Gnarled_rose
Nov 8, 2003, 01:11 AM
Well, this is a little something I began. I'm sure there's nothing interesting to anyone, but if enough people reply to this and want to see more, I might continue. I must warn everyone, though:My stories have a way of becoming intimate and romantic. Some kind of genetic defect or something. It's really where I get my user ID. Sorry about the length.
Hikara walked confidently through the forest. He’d been through here many times before, and knew it like the back of his hand. However, this time would be different. He was on a special errand from his close friend Montague, and was searching for---
His search would have to wait, he decided, because he heard the screams of a damsel in distress. He tried his hardest to burst into the room, but the doors opened a bit slowly. A young, sprightly Force Newman was surrounded by Boomas. Boomas were usually nothing, so she must have been pretty weak.
“Rafoie!” He yelled, and she was encompassed by flame but unharmed. All the Boomas fell with a groan, and he approached her.
“Are you ok?” He asked, and noticed she was especially cute up close.
“Ugh, yeah. My name’s Saebra, by the way.” She was covered in sky blue, and wearing particularly large shoes.
“Right, how forgetful of me. I’m Hikara.” He said and offered her his hand. She took it gratefully, and took a moment to inspect her rescuer. They both stood a few inches too close, and broke away embarrassedly.
“So, what are you here for?” She asked when she was done blushing.
“Looking for a friend of mine. Client needs me to relay an item to him, and....” He wished he hadn’t begun another sentence, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Mind if I join you? I could use some company, especially....” She suddenly became embarrassed at her dangling participle, and she wished she didn’t have to finish with “male company”, but that’s what she got for shooting her mouth off. He just assumed she did it so as to not make him the only one looking foolish.
“Ahem, so where’s your friend live? Shouldn’t you be on Pioneer 2?” She suddenly gathered her thoughts.
“He’s....kind of a recluse. Some bad experiences with some worse people, and now he’s camping ‘neath the stars 24/7.” He never could have pictured himself talking like this with anyone else, but with her, he felt obligated to poeticize things a bit. “In fact....He’s right through here.” Really wasn’t, of course, but if he stood still for too long, he might be moved in a wrong-yet-oh-so-right direction. He took off away from the room and into the foliage.
FFWD 30 MINUTES....
A steady crunching was noticeable for the past 15 minutes, and he wondered when he would get there. Heaven forbid he go after his guest, though....
“Hey, GR!”
“Hmm.” Was all the answer Hikara got. He found Gnarled Rose huddled over a pot with a wooden spoon.
“Got something for ya. From Montague. He said you’d like it.” GR grunted and extended a hand.
“Got a guest, too. Name’s Saebra.” She got ready to react, but he simply looked over to her, nodded and said “Madame.” She wasn’t sure how to react. She looked at Hikara, and he gave her a look that said “You’ve been complimented.” GR dipped the spoon into the cauldron, and took out a small bit. He slurped a bit, then handed it over to Saebra. She held it uncomfortably, and he grunted with a nod. She tried a bit and handed the spoon back. He cocked an eyebrow at her, and she looked around. After a few seconds, he finally asked “Well?”
“A little bit spicy, but it was nice.” He closed his eyes and nodded slowly, as if he were pondering something.
“Stay for supper.” He seemed like he was trying to form a question, but it sounded more like a statement.
“Uh.....Ok?” She was becoming uncomfortable. GR seemed satisfied with her answer, and he looked at Hikara.
“Montague.” It seemed to be his way of starting a conversation.
“Oh, right. He’s got a letter for you, and a specialized telepipe.” He gave the BEE uplink to GR, who took it gently. He pressed a button, and Montague’s face appeared holographically.
“Well, hello, GR. Long time no see, but I still can’t see you, so.... Anyway, I’ve got a very special mission for you, and the pay’s unique. See, I need you to train a hunter for me. She’s 100% beginner. However, I don’t need to see your face to know you’re interested. Just use the telepipe to accept, but in the unlikely event you don’t accept-” GR instantly turned it off and switched on the telepipe. Through it emerged a small Android colored in only varying shades of turquoise.
Chapter 2
“Get me a BEE link to Montague.” Was all he said. Hikara obliged, and GR looked straight into the electronic eye.
“Montague, you there?”
“Yeah. What do you need? Problem?”
“Far, far, far from it. I’d just like to inform you of my opinion of your new ‘mission’.” He took slow, deliberate steps around her. “She’s solid. Well-built. Quiet, shy, demure...” He placed a hand under her chin, and she looked up only slightly. “And breathtakingly beautiful.” She gasped and looked up into his eyes.
“Why don’t you say things like that about me?” Saebra whined sarcastically.
“Give me a break. We’ve known each other less than an hour, and I’ve have actual human contact.” Hikara said while glaring jokingly at GR.
“And what exactly do you need done, Montague?” GR hadn’t taken his eyes off his new objective.
“You’ll find out as you go along. She’s definitely a surprising woman, though. Heh, heh, heh....” And Montague shut off the link. GR simply grunted and nodded.
“Name?”
“Je.....” She didn’t seem to be able to form an audible sentence beyond two letters. GR looked up and smiled very warmly.
“So that’s the game you play.” He stepped closer and held her so she couldn’t move away. Hikara and Saebra couldn’t hear anything. but low, deep mumbling broken up by quiet whispers.
“Wonder what they’re talking about.” Hikara said, and Saebra bumped his shoulder with her head. She then gestured over to the two, and saw that she had moved one of her arms around GR and was holding him closely by the small of his back.
“Wondering over. Should we get back to Pioneer 2?” Hikara asked her. She didn’t seem to hear him, but GR looked over his shoulder and said “Leave.” Then glanced at Saebra and added “Please.”
“Answers that question. Let’s go. Maybe we can catch dinner or something.” He then realized what he had suggested, and was astonished to see Saebra didn’t object.
“Name?”
“Jemini.” Her voice was amazingly low, and he had to get deep into her arms to hear her. A trick implanted by Montague?
“Do you know why you’re here?”
“To find out about......my past.”
“Your past? Well, what’s the last thing you remember? Before Montague?”
“Metal. Lights. Brightness. Gears. Machinery.”
“Sounds like the Mines. So, I’ve got to get you in condition to be able to survive the Forest, Caves, and Mines?”
“Mmm.” GR found this peculiar.
“Something doesn’t meet your approval? Frustrating woman. Montague entrusted you to me, and-” Just then, he got it, and held her closer.
“Wha....” She didn’t finish her sentence, but she didn’t have to. Apparently, Montague had arranged this by interpersonal skills.
“My name?. Everyone knows me as Gnarled Rose. Call me GR.”
“Help! Someone hel-” A familiar voice rang out through the halls of Pioneer 2.
“Saebra?” Hikara’s head rose. He ran over to her, where a larger military type was bent over her.
“Make you a deal. Raise your hands, leave the lady, and you live.” Hikara’s voice had never been so threatening, and he like the change.
“How do I know-”The thug’s words were cut short by the cool steel of Hikara’s Ray gun. It was all he had brought with him, and he regretted his decision.
“Oh, yeah? ‘N if I don’t?” The man arose to face Hikara. Hikara placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, and a brief flash of Barta made the man’s arm go numb.
“You’re one of them messed up Forces! You’ll pay for this!” And the man took off at full trot down the hall.
Hikara walked confidently through the forest. He’d been through here many times before, and knew it like the back of his hand. However, this time would be different. He was on a special errand from his close friend Montague, and was searching for---
His search would have to wait, he decided, because he heard the screams of a damsel in distress. He tried his hardest to burst into the room, but the doors opened a bit slowly. A young, sprightly Force Newman was surrounded by Boomas. Boomas were usually nothing, so she must have been pretty weak.
“Rafoie!” He yelled, and she was encompassed by flame but unharmed. All the Boomas fell with a groan, and he approached her.
“Are you ok?” He asked, and noticed she was especially cute up close.
“Ugh, yeah. My name’s Saebra, by the way.” She was covered in sky blue, and wearing particularly large shoes.
“Right, how forgetful of me. I’m Hikara.” He said and offered her his hand. She took it gratefully, and took a moment to inspect her rescuer. They both stood a few inches too close, and broke away embarrassedly.
“So, what are you here for?” She asked when she was done blushing.
“Looking for a friend of mine. Client needs me to relay an item to him, and....” He wished he hadn’t begun another sentence, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Mind if I join you? I could use some company, especially....” She suddenly became embarrassed at her dangling participle, and she wished she didn’t have to finish with “male company”, but that’s what she got for shooting her mouth off. He just assumed she did it so as to not make him the only one looking foolish.
“Ahem, so where’s your friend live? Shouldn’t you be on Pioneer 2?” She suddenly gathered her thoughts.
“He’s....kind of a recluse. Some bad experiences with some worse people, and now he’s camping ‘neath the stars 24/7.” He never could have pictured himself talking like this with anyone else, but with her, he felt obligated to poeticize things a bit. “In fact....He’s right through here.” Really wasn’t, of course, but if he stood still for too long, he might be moved in a wrong-yet-oh-so-right direction. He took off away from the room and into the foliage.
FFWD 30 MINUTES....
A steady crunching was noticeable for the past 15 minutes, and he wondered when he would get there. Heaven forbid he go after his guest, though....
“Hey, GR!”
“Hmm.” Was all the answer Hikara got. He found Gnarled Rose huddled over a pot with a wooden spoon.
“Got something for ya. From Montague. He said you’d like it.” GR grunted and extended a hand.
“Got a guest, too. Name’s Saebra.” She got ready to react, but he simply looked over to her, nodded and said “Madame.” She wasn’t sure how to react. She looked at Hikara, and he gave her a look that said “You’ve been complimented.” GR dipped the spoon into the cauldron, and took out a small bit. He slurped a bit, then handed it over to Saebra. She held it uncomfortably, and he grunted with a nod. She tried a bit and handed the spoon back. He cocked an eyebrow at her, and she looked around. After a few seconds, he finally asked “Well?”
“A little bit spicy, but it was nice.” He closed his eyes and nodded slowly, as if he were pondering something.
“Stay for supper.” He seemed like he was trying to form a question, but it sounded more like a statement.
“Uh.....Ok?” She was becoming uncomfortable. GR seemed satisfied with her answer, and he looked at Hikara.
“Montague.” It seemed to be his way of starting a conversation.
“Oh, right. He’s got a letter for you, and a specialized telepipe.” He gave the BEE uplink to GR, who took it gently. He pressed a button, and Montague’s face appeared holographically.
“Well, hello, GR. Long time no see, but I still can’t see you, so.... Anyway, I’ve got a very special mission for you, and the pay’s unique. See, I need you to train a hunter for me. She’s 100% beginner. However, I don’t need to see your face to know you’re interested. Just use the telepipe to accept, but in the unlikely event you don’t accept-” GR instantly turned it off and switched on the telepipe. Through it emerged a small Android colored in only varying shades of turquoise.
Chapter 2
“Get me a BEE link to Montague.” Was all he said. Hikara obliged, and GR looked straight into the electronic eye.
“Montague, you there?”
“Yeah. What do you need? Problem?”
“Far, far, far from it. I’d just like to inform you of my opinion of your new ‘mission’.” He took slow, deliberate steps around her. “She’s solid. Well-built. Quiet, shy, demure...” He placed a hand under her chin, and she looked up only slightly. “And breathtakingly beautiful.” She gasped and looked up into his eyes.
“Why don’t you say things like that about me?” Saebra whined sarcastically.
“Give me a break. We’ve known each other less than an hour, and I’ve have actual human contact.” Hikara said while glaring jokingly at GR.
“And what exactly do you need done, Montague?” GR hadn’t taken his eyes off his new objective.
“You’ll find out as you go along. She’s definitely a surprising woman, though. Heh, heh, heh....” And Montague shut off the link. GR simply grunted and nodded.
“Name?”
“Je.....” She didn’t seem to be able to form an audible sentence beyond two letters. GR looked up and smiled very warmly.
“So that’s the game you play.” He stepped closer and held her so she couldn’t move away. Hikara and Saebra couldn’t hear anything. but low, deep mumbling broken up by quiet whispers.
“Wonder what they’re talking about.” Hikara said, and Saebra bumped his shoulder with her head. She then gestured over to the two, and saw that she had moved one of her arms around GR and was holding him closely by the small of his back.
“Wondering over. Should we get back to Pioneer 2?” Hikara asked her. She didn’t seem to hear him, but GR looked over his shoulder and said “Leave.” Then glanced at Saebra and added “Please.”
“Answers that question. Let’s go. Maybe we can catch dinner or something.” He then realized what he had suggested, and was astonished to see Saebra didn’t object.
“Name?”
“Jemini.” Her voice was amazingly low, and he had to get deep into her arms to hear her. A trick implanted by Montague?
“Do you know why you’re here?”
“To find out about......my past.”
“Your past? Well, what’s the last thing you remember? Before Montague?”
“Metal. Lights. Brightness. Gears. Machinery.”
“Sounds like the Mines. So, I’ve got to get you in condition to be able to survive the Forest, Caves, and Mines?”
“Mmm.” GR found this peculiar.
“Something doesn’t meet your approval? Frustrating woman. Montague entrusted you to me, and-” Just then, he got it, and held her closer.
“Wha....” She didn’t finish her sentence, but she didn’t have to. Apparently, Montague had arranged this by interpersonal skills.
“My name?. Everyone knows me as Gnarled Rose. Call me GR.”
“Help! Someone hel-” A familiar voice rang out through the halls of Pioneer 2.
“Saebra?” Hikara’s head rose. He ran over to her, where a larger military type was bent over her.
“Make you a deal. Raise your hands, leave the lady, and you live.” Hikara’s voice had never been so threatening, and he like the change.
“How do I know-”The thug’s words were cut short by the cool steel of Hikara’s Ray gun. It was all he had brought with him, and he regretted his decision.
“Oh, yeah? ‘N if I don’t?” The man arose to face Hikara. Hikara placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, and a brief flash of Barta made the man’s arm go numb.
“You’re one of them messed up Forces! You’ll pay for this!” And the man took off at full trot down the hall.