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Post by natalie on Aug 25, 2009 23:16:19 GMT -5
I thought he had found Bowman the first time!! Great first part meeting. Fly Bowman Fly fast!!!
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Post by giantblackcat on Aug 26, 2009 0:55:46 GMT -5
>w<!!
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Post by Neon on Aug 26, 2009 21:56:30 GMT -5
I thought he had found Bowman the first time!! Great first part meeting. Fly Bowman Fly fast!!! Bowman: No, really?! No need to tell me that! Be nice, Bo, you has a fan! D;
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Post by Neon on Sept 12, 2009 19:58:09 GMT -5
Chapter Fourteen
I stayed as still as I could in my little “plant” disguise. Even as the human dragged his huge feet over closer, I barely let myself shiver. My wings quivered in the displaced air when he knelt. I lost my control, though, when, just as I cracked an eye open, I saw a hand bigger than myself extending steadily in my direction. I rolled away from it quickly, unfolding myself and jumping to my feet. Luck was on my side; I’d startled the beast. I started to run in the opposite direction. I was puzzled at why it called after me in its booming voice to wait ... who would fall for that?
I unfurled my wings, preparing to take flight and be out of there quickly. I was about to leave the ground when I heard and felt more air pushing on my back than I ought to ... I turned to look behind me to see that gigantic hat coming down right on top of me. I cried out in surprise and frustration, pulling my wings in just in time to avoid them being snapped by the thick hat. I fell flat on my face due to the imbalance that caused, sliding to a stop under the pitch black of the hat.
My poor heart felt like it was trying to climb out through my mouth in its own plan to escape the gigantic human. I felt vibrations in the ground as it approached again. Without even thinking, I crouched and ran forward, ramming my shoulder into the side of the hat. It moved about an inch with me. I heard the human gasp, shuddering at the sheer sound of so much air moving for just one pair of lungs. He put his hand on the hat, I could tell, so I knew I’d be unable to push it around anymore. I heard a clattering and a hiss; it sounded like the fire had caught something new. My heart abruptly dropped to my stomach. Was he already preparing a fire to cook me on? I reached up and pounded the “roof” of my little prison fearfully. It felt like the walls were closing in now. My breathing came short and quick as I tried desperately to think of a new solution.
I saw light again in a few seconds. I turned to face it; the human was lifting the hat slowly from one side. I tensed—maybe I could somehow dart out from under the hat as soon as there was space before he could catch me. I lost the nerve, though, when his hand appeared under the brim of the hat. I backed up, pressing myself against the far side of the hat, trying to keep as much distance between that hand and myself as possible. I thought my heart might have fearfully skipped a beat when the huge fingers brushed across my torso.
I tried to dart to the side, planning to sidestep his hand, but it was in vain. Though I tried to avoid it, the hand closed around me, and I felt the air forced from my lungs. If he didn’t kill me with fire, he surely would just by squeezing the life out of me! I struggled and fought madly even as I was drawn out into the light. All but my head, torso, and one arm were engulfed in the human’s hand. I was glad that I’d also managed to keep my wings free, though they were useless right now. I ignored his face as I struggled, even as he stood up.
I was near panic when he was at his full height, just staring at me awkwardly. Still struggling, an idea came to me. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was better than doing nothing. I quickly dove my head forward and bit his first finger, the one that situated itself right in front of me. At first, I thought I’d have no effect on his thick skin, but in a few seconds, my sharp canines managed to break it.
It had the desired effect, more or less. He let go. I fell through the air swiftly. Taking a deep breath with my until-recently constricted lungs, I snapped my wings open and leveled off in the air. I quickly turned in the air and hurtled towards the edge of the clearing. I knew he had no chance of catching me when I flew, not on his clumsy feet in the dark.
Chapter Fifteen
I heard him shuffle about his campsite quickly after I’d left the clearing, but soon I wasn’t listening anymore. My focus was on putting as much distance between myself and him as I could. I was relieved that, in my haste, I’d darted into the forest in about the opposite direction of the village; maybe that’d put them off the trail, though I knew I’d made a huge blunder by being seen.
My eyes were still a bit oddly adjusted to the lighting. The darkness under the hat had messed with my vision. So, I didn’t even see the low, sickly branch sticking out between two close trees, until my foot had caught on it. I tumbled over and over in the air, very disoriented (this is how you trip in midair). I’d been trying to gain height, and I lost some now. Before I could right myself, I hit what I assumed was a tangled mess of hanging vines. I winced to realize that at least some of the vines had thorns; my right shin received a little cut, and so did my elbows.
I’d hit the viney barrier at a pretty high speed. I got a bit tangled up, and it didn’t help that I was frantic in my focus on escaping. I freed my arms, only to fall backwards. I flapped my wings strongly, but they didn’t really have any effect. I hung upside down, one leg hopelessly caught in the vines. I tried to pull myself back up to free it, but my own weight was too much and I couldn’t do it. I tried flapping my wings, but they had very limited mobility if I didn’t want to poke a hole in one of them on the thorns. I groaned and squirmed, desperate to escape before that human gave chase.
I froze when I heard him come crashing into the forest after me. I thought, maybe, my green clothes and wings would keep me camouflaged against the vine backdrop. I shut my eyes tight and turned my head away slightly when the light from his weird glow-bar passed over me. I sighed with relief when it passed by. Hanging upside down, I could see between the trees where he stood, searching.
I held my breath as the light made a second sweep around. Once again it passed over me. But, much to my despair, it zipped right back to focus on me, and, though I couldn’t see his face for being blinded by that darned light, I knew he saw me. I started to struggle anew as, at the same time, he started crashing through the underbrush in my direction. I cursed my luck, how could I have escaped his clutches only to be delivered right back to them by the very forest I called home?
Still flapping my wings and trying to pull my leg loose from the tangled vines, I gave a cry of desperation when the human reached me. He just stood there and watched for a few seconds, his blasted light affixed on my struggling form. Then, he came closer to the vines and, leaning over slightly, put his face about right next to the vines maybe half a foot from me, watching from the side angle.
“No, no, no,” I muttered hopelessly. I continued to try to free myself, now sending a few sideways glances at the huge face. He was mad that I’d bitten him, I knew it! It was like death was right there staring at me, not a human.
“Calm down, it’s okay, it’s okay,” he said suddenly, in a voice that, though he was holding back, made me freeze for a second as the noise shook through me.
I yelped in alarm when, from below me, his free hand came up. His first finger and thumb took hold of my sides, pinching my ribs awkwardly, and I couldn’t help but lessen my struggles from the discomfort. I watched anxiously as, after shifting the light in his hand, he reached out and pulled the vines away from each other, and my leg came free. But now, I was back in his hand. I started kicking and pushing at his fingers (which were gloved, now I couldn’t even bite him to get away!) even as he turned me right side up.
He held up the flashlight, shining it right on me. I stopped struggling abruptly, putting both arms up and closing my eyes tight in defense against the brightness. As if in response to my discomfort, I felt him move the light away.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe,” he said in that voice he must have thought was comforting, as he turned where he stood and started noisily back through the trees to his campsite. All I could reply with was a short bark of a laugh. I stopped struggling for a few minutes, though, resting. And his fingers pinched me rather badly on the sides.
He reentered the clearing, and I immediately looked to the fire, which he’d fed while I was under the hat. Was this it? Was he just lying before he moved in for the kill? I sighed, allowing my wings to just droop instead of folding them behind my back. It was getting tiring, all this apprehension. I was slowly resigning myself to fate at that point.
~~~~~ (c) Neon
Two chapters, because I felt like it. Yes, as I said before, 14 is just a repeat of the first meeting, through Bowman's eyes. The shift in perspective paints a different picture of the interaction as far as how well it went, eh?
Don't trip in midair, guys. You'll get hurt.
Can we all say worst luck ever?
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Post by natalie on Sept 12, 2009 20:16:41 GMT -5
Yahoo!! A Double update!! Poor Bowman!! I feel sorry for him!! I think its neat that the giant rescued him from the vines, great interaction scenes!! I like it a lot!! Keep up the good work!!
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Post by Amayasama on Sept 12, 2009 23:49:09 GMT -5
;^; Ohhh Bowman got caught again! I hope he'll be okay...if he cut himself on the thorns it's gunna burn later D:
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Post by Satal on Sept 14, 2009 18:31:46 GMT -5
That is too good Neon! *gives gold star of approval* Love the details man! Blow me away would ya? xD
And I promise not to trip in midair.
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Post by Neon on Sept 17, 2009 18:43:13 GMT -5
@ Natalie: Yepyep, Jacob's a helper. XD
@ Ama: To be honest in the later chapters I came very close to forgetting his cuts. Oopsies?
@ Satal: OH. MAH. GAH. Gooooold staaaaaaaaar. Thankies bunches. And good. Tripping in midair is trouble for all involved.
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Post by Neon on Oct 4, 2009 22:29:09 GMT -5
(Oh, yeah, I have this story, too ... ehehehe ... )
Chapter Sixteen
I was surprised when the human walked right past the fire, though, stepping around it hurriedly. He sat down on the boulder where the hat had been, facing the fire. I saw him press a switch on his light-thing, and to my amazement the light ceased. Had he somehow managed to capture light in that contraption? I stared at it for a moment as he discarded it on the ground.
The human shifted where he sat, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. He still held me in his pincer grip, looking down at me curiously. I started to struggle again, uncomfortable under such scrutiny. I winced and pushed at the two fingers at my sides, feeling a great ache in my ribs by now.
“What an interesting little ... thing you are.” The human muttered. I paused in my movements to glare up at him. He seemed to ignore it.
My glare became surprise when his other hand came near, the first finger extended. I tried to draw away from it, but there was nowhere to go as it came closer. The human poked me right square in the chest. I pushed against the gloved finger, unable to lean back any farther away from the contact. The human chuckled, much to my chagrin, but did pull his hand back.
After a few more minutes in which the human continued to look me over, I grew impatient and anxious. I glared up at my captor, cursing him in my mind. Then, I flinched slightly when he opened his mouth to speak again, this time more directly and less of a mutter. “What are you?” he asked, his dull brown eyes making contact with my bright green ones. Then, “... Can you even talk?”
I wished I could punch him for that one. What did I look like, a dumb animal? “Of course I can talk!” I snapped, squirming in his grip once more, trying to maybe take him by surprise. It didn’t work.
His eyes widened when I answered, though, completely oblivious to my small escape attempt. “Wow!” he whispered in awe. “So, what are you? Why do you have wings, where did you come from?”
I paused at the barrage of questions, unsure of which one to focus on. But then I decided that I didn’t have to cooperate with this beast if he was going to kill me later anyway. “I’ll tell you if you let me go,” I answered, still in a rather snappy manner.
He smirked. “Don’t think so, but nice try.” Even as he spoke, he shifted his hand and then released his first finger and thumb; I fell the short distance onto his palm and he quickly closed his hand again, though thankfully I’d been able to keep both arms free. He moved his hand again so I was more upright, but still at something of an angle facing him. I wondered which was worse: being pinched somewhat in the ribs or having a general pressure over most of my lower body. My wings twitched in my irritation and I pushed futilely against his fingers.
“Blast it, you’re going to break something!” I spat, using a choice sprite swear word. “But I guess that was your plan anyway,” I added angrily.
The human looked confused for a second. “This is hurting you that bad?” he asked. Thankfully, he did loosen his grip a bit, though not enough for me to be able to escape. I took a deep breath, glad the ache in my sides was dissipating. I returned my glare to his face as he spoke again. “What do you mean that’s my plan?”
I rolled my eyes. “You big, dumb brute, I’m surprised you haven’t killed me yet! Or, what is it, do you make a habit of playing with your prey?” I answered in a yell. If saying that quickened my demise, so be it, I wasn’t about to be toyed with.
The expression that came to his face was not anger, but more a shocked bemusement. Then, he laughed out loud, tilting his head back a bit. I immediately slapped my hands over my ears at the thunderous noise. I was surprised the whole forest didn’t wake up to that; but I was also glad, his friends seemed to stay asleep in their tent.
When he finished laughing in a few seconds, he looked back at me, the stupid grin still on his face. “Oh, jeez, that’s funny.” I took my hands off my ears and crossed my arms, glaring at him again. “You think I’d eat you? Why?”
“Because that’s what humans do!” I answered defiantly.
“Have you ever met one before?” he asked pointedly, raising an eyebrow.
“I ...” I paused, unsure of what to say next. Then, determined to have the last word, I said, “Of course not, why do you think I’m still alive, stupid?”
I flinched when, instead of answering right away, he brought his other hand up close again. He ruffled the top of my head with his index finger fairly lightly, though I had to duck away from the contact, seething, to avoid having my neck broken. It was then that he spoke. “You shouldn’t jump to conclusions, you know. We humans are quite nice most of the time.”
I waited until he moved his other hand out of the way. “Is that what you told the rabbit shortly before you tore it apart?”
It was his turn to pause awkwardly. “That’s different,” he finally said. I knew I’d won that argument.
“Oh, right, I forgot it’s different,” I scoffed. “Rabbits are bigger than me.”
He smirked at that, but before he could say anything both of us had our attention distracted. The human looked up and I turned and craned my neck in his grip to look at the tent. One of his companions was stirring. ~~~~~ (c) Neon Flashlights=magical light sticks of wonder. According to sprites. Jacob will get better at treating Bowman nicely ... eventually. He'll learn. Then again, Bowman will have a lot of learning to do about humans, too, eh? Blast, by the way, is a sprite swear word, similar to d*mn. And, just in case I didn't make it clear, the dead rabbit really disturbed Bowman. He's actually scared the same fate awaits him. Stressful, eh? *shrug*
And, go me, another mini-cliffhanger. *Awaits the bricks*
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Post by natalie on Oct 5, 2009 0:53:01 GMT -5
Really great dialogue in this one, I like it!! Keep up the great work !!
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Post by Satal on Oct 5, 2009 14:36:01 GMT -5
*chucks the first brick* So this is why our rp was going so slow. But the CLIFFHANGERofDOOOOM? Seriously? You kill me! Dx I...I...
I WANT MORE!
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Post by Amayasama on Oct 5, 2009 15:21:04 GMT -5
O.O Oh no...more giants for Bowman? D: Aw dear...
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Post by LightHeart on Oct 5, 2009 17:23:12 GMT -5
* chucks the second and thrid brick* No that's just plain mean. You can't leave me hanging like than. I...need to...KNOW. *chucks another brick*
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Post by Neon on Oct 7, 2009 21:55:00 GMT -5
*Brick'd x4* Wow, guys. Go easy on the brainthings. >.o
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Post by Neon on Oct 18, 2009 11:58:14 GMT -5
Hit some writer's block on this one, just so you know. I'm working on it, but it resists quite strongly ... Rawr. >.<
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Post by Neon on Nov 4, 2009 23:16:56 GMT -5
Chapter Seventeen
“Crap!” Jacob muttered. He saw the vague silhouette of one of his friends sit up and stretch a moment in the tent. How could he explain this? He didn’t really want his friends to know about his discovery, at least not until he knew more himself. He sat up straighter, drawing his hand a bit closer to himself.
The creature was straining to watch the motion in the tent. Jacob lifted his other hand tentatively, and gave it a poke in the shoulder. It whirled back around to look at him, and even gave a swat with its tiny hand at the already-retreating finger. “What?” it snapped, and Jacob then held his index finger in front of his mouth to indicate silence.
“I have to hide you,” Jacob whispered, taking the opportunity as whoever was awake made a lot of noise shuffling out of their sleeping bag.
“Or you could just let me go,” the creature suggested in its tiny voice, thankfully not yelling this time. Jacob ignored it for the time being, searching the clearing for some safe place to hide the thing. He considered the garbage bag, but soon decided against it, remembering the look of utter disgust on its face when it mentioned the rabbit. There didn’t seem to be anywhere to hide the creature where it wouldn’t escape easily or be crushed.
Jacob paused. He was wearing a black, somewhat baggy windbreaker jacket over his plain cotton shirt, zipped about halfway up. With his free hand he took one side of the lapel, pulling it away from himself slightly and pausing. Hesitantly, he made his choice. He glanced back at the creature, who was watching.
It shook its head and started to squirm a bit again. “No. Don’t you dare!” it said quietly. Its wings were even moving a bit now.
The zipper was slowly opening up on the tent. Jacob whispered, “I’m sorry,” and pulled the jacket open a bit further. He stuffed the now fully struggling creature into his jacket, careful not to break one of the flared wings or tiny limbs, then quickly withdrew his hand and zipped the jacket all the way. He almost laughed as he felt it flutter angrily against his ribcage, tickling him. He folded his arms in a way that slowly and hopefully gently pressed the creature to him and halted its movement for the most part. He could still feel it beating its tiny fists on his chest, and its wings, though trapped by his arms, twitched a lot.
He was just in time to hide his find. The zipper on the tent stopped at about halfway up, and Chase poked his head out. Jacob was glad to see that he looked tired enough to believe anything. “Wha’re y’doin’ outside, Jacob?” he mumbled, clearly confused by the late hour.
“Huh?” Jacob asked in his best nonchalant voice. The creature flinched, and he realized it must seem really loud right by his lungs. Trying to quiet his voice a bit, he answered, “Oh, I couldn’t sleep so I figured I’d come and sit out here for a while.”
“Didjou say sorry or sometin’ ... ?” he asked, clearly out of it.
Jacob floundered for an answer. “Oh, yeah, I was trying to, uh, say sorry for waking you. But I must have a cold, my throat just died out on me.”
“Oh, right, good-good deal,” Chase yawned. “Wha’ time izzit?” he asked, scratching his head.
“I dunno. Late.” Jacob answered quickly.
Chase yawned again. “I’m goin’ back t’ bed. Jeez, Jake, jus’ go to sleep ...” His mutterings faded to inaudibility as his head retreated back into the tent. Jacob watched and waited as the zipper was redone, and he heard his buddy get back into his sleeping bag. He waited a few extra minutes until he could tell Chase had dropped back into a deep sleep.
“Okay,” Jacob warned before slowly uncrossing his arms. The creature fell about an inch, but Jacob smiled softly when he felt it cling to his shirt. It also yelled something angrily. Jacob unzipped his jacket and reached in for the creature, feeling past the wings that once again were moving a bit frantically.
When he drew the creature out again, Jacob saw that he’d gotten it from about the waist down, so its torso was freer. As soon as it was free of the jacket, though, it started to flap its wings, and they beat against Jacob’s hand. It was leaned over slightly and pushed mightily against his grip. Jacob felt a little tug at his heart to see the despair and lingering fear on its little face.
“Whoa, whoa, take it easy,” Jacob whispered. He put his other hand up near the creature, fingers spread slightly like he was guarding a candle from the wind. The creature looked at this hand with surprise and snapped its wings back, folding them loosely at its back. Once that motion stopped, Jacob realized the creature was still trembling in his hand.
After a few seconds, it stopped its struggling and looked up at him with that potent glare. Jacob knew for sure that if looks could kill, this little guy would have had him pushing up daisies a while back.
“What in the Ashland did you do that for, huh?” it exploded, or as much as it could with such a little voice. “You big, stupid brute!”
Jacob blinked in surprise. “What’s the big deal? I was hiding you from him so he wouldn’t freak out.”
The creature gave a little cry of frustration. “’What’s the big deal?’ ‘What’s the big deal?!’ I’m captured by an unpredictable monster, and he doesn’t even realize how blasted BIG of a deal that is!” He started to beat his tiny fists against Jacob’s hand.
Now, that kind of stung. “I’m no monster,” he answered firmly, but still quietly. “Believe me, I’m no monster.” The creature stopped struggling and looked up at him again, though this time, its expression was searching, worried.
“I ... I might have suffocated,” it said weakly, and Jacob almost didn’t hear it. “Or overheated,” it added. “W-whatever you plan to do to me, don’t do that again. Please.” It was then that Jacob noticed; narrowing his eyes, he saw that the roots of the creature’s messy green hair were matted with sweat. It was no wonder why; the night was hot, and Jacob realized it must have been even warmer being pressed between two layers of fabric with a rather comparatively large body producing heat on one side.
Jacob allowed himself a small smile. “Sure thing, little guy.” The creature glared at him again at that. “And hey, that’s the first time you didn’t snap at me. Great.”
“Oh, go climb a dead tree,” the creature answered, snapping again. Jacob chuckled at the peculiar insult.
“And, since you’re so worried about what I’m going to ‘do to you,’ don’t worry about it, please. I have no intention of hurting you.” Jacob told the creature with another smile.
~~~~~ (c) Neon Er. Yeah. His jacket. >.<; I wrote myself into a corner and that was really the only place for him to hide Bowman without him escaping. Meh, it turned out okay I think. It was scary for poor Bowman, though. D: Ashland is the sprite version of hell. Not a cliffhanger this time, yay! But you will have to wait to see whether Bowman will begin to trust his new human acquaintance. *shrug* Um, enjoy. ^^
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Post by natalie on Nov 4, 2009 23:31:17 GMT -5
Great update!! I really really like this!!
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Post by giantblackcat on Nov 5, 2009 17:03:24 GMT -5
COOOL!! XD!
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Post by Amayasama on Nov 5, 2009 19:34:43 GMT -5
XD HAha *squeal and flails* Giant hug! x.x Though it was against Bowman's will...XD It did make me smile though having that been the last place to hide him
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Post by Neon on Nov 7, 2009 20:42:17 GMT -5
Haha, it was kind of like a hug, wasn't it? I didn't even think about that.
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