Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Episode #150 Chapter 14, part 6 Reunion part 5 --Planet Zild-- The surface of Zild really is a giant forest. Blankets of bright green moss coat the rich brown soil and fern-like plants shade rippling brooks. Enormous trees stretch hundreds of feet into the air towards an azure blue sky while being supported by stilt-like roots that resemble twisted cage bars. Flowers of every color and shape blossom radiantly in the warm sunlight. And the leaves on all of them dance and sway in the balmy breeze. Justin: (completely awestruck) This is beyond beautiful. It’s like something out of a dream. Aisha: Absolutely breathtaking. It almost reminds me of home. Justin: I wish we could get married here. This place puts Roosevelt Park to shame a hundred times over. Gene: Well, if you’re done wandering around aimlessly, can we go now? Justin: Just a little longer. Jim, how much farther? Jim: (looks at his computer) The site of the Temple of Orozan should be another mile or two away. Gene: It’s just a stupid myth! We’re wasting our time! Nobody’s ever found them. Justin: What if I told you I feel lucky? Gene: Oh? Why? Cuz you’ve got a “hunch”? Aisha: Oh, shut up Gene! Gene: Hey! Don’t tell me to shut up! Aisha: I said shut up, so shut up! Gene: Aw, you shut up! Justin: Hey! Don’t you talk that way to my girl! Melfina: u_u \/ *sigh* Some things never change. Jim: Apparently, not even finding love is enough to keep Aisha from arguing with Gene. Aisha: Why can’t you just have a little faith in my purram? Gene: Your what? later... The whole group is trekking through the forest searching for the fabled temple. Justin and Jim lead the way, followed by Gene, then Aisha, Melfina, and finally Suzuka bringing up the rear. Melfina: Um... Aisha? Aisha: Nya? ‘Sup Melfina? Melfina: I was wondering. Why do you call Artukei “Justin”? Aisha: Cuz that’s his name. Melfina: .... You mean his nick-name? Aisha: No, it’s his first name. Melfina: Then.... is Artukei his last name? Aisha: No, they’re both his first names. Melfina: .... I’m confused. He has two first names? Aisha: Yep. He’ll respond to either one, but I think he prefers Artukei. It’s how he introduces himself and it’s the name most people know him by. He only lets me and just a few others call him Justin. Melfina: Strange. Why does he have two names? Aisha: ... I’m... I’m not really sure. (shrugs) I guess I never thought about it. Melfina: And also, this “Purram”. Is it his third first name? Aisha: Oh no. It’s an ancient C’tarl word that wives use to call their husbands. (sparkly eyed) And it’s also my way of telling him he’s my snuggly-cuddly-wuddly bear. Melfina: 0.0 ??? Aisha: Hee hee! ^_^ (runs up ahead to join Justin and Jim) Suzuka: (walks up next to Melfina) Forgive my overhearing, but... did Aisha just use the words “snuggly”, “cuddly”, and “wuddly”? Melfina: I believe she did. Aisha: (from up ahead) I can still hear you, ya know! later... Jim: Not much farther now. Gene: Good. I’m getting tired. Justin: .... Hmm? (suddenly stops and looks around) ...... Aisha: Nya? What is it? Justin: Is it me or does this area look a little.... less green? Gene: It’s you. Jim: (stops and looks) .... No. I think he’s right. Gene: Huh? (looks up) The whole crew stops and notices that all the color in this part of the forest is considerably less vibrant. All the leaves and the flower petals are withered and are sicklier colored compared to their earlier counterparts. Gene: Looks like these trees have seen better days. Aisha: What is it? A blight? Jim: Doubtful. Zild’s never had a blight before. Melfina: (looking at the flowers) They look so.... sad. Suzuka: What could it be? Jim: I don’t know. This is strange. Justin: Fits with everything else that’s happened today. Let’s keep moving. later... The group continues to walk through the ailing forest. They come to a large clearing, when suddenly... Jim: (looking at his computer, stops) ........ Justin: What’s wrong? Jim: (puts his computer away) This is it. The place most scientists believe to be the site of the Temple of Orozan. Justin: .... (looks around) ..... There’s nothing here. Gene: Can we go back now? Justin: Hang on. Just let me look around. (steps into the middle of the clearing) ...... *sigh* Well, I’m here. Now what? Jim: (glances at the ground) ... huh? (kneels down) Hey, look at this! Justin: Huh? They all come over to where Jim is kneeling. Jim: Artukei has two left feet! Justin: *groan* Tell me something I don’t know. Jim: I’m serious. Look! Jim points at the ground and, sure enough, there are two prints side by side in the dirt of Artukei’s left foot. Justin: What the Heifong? (picks up his right foot and looks at the bottom of his shoe) Suzuka: Hmm. (kneels down, feels one of the prints) This is the one you just made. (feels the other) This one is exactly identical, but it’s not fresh. Justin: It could be someone else’s foot. Aisha: I highly doubt Newbalance has a franchise all the way out here. Suzuka: (still feeling the print) It is recent. Probably a few days old. Justin: But I’ve never been here be-... 0.0 ...... “A few days”? Suzuka: At least two or three. Justin: (looks at Aisha, eyes wide) Aisha: (looks at Justin with the same expression) Justin: (franticly looks around) .... *gasp* (runs a few feet away and kneels down) Aisha! Look! Aisha: (runs over to Justin) Justin: (pointing in the dirt) It’s a print from your boot. Aisha: 0.0 .... Th... this means... Justin: We’ve been here before. “JUUUUSTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!” Justin: What the...?! (looks up and sees a small grey creature bolting out of the woods and towards him) Gene: What the heck?! Justin: GUMDROP!?!? Gumdrop: (splotchy with dirt patches on his fur, jumps onto Justin’s shoulder and hugs his face) Justin: Gummy?!? Now I know we’ve been here before! What’re you doing here?! Gumdrop: (speaking super-sonically fast) Therewasthisloudnoiseandeveryonewentcrazy-andthentheseguyscameandIgotscaredandhidbehindthetreeandthenyouguysweregone! Where were you!?! Justin: Whoa! Calm down. What happened? Gumdrop: How should I know? One minute we’re chillin’, then the next thing I know, these creepy guys in black show up, and then you were gone. Justin: “Guys in black”? Did they have black swans on their clothes? Gumdrop: What? You know I don’t have an eye for detail! Justin: -_- Great. Lotta help you are. Gene: (walks over) Umm... could someone please tell me what’s going on? Justin: Gene, Aisha and I have been here before. (gets up) If we look around, I’m sure we’ll find more clues about what happened to us. Gumdrop: Huh? (looks around) Hey! Where’s Ozz? Justin: .... *sigh* Somewhere over the rainbow, if I remember right. But this isn’t the time for games, Gummy. Gumdrop: ??? You’re the one who’s playin’. Where is the ferret? Justin: What are you talking about? Gumdrop: (grabs Justin’s collar) Ozz! Where is he? Justin: ...... Who?

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