--
[S-HIGHLIGHT]RICARDO[/S-HIGHLIGHT]
I captchalogued the sign. Why not? I had plenty of space left since I made more sylladex cards. Then I heard a noise behind me. As if someone was sneaking up on me. I didn't turn around immediately though; that would be too obvious and kind of nooby. A cool guy kept his cool.
The one sneaking up on me interpreted my sudden stiffness for what it was though - that I'd noticed her.
"Big monstah, hanging around crashed places, picking up dirt, eh?" a strangely piercing and yet silky at the same time voice said.
I sighed and turned around. Had imps learned to talk or was this another sprite? Nope. Neither.
"Ugh, you're even uglier than your behind told me you was!" a cat on two legs said with a look of disgust, pointing a sharp, thin sword at me. Her fur was gray with black stripes and her eyes were glowingly green.
"A cat?" I spat out. "What is a cat doing here?"
"What's a hairless pig doing here?" she asked back, whipping the sword a little. "On mah treasure island."
"What. Pigs don't have hair! I have hair right here!" I said, pointing at my behaired head.
"So you're a guy who likes to discuss silly, unimportant stuff? Alright." She suddenly jumped away from where she had stood, made a little loop above my head as if gravitation simply wasn't a thing that existed, and landed between me and the house. "What's up with you getting all confused over the word PRINCE anyways. It's not like everyone here doesn't know about the Prince."
"Eh, I sure don't know him," I said grumpily, wanting to mark that I didn't enjoy our conversation and thought he wasn't showing me the respect that I deserved. I was the friggin player. She was a cat. Why was she a cat? Was she even a she? I just got the feeling that she was.
"What are you, a horrorterror from the Furthest Ring or something? Everyone knows about that stupid prophecy. The Priest sure nevah shut up about it."
One and two connected in my brain. This was a game where we were the protagonists, right? Me and Vinnie and Vieve and Candice. So maybe it wasn't too far fetched to believe that any prophecy in SBURB could relate to us. No,
should relate to us.
"Not that I've listened much. I actually hardly know nothin' 'bout it."
She talked really ugly. Sounded like no dialect I'd heard before. "What does that prophecy say, then? Maybe I have heard it, just forgot about it."
"Yeah, that's likely," the cat said and sat down on a fallen log, still pointing her tiny sword at me though. "I'm not telling that stuff, you've gotta ask the Priest about it. That is, you could, if you were a cat. But you sure aren't What are you?"
"I'm a human," I said, something I never thought I'd utter. This was stupid. But then again, it was a game.
"Eh, pigs and cats and carapacians I know of, but no humans. Sound to me like you're a slightly more intelligent than average IMP. And that I'd be better off killing you off now."
"Are there IMPS everywhere?"
"S'far as I know. They're invading every islet with no regards for personal privacy."
"Tell me about it. They've rummaged through my whole house, stealing stuff."
"Nope, not falling for it. Down you go, matey!" she suddenly said and sprung up, sword ready. I barely managed to stumble backwards, accidentally falling over and making her shoot over my head instead of through my torso. So she meant business. She'd regret it. I'd gained several levels fighting IMPS already and my injuries were healing, strangely enough.
I pulled the FLAREBONK- no wait. Jungle. Fire. No good combination. While the catlady were getting back up on her feet and throwing herself forward again, I pulled out the POINTYTHINGY, luckily still having my LOSERGLOVES on me to shield from the stupid handle on the weapon. The mallet blocked the tiny sword, forcing the cat to jump back and act quicker to get past my weapon. She sure was quick, and I didn't manage to block every blow. I felt pain as she scraped my arms on several places and my legs as well. In the periphery, I saw some kind of health meter sink as she hit me. So this was so much of a game that I had one of those? I hadn't really noticed before.
Finally, she gave me a break (well, she fell over) and I took the chance to swing my mallet at her. She jumped away of course, but was pretty impressed at how hard I slammed the POINTYTHINGY into the ground. Maybe I should change into the FLAREBONKER just to scare her... I did so. The flaming mallet came out from the green wallet as I put away the other weapon. It made the catlady raise an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah. Burn!" I said, starting to swing it.
"Hang on," she said, raising her hand instead of her sword. "Do you play malletkind?"
"I, uh, what?" I stopped the FLAREBONKER in its path, leaving it hanging above the gray furry.
"That's a trademark from the prophecy. That's kinda strange, you know. Not that I believe that stuff. But."
I sighed and put away my weapon completely. "Look," I said. "Here's what I think. You tell me your name and take me to this Priest. And then we'll see who I am. Because now, I'm feeling kind of lost here. And the only creature who's not an IMP in this world
also wants to kill me, so I'm not really happy right now."
The cat smiled now and finally put her sword away. She eyed me up and down with a suspicious face before she let out a little laugh and said: "Name's Camrada. And if you promise to not touch anymore loot here - 'cause I did find this islet first - then I guess I can take you back to town. What's your name?"
I let out a little sound of relief, hoping she wouldn't hear it too well. Even though she was a cat with presumably good hearing. "Ricardo."
It turned out that she had a boat. Not a cool ship, but a little sailboat of the kind that Jack Sparrow comes into the harbor with in the first Pirates movie. A rather silly ship, in other words. Apparently we were on a tiny island not too far from another island where a town lay. After we lay down hostilities, she actually seemed to find me quite interesting. Which I found annoying. She was a cat and cats are annoying in my book. Never understood how Vieve put up with them. Anyways, I took the time to try and get in touch with my friends. Assuming they too had made it through their first gate... With the ALLURBASES, communication was simple. I just realized that I didn't reply to let Candice know that I could reach the gate. I could just hope now that she had her computer on her. Or something sweet like the ALLURBASES, perhaps.
-- babelsEngineer [BE] opened memo on board OUT OF THE ASHES --
BE: Hey
BE: I made a new board, so that those strange other people won't be here
BE: I'd like a status report from everyone. We were supposed to play this game together, weren't we? But I'm pretty alone here. Except for a catlady who's going to take me to their leader. Or something
BE: Also, apparently I might be a prince of some kind. Fits me well, of course. I think it might be some aspect of the game
BE: Have you gone through your first gates? Please tell me you remembered to bring your computers. I... oh wait crap
BE: I didn't bring the computer I have SBURB installed on. Sorry Vieve, doesn't look like I can be your server until I get back to my house
BE: And I have no idea where my house is so I have no idea if I'm going to get it back
BE: And even if I do return home (if my house in this land can be called home) the imps have probably stolen it
BE: So yeah, I admit I made a mistake there
BE: But! Have you seen any cats? She mentioned pigs as well
VB: Nope, no cats here.
RT: OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD
RT: COULDN'T YOU HAVE KEPT YOUR STUPID MOUTH SHUT SO THAT WE COULD KEEP READING THIS
VC: I've actually got to agree with RT there :/ which makes me feel a bit weird
VB: Hm. Sorry.
BE: askdjhsdlkfjslkd you've gotta be kidding me!
VC: but Ricardo, I think it's important that we keep up with your progress! especially now that you can't see each other for forgetful reasons and stuff, right??
VC: but we can be quiet now and let you talk to your friends
VB: I'll be quiet as a mouse, if RT doesn't respond until one of the others do.
RT:
VB: Good boy. The board is all yours, Ricardo.
BE: It always was mine!!
BE: Whatever. Let's just... guys, and I mean MY guys. Just report, please
--
[S-HIGHLIGHT]EVERYONE WHO CARRIES A COMPUTER[/S-HIGHLIGHT]
You may reply to Ricardo's new memo if you happen to read it.