|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 14, 2014 16:43:39 GMT -5
Based on/inspired by a dream I had last night. Of course not exactly the same, and extended, with actual names /shot
MAIN CHARACTERS
Renzyn: A boy who was chosen for the game. Competitive, clever, and driven. He has dirty blond hair that just goes past his ears. Age 18.
Pentarose: A girl who was chosen to compete against Renzyn in the game. Physically swift, and kind. She has brown hair that cuts off above her shoulders and dark brown eyes. Age 18.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 14, 2014 16:57:51 GMT -5
Chapter 1
The hologram flashed in the sky above the city, counting down from ten. Pentarose looked up with less excitement than those around her. Another year meant nothing. She wouldn't be going to college until next year. She was still unemployed. Since cutting her hair a year ago it was still not long enough to put into a ponytail. The peacekeepers, including her older sister, would still remain distant from their families as the code required. Three, two, one. Firework graphics appeared on the hologram with the number "2206" in the middle. Yeah, another year, another game, for some lucky two, somewhere in the territory of Nekk.
Pentarose knew the announcement of the two lucky, or unlucky, players this year would be in just acouple of minutes. This was the only thing she found interesting about New Years. Two people between the age of sixteen and twenty-six (the age range was to ensure optimal fitness and health in the players) would go to the Otherworld, a demension where Nekk recieved the energy to power their cities with.
The empress walked up behind a podium in front of the hologram. The number and fireworks disappeared to be replaced with a live moving picture of her. She raised her hand for silence and the crowd quieted. There were over a hundred thousand people watching this, almost everyone in the territory, and the rest were home watching it on television. The people crowding the streets of Rekk quietd as the various holograms showed the empress.
A voice emanated from the speakers. "Hello! As you know, it is time for us to choose, randomly, the two who will be going on the trip to compete for our clean, efficient, Otherworld energy source! Please look at the hologram now if you will!" As if everyone wasn't already.
A vertical rectangle appeared on the hologram, and then another. After many young faces flashed on the left rectangle, a boy with dirty blond hair was shown. A name, age, and area appeared underneath. Renzyn. Age 18. West Rekk. Pentarose didn't know him.
"Congratulations, Renzyn!" The empress yelled. The crowd cheered. They quieted as the other rectangle began to flash with faces. This face would be Renzyn's opponent in the dangerous race.
Pentarose didn't expect what would appear on the monitor.
Pentarose. Age 18. North Rekk.
Damn it.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 14, 2014 17:28:14 GMT -5
Chapter 2
Pentarose watched the dark-skinned leader fade away on the monitor, and the fireworks and 2206 returned. Two peacekeepers shouldered through the crowd towards her. They knew where she was because peacekeepers had trackers in everyone, but only used them when it was needed. Like when someone was suspected of a crime, or if someone was supposed to participate in the game.
The two peacekeepers greeted her kindly. She recognized one of them as her sister Rapuns's best friend, a guy from Central Rekk who had no family to be forcibly distanced from. The other was a pretty asian girl she didn't recognize. The girl spoke. "Come with us, we'll bring you to the Departure Building." Pentarose reluctantly followed them into a hovercraft, a mode of transportation reserved for peacekeepers and royalty. It rose above the roaring crowd. She saw another one, far off into the southwest, which must've been Renzyn's.
Pentarose looked out the window at the celebrating people. They passed by a family picnicing on a roof, and a basketball court platform with two boys and their cat eating ice cream with their feet dangling over the edge. Soon the hovercraft slowed down and descended to the ground in front of the Departure Building. She had never been inside before. The peacekeepers led her inside.
The building was mostly white, very clean and had a pleasant smell to it. They walked through a set of doors and this changed to walls with brown stains and chalky cement floors. The peacekeepers smiled and said their goodbyes to Pentarose. "Good luck," said her sister's friend.
It's not that Pentarose wasn't happy to have a chance to become one of the most celebrated people in the territory, but it was dangerous, and she might die there. She might even be killed by her opponent. She turned around when she heard the door open and Renzyn walked in, flanked by two husky peacekeepers. They left as soon as he entered.
Pentarose decided to ignore him. He would be an enemy, not a friend.
A man dressed in a white tuxedo and two women in lab coats entered the room from the door in front of them. "Hello, hello!" The man spoke loudly. Too loud for Pentarose. She looked at him in irritation. "I'm the head of Otherworld Direction, and I would like to tell you afew things before you depart."
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 15, 2014 15:05:40 GMT -5
Chapter 3
The head of Otherworld Direction began to speak, but Pentarose raised her hand. "Y..yes? Pentarose?"
"I don't mean to interupt you, I just wanted to ask..." Pentarose tilted her head and looked at the man. He looked like he was paying attention, but as though she had done something she should be ashamed of. "I know it's a great thing to take part in this and to power the territory...But may I please drop out of the race? I'd rather just read the result on the news."
The man laughed. "You're as polite as the Empress's ex-wife!" He shook his head and adjusted his glasses. "But no, it has been decided. There's no turning back. Don't be afraid, you'll both do fine!"
Renzyn looked at Pentarose and rolled his eyes. Pentarose looked away.
The Head of Otherworld Direction took a remote out of his pocket and press a blue button in the middle of it. A hologram shone out of it. "Let me give you a bit of an overview, first. The Otherworld was named from mythology and religion of the past. The Otherworld was believed to be the land of the spirits." Images appeared on the screen. Transparent people, and people praying. "However, our Otherworld is not the world of spirits but that of a linear demension." The images changed to skyscrapers, then to two kids playing ball. "It's somewhat like ours but very different. You'll find out when you get there.
"Due to inconsistencies of our existence with theirs, most people will not be able to see or touch you. Additionally you will not be able to touch everything in the world. However, there are places you will be able to touch, so don't go running out on the highway." The picture changed again. It showed someone trying to hug someone else, and their bodies passed through each other. And then the person going across the street, and being hit by an Otherworld vehicle. Pentarose thought she saw Renzyn shudder.
"You may wonder how you will know." The man looked up to the hologram and gave a small smile. "You won't. But they'll know if you're from another demension. About one percent of Otherworld people can see people from our realm." He turned his face back to Pentarose and Renzyn. "And they will not hesitate to kill you."
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 15, 2014 15:16:21 GMT -5
Chapter 4
The man looked at the serious expression of the two competitors. He burst out into laughter. "Of course, not many will be able to see you, and it's far more likely that you will kill each other or die from other causes!" The two didn't laugh in return. The Head cleared his throat. "Moving on. Most non-human animals will be able to see you as well. I don't know if they'll kill you. We've never seen that happen before." Hologram image turned to video of a girl petting a dog. Then to a square, with the measurements "20 x 20" written on it. A piece was missing from the upper right where a door was.
"Your first task will be to collect rocks in this enclosure. The more you get, the more points you aquire, and you will be able to open the door. Drop the rocks in the robotic buckets that will accompany you. Also, take these." He took out two small earpieces and gave them to Pentarose and Renzyn.
They looked at him, and he motioned for them to put them on. They did so. Pentarose blinked hard. A number appeared in the upper right of her vision, no matter which way she turned her head. It said 0.
"Those earpieces send waves to your brain to show a number to your upper right. You can spend points to open the door. You can aquire items from glowing flags. Only you can see the flags, they're are illusions from the waves." A picture of the flag showed on the hologram. First person to touch the flag gets an item constructed from nanobots. It could be something worthless or totally useful. Be swift!"
Easy. Pentarose thought. She was on the track team in high school.
"From there, you'll have to find the energy source. It will be glowing because of the earpiece. Usually there's something guarding it." Something. Not someone. "Good luck! Your journey will give you much glory if you win, and a grand funeral if you die." The Head of Otherworld Direction winked. "Of course if you lose Rekk's media won't remember your name." The man pushed them towards the room that the scientists had just went through. Pentarose wanted to go back. She wasn't ready for this.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 17, 2014 21:47:11 GMT -5
Chapter 5
The scientists introduced themselves as Miss Freeman and Mrs. Junto. Mrs. Junto was a gentle dark-haired woman, and Miss Freeman was taller than any woman Pentarose had ever met.
"Oh, how exciting!" Miss Freeman fluttered. "In all of the seventy years of the game, only once before have the two contestants been the same age."
Mrs. Junto smiled, "Ah, yes! I remember. Two young men who were twenty years old, at the prime of their life..." Pentarose avoided the gaze of the ladies. The prime of their life. Like every contestant, who could die in the game. Mrs. Junto put her hand on Pentarose's shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "Now, now. Don't be afraid. You'll make it through, I have faith in you! It's just made into a game to keep it lighthearted. Remember that and your spirit will be higher and you'll be more likely to succeed!" Pentarose looked up, paused for a moment, and then smiled.
Renzyn crossed his arms and stared at the outlined circle on the wall in front of them. The room they were in was small, made entire of concrete, and mostly dark. The circle looked like it was painted on with permanent black marker. "This is the portal." Miss Freeman said. Pentarose jumped, startled. She turned around, and Miss Freeman was standing right behind her. "Remember your mission! Rocks to open the gate, flags for supplies. Then find the energy source. Got it?"
Renzyn nodded. Pentarose stuttered. "Y-yes!"
"Good." The scientists dawned their goggles. Mrs. Junto pulled down a lever. The black outline of a circle came alive, glowing blue. "Ready?" Mrs. Junto yelled over the roar of the generator.
The contestants said nothing, and Miss Freeman pushed them through roughly.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 17, 2014 22:02:09 GMT -5
Chapter 6
With a gust of wind they were thrown into the next demension. Pentarose looked around and rose to her feet. The sky was a beautiful blue with a few white clouds, and the ground was covered with dirt. Wooden fencing surrounded the area, topped off with barbed wire to prevent escape. "This is the Otherworld?"
"Part of it," said Renzyn. He stood up as well.
Pentarose heard a beeping sound and looked behind her. Two robotic buckets stood there. She took a few steps, and the one on the right followed her. "Alright. Come on, robobucket. Let's go." She looked at Renzyn who was leaving to the right side fo the enclosure with his robot. He looked at Pentarose. The message was obvious.
If you get in my way, I'll kill you.
Pentarose walked to the gate. Locked, of course. A number of the door said 1,005. The robot beeped behind her. "Hey buddy, ready to collect some rocks?" The bucket beeped more with a higher pitch. It seemed excited. "I'm going to call you Katin." She crouched to the ground and dug through the dirt. Finding two rocks, she dropped them into Katin. The robot giggled. The number in the right of her vision became 2. This was going to take forever.
After accumulating fifty points she sat cross-legged and sighed. She heard Renzyn a few yards away, dropping multiple rocks in his robot bucket at once. Curious, she climbed to her feet and went over. Renzyn didn't seem to notice. He was busy putting clods of dirt, each with dozens of rocks in them, into his bucket.
"Katin, look." She whispered.
Renzyn shot his head around. "Go away, this is my spot." He growled.
Pentarose ignored him. She put a couple of dirt clods in Katin. Her number rose to 78. Katin made whooping sounds. "Awesome, Katin. We just found a good way to open the door."
Renzyn huffed. "You named the bucket?" Again, Pentarose ignored him and put more clods into her bucket. "Stop copying me. Go find your own rocks." pentarose continued, until her number reached 200. She was distracting him. "I swear to God, I will punch you in the fucking face."
Pentarose laughed, and Katin made more whooping sounds.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jun 17, 2014 22:09:01 GMT -5
Chapter 7
Renzyn swung, but Pentarose ducked. She threw more clods into her robot. Her number was now up to 600. "How many you got?" She teased.
"426, not like it's any of your damn business." The boy hissed through gritted teeth. Pentarose smiled. She grabbed many clods at once in her arms, dumping them into Katin as quickly as she could. Renzyn tried to concentrate on his own, but was finding less and less.
800. 900. 1017.
"Alright!" Pentarose yelled. She ran towards the gate and pointed to it. Katin touched it with its side. With a massive grinding sound and some clicking, the door slowly opened. Renzyn stood up, mouth wide open. Renzyn's robot made sad puppy-esque beeps.
Pentarose raced ahead. They were in some kind of meadow, but there was a town less than half a mile away. Something caught her eye. On a large rock way a glowing holographic flag. "Aha." She whispered. But Renzyn saw it too, and they raced towards it.
But she got there first. She jumped, but missed. Her second jump was luckier. Renzyn was getting close, and if she didn't get it in time, he'd be a step ahead of her in the game. Her hand closed around the flag, and it dematerialized. Pentarose jumped down. Nanobytes that were hiding inside the rock shot out, forming something. Her prize, the object that could lead to her victory. When the cloud stablized she nearly screamed.
It was a sports car. It was a fucking sports car.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jul 2, 2014 0:11:43 GMT -5
Chapter 8
Pentarose climbed in, took the keys off the dash and turned on the engine. She saw Renzyn running towards the car and quickly locked it. Suddenly she saw words in front of her vision. The waves from the earpiece were generating it, no doubt. The words said: "Acquired: Sapphire blue sports car. Puppy robot morph."
"What?" Pentarose said. Then she looked to her right and saw Katin begin to change from a bucket-shaped object to a red puppy-bot. She squealed in glee and hugged him. "You're so cute, Katin!" Katin barked and licked her face with a soft, realistic dog tongue. More words flashed in front of her vision. "You may change your bot's form at any time by pressing the black button on their underbelly. You will aquire more morphs whenver you find a flag. You may keep the robot should you return home. Consider it one of our many gifts." Katin barked some more, and Pentarose hit the gas pedal.
It felt awesome. She didn't have a car of her own back in North Rekk. Nor did she have a puppy.
///
Renzyn growled to himself and walked in the direction of a nearby glowing flag. His bucket followed. "You dumb robot." The bucket whooped and Renzyn shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to lose this, so don't get in my way." He took off running. When he touched the flag, Pentarose's car was out of site. The nanobots of the flag rearranged to become something like a laser gun. "Cool." He tested it on the ground.
It was a paintball gun. How worthless.
Words came across his vision. "Gah!" He yelled and jumped back. "Acquired: Orange paintball gun. Cheetah robot morph."
"Cheetah morph?" He looked towards the bucket to see nanobots surround it. When the cloud of them disappeared, a robot cheetah with glowing blue eyes showed in its place. "Well, at least that's cool. Come on, Dub." He held the gun at his side and began in a random direction.
|
|
|
Post by Scruffy on Jul 2, 2014 0:23:27 GMT -5
Chapter 9
The Otherworld was a lot like her own world, but somewhat less technologically advanced, and there were many different animals. Pentarose parked her car on the right side of the road when she saw a little kid crying across the street. She had no idea if he could see her, but she decided to see what was wrong anyway.
She looked both ways just in case and walked over to him. He was about five or six, with black hair and strange orangish eyes. She looked at him carefully. Katin trotted beside her and panted.
The little boy looked up. Straight into her eyes. He could definitely see her. Before she could back away, he spoke. "Hey, lady!" Pentarose was startled, but responded.
"Yes, little boy?"
"My name's Shintie! You look different...Are you an Otherworlder? Don't worry, I won't hurt you! My kindergarten told us about them, but they didn't tell us how to tell, but I think you seem a lot different, so I must be a Seer!"
Pentarose blinked and looked down at her robot. "Um...Yes. I'm from the Otherworld. My name is Pentarose."
"Can you help me get my puppy?" He pointed towards a tree. "I love him so much, and his parents Morgal and Rinta will be sadder than I am if he never gets down..."
Pentarose looked up, and saw a small dog-like creature up in the tree. It had horns like a dragon, and what looked like a blade at the end of its tail. It looked like a black hellhound, but it had a purple jewel on its forhead. Katin barked at it. "Katin, sshh. Of course I'll get your puppy for you, Shintie. If Katin was ever stuck and I couldn't help him, I'd be really sad too."
Shintie smiled. He had a tooth missing. Pentarose noticed two hellhounds behind him as well. A white female with a red jewel and a black male with a blue jewel. They looked distressed. "Here I go." Pentarose walked over to the tree and started to climb.
The puppy was shy. It took her a few tries before Pentarose was able to grab it. Katin let Shintie hug him while they waited, and soon Pentarose approched the Otherworld boy with his puppy. "Braker! I missed you!" Shintie put Katin down a little roughly and held his puppy close. Braker barked. Pentarose smiled and laughed.
"I'm glad you got your puppy back! I have to go now. Goodbye, Shintie!" She turned to leave after shaking the small boy's hand.
On the top of a garage across the street, Renzyn watched her.
|
|