originally posted in:The Black Garden
Fluke Episode 9: The Helpful Bunch
It was a day like almost like every other. It was the kind of day where children run freely in the protected streets of the Last City and adults were able to experience the many leisure activities that different flourishing locations had to offer. Out in masses, the crowds transitioned through the markets and bazaars with minds set on nothing in particular. The ideal product was waiting to be sold by friendly venders and shopkeepers. Deep within the sea stumbled a guardian in fresh clothing. A new shipment had came in and the Warlock was proud to sport his newly tailored outfit. His main objective lied within the heart of the a marketplace near an open back alley. The Warlock happily smiled once he turned the corner and saw the familiar rundown stand.
An old man occupied the setup from behind. Despite its secluded location, the shop offered a bunch of useful tools and contraptions for the peculiar shopper. A few kids lined the side of the booth, their cheery chatter put a warm smile on the old man's face. The man finally noticed the Warlock patiently leaning against the opposite building and waved, the Warlock returned the neighborly gesture. The kids noticed the guardian as well and began to swarm him, he did not push them aside nor interact too much. A friendly pat on the head, a gleeful greeting, and even an unexpected hand slap; these were the kind of things that brightened up the Warlock's mood. Once the children filed out of the alley, the Warlock approached the stand.
"Alton my boy. Your timing is impeccable." the man said while flipping the sign from [i]Open[/i] to [i]On Break[/i].
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Harrison." Alton smiled. Mr. Harrison was a strange case indeed, for he served once as a guardian way back when. Even in his age, the brass veteran looked as official as ever with his trimmed grey hair and still noticeable muscles. His smile had softened over the years but the firmness of solid soldier's stare remained present. Surprisingly, giving up the military life for the dream of owning a shop nagged Alton, as Mr. Harrison was reluctant to disclose any personal information about his decision. He did, however, drop little hints every so often but they were never enough to make a confident conclusion. Alas, bright sunshiny days meant no deep thinking in their minds.
"All set today?"
"Of course. I'm ready to help."
"Great. A new shipment of assorted sweets just came in, those darn delivery men never ask me for any asistance. I oughta go complain to the Elders themselves but I'm gettin' too old." Mr. Harrison shook his fist angrily.
"If you complain to the Elders, then I'd be outta work." Alton joked.
"Haha, you're right. I'm glad you could help me today Alton, I really do appreciate your help." Mr. Harrsion pulled the crates of candies around to the front of the shop; today's shipment was much larger than previous ones. But Alton couldn't complain, days like these only came every once in awhile.
Down the streets came the rush of people to arrive on time for the latest demonstrations. Alton usually had a hard time maneuvering through the tight pockets, especially when given all the delivery boxes. The crates wobbled back and forth in a magnificent tower that could just as easily reach the top of the Tower. Mr. Harrison guided the Warlock while sparking up conversation about the his lovely wife or his plans regarding his accumulating wealth. Alton offered up some of his tales about space exploration with his friends and the old man would exaggerate his career as a veteran fighter.
"In my day when the City was still young, I remember traveling to some of the most crazy places. My team and I were the best when it came to finding undiscovered locations. We'd fight our way through the toughest enemies with the little we brought along, mind you." Mr. Harrison pointed his finger at Alton who just smiled back.
"What else did you do in your time Mr. Harrison?"
"Well lets see now. My friends and I caused trouble for other guardians. In fact, this one time-"
"Ahh!" Tumbling boxes fell over and crushed Alton. The weep of sudden shock caught all of the surrounding patrons off guard and their laughter kicked him down even more. Even Mr. Harrison chuckled as fond memories came to his mind. After picking himself up, Alton reranged the boxes so that they would not cause him much trouble again and began walking at a much faster pace to avoid the worsening crowds.
The end was near and far once the two reached Mr. Harrison's house. Their short walk lasted for a long time because Mr. Harrison's cloudy memories persuaded him to walk off in the wrong direction. They ended up strolling into a park where onlookers watched with foolish smiles. If it wasn't for the lovely weather, the whole day would have been a lot less enjoyable. Walking up the corroding stairs, Alton carefully dropped the boxes on the porch and started unloading the grand tower one by one. Another half hour passed when the two men finished moving the crates into the house and indulged in Mrs. Harrison's Old World Pie.
"Can't you stay just a little bit longer dear? There's still more pie left and we would love some company." Mrs. Harrison nicely asked.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Harrison. I have other responsibilities to see to today, a guardian's job never keeps him unoccupied." Alton responded while stepping down from the porch.
[i]Dinnngggg[/i]
"Well I can't keep you from doing what you kids do best. For your troubles, why don't you have this pie that just finished baking."
"You mean it? Thank you Mrs. Harrison."
"You're welcome dear. I sure do know how much you friend Darian loves my pies."
"Oh that he does." Alton commented. Mrs. Harrison disappeared into the little cream colored house for a minute and then returned with the hot crusted delight. Alton's face lit up at the sight of the Mrs' famous pie. She handed him the treat and Alton graciously accepted it.
"I'll savor every bite. Thank you again Mrs. Harrison, oh and see you later Mr. Harrison." with a wave, Alton left the Harrison residence with a special package in hand.
Alton sped through the streets of the City because the delicious smell of pie attracted a cult of hungry followers. Checking the time on his wrist device, the clock struck twenty till noon. He was managing good time despite being sidetracked at the Harrison's. The Tower was a sight for sore eyes and he gladly entered the entrance hall, the devoted pie lovers and carvers alike were blocked off by Titan guards at the front doors. In no time, Alton reemerged from the building empty handed. His followers had disbanded and left the scene defeated. Easier for him as his next objective lied to the west.
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The causal stroll was a challenging one as the masses filled the restaurants and crowded street venders in search of a filling lunch. Their hands went towards the first delectable thing they could grab. Alton carefully dodged the groups of people but space was narrowing faster than a bullet to an enemy. A sudden misplaced heel extended out from one if the rowdy shops. His foot caught onto the heel and propelled him forward onto another person. A few people turned to see what had happened but all they saw was an odd scene. Alton face landed on something squishy and soft, his mind ordered his body to move correctly. His hands pushed off from the soft surface, causing something to lightly moan. He pulled his face away and position his body so that he pull himself up from his knees. Staring at him was an unfortunate beauty and her blushing expression said enough. Alton immedatly jumped once he realized who he was hovering over and what his hands accidently touched.
"Oh no, no no no no no noo! I'm sorry, it's not what it seem-" a loud slap echoed in the street but the sounds of hungry citizens leveled out the sound. The two of them just stared at each other awkwardly until the woman got up.
"You...Pervert!" she yelled, "How dare you advance another guardian. That's harassment I'll have you know."
"Im soo sorry, I tripped but I didnt mean to do that. I-I"
"You're lucky I have somewhere to be. Remember my name, its Penelope. Mark my words, you will pay dearly for this." Penelope stormed off into sea of people. Alton just stood there dumbfounded and confused, his check reddened with the print of a menacing hand on it.
[i]What was that all about?[/i] He thought. He did deserve that slap since in the deepest part of his mind, the pleasure of his touch resonated in his hand. A nasty smile formed on his lips as he walked off.
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"Ok, you're welcome. Let me know if you need anything else."
"I'll shall call you when I need your assistance."
[b]Continues Below[/b]
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minor spelling errors (but better than my rough drafts) also i dont get this line "His followers had disbanded and [i]fed the scene defeated[/i]." Other than that my only criticism is what i think is some awkward phrasing. Such as "you advance another" not really sure how to rephrase that, just dont like it "carefully dodged more" change more to many "space was narrowing " I just hate the word narrowing, I would replace it with disappearing, but that is personal "The unfortunate happened when a" just sounds awkward as an introduction, Would replace it with just unfortunately, or inevitably. "He tackled the assailant down to the ground and held them" Tackled down sounds awkward to me, would take out down. Also he is only holding one person so it should be singular, but them is plural. "rich business man's" 's isnt needed (im sorry but plurality bugs me.) But yeah, those are the only errors i see. The plot is humorous, and i appreciate your uses of exceptionally descriptive words to enhance the story.
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Edited by Eterteeter: 6/4/2014 5:10:09 PMAlton left the building tired and stumped, he was itching for a break. The archaic clock tower in the district stuck a quarter till three and the lunch rush had settled down significantly. The streets were still flooded with patrons but there was more leg room this time around than hours earlier. Alton began a short walk to the nearest food vender and luckily for him, a surrounding crowd was distanced from the stand. He saw two people fleeing the scene and a few security drones stood watch over the area in question. Once he pushed his way to front of the crowd, the confusion became clear. A woman was lying on the ground with a small gash on her forehead. She kept pointing past the group and out into the sunny streets. Alton went up beside her as she started to talk. "My...purse. They...a guardian went...after. That way." she spoke before the drones pulled Alton away. "I'll get your purse back, just hold tight." Alton dashed off and phased through the disbanding crowd. He could see two figures pushing their way through another crowd, their attire made them just noticeable enough to stand out in. He zipped around a corner and ran through the least populated alleyway. The feet of a determined Warlock bounced around the cramped walkway like fireworks. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as the Warlock dove right into the first figure to appear at the end of the alley. He tackled the assailant and held the person down with his hands on their shoulders and his legs on top of of their legs. "I've caught you now, hand over the purse you stole." No one seemed to notice once the Warlock got a good look at the purse thief, but a tide of embarrassment swept over him once be recognized the person. She stared up at him with a face that swiped the day's steady mood, she looked as though she had just given up to someone who was ready to do explicit things. She opened her eyes and saw the blushing Warlock staring back at her in the same manner. Alton prepared himself mental and physically for the pain that would ensue. "Again!? You...Sick Animal! Get off me!" the voice instantly clicked along with the sour taste of failure. The punch collided with Alton's chin like a wrecking ball to a wall. The force lifted him off the ground and sent him up into the air for a couple seconds. Crashing down to earth might have been the least of his worries, the crud Warlock scooped the semiconscious Alton up and gave him the meanest death glare know to mortal man. "Give me a reason to turn you in for assault." "Ah, you two must be the ones cleaning the bathroom today. Right on time." the guardians turned towards a man who stood at the doorway of a large building. He wore the cloths of rich business man who has seen countless success in wealth. He mirrored the same tone. "Come, come inside and we will get started." "Wait wait, I'm not supposed to be here. I have other priorities to attend to." Penelope whined desperately, the man's grip was strong than her will to escape. Alton followed behind them with light snickers filling his steps with enjoyment. The building was nothing more than a simple office building, but there was more to its location and function within the city streets. The stairs out front were elegantly designed with the best rocky materials around, two legendary creatures of old fables stood guard with eyes as shape as the unbreakable stone used to structure them. The grand pillars outside reflected the influence of a once mighty empire. What was best left under wraps was much more sophisticated than the exterior of the building. The main reception room was massive in size and in value, easily one the most expensive in the City in terms of possessions. The first few floors were visible with important members of private sectors traversing to the nearest elevator and meeting rooms. The cream colored walls fleshed out a bright image of a chaotic calmness that could only be felt when battling behind breathtaking landscapes. Alton took note the pairs of Titans who glared back at him as he followed alongside Penelope. The three stopped in front of a secluded room close to the restrooms. Two men came out of the respective bathroom while the guardian's guide handed them a clean cloth and an old world plunging tool. Penelope looked disgusted by the man's offer. Who would volunteer to do something so.....degrading?" Penelope shockingly asked the man. He pushed the cleaning items onto the guardians, they caught them despite instant rejection. "Just the bathroom, right?" Alton pitched another question. The man's expression was comical. "What kind of business do think we run here? We are a management firm that specializes in working closely with the Council. Can't work with large sums of glimmer knowing that the bathrooms are not up to the highest standards." "Look, I don't have neither the time nor the patience to be doing a lowlife's job. Do you even know who I am?" Penelope fought back but her argument was useless in the eyes of the corporate giant. "No, but guardians such as yourselves should be busy protecting our interest out there. Might as well have them doing something instead of nothing." "You are lucky I choose today to volunteer, but I am just as busy as she is." Alton pointed to the steamed Penelope. "Well, let's just say that this is a pit stop. Besides, the faster you clean the bathrooms on every floor, the faster you can get back to do whatever you soldiers do on busy days like these. Honestly, you have no idea how we provide-" "Every.....floor?" the female Warlock lost her breath in the man's job description. She was ready to teach this man a lesson, but Alton refrained her from taking such action. "You soldiers and your dry humor. We have people who slave away at cleaning the bathrooms." the man directed the guardians into a dark room and down a ladder that lead into a hidden area underneath the building. Once the pair reached the bottom, the man quickly climbed back up and hid behind the door they came in from. "Your job is to figure out what is wrong with the plumbing and fix it. Good luck and thanks again for your generous service. Remember that time is glimmer, so do it cheaply and quickly." The door above them closed with a loud slam, leaving the two guardains to face the oncoming smell of sewage and waste. The area was actually a part of underground sewer system, one of the many first achievements during the construction of mankind's last stronghold. Many of the older systems remained in a decent condition even after all the years of decay during the Collapse. This building's system was divided into waterways that ultimately connected to the main system, which then drained out into a disclosed location. Rumors have spread around between the townspeople accusing the FOTC and even the Council that they plan to drive away mankind's threats using the collective waste from the sewers. One legend has survived throughout the decades of unrest and has even made its way back into the minds of folk tellers and young children. Using the Traveler's powers, Alton illuminated the dark tunnel and took lead when Penelope refused to. She followed close behind him with a stuttering arm warped tightly around his own, her bitter mumbles represented her disproval. The rushing water was a soothing sound to hear, but thinking about what was mixed in it only made the experience more nauseating. Their footsteps were very frequent because the walkways gave little leg room, Alton was even lucky enough to catch Penelope from falling into the filth several times. "Seems we've reach the far side of the building. Now we just have to search the other end and we can leave." Peneople was much more calm about the situation than before, that was a good sign in Alton's eyes. She was finally accepting the notions that a fool's fate wanted to punish her in some way. "Can I ask you a question?" Alton asked. "Shoot, Warlock." Penelope responded. "Why are you still here? I bet you could have easily ditched me before coming down here." Alton questioned as they turned around. "Hard to say. Even though I'm stuck down here because of your actions, the humiliation of you cleaning sewers is enough punishment for what you did." she snickered at her answer. "But you're down here too?" "Yes I am. Damn business tycoons." she rolled her eyes while letting loose a sigh. As they returned to the place where the rusty ladder marked the half way point, a sudden rumbling startled the guardians. Alton lost his footing and slipped on a puddle of sewage water. Penelope couldn't break off from him fast enough and the two made a large splash once they fell into the water. Alton held his breath when an incoming rush of fluids attacked his face. The bottom was shorter than he expected so naturally, Alton stood there watching Penelope squirm like a child. The female guardian touched the ground with her soggy boots, her long blond hair along with her whole outfit was soaked in grimy waste. "Agggghhhh!" her yell rocked the tunnels, even the waters hushed at her aggressive tone. "I'm done with this! Ugghh!" "But wai-" [b]More shenanigans ensue below[/b]