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1
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: April 10, 2005, 10:50:38 pm »
I'm beginning on the second part of my Toma installment (may be divided into two (ZEAL POV and POV inside the Claw), since it's so long). Did we plan on cloning the Introduction thread and rearranging the current posts chronologically as well as putting these in their proper place or just sliding them in at the beginning of the first subplot in retrospect (in retrospect because these are prior to scenes already published for both Sigma and Garg)?
2
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: March 31, 2005, 04:02:10 pm »
Er... I asked what time of year and how long the project's been running (equivalency). I could care less about the actual year. Good thing to establish, though. I particularly like ME, for having the "feel" of being a method of denoting time, and ZC for being cool.
And elite is the "best of the best," is it not?
And elite is the "best of the best," is it not?
3
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: March 30, 2005, 04:35:36 pm »
Oh... f**k.
Reaffirm some things for my Toma post(s):
The temporal experiments are being undertaken at the Centre by the elite of the School of Temporal Magic, overseen by the Council, correct?
How would the ZEALian agents refer to Keystone?
(Minor details:) What time of year is it in ZEAL (i.e. early or late), and how long has the project been running? Want to make a few cultural references in the ZEALian point of view.
Reaffirm some things for my Toma post(s):
The temporal experiments are being undertaken at the Centre by the elite of the School of Temporal Magic, overseen by the Council, correct?
How would the ZEALian agents refer to Keystone?
(Minor details:) What time of year is it in ZEAL (i.e. early or late), and how long has the project been running? Want to make a few cultural references in the ZEALian point of view.
4
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: January 24, 2005, 07:26:40 pm »
Ah, well that's not too much, then. I'll get to work. Elaboration considered.
5
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: January 24, 2005, 07:10:32 pm »
As long as everyone tells me anything that needs to be considered when writing the scene (i.e. whatever the deal with Sigma is, I haven't been keeping up with that very well) so I don't overlook anything, I can probably write the Toma scene. But if we're going to re-order things, then I'll probably want to write a couple more scenes that would also be placed early on along with it. I figure at first glance that I'll be writing the Toma scene from ZEAL's point of view, have a brief mention of them observing the original timeline, and then go through the whole interference. Any problems or suggestions, let me know. I've got exams all this week--early dismissal--and therefore plenty of time to work on it.
Also, while I'm fairly sure Garg is at no point going to be involved in any key skirmish--especially against anyway of magic ability--and stand his ground for two seconds, I don't think he should be considered "weak." Unless, of course, Tier One includes Toma, in which case I would be fine with labelling Garg in the same manner. Comments?
Also, while I'm fairly sure Garg is at no point going to be involved in any key skirmish--especially against anyway of magic ability--and stand his ground for two seconds, I don't think he should be considered "weak." Unless, of course, Tier One includes Toma, in which case I would be fine with labelling Garg in the same manner. Comments?
6
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: January 06, 2005, 05:11:17 pm »
May 6, 2005.
Don't panic.
Don't panic.
7
Polling / 1/8/05 - Which games have you played and in what order?
« on: January 05, 2005, 10:30:57 pm »
I was able to play Chrono Trigger when it first came out. The copy was technically my sister's, though, so I no longer own that copy (as of three years ago, when she was able to move out). However, I literally frigging grew up on Chrono Trigger and Mega Man X, so it doesn't matter whether I own it on PSX or original SNES. Ironically, I no longer own Mega Man X, either, as it was taken (sadly not against my will...) along with my console and several other games by another sister.
I believe I bought Chrono Cross the latter half of 2000. I wasn't too big on the internet and back then none of the cool kids played video games (ahem...), so I didn't even hear about it until then. I can't even remember how I finally did find out. Whatever.
Never even touched anything remotely related to Radical Dreamers. Don't really plan to, either.
I believe I bought Chrono Cross the latter half of 2000. I wasn't too big on the internet and back then none of the cool kids played video games (ahem...), so I didn't even hear about it until then. I can't even remember how I finally did find out. Whatever.
Never even touched anything remotely related to Radical Dreamers. Don't really plan to, either.
8
Project ZEAL / Taking Roll. Please Reply.
« on: January 05, 2005, 03:41:58 pm »
I'm definitely still here as long as everyone else is. The holidays were actually the most opportune time for me to get work done on the project, but whatever.
As far as Garg goes, being a local and extremely useful as long as he isn't fully aware of what the bigger picture is, he won't be showing up at the End of Time. He's currently either on the ferry to or settling in Porre (600 A.D.), and in addition to studying law, he's already planning his own side projects to get back at Toma. If there is still a particularly long time before he is found and manipulated by Gaspar's Heroes, I may write one of these occurring (and, of course, failing).
Also, anyone who cares, there was a reason other than motivation for introducing the two characters I did in my previous episodes. They will become apparent later.
As far as Garg goes, being a local and extremely useful as long as he isn't fully aware of what the bigger picture is, he won't be showing up at the End of Time. He's currently either on the ferry to or settling in Porre (600 A.D.), and in addition to studying law, he's already planning his own side projects to get back at Toma. If there is still a particularly long time before he is found and manipulated by Gaspar's Heroes, I may write one of these occurring (and, of course, failing).
Also, anyone who cares, there was a reason other than motivation for introducing the two characters I did in my previous episodes. They will become apparent later.
9
Project ZEAL / Story Thread I. Introduction
« on: December 28, 2004, 01:07:21 pm »
Scene 37 - Lenina Crown
The knocking at Garg’s door was faint, but he heard it clearly. He’d been waiting for it since the elder and Eyram Green had left his room an hour ago. His reply, an invitation to enter, was just as soft, but the caller at his door heard it just as well. The door inched forward and the elder’s secretary slipped in, slowly pushing the door shut until it clicked. Meticulous, it was. That’s what Garg liked about this one so much.
She turned to face him and they stared intently at each other for a while. The corners of Garg’s lips curled downward a bit, and she seemed to recognize this; her gaze grew more and more anxious. He was upsetting her, and with damn good reason, he thought. She’ll soon learn what it means to screw and screw with Garg Wardell.
It wasn’t long before she cracked, broke down into a fit of sobs and incoherent mutterings and rushed to him, arms outstretched, taking it for granted that he would catch her, hold her close and whisper assurances into her ear. But he didn’t stand up, and when she fell down on her knees and wrapped herself around his neck, he didn’t move. She could cry into his shoulder all she wanted, but he wasn’t moving, and every second she continued to blubber about, the risk of some passerby noticing the sound increased—just what she had been trying to avoid in her careful entry.
She seemed to realize this, as her bawling trailed off and she backed up, looking inquisitively at him. He tried to stay sober, but it was difficult. He turned his head to the side, glancing into her eyes, as puffy and watery as they were. He wouldn’t give any sign of emotion, no, but damn if he couldn’t help thinking that she was a pretty one all right, and if ever there was a one worth keeping it’d be her. Too bad he couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” she sniffed.
“You come in here howling and leaking your face all over my shoulder and you’re asking me what’s wrong!” he said. “Bloody hell, Lenina, I thought you were more fashionable than this.”
Lenina broke out wailing again, choked out her words in between sobs. “What happened, Garg? What did they say?”
“It’s not what they said, girl. It’s what you didn’t say.”
She shook her head, not understanding. Garg snorted.
“You come in here as prim as can be and all you say is ‘Elder’ll be here soon.’ Nothing more, not a word.”
“B—but, Eyram, Mr. G—Green—“
“Don’t give me that. You know perfectly well as do I that you were deliberately aloof as possible. Tell me, did the elder say he was kicking me out? That he was going to let Eyram run the case without my testimony and take the spoils for his own eldership? What did you know!”
“Garg, I—I don’t un—understand, I just—“
“Or did he know he was too much of a plum fool, and that he’d screw up the case, and so he was going to kill me and drop the matter before it became public embarrassment? Tell me!”
Lenina couldn’t stand to face him anymore, buried her head in her hands. Garg stood up, kicked a thing or two around. He’d been saving up all this cruel rage since she walked off earlier, but he hadn’t thought to be this angry with her. He must have been channeling some of his anger at that smug Eyram Green, too. Either way, he was letting it all out now.
She finally composed herself enough to let out a whole sentence in one breath. “Garg, please don’t be so angry with me... I l—love you...”
He rounded on her, slammed his foot upon his chair and leaned forward on his knee, drawing as close as he could to her face without touching her. “Not one person has ever loved me, and I think I’ll be able to tell the difference when one does.” He stared into her eyes, already regretting how far he’d taken this whole ordeal, and searched for the hint of deceit in them, the sign that she knew what she had gotten herself into and would be able to get over it soon enough, that she knew he was right and she’d be fine with it. When he found that, he held onto it, because it was the only thing preventing him from breaking down.
She had touched a nerve, all right, and it was an acid touch. Even as he tried to concentrate on the purpose of things, he found his stance deteriorating. The thought of his parents never did anything but destroy him. They loved each other, sure, and they had treated him fine, but they never had any love left over for him. He knew that. If they had loved him, it was guaranteed that his families would love him now, but they obviously didn’t. They had disinherited him, and for what? To come crawling back twenty years later, when they realized that he had a shot at becoming more of a lasting legend than they could have collectively in their entire lives? And Garg had patronized them, had let them in on the fame and fortune, all because he was too compassionate, too human to deny them because of his dead parents’ negligence.
The dead parents who wanted him to study interregional law years ago...
“Get out,” Garg said.
“What—“
“I said—“
“Shut up, Garg, and listen to me, for your own damn good.”
Garg dropped the deceit and saw the spite in her eyes. She held some malice, too, it seemed, and Garg noticed that she was still pretty even with her face all scrunched up.
“You want the truth? Honestly, you’re a bitter asshole and the only reason I argued with the elder not to throw you out was because you know how to please a girl.”
A game, that’s what it had all been. She’d only just begun to play her part. Well, Garg wasn’t going to let her take her crown.
“Doll-face knows how to hate, huh?”
She slapped him and stood up, storming away. She was serious, but that didn’t make it any less of a game, and the simple fact was that she didn’t realize it soon enough to win. She turned around at the door.
“I’m not surprised no one ever loved you. You’d probably have no idea of how to react and wind up slitting their throat, you miserable thief.”
It was a strong blow, all right. Garg commended her for playing valiantly, but still, it took more than that to make a last-minute comeback against Garg Wardell.
“Listen, Queen Leene, would you mind doing your job while you’re busy running away? Tell the elder that he couldn’t throw me out if he wanted to, because with or without his funding, I’ve already got a ticket for the next ferry to Porre and I sent my formal request for schooling to the dean there a week ago. I leave in an hour, toots.”
She slammed the door behind her.
* * *
The image of Garg's victorious grin burned in Lenina's mind. If she had something to throw at him, she’d have taken out one of his eyes, or maybe walked closer and took a shot somewhere lower on his body. She rushed past the main desk, grabbed her coat and, without stopping, made for the exit.
“Idine,” she called over her shoulder to the other secretary at the desk.
“Ms. Crown?”
“Tell Elder Openhal I’m out for the day, Idine, and that if that Gargeth Wardell hasn’t made good on his promise to get the hell out of here when I come back tomorrow, I’ll get rid of him myself.”
The knocking at Garg’s door was faint, but he heard it clearly. He’d been waiting for it since the elder and Eyram Green had left his room an hour ago. His reply, an invitation to enter, was just as soft, but the caller at his door heard it just as well. The door inched forward and the elder’s secretary slipped in, slowly pushing the door shut until it clicked. Meticulous, it was. That’s what Garg liked about this one so much.
She turned to face him and they stared intently at each other for a while. The corners of Garg’s lips curled downward a bit, and she seemed to recognize this; her gaze grew more and more anxious. He was upsetting her, and with damn good reason, he thought. She’ll soon learn what it means to screw and screw with Garg Wardell.
It wasn’t long before she cracked, broke down into a fit of sobs and incoherent mutterings and rushed to him, arms outstretched, taking it for granted that he would catch her, hold her close and whisper assurances into her ear. But he didn’t stand up, and when she fell down on her knees and wrapped herself around his neck, he didn’t move. She could cry into his shoulder all she wanted, but he wasn’t moving, and every second she continued to blubber about, the risk of some passerby noticing the sound increased—just what she had been trying to avoid in her careful entry.
She seemed to realize this, as her bawling trailed off and she backed up, looking inquisitively at him. He tried to stay sober, but it was difficult. He turned his head to the side, glancing into her eyes, as puffy and watery as they were. He wouldn’t give any sign of emotion, no, but damn if he couldn’t help thinking that she was a pretty one all right, and if ever there was a one worth keeping it’d be her. Too bad he couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” she sniffed.
“You come in here howling and leaking your face all over my shoulder and you’re asking me what’s wrong!” he said. “Bloody hell, Lenina, I thought you were more fashionable than this.”
Lenina broke out wailing again, choked out her words in between sobs. “What happened, Garg? What did they say?”
“It’s not what they said, girl. It’s what you didn’t say.”
She shook her head, not understanding. Garg snorted.
“You come in here as prim as can be and all you say is ‘Elder’ll be here soon.’ Nothing more, not a word.”
“B—but, Eyram, Mr. G—Green—“
“Don’t give me that. You know perfectly well as do I that you were deliberately aloof as possible. Tell me, did the elder say he was kicking me out? That he was going to let Eyram run the case without my testimony and take the spoils for his own eldership? What did you know!”
“Garg, I—I don’t un—understand, I just—“
“Or did he know he was too much of a plum fool, and that he’d screw up the case, and so he was going to kill me and drop the matter before it became public embarrassment? Tell me!”
Lenina couldn’t stand to face him anymore, buried her head in her hands. Garg stood up, kicked a thing or two around. He’d been saving up all this cruel rage since she walked off earlier, but he hadn’t thought to be this angry with her. He must have been channeling some of his anger at that smug Eyram Green, too. Either way, he was letting it all out now.
She finally composed herself enough to let out a whole sentence in one breath. “Garg, please don’t be so angry with me... I l—love you...”
He rounded on her, slammed his foot upon his chair and leaned forward on his knee, drawing as close as he could to her face without touching her. “Not one person has ever loved me, and I think I’ll be able to tell the difference when one does.” He stared into her eyes, already regretting how far he’d taken this whole ordeal, and searched for the hint of deceit in them, the sign that she knew what she had gotten herself into and would be able to get over it soon enough, that she knew he was right and she’d be fine with it. When he found that, he held onto it, because it was the only thing preventing him from breaking down.
She had touched a nerve, all right, and it was an acid touch. Even as he tried to concentrate on the purpose of things, he found his stance deteriorating. The thought of his parents never did anything but destroy him. They loved each other, sure, and they had treated him fine, but they never had any love left over for him. He knew that. If they had loved him, it was guaranteed that his families would love him now, but they obviously didn’t. They had disinherited him, and for what? To come crawling back twenty years later, when they realized that he had a shot at becoming more of a lasting legend than they could have collectively in their entire lives? And Garg had patronized them, had let them in on the fame and fortune, all because he was too compassionate, too human to deny them because of his dead parents’ negligence.
The dead parents who wanted him to study interregional law years ago...
“Get out,” Garg said.
“What—“
“I said—“
“Shut up, Garg, and listen to me, for your own damn good.”
Garg dropped the deceit and saw the spite in her eyes. She held some malice, too, it seemed, and Garg noticed that she was still pretty even with her face all scrunched up.
“You want the truth? Honestly, you’re a bitter asshole and the only reason I argued with the elder not to throw you out was because you know how to please a girl.”
A game, that’s what it had all been. She’d only just begun to play her part. Well, Garg wasn’t going to let her take her crown.
“Doll-face knows how to hate, huh?”
She slapped him and stood up, storming away. She was serious, but that didn’t make it any less of a game, and the simple fact was that she didn’t realize it soon enough to win. She turned around at the door.
“I’m not surprised no one ever loved you. You’d probably have no idea of how to react and wind up slitting their throat, you miserable thief.”
It was a strong blow, all right. Garg commended her for playing valiantly, but still, it took more than that to make a last-minute comeback against Garg Wardell.
“Listen, Queen Leene, would you mind doing your job while you’re busy running away? Tell the elder that he couldn’t throw me out if he wanted to, because with or without his funding, I’ve already got a ticket for the next ferry to Porre and I sent my formal request for schooling to the dean there a week ago. I leave in an hour, toots.”
She slammed the door behind her.
* * *
The image of Garg's victorious grin burned in Lenina's mind. If she had something to throw at him, she’d have taken out one of his eyes, or maybe walked closer and took a shot somewhere lower on his body. She rushed past the main desk, grabbed her coat and, without stopping, made for the exit.
“Idine,” she called over her shoulder to the other secretary at the desk.
“Ms. Crown?”
“Tell Elder Openhal I’m out for the day, Idine, and that if that Gargeth Wardell hasn’t made good on his promise to get the hell out of here when I come back tomorrow, I’ll get rid of him myself.”
10
Project ZEAL / Works in Progress
« on: December 21, 2004, 06:50:41 am »
Exactly the point. But the question is, does this work now?
11
Project ZEAL / Works in Progress
« on: December 20, 2004, 10:42:33 pm »
I concede. Better?
And taking a quick glance at the books tossed around my desk, I found that only Frank Herbert does such a thing very often, and quite honestly Dune is one hell of a confusing book.
And taking a quick glance at the books tossed around my desk, I found that only Frank Herbert does such a thing very often, and quite honestly Dune is one hell of a confusing book.
12
Project ZEAL / Works in Progress
« on: December 20, 2004, 09:18:51 pm »
To make a point that cannot be made in any other way. Just because we're using third person limited doesn't mean POV can't be switched at any point in a scene. I mean, you're going to have lots of trouble telling that to many accredited authors. If this is a major affront to many others, though, I'll include a generic scenebreak (* * *).
13
Project ZEAL / Works in Progress
« on: December 20, 2004, 06:10:25 pm »
One more post to set up Garg's character. I'll leave it up for comments and probably post it to the story thread Thursday. As opposed to the formal aspect of the last post, this one is Garg's more casual side--and an indication that in either setting, Garg is, generally, angry.
-----
Scene XX - Lenina Crown
The knocking at Garg’s door was faint, but he heard it clearly. He’d been waiting for it since the elder and Eyram Green had left his room an hour ago. His reply, an invitation to enter, was just as soft, but the caller at his door heard it just as well. The door inched forward and the elder’s secretary slipped in, slowly pushing the door shut until it clicked. Meticulous, it was. That’s what Garg liked about this one so much.
She turned to face him and they stared intently at each other for a while. The corners of Garg’s lips curled downward a bit, and she seemed to recognize this; her gaze grew more and more anxious. He was upsetting her, and with damn good reason, he thought. She’ll soon learn what it means to screw and screw with Garg Wardell.
It wasn’t long before she cracked, broke down into a fit of sobs and incoherent mutterings and rushed to him, arms outstretched, taking it for granted that he would catch her, hold her close and whisper assurances into her ear. But he didn’t stand up, and when she fell down on her knees and wrapped herself around his neck, he didn’t move. She could cry into his shoulder all she wanted, but he wasn’t moving, and every second she continued to blubber about, the risk of some passerby noticing the sound increased—just what she had been trying to avoid in her careful entry.
She seemed to realize this, as her bawling trailed off and she backed up, looking inquisitively at him. He tried to stay sober, but it was difficult. He turned his head to the side, glancing into her eyes, as puffy and watery as they were. He wouldn’t give any sign of emotion, no, but damn if he couldn’t help thinking that she was a pretty one all right, and if ever there was a one worth keeping it’d be her. Too bad he couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” she sniffed.
“You come in here howling and leaking your face all over my shoulder and you’re asking me what’s wrong!” he said. “Bloody hell, Lenina, I thought you were more fashionable than this.”
Lenina broke out wailing again, choked out her words in between sobs. “What happened, Garg? What did they say?”
“It’s not what they said, girl. It’s what you didn’t say.”
She shook her head, not understanding. Garg snorted.
“You come in here as prim as can be and all you say is ‘Elder’ll be here soon.’ Nothing more, not a word.”
“B—but, Eyram, Mr. G—Green—“
“Don’t give me that. You know perfectly well as do I that you were deliberately aloof as possible. Tell me, did the elder say he was kicking me out? That he was going to let Eyram run the case without my testimony and take the spoils for his own eldership? What did you know!”
“Garg, I—I don’t un—understand, I just—“
“Or did he know he was too much of a plum fool, and that he’d screw up the case, and so he was going to kill me and drop the matter before it became public embarrassment? Tell me!”
Lenina couldn’t stand to face him anymore, buried her head in her hands. Garg stood up, kicked a thing or two around. He’d been saving up all this cruel rage since she walked off earlier, but he hadn’t thought to be this angry with her. He must have been channeling some of his anger at that smug Eyram Green, too. Either way, he was letting it all out now.
She finally composed herself enough to let out a whole sentence in one breath. “Garg, please don’t be so angry with me... I l—love you...”
He rounded on her, slammed his foot upon his chair and leaned forward on his knee, drawing as close as he could to her face without touching her. “Not one person has ever loved me, and I think I’ll be able to tell the difference when one does.” He stared into her eyes, already regretting how far he’d taken this whole ordeal, and searched for the hint of deceit in them, the sign that she knew what she had gotten herself into and would be able to get over it soon enough, that she knew he was right and she’d be fine with it. When he found that, he held onto it, because it was the only thing preventing him from breaking down.
She had touched a nerve, all right, and it was an acid touch. Even as he tried to concentrate on the purpose of things, he found his stance deteriorating. The thought of his parents never did anything but destroy him. They loved each other, sure, and they had treated him fine, but they never had any love left over for him. He knew that. If they had loved him, it was guaranteed that his families would love him now, but they obviously didn’t. They had disinherited him, and for what? To come crawling back twenty years later, when they realized that he had a shot at becoming more of a lasting legend than they could have collectively in their entire lives? And Garg had patronized them, had let them in on the fame and fortune, all because he was too compassionate, too human to deny them because of his dead parents’ negligence.
The dead parents who wanted him to study interregional law years ago...
“Get out,” Garg said.
“What—“
“I said—“
“Shut up, Garg, and listen to me, for your own damn good.”
Garg dropped the deceit and saw the spite in her eyes. She held some malice, too, it seemed, and Garg noticed that she was still pretty even with her face all scrunched up.
“You want the truth? Honestly, you’re a bitter asshole and the only reason I argued with the elder not to throw you out was because you know how to please a girl.”
A game, that’s what it had all been. She’d only just begun to play her part. Well, Garg wasn’t going to let her take her crown.
“Doll-face knows how to hate, huh?”
She slapped him and stood up, storming away. She was serious, but that didn’t make it any less of a game, and the simple fact was that she didn’t realize it soon enough to win. She turned around at the door.
“I’m not surprised no one ever loved you. You’d probably have no idea of how to react and wind up slitting their throat, you miserable thief.”
It was a strong blow, all right. Garg commended her for playing valiantly, but still, it took more than that to make a last-minute comeback against Garg Wardell.
“Listen, Queen Leene, would you mind doing your job while you’re busy running away? Tell the elder that he couldn’t throw me out if he wanted to, because with or without his funding, I’ve already got a ticket for the next ferry to Porre and I sent my formal request for schooling to the dean there a week ago. I leave in an hour, toots.”
She slammed the door behind her.
* * *
The image of Garg's victorious grin burned in Lenina's mind. If she had something to throw at him, she’d have taken out one of his eyes, or maybe walked closer and took a shot somewhere lower on his body. She rushed past the main desk, grabbed her coat and, without stopping, made for the exit.
“Idine,” she called over her shoulder to the other secretary at the desk.
“Ms. Crown?”
“Tell Elder Openhal I’m out for the day, Idine, and that if that Gargeth Wardell hasn’t made good on his promise to get the hell out of here when I come back tomorrow, I’ll get rid of him myself.”
-----
Scene XX - Lenina Crown
The knocking at Garg’s door was faint, but he heard it clearly. He’d been waiting for it since the elder and Eyram Green had left his room an hour ago. His reply, an invitation to enter, was just as soft, but the caller at his door heard it just as well. The door inched forward and the elder’s secretary slipped in, slowly pushing the door shut until it clicked. Meticulous, it was. That’s what Garg liked about this one so much.
She turned to face him and they stared intently at each other for a while. The corners of Garg’s lips curled downward a bit, and she seemed to recognize this; her gaze grew more and more anxious. He was upsetting her, and with damn good reason, he thought. She’ll soon learn what it means to screw and screw with Garg Wardell.
It wasn’t long before she cracked, broke down into a fit of sobs and incoherent mutterings and rushed to him, arms outstretched, taking it for granted that he would catch her, hold her close and whisper assurances into her ear. But he didn’t stand up, and when she fell down on her knees and wrapped herself around his neck, he didn’t move. She could cry into his shoulder all she wanted, but he wasn’t moving, and every second she continued to blubber about, the risk of some passerby noticing the sound increased—just what she had been trying to avoid in her careful entry.
She seemed to realize this, as her bawling trailed off and she backed up, looking inquisitively at him. He tried to stay sober, but it was difficult. He turned his head to the side, glancing into her eyes, as puffy and watery as they were. He wouldn’t give any sign of emotion, no, but damn if he couldn’t help thinking that she was a pretty one all right, and if ever there was a one worth keeping it’d be her. Too bad he couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” she sniffed.
“You come in here howling and leaking your face all over my shoulder and you’re asking me what’s wrong!” he said. “Bloody hell, Lenina, I thought you were more fashionable than this.”
Lenina broke out wailing again, choked out her words in between sobs. “What happened, Garg? What did they say?”
“It’s not what they said, girl. It’s what you didn’t say.”
She shook her head, not understanding. Garg snorted.
“You come in here as prim as can be and all you say is ‘Elder’ll be here soon.’ Nothing more, not a word.”
“B—but, Eyram, Mr. G—Green—“
“Don’t give me that. You know perfectly well as do I that you were deliberately aloof as possible. Tell me, did the elder say he was kicking me out? That he was going to let Eyram run the case without my testimony and take the spoils for his own eldership? What did you know!”
“Garg, I—I don’t un—understand, I just—“
“Or did he know he was too much of a plum fool, and that he’d screw up the case, and so he was going to kill me and drop the matter before it became public embarrassment? Tell me!”
Lenina couldn’t stand to face him anymore, buried her head in her hands. Garg stood up, kicked a thing or two around. He’d been saving up all this cruel rage since she walked off earlier, but he hadn’t thought to be this angry with her. He must have been channeling some of his anger at that smug Eyram Green, too. Either way, he was letting it all out now.
She finally composed herself enough to let out a whole sentence in one breath. “Garg, please don’t be so angry with me... I l—love you...”
He rounded on her, slammed his foot upon his chair and leaned forward on his knee, drawing as close as he could to her face without touching her. “Not one person has ever loved me, and I think I’ll be able to tell the difference when one does.” He stared into her eyes, already regretting how far he’d taken this whole ordeal, and searched for the hint of deceit in them, the sign that she knew what she had gotten herself into and would be able to get over it soon enough, that she knew he was right and she’d be fine with it. When he found that, he held onto it, because it was the only thing preventing him from breaking down.
She had touched a nerve, all right, and it was an acid touch. Even as he tried to concentrate on the purpose of things, he found his stance deteriorating. The thought of his parents never did anything but destroy him. They loved each other, sure, and they had treated him fine, but they never had any love left over for him. He knew that. If they had loved him, it was guaranteed that his families would love him now, but they obviously didn’t. They had disinherited him, and for what? To come crawling back twenty years later, when they realized that he had a shot at becoming more of a lasting legend than they could have collectively in their entire lives? And Garg had patronized them, had let them in on the fame and fortune, all because he was too compassionate, too human to deny them because of his dead parents’ negligence.
The dead parents who wanted him to study interregional law years ago...
“Get out,” Garg said.
“What—“
“I said—“
“Shut up, Garg, and listen to me, for your own damn good.”
Garg dropped the deceit and saw the spite in her eyes. She held some malice, too, it seemed, and Garg noticed that she was still pretty even with her face all scrunched up.
“You want the truth? Honestly, you’re a bitter asshole and the only reason I argued with the elder not to throw you out was because you know how to please a girl.”
A game, that’s what it had all been. She’d only just begun to play her part. Well, Garg wasn’t going to let her take her crown.
“Doll-face knows how to hate, huh?”
She slapped him and stood up, storming away. She was serious, but that didn’t make it any less of a game, and the simple fact was that she didn’t realize it soon enough to win. She turned around at the door.
“I’m not surprised no one ever loved you. You’d probably have no idea of how to react and wind up slitting their throat, you miserable thief.”
It was a strong blow, all right. Garg commended her for playing valiantly, but still, it took more than that to make a last-minute comeback against Garg Wardell.
“Listen, Queen Leene, would you mind doing your job while you’re busy running away? Tell the elder that he couldn’t throw me out if he wanted to, because with or without his funding, I’ve already got a ticket for the next ferry to Porre and I sent my formal request for schooling to the dean there a week ago. I leave in an hour, toots.”
She slammed the door behind her.
* * *
The image of Garg's victorious grin burned in Lenina's mind. If she had something to throw at him, she’d have taken out one of his eyes, or maybe walked closer and took a shot somewhere lower on his body. She rushed past the main desk, grabbed her coat and, without stopping, made for the exit.
“Idine,” she called over her shoulder to the other secretary at the desk.
“Ms. Crown?”
“Tell Elder Openhal I’m out for the day, Idine, and that if that Gargeth Wardell hasn’t made good on his promise to get the hell out of here when I come back tomorrow, I’ll get rid of him myself.”
14
Project ZEAL / Story Thread I. Introduction
« on: December 08, 2004, 10:48:21 pm »
Scene 35 - Eyram Green
Gargeth Wardell found his accommodations most unpleasant. For one thing, the secretary chick who hung around in the entrance hall outside his door attended to every resident of the Choras town hall (that is, what they called the rooms where all of the elder’s friends who were too dirt-poor to live alone resided in luxury)—so she could only attend to his needs every hour or so. And for another, his wooden chair was stiffly uncomfortable and didn’t lean properly.
He was halfway through the process of discovering this by falling over backward when the secretary rudely intruded, bringing in a guest. From the looks of him—swanky suit, collection of fancy stationery-based documents in his hand, that stupid bowler that he so elegantly rolled off his head and hung on the hat rack—he was one of the elder’s higher-ups.
Garg quickly collected himself from the floor whereupon he fell and discovered that this interruption pissed him off. It wasn’t the embarrassment of being caught falling over backward, no, and it wasn’t that this guy was once probably just as lowly scum as Garg and still got better treatment, not that. It was that the secretary only said, “The elder will be in to see you shortly.” That was it; then she left. No, “Hello, Mr. Wardell,” or any, “Would you like anything, Mr. Wardell?” Not so much of, “I had some real fun before, Garg; when can we do it again?” as of nothing. Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate with such a fine gentleman in the room, but still, could she have been any colder? It was like a bad omen, for a chick he’d had an experience with not to mention anything about it the next time she saw him... it was almost as if she was sure this would be the last time she saw him.
Well, if she didn’t have time to worry about him, then he couldn’t afford to spend any time worrying about her, either, not with the elder’s lackey standing in his doorway. So he set his chair upright, sat down, and then made the gesture of standing up again to invite him in. He didn’t bother to close the door behind him; he obviously didn’t think much of Garg’s privacy, which meant neither did the elder. How could the elder treat him that way, when Garg had promised him so much, and both of his treacherous families had expressed their support? Surely the elder knew he was not a powerful enough man to deal with his own nobility and the eldership of Porre.
“Good morning, Mr. Wardell,” said the gentleman.
What was he doing here, anyway?
“A fine one, thank you,” Garg replied, “but I’m not quite sure we’ve met.”
“Oh, excuse me, I forgot that we haven’t. My name is Eyram Green. I’ve been assigned as the legal counselor in your case against Mr. Levine—“
“Who?”
“I believe his first name is Toma. As I was saying, I will represent you in the case of the Rainbow Shell.”
“Will you? That’s nice, but—“
“Excuse me for being late, gentlemen,” said the Choras elder as he hobbled in, leaning heavily on his cane. “I see you’ve met Mr. Green, Gargeth.”
Garg shuddered. What was his mother thinking with that name? Gargeth. Honestly.
“Please, sir, call me Garg.”
“Nonsense. If I’ll call you anything, it’ll be Mr. Wardell. We are all, after all, men of stature, are we not?”
“Yes,” said Eyram, “and that is why I must insist that we hurry this along.”
“If you don’t mind my asking,” said Garg, “why did you call us, Elder?”
“I believe I can answer that.” Even as the elder opened his mouth to speak, Eyram circled around into Garg’s view and interrupted. Garg wouldn’t forget his disrespect for authority, and he would be sure no one else would, either. “Quite simply, your requests to study interregional law and represent your case in any pending legal proceedings have been denied. It has been concluded that your experience with scholarship is insufficient when considering the imminence of the matter at hand.”
Oh, Mr. Green spoke well-cultured enough, but despite whatever confusion he may have hoped to achieve, Garg understood every word he said—and probably could have spewed it back with more verbiage that the man could handle. Again, Garg would remember this subtle spite, but for the moment he found it more suitable to play dumb.
“So you’re telling me that the elder won’t sponsor my legal studies, is that it? With his infinite income spent on infinite corrupt things that I could reveal at any moment, he can’t—“
“Please, please, Mr. Wardell, settle down,” the elder said, himself finding a small, wobbly wooden chair to rest in. “It’s not that I can’t afford to let you study, but I just—“
“Well, if you’ll excuse me for saying it, Elder, then I don’t see why I can’t just study it no matter how useful it will or will not be. I mean, with the favor I’m doing you here, I think it’s the least you could do.”
“Why would you ever want to study something you won’t find use for?” said Eyram mockingly.
“You seem to be making yourself a fine living with your useless studies,” Garg mocked in return.
“That’s enough,” the Elder said as loudly as he could at his age. “If we can’t behave civilly here, then we won’t be here at all. Now, Mr. Wardell, I’ll be fine with it if you want to go ahead and study interregional law, but I’ll take no blame for your disappointment if I don’t think you’re ready to win whatever case we find ourselves up against in this whole debacle.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
“Let’s depart, Eyram. If there’s to be something for Mr. Wardell to take over, we have a case to prepare.”
With that, Eyram Green and the Choras elder walked out of Garg’s dormitory, shutting the door behind them. Even as the door clicked softly shut, Garg could hear Eyram’s furious explosion at the elder’s submission. Chuckling in the growing silence of his room, Garg leaned backwards in his stiff wooden chair and fell over.
Gargeth Wardell found his accommodations most unpleasant. For one thing, the secretary chick who hung around in the entrance hall outside his door attended to every resident of the Choras town hall (that is, what they called the rooms where all of the elder’s friends who were too dirt-poor to live alone resided in luxury)—so she could only attend to his needs every hour or so. And for another, his wooden chair was stiffly uncomfortable and didn’t lean properly.
He was halfway through the process of discovering this by falling over backward when the secretary rudely intruded, bringing in a guest. From the looks of him—swanky suit, collection of fancy stationery-based documents in his hand, that stupid bowler that he so elegantly rolled off his head and hung on the hat rack—he was one of the elder’s higher-ups.
Garg quickly collected himself from the floor whereupon he fell and discovered that this interruption pissed him off. It wasn’t the embarrassment of being caught falling over backward, no, and it wasn’t that this guy was once probably just as lowly scum as Garg and still got better treatment, not that. It was that the secretary only said, “The elder will be in to see you shortly.” That was it; then she left. No, “Hello, Mr. Wardell,” or any, “Would you like anything, Mr. Wardell?” Not so much of, “I had some real fun before, Garg; when can we do it again?” as of nothing. Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate with such a fine gentleman in the room, but still, could she have been any colder? It was like a bad omen, for a chick he’d had an experience with not to mention anything about it the next time she saw him... it was almost as if she was sure this would be the last time she saw him.
Well, if she didn’t have time to worry about him, then he couldn’t afford to spend any time worrying about her, either, not with the elder’s lackey standing in his doorway. So he set his chair upright, sat down, and then made the gesture of standing up again to invite him in. He didn’t bother to close the door behind him; he obviously didn’t think much of Garg’s privacy, which meant neither did the elder. How could the elder treat him that way, when Garg had promised him so much, and both of his treacherous families had expressed their support? Surely the elder knew he was not a powerful enough man to deal with his own nobility and the eldership of Porre.
“Good morning, Mr. Wardell,” said the gentleman.
What was he doing here, anyway?
“A fine one, thank you,” Garg replied, “but I’m not quite sure we’ve met.”
“Oh, excuse me, I forgot that we haven’t. My name is Eyram Green. I’ve been assigned as the legal counselor in your case against Mr. Levine—“
“Who?”
“I believe his first name is Toma. As I was saying, I will represent you in the case of the Rainbow Shell.”
“Will you? That’s nice, but—“
“Excuse me for being late, gentlemen,” said the Choras elder as he hobbled in, leaning heavily on his cane. “I see you’ve met Mr. Green, Gargeth.”
Garg shuddered. What was his mother thinking with that name? Gargeth. Honestly.
“Please, sir, call me Garg.”
“Nonsense. If I’ll call you anything, it’ll be Mr. Wardell. We are all, after all, men of stature, are we not?”
“Yes,” said Eyram, “and that is why I must insist that we hurry this along.”
“If you don’t mind my asking,” said Garg, “why did you call us, Elder?”
“I believe I can answer that.” Even as the elder opened his mouth to speak, Eyram circled around into Garg’s view and interrupted. Garg wouldn’t forget his disrespect for authority, and he would be sure no one else would, either. “Quite simply, your requests to study interregional law and represent your case in any pending legal proceedings have been denied. It has been concluded that your experience with scholarship is insufficient when considering the imminence of the matter at hand.”
Oh, Mr. Green spoke well-cultured enough, but despite whatever confusion he may have hoped to achieve, Garg understood every word he said—and probably could have spewed it back with more verbiage that the man could handle. Again, Garg would remember this subtle spite, but for the moment he found it more suitable to play dumb.
“So you’re telling me that the elder won’t sponsor my legal studies, is that it? With his infinite income spent on infinite corrupt things that I could reveal at any moment, he can’t—“
“Please, please, Mr. Wardell, settle down,” the elder said, himself finding a small, wobbly wooden chair to rest in. “It’s not that I can’t afford to let you study, but I just—“
“Well, if you’ll excuse me for saying it, Elder, then I don’t see why I can’t just study it no matter how useful it will or will not be. I mean, with the favor I’m doing you here, I think it’s the least you could do.”
“Why would you ever want to study something you won’t find use for?” said Eyram mockingly.
“You seem to be making yourself a fine living with your useless studies,” Garg mocked in return.
“That’s enough,” the Elder said as loudly as he could at his age. “If we can’t behave civilly here, then we won’t be here at all. Now, Mr. Wardell, I’ll be fine with it if you want to go ahead and study interregional law, but I’ll take no blame for your disappointment if I don’t think you’re ready to win whatever case we find ourselves up against in this whole debacle.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
“Let’s depart, Eyram. If there’s to be something for Mr. Wardell to take over, we have a case to prepare.”
With that, Eyram Green and the Choras elder walked out of Garg’s dormitory, shutting the door behind them. Even as the door clicked softly shut, Garg could hear Eyram’s furious explosion at the elder’s submission. Chuckling in the growing silence of his room, Garg leaned backwards in his stiff wooden chair and fell over.
15
Project ZEAL / Works in Progress
« on: December 07, 2004, 08:15:19 pm »
Thanks. That's something I was looking forward to being corrected on. If there aren't any other comments--on style and prose more than anything else, as I proofread grammar fairly well myself--then I'll post it to the story thread tomorrow.
For now, Metroid Prime 2.
For now, Metroid Prime 2.