Yes, Captain, though that’s obviously not his real name.”
“But how did he –?” My mind whirled as I tried to picture Captain as a duty-bound member of the Neutron Knights. His talents and persona suddenly took on a whole new light.
Ko shot me a sideways glance. “I can see what you’re thinking. I first met Traffas Thayne – or Traffic, as I like to call him – when he was four years old, and I six. Traffic, you see, was orphaned shortly after his 3rd birthday – his parents were killed during a political struggle over leadership in his village. The Neutron Knights, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, took him in and brought him up.”
“And you? I thought you said you were raised together.”
“We were. I was born in a neighboring village, to a poor family with too many children. As soon as my parents were informed of my choosing, they were only too glad to hand me over to the Knights – they were proud of the distinction and, on a more practical note, were silently thankful for one less mouth to feed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? Growing up under the tutelage of the Neutron Knights was a great experience – well, for me anyway. Since the Knights had no home base at the time, we traveled around a lot and met all sorts of interesting people. I was allowed to do pretty much whatever I wanted, since I was never intended to succeed King DeCarlo at all. Traffic was their prodigy – he was always destined for the throne.”
Ko heaved a sigh and glanced skyward, face radiant with memory. “My little brother was always special. As young as age six he showed a frightening level of skill in any subject he put his mind to. As part of our early training, the more senior members of the Neutron Knights used to play games of strategy and trivia with us. Traffic won every time, and he did it effortlessly. His opponents never let him win. He was just smarter than all of them.”
I believed it.
“At age eight, his precognitive abilities awakened. It happened during a raid on the farm where we were staying. He fought off the attackers with nothing more than a piece of nail-studded timber – because he knew what they were going to do before they did it. He was lauded as a hero by everyone, but I don’t think he ever got over just how easy it had been for him to slaughter those men. I remember walking into his tent one night to find him staring down at his hands, marveling at just how simple it had been to kill them all. He was never quite the same after that. Our Neutron Knight guardians, however, were blinded by their desire to stop the war and re-unite the country – so they pushed him on without any regard for his feelings. They forgot that he was still a kid.”
“What happened?”
“For four years, Traffic was the shining star of the Neutron Knights. As he was given more and more responsibility, he proved himself to be both a brilliant domestic and military leader. He was a natural people person who seemed to genuinely care about his subordinates. But, more importantly, no one was his equal in battle. In both hand-to-hand and tactical combat, he not only beat his enemies, he destroyed them. Everyone was so thrilled with their favorite that nobody paid much attention to me. So when, at age 13, I suddenly awakened my own ability, I got nothing more than a pat on the back.”
She waved away my sympathetic remark before it could be made. “No, no, don’t feel bad. I loved being left to my own devices. I had so much freedom back then. It was wonderful.”
“What’s your ability?” I asked.
“Oh, nothing as exciting as your Captain’s – I can read colors.”
“Read colors?”
“I can see people’s auras and learn about them based on the arrangement of the colors,” she gestured at her rainbow headband. “It’s a fairly rare power; I don’t really know how to explain it. The colors I perceive don’t exist in the physical world. I just look at a person, and I suddenly know things about them based on what I see. I can always tell when someone is evil or ill-intentioned, and I’m never wrong. For example, looking at you right now, I can tell that, while you are hurting because of the past, you are slowly healing. You are afraid to trust people, especially men, but you do care about others.”
I giggled a little to cancel out the effect her words. “Forgive me, but you sounded like a fortune teller for a moment there.” I cleared my throat. “It’s actually very interesting, and I confess that I’m a bit jealous. I wish I had some sort of supernatural power.”
“You probably do. However, since you were never trained as a child, you haven’t awakened it yet. You might still discover it someday, or you might not. It’s pretty much left up to chance.”
I filed that information away for future thought, and she continued. “Anyway, back to the story. As his 12th birthday approached, I noticed a change in Captain’s aura. Something was bothering him…a lot. He spent hours and hours sitting by himself, reading history books or silently thinking. He became restless and guarded, even around me. So, I wasn’t too surprised when, on the day of his intended coronation, he announced that he would be stepping down from his position and defecting from the Neutron Knights.”
“Wow,” I said. “Just like that?”
“Just like that. Everyone was flabbergasted. Gifted, dependable, save-the-world Traffas Thayne took his inheritance, changed his name, and announced he was going to become a pirate captain. It was absolutely bizarre. He told everyone that he was tired of being controlled and that he wanted to live a life of freedom – but he just stole those words from me. That’s MY bone to pick with Queenship, not his. I know he was lying. I could see his true colors, so to speak. I know why he really left.”
I leaned forward in suspense, practically intoxicated with all these new revelations. “Why did he leave?”
“He was afraid of his own potential,” she answered simply. “They say absolute power corrupts absolutely, right? Well, as King, Captain would have had that kind of power. You think it would have taken him long to re-conquer the country? He could do it in a summer. No enemy can outmaneuver him on the battlefield. No assassin can kill him. He sees a system and immediately knows how it works – the entire world is laid open before his eyes. Were he to take one step in the wrong direction, Captain would have all the makings of …well, to be honest…a really appalling despot.”
“Captain? A despot?”
She nodded. “He’s petrified of becoming corrupt. He knows that all the knights trust him, and for that reason he doesn’t trust himself. Why should he, when killing comes so easily to him? With nobody to challenge him, nobody to act as a counterbalance, he is afraid that he will abuse his power. I’m not sure how he became so cynical, but he’s convinced that all rulers eventually become selfish and cruel if given the chance. So, he won’t give himself that chance.”
“Wait a minute,” I challenged. “He was afraid of becoming corrupt, so he decided to become a criminal instead? How does that make any sense?”
“My little brother is a difficult person to understand, I’ll admit. Even with my color sensing ability, I sometimes have a hard time decoding his motivations. In his mind, though, I’m sure it makes sense. Now that Captain’s a criminal, people expect him to do bad things. Nobody trusts him blindly. He may still have power – with his skills, he’s pretty much stuck with that – but it’s no longer legitimate power. He can do whatever he likes, without it reflecting poorly on the Neutron Knights or on the institution of Kingship. Of course, my little Traffic will never stop being a Neutron Knight at heart. That’s why, even though he runs half the criminal underworld now, he’s still working to make Neutronia a better place. For my part, I take comfort in this fact. As long as Captain is pulling the strings, organized crime won’t stop…but it will remain controlled.”
“I think I understand,” I said, my emotions all astir from this exceedingly puzzling account. “It seems a bit extreme, though.”
“That’s my brother for you. He’s hell-bent on doing things his own way – but, just this once, I know he’s wrong. He may be a creepy little twerp, but he’s not a bad person. The very fact that he is so afraid of becoming corrupt proves that he is capable of staying honest. But of course, he won’t listen to me, and so he’ll just keep running away from who he is.”
“And so, you’re stuck being Queen.”
“Not for long,” she grinned.
“…You don’t honestly expect me to take over for you,” I said dryly, expecting her to laugh. Instead, she faced me with a perfectly serious expression.
“Actually, I do. As of tomorrow morning, I’m resigning. I’m not cut out for this job; I never was. I’m just too whimsical and capricious. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life saddled with this kind of responsibility. I have so many creative ideas, and there are so many things I want to see and do in the world. I’m going to achieve great things…I just know it. But I can’t do that if I’m stuck here, fighting pointless battles against freakish egg-people in the middle of the night.”
I was flabbergasted. “So you’re going to dump it all on me??” I asked incredulously. “What on God’s green earth could POSSIBLY make you think I’m the best person for this job? I have no training. No political connections. I don’t even know these people. Do you honestly expect me to just stroll up to them and be like, ‘yo, I’m your new Queen’?”
“Hey, I never said you were the best person for the job. Obviously Captain is the best choice, but he’s as stubborn as a herd of old people, so we’re left with you.”
I gritted my teeth. “Very flattering, Ko.”
“The Knights will understand. You can do it, because you’re one of the three. Plain and simple.” Noticing my death glare, she amended her statement. “…And, for what it’s worth, I am personally convinced that you will make an excellent Queen. You see, Captain and I are complete opposites – but you fall somewhere in the middle. ‘Seek the path of moderation’, you know?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Yet, somehow, I felt intrigued. Ko most have sensed this, because she continued, this time pursuing a slightly different angle.
“Captain thinks you have what it takes to be Queen,” she said, peering out at me from under her reddish lashes, to see what effect these words would have on me. “Otherwise he wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to keep you away from the Neutron Knights.”
“Oh?”
“After you escaped from prison, Captain and I made a bet to see who would get to you first. Of course he won, ‘cause he's an obnoxious little know-it-all, but it was still lots of fun to watch him scurry around trying to get his hands on you. He had to get one of his crew members to find you and bring you back to the ship without her even being aware of the fact that she was looking for you…it was a pretty bit of handiwork.”
Sweet mother above us, I thought dizzily. Just how much of my life has been shaped by people hiding behind the scenes, without me ever knowing about it? How much of my life belongs to me?
Ko touched her headband. “It's no use arguing, really. I can read you like a book. You’re curious; you want to know how things work. You want the where, the how, and most importantly, the why. You’re not satisfied with the way the world is; you hate corruption and injustice and war. You want to make this messed up country we live in a better place. Well, here’s your chance. I’m handing you power and influence on a silver platter. Think about what you can do with it.” She looked me straight in the eye. “I’m not going to force you to take my position as Queen – I certainly don't want this job, but it's up to you to decide whether or not to take it. I But before you refuse, answer me this one question: is there really anything else you’d rather be doing with your life right now?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out.
“And there we have it,” she said simply.
____
....more soon!
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
P.S. Oh yeah...the illustration that I made actually goes with this chapter.
#114
RocksmySocks
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DJ was here.
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 12:55 PM
Squeeeeeeeeee!!! History lesson!
*sucks up knowledge to use in her own story*
This is fantastic!
This works REALLY well with what I have in mind in my story. I come into Knighthood just toward the end of DeCarlo's reign, according to Khalid's notes that I saved. Perfect-o.
Great job, again, Mara!
*sucks up knowledge to use in her own story*
This is fantastic!
I shook my head in sympathy for this sad tale, and Kohirihiri continued. Our next King took the throne against his will. Blanche DeCarlo wanted to be a comedian since the age of five he was a goofy, off-kilter sort of guy who, while very kind-hearted, was NOT what the country needed. He was an ineffectual military leader who had no stomach for standing up to the many villains that were marauding across the country. He ruled for a while, during which time the Neutron Knights faded into idleness and obscurity. He disappeared mysteriously 6 years ago.
This works REALLY well with what I have in mind in my story. I come into Knighthood just toward the end of DeCarlo's reign, according to Khalid's notes that I saved. Perfect-o.
Great job, again, Mara!
#115
Mara=^.^=
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 04:46 PM
:dance:
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
#116
Beks
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Posted 20 April 2009 - 08:32 PM
Yay history! :dance: I love how you integrated VOX into this! :thumbsup: Can't wait to see the next chapter! B)
#117
kohirihiri
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Posted 21 April 2009 - 03:35 AM
HAHAHAHAHA AMAZING!!!
I don't *feel* like it! Do it for me, Mara, DO IT~! :wub:
I don't *feel* like it! Do it for me, Mara, DO IT~! :wub:
#118
J/C AVA
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FUTURE... FUTURE...
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 04:20 PM
-marvels at Mara's writing skills-
-then dies-
XO
-then dies-
XO
#119
kohirihiri
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 06:01 PM
OOOoooh very nice.
Light IS a heartthrob when you LOOK at him.. before you realize what a supreme used-Q-tip he is. :rolleyes:
Haha I have all the books but I stopped reading at book 10... I really need to finish it, even though I already know what happens.
Light IS a heartthrob when you LOOK at him.. before you realize what a supreme used-Q-tip he is. :rolleyes:
Haha I have all the books but I stopped reading at book 10... I really need to finish it, even though I already know what happens.
#120
Mara=^.^=
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Posted 27 April 2009 - 10:58 PM
Haha, I always liked L. He's such an adorable dweeb who kinda vaguely resembles a frog.
Oh, and you should totally finish the series. It's really quite fabulous (though, honestly, the second half isn't as exciting).
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
Oh, and you should totally finish the series. It's really quite fabulous (though, honestly, the second half isn't as exciting).
~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =
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