The Dangers of TransLocate #1

[-Lacie-]

(This is a work of fiction. Names were changed to protect the... well, ok, just read it and find out. And aye, this was for a quest, in case you have doubts.)

The otherwise stoic DreamMaster sat slumped over, his head hung and held up by trembling hands. Completely lost in thought, he occasionally shook his head within his hands; eyes would sometimes dart about the ground he stared at. Most times quiet and reserved, low mumbling thoughts escaped his lips from time to time. At least he was alone, where no one could see this drastic change in his demeanor.

“I don’t lose things. I don’t get into fights I can’t win. I rarely collapse and drop something.”

“What am I saying??? Even if I did collapse, I couldn’t drop… that! It’s bound to me permanently!”

About that time, Sir Drake’s comrade in arms wandered into the room, his feet shuffling as they normally do, obviously too big for the rest of his body. Sir Drake raised his head enough to see the flat, rounded feet approach him, not needing to look up to know his leaf-shaped footed friend was coming to discuss some matter of seeming importance with him.

“Keep those leaf cutters away from me! Have you washed the mud and stink off of them yet anyway?”, Sir Drake hollered in a grumpy tone.

Sir Slicer kept his distance, looking down at his leaf-blade shaped appendages. “Yea, I walked through Threshold earlier and I stepped into that puddle in the Basin’s room, why? They still stink?” He looked over at Sir Drake with an inquisitive expression, finally realizing Sir Drake wasn’t in his normal, stiff posture. “What’s the matter with you anyway? Lose DaisyMay’s watering can again? I thought she told you to leave that alone?”

“Worse ... This is so much worse than that!” Sir Drake proclaimed, sounding more like a growl than a reply to a friend.

About this time, Cascara Buckthorn bounces into the room, her silken azure pillowcase neatly tied around her neck and flowing like the cape she imagines it to truly be. “Wow! What’s wrong with Drakie? He looks so sad! Why is he all slumped over like that? You sick or something, Drakiepoo???”

“Look, TreeGirl… When I remember what your name means, I’m going to tell you one more time. In the meantime, cheer down, please. I’ve got a dilemma, ok?”

“I told you to stop calling me that! And stop it with the tree jokes for a while, ok?” She pulled her azure cape around her, as if somehow she could fend off his vicious comments about her name with a silken pillowcase.

Dear Cascara, a delicate creature at birth, her mother desperate for the newborn’s survival, named her for the strongest tree in the forest in their shard. Besides, the berries were a well known cure for the stopped up digestive system! Now, an independent and strong woman, Cascara only wanted to see Sir Drake in his usual, stoic mood. She bounced out of the room quickly, only to return with the others who had been feasting on red meat, fruits and massive amounts of dark ale.

Seeing an opportunity to console, comfort and aid his dear friend, Sir Slicer plopped down next to Sir Drake and began to unleash his leaf-shaped feet from binding boots.

“What is your dilemma? Some other group picking on us again? Bored because we’re not warring with some other inferior group? Someone mess up ~that~ collection of what you call “artistry” in the 9th sphere hall? You haven’t pissed off someone important, have you? WHAT’S WRONG???”

The smell from Sir Slicer’s feet started permeating the room and offending Sir Drake’s nose, but he ignored it, seeming not to even notice the stench.

“You can’t tell the others. Promise you won’t tell them!” Sir Drake mutters as his hands cover his stressed out face.

“I swear on … I promise on… The Precious!” Sir Slicer was obviously in a jolly mood. It didn’t make Sir Drake feel any better though.

"I’ve lost something… something important. And I don’t know what to do!”

“Ok, so you put something down in one of our massive vaults and you can’t remember which one? Fine! I’ll help you find it. What’d you lose????”

Sir Drake lowers his voice to just above a whisper; his eyes dart about to make certain no one else is around. “My Brain.” His head lowers back into his hands and it almost seems as if soft weeping can be heard.

Sir Slicer couldn’t believe his ears, and knew this must be some sort of jest on Sir Drake’s part. He slapped his thigh and burst out into an uproarious bout of laughter. Sir Drake raised his head long enough to Blast Sir Slicer several times in rapid succession.

Hearing the sounds of Blast, the others reach the two, looking around in utter, but normal confusion. Rapidly evoking arts, grabbing Elemens and Chakrams, they sprung into immediate “fight mode”. Peridot was the first to enter, followed by DaisyMay, Cascara, Jean Lefitte, Maverick and his sidekick, Shank all gathered around, looking for enemies, huffing, puffing and grunting as is their way.

Sir Slicer looked at his readied army and couldn’t help but smile. “A motley crew, but you all look so foreboding and ominous. Cascara straightened her cape as she squared her shoulders, “I know…”, she proudly proclaimed. He looked back to Sir Drake to attempt to address his situation. “Stand down, troops. Drake and I were just conversing and it’s a delicate situation. You see, he’s lost his….” Sir Slicer slaps his hand over his mouth, so as to not betray his solemn promise, but it was too late.

“My watering can??? You lost it again? I told you to keep your grubby hands off my watering can!” DaisyMay put her hands on her hips, scowling at Sir Drake.

“I can’t even remember why you need that thing, Rose!”

“My name is DaisyMay! Can’t you remember my damn name?”

“As a matter of fact, I can’t remember anything. I’ve lost my cranial contents!”

“What were you doing? Took it out to play with it again?” Maverick uttered, trying to keep the conversation going and visibly attempting to hide his amusement with this.

“Look, you dull Blade… I’ll make mush out of you if you keep this up, soon as I remember how to unsheathe my Blade.”

Cascara leaned over to Peridot, who was just standing there grunting irritably, “I think he’s serious. You seen his gray matter anywhere?” “No.” she replied, clearly irritated at this turn of events.

“I was experimenting with TransLocate. I just know that art does more than the few places it takes us now! I was working with that other fellow. What’s his name?” He scratches his head, clearly unable to remember the man’s name, although he was an integral part of the team.

Cascara pipes up, speaking in a screeching loud tone, “You were experimenting with Wonky again? How many times have we made the rule against joining in his experiments! You know how he loves to blow himself up, and anyone around him. That’s why we have that ~special~ padded room inside, remember???”

DaisyMay fiddled with the petals on her gown, picking a caterpillar off one petal and placing it upon Peridot’s shoulder as she looked away. Peridot, feeling the movement on her shoulder, quickly sliced the poor creature into several gooey bits, making DaisyMay stick out her bottom lip and pout.

Jean Lefitte had been just standing around, looking completely bored with the whole situation. “Someone probably be stealing ye marbles, clacking them together in some stronghold in the Valley of Totality. That’s my guess. I should go steal something of theirs and hold it hostage until they give ye back ye cerebrum!!!”

Well this went on and on until Sir Drake could stand it no longer. “Look, I can’t think of where it is… no brain, remember? How do you expect me to think in this commotion anyway???” The scowl on his face said it all, and the crew retreated to the Façade with the command of Lefitte that they should duel each other because the coffers were too full and they needed to burn up some “junk” items.

Sir Slicer remained, laying a comforting hand upon Sir Drake’s shoulder-blade. “We’ll find it. Let’s see, where were you trying to make TransLocate go when you lost your… “ His snickering prevented him from completing the sentence.

“I remember a wise, but tiny girl once used the phrase in such a situation. What was her name? Gora? Mora? Oh! Senora! That’s it! She would sing….” Sir Drake covered his ears, knowing how poor Sir Slicer’s musical abilities were.

“Go back, go back, go back! Go back to where you were!” It always worked for her and her people. If you were working on TransLocate, then just do it again, repeat your actions! Where you will end up, should be where your brain matter should be sitting, right?” It made complete sense to him, but Sir Slicer had been exposed to FateSender traits, altering his perspective forever.

Sir Drake looked at Sir Slicer, not having any other idea, just nodded and began to cast the Art of TransLocate. Sir Slicer casually took a giant step back, his leaf-shaped feet tangling around each other.

Sir Drake’s avatar started to phase, shimmering and blinking in and out of existence. Sir Slicer mumbled under his breath, “Nice knowing you, bud”, as Sir Drake disappeared from sight. Sir Slicer began to rapidly evoke Locate Dreamer, hoping to learn of the place that the gray matter slipped from his friend’s cranium.

Sir Drake had his eyes tightly closed as his avatar regained its bluish attire, felt the ground solidify under his feet. He opened his eyes slowly. His left foot was slightly off its normal firm stance. He looked down to see his toes resting on a mushy pile of wiggling and throbbing matter.

“My Brain! I found it!” He quickly reached down, grabbing the wiggling blob and stuffing it into his cranium through his right ear. It was only after his retrieval of the blob of intellectual goo, that he looked around to see where he was. It was only then that the familiar smirk crossed his lips, realizing the humor of the entire situation.

The name of this place is Unknown in the Unknown.