Admire’al Spike: Do you know what is strange, Mr. Simon?<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon: IF A WOMAN USES A MEN’S ROOM AT A MDQ SHOW, NO ONE GIVES A @#$% – BUT DWAYNA HELP THE MAN THAT TRIES TO USE THE WOMEN’S ROOM!\u00a0 THAT’S @$%^ING DISCRIMINATORY.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike and the henchmen all exchange glances, which in turn yield nodding and affirmative murmurs.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 well, that’s not quite what I was getting at, but it’s a good start.\u00a0 Any other kernels, just waiting to be popped in that blaze of yours?<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon didn’t hesitate:\u00a0 WHY THE @#$^ CAN YOU DANCE OFF A LEDGE, BUT NOT WALK?\u00a0 IS GRAVITY A PANSY-@$$ @#%^ING DANCER TOO?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike looks up at his old friend, with a bent finger wedged firmly between his teeth.\u00a0\u00a0 He can’t laugh now,\u00a0 he just can’t.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 Now, now, Mr. Simon – I know you’re upset that Balreth –<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon – SILVERLUCK IS BULL#$%&!!!<\/p>\n
Crysania looks up from her task at hand: did you hear something?<\/p>\n
Dandd tugs at his beard:\u00a0 I think so.<\/p>\n
Crysania mimics his movements, into thin air:\u00a0 It’s been awhile since we’ve both felt a disturbance in the force.<\/p>\n
Dandd grins:\u00a0 and we’re all out of bubblegum.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 -asked to be dropped off on the adjacent landmass.\u00a0 I, too, thought it strange.\u00a0 We came all this way, and all we did was help him kill one bird.<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon: THEN HE DECIDES TO STAY NEARBY?!\u00a0 WHAT THE @#$% IS THIS?\u00a0 I COULD HAVE JUST STAYED HOME AND WATCHED IT ALL ON PAY-PER-GLIMPSE.\u00a0 @#$% #$%^ $%^&* …<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 Someone is making it useless to resist.<\/p>\n
Dandd finishes his grail:\u00a0 a regular wretched hive of scum and villany by the feel of it.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 Maybe someone altered a deal?<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Pray they don’t alter it any further.<\/p>\n
Crysania nods in agreement.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 I hate to interrupt, Admire’al, but where are we going?\u00a0\u00a0 Balreth decided to stay in the desert –<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon – BULL@#$% GODAMN VICIOUS FANGS, CLAWS, WHATEVER.\u00a0\u00a0 AARRGGHH!<\/p>\n
Henchman 1, unfazed: -and we’re simply leaving him?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 yep.\u00a0 It’s what he wants.\u00a0 I want to go find Crysania.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 It’s a trap!<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike rubs his forehead a bit, before shaking it off and going about his plans.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Impressive. Most impressive.<\/p>\n
Crysania focuses harder:\u00a0 These aren’t the henchmen you’re looking for.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike moans in discomfort.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 Are you ok?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike gives a dismissive wave:\u00a0 Yeah.\u00a0 Somehow I think we found Crysania, although neither of us knows it yet.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1: Oh?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike rubs his temples gingerly:\u00a0 Who else could do that?\u00a0 The question is, how did she find us?<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon: THE NEXT @#$%ING TIME HE GETS A GODAMN DROP LIKE THAT, I’LL CHOKE THEM ALL MY @#$%ING SELF.\u00a0 IT’S\u00a0 BULL@#$%!<\/p>\n
Everyone’s eyes drift upward to the roaring blaze that is Mr. Simon.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 Mr. Simon’s projected force…<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 What?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike clears his throat:\u00a0 It’s an energy field created by all living things.\u00a0 It surrounds us, penetrates us,\u00a0 it binds the mists together.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 …And you’re saying she is tapping into that?\u00a0 What are the odds of-<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike quickly cuts him off: Never tell me the odds.\u00a0 Never question the odds, this is the Quin.\u00a0 Between the Newtype shit, and the Silverluck, and-<\/p>\n
Henchman 1 returns the interruption:\u00a0 Yeah, I get it.\u00a0 So if she’s found us, how do we find her?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike shrugs helplessly:\u00a0 @#$% if I know.\u00a0 It’s not like she @$%^s with my head and I can just point and say ‘oh, it came from that way.’\u00a0 Moving ships around is one thing,\u00a0 that’s totally different.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Any idea who you’re resonating with?<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 It feels familiar, but that doesn’t say much anymore.<\/p>\n
Dandd pours something into his grail:\u00a0 I have faith in you.<\/p>\n
Crysania instantly picks up on the sarcasm:\u00a0 I find your lack of faith disturbing.<\/p>\n
Dandd snickers:\u00a0\u00a0 Well you’re not your old self anymore.\u00a0 What’s a monk with no one to heal?\u00a0 A leader with no one to lead?\u00a0 Look at you.\u00a0 You resonate with half the world, and no one knows you exist.<\/p>\n
Crysania scowls: Well, you do.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Yes, well I suppose someone has to keep tabs on your vision.<\/p>\n
Crysania hunches over:\u00a0 …And you will pay the price for your lack of vision!<\/p>\n
Dandd brushes her off:\u00a0 Yeah, yeah.<\/p>\n
Crysania pursues: Your powers are weak, old man.<\/p>\n
Dandd spins around on his heel:\u00a0 Hey, only a few people are allowed to address me as ‘old man.’\u00a0 You’ve not yet earned it, whelp.<\/p>\n
Dandd grows quiet.<\/p>\n
Crysania tries to cheer him up:\u00a0 I’m sure the other ‘old man’ is fine.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Bah!\u00a0 Even your range doesn’t go that far.<\/p>\n
Crysania doesn’t relent:\u00a0 A lot of …umm…imaginary henchmen…umm…died!…to bring me this information.<\/p>\n
Dandd sees that she is trying and offers a smile.<\/p>\n
Crysania is very confident though.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 Balreth is ok, I just know it.<\/p>\n
Dandd nods: Yeah, sure.<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 So if we keep sailing,\u00a0 we will hit essentially barren northlands.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 Right up her alley, eh?<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike:\u00a0 In a manner of speaking.\u00a0 I’m not sure what she would be doing up there, or anything.\u00a0 I wouldn’t even know where to find her?\u00a0 It’s not like she would be in another Tall Tower of High Sorcery, right on the coast or anything.<\/p>\n
Henchman 1:\u00a0 …like that one?!\u00a0 I don’t believe it!!! CRYSANIA!<\/p>\n
Admire’al Spike murmurs: …and that is why you fail, and I’m the Admire’al.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 I heard my name.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 I didn’t say anything.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 No, from outside.\u00a0 It felt as if many voices suddenly cried out in terror, and joy – simultaneously.<\/p>\n
Dandd: Well, it was -your- name.<\/p>\n
Crysania shoots over a glare.<\/p>\n
Crysania makes her way to the edge of the tower and peers out, and sees a ship.<\/p>\n
Crysania gasps:\u00a0 Impossible!<\/p>\n
Dandd quickly gets up to see what she sees.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 You understand this just as well as I do,\u00a0 I set up this barrier so that only those who know what they’re looking for could find it.<\/p>\n
Dandd nods in concern.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 Who would actually look for -my- tower, on -this- coast…<\/p>\n
the hollow tower suddenly filled with sound.<\/p>\n
DICK. AAASSSMMODEEDUUSSSS!!!!<\/p>\n
The call was unmistakable.<\/p>\n
Crysania ran to the top of the stairs:\u00a0 SPIKELANGELO!?<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon:\u00a0 @#$%ING HI TO YOU TOO.\u00a0 ALWAYS FORGETTING ABOUT ME, BALRETH GODAMN-<\/p>\n
Dandd almost dropped his grail.\u00a0 He too hurried to greet the party.<\/p>\n
Spike, Mr. Simon, and the henchmen made their way up the Tall Tower.\u00a0\u00a0 Many happy greetings were given, but it wasn’t long before the ribbing started.<\/p>\n
Spike:\u00a0 Looking good there, young one.<\/p>\n
Dandd scoffs:\u00a0 When 900 volumes you write, look as good you will not, hmm?<\/p>\n
Crysania decides to get off of her feet.\u00a0 No one seems to notice she doesn’t require a chair.<\/p>\n
The conversations continue gleefully.\u00a0 Dandd is furiously scribbling the account of Balreth and The Desert Owl.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s not until a henchman bumps into Crysania, then panics upon noticing her levitation that he backs up into the hollow pit beyond.\u00a0\u00a0 The fading scream of the plummeting henchman was actually comical for most in attendance.<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon was the first to chime in:\u00a0 IT’S ABOUT @#$%ING TIME SOMETHING HAPPENED.\u00a0 LAWNO MY ASS, SPLAT-NOISE! WOO!!!!<\/p>\n
When the next round of laughter quieted down,\u00a0 Dandd was still intent on debriefing the henchmen for full details.<\/p>\n
Spike:\u00a0 So, what’s up with this cross-legged floating business?<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon tries, and lands straight on his tailbone.<\/p>\n
Crysania shrugs: my feet were bothering me.<\/p>\n
Spike decides to ingest some questionable substances from a random belt pouch.<\/p>\n
Crysania:\u00a0 I’ve been working on my mental capacities.\u00a0 I don’t really need to walk as long as I’m more-or-less moving at low speeds.\u00a0 Oh, you want to see something really cool?\u00a0\u00a0 Look at the walls!<\/p>\n
Spike and Mr. Simon, for the first time, notice these unbelievable paintings from side to side.<\/p>\n
Spike ingests more…somethings…from different pouches.<\/p>\n
Spike:\u00a0 These are pretty damned good.<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon: THESE ARE @#$%ING AMAZING. HOW THE @#$% DID YOU DO THESE?<\/p>\n
Crysania grins: I was hoping you’d ask.<\/p>\n
Crysania props up a canvas and tosses several very small vials of dye into the air.\u00a0 She then forcechokes them all, simultaneously, in mid-air.\u00a0 The colors splash onto the canvas all at once, revealing her vision for the piece.\u00a0 She did this, all without ever touching the ground.<\/p>\n
Spike,\u00a0 feeling more like the Spike of old,\u00a0 has already fallen to the ground and crawled as far away from Crysania as he could without leaving the room.<\/p>\n
Mr. Simon’s flame just flickers in the breeze, blankly.<\/p>\n
A couple moments go by before the clanking of Dandd can be heard walking into the room.<\/p>\n
Dandd:\u00a0 Blew their minds, did you, with your modern art masterpieces?<\/p>\n
The simultaneous shouting and laughing of MDQ lit up the Tall Tower of High Sorcery.\u00a0\u00a0 For a brief moment,\u00a0 all the empty rooms that Crysania had built can be forgotten.\u00a0\u00a0 Her study, currently occupied by a happy reunion, can be remembered.<\/p>\n
Balreth is safe, and a direct route between here and there is now known.\u00a0 Spike and Simon are in good spirits, and Dandd and Crysania have been doing what they do best.\u00a0\u00a0 How goes for everyone else?\u00a0 Answers for another day.<\/p>\n
15 Nov 2016 \/ Monk Anchorwind<\/p>\n
References:\u00a0 Star Wars, Duke Nukem,\u00a0 Guild and Life Histories.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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Admire’al Spike: Do you know what is strange, Mr. Simon? Mr. Simon: IF A WOMAN USES A MEN’S ROOM AT A MDQ SHOW, NO ONE GIVES A @#$% – BUT DWAYNA HELP THE MAN THAT TRIES TO USE THE WOMEN’S ROOM!\u00a0 THAT’S @$%^ING DISCRIMINATORY. Admire’al Spike and the henchmen all exchange glances, which in turn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[231],"class_list":["post-26030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quin","tag-231"],"yoast_head":"\n