Post by Lord of the Dance on Apr 5, 2008 2:50:19 GMT -5
Yeah, Strangie cheats. D:
Oh, don't you worry, Red. You'll see what happens.
Chapter Seven- Change of Plans
While the others were out most of the time using their wings to explore different parts of South City, Clause was sulking in the Big Top. She spent a lot of her time reading books, as if they held the answer to her immunity to power-ups. Her friends would occasionally take her for a short ride, but they simply could not find a way to give Clause her own wings. Their only consolation was that when the wings wore off of Bruno, Lavender, Ria, and Blanco, Clause would no longer be alone.
“…Pomegranates? No, we already have those…” Ria pondered three weeks later on the way to the orchard. “Why did Lavender put those on the list?”
Bruno shook his head. “I think Blanco needed a couple extra for a catapult or something. We’ll stop by the stand on our way back. Those things are good anyways.”
Clause said nothing as usual, content to carry the basket and listen to the conversation.
“Razz berries, check.” The trio ambled past a banana stand.
“Fresh bananas!” The pink clerk called over to them, waving a bunch invitingly.
“Oh, should we? We have plenty, but you know how Zak never gets enough,” Ria bit her lip.
“We’ll take two!” Bruno yelled back without waiting for Ria, flipping some coins off his thumb at the counter with the touch of an experienced buyer. The clerk lobbed over two bunches in reply, which Bruno snatched out of the air with his rubbery tongue.
Ria rolled her eyes. Bruno was becoming such a showoff these days.
Clause tugged on Ria’s arm. She smelled something weird in the air…
“What is it, Clause?” Ria giggled as Bruno juggled the groceries, balancing an apple on his round nose.
The dull green Yoshi sniffed in reply, waved her hand for Ria to follow, and started for the orchard at a brisk pace, basket still hooked on her arm.
Frowning, Ria watched her for a few seconds. What was she up to?
“Come on, egghead,” Ria grabbed Bruno’s arm and dragged the bracelet-clad Yoshi off before he could protest. He only just managed to catch the fruit he was playing with before it could splatter on the paved road.
Ria’s long, easy strides swiftly brought her up next to her friend, and Clause began running full-out. As they sprinted, Ria looked up over the orchard and saw smoke. “Oh, no…” There had never been a fire in South City before. Something unnatural was happening.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Bruno demanded, scrambling to keep himself from hitting the ground face-first, as he was still being dragged by his arm.
Ria stopped suddenly, causing the other Yoshi to barrel into her. He merely bounced off his taller friend, landing on his tail.
“…Bruno, get back to the Big Top. Pack everything you can and take the others to the port. When you get to North City, ask for Lorekeeper Clavarus. Got that? He will know who you are. I shall meet you there as soon as I can,” She ordered, helping Bruno to his feet and shoving him down the road away from the orchard.
Bruno was confused now. “But…” He finally noticed the smoke curling into the air from beyond the orchard and gasped. “Wha…”
“Just go, okay?” Ria took a deep breath and smiled faintly at her friend. “It will be okay. I promise.”
Bruno started off reluctantly, but Ria held him back one last time.
“You didn’t finish the story, did you?”
Bruno shook his head, speechless. Clause stopped at the entrance to the orchard and gazed back impatiently at the two.
Ria sighed. “The ending was the most important part. Odius’ weaknesses. Make sure you get the book from the Big Top on your way out, okay? Goodbye, now… And Soluna be watching you. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
Bruno nodded, spun around, and scurried off as fast as his feet could take him this time. Ria turned and headed off in the other direction after Clause.
“Fire. There’s never fire here,” She murmured to herself as Clause led her through the towering fruit trees to the source of the trouble.
“Guys! Guys!” Bruno called up the tree. In the five minutes it had taken the Yoshi to run home, the fire had spread and chaos had taken hold of the city. Huge chunks of flame flew around the sky overhead, forcing any flyers to the ground. Nothing was safe in their city- everything was made of wood.
Four heads peeked down at Bruno from various rooms in the tree house. As soon as the gang had heard the alarm, they had rushed to pack their valuables and await word from Ria.
“Where’s Ria!?” Blanco hollered from the top floor.
Bruno hesitated. “Uh. She said she’d catch up later! We gotta go find Fayre at the docks!”
The four heads disappeared from Bruno’s view. Lavender was scrambling down the tree with her bag, Bruno could see, but he didn’t know where the other three went. He heard an echoing crack from a half mile away and saw another jet of flame scream across the sky.
“Guys, get out of the tree!” He roared, but it was too late. The arc had brushed the tree, setting half of it aflame in the blink of an eye. “No!”
Zak suddenly shot up into the air above the wall of flames panic-stricken, Lavender held firmly in his arms.
“Where’s Blanco and Razur?” The winged Yoshi’s eyes flitted from branch to burning branch, but he had to squint from the bright light and could not locate his friends.
The sound of branches breaking, followed by a surprised scream, could be heard from inside.
“That’s Blanco!” Lavender cried, not believing her ears as Zak put her down next to Bruno.
The three of them sighed with relief as Razur came hurtling out of a wall in their house carrying a scorched white Yoshi.
“He almost fell,” Razur explained simply.
The reunited dinosaurs didn’t have time to celebrate, though. With a crash that vibrated their very cores, the Big Top toppled to the ground, once-colorful leaves wilting and curling in the flames.
Lavender squealed and Blanco, Razur, and Zak shouted in surprise, but Bruno only stared grimly into the fire.
“We have to get to North City,” He said sadly, straightening up and looking off towards the north entrance.
Clause frowned as they ran. The air smelled of something dangerous. Between the trees she could glimpse flashes of two huge figures tossing fire around as if it were a game.
The silver-spiked Yoshi skidded to a stop when she saw the culprits. It wasn’t Odius, she realized with a shock, but two giant Koopas trashing everything. Her small friend was charging for them, but Ria grabbed Clause’s ankle and drug her back.
“Clause! You can’t just run up to them, they’ll kill you,” She yelled over the roaring flames. “We have to find another way to stop them.”
The other Yoshi frowned and dropped her grass basket on the ground with a crackle. Most of the trees were on fire, proving them too dangerous to climb or walk under. She snatched a few fruits from the basket and hurled them at the Koopas instead.
An apple bounced off the smaller one’s head and he whipped around to face the pair. He got his partner’s attention and motioned towards the two smaller Yoshis.
“Look, Titan! That one’s got silver spikes,” He said with a surprisingly shy, frightened squeal.
The larger Koopa, Titan, glared over at the two and snorted, causing Clause to flinch. “Let’s get ‘em, then,” He ordered, stepping forward. Clause grabbed another fruit and hurled it, the fruit exploding in the Koopa’s face. Ria smirked, holding out her arms and calling forth a strong gust of wind to blow him back into the other one, drawing a surprised glance from Clause. She didn’t know that Ria could use magic…
Clause shrugged and drew out the claws that had given her her name, leaping at the Koopas again as they scrambled to their feet. Titan batted her out of the air with the back of a claw, and his partner shakily stumbled backwards away from the Yoshis. The Koopas were knocked off their feet again as Ria flailed her arms and shook the ground under them. Her magic was only beginning to develop, she found- Ria wouldn’t be able to harm their attackers.
Pushing himself back up again, Titan growled, pointing a claw at Ria and summoning a fiery boulder to arc down the street towards her. The smaller Koopa covered his eyes and Ria grabbed Clause, dashing off around a corner.
“Just the two of us can’t stop them, Clause. Run!” She cried, shoving the dull green Yoshi ahead. Looking back for a split second, Clause could spot the fire turning on a dime around the corner and shooting for her. Ria glanced back as well and bit her lip. Should she save herself and let her friend die, or…?
Clause gasped as she was tackled to the ground from behind as Ria leaped in front of the boulder at the last second. The dirt in the road dug itself into the Yoshi’s face and the fire scorched her back, but Ria faced much worse punishment.
The rust-spiked Yoshi pushed herself up off her stomach, letting Ria slide off her back. She retracted her claws and poked her friend carefully, trying to get her attention.
Ria coughed and tried to sit up as well, but after a few seconds of struggling simply let herself lay in the road. “Listen, Clause. I won’t be here much longer, but there’s a job I need to do… Could you take care of it for me?”
Clause nodded, utterly confused. What did Ria mean, she wouldn’t be here?
“Good… There is an evil Yoshi that must be stopped, Clause. Soluna made a team of heroes to stop him, but you have to find the rest of them, first… I have a book that will give you the rest of the details,” She instructed. “I also have no more use for these… But they might help you.” Ria reached up and Clause took her hand. The small Yoshi felt something like ice creeping up her arm and into her spikes after a second as Ria used her magic once again, but didn’t let go. “Those Koopas will be here in a moment… Words will be necessary here, Clause. Tell them your name is Yoshee. Tell anyone that asks. They’ll listen to you.”
Titan grunted and elbowed his smaller brother. “I think we got ‘em, Herb,” He grinned maliciously, letting the other cower under him.
“Yeah, but… W-well…” He began to protest, but was silenced with a glare.
“That took far too long,” The older Koopa grumbled, stomping around the corner to find a silver-spiked Yoshi looking around confusedly.
Clause- or Yoshee now, rather- was indeed confused. Ria had disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving her alone in the burning streets. She saw the Koopas round the corner and assumed a battle stance, but she knew they would only have to raise a finger to end her.
Herb practically latched on to his brother’s raised arm. “No, don’t! She doesn’t even look hurt, that’s g-gotta mean something.” He stammered.
“Stop stalling, Herb,” Titan growled, wrenching his arm out of the other Koopa’s grasp.
“B-but I’ve never seen a Yoshi with silver spikes,” Herb whined.
Titan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine. We’ll take her to Odius and let him tell us to kill her anyways.” He snatched Yoshee up in a claw and slung her over his shoulder. “This city’s toast anyways, there’s not much else to do.”
Yoshee struggled angrily, but gave up after she realized she didn’t have anywhere to run anyways. She would have to take her chances with this Odius she had been hearing about and make her way to North City when she could outrun the Koopas.
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Oh, don't you worry, Red. You'll see what happens.
Chapter Seven- Change of Plans
While the others were out most of the time using their wings to explore different parts of South City, Clause was sulking in the Big Top. She spent a lot of her time reading books, as if they held the answer to her immunity to power-ups. Her friends would occasionally take her for a short ride, but they simply could not find a way to give Clause her own wings. Their only consolation was that when the wings wore off of Bruno, Lavender, Ria, and Blanco, Clause would no longer be alone.
“…Pomegranates? No, we already have those…” Ria pondered three weeks later on the way to the orchard. “Why did Lavender put those on the list?”
Bruno shook his head. “I think Blanco needed a couple extra for a catapult or something. We’ll stop by the stand on our way back. Those things are good anyways.”
Clause said nothing as usual, content to carry the basket and listen to the conversation.
“Razz berries, check.” The trio ambled past a banana stand.
“Fresh bananas!” The pink clerk called over to them, waving a bunch invitingly.
“Oh, should we? We have plenty, but you know how Zak never gets enough,” Ria bit her lip.
“We’ll take two!” Bruno yelled back without waiting for Ria, flipping some coins off his thumb at the counter with the touch of an experienced buyer. The clerk lobbed over two bunches in reply, which Bruno snatched out of the air with his rubbery tongue.
Ria rolled her eyes. Bruno was becoming such a showoff these days.
Clause tugged on Ria’s arm. She smelled something weird in the air…
“What is it, Clause?” Ria giggled as Bruno juggled the groceries, balancing an apple on his round nose.
The dull green Yoshi sniffed in reply, waved her hand for Ria to follow, and started for the orchard at a brisk pace, basket still hooked on her arm.
Frowning, Ria watched her for a few seconds. What was she up to?
“Come on, egghead,” Ria grabbed Bruno’s arm and dragged the bracelet-clad Yoshi off before he could protest. He only just managed to catch the fruit he was playing with before it could splatter on the paved road.
Ria’s long, easy strides swiftly brought her up next to her friend, and Clause began running full-out. As they sprinted, Ria looked up over the orchard and saw smoke. “Oh, no…” There had never been a fire in South City before. Something unnatural was happening.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Bruno demanded, scrambling to keep himself from hitting the ground face-first, as he was still being dragged by his arm.
Ria stopped suddenly, causing the other Yoshi to barrel into her. He merely bounced off his taller friend, landing on his tail.
“…Bruno, get back to the Big Top. Pack everything you can and take the others to the port. When you get to North City, ask for Lorekeeper Clavarus. Got that? He will know who you are. I shall meet you there as soon as I can,” She ordered, helping Bruno to his feet and shoving him down the road away from the orchard.
Bruno was confused now. “But…” He finally noticed the smoke curling into the air from beyond the orchard and gasped. “Wha…”
“Just go, okay?” Ria took a deep breath and smiled faintly at her friend. “It will be okay. I promise.”
Bruno started off reluctantly, but Ria held him back one last time.
“You didn’t finish the story, did you?”
Bruno shook his head, speechless. Clause stopped at the entrance to the orchard and gazed back impatiently at the two.
Ria sighed. “The ending was the most important part. Odius’ weaknesses. Make sure you get the book from the Big Top on your way out, okay? Goodbye, now… And Soluna be watching you. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
Bruno nodded, spun around, and scurried off as fast as his feet could take him this time. Ria turned and headed off in the other direction after Clause.
“Fire. There’s never fire here,” She murmured to herself as Clause led her through the towering fruit trees to the source of the trouble.
“Guys! Guys!” Bruno called up the tree. In the five minutes it had taken the Yoshi to run home, the fire had spread and chaos had taken hold of the city. Huge chunks of flame flew around the sky overhead, forcing any flyers to the ground. Nothing was safe in their city- everything was made of wood.
Four heads peeked down at Bruno from various rooms in the tree house. As soon as the gang had heard the alarm, they had rushed to pack their valuables and await word from Ria.
“Where’s Ria!?” Blanco hollered from the top floor.
Bruno hesitated. “Uh. She said she’d catch up later! We gotta go find Fayre at the docks!”
The four heads disappeared from Bruno’s view. Lavender was scrambling down the tree with her bag, Bruno could see, but he didn’t know where the other three went. He heard an echoing crack from a half mile away and saw another jet of flame scream across the sky.
“Guys, get out of the tree!” He roared, but it was too late. The arc had brushed the tree, setting half of it aflame in the blink of an eye. “No!”
Zak suddenly shot up into the air above the wall of flames panic-stricken, Lavender held firmly in his arms.
“Where’s Blanco and Razur?” The winged Yoshi’s eyes flitted from branch to burning branch, but he had to squint from the bright light and could not locate his friends.
The sound of branches breaking, followed by a surprised scream, could be heard from inside.
“That’s Blanco!” Lavender cried, not believing her ears as Zak put her down next to Bruno.
The three of them sighed with relief as Razur came hurtling out of a wall in their house carrying a scorched white Yoshi.
“He almost fell,” Razur explained simply.
The reunited dinosaurs didn’t have time to celebrate, though. With a crash that vibrated their very cores, the Big Top toppled to the ground, once-colorful leaves wilting and curling in the flames.
Lavender squealed and Blanco, Razur, and Zak shouted in surprise, but Bruno only stared grimly into the fire.
“We have to get to North City,” He said sadly, straightening up and looking off towards the north entrance.
Clause frowned as they ran. The air smelled of something dangerous. Between the trees she could glimpse flashes of two huge figures tossing fire around as if it were a game.
The silver-spiked Yoshi skidded to a stop when she saw the culprits. It wasn’t Odius, she realized with a shock, but two giant Koopas trashing everything. Her small friend was charging for them, but Ria grabbed Clause’s ankle and drug her back.
“Clause! You can’t just run up to them, they’ll kill you,” She yelled over the roaring flames. “We have to find another way to stop them.”
The other Yoshi frowned and dropped her grass basket on the ground with a crackle. Most of the trees were on fire, proving them too dangerous to climb or walk under. She snatched a few fruits from the basket and hurled them at the Koopas instead.
An apple bounced off the smaller one’s head and he whipped around to face the pair. He got his partner’s attention and motioned towards the two smaller Yoshis.
“Look, Titan! That one’s got silver spikes,” He said with a surprisingly shy, frightened squeal.
The larger Koopa, Titan, glared over at the two and snorted, causing Clause to flinch. “Let’s get ‘em, then,” He ordered, stepping forward. Clause grabbed another fruit and hurled it, the fruit exploding in the Koopa’s face. Ria smirked, holding out her arms and calling forth a strong gust of wind to blow him back into the other one, drawing a surprised glance from Clause. She didn’t know that Ria could use magic…
Clause shrugged and drew out the claws that had given her her name, leaping at the Koopas again as they scrambled to their feet. Titan batted her out of the air with the back of a claw, and his partner shakily stumbled backwards away from the Yoshis. The Koopas were knocked off their feet again as Ria flailed her arms and shook the ground under them. Her magic was only beginning to develop, she found- Ria wouldn’t be able to harm their attackers.
Pushing himself back up again, Titan growled, pointing a claw at Ria and summoning a fiery boulder to arc down the street towards her. The smaller Koopa covered his eyes and Ria grabbed Clause, dashing off around a corner.
“Just the two of us can’t stop them, Clause. Run!” She cried, shoving the dull green Yoshi ahead. Looking back for a split second, Clause could spot the fire turning on a dime around the corner and shooting for her. Ria glanced back as well and bit her lip. Should she save herself and let her friend die, or…?
Clause gasped as she was tackled to the ground from behind as Ria leaped in front of the boulder at the last second. The dirt in the road dug itself into the Yoshi’s face and the fire scorched her back, but Ria faced much worse punishment.
The rust-spiked Yoshi pushed herself up off her stomach, letting Ria slide off her back. She retracted her claws and poked her friend carefully, trying to get her attention.
Ria coughed and tried to sit up as well, but after a few seconds of struggling simply let herself lay in the road. “Listen, Clause. I won’t be here much longer, but there’s a job I need to do… Could you take care of it for me?”
Clause nodded, utterly confused. What did Ria mean, she wouldn’t be here?
“Good… There is an evil Yoshi that must be stopped, Clause. Soluna made a team of heroes to stop him, but you have to find the rest of them, first… I have a book that will give you the rest of the details,” She instructed. “I also have no more use for these… But they might help you.” Ria reached up and Clause took her hand. The small Yoshi felt something like ice creeping up her arm and into her spikes after a second as Ria used her magic once again, but didn’t let go. “Those Koopas will be here in a moment… Words will be necessary here, Clause. Tell them your name is Yoshee. Tell anyone that asks. They’ll listen to you.”
Titan grunted and elbowed his smaller brother. “I think we got ‘em, Herb,” He grinned maliciously, letting the other cower under him.
“Yeah, but… W-well…” He began to protest, but was silenced with a glare.
“That took far too long,” The older Koopa grumbled, stomping around the corner to find a silver-spiked Yoshi looking around confusedly.
Clause- or Yoshee now, rather- was indeed confused. Ria had disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving her alone in the burning streets. She saw the Koopas round the corner and assumed a battle stance, but she knew they would only have to raise a finger to end her.
Herb practically latched on to his brother’s raised arm. “No, don’t! She doesn’t even look hurt, that’s g-gotta mean something.” He stammered.
“Stop stalling, Herb,” Titan growled, wrenching his arm out of the other Koopa’s grasp.
“B-but I’ve never seen a Yoshi with silver spikes,” Herb whined.
Titan rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine. We’ll take her to Odius and let him tell us to kill her anyways.” He snatched Yoshee up in a claw and slung her over his shoulder. “This city’s toast anyways, there’s not much else to do.”
Yoshee struggled angrily, but gave up after she realized she didn’t have anywhere to run anyways. She would have to take her chances with this Odius she had been hearing about and make her way to North City when she could outrun the Koopas.
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Great job on the story, Yoshee! I can't wait for the next chapter ;D